Insights from A. Murray book on "Humility" - Chapters 4 and 5

Humility in the teaching of Jesus - Chapter 4
Humility in the disciples of Jesus - Chapter 5

These two chapters and the Bible verses cited in the text led me to ponder Jesus' words as if I were reading them for the first time -

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. (Matt. 5:3,5).

...learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls for my yoke is easy and my burden is light (Matt. 11:29).

Am I seeing Jesus as He truly is and focused on learning from Him?
Am I letting the Lord expose my pride and unbelief so He can affect my thoughts, emotions, actions, habits...?

To find rest for my soul, I need to ask Him to help me die to self (my own ways, will, pride...) so He can live for me. After all Galatians 2:20 tells me that I have been crucified with Christ, I no longer live. He lives in me, and the life I now live, I live by faith in Him who loved me and gave Himself for me.

I often tell my clients that the Lord came to the world to give us mental, emotional, and spiritual health, to give us a new belief system so that we re-think the way we think, feel, and act. I say - there is no such thing as true mental health (rest for the soul) without exchanging pride and self-centered attitudes for humble Christ-centered attitudes.

Last week a lady responded by saying "I haven't heard that before ". Thankfully she is begining to see the Lord in a new way, she is humbling herself, and experiencing some rest for her soul.

In the following paragraph Murray observes that today we all struggle with hidden pride just as Jesus' disciples did long ago -

"Recognizing Our Underlying Pride "
We learn how much there may be of earnest and active Christianity while humility is still sadly lacking. We see this in the disciples. They had a fervent attachment to Jesus. They had forsaken all for Him... They believed in Him... they loved Him... They were ready to die with Him. But deeper than all this, there was the dark power of pride - the existence and hideousness of which they were hardly conscious . It is still the same today. We may find ministers, evangelists, workers, missionaries, and teachers in whom the gifts of the Spirit are visible... yet they lack the grace of humility...pride and self have the all of man, until man has his all from Christ"

No amount of personal effort will cast out pride from our soul! Only the indwelling Christ in you and me can produce a humble mind and heart. If we let Him, Jesus makes Himself one with us and lives our life for us! What an awesome hope!

Insights from A. Murray's "Humility" chapter 3

Humility in the life of Jesus -
I am among you as he that serveth. Luke 22:27

The author calls me to reflect on the statements that demonstrate Jesus' total humility (nothingness) before the Father and before people -

• I am nothing; the Father is all.
• It is not I; I am nothing.
• I can of mine own self do nothing...
• I seek not mine own glory...
• I seek not my own will. I do nothing of myself...

If I believe that "my attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus" (Phil. 2:5), I need to confront the following -

• Am I willing to develop the habit of seeing myself as nothing so that God may be all?
• Am I committed to use God's grace moment by moment to imitate His humility?
• Is my deepest desire to become more and more able to say -

I can of mine own self do nothing...

I seek not my own glory (agenda, interests...)

I seek not my own will. I do nothing of myself...

A. Murray's following paragraph in his book "Humility" chapter 3 is a call to see Christ's glorious humility as something we must admire and desire above all else -

"Brother or sister, are you clothed with humility? Look closely at your daily life. Ask Jesus. Ask your friends. Ask the world. And begin to praise God that there is opened up to you in Jesus a heavenly humility that you have hardly known, and through which a heavenly blessedness (which you possibly have never yet tasted) can come into you."

Last Saturday I thought I had the right to have the day to myself. I had my own agenda planned out, nothing bad, just my own thing. While I was getting ready to go out, by His grace I was able to discern a mental question - Today are you about My interests or your own? the answer was obvious, so was my initial resistance to be humble and to obey. By His grace I was able to say yes to His interest to go with me to encourage my next door neighbor. After the visit I was joyous because of the conversation I had with my unbeliever neighbor! What did the Lord remind me that day?

That I am loved and chosen to serve others.

That His grace is present and powerful when I choose to set aside self to imitate His attitude.

That to imitate His attitude (nothingness) in daily living, we all need daily encouragement and accountability. I am writing with this purpose in mind.

Next - I will summarize chapters 4 and 5 of "Humility". I don't want to start reading my next book until something practical in my life results from A. Murray's classic work "Humility".

Desiring all from Christ - First Step: Shift in thinking

A few days ago I received an email from my nice. As I read it I was moved by the obvious activity of God's grace in His children. My niece, Belen, is a bright College student. Before going to College she decided that attending church and a weekly Bible study will be priority in her life.
Belen has been faithful attending church on Sunday and a weekly Bible study "Breakaway" for Christian Aggie students.

We know that attending church, Bible studies, going on retreats, reading Christian books... is essential to grow in knowledge of God's ways, however, to put God's Word to work we need to let His Word affect our mind and heart.

The following is an illustration of someone being affected by God's Word, as a result shift in thoughts, desires, attitudes and actions are happening!!

My niece writes - "Tonight I and my friends went to 'Breakaway', it was amazing! We learned about 'idols' and the need to pray to God to remove them from our lives and replace them with something beautiful - His Word and promisses. It was fabulous!

I and my friends identified that our 'idol' is the desire to have a boyfriend to share our lives with. At the same time we realized that what we need more is to make God our priority, our first love. We decided to start a girl's Bible study. We want to prepare ourselves for the man that He has for us. Pray for us and help us find a book, devotional, or materials to begin our study."

Imagine the impact that all of us believers would make in our spheres of influence if we were truly affected by God's Word and His love! If we would filter everything we say and do through biblical thinking!

No wonder Paul tells us - "Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it... " Romans 12:1-2 (The Message).

I pray that by His grace we may fix our attention on Him and desire Him with all our heart.

"Pride and self have the all of man, until man has his all from Christ" Andrew Murray.

Insights from A. Murray's book "Humility"- Chapter 2

Humility: The Secret of Redemption

It is sobering to think that because Adam and Eve chose to believe Satan rather than God, the poison of Satan's pride enter the human soul. Only when I understand that pride and unbelief damage the very core of human personality, I can understand man's need to be redeemed from pride and unbelief (delivered from self).

Murray writes "Pride has its root and strength in a terrible spiritual power, outside of us as well as within us. We must confess it, deplore it, and be aware of its satanic origin...Pride and humility are the two master powers - the two kingdoms at war for eternal possesion of man... Pride and self have the all of man, until man has his all from Christ".

It is clear that I can't have my all from Christ without shifting my natural focus of attention and energy. I can't imitate Christ's humility without being passionate about Him or without allowing Him to impact (change) my thoughts, desires, motives, expectations... I must use His grace, available at any moment, to enter in the habit of ongoing shifting (ongoing repentance).

As I write I am aware of self-centered desires, priorities, and expectations that need to be shifted within me today in order to have my all from Christ and affect the life of those around me, starting with the person closest to me ( my husband). What would you have to shift within you to receive His grace, humility, love, peace, joy... and impact those around you?

Because of Redemption we don't have to despair! We can see clearly that "pride creeps in almost everywhere", yet by His grace we can, moment by moment, take off our old self with its practices and put on the new self made new in Christ (Col. 3:9-10). A work of grace, pure grace, as we purpose in our hearts to have our all from Christ.

Andrew Murray's summarizes chapter two with an appeal to believers -

"Dear believer, study the humility of Jesus. This is the secret, the hidden root of your redemption. Sink down into it more deeply day by day. Believe with your whole heart that Christ, whom God has given us, will work in us, making us what the Father wants us to be."

It is a glorious comfort to know that the Lord does the work in us so we can imitate His humble character. Our part is to draw daily on His grace to die to self.

(Before I write insights on A. Murray's "Humility" chapter 3, I will share an exciting example of how the Lord works in the life of a young lady who desires her all from Him).

Humility in Daily Life

Insights from HUMILITY by Andrew Murray - Chapter six.

"The daily insignificances of daily life are the tests of eternity because they prove what spirit possesses us. It is in our most unguarded moments that we really show and see what we are... to know how a humble man behaves, you must follow him in the common course of daily life".

A. Murray reminds us that it is possible to have the delusion of being humble and loving when in reality we are not. Genuine humility is evident moment by moment through words, attitudes and behavior. Again, We can't produce the humility of Christ within us, it is the work of grace as we choose to respond to life, to difficult people and circumstances in total dependence, compassion, patience, kindness... expecting God to do His work of grace in others.

We need to cultivate the habit of seeing every difficult person or life situation as God's way to help us develop a humble and gracious heart to honor Him and to influence people through genuine love.

If I choose to make myself nothing before a person or situation because of what God is, what He does for me and what He can do through me, I am imitating the humility of Christ (He made Himself nothing... Philippians 2:7). I m also depending on His Spirit and letting God be God. The choice is always before me. Do I seek self-protection or God's protection? Do I seek my own way or do I let God have His way?

"The humility that is really mine is not that which I try to show before God in prayer, but that which I carry with me in my ordinary conduct"

I must beg the Lord to reveal and remove from my mind and heart all forms of pride so that dying to self becomes more than a biblical concept.

Paul teaches us that the grace of humility is at the root of true love - Love is patient, love is kind. It does not boast, it is not proud, it is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs...(1 Cor. 13:4-5)

The exercise of the grace of humility as we seek to improve or restore all relationships, especially marriage relationships has redeeming power. Only a humble believer has the power of the Holy Spirit to relate to others in love.

What spiritual habits show humility before God and produce redeeming power? I find the following habits essential -

• Meditating on God's Word daily (He has exalted His name and His Word above all else (Psalm 138:2).
• Offering myself (mind, heart, will, actions) to the Lord (Romans 12:1-2).
• Devoting myself to prayer, being watchful and thankful (Colossians 4:2).

What habits, attitudes, actions show humility before others and produce redeeming power? For my own sake I personalize the following attitudes and behaviors outlined in Colossians 3:12-17 (The Message, except v.16).

• To see myself as chosen by God for this new life of love (v.12).
• To clothe myself with compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline (v.12)
• To be even tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. To forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave me. And regardless what else I put on, to wear love. It is my basic, all purpose garment (v.13-14).
• To let the peace of Christ keep me in tune with others, in step with them. None of this going off and doing my own thing (v.15).
• To cultivate thankfulness (v.15).
• To let the Word of Christ dwell in me richly as I teach and admonish others with all wisdom...and gratitude in my heart to God (v.16).
• To let every detail in my life...be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way(v.17).

Let's build a solid relationship with the Lord and with others by imitating His Humility - God is working in us to will and to act for His good purposes (Phil.2:13).

Humility - my relationship with the Lord and with others

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus... he made himself nothing... Philippians 2:5,7

Some time ago I started memorizing one of my favorite books in the Bible, the book of Philippians. Chapter one was not difficult to work on, I have always treasured Paul's prayer for the Philippians in his first chapter. As I began to work on chapter two- Imitating Christ's Humility - I couldn't go on. Though I have read it before, now Paul's counsel "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus" became very solemn and convicting. I sensed the need to understand more about the call to imitate the Lord's humility.

Through Andrew Murray's classic book HUMILITY the Lord has shown me principles that need to take root in my soul so that I sincerely admire and desire Christ's humility with all my heart. To cooperate with the Holy Spirit in the process of taking principles deep into my soul and become fruitful, I decided to write insights from each chapter of HUMILITY. His grace is sufficient to bring about something out of a desire for more of Him.

First, I like to quote Andrew Murray's thoughts regarding his own experience on humility -
"When I look back on my own experience or on the church of Christ in the world, I stand amazed at the thought of how seldom humility is sought after as the distinguishing feature of the discipleship of Jesus. In preaching and living, in the daily activities of home and social life, in the felowship with Christians... there is much proof that humility is not the cardinal virtue... the one indispensable condition of true fellowship with Jesus".

Now, from chapter one Humility: The glory of the Creature - God is worthy to receive glory, honor and power, for He created all things, and for His pleasure they are and were created (Revelation 4:10).

If I am created for God's pleasure, my attitude toward Him must be of constant praise, gratitude and dependence on Him so that His intention of demonstrating His love, wisdom, and power in and through me may be accomplished. Murray states "humility, the place of entire dependence on God, is, from the very nature of things, the first duty and the highest virtue of man. It is the root of every virtue... pride is the root of every sin and evil".

...Jesus made Himself nothing... and became obedient to death on the cross (Philippians 2:5,8).

The practical implication of taking to heart the Lord's attitude of nothingness and total obedience to God is that I too must learn to bring to Him my attitude of nothingness and submission so that all that I say and do reflect solid trust in His sovereingty and goodness. Only the practice of Christ's humility makes love, faith, joy, strength, power... real and possible. Only the grace of humility would make me able to impact the lives of those around me.

A. Murray states " It is possible to have known the Lord for a long time without realizing that meekness and lowlines of heart should be the distinguishing feature of the disciple, as it was of the Master."

Pride is toxic and very difficult to detect on our own. We can see why the Lord repeatedly and powerfully exposed pride in the disciples. He used countless opportunities to show them how a humble soul thinks and behaves. They didn't learn to imitate their Lord's humbleness easily, we don't do it either.

I thank the Holy Spirit for lovingly expose my need of humility, also for being the only One able to cast it out of my soul as I continuosly cooperate with Him. Humility is nothing I can produce, it is rather my constant attitude of nothingness before the Lord. It is living as a dearly loved creature before a mighty Creator and loving King.

The grace of humility must be " the object of special desire, prayer, faith and practice".

Next, insights from chapter six - Humility in Daily Life.

Do you need to be reminded more than instructed?

Many of us have heard, have read, have studied, have been taught the same lesson over and over again. I said it before and I say it again, I write to remind myself that knowledge, insight, revelation, must be followed by action. Christian living is about putting God's Word to work on daily life situations.

Oswald Chambers' My Utmost For His Highest has been my favorite devotional since I became a Christian, 25 years ago. Today, as I re-read the June 3rd reading, the Lord graciously reminded me that I should give Him more time to speak so He can share His joys and secrets with me. The Lord desires an intimate conversation with His children!

I like to share Chamber's thoughts with you. I pray we commit to leave Him more room to talk to us -

The Secret Of The Lord
"God-friendship is for God-worshipers, they are the ones he confides in"
Psalm 25:14 (The Message).

What is the sign of a friend? That he tells you secret sorrows? No, that he tells you secret joys. Many will confide to you their secret sorrows, but the last mark of intimacy is to confide secret joys.
Have we ever let God tell us any of His joys, or are we telling God our secrets so continually that we leave no room for Him to talk to us? At the beginning of our Christian life we are full of requests to God, then we find that God wants to get us into relationship with Himself, to get us in touch with His purposes. Are we so wedded to Jesus Christ's idea of prayer - "Thy will be done"- that we catch the secrets of God? The things that make God dear to us are not so much His gret big blessings as the tiny things, because they show His amazing intimacy with us, He knows every detail of our individual lives.

"...him shall He teach in the way that He shall choose." At first we want the consciousness of being guided by God, then as we go on we live so much in the consciousness of God that we do not need to ask what His will is, because the thought of choosing any other will never occur to us. If we are saved and sanctified God guides us by our ordinary choices, and if we are going to choose what He does not want, He will check, and we must heed. Whenever there is doubt, stop at once. Never reason it out and say - "I wonder why I shouldn't?" God instructs us in what we choose, that is, He guides our common sense, and we no longer hinder His Spirit by continually saying - "Now, Lord, what is Thy will?"

Help me Lord to live by what I already know!

What is the biggest problem in your life?

This morning I asked the Lord to show me a specific lesson as I read Scripture. I didn't have an impression of anything specific when I finished my devotional time. However, I know that during the day the Lord has ways to show me practical lessons. Some times I listen to the radio while I get ready for work. Today Chuck Swindoll 's last comments on his radio Bible study caught my attention. His remarks were not new to me but I took them as a fresh lesson to remind me of how loving relational attitudes start.

Chuck put it simply " What I've learned is that the biggest problem in life is me". The implication - loving relational attitudes (right living) start with right beliefs- If I truly believe that the problem is not my difficult spouse, relatives, friends, neighbour, boss, co-worker, pastor, church people... then with God's grace, I would see these people through God's lenses of truth, mercy, grace, compassion, patience... I would think of them more realistically and relate to them more graciously.

When I am conscious of my unloving thoughts, words or attitudes I cry out, Lord have mercy on me! Other times, I repeat Philippians 2:5-7 "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ, who being in very nature God... he made himself nothing...

Seeing ourselves and people through God's lenses is not easy but possible with His grace. It is about choosing a life of love and truth, it is about learning new habits. We become our habits. Chuck must have been referring to Scripture in the book of James. He spoke about the destructive power of the tongue.

Seeing ourselves and others with clarity (right beliefs) is essential if we want to speak and relate in a truthful, gracious, compassionate, patient, forgiving manner toward those easy to live with and toward those not easy to live with.

Do you believe that others are a problem, not you? The Lord can adjust your (my) lenses. The life, light, and power of God's Word change us from the inside out!

...He enlightens the eyes of our hearts and His mighty strength is at work in us who believe... (Eph. 1:19-20).

Are you letting Jesus affect your character?

...Train yourself to be godly...physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come (1 Timothy 4:7-8).

Letting the Lord affect our character involves His grace and our serious decision to replace old habits with new ones. Godly habits help us enjoy Jesus. They also make us fruitful in our daily activities and relationships.

Here are some habits that I am asking the Lord to help me practice (asking Him to increase our desire for Him and His ways is the key).

• Meditate on Scripture daily. Have ongoing conversations with Jesus to affect my thought life, emotions, desires, and behaviors.

Romans 12:1-2. Psalm 1. Psalm 16:11

• Put specific Scriptures to work on daily life situations and circumstances.

1 John 1:9. Matthew 6:25-33. James 1:22-25

• See God in every detail of my life. He is always behind the scenes and has my best interest at heart. My mental sanity is based on my level of trust and rest in His sovereignty and goodness.

Psalm 139. Philippians 4:4-9. Proverbs 3:5-8

• Thank, praise, and worship Jesus. Human soul seeks an object of worship. If we don't worship the Lord. We will worship something or someone. We create idols easily.

Psalm 145. Matthew 22:37-39

• Walk as a beloved child. My status (self-esteem) is defined by what God is, says, has done, is doing for me and in me through His Spirit and His grace.

Isaiah 49:15-16. Philippians 1:6.

• Be kind to those who are unkind to me. Respond, don't react to people and life situations. We are affected not by what happens to us but by the way we interpret situations and circumstances, then by how we respond to it. Practice forgiveness, humility, compassion, patience, self-control...

Ephesians 4:31-32. Galatians 5:22-25

• See others not as they are but as the Lord sees them. Jesus sees you and me as the people that we can become by His grace and mercy. Influence people by consistently praying for them.

Share habits the Lord is helping you practice, write to mayagraves@yahoo.com.

The Prayer of Action

The first time I read "Prayer" by R. Foster, I came across the section "Prayer of Action". I was delighted thinking that my daily activities can become prayers pleasing to God if I do things conscious of God's presence and with a heart of love. In other words, by His grace we can be in an ongoing attitude of prayer if what we do is an extension of our genuine affection for the Lord.
I pray you and I benefit from Foster's remarks -

A prayer makes sense only if it is lived. The work of our hands and of our minds is acted out prayer, a love offering to the living God

Every action performed in the sight of God, and in the manner that God wills, is a prayer and indeed a better prayer than could be made in words at such times...Each activity of daily life in which we stretch ourselves on behalf of others is a prayer of action...Everything that one turns in the direction of God is prayer... We pray the ordinary when we see God in the ordinary experiences of life.

No wonder Paul says -And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father - Col. 3:17

Life from the Center...

Do you feel divided, rushing, frustrated...? This morning's reading from "Prayer" by R. Foster helped me reorder my thinking, desires, and activities. I pray it helps you as well. Foster quotes Thomas Kelley's thoughts on practicing the presence of God an the integrated soul -

"Life from the Center is a life of unhurried peace and power. It is simple. It is serene. It is amazing. It is triumphant. It is radiant. It takes no time, but it occupies all our time. And it makes our life programs new and overcoming"

"There is a way of ordering our mental life on more than one level at once. On one level we may be thinking, discussing, seeing, calculating, meeting all the demands of external affairs. But deep within , behind the scenes, at a profounder level, we may also be in prayer and adoration, song and worship and a gentle receptiveness to divine breathings"

As I read these thoughts I was reminded of Jesus' Word -

Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can't bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can't bear fruit unless you are joined with me.

I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you are joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can't produce a thing. John 15:4-5 (The Message).

Communication problems and your heart. God's grace

Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves. James 4:1 (The Message).

Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that is where life starts. Prov. 4:23 (The Message).

I write fully aware of my own need of grace to watch over my heart, my talk, and my walk. I confess how easy it is to lose sight of God's higher purpose for my talk with every person in every situation. I often speak as if I were unaware that the Lord is listening or forgot that I am called to speak in order to benefit others. (Eph. 4:29-30).

I believe that love and grace deficits in all of us will remain to some degree until Christ returns. I write to remind myself that our awesome God provides the way to overcome the power of indwelling sin in our heart through a grater power! The indwelling power of the Holy Spirit! (Eph. 3:14-20).

Have you attended marriage seminars, classes on effective communication and listening skills? Have you taken personality tests, read books on anger management and problem solving techniques? What about Bible studies that you have attended? Knowledge is wonderful but not enough. Paul prayed that we may have power to grasp the depth of Christ's love which surpasses knowledge, that we may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God (Eph. 3:19).

The indwelling power of the Holy Spirit is activated by God's grace as we genuinely seek to listen and please Him. We can't keep a vigilant watch over our heart on our own. It is done by the Holy Spirit (His grace) plus our cooperation.

Just a couple of hours ago I received a phone call, as the person was talking to me, I noticed my not too gracious thoughts, at the same time I sensed the Holy Spirit reminding me that this person may be encouraged or discouraged by what I say. By His grace I chose to focus on the needs of this person and responded in a gracious and generous manner. It is always a choice! The more sensitive to the Holy Spirit we are, the more automatic our gracious responses become.

Interested in improving your communication skills ?

First. Pay attention to your communication style with people close to you and not too close to you. What happens? Do they bring out the best in you because they are pleasant, agree with you, approve of you, understand you, don't challenge, demand, or interfere with your interests or agenda? Is it all well because you are not crossed?

What happens when you interact with difficult people? Do they bring out the worst in you because they don't understand, agree, or value you? How do you communicate when people challenge, demand, interfere, disrupt, irritate you? Is it all out of control because your desires and expectations are discounted?

Second. Pay serious attention to what the Lord says regarding your heart and communication style -"If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? In a word, what I am saying is, grow up. You are kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out God-created identity.
Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you" Matthew 5:46-48 (The Message).

Third. Practice the habit of personalizing and internalizing Scripture to activate God's glorious grace available to you at any moment. Choose to put off your old-self and to put on Christ's love. Speak (live) graciously and generously.

Remember my last posting? If we let Christ's love fall on us, we can let that love fall on others!

More in Letter six of my book "Letters From Your Father God"

The secret of loving relationships? Live loved!

"And I ask Him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breath! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the hights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:17-19 (The Message).

In this amazing prayer, Paul asks God to help us internalize the extravagant love of Christ so that we may settle in our hearts, once and for all, the fact that we are totally, completely, absolutely loved and treasured by Him.

I often hear, I can't take in that extravagant love! I know it in my mind, in my heart it is another thing. I am rather empty. I want to believe that I am loved. I want to love others and have good relationships.

Growing up in imperfect homes around imperfect people in an imperfect world created love deficits and rendered us mistrusting, dissatisfied, self-preoccupied, strong-willed...
It is extremely difficult even for believers to take in Christ's supreme love for us when we allow the lies of Satan, the World, and our own flesh to take root in our souls.

God knows our backgrounds very well. He prepared precisely what we need to re-order our thought life, heal our emotions and memories so that we may walk in His fullness for His honor and for His purposes. We must take in His love on His terms though. By faith.

Faith is a gift of God, it comes from hearing and hearing by the Word of Christ. Romans 10:17

No matter what family of origin we come from or how bad choices we have made, if we change our thinking (repent), Christ's love will move us from emptiness to fullness. We will grow conscious of His hand of love in our daily interactions with people and in our life circumstances. We will learn to respond not react to persons or life situations. We will discern how the Lord is working in us. Our relationships will improve.

The following is an excerpt from Max Lucado's -"A Love Worth Giving You"

And the love of Christ -
"bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." 1 Cor. 13:7

Think for a moment. Drink from that for a moment. Drink deeply... It is time to let His love cover all things in your life. All secrets. All hurts. All hours of evil, minutes of worry.
The mornings you awoke in the bed of a stranger? His love will cover that. The years you peddled prejudice and pride? His love will cover that. Every promise broken, drug taken, penny stolen. Every cross word, cussword, and harsh word. His love covers all things.

"He loads me with love and mercy" Psalm 103:4

Picture a giant dump truck full of love. There you are behind it. God lifts the bed until the love starts to slide. Slowly at first, then down, down, down until you are hidden, buried, covered in His love.

"Hey where are you?" someone asks.
"In here, covered in love."
Let His love cover all things. Do it for His sake. To the glory of His name. Do it for your sake. For the peace of your heart. And do it for their sake. For the people in your life. Let His love fall on you so yours can fall on them... Let His love fill you, flood you, and change you forever. Live loved!

Ready to apply insights learned through this posting?

Be intentional. Every day this following week keep a mental picture of Christ's love falling on you until you are totally covered with His love. Observe how you respond to pleasant and unpleasant people and circumstances. See your love falling on them!

Write your comments to mayagraves@yahoo.com

More on loving relationships in the Fourth Letter of " Letters From your Father God" by Maya Graves.

Understanding Your Circumstances

Concentrate on God's love for you and His Word, not on your circumstances!

"If people can't see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves. But when they attend to what He reveals, they are most blessed" Proverbs 29:18 -The Message.

Daily life events and circumstances are one of the many ways God uses to speak to us about Himself, His love, and His agenda for us. It took me a long time to genuinely believe that nothing in my life is arbitrary. It took me even longer to believe that I am loved by a perfect Father who is working in me what is pleasing to Him (Hebrews 13:20), and that every detail in my life of love for God is worked into something good (Romans 8:29).

What would a life of love for God look like? Examine John 14:23-25 (The Message)

…If anyone loves me, he will carefully keep my word and my Father will love him – we’ll move right into the neighborhood! Not loving me means not keeping my words...The Friend, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send at my request, will make everything plain to you…

What a glorious promise! If I highly respect Jesus’ word and humbly respond to Him, I would live a life of love for God. Then the love and wisdom of the Trinity - Jesus, the Son, God the Father, and the Holy Spirit will clarify my life situations and make every thing work for my ultimate good.

I am convinced that our life circumstances are opportunities to hear God’s voice, to experience His presence, and to allow the Holy Spirit to produce His fruit in us (Galatians 5:22).

The following excerpts from "Hearing God’s Voice", Henry and Richard Blackaby give us insights and guidelines to understand our circumstances -

CIRCUMSTANCES: A TIME FOR GOD TO SPEAK (taken from the seventh chapter)

"Life happens whether you are ready for it or not! To many people life is merely a series of random experiences- some good, some not so good…God does things intentionally, not randomly.

Circumstances can take many forms. They might be a job offer, a marriage proposal, a promotion, a natural disaster, a sudden death, a car accident, an unexpected gift, a surprise phone call, a letter of encouragement, an illness, a miraculous recovery, an unusual conversation, a failure or a success. The key is not the occurrence itself but the presence of the Holy Spirit as He communicates through life events. This does not mean that we should seek a hidden meaning behind every traffic jam or thunderstorm. It does mean that we should be sensitive to what God might be saying during the course of events in our day.

Circumstances are events that God uses to speak about Himself and His will. We face circumstances every day. Unless we see God’s activity in the midst of them, we will be unaware of their spiritual significance. They will simply be events in a long succession of confusing occurrences. But if we are sensitive to God’s voice, these same events can hold enormous significance for us… Hudson Taylor described God as "The One Great Circumstance".

Guidelines for Understanding Your Circumstances

Set in your mind that God forever demonstrated his love for you on the cross. That love will never change. Regularly revisit this truth.

Do not try to understand God based on your circumstances. Go to God and ask Him to help you see your situation from His perspective.

Wait on the Holy Spirit. He will take the Word of God and help you understand your circumstances. Learn patience! Patience means trusting God (James 1:2-4). God’s timing is always best.

Adjust your life to God and to what you see Him doing in your circumstances. Let God work in you thoroughly, so He can work through you effectively and completely.

If there is no clear instruction, wait and do the last thing you know God told you to do. Waiting is not inactivity but continuing until God speaks.

Do we live loved? Are we seeking to understand what God's is doing in our life so that we don't stumble all over ourselves?

Colt McCoy did not stumble all over himself. He lives loved! He gave glory to God!

Many of you perhaps already heard Colt McCoy, the Longhorn's quarterback, on his post-game interview. He did not concentrate on his circumstances. Before millions of people he focussed on God's love for him. He spoke words that reflected his knowledge of God's character.

The reporter asked him - How did you feel, watching the game from the sidelines? ..."It was unfortunate that I didn't get to play, would have given everything I had to be out there with my teammates... I always give God the glory. I never question why things happen the way they do. I know God is in control of my life, and I also know, if nothing else, that I am standing on the rock". McCoy became the game's biggest winner before many people and especially before God!

With God's grace, we too can live loved and allow the Holy Spirit to help us understand the spiritual significance of our life circumstances and give glory to the Lord.