As iron sharpens iron,
one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)
“I think one of the most powerful and chilling portrayals of the insanity of rejecting God—which we do whenever in words or actions we proudly affirm our greatness and achievements—is Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4.” - Randy Alcorn
Read Part 1.
Why the “fear and trembling” in Philippians 2:12? In the three verses that come before, it says,
Therefore, God also highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Php 2:9-11, LSB)
In Philippians 2, there is an overarching theme of unity the church with the more specific application of obedience that points toward our need for humility. But humility is a slippery thing. When you say you have it, you do not.
In this article, I want to turn our attention to our need to follow the model the Lord Jesus Christ laid out. We need to be humble, and this is shown when we humble ourselves in obedience before the Lord Jesus. Concerning this and the danger of false humility, Charles Spurgeon has written:
“your neighbor who voted differently than you may not have the power to destroy or save democracy as we’ve been told. Correspondingly, any pride you feel in what your own vote accomplished must be mitigated as well.” - Hannah Anderson
Read Part 1.
Is it possible to seek to advance and excel in ministry without being caught up in the celebrity syndrome?
How can we make the greatest impact possible for the cause of Christ—without falling into the traps that come with celebrity status? How can a minister remain accountable in ways that are both effective and healthy, as we travel to preach and teach?
“It is to observe quietly and humbly and then, when appropriate, to ask clarifying questions. And more often than not, I have been encouraged and even challenged by these clarifications. ” - Challies
“empower the people around you to be respectful, but honest. You’ll never discover your blind spots if you’re surrounded by ‘yes’ men or women.” - Phil Cooke
When I began my ministry with The Friends of Israel in 2019, I started with one verse emblazoned on my mind: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). I saw FOI as a wonderful outlet through which to serve the Lord and His people. And God gave me a burden to minister in this way.
“If we want to be better theologians, we must take ourselves less seriously to take God more seriously. When it comes to our knowledge of God, we need to realize we’re all idiots.” - TGC
“I have often been surprised at the mercy of God to myself. Poor sermons of mine, that I could cry over when I get home, have led scores to the cross; and, more wonderful still, words that I have spoken in ordinary conversation…” - Chuck Lawless
Discussion