Humility - CJ Mahaney

General awesome quotes:
--If unconvicted of the weight of a sin, give it a Biblical definition
--Look for "must" in the Bible
--Live in light of death (share the gospel, honor parents, avoid fights)
--It's possible to admire humility while remaining proud ourselves.
--Do not think that I am the "author" of my life...God is and He deserves all glory.

Part I (Humility & Pride contrasted):
**Humility is honestly assessing ourselves in light of God's holiness and our sinfulness.
Isaiah 66:2 "This is the one whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word"
James 4:6 "God...gives grace to the humble". God helps those who humbles themselves not those who help themselves.

**Pride is when sinful human beings aspire to the status and position of God and refuse to acknowledge their dependence upon Him.
Proverbs 8:13 "I hate pride and arrogance"
Proverbs 16:5 "Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished"
James 4:6 "God [ACTIVELY!!!!!] opposes the proud"

Greatness Redefined:
--Jesus does not forbid the desire and ambition to be great...he redirects the ambition in Mark 10:40-44 "whoever would be great among you MUST be your servant"
Greatness Demonstrated:
--Our Christian service exists only to draw attention to our crucified and risen Lord who was the example of service
(Ransom = payment for releasing from bondage, captivity)
--Apart from Christ's sacrifice, there is no serving. True greatness is attained only by emulating the Savior's example--and made possible by the Savior's sacrifice.

As Each Day Begins:
--Make a list of my weaknesses and "strengths"
--Reflect on the wonder of the cross
Stand as close to the cross as possible...because it's harder to be arrogant if you're standing there
--Acknowledge dependence on God and your need for God
Sin doesn't wake up tired so I must go on the offensive...speak truth to self!
--Express thankfulness to God
If I'm ungrateful, I'm arrogant
--Practice the spiritual disciplines--prayer, Bible study, worship
--Memorize and mediate on Scripture (during commute time)
--Cast your caves upon Him (1 Peter 5:6-7)

As Each Day Ends:
--Reflect on the graces of today & give trust to God
Don't go on dreading the next day
--Receive the gift of sleep from God and acknowledge His purpose for sleep.
I am not sufficient like God who never sleeps (Psalma 121:4)

For Special Focus:
--Study the attributes of God (infinite, omnipresent, self-sufficient)
--Study the doctrines of grace (election, calling, sanctification, perseverance)
--Study the doctrine of sin
--Be able to laugh at self

Identifying Evidences of Grace In Others:
--God is always at work in other people
--Use a Godly & eternal perspective to determine my attitude towards EVERYONE
--Study ways that the Holy Spirit works in others (lack of complaining under trials, growing them, saving them, convicting them)
--Still promote human responsibility so that God can work
--1 cor 1:8 & Philippians 2:12-13
--Be known as a grace pointer-outer not a problem pointer-outer
--Any correction requires one to see that person in a Godly manner, not a Alex-standard

Encouraging Others each and every day:
--Proverbs 18:21= Death and life are in the power of the tongue
--Eph. 4:29 = Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear
--Corrupting = Don't limit someone's growth, don't distract it
--Edify = not just polite but rather BUILD UP, enter their lives & discern how God is actively present & draw attention to it & celebrate it!
--Appropriate = What do they need now? Cousel? Exhortation? Warning? Comfort? Forgiveness?
--Hebrews 3:12 = exhort one another every day...that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin
So we are to always help one another because sin is active continually
--Grace...everyone needs more of it and pray that God helps me know what kind of grace a person needs in that conversation...justifying grace (feeling guilty), sanctifying grace (struggling), comforting grace (trials), or sustaining grace (tired of trials).
--CORRECTION = implement the Gospel always!

Inviting and Pursuing Correction:
--You may know your heart but other people may understand it better
--Hebrews 3:12-13 = teaches us that community helps us understand ourselves
--Proverbs 12:15 = the way of a fool is right in hi own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice
--Recognize need for others
--Participate (confess sin and welcome correction)
--Have faith that God will use others to help my soul and sin
--James 1:22 = Be doers of the word, not hearers only, deceiving yourselves

Responding Humbly to Trials:
-Prayerful before God
-Wait on God
-Rejoice in God
--God-centered prayer (acknowledge his knowledge)
--Focus on salvation, not suffering (acknowledge & truly believe God will save while asking that He comes soon)
--Waiting is not resignation; waiting is an active trust in God
--Rejoice in the Lord
--Our suffering is NEVER AS GREAT OR AS SERIOUS AS OUR SINS' DESERVING PUNISHMENT

Last Chapter:
Be an example of humility (you'll fail)
Teach others to serve
Teach others to respect humility
Teacher others to realize fake "greatness"