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Tuesday, July 27, 2004

What is Humility?

I'm just, a nobody, trying to tell everybody, about Somebody who can save anybody.

Coming straight from God's Word…It means low lying, of low degree, to be brought low, of low estate, cast down, or humble in spirit. The word for humility is translated several different ways in the New Testament alone:

Matthews 18:4 "humble",
Matthews 23:12 "abased"
Luke 3:5 "brought low"
Luke 1:46 "low estate"
Luke 1:52 "low degree"
Acts 8:33 "humiliation"
II Corinthians 7:6 "cast down"
II Corinthians 10:1 "base"
Philippians 3:21, "vile" in reference to the body of humiliation.
James 1:10 "made low"

But my favorite comes from the old testament: Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant than pretend to be somebody and have no food. Proverbs 12:9 NIV

Moses spent forty years thinking he was somebody; then he spent forty years on the back side of the desert realizing he was nobody; finally he spent the last forty years of his life learning what God can do with a nobody! That is humility! When God intends to fill a soul, He first makes it empty. When he intends to enrich a soul He first makes it poor; when He intends to exalt a soul, He first makes it sensible of its own miseries, wants, and nothingness. That is humility! God has two thrones, one in the highest heavens and the other in the lowliest heart. That is humility! Humility will do several things for you:

1. Take you away from the shadow of yourself.
2. Keep you from a sense of over evaluating yourself..
3. Save yourself from thrusting yourself upon others.
4. Save you from the desire of displaying yourself.
5. Keep you from the "center stage" mentality.
6. Save you from desiring to be the object of observation.

Beloved, we must discern that humility is not measured in giftedness. God sees the heart and others see the glory. But humility is esteeming others higher than us. Humility is the recognition that others have gifts we need, and that our lives can not be full without the operation of the entire body. Humility is recognition of dependence and interdependence. God has made us a team member and we can not function without others around us. No matter how gifted we are, we will always need others. God has made it that way so no member in His body can boast of independence and live on its own. Every member is important and as long as we understand that we will have a humble heart and treat others with humility.

"And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary." (1 Corinthians 12:21, 22)

Therefore, I stand and say again I'm just, a nobody, trying to tell everybody, about Somebody who can save anybody.

Elder J. Andres Vazquez
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About Me

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I'm just, a nobody, trying to tell everybody, about Somebody who can save anybody. First I want to give love to the Father for giving me the opportunity to be an instrument for him to live in and live through for the glory that belongs to only him and Him alone. I served in the United States Navy for twenty one years and retired September 2003. During the last 3 years of my naval career, I served as co-pastor of Greater New Refuge COGIC in Fallon, Nevada under the tutelage of Pastor Gregory L. Brown. While there, I diligently served my pastor and church with the construction of a new sanctuary, and caring for the needs of all ministries, while simultaneously striving to stay focused on the mandate that the Lord had placed upon my life to preach the Word of God without compromise. I was licensed to preach November 2002 and Ordained June 2003. While stationed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, I proudly served and as constituent of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church for seventeen years under the leadership of Bishop Elect W. D. Scott, Sr. and presently serve under the leadership of Bishop B. Courtney McBath at Calvary Revival Church in Norfolk, Virginia.

MY THEOLOGICAL TRAINING:

It brings to my face a unadulterated smile each and every occasion I am asked, “Elder Dre, What Theological Training do you have?”

My heart beams with joy at the opportunity to humbly give full glory to God as I reflect on on how the prophets, patriarchs and apostles of old would have respond: Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joshua, Gideon, King David, Elijah, Elisha, Jeremiah, John the Baptist, Matthew, Mark, Peter, James, John and the other disciples, not forgetting the Saviour Himself.

How would they have answered the question: “What theological training do you have?”

The words of the prophet Amos also came to mind: “Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:” Amos 7:14

I surely am not impliedly decrying theological preparation, education or training: I consider it essential, but not as much as some think. For the fact is, the Almighty raises up believers according to His own standards.

Educational qualifications, wealth, fame, talent, social standing, outward appearance etc. are useful; but they are secondary in His sight. Qualities like faith, obedience, holiness, humility, honesty, absolute loyalty to one’s spouse, the ability to raise one’s family to fear God and keep His commandments etc.; these are the things the Most High values.

“Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”

Only on the Day of Judgment will it be known how truly educated, weighty and effective I have been. That is why I have to smile when the question arise.

The vanity of the question is only matched by the foolishness of my answer.

As the wise man wrote: “Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; all is vanity.” Ecclesiastes 1: 2 or as the apostle Paul commented in 2 Corinthians 11:16-30 when rattling off a long list of impressive qualifications “... I speak as a fool.”

Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. All who proclaim that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. 1 John 4:14-15 (NLT)

I am a preacher, but most of all, I proclaim that Jesus is the Savior with various applications of that truth in my everyday life. My dear friend, if you are a Christian, you are a preacher also. Whether you have been ordained or not, hired by a church or not, or ever been recognized as a preacher or not is beside the point. All who have God living in them are called to proclaim the Savior to the world. It is a Holy calling, and a demanding one. It will pull you out of your comfort zone, challenge your commitment, and help to develop you into the person God has created you to be.

John spoke as an eyewitness to Jesus' saving power. We speak as heart-witnesses; ones who have not seen Jesus with our eyes, but have experienced Him through personal transformation. I speak, and you speak, as a representative of Christ on earth. The message that we bring is simple, yet profound; that God the Father sent God the Son into the world to save those who are lost to bring them into relationship with Him. As you tell the story, and I tell the story, some will listen and receive the grace that God has sent us into the world to proclaim.

PRAYER THOUGHT: Father, what a privilege to be a spokesperson for You.

Thank you for stopping by. Stay encouraged and please do come back.