LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (37)/ THE KINGDOM OF GOD (5)

This Sunday service Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached another sermon in the series titled ‘Love is The New Commandment’. Her main scriptures were taken from the books of Romans 14:16-18; Matthew 5:3; Philippians 2:1-11; Matthew 11:29; AMP.

THE AGAPE LOVE OF GOD

Love is the greatest word in the Bible. In Greek, there are three words for love. Eros refers to sexual love. Philio refers to friendly attachment. Agape means unconditional sacrificial love. This Love is not just a feeling. It is the highest, most pure form of love, born not out of natural attraction or obligation, but a willful choice and a command to be obeyed.  It is the unselfish, pure, powerful, and sacrificial love that desires the best in another person. This love is best expressed as the Fatherly Love of God for humanity. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn 3:16). This is the Gospel: God the Father sent God the Son to become a Man and die on behalf of sinners. The unbelievers may be religious, but they do not know this agape love. Love is a gift given only to the children of God, who are saved by grace and thru faith in Christ. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (Jn15:13). Because we are born sinners, agape love does not come naturally to us. Agape love requires faithfulness, commitment, courage, strength, wisdom, faith, and sacrifice. Agape love is the magnet God uses to attract the world to Jesus! It was so in the early church, and during all the revivals in the history of the Church! Selah!

THE KINGDOM OF GOD

“For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom 14:17).

The Kingdom of God is the realm, rule, and reign of God, where Jesus Christ is King, advancing on earth, by the power of God’s Word and the Holy Spirit, bringing righteousness, peace, joy, healing, freedom, prosperity, and deliverance, by driving away the forces of darkness. Jesus said: “But if I drive out the demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has already come upon you” (Lk 11:20; AMP). As a citizen of heaven, you must experience deliverance, victory upon victory in every area of your life! Amen!  God’s Kingdom is the realm of God Himself, filled with truth, love, holiness, righteousness, power, grace, and Glory!  It points to spiritual things, to eternal life, to the atmosphere of heaven, to the worship there, and to the authority of God. The Kingdom of God has three basic attributes: Righteousness, peace, and joy, in the Holy Spirit!   

The concept of the Kingdom has been almost lost. Most people do not understand the authority of the King in his domain, and the blessings of the subjects. This is because most countries have other types of government: democracy, communism, or dictatorship. God invented the concept of His Kingdom so that it is easier for us understand His plan and purpose for men. That is why we need to study it. When Adam sinned, he lost a Kingdom. Jesus came to live and die, to re-establish God’s Kingdom on earth. He is now the King of kings! What makes the Kingdom of God different from any other kingdom, is that all its citizens (subjects) are the relatives of the King, and they are all kings themselves! What a privilege to be the royal priesthood in Christ!!! Praise the Lord!  

The word ‘Kingdom’ comes from two words: King and Domain. God has always been God. Then God created the spiritual (invisible) world and the physical world (man). He did it for His own pleasure and because He is a Creator. Once God created His domain, He became King over His domain. Let us start with what the Kingdom of God is not. The Apostle Paul says that it is not ‘eating and drinking’. It is not ‘meat and drink’ (KJ). It is not made from material things, man-made, temporal, or perishable items. It is not a collection of some little things that you buy with money. We often forget the littleness of this material world and the amazing majesty of the eternal God. We forget that all things do not have the same power or value. For example, Jesus said that life is more valuable than food and the body is more than the clothes that cover it. “Therefore, I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” (Matt 6:25). To worry about food and dress, and to ignore your life, is foolish. For unbelievers, food, and clothes are more important than their souls. Here you see that the doctrine of the Kingdom of God is not a matter of indifference. The Kingdom of God is not just a little religious behavior, something small, narrow, and negative. It is a grand concept, fit for the King of kings to rule and to reign. The Holy Spirit must give you the revelation! Selah!

BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven… Blessed [spiritually prosperous, happy, to be admired] are the poor in spirit [those devoid of spiritual arrogance, those who regard themselves as insignificant], for theirs is the kingdom of heaven [both now and forever] … God blesses those people who depend only on him. They belong to the kingdom of heaven… Blessed are those who recognize they are spiritually helpless. The kingdom of heaven belongs to them” (Matt 5:3; NKJ; AMP; CEV; God’s Word).

This is the first statement our Lord is making when preaching the Sermon on the Mount. It is the foundation of all the other declarations. Here we have the basic description of a child of God, as a citizen of the Kingdom of God. The first word is ‘blessed’. In Greek it is ‘makario’. It is translated as happy, spiritually prosperous, to be envied, admired, and congratulated. It describes a state of permanent happiness, unhindered by circumstances; a state of supreme blessing, given by God, not by man. When God declares you blessed, none can curse!

What does it mean to be poor in spirit? First, it does not mean physical poverty. The Catholic Church is preaching that becoming poor in the natural brings special blessings. One of their best examples is Saint Franciss of Assisi (1181-1226). He was born into a wealthy family. He wanted to be like Jesus. He gave up his father’s wealth to become an evangelist. He chose to live by begging. Many became his disciples. He founded the Order of the Franciscans. It is made of monks who care mostly to the poor. Before entering the order, the monks make three vows: poverty, chastity, and obedience. They willingly chose to let go of wealth, sex (marriage), and personal freedom (they chose to strictly obey their mentors). They deny themselves in this way for the sake of Christ and His work. Their choice is sacrificial, but it is not Biblical. Others say that to be poor in spirit you must deny your personality. You must behave in ‘a religious’ way (you walk slowly and talk quietly). Many admire them but these lifestyles are not Biblical. These patterns of behavior are errors coming from religious spirits. This is not what the Bible calls to be ‘poor in spirit’. Selah!

To be poor in spirit is to be genuinely humble, totally depended on God for your very life. Only the true believers in Christ can be poor in spirit. It’s the opposite of the world’s idea of poverty. The unbelievers do not understand the principle of being poor in spirit. They hate the idea to be dependent of God for their very breath. In the world, people see themselves as self-confident. They trust themselves to become successful, to be seen and admired. Boasting of self is part of the world’s culture. For example, if a man applies for a job and says that without God, he can do nothing, he will surely fail the interview. In the world, boasting of self is the normal way of behaving!

What then does it mean to be poor in spirit? It is spiritual poverty and total submission to God. It is not a physical, visible poverty. It is the way you see yourself before God and His Throne. It is not the way people see you, but the way you see yourself in God’s presence, before King Jesus. Before God, you see yourself as nothing. You can do nothing. You have nothing. You depend on God for everything. You are like a desperate beggar before the King of kings. If the King does not give you food, you will die of hunger. At the same time, you see God as All in all. He is your everything. For example, you have no strength, but God is your strength. You have no wisdom, but God is your wisdom. The man who is poor in spirit, because of the revelation of his nothingness and God’s majesty, he willingly submits to God, in everything! Humble people are submissive people. The man who lives by the Grace of God alone, sustained and filled by God’s Spirit, is the one who is poor in spirit. It is only a child of God who is poor in spirit. Spiritual poverty is a good test for you to know if you are saved or not. Question: how do you see yourself before God, especially when you worship Him? If there is any boasting in your heart about your standing before God, about your salvation, or your achievements, then you are not poor in spirit. You are not a citizen of heaven. Selah!

To be poor in spirit means to be dead to self, completely empty from pride. It also means to be completely free from the selfish ambition to be visibly successful in this world, by using your natural gifts and personal ‘charisma.’  Selfish ambition is of the devil. It disqualifies you from entering the Kingdom of God. Humble people are wise people. “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness” (Jam 3:13-18; NIV). We are all born sinners. We are proud, selfish, and envious of others. Pride is an attitude of life by which you elevate yourself above all others. A selfishly ambitious man climbs the ladder of success on the bent backs of others. He is an oppressor, a lonely selfish monster. He knows nothing about love. He cannot be a citizen of the Kingdom of God.

To be poor in spirit it means to correctly assess yourself before the throne of God. You totally depend on God and His resources. You do not depend on your wisdom, strength, or gifts. You know that it is only by God’s grace that you are alive, standing before God, forgiven, and redeemed. You know that without God you are nothing. Jesus said: “I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5). Your identity as citizen of the Kingdom comes from your intimate connection with Jesus, like the union of the branches and the vine. If you are not connected, you cannot produce fruits and you can do nothing good. Education, wealth, fame, good family background, physical beauty, all these can become great hindrances on the road to humility. Pride is an evil spirit. But Christ can change anyone. There are many well-educated, wealthy people who are poor in spirit. They know that all they have in this life is a gift from God. They are humble, grateful, generous with their time and resources. Their always worship God. Jesus said that only those who are poor in spirit are citizens of the Kingdom. They totally submit to King Jesus. They worship Him and He blesses them. This is a picture of the Kingdom of God!

To be poor is spirit is not the same as having an inferiority complex. It is different from being a coward or having a grasshopper mentality. Being poor in spirit may look like weakness but it is strength from God. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. 8 It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones” (PV 3:5-8). Trusting only God in every situation brings direct guidance from God, divine healing, and supernatural strength. “In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him, And He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way]” (PV 3:6; AMP). Acknowledging God in all things is not just a religious formula. You must engage the whole soul in trusting that God is with you, and by His providence He will help you make fast and easy progress. This is the benefit given only to the citizens of the Kingdom of God, to those who are poor in spirit. Praise the Lord!

Righteousness and Love cannot exist except when there is humility. You cannot be good and do good if you are proud. That is impossible. Love cannot exist in a proud heart. Humility is more than just a quality of character. It is the soil where the seeds of all the other qualities are planted, and they will grow. Just like Agape Love, humility does not come naturally to us. We are all born sinners. We are rebellious and proud. When God created Adam and Eve, they were humble people. But they fell to the temptation ‘to be like God’. The truth is that they were already like God, but the devil deceived them to feel inferior. Once they disobeyed God’s command, they died. The relationship between them and God was seriously damaged. They lost many attributes and benefits. Among those, they lost their humility. This is how pride entered. It is now a battle to be humble. Even after conversion, humility does not come automatically. God creates circumstances to help us humble ourselves. It is part of the process of sanctification. But the Bible commands us to humble ourselves! Selah!

PRIDE AND FALSE HUMILITY

The opposite of genuine humility is pride and false humility. Pride is defined as a belief that you are better than others. False humility is the attitude when you use humility to cover up pride. You pretend to be humble so that people will compliment you. Most proud people do not even pretend to be humble. But some proud people know that humility is a better virtue, admired among men. That is why they learn the skill to appear humble to cover up their pride. This fake (false) humility is the work of evil spirits. It is rejected by God!

These are some signs of false humility:

*You boast about your humility. The true humble people are not self-conscious of their humility. They don’t pretend. They are themselves.  

*You are a hypocrite. talk about how good it is to love, serve and help others, but you do not really practice the things you talk about.

*You have a double life. With your superiors, or in public, you seem humble. At home, or with those of lower status, you are wicked. The people who are truly humble, both in public and in private, have only ‘one face’. They always behave the same!

 *The people who know you the best, know the truth. They say that you are bad, proud, and rude. It is said that you need to stay with a person for at least 6 months before you know their true character. Listen to the spouse or the friends of these people.

*When people try to publicly flatter you, or to lift you up, to boast your ego, you like it, and you keep quiet. You don’t discourage such actions. But people who are truly humble do not accept public lifting above others. They discourage flattery towards themselves.  

*You help others only if you can gain something from that service. Truly humble people help all, even those who cannot pay them back.

False humility is common with false prophets and false brethren. They use it to deceive others. It is a sin before God. You must repent of it. “Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God. 20. Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations— 21 “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” 22 which all concern things which perish with the using—according to the commandments and doctrines of men? 23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh” (Col 2:18-23). Stop pretending! Humble yourself! Then God will bless you! Amen!

TRUE HUMILITY

As a topic of sermons, humility has been neglected in many churches. Most Christians do not know what humility is. To be poor in spirit means to be genuinely humble. Humility is a basic Christian attitude. It is a mental attitude of lowliness, the opposite of pride. The word ‘humility’ comes from the Latin word ‘humilis’ which means low.  Only the Holy Spirit in the heart of the believer in Christ can produce this special grace fruit of humility. Humility is defined as having a modest opinion about yourself, about your importance in this world. Another way you can describe humility is submission. Humble people submit to God and to others. Proud people are rebellious against God and others. Humble people are loving. They are true worshippers. They recognize the gifts in others, especially when they are better than their own, and openly acknowledge them. They are not afraid to recognize their limitations. A humble man is not selfishly ambitious. He doesn’t claim what is not his own. Humility is highly appreciated in God’s Word. “Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, And before honor is humility” (PV18:12). “When pride comes, disgrace follows, but with humility comes wisdom” (PV 11:2). “By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life” (PV 22:4). God blesses the humble with honor, wisdom, riches, and long life!

EXAMPLES OF PEOPLE WHO WERE POOR IN SPIRIT

*Moses – “Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth” (Nu 12:3). *Gideon: “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house” (Jdg 6:15).

*Isaiah said to God: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts” (Is 6:5).

*King David – David depended totally on God when he fought and killed Goliath. After he committed great sins (adultery with Barsheba, killing Uriah, numbering the people of Israel…) David truly repented. David’s greatness and legacy was not in his bravery, even though he was very brave. It was not in the battles that he won, even though he won many. It was not in the glory of his reign, even though he had his share of glory. It was in his willingness to submit to the will of God and to humble his heart in genuine repentance when he sinned.

*Apostle Peter– “When Simon Peter saw it, he fell at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” (Lk 5:8).

*Apostle Paul was a great man of God. He never recovered from the fact that he was once a great sinner, a persecutor of the church. But he received mercy, grace, and a new identity in Christ. He said: “To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Eph 3:8).

The Gospel of the Kingdom preaches Christ crucified and resurrected. The life of King Jesus reveals to us that you must go down before God brings you up. There is a Cross on your back before there are many Crowns on your head. You need to die to self, to sin, and to the world, before God can promote and reward you openly. To arrive at a place of visibility and success without passing through the Cross will end in disaster. “The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools” (PV 3:35; KJ). It is a terrible thing to become successful before God’s appointed time. Saul became king instantly. He did not pass through any trial to become humble. Eventually, he lost his crown. He became a fool (1Sam 26:21). After his death, the crown went to David. King Saul tried to kill him. But he failed to do so. David lived in the wilderness for 14 years, learning to be obedient to God’s Word. He became humble, wise, and spiritual, a true king!

Humility was highly appreciated in the character of the Kings. King Hezekiah got very sick, to the point of death. He humbled himself. God answered his prayer and added years to his life (2Chr 32:24-26). Humility is a sign that God will send revival and blessings upon the Land. God told King Solomon: “When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, 14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 15 Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place” (2Chr 7:13-15). May the Nigerian people humble themselves before God!  

THE HUMILITY OF CHRIST (Phil 2:1-11)

Listen to our Lord: “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me [following Me as My disciple], for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST (renewal, blessed quiet) FOR YOUR SOULS” (Matt 11:29; AMP).

It may surprise us to know that the Almighty God, is a humble God. Humility is a divine and royal attribute. Jesus Christ, The Son of God, is the very definition of humility. Among all the qualities we see in Jesus in His work of redemption, humility shines the brightest. Study how humble our Lord is! It took great humility to leave the glories of heaven and to come to earth, to live in a human limiting body. It took great humility to become a baby, born in a manger, to a poor carpenter and his wife. It took great humility to depend on people for food. Jesus is the Water of Life, Nevertheless, He said to the woman at the well: “Give Me a drink” (Jn 4:7). Finally, it took great humility to go to the Cross; to be beaten and rejected by God and men! All this because He wanted to pay the price for our salvation! We are encouraged to study the Person of Jesus and to be like Him. It is very easy to forget His lovely Person and to only study His words. But the teachings of Jesus, even His miracles and good deeds cannot save your soul. When you repented and became born-again, you surrendered your life to the Person of Jesus, the Lord, not to a doctrine about Him. We are commanded to pay the price to Love God and one another. We are to esteem others better’ than ourselves. This is what Jesus did. He was in heaven. He knew that we are all born sinners and we shall end in hell. We had no helper. No man or angel could save us from the power of sin. The world was in darkness. The devil was the prince of this world. All men were in bondage to the devil. The earth was filled with graves filled with dead men’s bones. There was no light, no love, no hope. If Jesus thought only about Himself, His comfort, His rights as God, He would never leave heaven to come to earth to save us. But He did! This is true love! This is true humility! There is none like Jesus!

Read Philippians 2:1-11. These words are some of the most beautiful words in the whole Bible. Apostle Paul takes us on a journey, to remind us of who Jesus is. He starts from heaven, goes to earth, and ends back to heaven. In few words, this is the Gospel of Christ Crucified and Resurrected. Jesus humbled Himself by becoming a bondservant to God to serve men. Why? To save those who will believe in Him! He went even lower. He became obedient unto death, even the shameful death on the Cross. This was God’s plan for Him. He obeyed God from beginning to the end. He fulfilled God’s Law. God the Father honored and rewarded His Son for displaying this extraordinary humility. Jesus was always God. But this exaltation as God-Man was because Jesus humbled Himself. God honored Jesus to be the Center of the whole universe. He made Him the King of God’s Kingdom. Because Jesus humbled Himself to die for men, all creation must now bow to Jesus and worship Him. This is God’s Law: Both Faith and Humility are rewarded and honored by God! We, the believers, gladly bow before Jesus and worship Him on earth. One day, the heavens will open, and Christ will come to earth the second time. He will come not as a suffering servant, but as King of kings and Lord of lords, to destroy what He had defeated. Those who refuse to bow to Jesus now, will bow by force, even against their wills, when Christ comes again.

How do we worship Jesus? One way is by freely confessing His name. We confess that Jesus is Lord! That Jesus is our Lord! The meaning of the word ‘Lord’ here is the same as God. In other words, we confess that Jesus Christ is Jehovah God!!! By confessing the name of Jesus, we give glory to God the Father. God has decreed that if you want to worship Him, you must worship His Son. We worship God by worshipping Jesus! Trying to worship God and rejecting Jesus, is not acceptable to God. Jesus has triumphed over all evil forces working on earth. He has overcome the power of sin and death. In Him alone we have the hope of eternal life. He is the only way to heaven. God the Father set Jesus in control of the whole universe. He is now the King of the Kingdom of God. After He resurrected, Jesus said: “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” (Matt 28:18). He now rules and reigns as the King of God’s Kingdom until everything is perfected. Then He will hand over the Kingdom to God the Father (1Cor 15:24, 25). Halleluiah! We worship the Lord Jesus by studying His Word, by praying to Him and by serving Him in the church.

As we can see, humility is originally found in heaven. Anytime the Church fails to show humility, she damages her glory. The 24 elders cast their crowns before King Jesus, who is seated on the throne. They humble themselves before Him. “Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: 11 “You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created” (Rev 4:9-11). Amen!

We are told that Jesus made Himself of no reputation (He emptied Himself). That is the greatest humility displayed in the universe. Jesus was totally unselfish. When He became a Man, He did not empty Himself of His deity. He did not exchange His deity for humanity. The incarnation was not an exchange and not a subtraction. It was an addition. Jesus became 100% God and 100% Man. People believed that Jesus was a Man, but many did not believe that He was God in the flesh. Jesus never stopped being God even when He was on earth, living as Man. But when He became a Man, He emptied Himself, He let go of His heavenly glory. When He became Man, Jesus gave up His rights and privileges as God in heaven. For example, He could have called the angels to defend Him, but He did not. He gave up His heavenly riches. He did not use the immense wealth of heaven. He willingly reduced Himself to be a Man who had nowhere to lay His head. Think about this: Jesus humbled Himself… He made Himself low… He became obedient to death. Why? Because God the Father chose Him to be the Sacrifice for the sins of men. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich” (2Cor 8:9). It is hard for us to understand how humble Jesus is. On the Cross, He even gave up His relationship with His Father. He became sin, under the wrath of God. He said: “My God, My God, why did You forsake Me?” No man can go so far. None of us can lose so much. Amazing Love! Undying Love! The King and Lover of our hearts!

Think of this too: Jesus had to learn obedience. As God, He does not obey anyone. But on earth, He had to learn to obey and submit to the authority of His Father. “Although He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered” (Heb 5:8). On earth, His glory was veiled by His flesh. Occasionally the glory shone through. At the transfiguration, the glory was seen. In His last Priestly prayer, just before the Cross, Jesus prayed: “And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was” (Jn 17:5). He was ready to go back to heaven and to take back His visible glory as God and Lord over all!

This world is a dark hopeless place. Nobody knows the future, except God. Knowing that the humble suffering servant called Jesus, is now the Lord of all, that He rules and reigns from heaven, is a great encouragement to all believers. The Love and Humility of Jesus has touched and changed us all. We now want to be like Jesus. We want to pay the price to be loving, humble, and faithful like Jesus. At the right time, in His own way, God will honor us too, by His Grace. “But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. 11 To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen” (1Pet 5:10,11). Jesus attracted men by His Life, His humility, His authority of His words, and by truly caring for people! It is the same now! Glory to the Lamb upon the Throne!

Finally, we need to say this: to become truly loving and humble like Jesus is extremely heard. It is man’s greatest testimony. Humility is highly rewarded and honored on earth and in heaven. Humility is the stairway that connects earth to heaven. It is the only way of promotion and success approved by God. Jesus said: “But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Matt 23:11,12). “But He gives more grace. Therefore, He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble” (Jam 4:6). God rewards humble people by adding more grace to them. This grace manifests as strength, wisdom, righteousness, peace, and joy, honor and favor before God and men. Be like Jesus! Humble yourself! Pride is the ugliest sin of all! Before God, pride is criminal! What do you have that you did not receive from God? Yes, we are God’s children, kings, priests, and friends of Jesus, ambassadors of Christ… but remember that all these titles and blessings are given to us By God’s grace alone. Blood was shed for us to be saved. Unity in the Church is the product of Love and Humility!!! Jesus is not only our Redeemer but also our Example! Let us pray: ‘God, humble us so that one day we may be exalted in Your presence.’ Worship the Lord!