HUMILITY: THE BEAUTY OF HOLINESS

Humility is the bloom and the beauty of holiness. Where God is all, self is nothing. There is no pride so dangerous, because none is so subtle and insidious, as the pride of holiness. I stand amazed at the thought of how little humility is sought after as the distinguishing feature of the discipleship of Jesus. The chief mark of counterfeit holiness is its lack of humility. Just as water ever seeks and fills the lowest place, so the moment God finds men abased and empty, His glory and power flow in. Pride must die in you, or nothing of heaven can live in you. The lack of humility is the sufficient explanation of every defect and failure. Humility is simply the sense of entire nothingness which comes when we see how truly God is all. The humble man is not one who thinks meanly of himself; he simply does not think of himself at all. True humility comes when, in the light of God, we have seen ourselves to be nothing and have consented to be so in His presence. Humility before God is nothing if it is not proved in humility before men. The only humility that is really ours is not that which we try to show before God in prayer, but that which we carry with us and carry out in our ordinary conduct. Humility is the displacement of self by the enthronement of God. Christ is the humility of God embodied in human nature. Humility is the only soil in which the graces root. Humility is not so much a grace or virtue among others; it is the root of all. Humility, the place of entire dependence on God, is the first duty and the highest virtue of the creature. Without humility there can be no true abiding in God's presence or enjoying His favor. It is in humility that the blessings of the Kingdom are given. THE SCHOOL OF PRAYER AND HUMILITY It is only when the Church gives herself up to this holy work of intercession that we can expect the power of Christ to manifest itself in her behalf. If there is one thing I think the Church needs to learn, it is that God means prayer to have an answer. God hears prayer. This is a truth universally admitted, but very few understand its meaning or experience its power. Though in its beginnings prayer is so simple that the feeblest child can pray, yet it is at the same time the highest and holiest work to which man can rise. True prayer, that takes hold of God's strength and avails much, to which the gates of heaven are really opened wide; who would not cry, Oh, for someone to teach me thus to pray? Prayer and the Word are inseparably linked together. The power of prayer rests in the faith that God hears it. Persevering prayer prevails. In prayer we exchange our natural strength for the supernatural strength of God. Prayer is fellowship with the Unseen and Most Holy One. The condition for obtaining God's full blessing is absolute surrender to Him. God claims it from us. God is the Fountain of life, the only Source of existence and power and goodness. Absolute surrender is what the Lord Jesus wants. It is God who by His mighty power works in you both to will and to do. It is not we who accomplish surrender in our own strength, it is God who works it in us. We cannot by our resolution achieve what God alone can do. You know in daily life what absolute surrender means; everything given up to the power or will of another. As God works in us, He makes it possible for us to work. We may be sure that God will accept us and work in us to will and to do. Humility is the bloom and the beauty of holiness. Where God is all, self is nothing. There is no pride so dangerous, because none is so subtle and insidious, as the pride of holiness. I stand amazed at the thought of how little humility is sought after as the distinguishing feature of the discipleship of Jesus. The chief mark of counterfeit holiness is its lack of humility. Just as water seeks and fills the lowest place, so the moment God finds men abased and empty, His glory and power flow in. Pride must die in you, or nothing of heaven can live in you. The lack of humility is the sufficient explanation of every defect and failure. Humility is simply the sense of entire nothingness which comes when we see how truly God is all. The humble man is not one who thinks meanly of himself; he simply does not think of himself at all. Prayer is meant to be as simple and natural as breathing or working is to a healthy man. Every revival comes, as Pentecost came, as the fruit of united, continued prayer. The coming revival must begin with a great prayer revival. One great reason for lack of prayer is the absence of a living, joyous assurance: My God will hear me. Can we deny it; that the lack of prayer is the sin on account of which God's presence and power are not more manifestly seen among us? We must recognize that restraining prayer, with all the excuses we make for it, is a greater sin than we have thought. The power of the Church to truly bless rests on intercession; asking and receiving heavenly gifts to carry to men. Every child of God is called to be an intercessor. The man who mobilizes the Church of Christ to pray will make the greatest contribution to world evangelization. Restraining prayer, we cease to live with God. WITH CHRIST IN THE SCHOOL OF PRAYER The man who would truly pray must be prepared to give himself wholly to God. Prayer is the very essence of true religion, the channel of all blessings, the secret of power and life. The measure of believing prayer is the measure of God's blessing. It is in prayer that we wait for the Spirit's teaching. In prayer we are admitted into God's presence, where we learn to know and to trust Him. Prayer must be in the Name of Jesus and in His Spirit. The power of prayer rests in the certainty that God has willed our prayer. All fruitfulness in service is the outcome of prayer. The man who would pray much must be much alone with God. Prayer is both the thermometer and the barometer of the spiritual life. ABSOLUTE SURRENDER The condition for obtaining God's full blessing is absolute surrender to Him. Let me say, first of all, that God claims it from us. God is the Fountain of life, the only Source of existence and power and goodness. Absolute surrender is what the Lord Jesus wants from His people. It is God who by His mighty power works in you both to will and to do. It is not we who perform it in our own strength; it is God who works it in us. We cannot by our resolution accomplish what God alone can do. You know in daily life what absolute surrender means; you know that everything has to be given up to the power or will of another. As God works in us, He makes it possible for us to work. We may be sure that God will accept us and work in us to will and to do. There is no limit to what God will do for a man who is absolutely surrendered. It is God who gives the disposition to yield ourselves fully to Him. If we are willing to do God's will, He will give us the power to perform it. The man who gives himself absolutely to God will find that God takes possession of him. It is not hard to give up everything when we see that God is all and gives all. The power to live a holy life is found only in absolute surrender to God. The joy of absolute surrender is that God Himself undertakes the responsibility. We must be willing to be nothing, that God may be all. The more we yield to Him, the more He will work in us. And the life of absolute surrender is a life of perfect rest and peace. THE MINISTRY OF INTERCESSION God's choice is to work through men who pray. The lack of prayer lies at the root of all our spiritual weakness. The sin of prayerlessness is the cause of a powerless Christian life. God rules the world by the prayers of His saints, and nothing delights Him so much as to find those whom He can clothe with power in prayer. Prayerlessness is the very soul of unbelief. The greatest proof of the true humility of a servant is intercession. The greatest blessing my life can bring to others is intercession for them. The man who prays much has surrendered his life to God. And the church's greatest need today is more prayer.