Big God. Big Church. - Week Three

In this series, we will hear from various pastors across the country as they encourage Hope Community Church by explaining how we are part of a bigger picture. We are not alone. Rather, we are in a movement of God that has been growing for thousands of years beyond ethnicity, beyond generation and beyond location. Big God. Big Church.“Humble Themselves” – God starts with His own people, which takes humility before moving to fix or heal the rest of the world. 2 Chronicles 7:14 (ESV)If my people will…1. humble themselves2. pray3. seek my face4. turn from their wicked waysTHEN I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land.2 Chronicles 7:14 (ESV)“…humble themselves…”No one can make us humble. Only we can humble ourselves.Philippians 2:5-8 (ESV) Jesus…1. Let go of and emptied himself of his former power position. (form/equal to God)2. Took on the new form of a human servant.3. Chose to obey God to do what needed to be done without any limitations.  Jesus chose to let go of the past that had been his life up to that point.Jesus chose to take hold of something new and unexpected by taking the form (posture) of a servant.Jesus chose to obey what and where God was leading and directing him with no limitations or conditions.Humble yourselves:The obedient choice is to let go of the past in order to take hold of something new and better in the future.We come to God (pray) with a mindset of obediently choosing to let go of the past (known) in order to allow Him to do something new and better (unknown) in the future.Romans 7:19 (NIV)At the root of fear or not having control is PRIDE.Pride says that I can fulfill my own needs.Pride says that I can take care of myself.Pride says that I can control outcomes.Pride says that I don’t need help.Pride is the refusal to humble oneself.Pride results in “this is good enough, this is how it is, this is how it will always be.”Pride is rigid, inflexible, stubborn, arrogant and unwilling to change or obey.Pride will keep us from experiencing forgiveness, healing and something new and better that God desires to do in our lives.If we are not humble, it is not because we CANNOT be but because we WILL NOT be.Luke 5:37-39 (NIV)No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins.No, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins.Humble yourselves:The obedient choice is to let go of the past in order to take hold of something new and better in the future.Pride:Pride is rigid, inflexible, stubborn, arrogant and unwilling to change or obey.Habakkuk 1:5 (NIV)