•How poor were you when you were growing up?

• What do you have now that you didn’t have when you were growing up? Were you really that poor?

HUMBLE CIRCUMSTANCES

By: Steve Shepherd

• What

• were your humble circumstances?

Where were you born? How did you live? No

doubt, most of us had a lot less than we do now.

• Most of us were raised in somewhat humble circumstances as far as this world is concerned, but we must always know that there is something better than greatness or even great wealth!

• Matthew 16:26 Jesus said, “What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”

• One day, a wealthy family man took his son on a trip to the country so he could have his son see how poor country people were.

They stayed one day and one night at the farm of a very humble farm family.

• When they got back home the father asked the son, "What did you think of the trip"?

• The son replied, "Very nice Dad." Dad said, "Did you notice how poor they were?" "Yes". "So, what did you learn from this trip?"

• "I’ve learned that we have one dog in the house, and they had four.

• We have a fountain and imported lamps in our gardenThey have a stream with no end and the stars in the sky.

• Our garden goes to the edge of our property, they have the entire horizon as their back yard."

• At the end of the son’s reply the father was speechless and then his son said, "Thank you Dad, for showing me how poor we really are."

• Bill Gates of Microsoft is still number one in the money game at $59 billion but he won’t be number one when he dies. Wealth will meaning nothing to God at death. Bill Gates needs Jesus just like everybody else.

The Rich and the Poor..What’s the meaning?

•1- Humble means high

•2- Rich means low

•3- Perseverance means salvation

I. HUMBLE MEANS HIGH

• I Peter 5:5-6 “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”

• If we go down, we will also go up! If we humble ourselves before God, He will lift us up. But the problem is this: most

people don’t like to humble themselves before anyone, including God! We don’t like to admit that we could be wrong. We don’t like to say, “I’m sorry. I was wrong.” And even to God.

• Matthew 20:26-28 “Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave

• — just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

• Greatness comes through being a humble servant. We go up by going down. The humble will be exalted and the exalted will be humbled.

• Someone told this story about the famous inventor Samuel Morse who was once asked if he ever encountered situations where he didn’t know what to do.

• Morse responded, "More than once, and whenever I could not see my way clearly, I knelt down and prayed to God for light and understanding."

• Morse received many honors from his invention of the telegraph but felt undeserving.

• He said, "I have made a valuable application of electricity not because I was superior to other men but solely because of God, who meant it for mankind, must reveal it to someone and He was pleased to reveal it to me."

•Morse was honored but only because he first humbled himself before the Lord.

• When we humble ourselves before the Lord, seeking to honor Him, we will experience the greatest “high” there is. Pride brings people down. Humility lifts people up.

• Proverbs 11:2 “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”

• Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”

• Proverbs 29:23 “A man’s pride brings him low, but a man of lowly spirit gains honor.”

2.RICH MEANS LOW

• But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. (James 1:10)

• 11 For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the

same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.

• I Timothy 6:6-10

• 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.

• I Timothy 6:17-19

• 17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

• 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share

• 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

• Andrew Carnegie, the wealthy steel magnate of a past generation, once remarked to a group of men that he did not feel the need of prayer

• . “What is the use of praying?” he asked. “I already have everything I want. What more could I ask for?” One of his hearers remarked: “Perhaps, sir, you might pray for humility.”

• Rich means low. Possessing great wealth means nothing. The rich will be brought low and die just like everyone else.

• Possessing wealth doesn’t keep a person from aging. What’s the idea? We all age.

• We all are brought low in death, even the high and the mighty, even the rich folks. Therefore, they need to make preparation for death and there’s only one way to do that! Jesus is the way!

3.PERSEVERANCE MEANS SALVATION

• 12 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

• There is only way to do a job and that is to finish it. There is only one way to run a marathon and that is to finish it. There may be a certain amount of glory in competing but

the real joy comes at the finish. This is true for many things in life: jobs, sports, marriage, raising kids, and seeking the Lord.

• Matthew 24:12-13 “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.”

• Hebrews 10:36 “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.”

• Hebrews 11:24-27 24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter

• 25 He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time.

• 26 He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward

• 27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible."

•He persevered because he saw Him who is invisible. DO YOU SEE HIM WHO IS INVISIBLE? Can you see Him through the eyes of faith? That’s the only way we can see Him, BUT we must see Him if we are going to persevere to the end!

Conclusion:

• Martha S. Nicholson

• Hold Lightly Earth’s Things -

• Let me hold lightly things of this earth;

• Transient treasures, what are they worth?

• Moths can corrupt them, rust can decay;

• All their bright beauty fades in a day.

• Let me hold fast, Lord, things of the skies;

• Quicken my vision, open my eyes!

• Show me Thy riches, glory and grace,

• Boundless as time is, endless as space...

• Let me hold lightly things that are mine—

• Lord, Thou dost give me all that is Thine!

• How troubled are we now? Because of loving all the things on earth which could not bring us eternal peace…How awesome life is if we have PEACE from Christ! …..

• MY MUSIC…

THIS IS MY PRAYER…