The Gateway To Grace

# 211 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 15:16,17 Then Samuel said to Saul, "Be quiet! And I will tell you what the LORD said to me last night." And he said to him, "Speak on." 17 So Samuel said, "When you were little in your own eyes, were you not head of the tribes of Israel? And did not the LORD anoint you king over Israel? (1 Sam 15:16,17) Samuel, the mouthpiece of God, tells Saul to put a sock in it. If you recall, Saul was already pouring out all sorts of excuses for not obeying the command of the Lord to wipe out the Amalekites. He immediately follows that up with one of the greatest spiritual truths in all of Scripture. In fact, it is a common thread throughout all of Scripture. It is the concept of kingdom advancement by humility. “When you were little in your own eyes,” God advanced you Saul! It is the same for you and I. This is vital, to the follower of Christ, and it is also a constant struggle because our flesh is always interested in self-advancement. Remember when Jesus told the story of the publican and the Pharisee in prayer? The Pharisee stood before God and rattled off all the wonderful things he did for God. It kind of made you wonder how God could function without him. Then the publican looked down on the ground and beat his breast and asked, “God be merciful to me, a sinner.” Then Jesus speaking of the publican said, "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." (Lu 18:14) And in Job 22:29, we read, “When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person. “ Remember, "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." (Jam 4:6) Humility is the gateway to God's grace, and without God's grace (divine influence on our heart,) we cannot enter His kingdom nor advance in it. Desire humility. Recognize the fact that you and I are sinners in need of God's grace.