This week we will be looking at two different qualities that a community built on Christ, operating in the Kingdom of Heaven possesses. Humility and Encouragement. When we talk about humility we usually have some very specific things come to mind. For me I think of someone who is not boastful even when we would think boasting is deserved. I also usually think of a false modesty or humility that we have all either seen or done before ourselves. Scripture however paints a different picture of what humility is. Scripture says that a true Christ-like humility is to consider others as more important than yourselves. This is the humility that Christ modeled when He was here on earth. Jesus said that He came to serve and not be served. If Christ had been more concerned with Himself than with others, things would have played out very differently. Scripture says that He humbled Himself and came as a baby, not grasping at His Godly-hood, but considering it as unimportant. Wow. I don't think I could have done it. If nothing else proves God loves you this should. This does not mean that we lose all concern for our own welfare or importance, or that we see ourselves as unimportant. It simply means that we lose our selfishness and become more others focused as opposed to me focused. A true Christ-like humility helps create that safe environment we discussed a couple weeks ago. It creates an environment where we all take care of each other. It creates an environment where we truly are the hands and feet of God.

The second quality is encouragement. As Casey pointed out in His sermon, this is not encouragement that we typically think of. We tend to see encouragement as kind or helpful words, while this could be the case some of the time in all honesty kind words can oftentimes be either too little to late or impossible to come up with. I know we have all been on the receiving end of encouraging words gone horribly wrong. What encouragement means here is simply to be present. We offer encouragement by being with someone in the midst of whatever is going on, good or bad. The right words are hard to find, but a friend in times of trouble is priceless. If we can model these characteristics of the Kingdom of God, than we become that peculiar people that we have been called to be. The kind of people that draw others to them by demonstrating a better life. One of my daughters recently had a friend of hers approach her and ask her about God. See she had seen a difference in Samantha and her friends in how they handled stress and worry, and it called to her on a deeper level. She saw a community they had created and She wanted to know what made them different, and if she could be different too. These are the kinds of things we will experience when we begin to truly live in and be a part of the Kingdom of God. That being said I feel the need to stress the fact that we don't get there by simply trying harder. We become more like Jesus the more time we spend with Him. God bless you this week I pray we become more humble and encouraging by spending time with Him!

● What needs to be removed to achieve humility?
● Why is conceit empty?
● How can you put this into practice?

● How do you build someone up with encouragement?
● Do you think words would be enough?
● How do you imagine they were putting this into practice?

● How do you clothe yourself with humility?
● Why does God oppose the proud?
● What kind of grace do the humble receive?

● Why should we meet together?
● Do you feel more encouraged when surrounded by your church family?
● Why?

● How long do we need to encourage one another?
● Why do we need encouragement?
● What is deceitful about sin?

● How are humility and tolerance interlinked?
● How about gentleness and patience?
● How do we become this type of person?

● How does this sentence “sum up” what was said before?
● What are the qualities described here?
● Did Jesus model this behavior?
● How?

The Lord bless you this week, I will be praying for us all!