Part Eleven: Humility
Rev. Braxton Powell Preached on 8/5/2026
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Summary
Rev. Braxton Powell explores Psalm 131 to define humility as a quieted soul that rests in God's sovereignty rather than personal ambition or the need for recognition. Using the life of David as a model, he encourages believers to respond to life's injustices with restraint and trust rather than retaliation.
Key points
- •True humility is not thinking less of yourself, but rather not being consumed with yourself at all.
- •Identity must be rooted in eternal things rather than human recognition or applause, as illustrated by Joshua Bell's subway experiment.
- •Humility involves a deliberate choice to calm and quiet the soul, refusing to occupy oneself with matters beyond one's control or understanding.
- •The 'way of David' involves refusing to retaliate when others throw 'spears' at you, choosing instead to let God use those trials to root out pride.
- •Hope is birthed through redemption but is sustained through the posture of humility.
Scripture
Character
Spiritual Growth
Trials
Perseverance
Life application
This week, when you feel the urge to defend your reputation or retaliate against an unfair comment, consciously choose to 'dodge the spear' and entrust your heart to God instead of taking matters into your own hands.
Reflection questions
- In what areas of your life are you currently trying to control things that are 'too marvelous' for you to understand?
- When you face rejection or a lack of recognition, does it cause your sense of identity to waver?
- Are there 'spears' that have been thrown at you recently that you are tempted to throw back?
- What practical steps can you take to 'wean' your soul and find satisfaction in God's presence alone?
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Full transcript
0:00hurt, every shame.
0:00Jesus, I'm thankful. I'm thankful.
0:05As you're making your way back to your
0:06seats, can you just one more time maybe
0:08give it up for this wonderful youth
0:09group?
0:12I love the first Wednesdays of the month
0:15getting to lead in worship. And uh if
0:18you are curious, if you're wondering
0:20what it looks like and you want to
0:22serve, [music] please come find someone
0:25uh and we will happily find a place for
0:27you to get plugged in. We we want you
0:29serving. If you look around, we got
0:30students on cameras. We've got students
0:32in the sound booth. We've got students
0:34just about everywhere. So, they are
0:36leading in just about everything that
0:38they can. [music] And I'm thankful for
0:40our youth and our young adults. And I'm
0:42thankful that you're here. So maybe
0:44high-five a couple people next to you.
0:45Tell them how good they look. Tell them
0:47something you like about them. If you
0:48don't know them, maybe introduce
0:50yourself to them. Say, "Hey, what's up?
0:53My name is Fill in the blank.
1:01Tonight we are going to continue through
1:04the Keep Climbing series. How many have
1:06been enjoying that series? Have you
1:09learned something, taken something away?
1:12Uh, this series has been one of insight
1:15and wisdom. And, you know, generally,
1:17we're not in here. We're in the gym or
1:18the youth room. And so, I haven't been
1:20able to sit through all of [music] them.
1:22Uh, but last week, sitting through
1:24pastor's walkthrough of Psalms 130. Man,
1:26it just left me uh inspired and [music]
1:29excited for the opportunity to walk
1:31through Psalms 131 with you tonight. I
1:35am thankful for the opportunity to our
1:37pastor and this leadership for trusting
1:39me in this place. This is a sacred desk
1:41and I don't take it lightly and I am
1:43thankful to be here and I love serving.
1:46I love being at New Life. I love what
1:48God is doing at New Life and I love this
1:50church and I love each and every single
1:52one of you. And uh we've already prayed.
1:54So I'm just going to get right into the
1:55word if you're okay with that. If you
1:57have your Bibles, we're going to turn to
1:59the chapter uh of 131 in Psalms. There's
2:03only a few verses, so shouldn't be that
2:06much reading. I'll give you time to turn
2:07there. If you brought your Bibles, it
2:08will be on the screen, and you can look
2:11or turn, whichever one is is easiest.
2:14Psalms 131. We're in David's mind here.
2:18These are the songs of ascent. And David
2:22is probably one of my favorite per
2:24people in the Bible. I just I'm I'm
2:26enamored with his mind, his spirit,
2:28[music]
2:28his heart, the things that he went
2:30through. And I'm excited to talk a
2:32little bit about that tonight. But in
2:34David's own words, this is what he's
2:36proclaiming in this climb, this song of
2:39ascent that he's giving to God. He says,
2:41'Oh Lord, my heart is not lifted up. My
2:44eyes are not raised too high. I do not
2:48occupy myself with things too great and
2:51too marvelous for me, but I have calmed
2:54and quieted my soul [snorts] like a
2:57weaned child with its mother. Like a
3:00weaned child is my soul within me. Oh
3:05Israel, hope in the Lord from this time
3:08forth and forever more. You could put
3:10your Bibles down and be seated. Thank
3:12you for standing
3:15tonight. The topic, the focus that I
3:18think stands out in these few verses is
3:21humility.
3:22Being humble, a word that we've heard a
3:25lot growing up, how to be humble. You
3:28know, don't think too high of yourself.
3:29Don't be prideful.
3:31Humility is a is an interesting thing. I
3:33love this quote by CS Lewis. He said,
3:36"Do not imagine that if you meet a
3:38really humble man that he will be what
3:41most people call humble nowadays. He
3:44will not be thinking about humility. He
3:46will not be thinking about himself at
3:49all." I think a truly humble person is
3:52not someone that's just constantly
3:54trying to be humble. They just are
3:57simply not consumed with themselves. A
4:00humble heart is not constantly measuring
4:03itself, defending itself, and trying to
4:06promote itself. It's a heart that's
4:08learned to rest because it's no longer
4:12the center of its own ambition.
4:15In January of 2007, they're going to put
4:17a picture up on the wall here. There was
4:20a social experiment conducted with the
4:23Washington Post and worldrenowned
4:24violinist Jeremy or sorry Joshua Bell.
4:28He walked into Len Font Plaza. The other
4:30picture please. Sorry. There he is. That
4:33is Joshua Bell. He uh had walked into
4:37this metro station but not before
4:40selling out multiple shows. One in
4:42particular was the night before in
4:44Boston and uh he was what most people
4:47considered uh to be successful, amazing,
4:51a savant. He had learned everything
4:53there was to learn and his tickets sold
4:55for, you know, around $100 a piece. He
4:57had no problem drawing a crowd. Critics
5:00considered him one of the finest
5:02violinists alive. He played a 1713
5:05Stratavarius that was estimated to be
5:07worth $3.5 million.
5:10That's a lot of money for an instrument.
5:13And uh I just can't imagine that, man. I
5:16mean, like when I look at guitars and
5:17stuff, I croak at some of the prices. If
5:20that was the price that I had to pay, I
5:23would I don't play violin. I don't know
5:25if you figured that out. I wanted to,
5:27and I think that's probably why. It's
5:28just too expensive. Not for him, though.
5:31But the very next morning, they're going
5:32to put the next picture up. They
5:34conducted this experiment. He went into
5:36a subway metro station dressed in jeans,
5:40a long sleeve t-shirt, and a hat. And he
5:43played for almost an hour. He played six
5:45of the most beautiful and difficult
5:47classical pieces ever written. During
5:50that time, they estimated over a
5:51thousand people walked past him, while
5:54only a handful stopped for more than a
5:57minute. of those that stopped, those
6:00that paid him and dropped money in his
6:03violin case only earned him a whopping
6:06$32.
6:08Almost no one recognized him. The next
6:12day when the experiment was published,
6:14people were shocked and stunned that the
6:17same man who could fill concert halls
6:19and could draw the crowds, receive
6:22standing ovations became almost
6:24invisible simply because of his
6:28surroundings. Excuse me. The experiment,
6:30I think, reveals something to us that
6:33the value of the musician never changed
6:36just because the crowd failed to
6:38recognize him. His greatness didn't
6:42change even though the stage he
6:44performed on did. Joshua Bell was no
6:48less gifted in the subway just because
6:51it wasn't a concert hall. He was worth
6:54something that was deeper. It wasn't
6:57based on the applause and it wasn't
6:59based on the recognition. And I think
7:01that is a test of humility. Finding
7:05identity somewhere deeper than your
7:08recognition.
7:10We think because people don't see us or
7:13don't know us or don't hear about us
7:15that our identity for some reason is in
7:18question, forgetting that hope is found
7:21in things eternal, not things on this
7:23earth. And back to our text in Psalms,
7:27you see this tone of voice in David
7:31saying, "My heart is not lifted up. My
7:34eyes are not raised too high. I do not
7:37occupy myself with things that are too
7:39great and too marvelous for me, but I
7:42have calmed and I have quieted my soul.
7:45Like a weaned child with its mother,
7:48like a wean child is my soul within me.
7:51And he tells Israel to hope in the Lord
7:53from this time forth and forever more. I
7:57think it's safe to assume that David had
8:00been through some tests of humility.
8:03He'd experienced both applause and
8:06rejection. And he had finally arrived at
8:09a place where he was no longer needing
8:12the crowd to validate who he was because
8:16he already knew who he belonged to. Now,
8:19I must admit,
8:21this sermon and prepping for this has
8:23brought me to a a deep place of
8:26repentance. And so, if you'll bear with
8:28me for a second, I I could not get past
8:31what I felt like God was asking me to
8:34do. You see, because it did bring me to
8:36a place where I had to think about my
8:38actions and the way that I have lived my
8:40life. It became a mirror of my memories
8:44that reflected times that I felt unfair
8:48treatment justified my unashamed
8:51protest.
8:53And how many times have I picked up the
8:55things that have been thrown at me and
8:57thrown them right back? How many times
9:00have I taken matters into my own hands
9:03rather than trusting the one whose ways
9:06are not mine? Now, my journey is not
9:09nearly complete, but it is one that is
9:11riddled with hurt, pain, and struggles
9:15like I know most of you in this room
9:16could probably attain to.
9:20And until recently,
9:22I thought I could wear those moments
9:25with pride, a badge of honor that
9:28proclaimed to those closest to me that I
9:32I've been wounded. I've been hurt
9:36and I've used my pain as a platform to
9:39proclaim that I was hurting. I've waved
9:43the flag of unfair injustice, hoping to
9:46just make myself look good. The problem
9:48is that in doing so, I've taken glory
9:51from God. I've robbed him of the
9:54opportunity to show that he can make
9:56something good from my pain. And though
9:59the outcome may produce some human level
10:02of success, in his eyes, the control was
10:05never in his hands. And I have to ask
10:08myself and ask you tonight, how many
10:10things have I forced have we forced to
10:13become our version of good? All the
10:15while taking the opportunity away to see
10:18his version of good. And so to those in
10:22this room, to the few that might know
10:25who you are, I do ask forgiveness. That
10:27if my pride and the need to control the
10:30circumstances of things that I have
10:32fought or the scars that were left by my
10:34wounds has caused me to speak in ways
10:36that planted seeds of bitterness and
10:39anger and distrust towards people or
10:41places, I need your forgiveness.
10:45And if my response to unfair treatment
10:47has caused you to view someone through a
10:49lens of my pain instead of his grace,
10:52then I need your forgiveness.
10:55And I never want my wounds to become
10:58something that causes you bitterness. I
11:01can't change my past. You can't change
11:03your past. But in this series and I hope
11:06through the rest of it and what you have
11:07listened to, we can keep climbing
11:11and you can learn how to walk from here.
11:14And so tonight, that's what I preach to
11:16you. The grace of a savior that can
11:20heal, that can save, that can fix.
11:23Because the climb of humility is one of
11:25unique difficulty.
11:27If I find myself in a place where I
11:29think I've got it all figured out, I
11:31probably should take heed in this climb.
11:34It's finding yourself in a place where,
11:37like James says, that God opposes the
11:40proud, but he gives grace to the humble.
11:44It's that grace that I hope to preach to
11:47you tonight. The first thing is that
11:50David speaks as someone that's already
11:54fought a battle. Unlike some of David's
11:57other psalms that give us context clues
12:00like when he fled from Saul or after
12:03Nathan came to him or when Abselum
12:06rebelled. Psalms 131 doesn't really
12:09provide some historical setting. And I
12:12believe David wrote this as a universal
12:14application to all of us that from the
12:17places he had himself experienced. When
12:20we look at verse one, it says I have
12:22calmed and I have quieted. These words
12:25in the Hebrew are translated to calmed
12:27meaning I've leveled myself. I've
12:29leveled something. And quieted means I
12:32have I've silenced. How many things how
12:35many noises in our life have we just let
12:38go unattended un unaffected because it's
12:41just there. It's present but maybe no
12:43one knows. There's things that I'm
12:45trying to silence in my life so I can
12:47hear him. And notice that these things
12:52that David talks about, these are
12:53completed actions. He's not asking God
12:56to give him peace. He's describing a
12:59piece that he's already learned. This
13:02isn't the voice of a young shepherd.
13:04It's the voice of someone I believe to
13:07be an older believer that has been
13:10through some things, discovered some
13:12things. He says, "My heart is not lifted
13:15up because the battle is not just
13:18enemies or the warfare, the things that
13:20he faced. It wasn't sword and spear and
13:23arrow and shield. It wasn't physical
13:25things. The the battle he was in was
13:28even more than David's sin. David's
13:31battle was his ambition of where he
13:34thought maybe he could attain to, where
13:36he thought he could go.
13:39He says, "My eyes are not raised too
13:41high." Because the battle wasn't his
13:43fear of how to get there or what God
13:45wanted him to do. This is the man that
13:47could look at a giant and run after it
13:50when everybody else quit. David was not
13:52afraid. But David's battle was
13:55comparison
13:57where he looked and what he saw and who
13:59was around him. I do not occupy myself
14:02with things too wonderful for me because
14:06the battle is not ignorance. It's the
14:08desire to control what only God
14:12understands. It's the questions that
14:15maybe are unanswered. It's the times
14:17where you go through something and you
14:19can't figure it out. I'll never forget
14:21the moment my wife had a family member
14:24pass away and she looked at me and asked
14:28why.
14:30And I could not I could not answer it. I
14:33can't answer some of the things that
14:34I've been through. I don't know why. And
14:36I'm sure you've sat in that same place
14:38just God, why? And like David, you've
14:42got to find yourself in a place where
14:44you can say, I have calmed and I have
14:47quieted my soul. I'm not going to lift
14:50up my eyes to anything that are higher
14:52than where I need to be. I'm not going
14:54to occupy myself with these things that
14:56are beyond my thoughts or beyond my
14:59thinking because I trust in you.
15:03David was also no stranger to the hills
15:06and valleys. I mean, if you just read
15:09through his story, to go from someone
15:12that's the forgotten son overlooked by
15:14his father when the prophet comes
15:16looking to then be anointed as king only
15:19to be sent back to the shepherd field to
15:22become a giant slayer, a national hero,
15:25and to find himself working in the
15:27king's palace only to then become a
15:30hunted fugitive, finally crowned king,
15:33and then a murderer because sin overcame
15:36his life. He's a grieving father when
15:38there's consequences for his sin and
15:41he's betrayed by his own son Abselum.
15:44David has been through some ups and some
15:47downs. David has fought the battle and
15:49he's been through the hills and the
15:52valleys. Fewer people have known higher
15:55highs or lower lows. And if anyone had a
15:58reason to become anxious or controlling
16:01or proud and bitter or obsessed with
16:05understanding why, I think it's David.
16:09But if we look again at his words, my
16:12heart, my eyes, and my mind, every part
16:16of him was in submission. He didn't
16:18leave anything out. He didn't say, "God,
16:21where I look, I give you control, but my
16:23heart is mine. God, my thoughts, I give
16:25you that. But, you know, I'm going to
16:26follow my feelings. David gave up
16:29everything to submission of his savior.
16:34>> Another interesting thing that I love is
16:36David compares himself to a toddler.
16:40Doesn't compare himself to a warrior, a
16:43king, a conqueror. And I don't know
16:46about you, but if I killed a giant,
16:48everybody would know.
16:51That would be my opening statement. job
16:53interviews,
16:55everything. I don't care podcasts. I
16:57would have a whole podcast about it
16:59about how to kill the giant in your
17:00life. And here's how I did it. I'd walk
17:02I I would use and abuse every single
17:05marketing tactic off of that one moment
17:08in my life.
17:10But not David.
17:12Maybe he did privately. I don't know. He
17:13probably had like a poster of himself in
17:15his room. Do you think about that? Just
17:17like, "Hey, paint this of me." Just like
17:19standing over the giant. But in the
17:22scriptures, we see a different version.
17:25He says, "I'm a I'm a I'm I'm like a
17:27weaned child." It's an interesting thing
17:30because when you think about that, it's
17:32infants, they come crying when they're
17:34hungry. We're still dealing with that. I
17:37have reached the point of fatherhood
17:39where I'm not I'm not favorite at all. I
17:43wake up and if I pick him up, that's
17:45fine. But the second mom walks around
17:47the corner, I better put him down and
17:49get away. He's probably just hungry.
17:51That's what I tell myself. It's not me.
17:53He's not scared of me. I know he's
17:55scared of Tomas's beard, but he's not
17:56scared of me. It's fine. You can ask him
17:59about that later. Don't tell my grandma.
18:02She'll use that for so many. She's
18:04probably watching right now. It's fine.
18:06Anyway, that's a that's a conversation
18:08for another time.
18:10But a a weaned child climbs into a
18:14mother's lap or a father's lap simply
18:16just because it wants to be there. I
18:18think David is not saying that God gives
18:20me everything I want. I think David is
18:23trying to tell us that he's learned that
18:24God himself is enough. Like a weaned
18:28child, I've learned to trust you. The
18:32third thing is that David, he gives up
18:34control. David stopped trying to master
18:38life and he started trusting the master
18:41of his life. It wasn't demands. It
18:44wasn't complaints. Though there's some
18:46laments of his struggles, it's not to
18:49his enemies. It's not petitions. In this
18:52moment, it's humility and hope for the
18:57Lord. I remember times growing up being
19:00around the family dinner tables and
19:02knowing that my family was going through
19:04things, but to hear them talk so
19:06positively about tomorrow when it all
19:10makes sense. When I get to heaven, when
19:12we're all together again, when sickness
19:14doesn't run rampid, when there's no pain
19:16and no suffering, to amidst all of the
19:19struggles of life, to still have a hope
19:22on that amazing day. David had a hope
19:27bigger than what he had gone through,
19:29bigger than pain and hurt and shame. He
19:31showed humility and restraint. He showed
19:34confidence. This was a man that had been
19:37shaped by years of God's handiwork.
19:41David had learned many things. David had
19:43learned that not every question is going
19:45to get answered. Not every prayer will
19:48be answered in the way that I expect.
19:50Not every wound is going to be
19:52explained. But God remains trustworthy.
19:56And the peace that David found, this
19:59rest that I think we all attain to is a
20:02feeling not that suddenly arrives. It's
20:04not something I get overnight. It is the
20:06fruit of a heart that has learned to
20:09entrust itself to God. The soul, it
20:14cannot become quiet overnight. There are
20:16too many things, too many distractions,
20:19too many opportunities to ensnare me. I
20:22have to do something every day, a
20:24consistent choice to walk with him and
20:27align with him and to quiet the noise.
20:30The rest of my soul is not something
20:32that happens simply because of a Sunday
20:35service or a Tuesday night prayer
20:37meeting or a rally or a commission
20:39conference. The rest of your soul is
20:41found in fruit of your consistent walk
20:45with God.
20:47and why and with Israel.
20:50If God can quiet a soul and a heart like
20:53David's, then I know he can quiet yours.
20:56It's a testimony that God is inviting
20:59all of us to experience something
21:02peaceful.
21:04Humility.
21:06I'm about to come to a close if music
21:07wants to make their way.
21:11David's humility was not formed in the
21:16public eye, though a lot of the things
21:18that we know about David, I mean, if
21:20someone were to ask you to describe King
21:22David, there's a host of things I'm sure
21:25you would describe, the things that are
21:27known, the things that are cool that
21:30check off all those boxes. The giant
21:32slayer, the king, the man after God's
21:34own heart, the man that led the mighty
21:37men, all these crazy cool things.
21:40You know, humility seems
21:42counterintuitive in a world that rewards
21:45your pride.
21:47Humility is not thinking less of
21:49yourself. It's thinking of yourself
21:52less.
21:54It's a call to excellence without the
21:58obsession of comparing myself to those
22:01around me. Often David is remembered for
22:05his heroic stands, the things that he
22:07did, his tenacity, his courage, his
22:10ability to do things that no one else
22:12would.
22:14But that is not the testament to the
22:17humility of the man after God's own
22:19heart. I believe David's humility was
22:22tested in moments that I'll never know
22:24about, moments that I can't explain or
22:28understand or even know. David could
22:32fall on his face when the prophet
22:35addressed him about his sin because
22:37there wasn't anything hid between him
22:40and God. David could publicly humble
22:44himself without fear or worry of
22:48comparison because I know that in a
22:50private moment David trusted the hand of
22:53God.
22:55David had humility and the question of
22:58humility is one that we all must answer.
23:01How do you climb higher with a posture
23:04that lowers yourself? How do I ascend
23:10but I have to decrease for his increase?
23:14How do I rise without exalting myself?
23:18How do I pursue greater things without
23:21thinking more highly of myself?
23:24Climbing with humility is about seeing
23:26the destination as a glory to my
23:30creator,
23:31>> not a glory to his creation.
23:35And I want everything about who I am, my
23:39story, and the things that people may
23:40talk about or the things that'll never
23:43be brought to light. I want everything
23:45about who I am to point to him. And if
23:50that's my purpose, then
23:53laying myself out before him is not
23:56something I'm afraid of because it
23:57points to his grace. If it is elevating
24:01me to a place of leadership or a place
24:03that I I want or a blessing or a thing
24:06that I'm looking for, then I want it to
24:09promote his his grace in my life. But I
24:12want to be humble. I want humility.
24:17If I am to keep climbing and to sing
24:20these songs of ascent and pursue the
24:24great things that he has for me, it's
24:26imperative to do so in a posture that is
24:30bowed in submission.
24:32Psalms 130, last week talked about hope.
24:36We see where hope is found. And I
24:38believe that Psalms 131 teaches us the
24:41posture required to hold on to it.
24:46Your hope needs humility.
24:50Redemption will give you hope. Come to
24:52an altar, experience something for the
24:54first time. Your salvation, your
24:56baptism, a healing. Those things, it's
24:58going to give you some hope.
25:01But it is sustained in your humility.
25:05Hope may begin with redemption, but it's
25:07preserved through your humility. Hope
25:11cannot thrive when pride is in control.
25:16David's story is one that's forged in
25:18many flames.
25:20Though there's one moment that stands
25:22out to me
25:24as the truest form of what I believe
25:27humility looks like, and it was the
25:30seconds after a spear hit the wall,
25:33thrown by someone he served.
25:36David had survived many things. David
25:39would survive many things after, but
25:42this one is different. David had to
25:46protect his heart from the throne spear
25:48of someone he revered. And it brings me
25:52to this question. Can I serve God when
25:56spears are being thrown at me? What do I
26:00do when it comes from someone I love,
26:03someone I trust?
26:06Our first instinct, our human nature is
26:08to just pick it right back up and throw
26:10it back.
26:12That's what everyone else would do.
26:14throw it back and you'll prove you're
26:16strong. You'll prove that you can't be
26:18pushed around. You'll prove that you'll
26:21stand for what's right. You're not going
26:23to back down on what's wrong. You're not
26:25going to tolerate being treated that way
26:27or treated unfairly. You're going to
26:28defend your name, your position, and
26:31your beliefs. And before long, you'll
26:33have yourself convinced that you're
26:35exactly the kind of person God can trust
26:38with influence.
26:40But that's the way of Saul.
26:44And David chose another way.
26:47He never threw Saul's spears back at
26:49him. He never made spears of his own. He
26:53never fashioned weapons to defend
26:56himself. He simply learned to dodge
26:59them. And even when given an opportunity
27:02to destroy his adversary, he chose
27:05mercy. He chose humility. And so to a
27:09saint in this room, what do you do when
27:11you become target practice,
27:14to the youth and young adults that I
27:16lead, what do you do when the greatest
27:19threat to your future comes from someone
27:21closest to you?
27:25What do you do in the climb of your life
27:28and the situations unfair keep sweeping
27:32you off your feet over and over and
27:35over?
27:37You learn not to be consumed by the
27:41spears that are being thrown at you.
27:43>> You learn to move out of the way and to
27:46keep serving. It's easy to tell when
27:48someone has been wounded by a spear
27:50because they become bitter.
27:53Bitterness tells their story. When those
27:56spears, they find a way to the heart.
27:58Bitterness starts seeping into
28:00everything about who they are. And
28:02untreated wounds will always breed
28:04bitterness.
28:06Can I forgive the one who threw that
28:09spear at me? It's easy to recognize
28:14someone who's been wounded by a spear
28:16because eventually they start throwing
28:19them too.
28:21David refused to let that happen.
28:25Somewhere along the way, he learned a
28:27secret.
28:28Never become a spearthrower yourself
28:32and stay away from the people that are.
28:35Don't let your mouth become a weapon of
28:38retaliation.
28:40Because the reason is God's not looking
28:42for the Saul on the throne. He's looking
28:45for the Saul that's inside of you and
28:48inside of me. Left alone, I believe
28:51David could have become Saul 2.0.
28:54Someone offended, someone prideful,
28:56someone jealous, someone confident in
28:59themselves more than they should be. And
29:02the very thing that tried to consume
29:03David, God used to root it out of him.
29:07Every spear and humiliation and every
29:09injustice just becomes another
29:12opportunity for God to cut away the
29:15things that he does not like. David
29:19accepted what God was doing. He didn't
29:21lift his hand towards Saul. He never
29:24retaliated. He quietly endured
29:27and all the while pressed towards his
29:31calling.
29:33I know you've been hurt. I know there's
29:36pain. But God has plans. And he's
29:40looking for a quiet soul, unashamed,
29:45not trying to look good or do anything
29:47to promote themselves.
29:50Saul's goal was to destroy David. And
29:52God's goal was to kill Saul inside of
29:55David. And by refusing to throw the
29:58spear back, David became the king that
30:00Saul never could.
30:03As you stand and maybe make your way to
30:05this altar,
30:07Matthew 18, the first four verses
30:12says this, "At the time the disciples
30:14came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the
30:16greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
30:19and calling to him a child, he put them
30:23in the midst of them and he said, "Truly
30:25I say to you, unless you turn and become
30:29like children, you will never enter the
30:31kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles
30:34himself like this child is the greatest
30:38in the kingdom of heaven." That word for
30:41humble translates to mean to make low,
30:45to lower yourself, to take the lowest
30:49place.
30:51Humility is not something that happens
30:53to you. It's not made by pain. It's not
30:56made by public suffering.
30:58It's your choice of a deliberate
31:02posture.
31:04And the greatest person in his kingdom
31:06is the one who will willingly lower
31:09themselves and stop trying to be the
31:12best, stop trying to be the greatest.
31:16It's the daily decision to say, "God,
31:19I'm I'm pursuing you and nothing less.
31:23I'm not going to lift myself up. I'm not
31:27going to do this for my own benefit."
31:30Tonight,
31:32I know what my altar [music] moment
31:34represents.
31:35My altar moment is a moment of
31:37repentance and some reconsecration.
31:42I don't know what yours is. I I don't I
31:45don't want to know, but I feel like each
31:48and every single one of us has something
31:51God has laid on your heart. A moment of
31:54pain or a moment of mistake. work. Maybe
31:57you just needed that that word to say
32:00whatever you're in right now. It gets
32:01better
32:03tonight. I know what I'm praying for.
32:06But if you're here and you want [music]
32:08some rest,
32:10you want to quiet the noise,
32:13can I invite you to find a place here
32:16with me, with the rest [music] of these
32:17people that have already come and maybe
32:20find a different posture of your prayer?
32:23Maybe it's in bow posture. Maybe it's a
32:26different place. Maybe it's kneeling.
32:29Maybe it's just a different way you
32:31start your prayer. But whatever it is,
32:34tonight I ask you to make a deliberate
32:36choice to humble yourself before God and
32:40let him elevate you on this journey of
32:44climbing.
32:49You are working all [music] things for
32:54my good.
32:56You are [singing] working all things for
33:00my good
33:03when I cannot see it. God, I still
33:08believe it. [music]
33:10You are working all things for [singing]
33:14my [music]
33:15good. You are working all things for
33:20[music and singing] my good.
33:23You are working all things for my
33:28[singing] good.
33:30When I cannot [music] see it, God,
33:33[singing] I still believe it. You are
33:38working all things for my
33:42[music and singing] good. You are
33:44working all things for [music]
33:48my good.
33:50You are working all [singing] things for
33:54my good and [music] I [singing] cannot
33:59see it. God, I still believe it. [music]
34:04You [singing] are working all things for
34:08my good. You are working [music] all
34:13[singing] things for my good.
34:17You are [music] working all [singing]
34:20things for my good
34:24when I cannot see it. God, I still
34:29believe it. [music] You are working all
34:33[singing] things for my [music]
34:36good.
34:40I see it breaking
34:43on the horizon.
34:46The [music] dark of night giving way to
34:50the dawn.
34:53The day [music and singing] is coming
34:57and hope is rising.
35:00Your joy will be my strength. Your joy
35:04[music] will be my song. I see it
35:08[singing] breaking
35:10on [music] the horizon.
35:13The dawn of night, giving [music] way to
35:17the [singing] dawn.
35:20The day is coming
35:24and hope [music and singing] is rising.
35:27Your joy will be my strength. Your joy
35:31will be my song. I [music] see it
35:35raining
35:37on the horizon.
35:40The dawn [music and singing]
35:42night, giving way to the dawn.
35:47The day is coming
35:51and [music] hope is rising.
35:54Your joy will [singing] be my strength.
35:57[music]
35:57Your joy will be my song.
36:04>> [singing]
36:05>> You are working [music]
36:07all things for my good.
36:12You [music and singing] are working all
36:15things for my good.
36:19When I cannot see it, God, I [music]
36:23still believe it. You are working all
36:28things for [music]
36:30my good. You are working all things for
36:37my good.
36:39You are working [music and singing] all
36:42things for my good.
36:46When I cannot see it, [music] God, I
36:50still believe it. You are working on
36:55things for my [music]
37:02I know [singing] you're working.
37:05I know you're working in [music] all
37:09things.
37:11In all things.
37:15I [singing] know you're working.
37:19I know you're working in all things.
37:24In all things I know I know you're
37:30working. Yes, [music] you are.
37:32>> I know you're working for [singing]
37:35all things. [music] In all
37:40>> you're working for my good.
37:44>> Yes, you are. I know [music] you're
37:47working in all things
37:51in all things. [music and singing]
37:54You're working for my
37:57way.
37:59I [singing and music] know you're
38:00working in all things
38:05in all things. Yes, you are. I know
38:10[music] you're working.
38:13I know you're working in all things.
38:18[music]
38:19In all things.
38:23I know you're working.
38:26I know you're working in all [music]
38:30things.
38:32In all
38:34you are [music] working all [singing]
38:37things for my good. [music] You
38:41[singing] are working all things for my
38:46[music] good
38:48when I [singing] cannot see it. God, I
38:52[music] still believe it. You are
38:55[singing] working all things for [music]
38:59my good. You are working all things.
39:06So I will trust you. [music] You are
39:09working [singing] all things for my
39:13[music]
39:13good. When I cannot see it, [music] God,
39:19[singing] I still believe that you are
39:22working all things for my good.
39:30I see [music] it breaking
39:34on the [singing] horizon.
39:37The dark of [music] night. Giving way to
39:41the dawn. [singing]
39:42The day is coming is [music] hope is
39:47rising. Hope is rising.
39:51Your joy will be my [music] strength.
39:54Your joy will be my song. I see it
39:59breaking [music]
40:01on [singing] the horizon.
40:04The dark of night, giving way to the
40:08[music and singing] dawn.
40:11The day is coming
40:14and hope is rising.
40:18Your joy [music and singing] will be my
40:20strength. Your joy will be [music] my
40:24son.
40:27Oh Lord,
40:29you are working all [music and singing]
40:32things for my good.
40:36You are working all [music and singing]
40:38things for my good
40:43when I cannot [singing]
40:44see it. [music] God, I still believe it.
40:49>> Hallelujah. Come on. Why don't we lift
40:51our hands all across the house?
40:54Uh come on. Can we just entertain the
40:56[music] presence of the Lord for just a
40:57moment?
41:00>> Jesus, we love you.
41:04God, we thank you for your goodness. We
41:06thank you for your mercy.
41:14Oh, thank you for your patience, Lord,
41:15that you have over our souls.
41:21Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
41:24as he was speaking tonight, uh was
41:26reminded of the scripture where there
41:28the Bible is referring to the Lord and
41:32and him to come and and the Bible says
41:35that uh he made no reputation of
41:37himself,
41:39but he took the form of a servant. And I
41:42believe one part of the scripture
41:44actually refers to that he resists the
41:46proud, but it gives grace to the humble.
41:51Amen. Amen. And if we're going to be
41:52like the Lord, Amen, we're going to have
41:56to be humble in our heart, in our minds,
41:58in our thoughts. And God sees. God sees
42:00what's done in secret. And the Bible
42:02says what's done in secret, he will
42:04reward openly.
42:06Amen. Amen. How many thankful for the
42:09word of the Lord?
42:11Aren't you thankful that God speaks to
42:13us
42:15through his word to remind us he's
42:16helping us? He's encouraging us. He's
42:18walking with us. He's patient with us.
42:22Amen. To lead us day by day, step by
42:25step, closer, not just closer to him,
42:27but more like him in everything that we
42:30do. [music] Amen. Thank you, Pastor
42:32Braxton. Amen. For the word that the
42:34Lord has put in your heart to speak to
42:36us. Amen. Amen. We do have a couple that
42:40are getting baptized tonight. Going down
42:43in the wonderful name of the Lord Jesus
42:45Christ.
42:47Amen. And God's doing great things.
42:51God's doing great things.
42:55Amen. Amen. Amen. Continue to linger and
42:58fellowship. Remember the announcements.
43:00Amen. Thank you for being in the house
43:02of the Lord. Amen. Continue to uh serve
43:05one another as we serve the Lord. Invite
43:08somebody to the church. Amen. God's
43:10going to do it. God bless you.
43:18>> [music]
43:32[music]
43:37>> I've been asked to tell you, Sister
43:38Shaina has a table with all of her
43:40goodies out there. If you need some
43:42stuff, you want to follow her out to
43:44Life Central, you can go check [music]
43:45out all of that stuff. She's got a table
43:47out there.
44:20Heat. Heat.
44:39Heat.
44:43Heat.
44:51Yeah.
45:33Happy.
45:49Heat. Heat.
46:25Are you
46:33happy?
46:36Heat. Heat. N.
46:46Heat. Heat. N.
46:52[music]
47:07>> [music]
47:17>> Oh la.
47:31>> [music]
47:51>> you
47:53want to let me.
47:56Tonight,
48:21Heat. Heat. N.
48:32I'm happy.
49:18We have Sam here. She's about to be
49:20baptized. And we're so thankful
49:24that she has chosen to make her calling
49:26and election sure. And so, we're just
49:28going to pray with her real quick and
49:31pray that God blesses her and her
49:32family. We're going to baptize her son
49:33next. She's got her husband behind her
49:35and we're just thankful for all that God
49:37is doing. So, God, right now, I thank
49:38you for what you're doing in this
49:39family. I thank for what you've already
49:40done in them up to this moment. And I
49:42pray that this would be something
49:43miraculous for them, their family, and
49:45for them to come. In Jesus name we pray.
49:47Amen.
49:50Sam, by the accord according to your
49:52faith and the evidence of what you've
49:54done and what you've spoken in this
49:55moment, I now baptize you in the name of
49:58Jesus Christ.
50:09[music]
50:13Heat.
50:30Heat.
50:37Yeah.
50:46[music]
50:50Heat.
50:59All
51:01>> [music]
51:11>> right. This is Andrew and he's also
51:13decided to be baptized tonight in the
51:15name of Jesus Christ.
51:17All right. You ready?
51:19>> All right. Make that fist real quick for
51:21me and then take another
51:25Andrew. On the profession of your faith
51:27in the word of God and your belief in
51:29him, I now baptize you in the name of
51:31Jesus Christ for the remission of your
51:32sins.
51:47Heat.
52:04Heat.
52:10Heat.
52:24Heat.
52:39>> [music]
52:47>> Heat.
52:51Heat.
53:15Heat. Heat.
53:20[music]