This verse is about a person choosing to humble themselves to do what is right and seek God’s heart. It is not about a person being forced to humble oneself but one who chooses.
Pastor Jeremiah is the only one in our church’s history who voluntarily removed himself from a higher position to a lower position. Truth be told, because he had humbled himself, he was hearing the prompting of the Holy Spirit to be lowered. When he had his tantrum in my office, he was already in our radar to be lowered. Sometimes, we ponder about demoting people and delay it because we know they cannot handle the demotion beyond the normal discipline. But Pastor Jeremiah did not care, nor was he embarrassed about what others would think. He chose to seek God’s Heart, and he had voluntarily stepped down with his wife.
Most people who have been raised or demoted are intimidated when discipline season is upon them, and they fear demotion primarily because of embarrassment. They are more concerned with how people will perceive them rather than seeking to make peace with God. I hope our people can be further inspired by the examples of the mighty men of God who are and will be produced under this ministry.
Pastor Jeremiah had two choices while moving to Leper City. For 17 months or so now, he has to drive a minimum of one hour to and one hour from work. He had plenty of drive time to fume and become strongly offended, or he had plenty of time to seek and destroy his own sin and realize he needed to be reborn. He chose to go after himself, taking control of his family, and to go all in. He decided he had no choice. He used the commuting time to pray and deeply ponder on his situation.
As I reminded the church, he had paid a price for this level. He had lost his business, retirement, position, even what appeared to be his boys for a season, his cars, and his pride, and he did not put any blame on the Pastors or hold any resentment.
Pastor Jeremiah was not targeting to be raised back. This was not his primary motive. But the last has now become the first and as the above scripture reminds us, God will lift us up in honor at His due time conditional to one humbling thyself.
We present to you Beloved Pastor Jeremiah Hopes.
Comment:
Before, Pastor Jeremiah had two missions: as a layman, deacon, and elder. The third new mission is when he becomes pastor.
Mission 1 – Experience the spiritual realm.
Mission 2 – Prove the Earth is flat (This is a joke about how he once believed that the Earth was flat.)
Now, as a new creation, he has only one new mission.
New Mission 3 -Make sure he is right with God each day.
So now my question: If Beloved Pastor Jeremiah has come to this love revelation now, where are the most of you? And what is your current mission? To see who can produce the most flatulence?
Pastor Steve Kim