Arrogance and conceit are simply rebellion against the God that created us. When we’re filled with pride, we’re unteachable, because we won’t listen…thus headed to destruction. And this pride is also easily recognizable by others, who will then withhold honor…or as Proverbs 18:12 tells us, “Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.” So, we should seek after a humble heart, self-control, and a lowly spirit inspired by Godly wisdom.
Category: Daily Inspirational Devotional
Luke 8:16 ” No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light.”
In His teachings, Jesus very often used common everyday objects to make His point. Here, He shows the sheer absurdness of lighting an oil lamp, only to then cover it up. The disciples quickly understood how ridiculous & contrary this would be, so Jesus used it as an exhortation for them to think of themselves as a lite lamp…illuminating God through them to all they came in contact with…and to not hide God’s Word, but to speak it boldly. In Matthew 5:15, Jesus again uses the lite lamp as an illustration that we aren’t to bury the light within us, but to let it shine… Why? “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16
I John 3:1 ” How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.”
As a Believer, you are a child of God…adopted by Him and bearing the family likeness, with access to Truth & life that remains hidden to those who are in the world. John uses the word “lavish” to show the extravagant love God bestows on His children. This sonship is the purpose of His given love, which our heart then recognizes with unspeakable joy. For this mind-bending idea that God would love us enough to make us His children is just one of the amazing aspects of the Gospel Message. That’s why unbelievers don’t “know” Believers, because unbelievers don’t “know” Christ Jesus. The word “know” here being far reaching from just information…referring rather to a sense of intimacy, fellowship, and connection. So, the bottom-line is this, the world has no relationship either with God or Believers.
Psalm 90:1-2 ” Lord, You have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or You brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God.”
God Himself has been and always will be “our dwelling place”…our eternal refuge. It’s by our faith in this that we affirm our trust in things we can’t imagine. God is eternal. He always was or is. He has, within Himself, the power of being. He requires no assistance from any outside sources to continue to exist. To fully comprehend this is impossible…but just because our brain can’t wrap its head around it doesn’t mean it’s not impossible for The Creator. The Apostle Paul put this all into context when he wrote in Acts 17:28, “In Him we live and move and have our being.” Or in other words, God is the source, and within Himself, the power of all being.
Psalm 107:8 ” Give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men.”
One of my favorite quotes from Mother Teresa is this- “The most beautiful way to start and end the day is with a grateful heart.” So think of it; by beginning & finishing the day with a thankful heart, we can focus on God’s steadfast love rather than our problems. In both Ephesians 5:20 and I Thessalonians 5:18 we are told to give thanks in all circumstances and for everything…the result of this, us exhibiting the indwelling Holy Spirit for all to see. Sure, we may not think there’s been anything good to be thankful for…but if we deliberately & with intention “Count our Blessings”, we’ll realize there are many things we can be appreciative of.
Hebrews 12:3-4 ” Consider Him Who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.”
The Writer of Hebrews could not have been more forthright…suffering and persecution is a given, even for brand new Christians. And while many will become faint-hearted at the opposition, including whining, complaining, and giving up…he quickly reminded them that their struggle was far from what Jesus experienced. Galatians 6:9 tells us to not become weary in doing good, and that means looking at hostility for standing up for our faith and thanking the Lord not only for His example, but that what we’re going through is nowhere near what He endured.
I Timothy 6:20 ” Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, which some have professed and in doing have wandered from the faith.”
Here, the Apostle Paul is warning the young Timothy to be beware of the deception of false teachers and their claim to have “new” knowledge. Or as Charles Spurgeon once wrote, “The Church doesn’t determine what the Bible teaches. The Bible determines what the Church must teach.” In other words, if you hear the words…”We’ve had a new revelation concerning this area of the Bible, and while God’s Word is plain here, we think He may have gotten it wrong.”… you only need to remember that God doesn’t change. (Malachi 3:6, Psalm 102:27, Psalm 110:4, James 1:17) and His unchangeable character applies to His Word also. Paul then reminded Timothy that he was the trustee of God’s invaluable & unchangeable treasure of the Word… and that it needed to remain undamaged and unmodified.
I John 2:15 ” Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”
A.W. Tozer once said, “The weakness of many modern Christians is that they feel too much at home in the world.” We want our cake and eat it too, but the Word makes it very clear that we can’t have it both ways. The Apostle Paul admonished the Church in Corinth for their weak-willed walk when he said, “Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly…” (I Corinthians 3:1) Only calling them “spiritual” in the most fundamental sense, since their conduct was far from consistent with having the indwelling Holy Spirit. Anytime we’re too comfortable with the world’s standard of rebellion, pride, and seeking to displace God off His Throne, we need to take serious stock whether we’re walking according to the flesh or the Spirit.
Proverbs 25:11 ” A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”
As a child, we all seek validation from those who are important to us. But if they are distant or absent, our life becomes that of constantly seeking approval, confirmation, and just wanting to please…no matter what that looks like. And this doesn’t stop when we reach adulthood…we still desire to be heard, understood, and valued. I Thessalonians 5:11 shows then the importance of positive affirmation from fellow Believers…”Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” Aptly spoken words of encouragement and comfort can not only build up someone’s faith, but it can also validate what’s happening in their life. But more importantly, it can stir them to seek their worth from God rather than people… offering them guidance on how to build a strong identity based on God’s love and truth and not man.
James 1:21 ” Put away all moral filth and rampant wickedness…”
It was once said, “A man who is born-again doesn’t use the world’s standard of right and wrong.” And nowhere can this difference be seen more than in the progression of commercials & advertising in our history. It’s because, the world’s standards of right and wrong are constantly shifting…and what was once considered unthinkable & risqué 50 years ago, is now accepted & commonplace today. Censorship has also radically changed in regard of what is viewed as objectionable, vulgar, or obscene. So, as the world’s ethics & principles decline, we need to look to the Word of God as our golden standard of what’s right & wrong.
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