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Christian Devotional – November 19, 2016
Read Job chapter 12 VERSE: Job 12:5–Those who are at ease have contempt for misfortune as the fate of those whose feet are slipping. TRUTH: What does this verse really say? Basically, it’s saying that those people who seem to have good things going for them can often find themselves looking down on the people who are struggling in life, thinking that it’s all their own fault. We’ve all been on both sides of this statement. We’ve had times when things are going well for us and times when it feels like nothing can go right. The question and the learning here is, when we are on the high side…
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Christian Devotional – October 11, 2016
Read Daniel chapter 5 VERSE: Daniel 5:22–But you, Belshazzar, his son, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this. TRUTH: Belshazzar saw all the things that his father went through. He saw the months of madness where his father wandered around like an animal all because of pride. Yet, when he was in a similar situation, Belshazzar still held the same pride and arrogance. He didn’t learn from the example of his father. When we are given an example that we see, we are held accountable for how we respond to that example and what we do with it. God expects us to learn from the warnings we see…
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Christian Devotional – August 23, 2016
Read 2 Kings chapter 5 VERSE: 2 Kings 5:11–But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy.” TRUTH: Pride and entitlement can be very ugly things to see in people. Couple those with unmet expectations and you have one very unhappy individual indeed. Naaman had a sense of pride and arrogance in himself. He thought he was something. He thought that because of who he was and what he had done, he was entitled to certain levels of…
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Christian Devotional – July 16, 2016
Read 1 Peter chapter 5 VERSE: 1 Peter 5:6–Humble yourselves therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. TRUTH: We’ve heard the statement that pride goes before a fall, and that is certainly true. However, this verse refers to the opposite. Before exaltation comes humility. We can not be lifted up if we have not first surrendered ourselves in humility before God. Even then, God is the One who determines the when and the how of being lifted up. We do not get to determine that. Still, are we willing to submit ourselves to God and humble ourselves, knowing that He deserves it as…
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Christian Devotional – May 23, 2016
Read Amos chapter 6 VERSE: Amos 6:8–The Sovereign Lord has sworn by himself–the Lord God Almighty declares: I abhor the pride of Jacob and detest his fortresses; I will deliver up the city and everything in it. TRUTH: Pride is one thing that God truly hates. Pride sees ourselves as better than God. Anytime we place anything above God, God will work to remind us that He is the only One who rightfully belongs in that place. As we look at our lives, do we see pride? Are we proud or boasting in anything other than what God has done in our lives? We must repent and give it over…
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Christian Devotional – May 16, 2016
Read Obadiah VERSE: Obadiah 3–The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks and make your home on the heights, you who say to yourself, ‘Who can bring me down to the ground?’ TRUTH: This tiny book is a prophecy against the people of Edom, descended from Esau. They lived in the southern desert area around present day Jordan. These people are listed several times in scriptures as ruthless, dangerous people who dealt in slave trade. Often, the people they were trading were their own kinsmen the Israelites. God indicates that it is the pride of their hearts that is leading them…
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Christian Devotional – December 3, 2015
Read James chapter 5 VERSE: James 5:5–You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. TRUTH: As James continues to speak against hoarding wealth and oppressing the poor, he now explains how those people who do this are completely unaware of the destruction that is coming upon them. They are like livestock that are simply hoarding up as much as they can on their way to the slaughter. Are we focused on self-indulgence or are we focusing on others around us? RESPONSE: Father, Keep me focused on You today and not just being self-indulgent and prideful. I want my actions and…
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Christian Devotional – November 21, 2015
Read James chapter 4 VERSE: James 4:9–Grieve, mourn, and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. TRUTH: This sounds so contrary to what we typically hear people say. In this case, with the context of the verses before it, we need to get rid of the sin in our life. Often, we become prideful and find joy and laughter at the expense of others. We begin to feel that we are improving if we are stepping on others. Instead of feeling built up by this, we should be grieved by how we are treating others. As we seek to come and draw near to God, these…
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Christian Devotional – January 10, 2015
Read Psalm chapter 10 VERSE: Psalm 10:4–In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God. TRUTH: What a great definition of pride: someone who has no room in their thoughts for God. Are we so consumed with our plans and our ideas that we have no room in our thoughts for God? When we exclude God, we are saying that we don’t need Him and we aren’t dependent on Him. This is prideful and is sin. Will we repent of our pride and begin again? RESPONSE: Father, I want You in every part of my life. I confess that my…
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Christian Devotional – October 28, 2014
Read Hosea chapter 7 VERSE: Hosea 7:10–Israel’s arrogance testifies against him, but despite all this he does not return to the Lord his God or search for him. TRUTH: Arrogance and pride are two sins that are difficult to repent of. This isn’t because God can’t forgive them; He can and He will. This is because it requires us to humble ourselves, admit we were wrong and repent to God. In arrogance, we often refuse to admit we’ve done anything wrong. Like Israel, we do not return to God. Don’t let arrogance keep us from returning to God. We are all sinners and the sooner we admit that, the sooner…