Do you know what sin God hates?
All over scripture you see this sin mentioned over and over. God aggressively opposed to the one who commits it.
This was the sin that the religious people just couldn't repent of that eventually nailed Jesus to the cross. This was the sin that kings committed that eventually led to the demise of kingdoms. This is the sin that all of us commit when we think we know what's best and have all the answers and follow our own ways.
Do you know which sin?
Leviticus 26:19
I will break the pride of your power, and I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze.
2 Chronicles 26:16
But when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction. For he was unfaithful to the Lord his God . . .
Obadiah 1:3
The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rock, in your lofty dwelling, who say in your heart, “Who will bring me down to the ground?”
Psalm 10:4
In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, “There is no God.”
Proverbs 8:13
The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil.
Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.
Proverbs 11:2
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.
Proverbs 16:5
Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished.
Proverbs 16:18-19
Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud.
Proverbs 18:12
Before destruction a man's heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor.
Ecclesiastes 7:8
Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
Isaiah 2:11
The haughty looks of man shall be brought low, and the lofty pride of men shall be humbled, and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.
(And that's just some of the passages from the OT)
Pride:
A high or inordinate opinion of one's own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority.
Pleasure or satisfaction taken in something done by or belonging to oneself or believed to reflect credit upon oneself
Pride leads to destruction. It leads to distance from the LORD. It leads to discord among others. It leads to disgrace, and eventually it leads to death.
Pride was the reason Satan was cast out of Heaven . . . He wanted to make himself like the Most High God.
Pride is the reason Adam & Eve sinned, they thought they knew better than God. They thought their understanding was higher than His understanding.
Pride is the reason the Pharisees had Jesus crucified. Their law was higher than God's law. They couldn't stand the thought of not being declared righteous by their own doing, and couldn't stand Jesus opposition to their self righteous ways.
Pride is the reason for our sin too. We think our way & understanding is better, that we know more than God.
It can be subtle & secret or loud & public. It can be committed blindly or knowingly. It can sneak in our be found out. It is committed by the churched and unchurched alike. It is prevalent, relevant, and cancerous.
Do you have pride in your life?
Do you always have the right answers?
Is your way the right way?
Do you make decisions based on what you feel or think?
Are you self righteous? Do you feel superior to others?
How much of your thought life is consumed of self?
Pride separates.
Pride destroys.
Pride devours.
Pride grieves God.
"But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." (Matthew 5:3-5)
Showing posts with label Proverbs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Proverbs. Show all posts
Friday, April 19, 2013
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Who Should You Trust?
I have heard many people say “follow your heart", “just do what you think is right” or “go with what your gut tells you”. Do you agree?
Is it wise to trust your heart? The bible has a lot to say about our heart. Trusting our heart verses trusting Almighty God and His word.
“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” (Proverbs 14:12)
“Thus says the LORD: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the LORD. He is like a shrub in the desert,and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water,that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? “I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”(Jeremiah 17:5-10)
"Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life." (Proverbs 4:23)
You see over and over a contrast between trusting our heart and trusting God. One leads to life and the other, to death.
These passages take me back to the Garden, Genesis 3. After all, isn’t that what Eve did? She trusted her heart. She did what she thought was right, what looked good to her, and ate and it resulted in sin and broken fellowship with the Father.
Isn’t that what all of life is about, trust? Who will you trust? Yourself? Others? Or Almighty God?
Isn't that what sin is really all about, trust? Who will you trust? God? Or Yourself? Your own thoughts? Your own desires? Your own understanding?
Be careful “trusting your own heart” and following what you “feel is right”. Our own instincts and feelings can lead us into a path of danger, destruction, and devastation if we have not aligned them with the Word of God.
There is a time we can trust our heart, when it's fully and completely devoted to the LORD. When our hearts align with God's word, when they have been purified with His righteousness, and when we walk in pursuit of Him. Apart from the Holy Spirit dwelling with in us, our hearts are wicked, deceitful, and sick. We should never trust in our heart apart from God and His wisdom and discernment. *More on that tomorrow: Blessed are the pure in heart!
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. (Proverbs 3:5-7)
Is it wise to trust your heart? The bible has a lot to say about our heart. Trusting our heart verses trusting Almighty God and His word.
“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” (Proverbs 14:12)
“Thus says the LORD: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the LORD. He is like a shrub in the desert,and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water,that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? “I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”(Jeremiah 17:5-10)
"Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life." (Proverbs 4:23)
You see over and over a contrast between trusting our heart and trusting God. One leads to life and the other, to death.
These passages take me back to the Garden, Genesis 3. After all, isn’t that what Eve did? She trusted her heart. She did what she thought was right, what looked good to her, and ate and it resulted in sin and broken fellowship with the Father.
Isn’t that what all of life is about, trust? Who will you trust? Yourself? Others? Or Almighty God?
Isn't that what sin is really all about, trust? Who will you trust? God? Or Yourself? Your own thoughts? Your own desires? Your own understanding?
Be careful “trusting your own heart” and following what you “feel is right”. Our own instincts and feelings can lead us into a path of danger, destruction, and devastation if we have not aligned them with the Word of God.
There is a time we can trust our heart, when it's fully and completely devoted to the LORD. When our hearts align with God's word, when they have been purified with His righteousness, and when we walk in pursuit of Him. Apart from the Holy Spirit dwelling with in us, our hearts are wicked, deceitful, and sick. We should never trust in our heart apart from God and His wisdom and discernment. *More on that tomorrow: Blessed are the pure in heart!
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. (Proverbs 3:5-7)
Friday, March 2, 2012
Proverb-A-Day
{Fun Friday}
Well I think this is fun . . .
When I first became a Christian I asked the Pastor that did my dad's funeral how in the heck do you even read the bible? Where do you start? What do you do?
He suggested that I read a chapter a day in Mark, and a proverb a day. He told me there are 31 Proverbs, so one a day and you'll get through them in the month! This just excited me because I thought it was so organized!
I still do it to this very day. Each month there are 31 days, I read through Proverbs. (I'd say it's my favorite book, but I say that about every book. Even the kids at Good News Club this very week called me out on that! I told them our memory verse was out of Isaiah, my favorite book, and they shouted "hey you already said Romans was your favorite book!" Busted!)
So Proverbs is one of my favorite books!
Another pastor who I love listening to, taught me a neat way to study the Proverbs. He makes a little chart with icons (mouth for words, a heart for scripture about the heart, a $ sign for scripture about $$money$$, etc.) You can listen to his sermons on Proverbs here: Proverbs
As he reads through proverbs, he groups the verses that talk about money, words, friendship, etc. Kinda neat, right?!?
So for this FUN friday activity, I'm going to make a little commitment to read through a Proverb a day in March!
Want to join me??
(Yes, today is Mar 2nd so you'll have to read 2 today :-)
Well I think this is fun . . .
When I first became a Christian I asked the Pastor that did my dad's funeral how in the heck do you even read the bible? Where do you start? What do you do?
He suggested that I read a chapter a day in Mark, and a proverb a day. He told me there are 31 Proverbs, so one a day and you'll get through them in the month! This just excited me because I thought it was so organized!
I still do it to this very day. Each month there are 31 days, I read through Proverbs. (I'd say it's my favorite book, but I say that about every book. Even the kids at Good News Club this very week called me out on that! I told them our memory verse was out of Isaiah, my favorite book, and they shouted "hey you already said Romans was your favorite book!" Busted!)
So Proverbs is one of my favorite books!
Another pastor who I love listening to, taught me a neat way to study the Proverbs. He makes a little chart with icons (mouth for words, a heart for scripture about the heart, a $ sign for scripture about $$money$$, etc.) You can listen to his sermons on Proverbs here: Proverbs
As he reads through proverbs, he groups the verses that talk about money, words, friendship, etc. Kinda neat, right?!?
So for this FUN friday activity, I'm going to make a little commitment to read through a Proverb a day in March!
Want to join me??
(Yes, today is Mar 2nd so you'll have to read 2 today :-)
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Filth
“There are those who are clean in their own eyes,
but are not washed of their filth.” (Proverbs 30:12)
There are those who are clean in their own eyes . . .
“I’m a good person.”
“I go to church.”
“I give.”
“I pray.”
“I read.”
“I do community service.”
“I haven’t done _____.”
“I’m not as bad as ______.”
“I believe what I believe.”
“I.”
“I.”
“I.”
“I.”
but are not washed of their filth.
Our pride makes us feel clean. The way we view ourselves makes us feel holy. We forget, it’s not our standard of cleanliness we compare to. We compare to His Holiness.
Nothing we do makes us clean. In fact, it makes us filthier. The “doing” makes us dirty.
We can’t be clean until we recognize our filth.
There is only One that can cleanse. One healing balm, one cleansing flow. The blood of the Lamb.
I am filthy . . . thankful to be clean.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3)
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23)
“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. (James 4:8-10)
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (1 John 1:9-10)
There are those who are clean in their own eyes . . .
“I’m a good person.”
“I go to church.”
“I give.”
“I pray.”
“I read.”
“I do community service.”
“I haven’t done _____.”
“I’m not as bad as ______.”
“I believe what I believe.”
“I.”
“I.”
“I.”
“I.”
but are not washed of their filth.
Our pride makes us feel clean. The way we view ourselves makes us feel holy. We forget, it’s not our standard of cleanliness we compare to. We compare to His Holiness.
Nothing we do makes us clean. In fact, it makes us filthier. The “doing” makes us dirty.
We can’t be clean until we recognize our filth.
There is only One that can cleanse. One healing balm, one cleansing flow. The blood of the Lamb.
I am filthy . . . thankful to be clean.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3)
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23)
“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. (James 4:8-10)
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (1 John 1:9-10)
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Riches in Wisdom
Wisdom is a gift. It is to be sought after like a hidden treasure. It is a shield, a source of protection. It is soothing, delivering, and pleasant. It is a blessing. (*See Proverbs 2)
So what are we seeking after when we come to the LORD? Is it wisdom? Understanding? Insight? OR Is it a quick fix? A way out? Health? Wealth? Prosperity?
I don’t know about you but when I am going through a trial or a time of confusion, I’m not usually looking for the wisdom or understanding of the situation . . . I’m looking for the way out. When I’m humbled to hunger, I’m not looking to the Provider for sustenance, I’m usually looking for food to satisfy my appetite!
So much of my time can be focused on circumstance rather than focused on the LORD. I think I miss the point. I forget that the process is what matters. I am to seek Him and His wisdom; not just to bring me out of the trial, but THROUGH-out the trial.
My prayer life is “LORD fix this!” rather than “LORD, what do you want me to learn through this? What is it in me that you are working on?” Remember Psalm 139? “Point out anything in me that offends you and lead me along the path of everlasting life” (V.24, NLT)
I’m starting to see that it’s really not the trial or circumstance that’s the issue, it’s my heart attitude in the midst. Am I grumbling? Arguing? Prideful that I need fixing? Impatient? OR am I making my ear attentive to wisdom, inclining my heart to understanding, calling out for insight, seeking it like silver (Proverbs 2:2-4)
Proverbs 2 teaches us to be rich in wisdom, to find the treasures of insight and understanding. Oh LORD help me to desire riches in wisdom over quick fixes in circumstance!
So what are we seeking after when we come to the LORD? Is it wisdom? Understanding? Insight? OR Is it a quick fix? A way out? Health? Wealth? Prosperity?
I don’t know about you but when I am going through a trial or a time of confusion, I’m not usually looking for the wisdom or understanding of the situation . . . I’m looking for the way out. When I’m humbled to hunger, I’m not looking to the Provider for sustenance, I’m usually looking for food to satisfy my appetite!
So much of my time can be focused on circumstance rather than focused on the LORD. I think I miss the point. I forget that the process is what matters. I am to seek Him and His wisdom; not just to bring me out of the trial, but THROUGH-out the trial.
My prayer life is “LORD fix this!” rather than “LORD, what do you want me to learn through this? What is it in me that you are working on?” Remember Psalm 139? “Point out anything in me that offends you and lead me along the path of everlasting life” (V.24, NLT)
I’m starting to see that it’s really not the trial or circumstance that’s the issue, it’s my heart attitude in the midst. Am I grumbling? Arguing? Prideful that I need fixing? Impatient? OR am I making my ear attentive to wisdom, inclining my heart to understanding, calling out for insight, seeking it like silver (Proverbs 2:2-4)
Proverbs 2 teaches us to be rich in wisdom, to find the treasures of insight and understanding. Oh LORD help me to desire riches in wisdom over quick fixes in circumstance!
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Simple or Simple Minded
“The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps.” (Proverbs 14:15)
In Proverbs, you see these 3 characters over and over: The Wise, The Fool, and The Simple. I am all for simplicity, I try my very best not to be “busy”. In Ann Voskamp’s book “1000 Gifts” she says "Simplicity is ultimately a matter of focus. Eucharisteo. That keeps the focus simple--sacred.” However, this verse is not talking about keeping your life simple but warning against being simple minded.
I’m finding that God wants us to trust, have faith, rest in Him . . . AND . . . be wise, discerning, thoughtful, and plan. So I'm trying to find balance in that, trying to live in both. My life is a big question mark right now regarding career path. I don’t want to be haste and go after things He doesn’t intend for me to do, but I also don’t want to be simple and follow everything.
So I will wait on Him . . . AND be thoughtful. Simple life, not simple minded. Have faith like a child but grow up in my thinking.
"Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:3)
“Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.” (1 Corinthians 14:20)
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.” (Isaiah 55:8)
In Proverbs, you see these 3 characters over and over: The Wise, The Fool, and The Simple. I am all for simplicity, I try my very best not to be “busy”. In Ann Voskamp’s book “1000 Gifts” she says "Simplicity is ultimately a matter of focus. Eucharisteo. That keeps the focus simple--sacred.” However, this verse is not talking about keeping your life simple but warning against being simple minded.
I’m finding that God wants us to trust, have faith, rest in Him . . . AND . . . be wise, discerning, thoughtful, and plan. So I'm trying to find balance in that, trying to live in both. My life is a big question mark right now regarding career path. I don’t want to be haste and go after things He doesn’t intend for me to do, but I also don’t want to be simple and follow everything.
So I will wait on Him . . . AND be thoughtful. Simple life, not simple minded. Have faith like a child but grow up in my thinking.
"Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:3)
“Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.” (1 Corinthians 14:20)
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.” (Isaiah 55:8)
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