Readings:
Psalm 20
Galatians 4:21-31
Focus:
Psalm 20:7: "Some boast of chariots and some of horses, but our boast is the name of the Lord our God."
There are many things that people might be proud of. They might be proud of their accomplishments. They might be proud of their wealth. They might be proud of their physical attractiveness. They might be proud, as a nation, of their military strength--of their chariots and horses.
But our true pride should come from the fact that we are able to know God. It is only the name of the Lord our God that is worthy of any pride at all. The rest is ephemeral and could be gone at any moment. Only God is both eternal and rock-solid.
When our boast is in the name of the Lord our God, it will never fail us.
Showing posts with label pride. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pride. Show all posts
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
No Room for Pride
Readings:
II Chronicles 35
Romans 3:27-31
Focus:
Romans 3:27: "What room then is left for human pride? It is excluded. And on what principle? The keeping of the law would not exclude it, but faith does."
Paul has been making the case that no one is saved by keeping the law, by doing good and/or righteous things. No one is able to do this. Instead, people are only saved by having faith in Jesus Christ.
Because of this, there is no possibility that anyone could be proud of having gained their salvation by good deeds. No one earns God's favor. No one deserves it. It is all freely given when we put our faith in him, and so there is no room for pride.
We are all equal before God, and pride has no place in us.
II Chronicles 35
Romans 3:27-31
Focus:
Romans 3:27: "What room then is left for human pride? It is excluded. And on what principle? The keeping of the law would not exclude it, but faith does."
Paul has been making the case that no one is saved by keeping the law, by doing good and/or righteous things. No one is able to do this. Instead, people are only saved by having faith in Jesus Christ.
Because of this, there is no possibility that anyone could be proud of having gained their salvation by good deeds. No one earns God's favor. No one deserves it. It is all freely given when we put our faith in him, and so there is no room for pride.
We are all equal before God, and pride has no place in us.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Pride That Leads to Our Undoing
Readings:
II Chronicles 26
Acts 28:1-15
Focus:
II Chronicles 26:16a: "But when he grew powerful his pride became great and led to his own undoing."
When King Uzziah of Judah became powerful, he dared to do himself actions that were reserved only for the Aaronite priests. This was displeasing to God. Uzziah had become such a great king that he thought that he could do anything he wanted to do, and so he did what he wanted. But it did not lead to happiness for him.
This is something that we have to watch out for ourselves. Often if we have successes, or do things well, we are proud of ourselves, and if it happens for a while, we start to think pretty well of ourselves. Then we think that we can do what we like, and then we actually do it.
But often we forget to check whether what we like to do is what God wants us to do, and when we don't do what God wants us to do, or when we do what God does not want us to do, it does not lead to happiness for us.
Achievements and success need to be recognized as reasons to be grateful to God, but not as reasons for pride that leads us to act as if we do not need God.
II Chronicles 26
Acts 28:1-15
Focus:
II Chronicles 26:16a: "But when he grew powerful his pride became great and led to his own undoing."
When King Uzziah of Judah became powerful, he dared to do himself actions that were reserved only for the Aaronite priests. This was displeasing to God. Uzziah had become such a great king that he thought that he could do anything he wanted to do, and so he did what he wanted. But it did not lead to happiness for him.
This is something that we have to watch out for ourselves. Often if we have successes, or do things well, we are proud of ourselves, and if it happens for a while, we start to think pretty well of ourselves. Then we think that we can do what we like, and then we actually do it.
But often we forget to check whether what we like to do is what God wants us to do, and when we don't do what God wants us to do, or when we do what God does not want us to do, it does not lead to happiness for us.
Achievements and success need to be recognized as reasons to be grateful to God, but not as reasons for pride that leads us to act as if we do not need God.
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