Read James 4:6 God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.
Did you know that there are some things you can do knowingly or unknowingly that actually repel God’s presence in your life? There are times when He will not show up, when we turn Him off and push Him away. If you want to make choices that actively attract God’s presence in your life, then you’ve got to understand where the real war is.
It’s inside. The real problem is pride. I want it; I deserve it; I will have it; and I don’t care what it costs or who it hurts. And it has devastating consequences.
Take this “Do-I-have-a-pride-problem?” quiz: Answer “Yes” or “No”.
- Have you been thinking of someone else who desperately needs to read this?
- Do you think you are better than some people because of your nationality, social class, or marital status?
- Do you think you are incapable of certain sins? Are these some sins that you feel pretty sure in your heart that you will never commit?
- Are you harder on other people than you are on yourself?
- Do you think about yourself a lot? How you appear? What people think of you? How you are fitting in?
- Do you resent taking this quiz or refuse to participate?
If you answered “yes” to six of the questions, you have a pride problem.
If you answered “yes” to two to five of the questions, you have a pride problem. If you answered “yes” to one or none of the questions, you have a very big pride problem.
The good news is James 4:6 promises that “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” In the midst of this big problem, He is tirelessly on our side. He meets our needs. His resources are never-ending. His patience is never exhausted. His initiative never stops. His generosity knows no limit. He gives more grace.
God is willing to do everything possible to free you from the debilitating consequences of your pride if you come to Him with an attitude of dependence. The questions is, “Are you willing to let Him do the things that He needs to do to make that change in your life?”
-James MacDonald-
Responding - Do I have a pride problem? What is it going to take for me to go to God with full dependence?
Following - Abandon your pride and embrace the grace offered to the humble.
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Read Psalm 71:5-7, 9, 18, 20 5 For you have been my hope, O Sovereign LORD, my confidence since my youth. 6 From birth I have relied on you; you brought me forth from my mother’s womb. I will ever praise you. 7 I have become like a portent to many, but you are my strong refuge. 9 Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone. 18 Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come. 20 Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up.
When you walk into a cemetery, you look at a headstone and see someone’s name, date of birth, and date of death. But you see something else, too.
You see a hyphen - and that’s the real story. It represents the trail of someone’s life.
If you are in relationship with Jesus Christ, you are somewhere on that trail. You’re moving along that hyphen. You may be in your twenties and just starting out, or your thirties with an armful of kids and a mortgage that won’t go away. Perhaps you’re at mid-life trying to figure out what’s next. Then again, you might be in your seventies or eighties and already retired. No matter your stage in life, you’re on the trail.
In Psalm 71, David looks back over the pass trail he’s traveled, looks at the present, and looks forward to the future and see all the marks of God’s goodness and care. From the time he was a boy shepherding his father’s flock, he has seen God intervene for him time and time again. It’s very apparent that God has sustained him, and the old king’s heart swells with gratitude.
David is long gone, but like him you’re on a trail with a past, present, and future. God is behind you, forgiving your sins and helping you deal with your past mistakes and shortcomings.
He has also mapped out a future for you. He’s gone ahead and blazed a trail that is full of good works, significance, and fulfillment. You are His workmanship (Ephesians 2:10), and He is planning to utilize you. Your future is bright because He has ordained your trail.
Here in the present, His hand is upon your life wherever you are. He is sovereign in your life. He has a plan. He has outlined a trail for you, and if you’re smart, you’ll stay on it. If you’re drifted off the trail - or never even started on it - it’s time to put that all behind you. The trail is where you want to be.
-Steve Farrar-
Responding - Am I thankful to God for hyphenating my life?
Following - You might be on a twisting path.
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Read Hebrews 12:1-3 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
All of us face adversity in the inevitable occurrences of painful, difficult, and confusing circumstances. How should we respond? Give up and throw in the towel, or attempt to fix our problems the best way we can? Neither of these answers is correct. If we were to ask God what response is acceptable to Him - based on His Word, He would call us to be like Jesus and endure.
Endure comes from the Greek word Hupomeno. Hupo translates “to bear up under a weight or a burden.” Meno means “to continue or remain.” To continue to bear up under the weight of difficulties does not give the impression of running away or changing circumstances. It paints a picture of staying the course in complete submission, and obedience to Jesus.
Second Timothy 2:3 sets the standard for believers in Jesus, exhorting us to endure “suffering as a good soldier.” How does God expect us to persevere through these circumstances? By looking to Jesus. His life is the perfect example of endurance.
Hebrews 12:1-2 gives us two directives for enduring trails. The first is to “lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely.” Every runner takes off weighty articles of clothing before running a race. As Christians, we too must remove our weighty desires, distractions, and goals - and our sin.
Do you struggle with pride, covetousness, or unbelief? Whatever your weight, whatever your sin, throw it off so you will equipped to endure in the race we call the Christian life.
Second, our focus needs to be on Jesus. He’s already faced unspeakable trails and He knows know to hupomeno. Jesus is the best focus we can have! Lay aside every sin and weight, and set your eyes on Him. Whatever the adversity, He will help you to endure.
-Shelli Ross-
Responding - What adversity is the Lord calling me to endure?
Following - What’s weighing you down? Give it to God.
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Read Psalm 7:11-16 11 God is a righteous judge, a God who expresses his wrath every day. 12 If he does not relent, he will sharpen his sword; he will bend and string his bow. 13 He has prepared his deadly weapons; he makes ready his flaming arrows. 14 He who is pregnant with evil and conceives trouble gives birth to disillusionment. 15 He who digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit he has made. 16 The trouble he causes recoils on himself; his violence comes down on his own head.
I suppose we have all our encounters with vindictive, manipulative people and it’s not pleasant. These are people who shape the truth, bend situations and circumstances, and devise schemes to make sure they come out on top or that they get their own way at other’s expense. It’s a dangerous thing to get between them and their objectives. You have to be extremely wise when you deal with schemers and manipulators.
Not long ago, I told a young man who unfortunately had gotten in the crosshairs of one of these manipulators and schemers, “Be careful. Don’t meet with this individual by yourself. Chances are, what you say in that meeting is not the same thing he will say when you walk out of the meeting.”
We need to heed the old warning: “Be careful whom you trust.” We live in a fallen world and unfortunately too many of us are too gullible. We get pulled to these domineering personalities and into being used up and spat out. But, don’t assume that these dishonest manipulators will not be held accountable.
Psalm 7:14-16 has a word for these people. Here are several observations. First, manipulation and evil schemes will return to the person. No one ever gets away with evil or with manipulation. Second, the price for using and hurting others is too expensive. Next time you want to get even with somebody, you may want to ask yourself, “Do I really want to pay that price?”
Galatians 6:7-8 describes the law of sowing and reaping. You, your family or those who are close to you may pay for what you have done. It’s not just you. It could be the people close to you that will reap the harvest of evil and manipulation. I’m not so sure you want to pay that price. Likewise if you treat people with love and consideration (even if it is not a benefit to you), you will reap a harvest of blessing and favor.
We are called to do what is right and not what is convenient or personally beneficial. Remember we will reap what we sow.
-Crawford W. Loritts-
Responding - Do I have a tendency to try and get back at others who do me wrong? Am I prepared to allow my loved one to pay the price?
Following - Be careful, evil schemes will return to you.
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Read 2 Corinthians 4:1-3 1 Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2 Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.
Deception is the glue that holds every stronghold together. If any areas in our lives are being held captive to sin, we can be sure that falsehood is involved. Nothing is bigger or more powerful than God. If anything other than Jesus Christ is mastering a Christian’s life, it can keep its grip only through pretension and deception. Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44). His specialty is twisting a lie until it seems true. The list of lies he gets us to believe is unlimited:
- I can never be victorious over this compulsion.
- I can’t help the mess I’m in. There’s nothing I can do about it.
- I’m absolutely worthless - a failure.
- I’m in control here. This is not controlling me.
- There’s nothing wrong with this relationship. People just don’t understand.
- God can’t possibly fill this void in my life.
Sometimes we know when we’re tolerating even fueling a lie. At other times, we’re caught in such a web that we can no longer see our situation or ourselves accurately. It’s not always clear when we’re being deceived, but all we have to do to locate Satan in any situation is to look for the lie. How do we recognize a lie? It’s anything we believe or act on that is contrary to the truth of God’s Word. Second Corinthians 4:2 tells us how to respond: “We have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s Word.” The passage identifies four of Satan’s specialties: secrecy, shame, deception, and distortion of Scripture. These must be renounced and rejected in order for us to walk in victory.
Each “specialty” is interrelated and permeated by deception. Satan wants to keep us bound in secrecy where he can weigh us down with guilt, misery, and shame. But our Redeemer wants to loose us from the closets of secrecy and bring us to a spacious place of joy, freedom, authenticity, and transparency. Once we expose the secret places of our lives to the light of God’s Word, we’re on our way to freedom.
Living a victorious life takes courage. But this courage leads us to glorious liberty. Ask God for forgiveness, and let God’s truth set you free - and keep you free.
-Beth Moore-
Responding - What lies have I come to believe about myself?
Following - God’s truth sets you free and keeps you free.
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