Tag: Proud

3.h. Within a very little time you were more corrupt than they in all your ways.

2 Chronicles 33:9  Manasseh led Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem astray, to do more evil than the nations whom the Lord destroyed before the people of Israel.

The Lord spoke to Manasseh and to his people, but they paid no attention. Therefore the Lord brought upon them the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria, who captured Manasseh with hooks and bound him with chains of bronze and brought him to Babylon. And when he was in distress, he entreated the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. He prayed to him, and God was moved by his entreaty and heard his plea and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God.

Afterward he built an outer wall for the city of David west of Gihon, in the valley, and for the entrance into the Fish Gate, and carried it around Ophel, and raised it to a very great height. He also put commanders of the army in all the fortified cities in Judah. And he took away the foreign gods and the idol from the house of the Lord, and all the altars that he had built on the mountain of the house of the Lord and in Jerusalem, and he threw them outside of the city. He also restored the altar of the Lord and offered on it sacrifices of peace offerings and of thanksgiving, and he commanded Judah to serve the Lord, the God of Israel.

2 Kings 23:26   Still the LORD did not turn from the burning of his great wrath, by which his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations with which Manasseh had provoked him.

Proverbs 29:12   If a ruler listens to falsehood, all his officials will be wicked.

Ezekiel 16:45-47    Not only did you walk in their ways and do according to their abominations; within a very little time you were more corrupt than they in all your ways.

James 4:10     Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

1 Peter 5:5-6   Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”  Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,

Psalms 50:15   and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”

When God speaks and we don’t listen the outcome is bad.  When God speaks and we reject what He is telling us the outcome is bad.  When we choose to “not listen” and to “reject” what He says there is something in our heart and mind that is sideways.  Somewhere in our heart and mind we have chosen self and what the world has to offer over God and His leading for our life.  We find the chase to find purpose and meaning never satisfying or meeting our expectations for contentment, gratification, fulfillment, happiness, peace, joy, and rest.

Anything we temporarily allow or choose to allow to replace Gods working in our life will deafen our ears and blind our eyes and harden our heart and stiffen our neck.  Each step down these paths will set these choices like concrete and you might not find how you have wasted precious time apart from God.  You may not see the worldly fulfilling is sucking eternal life from your soul.

When we do not seek ownership of our possessions, plans, but yield them to God’s purposes, and humbly seek and desire to serve, honor, follow, trust, and obey Him we find our eyes see more of His handiwork, our ears hear more of His leading, and our heart is soft to absorb His word and our mind is fixed on Him.

161. Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me,

1 Timothy 3:1  But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.

Phillipians 2:21  For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.

Titus 1:16    They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.

Matthew 23:27-28    So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

Ezekiel 33:30-32     “As for you, son of man, your people who talk together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, say to one another, each to his brother, ‘Come, and hear what the word is that comes from the LORD.’  And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it; for with lustful talk in their mouths they act; their heart is set on their gain.  And behold, you are to them like one who sings lustful songs with a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument, for they hear what you say, but they will not do it.

Isaiah 29:13     And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me,

Why is it that we struggle with temptation when we have been regenerated (born again).  The simplest answer is because we had and still have a sinful nature.  This sinful nature tries to pull us down and give in to what the world has to offer.  Think about how a plane is able to fly.  When it is designed properly and has engines with enough thrust it is able to defy gravity and while these engines are operating it is able to fly.  If we shut down these engines it may be able to glide for a short period of time but ultimately gravity will pull it into the ground.  Our new lives are much like this example.  When we are regenerated (born again) and the Word of God is active in our life every day, then our ability to discern temptation and fight it keeps us lifted up.  When we choose to not have the Word of God active in our life every day, then, temptation will come at us like gravity and pull us in. We will fall into patterns of life that are not Godly.  Just because we have been regenerated (born again) does not stop temptation but rather gives us the engine to set ourselves apart from worldly temptations and the Word of God gives us the fuel to keep walking with God in ways that honor and glorify Him.  I am sure of this; fueling up on Sunday and thinking it is going to get you through the week is foolish thinking.  The word of God cannot be mixed with the philosophy of the culture of the day.  This will only make the fuel ineffective and though you may think your plane is worthy of flight, it is not.  Likewise, if the Word of God is not seen as fuel it will be neglected and we will be happy with a plane that never flies.  A plane that does not fly, and if it is not flying it will never honor and glorify God.

I will look to the LORD

Psalms 118:8  It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes.

Psalms 40:4   Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie!

Psalms 62:8-9   Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.  Those of low estate are but a breath; those of high estate are a delusion; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath.

Jeremiah 17:5-7     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.

Micah 7:5-7    Put no trust in a neighbor; have no confidence in a friend; guard the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your arms;  for the son treats the father with contempt, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.  But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.

In times of trouble, uncertainty, confusion we have a tendency to first rely on self (self reliance)  rather than God and will always lead us down a path away from God.  When we place God in the right place in our heart, mind, and soul – seeing Him as sovereign, mighty, powerful, all knowing and loving – our problems have a away of turning to deeper faith and peace that passes all worldly understanding.  I recently had two dear friends speak this into my life last week about an hour apart.  It is amazing to see how God speaks into our lives through His word and our friends. He knows the struggle we are running through our head a 1,000 times a day and in a single hour puts them to rest.   This is what was sent to me.

Okay.  I don’t mean to be preaching to the choir but……

This is from “Jesus Calling” devotional for today and I thought of you. 

Do not resist or run from the difficulties in your life.  These problems are not random mistakes they are blessings designed for your benefit and growth.   Embrace all the circumstances I allow in your life, trusting Me to bring good out of them.   View problems as opportunities to rely more fully on Me.  😇

AMEN!

Jealous and Avenging

“Vengeance is mine, and recompense, for the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and their doom comes swiftly.”

Psalms 94:1  O LORD, God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, shine forth!  Rise up, O judge of the earth; repay to the proud what they deserve!  O LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked exult?  They pour out their arrogant words; all the evildoers boast.

Deuteronomy 32:41-42     if I sharpen my flashing sword and my hand takes hold on judgment, I will take vengeance on my adversaries and will repay those who hate me.  I will make my arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh— with the blood of the slain and the captives, from the long-haired heads of the enemy.’

Isaiah 35:4    Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.”

Isaiah 59:17     He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head; he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak.

Nahum 1:2    The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD is avenging and wrathful; the LORD takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies.

Romans 12:19    Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

2 Thessalonians 1:8    in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

Hebrews 10:30     For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.”

Revelation 20:11  Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.  And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.  And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done.  Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.  And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

John 3:18  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.  And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.

A day is coming when all mankind will be judged.  Dying without trusting in Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sin will be eternal torment.  Those with Christ shall be with Him the minute they die.  Those without Christ will realize what total separation from God’s love, peace, rest, joy, holiness, righteousness, patience, and every loving steadfast presence. They enter a place of fully understanding their error, but it is too late.  They see clearly what their ultimate doom to come will be.  If for a second they think the separation from God is bad, it only gets worse. This is compounded an infinitesimal  times worse.  At the final judgement they are cast into the Lake of Fire where they experience torment for eternity.  Never dying, only forever torment of the worst kind.    The proud say there is no God.  The foolish say I will wait.  The hypocrite says I am good enough.  The complacent and neglectful always think there is sometime in the future when they will commit to humbly serving, honoring, following, and obeying God.  Their doom awaits. The wrath of God is to be feared.  His vengeance is to be feared.  His anger is to be feared.  Rejecting His Son, who gave His life to redeem those who would believe is a very big mistake with eternal consequences.  Those who  trust in Christ, rest in God’s grace, mercy, love and promise of eternity with Him.  Forever in His presence. Be a light of the gospel of good news.  Speak the saving grace of Jesus Christ into their lives.  Be a a light used by God for His choosing, calling, and direction.

Wealth and Riches

“therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because you make your heart like the heart of a god,”

“Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, Thus says the Lord GOD: “Because your heart is proud, and you have said, ‘I am a god, I sit in the seat of the gods, in the heart of the seas,’ yet you are but a man, and no god, though you make your heart like the heart of a god”

Zechariah 9:2   Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise. Tyre has built herself a rampart and heaped up silver like dust, and fine gold like the mud of the streets. But behold, the Lord will strip her of her possessions and strike down her power on the sea, and she shall be devoured by fire.

Isaiah 23:8    Who has purposed this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns, whose merchants were princes, whose traders were the honored of the earth?

Ezekiel 27:33    When your wares came from the seas, you satisfied many peoples; with your abundant wealth and merchandise you enriched the kings of the earth.

Ezekiel 28:4     by your wisdom and your understanding you have made wealth for yourself, and have gathered gold and silver into your treasuries;  by your great wisdom in your trade you have increased your wealth, and your heart has become proud in your wealth

Ezekiel 28:6  therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because you make your heart like the heart of a god, therefore, behold, I will bring foreigners upon you, the most ruthless of the nations; and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom and defile your splendor.  They shall thrust you down into the pit, and you shall die the death of the slain in the heart of the seas. Will you still say, ‘I am a god,’ in the presence of those who kill you, though you are but a man, and no god, in the hands of those who slay you?

Job 9:4     He is wise in heart and mighty in strength —who has hardened himself against him, and succeeded?—

1 Corinthians 10:22   Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

James 1:11    For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

God asks us to humbly serve, honor, praise, worship, follow and obey Him.  In this we acknowledge His sovereignty, power, might, over all there is.  Our heart knows that all comes from Him and we live in such a way that all glory, honor and praise goes to Him.  It is up to us to continue to walk in this humble service.  Our hope is not set on things we can see, touch, or own.  Our hope is on Him who alone is able to save and redeem us for eternal life with Him.  He is also the one who condemns those of proud and hardened hearts to eternal judgement.  We all have seen the wealthy and proud people, leaders, and nations fall.  Is this not at the hand of God?  Trust not unto your own understanding but lean onto God who is steadfast in taking care of those who choose to humbly serve Him.

The Great Contrast

“For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,”

“ For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the LORD.”

“His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression; under his tongue are mischief and iniquity.”

“The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”

“ But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

“Therefore wait for me,” declares the LORD, “for the day when I rise up to seize the prey. For my decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out upon them my indignation, all my burning anger; for in the fire of my jealousy all the earth shall be consumed.”

Psalms 52:1  ”Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man? The steadfast love of God endures all the day.  Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit.  You love evil more than good, and lying more than speaking what is right.  You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue.   But God will break you down forever; he will snatch and tear you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living.  The righteous shall see and fear, and shall laugh at him, saying,   “See the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and sought refuge in his own destruction!”  But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever. I will thank you forever, because you have done it. I will wait for your name, for it is good, in the presence of the godly.

Psalms 103:17    But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children,

Psalms 107:1  Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!

Proverbs 18:10   The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.

Psalms 130:5  I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;  my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.

Lamentations 3:25  The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.  It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.

Psalms 27:14     Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!

James 5:7   Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains.

The contrast of those who deny God and only seek self satisfaction and those who patiently wait for the Lord is very evident in scripture.  Those who take for themselves, who oppress the weak, who are greedy for more, who are sexually immoral, who lie, cheat, and rob, and who hardens their heart against God have no peace or place of rest for their soul.  I imagine, at times, we look at those who live like this with disgust.  That is so wrong for us to do.  We too were like this but for the grace of God our heart was opened to His grace, mercy, and love.  Think about how long suffering God is.  If we, who believe and have a glimpse of His holiness, look at the wicked with disgust think about God and in His Holiness withholds His wrath and anger, offering grace and mercy.  The contrast is seen in the book of John;  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”  God’s anger and wrath are Holy and are reserved for those who neglect this offer of salvation.  In this time of reservation there is hope for the lost just as it was for us who once was lost but now are found safe and secure in His grace, mercy and love.    To humbly serve, honor, follow and obey God is to be an example and light to all those who are lost.  God is long suffering not wanting any to perish and we too need to have our heart and mind filled with compassion for the lost.  

Establish your Heart

“For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy.”

“Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!”

“Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.”

Psalms 40:1  I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD.  Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie!

James 5:7  Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains.  You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.  Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.  As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.  Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

Psalms 37:23   The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way;

Psalms 119:133  Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me

Acts 2: 37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”  And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”  And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.”  So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

Psalms 103:1 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!  Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,  who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,  who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,  who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s

2 Thessalonians 2:9  The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders,  and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.  Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false,

Jonah 2:8  Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love.

What does it mean to establish your heart? When you read these verses today we can see many reasons why we should but what does an established heart look like lived out in everyday life?  Does it worry or fret?  Is it anxious or impatient? Is it angry or unforgiving? Does it look to others for resolution or refuge?  Does it complain or whine?  An established heart rests in God alone and gives all it’s cares to Him.  This life seeks to grow in knowing more and more about God and His purpose for their life.  Praise is on their lips.  His word is always on their heart and mind.  They have joy, peace, rest, comfort, hope, and a refuge that cannot be moved.  Strive to have an established heart that is rooted deep in humbly serving, honoring and obeying God.

Who is the Greatest?

Pride has a way of entering our lives without us even noticing it.  More than likely we can look at the last time we were upset and get a clear picture of our heart.  It seems simple things will drive us up pride mountain where we take a stand and claim our right to whatever.  We must examine our heart and intent constantly to ensure we walk a path of being humble.  Sometimes we just don’t know where to start.  Choose to desire to know God.  Choose to listen to what He is telling your heart.  Be obedient to where He is leading you.  Pride enters into our lives when our focus is on ME, MYSELF, and I.

Matthew 18:1
At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

20:25
“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many

23:11
The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted

Proverbs 29:23
One’s pride will bring him low,
but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor

James 4:6
“God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.