Time With Christ: Monday, November 10, Daily Devotion - Beware of Pride

Topic: Beware Of Pride I (Monday, November 10, 2014)

Memorize: Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. - Proverbs 16:18

Read: Isaiah 40:13-17
40:13 Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?

40:14 With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?

40:15 Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.

40:16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering.

40:17 All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.

MESSAGE:
A person that is self-existing and is self-sufficient is the only one that has the right to be proud. There is however no single person in all of human history that is self-existing or self-sufficient.

Only God, who is the creator of all things that there is – man, animals, elements, molecules, atoms etc, is self-existing and self-sufficient. The Bible in 1 Timothy 6:16 says this of Him:

“Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.”

It is therefore only God that has the exclusive right to pride. Yet, it is obvious that even God does not exhibit pride. This is shown in the regard He has even for lesser beings of His creation.

Considering the infinite superiority of His being to anything or anyone else, one would expect Him to relate with us with impunity and not to be mindful of us at all (Psalm 8:4). In spite of the gap between his awesomeness and our lowly estate, God still condescend to relate with us. He shows concern for us in all of our predicaments, even to the point of making the ultimate self sacrifice. He gave His son to die for our sins so as to deliver us from the grave consequences of sin. God, the Almighty, the creator of the universe, the One larger than all that is and can ever be imagined, still makes Himself available to us at our beckoning. He protects, provide for, deliver, wipe tears from our eyes and pat us on the back etc, we mere mortals! Who then are you to be full of yourself, to be high minded, haughty or to look down on everyone else, just because of your position in your office, your wealth, talents, skills or beauty? All these are privileges; it is the Almighty God that gave you all these. No man receives anything except it is given by God (John 3:27, James 1:17).

You should therefore be wise and come down from the dangerous position you have allowed pride to put you in. Your pride is essentially putting you in the position of God. This perhaps is not known to you, and may not be your intent, but unknown to you, that is your state. The mercy of God is being extended to you through this devotional this day, so that you may repent and not allow the unpleasant experience of the wrath of God meant for the proud to come upon you before you learn. Ask King Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4:1-34, he would tell you better.

Key Point: Destruction is the reward for pride.

Bible in a Year: 2 Kings 17:24-19:7