[1-week pause alert. See notification at the end of today's devotional.] ~ In 1 Corinthians 10:31 Paul writes: “whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”It’s a famous verse. It reminds us to give God the glory no matter what. It’s not about us; it’s about him.When we feel overlooked or taken … Continue reading “I’m doing this for God’s glory!” Um, really?
pride
Win within
“God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble” (James 4:6).Kevin Myers and John Maxwell coined a phrase: “win within.”* It’s meant to help us think about what’s happening inside of us. When we live by faith at our very core, that will flow outward into our words, decisions and actions. If we want to … Continue reading Win within
Humility and hypocrisy
The opposite of religious hypocrisy is faithful sincerity. With God’s help we want to move from the first category to the second. Not only do we want to say we believe in Jesus, but to think and act like we believe in Jesus.An important ingredient is humility.In Mark 7 Jesus speaks with a Gentile woman. … Continue reading Humility and hypocrisy
Arrogance beside the cross?
Two wise and faithful men were being interviewed after years of exemplary teaching and service. They were both humble, despite their many accolades and awards. The interviewer asked how they were able to resist pride and stay humble? One of the men replied: “How on earth can anyone be arrogant when standing beside the cross?”* … Continue reading Arrogance beside the cross?
Pride and destruction
Do you want to experience destruction? Do you want to experience destruction in your family, among your friends, at work, at school, or with your reputation or soul? If the answer is no, we need to heed Proverbs 16:18: “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” Let’s be clear. If we want … Continue reading Pride and destruction
Humble Saviour, humble servants
There are certain virtues which never grow old. That’s because God has ordained them. They are eternally good. We should strive for them regardless of whether the year is 1039, 2023 or 3245. One of them is humility. I’ve been spending time thinking about Communion since this past Sunday was World Communion Sunday. This Sacrament … Continue reading Humble Saviour, humble servants
Pride goes before destruction
Proverbs 16:18 says: “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” When you start to look for it, you start to notice how many times pride and humility are at work in the Bible. Pride causes people to make massive blunders, mistakes, and to engage in outright sin. Humility is continually lifted up … Continue reading Pride goes before destruction
Destructive self-importance
An enduring devotional work from the fourteenth century is The Scale of Perfection by Walter Hilton. Hilton was writing to those seeking a deep spiritual life. More specifically, he was writing to a fellow believer most likely in a convent at the time. Among other things, he wrote about humility. His words certainly stand in … Continue reading Destructive self-importance
Losing ego, finding God
John 12 tells us about some Greek people who wanted to see Jesus. Verse 25 records a part of Jesus’ response: “Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” In view of these seekers, Jesus cuts to the heart of … Continue reading Losing ego, finding God
Whose word is a lamp to whose feet?
“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path” (Psalm 119:105). I remember buying a used Study Bible at a thrift store. Because it was used, it had some underlining. But what caught my attention most were the comments in the margins. The previous owner seemed to get upset at points. … Continue reading Whose word is a lamp to whose feet?
