Pride and Bitter Tastes

Do you want to know something that "irks" me and rubs me the wrong way? It's when someone who really isn't all that great thinks they are the worlds greatest gift!

I mean really? REALLY? How prideful can you be? You think your I.n.c.r.e.d.i.b.l.e!!! The very fact that you think you are amazing... show's me how wrong you are about being amazing. 

I'd love to sit down with you and say, "Hello, My Name is Jeffrey, and I'm your friend, and I have something I need to tell you... ..Listen, "you have no friends. Because if you did they would have already confronted you about this pride issue in your life." (Quoted from a video by "J. Maxwell")

Ever met someone prideful? Doesn't it leave a nasty something in your mouth. Yea, I think you understand what I'm saying here...

Recently I was on the blog: and I was amazed by the honesty, transparency, and openness of the individual. It was as though this individual was sharing from the heart, and who could do so because they were and are secure in Christ. What they did wasn't grounded in their own image, popularity, or anything else -- what they did and didn't do was grounded in a humble attitude that came from their relationship with Christ. (Humility: properly viewing ourselves from the way God sees us - not in a prideful sense yet not in a way that's self-demoralizing/defacing neither..)

Are you secure in Christ? Because if you are - although you might not notice... others do.

Reading some of the posts from the blog was refreshing! Because simple truths explained in a logical and biblical way are after all usually the things we relate with the most.

Pride has a way of leaving a nasty taste in your mouth. Let's keep refreshing instead of leaving people with dry moldy tastes in their mouth. 

A prayer: "God help me to be a Spring and not a empty bucket that's longing to be "filled up" with anothers' praise. Instead help me to be constantly and consistently desirous of your praise Lord. And help me never to be prideful but to instead, "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard everyone else as more important than myself;" (Phil. 2:3)

Verses on Pride: 

1. Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18
2. The eyes of the arrogant man will be humbled and the pride of men brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day. Isaiah 2:11
3. Though the LORD is on high, he looks upon the lowly, but the proud he knows from afar. Psalm 138:6
4. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 1 Corinthians 13:4
5. The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished. Proverbs 16:5

Devotional from 1 Thessalonians 3

This morning in my devotions I was reading in 2 Thessalonians 3 and stumbled upon something rather obvious yet something glossed over previously. I love how scripture can come alive fresh each day.

The context of 2 Thess. 3:14 is that Paul has just finished commanding the believers in Thessanolica to "keep away from every believer who leads an unruly life who's life doesn't heed to the tradition that Paul and the Apostles set forth"(v.6), to "follow his (Pauls') example and "be disciplined"(v.7) ,  and to "work so you can eat" (v.10).

Like many of Pauls' epistles both Pauline and General, he addresses a few concerns (v.11):

a) Some are being un-disciplined

b) Not working and acting like they were/should be

c) Then, reminded them to keep away from "unruly and disobedient believers"

For the lazy crowd he admonishes - Work for your own bread! For those already obedient he says, "don't get weary in doing good" but keep obeying what I'm saying (through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit)

Then, here's where Paul totally surprises me. He says, "If anyone doesn't obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him so that he will be put to shame". YET, do not "regard him as an enemy but admonish him as a brother". 

Isn't Paul a little strong here? Well, is this inspired text? Yes! Therefore, I should obey regardless.

The Universal Principle here is that those who are disobedient to the word in a few areas can easily lead others astray and therefore can be a "threat to the body of Christ" - thus Paul warns us against those kinds of people.

The Specific Application of this in our day is that we need to be very careful with our "friendships" with people who disobey the word of scripture. Be their brother in the Lord and love them like Christ would but don't 'Lean on them' for support or wisdom that you might need in your life if they are lazy and unruly or disobedient. 

Defining Terms: 

A Universal Principle is: 

Something true at all times in all places - based off character of God.

A Specific Application is:

An universal principle that has been applied to a specific situation that's only true at certain times for certain people - i.e. food laws in the O.T.