Bible League: Living His Word . . . you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for"God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. It is difficult for a proud person to submit to authority. Pride prevents submission because the proud person thinks so highly of himself that he believes he should never have to submit to proper authority. He should never have to suffer the indignity and inconvenience of submission. The trouble with this attitude, however, is that it incurs the opposition of God. There is a reason that the expression "Pride goes before a fall," based on Proverbs 16:18, is commonly used. It's because it happens so often. Pride seems to be an attitude that spurs God on to active opposition to the prideful person. "But why?" you might ask. Why does God care so much about the attitude of the proud? The reason is that God is the sovereign ruler of heaven and earth. Part of His rule is effectuated through His properly designated authorities in the various social institutions He has established. The proud person challenges the chain of command. In effect, he is opposing God's sovereign rule, and God does not sit idly by. Rather, He opposes the proud. Sooner or later there will be an accounting. Sooner or later there will be a fall. Perhaps pride is a factor in your life. Perhaps you worry that submission to authority will not work out well for you. The corrective to this concern, the Apostle Peter tells us, is to cast your cares on God, because He cares about you. The corrective is to humble yourself before God instead of fighting against Him. The reward for this turnabout in attitude is the exact opposite of what the proud receive. Instead of a fall, there is a lifting up. Instead of disfavor, there is favor. At the proper time, authority will be yours, and you will not have to struggle against God and man to get it. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingGenesis 9, 10, 11 Genesis 9 -- The Covenant of the Rainbow NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Genesis 10 -- Descendants of Shem, Ham and Japheth NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Genesis 11 -- Tower of Babel; Shem's Descendants to Abraham NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Matthew 4 Matthew 4 -- The Temptation of Jesus; Jesus Begins to Preach, Calls First Disciples, Ministers in Galilee NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion “Why are you so angry?” the LORD asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected? You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.” Insight How do you react when someone suggests you have done something wrong? Do you move to correct the mistake or deny that you need to correct it? After Cain's gift was rejected, God have him the chance to right his wrong and try again. But Cain refused. Challenge The next time someone suggests you are wrong, take an honest look at yourself and choose God's way instead of Cain's. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon 2 Peter 3:18 Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."Grow in grace"--not in one grace only, but in all grace. Grow in that root-grace, faith. Believe the promises more firmly than you have done. Let faith increase in fulness, constancy, simplicity. Grow also in love. Ask that your love may become extended, more intense, more practical, influencing every thought, word, and deed. Grow likewise in humility. Seek to lie very low, and know more of your own nothingness. As you grow downward in humility, seek also to grow upward--having nearer approaches to God in prayer and more intimate fellowship with Jesus. May God the Holy Spirit enable you to "grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour." He who grows not in the knowledge of Jesus, refuses to be blessed. To know Him is "life eternal," and to advance in the knowledge of Him is to increase in happiness. He who does not long to know more of Christ, knows nothing of Him yet. Whoever hath sipped this wine will thirst for more, for although Christ doth satisfy, yet it is such a satisfaction, that the appetite is not cloyed, but whetted. If you know the love of Jesus--as the hart panteth for the water-brooks, so will you pant after deeper draughts of His love. If you do not desire to know Him better, then you love Him not, for love always cries, "Nearer, nearer." Absence from Christ is hell; but the presence of Jesus is heaven. Rest not then content without an increasing acquaintance with Jesus. Seek to know more of Him in his divine nature, in His human relationship, in His finished work, in His death, in His resurrection, in His present glorious intercession, and in His future royal advent. Abide hard by the Cross, and search the mystery of His wounds. An increase of love to Jesus, and a more perfect apprehension of His love to us is one of the best tests of growth in grace. Daily Light on the Daily Path Deuteronomy 12:9 for you have not as yet come to the resting place and the inheritance which the LORD your God is giving you.Micah 2:10 "Arise and go, For this is no place of rest Because of the uncleanness that brings on destruction, A painful destruction. Hebrews 4:9 So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. Hebrews 6:19,20 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, • where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. John 14:2,3 "In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. • "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. Philippians 1:23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; Revelation 21:4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away." Job 3:17 "There the wicked cease from raging, And there the weary are at rest. Matthew 6:20,21 "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; • for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Colossians 3:2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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