Don’t Exalt Yourself: Devotion for Sunday February 23, 2020

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Sunday February 23, 2020

Topic: Don’t Exalt Yourself                                  

Text: Proverbs 12:9

Self is one problem hindering Man from perfection. Human nature in its entirety is selfish. It is inborn and only God can subdue or remove it in our lives. This problem is what the writer of Proverbs had seen and thus gave this admonition in our text. Sacrificing comfort and independence just to gain vain ostentation is the highest height of foolishness. “The affectation of wealth and rank makes men hypocritical and dishonest, and its end is ignominy and contempt” so asserts Family Bible Notes.                     

People usually want to present themselves as being important and indispensable when they are not (Prov. 13:7 & 12:9). Jesus warns us not to exalt ourselves (Matthew 23:12). James and Peter also confirmed that in James 4:10 and 1 Peter 5:6.

From Genesis to Revelation, we have stories of men and women that fell off God’s glory because they exalted themselves. Time will fail us to mention Satan, Saul, Nebuchadnezzar, Rehoboam, Herod and many others. Do not exalt yourself. Be contented with your position for God is pleased with it; whether rich or poor and at the right time, he will exalt you.

Food for Thought: Self exaltation has grave consequences.

Memory verse: Proverbs 13:7

Prayer: Lord God, grant me the spirit of contentment and remove pride in me which might lead me to exalt myself in Jesus name

EFFECT OF PRIDE : Devotion for Saturday August 22, 2015

EFFECT OF PRIDE        Saturday August 22, 2015

Text Daniel 5:17 – 23           Memory verse: v 20

The king offered Daniel gifts and great power if he would explain the writing, but Daniel turned him down. Daniel was not motivated by material rewards. His entire life had been characterized by doing right. His act was not disrespect. Doing right should be our first priority, not gaining power or rewards. Are you disposed to doing right or gaining rewards and power? Note that desire for power can be destructive.

Belshazzar knew Babylonian history, and so he knew how God had humbled Nebuchadnezzar. Nevertheless Belshazzar’s feast was open defiance to God’s authority as he took the sacred cups from God’s Temple and drank from them. No one who understands that God is the Creator of the universe should be foolish enough to challenge him. Pride led him into it and he paid for it. Do you defile God? Be warned because our God is a Jealous God.

Food for Thought: Pride and humility doesn’t dwell together.

Prayer: Father, heal me of any form of pride and grant me humble spirit.

DEFILING GOD

Defiling God         Monday April 20, 2015

Text: Daniel 5:23a       Memory verse: v 23a

One way we attract God’s anger easily is by making mockery of Him. People who made mockery of God in the likes of Lot’s wife, Ananias and Sapphira, Herod, Nebuchadnezzar, Paul, Goliath, etc, were not left unpunished. Recently, a preacher inside a bus was beaten to coma by commuters when condom fell off from his bible while he was preaching inside the bus. You cannot cheat God. Whatever we sow, we shall also reap as we learnt yesterday.

This was the case of Belshazzar son of Nebuchadnezzar, who could not learn from the mistakes of his father. He was so full of himself that he thought it a wise thing to use the sacred vessels of the house of God to drink with his lords, wives and concubines. An ABOMINATION indeed! He has defiled the Lord of heaven by putting to a profane use the sacred vessels of His temple.

There are many ways we defile God. Some commit all manner of evil and come to church to officiate. Some steal from God’s temple; some tell lies in the name of God, some make false claims about supplies to church, etc, Can you mention some other ways people defile God? We should be mindful of what we do with God and His temple to avert His anger.  

Food for Thought: Making mockery of God is inviting His wrath.

Prayer: God, help me never to contend with you by making mockery of you for no one contends with his maker in Jesus name.