The Solution to Pride

 

But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6 NASB).

What would cause God to be opposed to us? According to James, it is pride.

As fallen humans, our sins have separated us from God. He is holy and cannot abide with sin. To bridge that gap, we know that God came to us in human form to bear our iniquities and unite us back to Himself. In the same way that sin affronts a holy God, pride opposes God. Proverbs 6:16-17 says that a proud look (or haughty eyes) is an abomination to Him (he detests it).

If Tarzan were to teach a Bible study, he might phrase it this way: “Humility, good. Pride…ba-aad!” Yes, humility is good, so that means we should concentrate on being humble, right? Not necessarily.

I’ve found when I focus solely on being humble, I’m still focused solely on myself. At the end of the day, that’s still pride. It’s all about me. This can be a dangerous trap for Christians. Because we all know that he who is greatest must be a servant (Matthew 20:27), we may tend to boast in a false sense of humility. Over time, this can lead to a lack of true servitude towards one another. We can acquire a mindset of, “I’m more important than you because I serve more than you”… pride. So, what do we to focus on in order to be genuinely humble? Love.

Love takes my focus off of me and onto somebody else. Humility is a result of true love. Here is the checklist for love:

Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant. It does not act disgracefully, it does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, does not keep an account of a wrong suffered, it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth (1 Corinthians 13:4-6 NASB).

If we learn to love well, we won’t brag about our actions. We won’t be self-seeking or jealous. Our actions will be done in kindness. We will not be easily provoked, and we will not be arrogant. It’s important to note that these are all effects of love. Love is selfless in its very nature. When we are acting selflessly, there is no room for pride.

Focusing inward without love can actually lead to selfishness. Focusing outwardly in love will lead to selflessness, and a genuine, passionate humility will be the byproduct. A humble heart will be a byproduct of following the two great commandments: loving God first, and loving others second (Matthew 22:37-39).

God’s very nature is love: The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love (1 John 4:8 NASB).

I don’t want God to oppose me. I want to be humble. I want more of God’s grace. I want God to perfect His love in me.

If you do too, maybe you’d like to pray this prayer:

Father, I ask You to perfect Your love in me. Please reveal pride in my life and allow me to humble myself by the power of Your Holy Spirit. I want more of Your grace, more of Your favor. Help me to love better. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Transformational Experiences

 

 

Richard Spangler – Assistant Coach, CBN Prayer Center

Encounters with God are intended to radically alter our lives. When we allow change to happen, they can become transformational experiences.

In Exodus 24, God issues a very special invitation: Then the LORD said to Moses, “Come up to the LORD, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel. You are to worship at a distance, but Moses alone is to approach the LORD; the others must not come near” (vv. 1-2). In verses 9-11, we read that they “went up and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of lapis lazuli, as bright blue as the sky. But God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; they saw God, and they ate and drank” (NLT).

This had to be a life-altering experience for them. Later when Moses still had not come down from Mt. Sinai, the people gathered around Aaron and demanded that gods be made for them, to give them leadership (Exodus 32:1-2). Sadly, there’s no record of the leaders of Israel standing up to oppose the people, to keep them from sinning. The worship experience had been given by God to transform these men into true leaders, not just men with titles.

Before we harshly judge these men, we must acknowledge that this can be as true for us today as it was for them. God gives us potentially transformational experiences and we, at times, do not allow them to transform us.

We walk away from the mountain, as it were, thinking about our great experience with God, and soon turn our thoughts to, “What’s for lunch?” or “What’s so-and-so doing after church?”

We can become experience junkies, moving from one God-event to the next, looking for bigger and better happenings. Yet, when the high of the experience is over, we are not satisfied.

We must allow experiences with God to transform us into His image. We need to be drawn closer to the Lord and to do the work of the ministry that He has called us to do. This is where we all find true satisfaction in the Lord.

We do this by asking the Lord, “What is Your purpose for us having this experience?” Then, we need to meditate on that purpose. Finally, we must ask the Lord to help us and allow the transformation to take place in our lives.

The Lord Jesus has chosen each of us to be His own. He wants to transform us into a royal priesthood—a holy nation—that we might, in turn, transform the world for His glory.

The Rich Young Ruler

 

Terry Meeuwsen – Co-Host – The 700 Club

One of the most poignant stories in the Bible to me is the story of the rich young ruler. This impressive young man had made many “right” choices in his life and he was obviously from a successful, affluent family. I imagine he was admired and highly respected as a young man of both character and position. He realized that his wealth and influence came with responsibility and he seemed to embrace that.

And yet, something was still missing… despite all that he was and had, he inherently knew that he needed to be saved. His stuff wasn’t enough! He also recognized that there was something extraordinary about the authority and teachings of Jesus. In the gospel of Mark it says he RAN to Jesus – and then, this wealthy, influential man KNELT DOWN and humbly asked the simple sandal-shoed carpenter, “What must I do to have eternal life?” That’s quite a picture, isn’t it? Jesus saw the young man’s desire to measure up to the mark. He saw his hunger to hear from a man he considered a great teacher. He saw his willingness to do the right thing.

Jesus said, “You know the commandments: Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not testify falsely. Do not cheat, honor your father and mother.”

“Teacher, I have obeyed all these laws since I was a child.”

Before Jesus responded to the rich young ruler, the Bible says He looked at him and He felt great love for him. Then Jesus said, “You lack only one thing—go and sell all you have and give your money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come follow Me.” The Bible says the man’s face fell and he went sadly away because he had many possessions (see Mark 10:17-31).

What was that conversation all about? Jesus was extending an invitation to this man to embark on a “God-adventure” with Him. It was up to the man to choose what he would do. As much as he loved God, as much as he obeyed the law, he was entangled in and limited by his possessions. Jesus wanted to give him a new identity—a new name. He was inviting him to come along with Him into a life of walking in God’s plans and God’s purposes where God leads and supplies all that is needed. That’s an exciting invitation but a frightening one. It’s an invitation that is extended to every true believer. You see, God isn’t just out to touch our hearts and forgive our sins. He wants to CHANGE us. Then He wants to USE us. The more we are willing to be changed, the more He is able to use us. I wonder what might have happened if the rich young ruler had said “yes.” I wonder how many times he asked himself that question over the years.

What about you? You are created for God-adventures, you know. Don’t settle for a mediocre life because it is safe and predictable. The King of the Universe is inviting you to walk with Him. You have to let go of everything else so you can hold on to Him. Don’t miss out on His purposes for you. Say “yes!” and grab hold.

Fill ‘Er Up

 

 

Beth Patch – Digital Media Producer, cbn.com

You’ve got to know something’s wrong when you pass numerous broken-down cars on your usually smooth commute. In July 2018, a delivery truck pumped the wrong fuel in underground tanks at several gas stations. Many Virginia motorists who thought they had filled their tanks with regular gas got diesel fuel instead. Some cars sputtered down the highway and others seized up entirely.

I’ve often thought about these drivers. It seemed so right to them, filling their cars that day. The pump was labeled “Regular.” Why would they expect anything else?

King Solomon was one of Israel’s greatest leaders and revered for godly wisdom. He wrote about assuming we’re getting the right thing in the book of Proverbs:

There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death (Proverbs 14:12 NLT).

I recognize that path. It’s the avenue society says is best for me, too. The one where I figure out what makes me happy and how to get it—the “all-about-me” road. I spend my time doing things I enjoy, buying things I like, and seeking a safe, comfortable life. I decide what’s right and wrong, what’s fair and unfair. It does seem right. It seems normal.

What could be wrong with it? I’m not hurting anyone else. We all think this way sometimes. Problem is, that kind of thinking can lead us down a dark path.

Solomon said that it ends in death—spiritual death. Sputtering away from the path God intended. Dying, separated from the abundant life God planned for us.

The first commandment given to Moses says, “You must not have any other god but me” (Exodus 20:3 NLT).

That includes us. We can’t spend our lives chasing pleasures, living by our own code of ethics, always putting ourselves first. That’s placing us before God—making little gods of ourselves. When we trust and obey God, we put Him in the rightful place as Lord of our lives. We align our wants with what He wants. We respect His authority in our lives as our heavenly Father.

Jesus Christ is the perfect example of the proper relationship to the Father. He sought time alone with Him, counsel from Him, and He totally surrendered to God’s plan. Even in the face of crucifixion, Jesus said,

“I want your will to be done, not mine” (Luke 22:42 NLT).

When Jehovah God delivered the Ten Commandments to Moses for His people (Exodus 20:1-20), it was not to be taken as a list of dos and don’ts, as some might interpret. It was God’s plumb line for humanity. He wants us to walk in abundant life, not death. To fill our tanks with His Holy Spirit and walk in Father God’s purpose for our lives.

The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you” (Psalm 32:8 NLT).

The Ultimate Importance of Unity

 

 

Gordon Robertson – President and CEO, CBN

When we pray in unity and agreement, amazing things happen.

The first prayer of unity is found in Genesis 1:26, when God said,

“Let Us make man in Our image.”

God the Father, the Word, and the Spirit were all present in creation with unified purpose.

Unity is powerful. Jesus promises in Matthew 18:19:

“If two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.”

There is no bigger blank check than that—“concerning anything.” And He assures us in the very next verse:

“For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

Gathering together in the name of Jesus means His presence is with us. If we come into agreement touching anything, it will be done.

In the early days of CBN, we prayed every day for our most basic needs. If it weren’t for God, we wouldn’t get the bulbs for the studio lights. We literally prayed them in. We prayed in every camera, every piece of equipment, and every payroll. There wasn’t anything more important to do. And frankly, there wasn’t anything else we could do, because it was all far beyond our power.

“The 700 Club” started because my father prayed that 700 people would give $10 a month so CBN could stay on the air. And asking for 700 people was an act of faith, because our TV signal didn’t reach past Portsmouth, Virginia. The Bible says not to despise the day of small beginnings, and that’s how we began.

The ultimate importance of unity is that God comes into our midst. Acts 2:1 says:

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit was fulfilling Psalm 133: Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! … For there the Lord commanded the blessing—life forevermore.

To have the power of unity, we must walk in forgiveness and love. Jesus tells us we must get rid of the log in our own eye before trying to remove the speck in someone else’s (Matthew 7:3-5). When His love flows through us and we have fellowship with the Holy Spirit, it is evidenced in the love that we express to other people. And in that, we can have unity and achieve what the Lord has assigned us to do. God bless you.

Blessed Are the Meek

 

 by Sarah Phillips

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Mt 5: 5 (NIV)

I used to have a strong dislike for the word “meek.” It brings me back more than a decade to a defining moment during my sophomore year of high school.

I was a shy teenager who had stepped outside of her comfort zone by enrolling in several theater classes, including a class on “behind the scenes” theater productions. This should have been the easiest of all the courses for my sensitive nature. But my instructor, while delegating roles for the Spring production of Peter Pan, proved me wrong when she voiced her choice of stage manager like this:

“I’ve chosen Melissa because I need someone with a strong personality – someone who isn’t meek, like Sarah.”

Of course, I only drove her point home when I didn’t stick up for myself. I spent years after that scene developing assertiveness, determined to prove that Sarah was not meek. Like this teacher, I associated meekness with weakness and both were traits that needed to be eradicated if I was going to get anywhere in life.

At least that’s what I thought until I found that dreaded word jumping off the pages of scripture at me in the Gospel of Matthew. There it was, one of the first things Jesus says in his famous Sermon on the Mount.

Our deacon offered some thoughts on this verse that helped put things in perspective for me. He shared that it’s in the Sermon on the Mount where we see Jesus begin to expand on His true purpose – and to the disappointment of many, He was not going to be an earthly king bestowing power and prestige on His people, not just yet. Instead, God’s plan for mankind included an interior transformation of souls for the sake of an eternal kingdom. To properly prepare us for this kingdom, God rejected earthly methods of acquiring power in favor of the healing that comes with merciful love.

It is God’s mercy that changes our hearts from hearts of stone to hearts of flesh. It’s Christ’s humility, His lowliness, that beckons us into a relationship with Him. And ultimately, it was Christ’s willingness to give up earthly glory that opened the door for us to share in His eternal glory.

Now, as much as I would like earthly power, He asks us to “learn from him.” As our souls find rest in God, He can continue His redemptive work through us as we display these same “weaker” virtues to the world.

This isn’t to say God lacks power or that Christians should throw out virtues like courage. I think sometimes cultivating traits like meekness and humility are trickier than learning boldness because we can easily tip the scales too far and become passive. It’s a difficult balance, but a necessary one if we want to reflect Christ to a hurting world.

Revisiting Our Covenant Relationship

 

 

Jonathan Santiago, CBN.COM

Martin Luther is attributed by many as saying: “I have so much to do today that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.” Whether it’s our marriage or ministry, there exists a tendency to minimize the importance of putting our agendas on hold and revisiting the foundation of our relationships—we’re too busy!

After Israel defeated Ai, they had a lot of land left to conquer and could have perhaps used the momentum to push forward quickly—which seems like a logical military strategy. Yet Joshua had them come to Mount Ebal (some 20 miles out of the way, no small task for over a million people), build an altar, sacrifice to the LORD, and re-read the Law. This was what the LORD had commanded prior in Deuteronomy. Joshua gives us the purpose behind this:

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. (Joshua 1:8 ESV)

God did not want the law to be learned because He is some insecure taskmaster, but so Israel’s way would be prosperous and successful. You and I live under the covenant of a better Moses (Jesus), and a better law (the Law of Christ). And God would still have us revisit the covenant, even if it means putting our plans on hold. In fact, Scripture indicates that we’ll often have to drop other things by faith in order to prioritize God—it is expected of us:

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (Matthew 16:24-25 ESV)

God could have easily cleared out the promised land on His own (remember the flood that covered the earth? — same God), but was less concerned about a physical dwelling than with shaping a people to be called after His name, so much so in fact, that God was content to remove them from the land when they neglected the covenant.

It’s important to take time and remind ourselves of what God has already said and promised— what He expects of us and what we can expect of Him. This gives us direction, power, and focus for the battle ahead. In the same way Israel reflected God when they maintained covenant relationship, so we reflect Christ when we do the same. When we make the time to maintain covenant relationship we are in a position to be used and blessed by God because our lives will reflect His glory to the world.

One of the strongest things a married couple can do is reread their wedding vows. This puts the present situation in perspective while renewing love, devotion, and energy. For your devotional time this week, in addition to Joshua 8:30-35, here are some foundation sayings of Jesus to block out time for and revisit:

• Mark 12:30-31
• John 3:16-21
• John 15:5
• Matthew 5:14-16
• Matthew 16:24-25
• Acts 1:8

The Walk of Faith

 

 

Gordon Robertson – President and CEO, CBN

Our journey with the Lord is by faith and not by sight—so if we want to go on with God, we must stop looking at things with our natural eyes. Spiritual things can only be understood with spiritual insight.

Think of Abraham. Romans 4:3 says,

Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.

We don’t have any righteousness at all. We can’t possibly keep the law. We simply believe God.

Jesus tells us,

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16)

The devil wants to discourage us and stop us from moving forward. So when going through hard times, it’s important to recall how God has come through in the past—and we can have every confidence that He will do it again.

I remember how our budget was so tight at CBN Asia in Manila that we had to pray hard to meet every payroll. Yet all that changed after we held an outreach in Varanasi, India, where 50,000 people came—and 5,000 people filled out salvation response cards. To teach all these new believers who knew nothing about Christianity, we wanted to create a pastoral training center. It was a great idea—except I didn’t have the money. I committed $5,000, but there wasn’t a penny more.

The next day I got an urgent call from my wife in Manila. She was so overwhelmed with emotion that I could hardly understand her. An anonymous donor had just sent a check for $500,000—a bank manager’s draft drawn on a bank in upstate New York that was hand-delivered to our office in the Philippines. It was an unbelievable miracle. We sowed the seed, and 24 hours later God gave an increase of 100-fold. We had a time of celebration!

Right now, God is giving us many open doors to take the Gospel into the world, and He wants us to take that step of faith and walk through.

We have the assurance that God has spoken. When we do what He wants in the world today, and when we do it in God’s way, we know that God is in it. And we simply need to say, “Yes and Amen!” God bless you.

A Unifying Christ

 

by Katherine Britton, Crosswalk, com

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God – Romans 15:6,7

A couple years ago, I spent two weeks with missionary friends in France. Over the course of those days, I learned a bit about buying baguettes, European clothing sales and measurements, and where to watch for pickpockets. I picked up a couple helpful phrases, (often falling back on the always-applicable “pardon” and “bonjour”), took the RER train system, and frequented the French version of Walmart (it’s called Auchan). I got used to hearing a language that made little sense to me in the streets. But two weeks did not instill a sense of belonging. I loved the experience, but the language barrier was too great to tempt me into staying.

The most nerve-wracking moments – for us unilingual Americans – came the day our hosts had other commitments. We were left to attempt a trip into Paris on our own, without our erstwhile friend/guide/translator. In reality, the abundance of English-speaking Frenchmen should have made us easy, but we still felt painfully and distinctly not French. It was intimidating to jump on the RER with its quiet passengers, who knew the route better than we did and would immediately identify us if we opened our mouths. We stuck with “pardon” for the train ride, though we later chickened out and ask the restaurant’s waiter if he spoke English. He said, “Yeah, sure.”

Perhaps the most rewarding evening of the trip was a birthday celebration at our hosts’ home, when several of their French friends came for dinner. The language barrier still existed, but its unease lifted during that evening. We all made linguistic blunders – some of which were funnier than others. But for all of us, we were united in our mutual friendship of the hosts, and our implicit trust that, well, if he’s friends with them, they must be wonderful people. The unspoken bond carried even further in some cases, when we knew we shared a common faith as well as friend.

Our Parisian adventure eventually ended back in Dulles International airport—not the most exciting or warm place in the U.S. But did we ever fell at home! We felt so welcomed and at home. Everything was written in our own language! We could understand the passing comments of strangers! We could joke in line at Starbucks! We could speak without translating in our heads! We could revel in our Americanness because we were home. Our language unified us with total strangers after the immersion of two weeks in France.

Being back in our home culture with our native language made me feel like old friends with total strangers, who probably gave me an odd look at the time. But the unity of our common understanding was wildly apparent to me, and I couldn’t help feeling joyful at the strangeness of hearing my own language again.

Compare this to the miracle of Pentecost, when a chaotic world market suddenly burst with understanding. Those standing the cosmopolitan heard a unifying call where they least expected it. They said,

“How is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs–we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” (Acts 2:8-11)

After Peter’s presentation of the Gospel, three thousand people were convinced of the truth of Christ and believed in Jesus. How does something like that happen?

Fixing Our Eyes Upon Jesus

 

Gordon Robertson – President and CEO, CBN

With all the problems in the world today, it’s easy to focus on the storms and turmoil. Instead, we should be

looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2)

Jesus is the answer to every human need. He will provide. He will deliver victory—not based on what we do, but on what He has done. All we need to do is believe Him.

Peter was the only disciple to step out onto the water while the others stayed in the boat. Even so, when he looked at the wind and waves, he began to sink. Matthew 14:31 tells us that Jesus caught him and asked,

“Why did you doubt?”

We make a big deal about how much faith we have in God; it’s a bigger deal that God has faith in us. He believes we can do what He has called us to do, yet it’s easy to waver and doubt.

When the Israelites refused to enter Canaan because of the spies’ report about giants, Joshua said not to fear them,

“for they are our bread” (Numbers 14:9)

Joshua was a man of faith and of power. His perspective was that with God all things are possible; God has given us the land, and our enemies will be turned into our nourishment.

Forty years later, God encouraged Joshua before leading the people into battle:

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed. The Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9)

When God says not to be afraid, He’s preparing us that things may not be easy.

Yet first He says, “Have I not commanded you?” From God’s perspective, when He commands, it’s a done deal. When God says, “Let there be light,” there is light.

Then He promises, “The Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

We also hear God’s command and promise in the Great Commission:

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations …; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20)

What God has commanded, He will accomplish. We simply need to do our part and proclaim the Good News.

And as we obey Him, we have His assurance in Hebrews 13:5:

“I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

God bless you.