The Destruction Of Pride

KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Friday, may 13, 2016
Chapters: 2 Chronicles 24-26
Message: The Destruction Of Pride

Hello My Friend,

Pride, an unreasonable conceit of one's own superiority in talents, beauty, wealth, and accomplishments. It is great to feel good about the things we achieve in our lives, but we must not forget that it was not just in our own strength that we were successful, but God’s as well. Every Christian ought to strive to be the best they can be with the talents God gave them, but when we get to the point that we are conceited (having a vain or too high conception of ourselves) about our achievement that is when pride kicks in and we loose control of our ability to reason with ourselves. “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” - Proverbs 16:18.

Pride can get the best of all of us, it is pride that says, I am not a sinner! It is pride that says, You can’t tell me what to do! It is pride that says, I did it by myself! Pride is not limited to the unbelievers, it gets and often turns believers away from God until the day they die. In today’s reading we have three kings, all who started out godly, but as soon as their pride got in the way it destroyed them. First, we have Joash, he was the baby that God kept alive to keep David’s seed alive, he grew up godly and remained that way until his, guardian, adviser, and priest Jehoiada died. His pride destroyed him when he allowed worldly influence to turn his heart away from God.

“Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Zibiah of Beersheba. And Joash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest. But Jehoiada waxed old, and was full of days when he died; an hundred and thirty years old was he when he died. And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, both toward God, and toward his house. Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them. And they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served groves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass. Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the LORD; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear.” - 2 Chronicles 24:1,2,15-19.

“but they would not give ear.” Pride always accompanies the wicked, they know how to put their charm on us to reel us into following them. Pride knows when it does wrong, yet it is too proud to admit it is wrong, especially when confronted about it. I use to date a guy that swore he would change if I was with him, I even made plans to travel across the world to him, I did want to listen to those telling me he would be no good for me. Then I got the chance to video chat with him on a daily basis, for a while it was great, but I noticed a pattern that led me to the mess I had gotten into with him in the first place. After losing nearly every client I had, going into a depression, and gaining about twenty pounds, I realized my hardship was because I was too proud to admit he was bad for me. Once I let him go, good things started to happen to me. Pride is what limits God from doing what He really wants to do in our lives, but if we humble ourselves to Him, He is right there for us. “An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression. A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.” - Proverbs 29:22,23.

Now, we come to Amaziah, he was just like his father in the beginning also, godly, and the kingdom prospered because of it. Amaziah let his pride destroy him when his army won a battle against Edom and he took their gods and began worshiping them.

“And Amaziah strengthened himself, and led forth his people, and went to the valley of salt, and smote of the children of Seir ten thousand. And other ten thousand left alive did the children of Judah carry away captive, and brought them unto the top of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, that they all were broken in pieces. But the soldiers of the army which Amaziah sent back, that they should not go with him to battle, fell upon the cities of Judah, from Samaria even unto Bethhoron, and smote three thousand of them, and took much spoil. Now it came to pass, after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense unto them. Wherefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Amaziah, and he sent unto him a prophet, which said unto him, Why hast thou sought after the gods of the people, which could not deliver their own people out of thine hand? But Amaziah would not hear; for it came of God, that he might deliver them into the hand of their enemies, because they sought after the gods of Edom.” - 2 Chronicles 25:11-15,20.

“for it came of God, that he might deliver them into the hand of their enemies,” Pride leads us right into the hand of our enemies. You know, it is not God who brings problems in our lives, we do it all on our own. Yes, He can and does intervene more than we realize, but pride keeps us from keeping our eyes on Him in the first place. When things are going well for us we tend to push God to the side, the problem with that is that it leaves room for other gods to creep in. And do not think that a god is superior being we worship, a god is anything that we worship. Pride tells us, I can worship who I want! God tells us, worship only me. “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them. He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity.” - Psalms 10:4-6.

Now, we come to Uzziah, he started out very good and prospered greatly, he did more under the hand of God than his father or grandfather, but he too let pride take over when he became strong. He thought himself to be above God’s law and went into the temple and burned incense.

“And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper. But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense. And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men: And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God. Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar. And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him.” - 2 Chronicles 26:5,16-20.

“neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God.” Pride tells us, I am my own god, and I can worship Him the way I want! Pride tells us, I earn my way to heaven! Pride tells us, I can do what I want because I am saved! God says, all sin leads to death, and my Son is the only way. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.” - John 14:6,7.

Jesus Christ Revealed: Today, Jesus is revealed through Zechariah who died a sinless death for preaching the word of God (24:20-21). Jesus died a sinless death when He was crucified on the cross. “Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them. But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.” - Luke 23:20,21.

Today's Prayer: God, Thank You for the talents and skills you have given me, when we work hard under Your hand we are truly blessed. Pride is the sin that not only takes the credit for the blessings You have given us, it is what keeps us from admitting when we have done wrong, and even what turns us away from You. Lord, in all that we do, let us be reminded that You are our strength and we are nothing without You. We give You the glory for all that You do, all the good, bad, and ugly things that make us who we are today as we endured with Your Son by our side. Give us Your power, wisdom, and guidance to walk in Your ways and not let our pride take control. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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