God hates pride…but honors humility

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Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth. --Genesis 11:9 What a scene it must have been when the survivors of Noah’s Flood began to build the Tower of Babel.  They were determined to build a monument to their pride and as their way of trying to approach God on their own terms. It’s hard to imagine the arrogance of that act, or the confusion that must have reigned in Babel as mighty and intelligent men began speaking different languages for the first time. The Tower of Babel is a real historical event, but it is also an illustration of society even today. Men and women in our day are just like the proud people of Babel . . . believing they know everything there is to know and therefore can approach God on their own terms. The Lord states many times in the Scripture that He detests arrogance and pride. “Haughty eyes” (Proverbs 6:17), or a proud look, is first on the list of things that God hates. People today are building towers to try and reach heaven; not physical structures, but towers of pride and self-sufficiency. God honors a humble heart.  So don’t let the world fool you into thinking you need to be self-sufficient, rather reach up to God with with an open hand and heart to receive His grace each day. God hates pride…but honors humility!

Continuing Warfare

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him. For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be? There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.”
Ecclesiastes 8:6–8

It is a normal part of human nature to want to kick back and take it easy. Most people look forward to their vacations, perhaps even counting down the days until they leave the normal responsibilities of work behind and take some time off. While there is a time and a place for rest, and it is important to our physical and mental health, there are some responsibilities that never stop. One of those is the ongoing spiritual warfare that we face on a daily basis. The devil doesn’t take days off, and if we let down our guard and take time off spiritually, we will be defeated.
This tendency is what led to the greatest downfall of David’s life. “And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem” (2 Samuel 11:1). When we are not where we are supposed to be, doing what we are supposed to be doing, we are in great spiritual danger. There will come a day in Heaven when we can lay aside our armor and all battles will cease, but until we stand in God’s presence, there will never be a discharge from spiritual warfare. Stay alert and stay involved in the battle to avoid becoming a casualty.
 

Today’s Growth Principle: 

The devil will always take advantage of the opportunities that we present him when we let down our guard.