Proverbs 16
Humble Yourselves in the Presence of the Lord!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Tuesday, October 24.
The heart posture of sin is pride – the arrogant attitude that says, “I don’t need God. I’ve got this, thank you very much.” Essentially, pride is when you are on the throne of your own heart, serving as your own savior. This unwillingness to bow before God has consequences, as Proverbs 16:5 clearly communicates, “Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord; assuredly, he will not be unpunished.” There is a way that is pleasing to the Lord; it is the heart posture of humility, which is an attitude of believing God for who He is and trusting Him to be your savior. In Proverbs 16:17-20, Solomon demonstrated this connection between humility and trusting God:
The highway of the upright is to depart from evil; he who watches his way preserves his life. Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling. It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly than to divide the spoil with the proud. He who gives attention to the word will find good, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.
Take time today to ensure it is Jesus Christ who sits on the throne of your heart. This is the beginning of wisdom – to trust the Lord to be your stronghold (Psalm 18). He is your protection from the evil one, who seeks to seduce you into thinking that you are all that you need to make life work for you. James 4:6-7 makes this clear, “But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, ‘God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’ Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”
Seize the moment and apply the wisdom of Proverbs 16: humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord (James 4:10)!
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