Category Archives: Pride

Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Heaven and Hell, Pride, Righteousness / Serving God, Suffering / Adversity, Wickedness / Evil

John the Baptist Executed On A Whim

Matthew 14:1-12 informs us about the death of John the Baptist by Herod Antipas. Herod was obviously wicked and appears to be prideful. He makes a foolish vow and then sticks by it… choosing to kill John rather than backtrack on a vow he made on a whim. It is worth noting that Herod did not even want to kill John, but determines it is better to execute John than to nullify a vow.

14 When Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee,[a] heard about Jesus, 2 he said to his advisers, “This must be John the Baptist raised from the dead! That is why he can do such miracles.”

3 For Herod had arrested and imprisoned John as a favor to his wife Herodias (the former wife of Herod’s brother Philip). 4 John had been telling Herod, “It is against God’s law for you to marry her.” 5 Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of a riot, because all the people believed John was a prophet.

6 But at a birthday party for Herod, Herodias’s daughter performed a dance that greatly pleased him, 7 so he promised with a vow to give her anything she wanted. 8 At her mother’s urging, the girl said, “I want the head of John the Baptist on a tray!” 9 Then the king regretted what he had said; but because of the vow he had made in front of his guests, he issued the necessary orders. 10 So John was beheaded in the prison, 11 and his head was brought on a tray and given to the girl, who took it to her mother. 12 Later, John’s disciples came for his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus what had happened.

It is hard to imagine such a foolish decision by Herod. The chapter even begins with recognition that Jesus, whom he thought may be John raised from the dead is doing many miracles. This seems to indicate that Herod knew John had power and authority above a normal man… but refused to acknowledge it was from God and refused to submit to it because it would call him to change how he was living.

John, on the other hand, served God even to his death. He did not compromise truth to save his own life. He lived, and died, for God. This scripture provides a stark contract between those who live for God and those who are wicked and selfish, living only for themselves and without a accurate moral sense of right and wrong.

We can be assured from the rest of God’s word that John is with God and Herod would seem to be somewhere else. There is ultimately accountability for our actions, often in this world… always when we die and face our creator.

Praise God for providing a way to salvation and forgiveness of our sins through Jesus Christ! Those who repent from our sins, submit to and serve Jesus Christ will also go to be with God when we die.

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Can God Use Me?, Character of God, False Prophets / Teachers, Hearing from God, Humility, Miracles, Prayer, Pride, Suffering / Adversity

Relying on God’s Power In Our Weakness

In 2 Corinthians, Paul is telling the people of Corinth about a vision God gave him. He is trying to make a point that although he had much he could brag about, he will not. Indeed Paul had much to brag about given his passionate and selfless submission and service to Jesus Christ and the divine revelation he received.

Paul then shares in 2 Corinthians 12: 7-10 about a specific issue from which he suffers that God has chosen not to heal, despite several requests by Paul. We know that Paul is not a “complainer”. His ministry documents much suffering and he endured it all with minimal or no complaints, to the glory of Jesus Christ. The issue must have been significant for Paul to mention it, though we are not told about the details.

… So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.

8 Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 9 Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10 That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Paul is revealing a great way to view our own weaknesses. Accepting our weakness and looking to Christ for strength is powerful. In our weakness, His power works best. This does not mean we should not strive to change our behaviors and grow to be more like Jesus… of course we should! But God knows we are weak and can use that to His glory if we are fully submitted to Him. Then we know all was accomplished because of Him and not because of ourselves.

This scripture is also a powerful reminder that those who preach that it is a matter of our personal faith alone that can deliver us from all illness or challenges are teaching false doctrine. Even Paul, who had tremendous faith, still experienced a “thorn” which he could not get rid of. “Name it and claim it” teaching is false. We are to come humbly before God with our needs and submit to His will, even if His answer is “no”.

All of us have to work to overcome our sin nature. All of us are subject to injury and illness. All of us have limitations in our abilities. It is fine to seek healing and help from God to overcome these challenges, but if the answer is “no”… then give glory to God and let His power work through your weakness.

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Consequences of Sin, Obeying God, Pride

Why Did God Confuse People With Different Languages?

God made it clear in the beginning to Adam and Eve and again to Noah and his sons after the great flood that He wanted them to have many children, grow God’s people, and spread across the earth to govern it.

[Genesis 1:28] 28 Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”

[Genesis 9:1] 9 Then God blessed Noah and his sons and told them, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth.

It is not hard to imaging that in both cases, as God’s people were growing in size, they still spoke a common language as they were derived from a single family and thus culture. This common language had potential to be a powerful asset in accomplishing God’s purposes.

Unfortunately, as we learn in Genesis 11:1-8, the people came to a point in time where they decided they had a better plan than God. They wanted to stay together in one place and thus set about building a great city for themselves. They had become prideful and arrogant, leading to ignoring or outright rejecting God and His instruction.  Thus God intervened to humble them.

11 At one time all the people of the world spoke the same language and used the same words. 2 As the people migrated to the east, they found a plain in the land of Babylonia[a] and settled there.

3 They began saying to each other, “Let’s make bricks and harden them with fire.” (In this region bricks were used instead of stone, and tar was used for mortar.) 4 Then they said, “Come, let’s build a great city for ourselves with a tower that reaches into the sky. This will make us famous and keep us from being scattered all over the world.”

5 But the Lord came down to look at the city and the tower the people were building. 6 “Look!” he said. “The people are united, and they all speak the same language. After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them! 7 Come, let’s go down and confuse the people with different languages. Then they won’t be able to understand each other.”

8 In that way, the Lord scattered them all over the world, and they stopped building the city. 9 That is why the city was called Babel,[b] because that is where the Lord confused the people with different languages. In this way he scattered them all over the world.

It was not God’s intent to force people to have different language, but rather His response to their arrogance and failure to follow His instructions.  How glorious it is when we decide to obey God and follow His plans. We do not have better plans than He does. When we think we have better plans, we often start down a difficult path that leads us further from God and the good plans He had in mind for us.

Challenge yourself to submit to God’s will and God’s plans over your own desires.

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Anger (unrighteous anger), Consequences of Sin, Envy / Jealousy / Coveting, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Murder, Pride, Righteousness / Serving God

Sin Wrecks Families and Separates Us From God

God speaks to us in Genesis 4:1-16 about the devastation that sin can create for individuals and their families.  When we choose to sin, there are consequences. When we choose to sin, it is not God’s fault, but our own.

4 Now Adam[a] had sexual relations with his wife, Eve, and she became pregnant. When she gave birth to Cain, she said, “With the Lord’s help, I have produced[b] a man!” 2 Later she gave birth to his brother and named him Abel.

When they grew up, Abel became a shepherd, while Cain cultivated the ground. 3 When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the Lord. 4 Abel also brought a gift—the best portions of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The Lord accepted Abel and his gift, 5 but he did not accept Cain and his gift. This made Cain very angry, and he looked dejected.

6 “Why are you so angry?” the Lord asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected? 7 You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”

8 One day Cain suggested to his brother, “Let’s go out into the fields.”[c] And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother, Abel, and killed him.

9 Afterward the Lord asked Cain, “Where is your brother? Where is Abel?”

“I don’t know,” Cain responded. “Am I my brother’s guardian?”

10 But the Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground! 11 Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has swallowed your brother’s blood. 12 No longer will the ground yield good crops for you, no matter how hard you work! From now on you will be a homeless wanderer on the earth.”

13 Cain replied to the Lord, “My punishment[d] is too great for me to bear! 14 You have banished me from the land and from your presence; you have made me a homeless wanderer. Anyone who finds me will kill me!”

15 The Lord replied, “No, for I will give a sevenfold punishment to anyone who kills you.” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain to warn anyone who might try to kill him. 16 So Cain left the Lord’s presence and settled in the land of Nod,[e] east of Eden.

There are many important points in this passage of scripture.

  • Despite earlier sin in the garden of Eden by Adam and Eve, God still maintained a personal relationship with their family. They were special to Him.
  • Cain and Abel both grew up in the same family environment with the same parents and likely a similar upbringing. That was not the cause of Cain’s sin.
  • God did not create the sin. He created people with a free will, who have the ability to love or rebel against God. Then He told them what they should do and what they should not do.
  • God loved Cain enough to speak to him personally about his sin, despite the fact that Cain was not doing what was right. God specifically warned Cain to address the sin in his life and to change behavior to do what is right. This instruction would require Cain to change his behavior.
  • Cain gives the appearance of genuinely caring about pleasing God, but was unwilling to change his behavior. Instead, Cain attacked and killed his brother who was honoring God. Jealousy led to anger, which led to murder. Of course, his actions did not lead him to right standing with God… quite the opposite.
  • Cain never demonstrates a repentant heart or regret for his actions. He lies to God and tries to hide his sin. Cain never admits wrongdoing or asks forgiveness. He only expresses grief at the consequences of his sin when confronted about it.
  • Because Cain was an unrepentant sinner, he created separation for himself from God.
  • God still loved Cain enough to protect him despite his unrepentant attitude toward sin. Imagine how God would have rejoiced if Cain would have repented.

Cain’s pride and stubbornness to do things his way instead of God’s way and his refusal to repent from sin wrecked his family and separated him from God. We should each challenge ourselves to learn from Cain’s poor choices and apply those learnings to our lives.

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