Category: Pride

Take Pride for a Ride

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3 (ESV) Delays, detours, and distractions are common in this life. Sin, sickness, and sorrow permeate the landscape of our humanity. Is it possible to find happiness while living in a fallen world? The keys to happiness are found in the Beatitudes. Jesus is the greatest preacher who ever lived and preached the greatest sermon ever preached. The happiness Jesus speaks of in the Beatitudes is not based on circumstances or external conditions. Happy, blissful, and blessed are those who recognize their spiritual bankruptcy before a holy God. Pride has no part in Christ’s kingdom. The door into His kingdom is low, and no one who stands tall in pride will ever go through it. The world emphasizes self-reliance, self-confidence, and self-expression. Jesus went into the display window of life and changed all the price tags. Jesus countered what the world values and ushered in the kingdom values that bring honor to God. “The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.” Prov. 16:5 (ESV) “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” Prov. 16:18 (ESV) Take pride for a ride. Instead of an ego trip, we need to go on an integrity trip. Get honest about your destitution and your spiritual poverty before God. Identify and eliminate any fraction of pride in your life. Embrace the way of humility and recognize your dependency upon God and His abundant grace. Uncover the poison of pride. You will never reach your full redemptive potential while fertilizing pride in your life. Pride has no place in the Christian life fully yielded to the Lordship of Christ. The poison of pride will inhibit the fruit of the Spirit and stifle your effectiveness in the kingdom. Take pride for a ride! Following Jesus Every Day, Stephen Trammell

Tags Devo

Ezekiel Pride Satan

Other Side of Pride

“You were an anointed guardian cherub. I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked.You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you.In the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence in your midst, and you sinned; so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God, and I destroyed you, O guardian cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I exposed you before kings, to feast their eyes on you.” Ezekiel 28:14-17 (ESV) Ezekiel’s third message against Tyre was directed to the ruler, Ethbaal III. His heart was filled with pride and he identified himself as a god. Ethbaal III self-proclaimed that his wisdom was greater than that of Daniel. Interestingly, Daniel was serving in the kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, which God would raise up to destroy Tyre. Ezekiel prophesied that the death of Ethbaal III would be a shameful death, namely, “You shall die the death of the uncircumcised by the hand of foreigners” (Ezekiel 28:10). A parallel between Ethbaal III and Satan is established. Clearly the influence of Satan was at work in the prideful heart of the king of Tyre. Pride eroded the position that Lucifer had as the guardian cherub. He was a perfect creation by God until pride seeped in. As a child of God, keep pride on the slide. Don’t allow pride to gain access to your life. Embrace the way of humility by acknowledging your dependency upon the Lord. Be grateful for what God has done to deliver you out of the kingdom of darkness when He placed you in the kingdom of light. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Tags Devo

Humility Jeremiah Pride

Boast in the Lord

“Thus says the Lord: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.’” Jeremiah 9:23-24 (ESV) What have you achieved thus far in this life? What are your accomplishments? How much success have you attained? You can answer these questions and before you know it, pride seeps in. You can easily pat yourself on the back and affirm yourself for how far you have come in this life. God rewards obedience and He expects us to give our very best effort in the endeavors of this life. However, we must guard against boasting in our wisdom, in our might, or in our riches. Boasting in our accomplishments places the credit on ourselves and bypasses the gracious activity of God. “But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” Galatians 6:14 (ESV) Celebrate the reality of your love relationship with God through Christ. Boast in the wondrous gift of having a personal intimate love relationship with the Creator of the universe. If you boast, boast in the precious privilege of understanding and knowing the Lord. Without God’s pursuit of your life with His redeeming love, you would have nothing to boast about. Without the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, your life would be empty, directionless, and hopeless. Boast in the Lord for allowing you to be the recipient of His marvelous grace and invite others into the same privilege. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Tags Devo

2 Chronicles Consequences Pride

The Pride Slide

“But when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction. For he was unfaithful to the Lord his God and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense. But Azariah the priest went in after him, with eighty priests of the Lord who were men of valor, and they withstood King Uzziah and said to him, ‘It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Go out of the sanctuary, for you have done wrong, and it will bring you no honor from the Lord God.’” 2 Chronicles 26:16-18 (ESV) Uzziah did right in the eyes of the Lord and as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper. Over a period of time, pride began to seep into Uzziah’s life resulting in a slide that had devastating consequences. “Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished.” Prov 16:5 (ESV) “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” Prov 16:18 (ESV) Uncover the poison of pride. You will never reach your full redemptive potential while fertilizing pride in your life. Pride has no place in the Christian life fully yielded to the Lordship of Christ. The poison of pride will inhibit the fruit of the Spirit and stifle your effectiveness in the kingdom. Avoid the pride slide. Instead of an ego trip, we need to go on an integrity trip. Get honest about your destitution and your spiritual poverty before God. Identify and eliminate any fraction of pride in your life. Embrace the way of humility and recognize your dependency upon God and His abundant grace. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Tags Devo

Beatitudes Happiness Pride

Take Pride for a Ride

Grace Humility Pride

Receiving Grace

“But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: ‘God opposes the proud, but shows favor to the humble.‘” James 4:6 (ESV) Grace is getting what we do not deserve. We do not deserve God’s forgiveness, salvation, reconciliation, favor, blessing, and heaven. But God demonstrates His love by gracing us with that which we do not deserve. God stands in opposition to the proud but responds with grace to the humble. So what does humility look like? As we examine the life of Jesus, we see humility defined. Jesus willingly put others before Himself. Jesus lived selflessly and died sacrificially. Jesus came to this earth to serve and to save. How will you respond? “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.“ Jas. 4:10 (ESV) “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.“ 1 Pet. 5:6 (ESV) We are to humble ourselves. As an act of the will, we are to choose to humble ourselves. God can navigate circumstances to bring humility into our lives to remind us of our dependency upon Him. Yet, God wants us to choose the way of humility without the influence of outward circumstances. Based on our love relationship with God, we are to respond to His grace by exemplifying a life of humility. Is there an element of pride in your life? Have you exhibited the sin of pride through your conversation or your conduct? Trying to do life your way instead of God’s way is an expression of pride. Embrace the way of humility, which places God’s agenda above your own agenda. Anticipate God’s grace to flow like a river! Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Humility Pride Selflessness

Exposing Selfishness

“What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?“ James 4:1 (ESV) Have you ever been in a fight? Have you ever quarreled with someone and sought to get your way at any cost? Can you imagine that kind of behavior among believers? James identifies the reality of infighting among the believers who have been dispersed as a result of persecution. Now they are persecuting each other with improper behavior. It can happen to good people who are seeking to follow God. Even after we profess Christ as Lord of our lives, we continue to battle the sin nature. The old patterns that God delivered us from seek to pop up from time to time. We have three enemies that we combat: the devil, the world, and the flesh. If the devil eased up on us and the tugs of the world lessened their appeal, we would still have to combat the cravings of our flesh. James points to the culprit of fights and quarrels, namely, our desires that battle from within. Selfish desires and behavior steeped in pride come from within. The outward expression of our inward desires can bring harm to the Body of Christ and contaminate our witness. Attacking other believers through our words and our deeds is an indicator of selfishness and pride. What’s the opposite of pride? Humility! God gave us a portrait of humility by allowing Jesus to pay full price for the sin debt of the world. If God was willing to do that for us, what should we be willing to do for Him? Let’s start with treating others the way God has treated us. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Humility Living Sacrifices Pride

Practice Humility

“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.” Romans 12:3 (NIV) Our tendency is to view ourselves from a distance and to view others under a microscope. Overestimating yourself leads to pride. Underestimating yourself leads to false humility. Make an accurate assessment of your current reality by using Jesus as your standard. The highway of happiness is paved with humility. Happiness and humility go together. Jesus modeled a life of humility by submitting to the Father’s agenda and by living to benefit others. In humility, Jesus sacrificed His life on the cross to provide for the forgiveness of our sins and to reconcile us back to God. Discover the haven of humility. Admit that you don’t have it all together. Admit that you haven’t arrived. Recognize that you haven’t learned all that God wants you to learn and you haven’t completed everything God wants you to do. Make an accurate assessment of yourself before a holy God in light of His holiness. “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.” Rom. 12:3 (NIV) “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Col. 3:12 (NIV) Give up your kingdom so you can inherit God’s kingdom! Clothe yourself with humility. You cannot live the life God has for you without His supernatural enablement. His power comes to you through the doorway of humility. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Beatitudes Humility Pride

Filing Spiritual Bankruptcy

Post author By Stephen Trammell
Post date April 2, 2013
58 Comments on Filing Spiritual Bankruptcy

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3 (NIV) Delays, detours, and distractions are common in this life. Sin, sickness, and sorrow permeate the landscape of our humanity. Is it possible to find happiness while living in a fallen world? The keys to happiness are found in the Beatitudes. Jesus is the greatest preacher who ever lived and preached the greatest sermon ever preached. The happiness Jesus speaks of in the Beatitudes is not based on circumstances or external conditions. Happy, blissful, and blessed are those who recognize their spiritual bankruptcy before a holy God. Pride has no part in Christ’s kingdom. The door into His kingdom is low, and no one who stands tall in pride will ever go through it. The world emphasizes self-reliance, self-confidence, and self-expression. Jesus went into the display window of life and changed all the price tags. Jesus countered what the world values and ushered in the kingdom values that bring honor to God. “The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.” Prov. 16:5 (NIV) “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” Prov. 16:18 (NIV) Take pride for a ride. Instead of an ego trip, we need to go on an integrity trip. Get honest about your destitution and your spiritual poverty before God. Identify and eliminate any fraction of pride in your life. Embrace the way of humility and recognize your dependency upon God and His abundant grace. Uncover the poison of pride. You will never reach your full redemptive potential while fertilizing pride in your life. Pride has no place in the Christian life fully yielded to the Lordship of Christ. The poison of pride will inhibit the fruit of the Spirit and stifle your effectiveness in the kingdom. Take pride for a ride! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Conflict Family Pride

Pride and Conflict

“You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.” Isaiah 14:13-15 (NIV) Every conflict has pride at its root. Before God created man in His own image, God had to resolve conflict that erupted in heaven. Pride infused Lucifer (Satan, the devil), the angel of God. In pride, Lucifer sought to lead a rebellion against God and thought he could dethrone God. However, God is holy and does not tolerate sin. Thus, God “de-heavened” Lucifer. “He replied, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.’” Luke 10:18 (NIV) “The great dragon was hurled down–that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.” Rev 12:9 (NIV) Pride causes us to think of ourselves before thinking of others. Pride causes us to embrace selfishness and self-centeredness. In pride, we forfeit God’s agenda and become absorbed in our own personal agenda. Pride is evidenced by our pursuit of gratifying our sinful nature (Gal. 5:16). If pride seeps into your home, your family will experience major conflict. Pride corrupts and erodes relationships. Satan is the mascot of pride. He does not want your family to operate in peace, unity, and trust. Examine the weeds inside your home. Don’t try to cut the weeds off at ground level by dealing with the symptoms of pride. Get to the root of the conflict within your home. As you trace the origin of conflict, you will find the root of pride. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Ezekiel Pride Satan

Other Side of Pride

“You were an anointed guardian cherub. I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked. 15 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you. 16 In the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence in your midst, and you sinned; so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God, and I destroyed you, O guardian cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. 17 Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I exposed you before kings, to feast their eyes on you.” Ezekiel 28:14-17 (ESV) Ezekiel’s third message against Tyre was directed to the ruler, Ethbaal III. His heart was filled with pride and he identified himself as a god. Ethbaal III self-proclaimed that his wisdom was greater than that of Daniel. Interestingly, Daniel was serving in the kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, which God would raise up to destroy Tyre. Ezekiel prophesied that the death of Ethbaal III would be a shameful death, namely, “You shall die the death of the uncircumcised by the hand of foreigners” (Ezekiel 28:10). A parallel between Ethbaal III and Satan is established. Clearly the influence of Satan was at work in the prideful heart of the king of Tyre. Pride eroded the position that Lucifer had as the guardian cherub. He was a perfect creation by God until pride seeped in. As a child of God, keep pride on the slide. Don’t allow pride to gain access to your life. Embrace the way of humility by acknowledging your dependency upon the Lord. Be grateful for what God has done to deliver you out of the kingdom of darkness when He placed you in the kingdom of light. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 248: Ezekiel 28-30) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Humility Jeremiah Pride

Boast in the Lord

“Thus says the Lord: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.’” Jeremiah 9:23-24 (ESV) What have you achieved thus far in this life? What are your accomplishments? How much success have you attained? You can answer these questions and before you know it, pride seeps in. You can easily pat yourself on the back and affirm yourself for how far you have come in this life. God rewards obedience and He expects us to give our very best effort in the endeavors of this life. However, we must guard against boasting in our wisdom, in our might, or in our riches. Boasting in our accomplishments places the credit on ourselves and bypasses the gracious activity of God. “But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” Galatians 6:14 (ESV) Celebrate the reality of your love relationship with God through Christ. Boast in the wondrous gift of having a personal intimate love relationship with the Creator of the universe. If you boast, boast in the precious privilege of understanding and knowing the Lord. Without God’s pursuit of your life with His redeeming love, you would have nothing to boast about. Without the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, your life would be empty, directionless, and hopeless. Boast in the Lord for allowing you to be the recipient of His marvelous grace and invite others into the same privilege. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 221: Jeremiah 7-9) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

2 Chronicles Consequences Pride

The Pride Slide

“But when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction. For he was unfaithful to the Lord his God and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense. 17 But Azariah the priest went in after him, with eighty priests of the Lord who were men of valor, 18 and they withstood King Uzziah and said to him, ‘It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Go out of the sanctuary, for you have done wrong, and it will bring you no honor from the Lord God.’” 2 Chronicles 26:16-18 (ESV) Uzziah did right in the eyes of the Lord and as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper. Over a period of time, pride began to seep into Uzziah’s life resulting in a slide that had devastating consequences. “Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished.” Prov 16:5 (ESV) “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” Prov 16:18 (ESV) Uncover the poison of pride. You will never reach your full redemptive potential while fertilizing pride in your life. Pride has no place in the Christian life fully yielded to the Lordship of Christ. The poison of pride will inhibit the fruit of the Spirit and stifle your effectiveness in the kingdom. Avoid the pride slide. Instead of an ego trip, we need to go on an integrity trip. Get honest about your destitution and your spiritual poverty before God. Identify and eliminate any fraction of pride in your life. Embrace the way of humility and recognize your dependency upon God and His abundant grace. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 189: 2 Kings 15; 2 Chronicles 26) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Humility Living Sacrifices Pride

Practice Humility

“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.” Romans 12:3 (NIV) Our tendency is to view ourselves from a distance and to view others under a microscope. Overestimating yourself leads to pride. Underestimating yourself leads to false humility. Make an accurate assessment of your current reality by using Jesus as your standard. The highway of happiness is paved with humility. Happiness and humility go together. Jesus modeled a life of humility by submitting to the Father’s agenda and by living to benefit others. In humility, Jesus sacrificed His life on the cross to provide for the forgiveness of our sins and to reconcile us back to God. Discover the haven of humility. Admit that you don’t have it all together. Admit that you haven’t arrived. Recognize that you haven’t learned all that God wants you to learn and you haven’t completed everything God wants you to do. Make an accurate assessment of yourself before a holy God in light of His holiness. “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.” Romans 12:3 (NIV) “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Col 3:12 (NIV) Give up your kingdom so you can inherit God’s kingdom! Clothe yourself with humility. You cannot live the life God has for you without His supernatural enablement. His power comes to you through the doorway of humility. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Beatitudes Humility Pride

Filing Spiritual Bankruptcy

Post author By Stephen Trammell
Post date March 29, 2011
7 Comments on Filing Spiritual Bankruptcy

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matt 5:3 (NIV) Delays, detours, and distractions are common in this life. Sin, sickness, and sorrow permeate the landscape of our humanity. Is it possible to find happiness while living in a fallen world? The keys to happiness are found in the Beatitudes. Jesus is the greatest preacher who ever lived and preached the greatest sermon ever preached. The happiness Jesus speaks of in the Beatitudes is not based on circumstances or external conditions. Happy, blissful, and blessed are those who recognize their spiritual bankruptcy before a holy God. Pride has no part in Christ’s kingdom. The door into His kingdom is low, and no one who stands tall in pride will ever go through it. The world emphasizes self-reliance, self-confidence, and self-expression. Jesus went into the display window of life and changed all the price tags. Jesus countered what the world values and ushered in the kingdom values that bring honor to God. “The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.” Prov 16:5 (NIV) “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” Prov 16:18 (NIV) Take pride for a ride. Instead of an ego trip, we need to go on an integrity trip. Get honest about your destitution and your spiritual poverty before God. Identify and eliminate any fraction of pride in your life. Embrace the way of humility and recognize your dependency upon God and His abundant grace. Uncover the poison of pride. You will never reach your full redemptive potential while fertilizing pride in your life. Pride has no place in the Christian life fully yielded to the Lordship of Christ. The poison of pride will inhibit the fruit of the Spirit and stifle your effectiveness in the kingdom. Take pride for a ride! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Conflict Family Pride

Pride and Conflict

Beatitudes Happiness Pride

Take Pride for a Ride

Grace Humility Pride

Receiving Grace

“But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’” James 4:6 (NIV) Grace is getting what we do not deserve. We do not deserve God’s forgiveness, salvation, reconciliation, favor, blessing, and heaven. But God demonstrates His love by gracing us with that which we do not deserve. God stands in opposition to the proud but responds with grace to the humble. So what does humility look like? As we examine the life of Jesus, we see humility defined. Jesus willingly put others before Himself. Jesus lived selflessly and died sacrificially. Jesus came to this earth to serve and to save. How will you respond? “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” James 4:10 (NIV) “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.” 1 Peter 5:6 (NIV) We are to humble ourselves. As an act of the will, we are to choose to humble ourselves. God can navigate circumstances to bring humility into our lives to remind us of our dependency upon Him. Yet, God wants us to choose the way of humility without the influence of outward circumstances. Based on our love relationship with God, we are to respond to His grace by exemplifying a life of humility. Is there an element of pride in your life? Have you exhibited the sin of pride through your conversation or your conduct? Trying to do life your way instead of God’s way is an expression of pride. Embrace the way of humility, which places God’s agenda above your own agenda. Anticipate God’s grace to flow like a river! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Humility Pride Selflessness

Exposing Selfishness

“What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?” James 4:1 (NIV) Have you ever been in a fight? Have you ever quarreled with someone and sought to get your way at any cost? Can you imagine that kind of behavior among believers? James identifies the reality of infighting among the believers who have been dispersed as a result of persecution. Now they are persecuting each other with improper behavior. It can happen to good people who are seeking to follow God. Even after we profess Christ as Lord of our lives, we continue to battle the sin nature. The old patterns that God delivered us from seek to pop up from time to time. We have three enemies that we combat: the devil, the world, and the flesh. If the devil eased up on us and the tugs of the world lessened their appeal, we would still have to combat the cravings of our flesh. James points to the culprit of fights and quarrels, namely, our desires that battle from within. Selfish desires and behavior steeped in pride come from within. The outward expression of our inward desires can bring harm to the Body of Christ and contaminate our witness. Attacking other believers through our words and our deeds is an indicator of selfishness and pride. What’s the opposite of pride? Humility! God gave us a portrait of humility by allowing Jesus to pay full price for the sin debt of the world. If God was willing to do that for us, what should we be willing to do for Him? Let’s start with treating others the way God has treated us. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Devil Family Pride Sanctification Sin Time

Family Spats: Pride

“You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.” Isaiah 14:13-15 (NIV) Every conflict has pride at its root. Before God created man in His own image, God had to resolve conflict that erupted in heaven. Pride infused Lucifer (Satan, the devil), the angel of God. In pride, Lucifer sought to lead a rebellion against God and thought he could dethrone God. However, God is holy and does not tolerate sin. Thus, God “de-heavened” Lucifer. Jesus spoke of this fall and John recorded the fall of Satan in Revelation 12:9. “He replied, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.’” Luke 10:18 (NIV) “The great dragon was hurled down–that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.” Rev 12:9 (NIV) Pride causes us to think of ourselves before thinking of others. Pride causes us to embrace selfishness and self-centeredness. In pride, we forfeit God’s agenda and become absorbed in our own personal agenda. Pride is evidenced by our pursuit of gratifying our sinful nature (Gal. 5:16). If pride seeps into your home, your family will experience major conflict. Pride corrupts and erodes relationships. Satan is the mascot of pride. He does not want your family to operate in peace, unity, and trust. Examine the weeds inside your home. Don’t try to cut the weeds off at ground level by dealing with the symptoms of pride. Get to the root of the conflict within your home. As you trace the origin of conflict, you will find the root of pride. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor (This devotional was originally posted in ’07 or ’08. I’m taking a break from writing for a season of personal renewal.) Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Humility Motive Pride

Motives Matter

“You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” James 4:2-3 (NIV) Motives matter to God. Have you ever been the recipient of a gift that was given with impure motives? When motives are not right, the gift loses its impact. How you give is just as important as what you give. How you serve is just as important as the act of serving. How you do life is just as important as what you do with your life. God is all-knowing and all-seeing. In His omniscience, God detects the motives in which you operate your life. God looks beneath the surface of your good deeds to identify your true motives. Selfishness is an indicator of impure motives. Wrong motives will cause you to mistreat others in order to get what you want. “All a man’s ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD.” Prov 16:2 (NIV) “‘Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.’” Matt 7:7-8 (NIV) What if we started with a boldness to simply ask God? If there is something we need, what keeps us from asking God who is the Creator and Sustainer of life? Why do we try to take life into our own hands and allow impure motives to infiltrate our decisions? Let’s commit to go to God! He is our sufficiency! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor (This devotional was originally posted in ’07 or ’08. I’m taking a break from writing for a season of personal renewal.) Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Conflict Resolution Devil Family Pride Selfishness Sin

Family Spats (1)

“You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.” Isaiah 14:13-15 (NIV) Every conflict has pride at its root. Before God created man in His own image, God had to resolve conflict that erupted in heaven. Pride infused Lucifer (Satan, the devil), the angel of God. In pride, Lucifer sought to lead a rebellion against God and thought he could dethrone God. However, God is holy and does not tolerate sin. Thus, God “de-heavened” Lucifer. Jesus spoke of this fall and John recorded the fall of Satan in Revelation 12:9. “He replied, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.’” Luke 10:18 (NIV) “The great dragon was hurled down–that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.” Rev 12:9 (NIV) Pride causes us to think of ourselves before thinking of others. Pride causes us to embrace selfishness and self-centeredness. In pride, we forfeit God’s agenda and become absorbed in our own personal agenda. Pride is evidenced by our pursuit of gratifying our sinful nature (Gal. 5:16). If pride seeps into your home, your family will experience major conflict. Pride corrupts and erodes relationships. Satan is the mascot of pride. He does not want your family to operate in peace, unity, and trust. Examine the weeds inside your home. Don’t try to cut the weeds off at ground level by dealing with the symptoms of pride. Get to the root of the conflict within your home. As you trace the origin of conflict, you will find the root of pride. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

Grace Humility Pride

Pride and Humility (6)

“But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’” James 4:6 (NIV) Grace is getting what we do not deserve. We do not deserve God’s forgiveness, salvation, reconciliation, favor, blessing, and heaven. But God demonstrates His love by gracing us with that which we do not deserve. God stands in opposition to the proud but responds with grace to the humble. So what does humility look like? As we examine the life of Jesus, we see humility defined. Jesus willingly put others before Himself. Jesus lived selflessly and died sacrificially. Jesus came to this earth to serve and to save. How will you respond? “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” James 4:10 (NIV) “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.” 1 Peter 5:6 (NIV) We are to humble ourselves. As an act of the will, we are to choose to humble ourselves. God can navigate circumstances to bring humility into our lives to remind us of our dependency upon Him. Yet, God wants to us choose the way of humility without the influence of outward circumstances. Based on our love relationship with God, we are to respond to His grace by exemplifying a life of humility. Is there an element of pride in your life? Have you exhibited the sin of pride through your conversation or your conduct? Trying to do life your way instead of God’s way is an expression of pride. Embrace the way of humility which places God’s agenda above your own agenda. Anticipate God’s grace to flow like a river! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

Humility Intimacy with God Pride

Pride and Humility (5)

“Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James 4:8 (NIV) Over the years I have experimented with different ways to enhance my daily intimacy with God. I have utilized the daily devotional by Oswald Chambers, “My Utmost for His Highest” and also “Experiencing God Day by Day” written by Henry Blackaby. The most vital element in my spiritual development has been a consistent intake of God’s Word such as reading through the entire Bible in one year. Sometimes I commit to reading a chapter of Proverbs each day for an entire year. Thus, I read the book of Proverbs all the way through each month. That’s been an incredible adventure. The following verses are my favorite from the fourth chapter of Proverbs. When I think of drawing near to God and living wisely, this passage immediately rises to the surface. “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.” Prov 4:23-27 (NIV) There are so many options for you to embrace in this world. Countless paths await your selection. Careless living will grant you unlimited choices that will never deliver what they promise. Are you guarding your heart? Is your speech laced with purity? Is your vision focused on the way that brings honor to God? Are you taking paths that are pleasing to God? Do you consistently avoid evil? Are you choosing to draw near to God and to live a life of moral purity? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

Devil Humility Pride

Pride and Humility (4)

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7 (NIV) Jesus is our portrait of humility. The devil is our portrait of pride. Jesus came to earth to fulfill the Father’s will. The devil came in rebellion to thwart God’s agenda. As an angel of God, the devil pridefully sought to dethrone God. It backfired on him! God de-heavened the devil! “You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.” Isaiah 14:13-15 (NIV) “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” 1 Peter 5:8-9 (NIV) The devil is real. However, as you submit to God and choose to resist the devil, he will flee from you. As a child of God, you have everything you need to defeat the enemy. In Christ, you are the victor! In order to reign in this life, allow Jesus to reign in your life! Submit and resist! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

Humility Pride Submission

Pride and Humility (3)

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7 (NIV) Rebellion against God is rooted in pride. Submission to God is rooted in humility. Rebellion brings harm and punishment. Submission brings relief and reward. Knowing that God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble, the child of God benefits from submission. To submit to God is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of wisdom. When you recognize that God is the Creator and that you are the created, you relinquish the pursuit of control. Submitting to God is allowing God to have complete control of your life. When you submit to God, you are acknowledging His supremacy and your dependency. The posture of submission resonates with the life of Christ. “‘My food,’ said Jesus, ‘is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.’” John 4:34 (NIV) “Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.’” Matt 26:39 (NIV) How will you respond to life today? Will you submit to God? Are you in tune with God’s purpose and plan for your life? Has God’s agenda become your passion? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

Humility Motives Pride

Pride and Humility (2)

Humility Pride Selfishness

Pride and Humility (1)

“What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?” James 4:1 (NIV) Have you ever been in a fight? Have you ever quarreled with someone and sought to get your way at any cost? Can you imagine that kind of behavior among believers? James identifies the reality of infighting among the believers who have been dispersed as a result of persecution. Now they are persecuting each other with improper behavior. It can happen to good people who are seeking to follow God. Even after we profess Christ as Lord of our lives, we continue to battle the sin nature. The old patterns that God delivered us from seek to pop up from time to time. We have three enemies that we combat: the devil, the world, and the flesh. What if the devil eased up on us and the tugs of the world lessened their appeal? The truth is, we would still have to combat the cravings of our flesh. James points to the culprit of fights and quarrels, namely, our desires that battle from within. Selfish desires and behavior steeped in pride come from within. The outward expression of our inward desires can bring harm to the Body of Christ and contaminate our witness. Attacking other believers through our words and our deeds is an indicator of selfishness and pride. What’s the opposite of pride? Humility! God gave us a portrait of humility by allowing Jesus to pay full price for the sin debt of the world. If God was willing to do that for us, what should we be willing to do for Him? Let’s start with treating others the way God has treated us. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

Pride

God asked Job a very enlightening question: “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand.” Job 38:4 (NIV) Sometimes we forget how big God is and how small we are. That is one factor that makes salvation so amazing. God as the Creator of the entire universe has taken the initiative to rescue, redeem, and restore fallen humanity. God became like us so that we could become like Him. Wow! So what do we bring to the table? Out of 6.7 billion people on planet earth, what does one individual add to the equation of God’s redemptive activity? “…not by works, so that no one can boast.” Eph 2:9 (NIV) Remember, we are saved by His grace through faith. It is a gift, not a reward. We do not earn salvation by our works or deeds. Thus, there is no room for pride. Pride says, “Look at what I have done! Look at what I have accomplished!” The reality is that we cannot add to the completed work of Jesus on the cross. “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” Gal 6:14 (NIV) How will you respond to God’s transforming grace? How will you interact with people this week in light of God’s redemptive activity in your life? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Pastor of Leadership and Pastoral Care