God established protective boundaries for His children because He knows the dangers of disobedience—for both the transgressor and others affected by the sin. His Word warns us not to give in to temptation but to follow Jesus Christ in a life of sacrifice, which is the only way to true contentment.
In contrast, the world says satisfaction is found in acquiring goods, wealth, status, and friends. Satan whispers the lie that gratification comes from self-indulgence. His goal of turning us away from God started with his temptation of Adam and Eve. The Creator had given them access to every tree in the Garden of Eden except one. The first man and woman stepped outside the limit set by the Lord, ate the forbidden fruit, and became separated from Him. Satan used doubt (“Has God said?”), deceit (“You surely will not die”), and self-delusion (“You will be like God”) to achieve his aim (Gen. 3:1-5). He made rebellion against God—which is the root of all sin—seem very attractive. And the enemy’s methods are the same today.
The only way we can withstand the world’s clamor, the devil’s whispers, and our own selfish desires is by immersing ourselves in the Word of God. We must focus our attention on knowing the heavenly Father in all of His fullness, believing His promises, and obeying His commands. Only through our relationship with Jesus Christ will we be able to fight the battle against sin and stand firm.
Clear your mind of any distractions, and allow the Lord to speak to you through His Word. He has much to tell you.
To accomplish anything in life, we must set a goal and devote our energy and time to achieving it. When people don’t realize that God has objectives in mind for their lives, they just float aimlessly. Not only does God have specific aims for each of us individually, but He also has goals that apply universally to all believers, such as a relentless, lifelong pursuit of humility.
Humility is more than a healthy view of our merit; it is a servant’s attitude that acknowledges total dependence on God. Few people are excited about pursuing humility because it’s considered a weakness. But if we understand God’s view of it, we’ll realize that humility is an extremely significant quality. Philippians 2:3 says, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves.” In order of priority, Jesus comes first, others are second, and we are last.
We speak emphatically about loving others, forgiving unconditionally, and acting with kindness. But the root of these actions is humility. To be able to love and forgive others, we must be willing to recognize their great worth in God’s eyes and the magnitude of His compassion and forgiveness toward mankind. Ephesians 4:32 says, “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”
If we think only of how we feel, what’s convenient for us, or how we can profit from a situation, we won’t be demonstrating Jesus’ love. However, when humility is our goal, then love, forgiveness, and kindness will grow out of it.
To humble ourselves, we must first be willing to detect pride in our heart. But recognizing it isn't the same as getting rid of it. Here are several common areas of pride and some solutions for dealing with them.
Possessions. Start giving things away. We can begin by honoring God with our tithe. He promises that our nine-tenths will go farther than ten-tenths. The next step is to give to someone in need who can give nothing in return. But don't parade your generosity around; keep it as secret as you can (Matt. 6:1-4).
Position. Acknowledge that whatever you have accomplished, God has done it for you (Isa. 26:12). Then ask Him to show you an area of service that has no rank or credit. Knowing that the Lord values every kind of service, we shouldn't hesitate to request a place that is lower than we're accustomed to. Our position in this world matters only to the extent that we use it to glorify God (James 1:9-11).
Privilege. Realize that many things you may take pride in come through privilege. None of us is truly "self-made"; no matter how hard you've worked, others have made sacrifices to allow you the opportunities and freedoms you enjoy. Remember, it is actually God's grace that has blessed you with whatever knowledge you may credit yourself for having.
No matter what kind of pride we deal with, we must take the focus off of ourselves, turning it first to God and then to others. When we are willing to confront our pride actively, God will replace it with a spirit of humility that fits who we are in Christ.
Humility is a healthy, godly sense of our merits, talents, and achievements. In the life of the believer, one thing stands as an obstacle to humility: pride. To think of oneself above others is the exact opposite of the humble mindset God calls His children to demonstrate (Phil. 2:3). Pride is deceitful in that we might not recognize it in our own hearts. Even more dangerous is the person who is proud on the inside and yet appears humble to others. But God cannot be fooled.
Our heavenly Father hates pride because He knows the destructive power it can have in our lives. When we are proud, what we’re really saying is that we know better than God. He places pride—“haughty eyes”—at the top of the list of seven abominations. That doesn’t mean that He hates the person who is prideful. God loves all of us. Because of that love, He despises anything that will bring harm to us.
Pride blocks our communication with God. Scripture tells us God opposes the proud (James 4:6), so we must recognize that such an attitude will affect communication with Him. We can’t expect the Lord to answer our prayers if we approach Him with a prideful heart. Our worthiness isn’t God’s basis for considering the prayer requests we bring; the fact of the matter is that we are not worthy. God instead responds to our need.
When we attempt to live in our own strength, we can expect God to ruin our successes (2 Chron. 26), ridicule our schemes (Ps. 2:1-5), and remove our status (Dan. 5). He wants us to renounce our pride before it destroys us.
Throughout history, people have debated what happens after death. This subject in many ways remains a mystery since the dead cannot tell of their experiences.
Yet God’s Word contains an abundance of information about life after death. In today’s verses, Paul explains what will happen at Christ’s return—both to the saints who have died and to those still living. First, Jesus will descend from the sky in a way similar to His ascension. (See Acts 1:11.) Then, God will resurrect the bodies of departed believers, whose spirits will have been with Jesus since the moment of physical death (2 Cor. 5:8). Next, Christians who are still alive will be transformed; they’ll rise to meet Jesus in the air and will dwell with Him forever.
While we should strive to glorify the Lord every moment we’re alive, it is important to be aware of these future events. The reason is found in 1 Thessalonians 4:13: “So that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.” In fact, verse 18 tells us to comfort each other with the understanding of what will happen when Jesus returns. Knowing the pain we encounter in this life—from tragedy, loss, fear, and sickness—God gives Christians a glimpse of the wonderful future in store.
What a loving heavenly Father! He understands our pain and gives us such hope, comfort, and strength to endure life’s hardships. Read the Scripture passage again—but this time, in place of the words “those who have fallen asleep,” substitute the name of a departed Christian you love—and bask in the hope that the Father has given.
