Sunday 30 Apr 2017

April 30: Proverbs 21:23-24

Key Verse: Proverbs 21:24
A proud and haughty man— “Scoffer” is his name; He acts with arrogant pride.

Devotion:
What would be the one thing you would never want to lose? Maybe it would it be a friend, or a special something, or maybe it would be all your money... But what about yourself? What about the thought of actually losing your identity? Not just about losing yourself in something, but actually losing who you are because you have given yourself up to so many other things you have buried the real you in the past somewhere! That should be one thing we are always striving to make sure we do not lose.

How easy it is to agree with someone to go off and do something just to keep them quiet or to keep them as friends. How easy it is to give in to a dare and do something you ought not to do. How many of those things have you done just because you said 'yes' at the time? How many of those things have you agreed to do without thinking about the consequences? Once again, your mouth letting loose before your brain has had time to think about things! Keeping your tongue in control not only helps you to stay out of temptation and trouble, but will also make sure you keep your own identity and don't take on someone else's by agreeing to do the things they do!

Most of the time it will be our pride which will keep us from changing our minds after we have agreed to do something that may not be right or good. Most of the time it is just our pride that is leading us off into the wilderness of temptation and sin. The more we deal with it, the more we are going to accept it and even get to agree with it. Our lives are twisted by the things we agree to go off and do! We even get to the stage where we get angry when things go against what we have agreed to do – even though we know that what we have agreed to do is not actually right! We become dealers in pride and anger, losing all sight of whom we used to be. It is that pride that will lead you to shame, not the admission that things are wrong!

Points to Ponder:
Would you like to go back to being you?

Have you asked God for help to refocus your life?