Pride Will Bring You Low

                                                     When The Door Slams

A man's pride will bring him low, But the humble in spirit will retain honor.                                                                                                                                                 Proverbs 29:23 

        Pride is the enemy of Christian. Pride is an overly high opinion of yourself. It motivates you to do things that you know are not Christlike, and hinders you from doing what bring glory to God. Pride influenced Adam and Eve to try to become like God (Gen. 3:5). Pride motivated Cain to murder his brother (Gen. 4:5). Pride caused King Saul to resent David so deeply that he tried to murder him            (1 Sam. 18:8). Pride led King Hezekiah to foolishly reveal his nation's wealth to his enemies (Isa. 39:2). Pride was at the root of the Pharisees' anger toward Jesus. Pride was the reason the disciple argued over rank in the kingdom (Luke 9:46). 

        Think about this: Pride is your relentless enemy. If you succumb to its influence, there will be consequences. You may know that you have offended someone, but pride holds you back from asking forgiveness or telling the truth. You may realize you need to reconcile a broken relationship with trust, but pride will lead you to lie or deny the need. 

        The Spirit may convict you that you are living a sinful lifestyle, but pride will discourage you from admitting the true. Pride will convince you that you deserve better treatment. Pride will hold back your serving others. Instead, pride will have you striving for places of respectability. Pride will have you listen to flatterers and ignore honest counselors. Pride will lead you to isolate yourself so that you are not accountable to others. Pride is demonic, and it will bring you shame and disgrace 

        Humility, on the other hand, is pleasing to God and places your life in a position where God will honor you. If pride has crept into some areas of your life, get spiritual counseling and ask God to give you victory over it before pride robs you of God's will for you. 

Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin.                                  Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.       

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Lean Not On Your Own Understanding

                                                     When The Door Slams    

There is a way that seems right to a man, But it's end is the way of death.                                                                                                                                                  Proverbs 16:25

        Things are not always what they seems. Proverbs warns that we can be deceived into believing we are going down the right path and yet be heading toward death, the opposite direction from God's will.  People do not naturally seek Good or pursue His righteousness (Rom. 3:10-18). 

        Only as the Spirit awakens our hearts to the Person of Christ are we able to desire God's will. If we make decisions apart from the guidance of the Spirit of God. We will become like the way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know what makes them stumble. We will do what makes the most sense, based on own our understanding. 

        What looks attractive may actually lead to sin, ultimately destroying what is precious to us, for our most best human thinking is mere foolishness to God (1 Cor. 1:18-20). Only God knows the way that leads to life, and He wants to lead us to walk in it (Matt7:13-14).

        Think about this: Don't assume every opportunity that arises is from God. Satan will disguise himself as an "angel of light, lies and his invitations will seem to be your best interest (2 Cor. 11:14). Yet his way leads only to death (John 8:44). The Word of God will be like a light to your path, guiding you in the ways of righteousness (Psalm 119:105).

        It can dangerous to follow a path that seems right without first consulting the Holy Spirit for guidance (John 16:13). Take time to seek the Holy Spirit's direction when you face decisions. He knows the full ramifications of your choice. The Holy Spirit will assist you to understand truth and to experience abundant life. Be obedient to the Word of God. Trust Him as He leads you.

        Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh and strength to your bones (Proverbs 3:5-8).      

Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin.                                  Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.                

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Praying With Weak Faith

                                                     When The Door Slams

When she recognized Peter's voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate. But they said to her, "You are beside yourself!" Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, "It is his angel." Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.                           Act 12:14-16 

        You can say prayers in your mind but doubt in your heart. At times God will answer such prayers as He did when Peter was in prison, scheduled for execution. The believers in Jerusalem were powerless to free him, so they prayed. When God released Peter, their reaction revealed the doubt in their hearts. They argued that Peter could not possibly be free, even as he stood outside knocking on the door!

        Is it possible to be a "person of prayer" and yet not have faith? Is it possible to fool yourself into believing that because you ask God for help, you have faith in His ability to meet your needs? Is your faith so weak that you are surprised when God answers your prayer? As a child of God, you ought to expect God to answer your prayers. Do you ask God to do something without adjusting your life to what you are praying for? If you are praying for revival, how are you preparing for its coming? If you are praying for forgiveness, did you repent? Are you still living with guilt? If you have asked God to provide for your needs, do you remain worried and anxious?

        Think about this: If you are not obedient to God's Word, will He answer your prayer? If you are not obedient to God's Word, will you trust Him? If you are not obedient to God's Word, will you give Him glory? If you are not obedient to God's Word, can your weak faith move this mountain from your life? If you are not obedient to God's Word, will He give you spiritual wisdom? If you are not obedient to God's Word, will you see the kingdom of heaven?

        Ask God to increase your faith, and then begin living a life that reflects absolute trust in Him. Out of His grace, God may choose to respond to your requests despite your lack of faith, but you will miss the joy of praying in faith.

Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin.                                    Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.      

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Obedient Is The Keys Of The Kingdom

                                                     When  The Door Slams

"And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."                                                                                                                               Matthew 16:19

        The keys of the kingdom represent the access you have to the Father through your obedient relationship to Jesus Christ. With this relationship you have access to everything that is accessible to Christ. However, this access is not given indiscriminately; Jesus gave the keys to His disciples only after they recognized that He was the Christ. 

        Once the disciples were convinced that Jesus was the Savior, they entered into a unique and personal relationship with Him. Their relationship to Jesus gave them direct access to their heavenly Father. Likewise, your obedient relationship with Christ opens the door of heaven for you and gives you direct access to the Father. 

        Peter discovered that once he had keys to the kingdom, he could go to the Father in every situation. When he stood to preach before thousands on the day of Pentecost, this simple fisherman opened the door to the kingdom for three thousand people in one day (Acts 2:41). When he encountered a lame man, he used his access to God and His healing power, and the man was healed (Acts 3:6). When he was imprisoned, Peter discovered that the keys of the kingdom could open even the most secure prion door (Acts 12:6-10).

        Think about this: If you are a Christian you, too, have keys to the kingdom of heaven. You do not need an intermediary, for you have an unobstructed access to God. With obedient to the Father come all the resources you need to face any circumstance. When you are afraid, you have access to God's peace that surpasses all comprehension (Phil. 4:6) When you have a broken relationship, you have access to the God of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18-21) When you meet someone in need, you have access to God's provision for that person. What an incredible privilege to be obedient, entrusted with keys to the kingdom of heaven. No obedient, No kingdom of heaven.

Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin.                                Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.  

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But If Not, I will Still Trust The Lord

                                                      When The Door Slams

"A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except                 the sign of the prophet Jonah." And He left them and departed.           Matthew 16:4   

        Asking God for a miracle may indicate a lack of faith. Some feel they demonstrate great faith by continually asking God for miracles. They assume that in every situation God wants to do the spectacular. They presume, for example, that God wants to heal anyone who is sick or provide a miraculous escape from every difficulty they face. 

        Jesus condemned those who insisted that He perform miracles, because He knew their hearts. He recognized that they could not believe Him without constantly undergirding their faith with signs. Their faith was not strong enough to survive without a regular supply of the miraculous. Jesus condemned this lack of faith and left them.

         There are times when we prefer the miracle over the miracle worker. God calls this idolatry, and He discouraged it by refusing to provide miracles on demand (Jer. 2:11-13). Sometimes the greatest act of faith is not to ask for a miracle. One of the most amazing statements of faith in the Old Testament came from Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as they faced the fiery furnace because of their obedience to God. 

        They expressed true faith when they assured king Nebuchadnezzar: "If the God we serve exists, then He can rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and He can rescue us from the power of you, the king. But even if He does not rescue us, we want you as king to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up" (Dan. 3:17-18). They were confident in God's ability to deliver them, but they trust Him so completely that they did not ask to be spared. 

        Think about this: Does your faith need miracles to sustain it? Or do you trust God so totally that you can say, "But if not, I will still trust the Lord".  

Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin.                             Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.

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The Word Of God Judges Your Heart And Mind

                                                       When The Door Slams

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.                                                                        Hebrew 4:12 

        Does God's Word ever cause you discomfort? When you read the Bible, does what you read make you uneasy? Do you find, when you listen to sermons, that the Scripture seems aimed directly at you? You are experiencing the reality that the Word of God is alive and can read your thoughts and judge your intentions. 

        When God's Word speaks to you it is always for a purpose. God knows your heart and knows what you need to do to bring your life into conformity to Christ. If you have a problem with sinful talk, the Word that comes to you will address the tongue. If you are struggling to forgive, God's Word will confront you with His standard for forgiveness. If pride has a stronghold in your life, God's Word will speak to you about humility. 

        God Word speaks clearly of the evil, the wickedness of falsely accusing another person, of giving untrue testimony on the stand in court, or just lying or twisting or exaggerating so-called "facts" into misrepresenting the truth.... those who break the ninth commandment in this way are every bit as committed to a life of crime with other varieties of professional crooks and liars. Whatever sin needs addressing, you will find you are confronted by God's Word on the matter.

        Think about this: One way you can escape the discomfort of conviction is to avoid hearing God speak to you. You may neglect reading your Bible and stay away from places where it is taught. You may avoid those whom you know will uphold the truths of Scripture. The best response, however, is to pray as the psalmist did: "Search me, God, and know my heart" (Ps. 139:23). Regularly allow the Word of God to wash over you and find any sin or impurity (Eph. 5:26). Always make the connection between your life and what God is saying to you through His Word. Make a habit of taking every word from God seriously, knowing that it is able to judge your heart and mind. 

Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin.                                Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Tim for His forgiveness.      

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Before You became A Christian

                                                        When The Door Slams 

Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat fall into the ground and dies, it remains alone;        but if it dies, it produces much grain.                                                        John 12:24 

        Some things must die in order to be productive. Certain seeds will not germinate into a plant unless they freeze during the winter. Jesus knew that His death would bring salvation to the world. 

        The moment you became a Christian, your sinful nature died (Rom.6:6), but there remained sinful aspects of your character that had not gone to their graves willingly. Before you became a Christian, were you self-centered liar? You may discover selfishness and lying lingering in your life when you ought to be freely sharing what you have in the name of Christ (Matt. 10:8).

        Did you have a volatile temper? Now as a believer, you experience moments when anger wells up within you. Were you driven by ambition? You may still find yourself with the same motivation as you strive for recognition and position in the kingdom of God.

        If these sinful attitudes are allowed to remain alive, they will stifle the fruits of the Spirit. Your temper may prevent some from coming to Jesus. Your selfishness and lying will hinder you from being a blessing to those around you. Your ambition could cause you to use others to meet your goals. Your family may be suffering because of some areas of your life that you have never allowed Jesus to put to death. It is futile to say, "But that's just the way I am!"  

        Think about this: That is the way you were. But that person died with Christ; you are a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). Allow God to complete His work in you and see what fruit your life produces. 

Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin.                          Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.

                                                                                    Never Rest Ministries