WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
NOVEMBER 11, 2024
TOPIC: BEWARE OF PRIDE AND INGRATITUDE (2)
BY T. O. BANSO
“The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished” (Proverbs 16:5 New International Version).
Yesterday’s devotional focused on how God healed King Hezekiah but when the ambassadors from the King of Babylon came to him after his recovery, he was proud and ungrateful to God. Instead of telling them how God healed him, he showed them all his wealth and armoury (Isaiah 39:1-2). Today’s devotional will conclude this topic.
When the Prophet Isaiah went to Hezekiah and asked him about the identity of his visitors and what they had seen, he replied that they came from Babylon and had seen all in his house, including his treasures. “Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, ‘Hear the word of the Lord: ‘Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and what your fathers have accumulated until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,’ says the Lord. ‘And they shall take away some of your sons who will descend from you, whom you will beget; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon’” (Isaiah 39:16-18 New King James Version).
Did you see what Hezekiah’s pride and ingratitude caused? However, his reaction showed he was only concerned about peace during his reign, not the trouble that would befall Jerusalem in the future because of the Babylonian ambassadors he showed everything. In the future, Babylon would turn against Judah and plunder everything, as Isaiah said. Verse 19 says, “So Hezekiah said to Isaiah, ‘The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good!’ For he said, ‘Will there not be peace and truth at least in my days?’” (New King James Version). Hezekiah should have trusted in God for Judah’s protection rather than trying to impress the Babylonian envoys to have an alliance with him which would ensure assistance against any military attack.
But it wasn’t the weapons in his armoury that gave him victory over Sennacherib of Assyria (2 Chronicles 32:20-22). Hezekiah didn’t kill the Assyrian soldiers. Isaiah 37:36 puts it thus: “Then the angel of the Lord went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses—all dead” (New King James Version). Hezekiah should have praised God who healed him and defeated the Assyrians rather than trying to magnify himself before these envoys.
If someone cannot manage riches and honour well, he will become proud and go astray. Remember that Hezekiah had great riches and honour (2 Chronicles 32:27-30). He became proud and didn’t show God gratitude when the Babylonian envoys visited him. Beware of pride and ingratitude! Don’t show off.
Riches and honour come from God (Ecclesiastes 6:2). Don’t be proud and go into error because of them. God gives human beings the power to get wealth (Deuteronomy 8:17-18). He has promised wealth and honour to those who fear Him (Psalm 112:1, 3). But be careful you don’t become proud because of them. “The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished” (Proverbs 16:5 New International Version).
Don’t put your trust in your riches (Psalm 62:10b). Paul told Timothy to “Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others” (1 Timothy 6:17-18 New Translation Version).
Pride proceeds from the heart (Mark 7:21-22). Search your heart and repent of pride. Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall (Proverbs 16:18). When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom (Proverbs 11:2). God will punish the proud (Ezekiel 28:2-10; Isaiah 13:11; 16:6-7; Jeremiah 13:15; 50:31-32; Zephaniah 2:9-11; Ezekiel 30:6-8, 18; Daniel 4:37; Obadiah 1:1-4; Zechariah 9:6; 10:1; Malachi 4:1). Beware of pride and ingratitude.
Do you remember the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector in Luke 18:9-14? God rejected this proud Pharisee while the tax collector, a sinner, went home justified. Jesus said, “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:14 New Kings James Version).
This Pharisee was guilty of religious pride. He believed fasting twice a week, tithing, and self-righteousness would make God answer his prayer. But the tax collector, whom he despised, admitted he was a sinner and asked for mercy as he stood at a distance, not even looking up to heaven, but beating his breast. He went home justified before God. Beware of self-righteousness and religious pride. You cannot earn your way to heaven. Your self-righteousness is like filthy rags before God.
Do you also remember the story of Lucifer in Isaiah 14? Lucifer lost his place in heaven because of pride. Isaiah 14:12-15 says, “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit’” (New Kings James Version).
Don’t let your wealth, position, or achievements make you so proud that you don’t show gratitude to God. In 1 Peter 5:6, the Apostle Peter says you should humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time. As Jesus said, whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted (Matthew 23:12). Humble yourself.
Ingratitude is a sin. Humble people have no problem showing gratitude. Cultivate a lifestyle of thanksgiving. Hezekiah wrote a poem to thank God immediately after he was healed but probably he didn’t cultivate a lifestyle of thanksgiving, and gave in to pride when the Babylonian envoys came.
Jesus healed ten lepers but only one, a Samaritan, came back to show gratitude – the remaining did not return to acknowledge their healing and thank Him (Luke 17:12-19). Respond appropriately to God’s kindness God to you; be humble and thank Him.
God was angry with Hezekiah, Judah, and Jerusalem because of Hezekiah’s pride. But when he and the people of Jerusalem repented, the wrath of the LORD did not come upon them in Hezekiah’s days (2 Chronicles 32:26). Repent of pride. Thank God always for what He has done for you. God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5). God hates pride and ingratitude, hate them too.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. Take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You must join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: Father, deliver me from religious pride. Holy Spirit, help me humble myself under the mighty hand of God so that He will lift me in due time. I receive grace from God as I humble myself. God will not resist me.
(For over 900 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org
