Born Crucified 2

The church world is full of Christian professors and ministers, Sunday School teachers and workers, evangelists and missionaries, in whom the gifts of the Spirit are very manifest, and who bring blessing to multiples, but who, when known "close up," are found to be full of self. They may have "forsaken all" for Christ and imagine they would be ready, like the disciples of old, to die for their Master; but deep down in their hidden, private lives there lurks that dark sinister power of self. Born Crucified Page 55

Pride cartoon

The sin God opposes

James says, "“God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” James 4:6 Solomon had said earlier, "He mocks proud mockers but shows favor to the humble and oppressed." Proverbs 2:24
Pride is the sin that God opposes and James reminds us that we are to humble ourselves. James 4:10
The Bible has much to say about pride and gives many examples of how pride has been the down fall of many people. David wanted to count his people out of pride and God brought judgment upon him. We must deal with pride because if God has to deal with pride in our lives then we will be broken.

The universal sin

Temptations always seem to attack us in our most vulnerable ane weakest areas but one area that everyone struggles with is pride. We may be proud of our riches, our position, our power, our spirituality, even our humility. We may be poor but proud, we may be of low position but proud. When you realize that there is nothing that we have that has not been given to us we have no reason to be proud.
When the Pharisee went down to the temple to pray he wasn't proud that he was righteous because of what he had done but he was proud that he was spiritual because of what the Lord had done him.

The Magi

Some people have pointed out that the Magi who visited Jesus at His birth were from the wise men that had been taught by Daniel. Now this may be true. The wise men may have come from that area and they were students of prophecy. If this is true then they had been influenced by the life and testamony of Daniel. Interesting but how important is it? It doesn't change scripture but it should show us the importance of our influence.

Joseph and Daniel 2

Yesterday we looked at the similarities between Joseph and Daniel so today we will look at the differences.
One main difference is that Joseph spent a number of years in prison while Daniel did spend time in custody it was usually very short. Joseph married and had children while Daniel did not. Joseph did get to see his family again while there is no record that Daniel had any contact with his family.

Joseph and Daniel

When you study Daniel you cannot help but notice the similarities between him and Joseph. They were both taken from their homes at an early age; they were both taken to the court of the powerful; they both remained faithful to their God; they both encountered opposition; they both interpreted dreams; they both rose to a position of responsibility; they both never had the opportunity to return to their home land. That is just some of the similarities.
Next Sunday I am away, in Ecuador I hope, and Mike will be teaching the class. He has agreed to teach about the similarities and the difference between Joseph and Daniel. It should be a great class and I know you won't want to miss it. Sadly, I will have to miss.