OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: FRIDAY 23RD OCTOBER 2015

THEME: WISE IN YOUR OWN EYES?

Memorise:
Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.
Psalm 3:7

Read: Psalm 3:5-7
5 I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me.
6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.
7 Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.

Message
One character flaw that has worked against many people all through the ages is pride. Unfortunately, many people fail to recognise pride for what it is; rather, they see it as part of self-respect. Proverbs 21:4 says pride manifests itself in the carriage of a person and in the state of their heart. Not many proud people realise that they are proud. Psalm 73:6 says pride is like a chain around the neck of the proud. In other words, pride cannot be hidden for too long, just as a necklace is seen by all. That Scripture also says that there is a link between pride and violence. If you are proud, you won't be far from evil, violent actions. God always has problems with His children who are proud, because pride is Satan's necklace. You cannot be a child of God and while dressing yourself, you put on the necklace of your Father's enemy! Immediately any child of God wears Satan's necklace, God keeps His distance from the fellow. Are you proud? Are you wearing Satan's necklace? Put it off now if you want God to relate well with you!

How can you identify the proud? A proud fellow thinks he or she is better, superior, wiser and stronger than other people. It is wrong to think you are wiser or better than others. Why? Wisdom comes from God, and He can give it to whoever He wants. If you misuse the wisdom God has given you, He can take it from you or give it to someone else. Also, if you are wise in the things of the world, you ought to be extremely careful and humble, because some people who are walking about the streets as madmen and women were once very wise. There are PhD holders and professors who have become insane. Do not let your wisdom become your undoing. There is a very thin line between wisdom and folly. No matter what you know, you can never be more knowledgeable than God. 1 Corinthians 1:25 says this about God:
"Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men."
An antidote to pride is having the fear of the Lord. Proverbs 3:7 says:
"Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil."
The more you fear God, the less likely you are to be proud. Ask God to increase His fear in your heart.

Key Point:
You cannot put on the robe of righteousness, and thereafter wear Satan's necklace (pride).

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: NUMBERS 35-36 and GALATIANS 4:8-31