The Word To Live By: 5-30-26
Phil Waggoner
You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. 1 Peter 5:5
The Word To Live By: Translation: Listen to the old guy who’s been around God for a while. Most of us have heard the Proverb, “Pride goes before the fall.” In other words, pride will cause you to do things that will bring defeat into your life when you least expect it or need it. Pride takes the glory from God and puts it on you. Pride will cause you to be a people pleaser and not a God pleaser. Huh? “Without faith it’s impossible to please God…” Faith is believing God’s word and its ability to bring the blessing of God into your life and not your effort or gifts. I’m not out to offend anyone but if it comes down to me offending someone or following the Word of God that’s your problem not mine. I have a group of friends who are several years younger than me (5-6 years) that have old people’s problems. Things like bad joints, bad backs, bad hearts and other assorted organs. I do not have any of these problems, but I hear about their problems consistently. Recently one of them was suspended from their job because their boss didn’t feel like they could perform their duties safely, including the safety of those around them. They were complaining to me about it and saying it wasn’t fair because there were other people in the same condition. I was listening to them, trying to calm the situation, when suddenly out of the mouth on one of them came, “What about you? You had a heart attack, and they didn’t do anything about that!” I was shocked and said, “I have never had a heart attack, where did you hear that?” Their reply was, “Yes you have! Everybody knows that!” (I’ll add right here FYI, I didn’t know about it, my wife didn’t know about it, and my doctor didn’t know about it. Several years ago, God healed me of colon cancer and as a result I get two physical a year and everyone of them has shown my heart to be in good shape.) So now I was angry. Not only are you spreading false rumors about me, but you are also calling me a liar! (I didn’t say it but I was thinking it, along with a few other choice words.) I left the situation with my dignity and attitude intact, but still angry on the inside. The next day I was thinking about it and was still angry. I was complaining to God about it and the thought came to me, “You’re angry because your pride was hurt. You think your good health is because of something you are doing. (I exercise and eat right, kinda.) Your good health is because of your faith in God and you’re dangerously close to losing that because of misplaced pride.” I realized that was true and repented immediately. My point is this a lot of us have areas of pride in our lives that we don’t even realize. And those areas are places that are holding us back from developing the things that lead to all that God has for us. Check yourself. Are there areas in your life that you think you have achieved on your own? That’s pride. Remember, it’s in Him you live, and move, and have your being.
Read through the Bible in a year: Romans 5; 1 Samuel 14; Psalms 59;
Read through the New Testament and Proverbs: Proverbs 30, John 7:1-26, Revelation 1
The sum of Thy Word is Truth Psalm 119:160