My blog

Tag: #ChristianLiving

  • When Pride Blinds Us:

    Have you ever read a passage of Scripture and realized that, although it was written to a specific people in a specific time, its message is just as relevant today?

    Obadiah 1:3 is one of those verses. Though steeped in history, its truth is timeless:

    “The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; you who say in your heart, ‘Who will bring me down to the ground?’” — Obadiah 1:3

    Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament, written by a prophet whose name means “servant of Yahweh.” Though little is known about him, biblical scholars believe the book was written after the destruction of Jerusalem in 585 B.C. His message was directed toward the nation of Edom, descendants of Esau, who had grown prideful and arrogant.

    Understanding the Context

    Edom took pleasure in the downfall of Judah, their long-standing rival, when Jerusalem was seized. Because of their arrogance and lack of compassion, God brought judgment against them. Their pride deceived them into believing they were untouchable— secure in their own strength and safe in their mountain fortresses. The Edomites lived in modern day in Petra in modern day Jordan. You probably remember it from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

    But no human power can stand against God.

    How This Applies Today

    The pride of Edom is a warning for us today. Pride is deceptive—it makes us believe we are self-sufficient, that we don’t need God, that we are somehow above correction. Nations, groups, and individuals alike can fall into this trap, thinking they are beyond accountability. But Scripture reminds us, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).

    Our human nature leans toward pride, but God calls us to humility. The path of pride leads to downfall, while humility draws us closer to Him. Jesus Himself modeled this, humbling Himself even to the point of death on a cross (Philippians 2:8). True strength is found in surrendering to God, not in exalting ourselves.

    A Call to Self-Reflection

    Pride isn’t always obvious. It can creep in through self-reliance, defensiveness, or an unwillingness to admit when we’re wrong. The key is recognizing it before it takes root. So let’s ask ourselves: Am I trusting in my own strength, or am I relying on God? Am I walking in humility, or am I clinging to pride?

    Let’s learn from Edom’s mistake and choose humility. Because in the end, no fortress, no position, no power can stand against the authority of God. But those who humble themselves before Him will find grace, strength, and true security.

    How do you guard yourself against pride? Share your thoughts in the comments!

  • The PRAY Method:

    Recently, on a Sunday morning at church a young lady I’d seen at various services but had never met,  greeted me at the door. She commented on how I pray in our Wednesday and Sunday evening prayer time.  Her words startled me. I had expected, “I love how you belt out your prayers.”

    The reason I was surprised was because it took me many years to have enough confidence to pray out loud within a group setting, even if it was just a few people.  These days, it could be anywhere from ten to thirty people and sometimes more in those group settings.

    I was raised in a household where the same prayers were said over and over and over again.

    As I look back, I can see how God was moving me little by little in a direction He wanted me to go (I rebelled on many occasions, and I suffered the consequences of that rebellion just like any other child of God).

    It all started when I was taking classes as an eight year old to make my first communion, I remember asking the Sister (the nun who was teaching our class), what prayers do I say when I come back from communion. Somehow, her response didn’t seem out of the ordinary… not then and certainly not now.

    What was her response?

    “Talk to Jesus as if He were standing right in front of you.”

    I took her suggestion and “talked” to Jesus after communion from that first time until now. But that wasn’t standard practice in the Catholic faith. While I continued to go to the Catholic church, it was just a routine. There was no relationship there other than when I had communion. And even then, I wondered if Jesus heard me talking to Him. (Today, I know He did… because He stood beside me throughout all my trials… I just didn’t see it then.)

    Years went by, and I suffered through a traumatic divorce. It was an exceptionally low time in my life. I didn’t have an education (other than high school), and couldn’t find a job, plus I had two grade-school aged children.  How would I manage?

    My brother’s wife suggested I meet with some ladies and they would pray for me. I figured it couldn’t hurt and it might help.

    When I went there, these lovely women prayed for me. At the end of our time, one of them asked a very insightful question: “Do you know where you are going when you die?”

    At that moment I really wasn’t sure if I was going to heaven or hell, but I desperately wanted to go to heaven. I prayed the sinner’s prayer that night and was encouraged to attend church with them. One of the women waited for me outside the church (at the time we were meeting in a high school auditorium).

    I’d never been to a service quite like that one and I became hungry to know more. I tell you all of this just to get to the part where I learned to pray.

    I wanted to be effective in my praying. My first pastor told us the Lord’s prayer is a model for how to pray. I didn’t know that. We were never taught from the Bible other than the small set of verses said in mass every week.

    Matthew 6:7-8 tells us not to use vain repetition, because He already knows what we have need of.

    But I was struck by the first part of Matthew 6:9, where the Jesus tells His disciples, “In this manner, therefore pray:”  It doesn’t say to pray that prayer, although you can… on occasion. Just don’t be rote about it.

    Our pastor gave a message on prayer that has stayed with me ever since. Oh, I’ve heard other acronyms over the years to help with prayer… but the acronym PRAY seemed the easiest for me to remember.

    P=Praise

    Praise God for who He is and what He has done for you.  If you have trouble finding words to praise Him… turn to the Psalms to help you.  (Even if you have to read them to start your prayer time… it’s a good thing!) Mix and match as the spirit leads!

    • Psalm 8 and Psalm 19 speak of God’s Majesty
    • Psalm 47 and Psalm 96 speak of God’s Sovereignty.
    • Psalm 103 and Psalm 145 speak of God’s Goodness and Faithfulness
    • Psalm 148 and Psalm 150 gives praise to God for all creation.

    R=Repent and give thanks

    Ask forgiveness for sins you have committed, the known and unknown sins. No one is sinless and God will forgive you, if you repent and turn away from it… At least try to turn away from it.

    Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

    Give thanks for the blessings in your life. I usually thank God for His provision, for my family, my church and any other thing that comes to mind because it is all His anyway.

    1 Thessalonians 5:18 “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

    A=Ask for others

    This is where you pray for others. It can be anything from health, to relationships, to finances, to whatever is going on in your family and friends’ lives. You can even extend the prayers to other nations and peoples.

    (My husband and I pray from our weekly prayer list that we get from our church, but you can start your own prayer list with a journal.)

    Y=Ask for Yourself

    Pray about your needs by asking the Lord to favor you after you have praised Him, asked for forgiveness, and prayed for others showing a true humble spirit.

    I have found this method to be an effective way to pray. Not only do your words not become rote but you find more and more to pray about.

    I remember my prayer time was short when I first started praying this way, as time went by, (and I commuted about thirty minutes to work) I found that was the best time for me to pray. So it was on the way to work and on the way home that became my prayer time. It worked for me back then. My prayer time has evolved, and I pray throughout the day, after my husband and I pray corporately. It’s great to get into the habit of doing it.

    Find a time that works for you.  How do you pray? Do you have a method? Please share your thoughts below.