Daily Devotional
Guard Against Pride in Religious Leadership
“Another parable He spoke to them: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.’”
Matthew 13:33
June 21, 2024
Ponder This
During His time on Earth, Jesus addressed various groups that were filled with pride. First were the Pharisees—the deeply religious people. They had heads full of Scripture but hearts full of sin. Their religion was external, not internal; they had laws but not life. The Sadducees said, we don’t believe in angels; we don’t believe in spirits; and we sure don’t believe in the resurrection. They were the sophisticated crowd. Herod was a pleasure-mad king: he lived in opulence, and he really didn’t care much for legalism or liberalism, he simply cared for himself. He was a lover of pleasure more than a lover of God.
Though we are far from Jesus’s time on Earth, we are near to these forms of pride—legalism, liberalism, and license. We must be on guard that these forms of pride don’t grow in our hearts and in our churches.
- Which of these forms of pride do you see the most in yourself?
- What results when these things come into the Church?
Practice This
Pray for God’s protection over His Church and His people against legalism, liberalism, and license.
FOR YOUR GIFT TO THE MINISTRY
Front Porch Moments by Gayle Foster
WITH KEY INSIGHTS FROM HER FATHER, ADRIAN ROGERS
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”
