Author: rps4

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JEALOUSY/ENVY

Biblical Definition of Jealousy:
Proverbs 14:30 A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.

Character Study:
Saul –1 Samuel 9-31; Acts 13:21
Saul’s father was a wealthy, influential man named Kish, from the tribe of Benjamin. Saul was also known to be the most handsome man in Israel – head and shoulders taller than anyone else. His wife was Ahinoam; his sons were Jonathan, Malkishua, Abinadab, Ishbosheth and possibly Ishvi. Daughters – Merab and Michal.
1 Samuel 15:22 But Samuel replied: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD? To obey is better than a sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. v23 for rebellion is like the sin of divination and arrogance is like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has rejected you as king.”

Saul is known as:
The first king of Israel:
Saul and one of his servants were out in the hill country of Ephraim, looking for his father’s donkeys. When they could not find the donkeys, his servant suggested that they go and see the prophet (in those days also called a seer), Samuel. When they found Samuel, he instructed Saul to stay with him the night and he would then tell Saul what he wanted to know. In 1 Samuel 10:1-16 Samuel anoints Saul at Ramah by pouring olive oil over his head. He then gives Saul special signs that would be fulfilled to show him that he would be the appointed ruler over Israel.
In vv17-26 Samuel gathers the people in Mizpah and publicly presents them as their first king.
Courage and generosity:
In 1 Samuel 11:1-15, the Spirit of God comes powerfully on King Saul when he is told how King Nahash of Ammon had treated the citizens of Jabesh-Gilead, by gouging out their right eye. He mobilized 330,000 men and launched a surprise attack against the Ammonites before dawn. When the men wanted to know from Samuel where those who had rebelled against Saul were, he said that no one would be executed, because that day the LORD had rescued Israel.
Pride and Disobedience:
In 1 Samuel 13:1-14, we read that Saul took credit for a battle his son Jonathan had won against the Philistines. The Philistines in return mustered a mighty army and camped at Micmash east of Beth-aven. The Israelites became fearful and tried to hide in caves, thickets, rocks, holes and cisterns. Meanwhile, Saul stayed at Gilgal and his men trembled with fear.
In 1 Samuel 10:8 Samuel had instructed Saul to go down to Gilgal and wait there for seven days, assuring him that he will come down there to sacrifice burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Saul became impatient and offered up burnt offerings. When Samuel heard what Saul had done, he reprimanded him in v13
Jealousy and envy:
In 1 Samuel 18 and 19, we read about Saul’s jealousy and envy against David. David did everything Saul assigned him to do successfully, which pleased all the people. After slaying Goliath, the women came out of all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.” Saul became very angry. 1 Samuel18:9 And from that time on Saul kept a close eye on David. The next day, while David played the harp “an evil spirit from God came forcefully upon Saul.” Saul had a spear in his hand and tried to pin David to the wall. Saul became afraid because he realized that: “the LORD was with David but had left Saul.”

There are 8 accounts in the Bible where Saul tried to kill David:
1 Sam. 18:11 – Saul attempts with a spear.
1 Sam. 18:17 and 21 – Saul plots such that his enemies are to do away with David using his older daughter and then younger as David goes to battle with the Philistines. Being the heir to the throne would make David a prime target.
1 Sam. 19:1 – servants ordered by Saul to kill David.
1 Sam. 19:10 – Saul attempts with a spear
1 Sam. 19:11 – Saul sends messengers to kill David.
1 Sam. 19:15 – Saul sends messengers to bring David back so he can kill David.
1 Sam. 19:20 – Saul sends messengers to kill David.
1 Sam. 19:21 – Saul sends messengers again. (third time)
1 Sam. 19:22 – Saul goes himself in an attempt.
1 Sam. 23:15 – Saul sought David in the wilderness of Ziph and Horesh.
1 Sam. 26:2 – Saul seeks David again in Ziph.
(Answers.com)

What the Bible Teaches about Jealousy/Envy:
Old Testament:
When God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses it says in Exodus 20:4-6 that the Israelites were not allowed to have any form of anything in heaven above or on the earth below. They were not allowed to worship or bow down before them: v5b for I the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, v6 but showing love to a thousand generations, for those who love me and keep my commandments.
In Deuteronomy 32:1-43, which is known as “The Song of Moses”, Moses reminds the people that God is a jealous God. The people had made God jealous. v21a They have roused my jealousy by worshiping things that are not of God; they have provoked my anger with their useless idols. – that is foreign gods and detestable idols.
In Joshua 24:1-27 Joshua gives his final speech. He beseeched the Israelites, asking them to decide whether they would obey the LORD, who had proven that He can be trusted, or obey the local gods from the surrounding nations. These gods were hand-made idols.
As we study the Bible we see that Israel sinned over and over again.
We read in Psalm 103:1-22 and also elsewhere in the Bible about God’s great love for us. We will never be able to fathom God’s love for us.
Proverbs 27:4 Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before a jealous God? 
Proverbs is a book of wise sayings written by King Solomon:  for attaining wisdom and discipline; understanding words of insight; acquitting a disciplined and prudent life, and doing what is right and just and fair.
We can use Proverbs to apply divine wisdom and moral instruction to our daily life.

New Testament:
In Matthew 27:11-19 Jesus appeared before Pilate, for the chief priests and elders had Jesus arrested for speaking “blasphemy” (Matthew 26:63-65) It was the governor, in this case, Pilate’s custom, to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. Pilate gives the people a choice between Jesus and Barabbas to decide which one should be released.
v18 For he knew it was out of self-interest (envy) that they had handed Jesus over to him.
In Acts 5:17; 13:45;17:5 we see on different occasions the jealousy of the Jewish leaders against the Apostles and Paul.
Romans 11:11-15 In v13 Paul states categorically that he was appointed by God as the apostle to the Gentiles. Why? V11 Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious.
In 1 Corinthians 3:1-3, Paul addresses the believers of the church in Corinth. When he previously visited them he spoke to them as though they were infants in the Christian life. He now writes to them, because they are still not ready to be called spiritually mature Christians.
James tells us in James 3:13-18 that there are two kinds of wisdom!
– Those who are wise and understanding must show it by leading a good life and deeds done in humility
– When there is jealousy and selfish ambition do not boast about it or deny the truth.

Application:
Jealousy is also known as the “green-eyed monster.” Jealousy and envy go “hand in hand.” At times we don’t even realize that we are jealous or envious of someone’s success, such as their home, family, job, or money.
How do we recognize it?
1. You deceive yourself when someone close to you is going i.e. on holiday. You tell them you are “happy” for them, but your thoughts and feelings are the opposite – you feel angry because you have not been on holiday for a long time.
2. Jealousy or envy can be idolatry when we focus on the material things people around us have. Those are the times we need to be on our “guard” because we can turn around and think that God’s provision and care are not sufficient for us. What we need to do is: Repent knowing God knows our thoughts from afar and He will forgive us.
3. We are faced with a choice when jealousy or envy rears its ugly head. We can be discontent or we can be joyful.
4. Count your blessings when jealousy takes control of your mind i.e. a beautiful sunshine day in winter, a family who loves you “warts and all”, and having Jesus in your life as a friend.

Conclusion:
1 Peter 2:1 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.

Responding in Prayer:
Read Psalm 143:1-12. We can pray this Psalm when we want to ask God for guidance on how to overcome jealousy.
When jealousy/envy fills our thoughts we need to admit to ourselves that we are jealous and stop justifying our sin!
We can then go to the Lord in prayer and confess our jealousy, specifying exactly what we are jealous about.
We can repent before the Lord and ask Him to help us overcome the hopelessness and depression we feel because we do not have what others have.
Praise the Lord for all the blessings He has given you and thank Him for His unfailing love, putting your trust in Him.

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COURAGE

Biblical Definition of Courage:
Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD you God will be with you wherever you go.”

Character Study:
Rahab – Joshua 2:1-22 and 6:22, 23; Matthew 1:5; Hebrews 11:31; James 2:25
The first time we meet Rahab is in Joshua 2:1 when the spies entered the house of a prostitute (possibly an innkeeper) and stayed there. In vv12-13 we see that she lived there with her father, mother, brothers, sisters and extended family. She lived in Jericho and therefore grew up in a pagan environment worshipping idols and false gods.
Hebrew 11:31 By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.
She was married to Salmon and the mother of Boaz. Matthew 1:5

Rahab is known for her:
Courage:
In Joshua 2:2-7 we read that the king of Jericho sent a message to Rahab to bring out the men who had come to her house because they were spies. She acknowledges that the men had come to her, but that at dusk when the city gates closed, they had left and she did not know which way they had gone.  She had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax she had laid out on the roof. It was not only dangerous for her to hide the spies, but she also had to trust her family not to give her secret away. It took courage as it was a case of life and death if she had been found out.
Faith
In Joshua, 2:8-11 she tells the spies that when the people of Jericho heard how the LORD had dried up the water of the Red Sea and their victory over Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, their hearts melted with fear. She believed that: Joshua 2:11b “the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.”  Because Rahab chose faith in the face of fear, she showed her faith in God and for this reason, her family was spared.
Love
Joshua 2:12-16 shows her love for her family. Her request to the spies was that they would not only spare her life, but also the lives of her father, mother, brothers, sisters and all who belong to them, from death. After the spies assured her that they will treat her kindly and faithfully when they invade the land, she lets them down by a rope through the window, because her house was part of the city wall.
*Jewish tradition says that Salmon, one of the two spies was her husband and their son was Boaz. They were the great-great-grandparents of David, the most influential king of Israel. Salmon was the father of Boaz, Boaz the father of Obed, Obed the father of Jesse and Jesse the father of David. Ruth 4:20-22. Matthew 1:5 mentions Rahab in the lineage of Jesus Christ.
Prostitute
Noun for prostitute – a woman who engages in sexual intercourse for money; whore; harlot. (Dictionary.com)
Prostitutes were the social and moral outcasts in Israel.
Why would the spies stop at the house of Rahab, a prostitute? The spies could gather information; her house was built into the city wall; we see God’s hand in this because He knew her heart was receptive to Him and so she would be instrumental in the Israelite’s victory over Jericho

What the Bible teaches about courage:
Old Testament:
In Deuteronomy 31:1-8 Moses went out and spoke to the people, assuring them that the LORD will cross over the Jordan River ahead of them. As he will not be going with them Joshua will cross over ahead of them. They need not fear the nations on the other side, because the LORD will deliver them to the Israelites.
In Joshua 1:1-9 after Moses’s death, the LORD commands Joshua with the same instructions that Moses had given him.
In 1 Chronicles 28:9-21, King David gives his son Solomon principles to live by and also specific plans to build the Temple. In v20 David tells Solomon to be “strong and courageous.”
In 2 Chronicles 32:1-8 When Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah; Hezekiah did everything he could to deal with the situation:
– He blocked off the water springs outside the city;
– He worked hard to repair all the broken sections of the wall and build towers on it and he built another wall outside that one, reinforcing the supporting terraces of the City of David;
– He appointed military officers over the people, assembling them before him in the square at the city gate;
He encouraged them to trust God.
Isaiah 41:10-13.Reading through the Old Testament, we see how God punished the Israelites. We also read that God is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, and abounds in love.  God encourages not only the Israelites but also us.

New Testament:
We see in the Gospels of the New Testament how Jesus on several occasions encouraged people:
Matthew 9:2 Some people brought to Jesus a man that was paralyzed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic: v2b “Be encouraged, my child! Your sins are forgiven.” v6b Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!” (NLT)
Mark 6:45-50 Jesus had told His disciples to get in a boat and go to Bethsaida. During the night a strong wind came up and Jesus saw them straining at the oars because the wind was against them. Jesus proceeded to walk towards them. When they saw Him they were terrified.  Jesus spoke to them reassuring them not to be afraid.
Luke 8:43-48 One day as Jesus was surrounded by the crowd a woman, who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, came up behind Jesus, touching the edge of His cloak. When Jesus asked who had touched His cloak the woman came trembling and fell at His feet. She told Jesus that she had been instantly healed
John 16:33 Jesus encouraged His disciples that in the future they will have trouble after His death. v33 “I have told you these things, so you may have peace in me. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
Acts 22:30 – 23:11 In this passage Paul is ordered to appear before the commander of the Roman troops because he wanted to find out the reason why Paul was being accused by the Jews. A dispute between the Pharisees and Sadducees broke out, so the commander was afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces. He ordered the troops to take him away from them and back to the barracks. v11 The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”
1 Corinthians 16:13-14 In his final instructions to the church in Corinth, Paul urges them to v13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. v14 Do everything in love.

Application:
In a world where we read/hear/see daily the evil that takes place not only in the world but also in our communities; it takes courage to face our fears. One of the things we get from studying our Bible is that God commands us to be courageous. As we saw, in Deuteronomy 31:6 God commands us “to be strong and courageous.” Living courageously is easier said than done. We so easily say we live by faith and not sight, but courage is not the absence of fear; it is acting in spite of fear.
In a world where living an immoral lifestyle has become the order of the day; it is not easy to live a life with traditional and moral Christian values. Jesus tells us in Matthew 16:24-26 that we need to deny ourselves take up our cross daily and follow Him.

Conclusion:
1 John 2:28 And now dear children, continue in Him, so that when He appears we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming.

Responding in Prayer:
Read Psalm 27:1-14  One of the antonyms of courage is fear. We can know that God offers help for today and hope for the future. We learn from David that he sought God’s presence every day. He trusted God at all times. At times it feels as if we are waiting on the Lord in vain and our prayers are not being answered. David had experienced waiting periods in his life – anointed as king when he was 16, but he only became king of Judah at 30. Through it all, he had experienced he could still say that he had confidence in the goodness of the Lord and encourages us with v14 Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD. (New Living Translation – NLT)
Thank the Lord for His faithfulness, because as children of God 1 John 3:1, His compassion never fails; they are new every morning. Ecclesiastes 3:22, 23

Journal – Scripture/Prayers/Thoughts:

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PROMISE

Biblical definition of promise:
Ephesians 6:2 “Honour your father and mother” – which is the first commandment with a promise – v3 “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”

Character Study:
Sarah – Genesis 11-25; Isaiah 51:2; Romans 4:19; 9:9; Hebrews 11:11; 1 Peter 3:6
She was married to Abraham who was her half-brother. She was the daughter of Terah (also Abraham’s father) but with a different mother. (Genesis 20:12) She was barren until the age of ninety when Isaac was born.
(Genesis 21:1-3)
Hebrews 11:11 And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered Him faithful who had made the promise.  She was beautiful. (Genesis 12:11) She became the mother of a nation and an ancestor of Jesus. She died at the age of 127 in Kiriath–Arba. (Genesis 23:1, 2)

Sarah is known for:
Her submission towards Abraham
We read in 1 Peter 3:6 that Sarah obeyed her husband, Abraham and called him her master.
God’s Protection
In Genesis 12:11-13 and 20:12 we see that Abraham acted out of fear and asked Sarah to say that she was his sister. In both incidences, God protected Abraham and his family. In Genesis 12:17 God sent terrible plagues upon Pharaoh and his household “because of Sarai” Abram’s wife. In Genesis 20:16 Abimelech gave Abraham 1,000 pieces of silver to compensate Sarah for any wrong he may have done to her.
God’s promise of a son
Genesis 17:15-19 God changes her name from Sarai to Sarah. God’s promise to Abraham is that He will bless Sarah and she will become the mother of many nations. v16 And I will bless her and give you a son from her! I will bless her richly, and she will become the mother of many nations. Even kings of nations will be among her descendants.
Impatience and jealousy
She became impatient when it came to believe that God’s promises will be fulfilled.
Genesis 16:1-6 She gave her Egyptian servant Hagar as a wife to Abraham. When Hagar became pregnant she treated Sarai with contempt. Sarai duly blamed Abraham who gave her permission to send Hagar away.
Genesis 21:8-10 Abraham had prepared a feast to celebrate Isaac being weaned. Sarah saw Ishmael making fun of her son and demanded that Hagar and Ishmael be sent away.
As a woman of faith
Hebrews 11:11 attributes Sarah with faith because she believed that God would keep His promise, even though she was barren and old.

What the Bible teaches about promise:
Old Testament:
In Numbers 23-24, we read that Balak took Balaam to several places to try and entice him to curse the Israelites. In the second oracle, Balak took Balaam to the field of Zophim on the top of Pisgah. The LORD met with Balaam and told him to give the message that God does not give a promise and then not fulfil it! 
We have the assurance that when God gives us a promise, He will fulfil it because God cannot lie!
In Deuteronomy 23:21one of the commands from the LORD was that when the people made a vow to God, they were to execute it promptly; otherwise, they would be guilty of sin.
In Joshua 23 we read the instructions Joshua gave the people before he died. He reminded them that not one of all the promises God had given them had failed.
In 1 Kings 8:54-66, we read that King Solomon after his prayers and supplications to the LORD, rose from before the altar of the LORD where he had been kneeling with his hands spread out toward the heaven to dedicate the Temple. He praised the LORD for the rest given to His people and the promises he had given His people Israel through Moses.
In Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 the heading in the New Living Translation NLT) says: “Approaching God with Care.” Solomon warns his readers about making foolish promises to God
Isaiah 9:1-7 In this passage the promise of the birth of the Messiah is foretold.

New Testament:
In Luke 24:48 and Acts 1:4, Jesus told the disciples that He would send them what His Father had promised.
Acts 1:5 “For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
In Galatians 3:1-14 Paul reprimands the Galatians because they had begun their lives in the power of the Spirit, but now they were insisting on keeping the Jewish laws!  He reminds them that God had promised Abraham that: “All nations will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:3; 18:18; 22:18) How did God do this? Galatians 3:14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
Hebrews 10:19-25 We are called to persevere because as Christians we now have the confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus. The writer of Hebrews says that we can draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith because God who promised this is faithful.
In James 1:2-18 (This James was the leader of the church in Jerusalem and the half-brother of Jesus, not James the apostle.)  James does not say “If” troubles or temptations come our way, but whenever trials come we should consider it pure joy because in this way our faith develops perseverance
In 2 Peter 3:1-18 Peter addresses the “Day of the Lord” He writes that in the last days, there will be scoffers questioning the “coming” that was promised. For us, it may seem to be very slow, but we are reminded: v8b With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. v9 The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Application:
When we read our Bible, we can find hundreds of promises.
One of the most quoted verses in the Bible is possibly Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD. “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. We can take comfort from this verse, because as it says, not only does God know our future, but there is hope and we are assured that He will go with us. This does not mean that we will never experience pain, suffering or hardship, but we know for certain that God will be with us in our trials.
Jesus gives us this promise to hold onto in John 16:33b In this world you will have trouble. But take heart!  I have overcome the world.
The Promised Land was the huge promise that God had given the Israelites. They forfeited this promise because they hardened their hearts. We need to be mindful to keep a “soft” heart and be willing to be open to hearing God’s voice. There is a warning for us in: Hebrews 3:12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.  When we yearn for God’s promises in our lives, we need to make sure our hearts are submissive to God.

Conclusion:
Philippians 4:19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

Responding in Prayer:
Read Matthew 7:7-11 In His lessons from the Sermon on the Mount (Beatitudes), Jesus taught the people in one of the lessons about asking, seeking and knocking. Jesus tells us to persist in prayer. When we ask according to God’s will – asking for more knowledge, patience, wisdom, love and understanding – He will answer us.
We however need to realise that God does not answer every prayer.
There are conditions for God to answer our prayers:
First, a person must be a child of God – that is being saved by asking forgiveness and receiving Jesus as our Saviour. John 9:31 Then we need to worship Him and do His will.
Hebrews 11:6 We cannot come to God without believing or having faith in God.
Isaiah 59:2 God will not answer our prayers if there is unconfessed sin in our lives.
John 14:13 When we believe that Jesus is the Son of God we must come in the name of Jesus to God the Father.

Journal – Scripture/Prayers/Thoughts:

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PRIDE

Biblical definition of Pride:
1 John 2:16 For everything in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – comes not from the Father but from the world.

Character Study:
Nebuchadnezzar – 2 Kings 24 – 25;  2 Chronicles 36:1-23; Jeremiah 21:1 – 52:34; Daniel 1 – 4
He was the son and successor of Nabopolassar, who delivered Babylon from its dependence on Assyria and laid Nineveh in ruins. Nebuchadnezzar married Amytis, the daughter of the king of the Medes. His son was Evil-Merodach and his grandson was Belshazzar. Daniel 4:37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything He does is right and all His ways are just. And those who walk in pride He is able to humble.

Nebuchadnezzar is known as:
The greatest king of Babylon
In Daniel 1:1-4 we see that in his first year as king, he surrounded Jerusalem, making Judah his vassal state. During his raid of Jerusalem, he took some of the sacred objects from the Temple of God and placed them in the treasure house of his god. He also took some of the wisest men and most beautiful women as captives, instructing Ashpenaz, his chief of staff to make sure the men – of which Daniel was one – were well-versed in every branch of learning, gifted with knowledge and good judgment. He was to train the young men in the language and literature of Babylon.
Nebuchadnezzar’s dream
Daniel 2:1-45 One night the king had a dream that his magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers could not lay out for him, because he refused to tell them the dream. God had allowed Nebuchadnezzar to have a series of dreams that could be revealed and understood only by a servant of God. Nebuchadnezzar was known for his temper and when his wise men could not lay out his dream, he ordered them to be executed. Daniel went to see the king, requesting more time to tell the king the meaning of the dream. Daniel went back and asked his friends to pray with him so that God would reveal the dream to him. From vv27-45 Daniel tells the king what he had dreamt and the meaning of it.
His pride
In Daniel 3:1-6 we read that Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue ninety feet (27.43 meters) tall and nine feet (2.74 meters)  wide setting it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. He gave instructions that at the sound of the musical instruments everyone must bow down and worship the king’s gold statue.
His punishment
In Daniel 4:1-33 Nebuchadnezzar had another dream which Daniel interpreted for him. This time the dream made it clear that he will be driven away from people; he would become insane and will live like a wild animal, eat grass like cattle and be drenched with dew from heaven. This would be for some time.
God gave him 12 months to repent, but unfortunately, there was no repentance in the heart of this proud king. This dream was fulfilled when God humiliated Nebuchadnezzar to show that God, not Nebuchadnezzar was Lord of the nations.
His acknowledgements of God
Daniel 2:47 He acknowledged that God revealed mysteries; 3:28, 29 He praised the God who rescued Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.4:34-37 After being humiliated he says in v34 At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honoured and glorified Him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; His kingdom endures from generation to generation.

What the Bible teaches about pride:
Old Testament:
In Deuteronomy 5-8 Moses summoned all the Israelites to come and hear all the decrees and laws God had given him – “The Ten Commandments.”  In Chapter 6 they are told to “Love the LORD their God” In Chapter 7 they are told to “Drive out all the nations” In Chapter 8 they must “Not forget the LORD” otherwise:
8:14 then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
2 Chronicles 32:24-31 This passage tells of King Hezekiah’s pride and success. Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The LORD answered his prayer and gave him a miraculous sign. 2 Kings 20:8-11
2 Chronicles 32:25 Hezekiah showed pride when a Babylonian envoy visited him and he showed them all the treasures of his kingdom. In v31 we read that God left him to test him and in this way, God would know everything that was in his heart.
Proverbs 29:23 Pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honour. (NLT) This is such a true proverb because we know that pride is the opposite of humility.
In Ecclesiastes 7:1-29 Solomon addresses the advantages of having wisdom for life. He says that patience is better than pride.
Isaiah 2:6-17 is a passage the LORD gave Isaiah as a warning of judgment and what would eventually happen to Jerusalem. In Revelation 21 we see the fulfilment of this prophecy in the New Jerusalem.
We can be sure that there will come a day of reckoning when the proud and mighty will be punished and only the Lord will be exalted on that Day of Judgment.

New Testament:
Luke 1:46-55.This passage is known as “The Magnificat – Mary’s Song of Praise. In v48b she says: “From now on all generations will call me blessed.” This was not a statement of pride. Instead, she was recognizing that God had given her a great gift. She continues that His mercy extends to those who fear Him.
In Romans 11:11-36 Paul addresses both the Jews and the Gentiles. In v13 he acknowledges that he was appointed as an apostle to the Gentiles. From vv16-24 he is speaking to the Gentiles, warning them not to feel superior to those Jews who have been rejected.
1 Peter 3:8-12 In these verses Peter addresses five characteristics that a believer should display:
– Everyone should agree;
– feeling for each other;
– be loving towards each other;
– pity your fellow believer;
– as we have seen previously the opposite of pride is humility – therefore be humble.
1 John 2:15-17 In this passage John tells us why we should not love the world and what it offers us!  When we love the world, we do not have the love of the Father in us. The world offers a craving for physical pleasure; a longing for everything we see; pride in our achievements and possessions. Those who do what pleases God will have eternal life.

Application:
The late New Testament scholar John Stott said, “Pride is more than the first of the seven deadly sins; it is itself the essence of all sin.”
It is a known fact that we all struggle with pride.
How can we prevent being proud? We can go to the Bible and see what is written: Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.
Proud people do not acknowledge their weaknesses, and strangely enough, they usually do not realize that pride is their problem.
How can we recognize pride in our own life?
Being spiritually proud – Jesus constantly corrected the Pharisees for practising religion just to be seen by others. In Luke 18:9-14 Jesus told the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. This passage is a good example with which we can compare ourselves regularly. Are we “Pharisees” or “Tax Collectors?”
Matthew 6 vv1and 5 In the Beatitudes Jesus warns us to be careful not to do our “acts of righteousness’ before men.
Give God all the glory for things he has done, is doing and will still be doing in your life.
Having an attitude of “I don’t care” is a form of pride. There is not a person alive that can say they are not hurt when criticized unnecessarily.
Do not be presumptuous before God – we need to be careful how we approach God, because He is Holy, Holy, Holy,  Lord God Almighty.  It is written in Psalm 2:11 Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling. 
As a believer, there are times when we do not have the confidence to come before God because we feel our sins are too great. We think this is “humility” but in reality, this can also be a kind of pride. We forget that we have been saved by grace and not by ourselves.
There are many different kinds of pride: seek the Lord to help you recognize when you display “pride.”

Conclusion:
Proverbs 11:2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

Responding in prayer:
Read Psalm 25:1-22 Praying for humility will keep us from pride.
As believers, we need to continually be lifting our souls to God. We know that when our hope is in the Lord, we will not be put to shame. We can ask the Lord to show us His ways, teach us His paths, and guide us in His truth because our hope is in Him all day long.
Pride is so subtle that when we say “That was a job well done!” we should become alarmed.
We should confess our pride to the Lord. When we keep our eyes fixed on the Lord. He will release us from the snare of pride.

Journal – Scripture/Prayers/Thoughts:

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CRITICISM

Biblical Definition of Criticism:
Romans 14:10 You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.

Character Study:
Miriam – Exodus 1:22 – 2:4; Exodus15:20-21; Numbers 12:1-16;  Numbers 20:1; Deuteronomy 24:9; 1 Chronicles 6:3; Micah 6:4
She was the eldest daughter of Amram and Jochebed, and her brothers were Aaron and Moses.
In Exodus 1:22 – 2:4 we read that Pharaoh gave an order that every boy child born to the Hebrews was to be thrown into the Nile. Moses’ mother Jochebed made a papyrus basket, coated with tar and pitch. She placed Moses in it and placed him among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. His sister Miriam stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.
Numbers 12:1 Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. v2 “Has the LORD spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” And the LORD heard this.

Miriam is known as:
Using her initiative
In Exodus 2:5-9 Pharaoh’s daughter discovers the baby amongst the reeds; Miriam asks her whether she could get one of the Hebrew women (her mother) to nurse him until he is a little older.
Prophetess
Exodus 15:20-21 After having been delivered – passing on dry ground through the Red Sea – Miriam led the women in song and dance
Assisted Moses to lead the people out of Egypt
She was also acknowledged as the leader of all the women who fled from Egypt with their families. She influenced the women – they would listen to her ideas and words such as when she led them in song and dance after crossing the Red Sea.
Micah 6:4 I brought you up out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. I sent Moses to lead you also Aaron and Miriam.
Her criticism of Moses and the consequence thereof
In Numbers 12:1-16 We read that Miriam and Aaron criticised Moses because,
1. He had married a Cushite wife because Hebrews condemned marriage with any foreigner.
2. His authority over them, since he was the youngest of the three.
At once the LORD called the three of them to go out to the Tent of Meeting. The LORD summoned Miriam and Aaron to step forward and spoke to them Numbers 12:6-9. Because of His anger towards them, He left them. When Aaron turned towards Miriam, he saw that her skin was as white as snow – she had a defiling skin disease. Moses cried out to the LORD to heal her. The LORD replied that she had to be confined outside the camp for seven days.

What the Bible teaches about criticism:
Old Testament:
In Joshua 9:1-27 we read how the Gibeonites resorted to deception to save themselves after hearing what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai. When Joshua confronted them they replied that they had come from a distant land. When the Israelites examined their provisions they found that the bread was mouldy, the wineskins were split open and their clothes and sandals were worn out. Joshua made a peace treaty with them which guaranteed their safety.  The one thing the leaders did not do was inquire with the LORD about the treaty. After the deception is discovered the Israelites “criticized” the leaders, because of the treaty.
2 Samuel 6:20-23 After the Ark was brought back to the Temple in Jerusalem, we read that David went home to bless his own family. His wife Michal, the daughter of Saul went out to meet him, criticizing him for his behaviour. David retorted that he was dancing before the LORD and he was willing to humiliate himself in his own eyes, even before the servant girls Michal mentioned because they would think of him as being distinguished. Because of her criticism, Michal had no children to the day of her death.
Job 6 In Job’s second speech to Eliphaz in one of his questions he asks: v25 Honest words can be painful, but what do your criticisms amount to? (NLT)
Ezekiel 34:1-6 Ezekiel criticizes the shepherds/leaders of Israel for taking care of themselves rather than taking care of their people. He names some of the sins God are criticizing them for: They drink the milk, wear the wool, butcher the animals and let the people starve. They have not taken care of the weak, tended to the sick, bound up the injured or gone looking for those who have wandered away and are lost. Instead, they have ruled them with harshness and cruelty.

New Testament:
Matthew 11:20-24 Jesus had performed many miracles in the cities of Bethsaida, Korazin and Capernaum. Because of their unbelief, Jesus criticized them. These cities would suffer greater punishment, because of their unbelief. Jesus says that if He had performed miracles in Tyre, Sidon and Sodom, the people there, would have repented of their sins. These people would be better off on the Day of Judgment than those who had witnessed His miracles.
Romans 14:1-23 is a passage about “The danger of Criticism” –The believers in Rome were divided over special diets and special days. Paul was saying those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honour Him; those who eat any kind of food do so to honour the Lord since they give thanks to God before eating; those who refuse to eat certain foods also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God.
Paul continues by saying that all of us will one day have to give an account to God.
Titus 2:1-8 is a passage on how to: “Promote Right Teaching” in the church.
Paul advises Titus to be an example by doing what is good and reflecting the integrity and seriousness of his teaching. Titus’ teaching must be above reproach so that no one can criticize him.
James 4:1-12 James advises the people to submit themselves to God. In verses 11-13, he gives examples of what not to do i.e. to not criticize a “brother or sister.” Obedience to the law is to love God with all your heart, soul and mind and to love your neighbour as yourself. (Matthew 22:37-40) We have no right to criticize someone else.

Application:
We have all been criticized at one time or another in our lives. It is how we respond to criticism that is not so easy.
Our normal reaction to criticism is to become defensive or antagonistic or even have an attitude of “I don’t care when people criticize me.”
Defensive – we deny, explain or make excuses to show that the criticism is off base and is not valid.
Antagonistic – we counterattack with accusations regarding their motives, hoping to punish them for daring to attack us in the first place. The Bible says in Proverbs 15:1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
James 1:19-20 gives us three things to do when criticized:
a) Be quick to listen – this is not easy, because we can feel our emotions rising up and at the same time we are thinking of ways to counterattack. There might be truth in what the other person is saying.
b) Be slow to speak – you must allow the other person to finish his/her “criticism.” If you speak too quickly you might lash out in anger and say unnecessary things.
c) Be slow to become angry – v20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.
Memorize Scripture verses so that at those times when you are being criticized you can say: “It is written”
Psalm 119:11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
Pray about criticism. Ask the Lord for wisdom. There are times we don’t see what someone else sees.
When we are doing the Lord’s work there will be times that we are criticized – be careful that it does not become a case of “Woe is me”

Conclusion:
1 Peter 2:23 When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.

Responding in Prayer:
Read Psalm 43:1-5 This Psalm can be of great comfort in a time of discouragement, especially when we are being criticized. When this happens our only hope is in God.
Just as the Psalm writer asked God that His light and truth guide him to His holy mountain that is the Temple, where he would meet God, we can ask the same. We read in 1 John 1:5 that God is light and that there is no darkness in Him. 1 John 2:27 says that God’s truth is the Holy Spirit living within us. All we have to do is be attentive and He will provide us with the right path to follow. There is nothing more wonderful than when we feel discouraged to go to God who is our joy and delight, and praise Him. At times like this, start counting your blessings and you will be amazed at what God has done.

(All Scriptures are from the New International Version (NIV) unless otherwise stipulated)

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