Crowning himself king

This picture was taken of the painting of The Coronation of Emperor Napoleon I and of the Empress Josephine in the Notre-Dame de Paris, from the book Exploring World History part 2, by Ray Notgrass, 2014, p 580

“As the pope approached Napoleon with the crown, Napoleon took the crown and placed it on his own head. Napoleon did not want to answer to anyone.” Ray Notgrass, Exploring World History part 2, 2014, p. 580

He crowned himself king.

As arrogant as this action speaks to us of the pride of Napoleon, we dare not pass it off as merely one man’s error.

For arrogance is simply the offspring of self being allowed to rule within one’s heart.

We might fool ourselves or others, as to the extent we allow self to rule.

But God is never fooled.

Not only is He always aware of the complete standing of one’s heart, He is also seeking to teach us what is there as well.

Our teachability comes from who sits upon the throne of our heart.

“While Judas called Jesus ‘Rabbi’ (Matt. 26:49), there is no record that he used the term ‘Lord’. It has always been possible to claim allegiance to God without ever handling over the soul’s title deed…How many attend church regularly and give Jesus intellectual assent, but not their hearts? How many call Him King, only to assume their own thrones?” Charles Stanley, The Life Principles Bible, Nelson Bibles, 2005, page 1257

Have I crowned myself king?

Or do I allow God to rule my heart?

The Lord knows the truth and we should be honest within ourselves as to that truth as well.

Because God doesn’t share lordship.

Either we grant Him the place He deserves our we don’t, it’s never a partial thing.

Luke 16:13 KJV — No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

“That faith alone is true which rests on God alone, that confidence which relies but partly on the Lord is vain confidence.” C. H. Spurgeon

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for Your faithfulness. Thank You for Your Word. Lord, please continue to show me my heart and the motivations there. Lord, I want You to rule and reign. I want my life to bring You glory. I want my actions, attitudes, and words to be honorable before You. Lord, I know You have everything in Your hands. Your ways are perfect and blessing comes from You. Please continue to teach me how to walk in today letting You be King, for You are the King of all kings. I love You, Jesus. Amen.

Pride

How easy it is to fall into pride.

No matter the circumstance, there always seems to be something which tempts us to think better of ourselves than others.

The Bible warns against pride, and we see the consequences of it in both the Old and New Testaments.

Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.
Jeremiah 9:23‭-‬24 KJV

1 Corinthians 1:31 KJV — That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

Pride hides underneath many cloaks, but the evidence of it is a lack of love and respect for others.

This most dangerous foe: pride; sets itself up against all others, including God, when allowed to reign in our lives.

Recently, the Lord has been dealing with my heart and the pride which I had been blind to.

It reared it’s ugly head when a circumstance triggered in me both fear and some resentment.

At the time it felt like a battle within between what I knew was the correct choice, the proper response, and my emotions which were all over between panic and anger.

While walking through this, God brought the truth through the words of a friend.

“What’s my problem?” I spoke with frustration.

“The problem is you love yourself too much.”

Her words were truth and cut straight through all my excuses, all my reasons, all my emotions.

“You’re right.”

Humility, although difficult, is the first step to defeating pride.

The next was to seek God’s forgiveness and other’s, for in my struggle I’d reacted poorly to those around me.

Since then, I’ve been allowing the Word to wash me, seeking His truth, and requesting He reveal my heart completely, that every trace of pride would be dealt with.

It’s not been easy.

I’m ashamed to say I have allowed a great deal of pride to grow where I never realized it was residing.

But the part that hurts the most is where I’ve allowed pride to puff me up.

I allowed pride to keep careful track of others’ errors, their shortcomings, their mistakes, almost as if God needed a record keeper.

It wasn’t an intentional thing, but very subtle, because I know God doesn’t want me to keep such a record, ever.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
I Corinthians 13:4‭-‬7 NKJV

It’s opposite of love and kills my desire to trust that person.

The worst part of pride is the way it taints my walk with God.

The arrogance God revealed to me was coloring my ability to surrender myself and my family before Him.

Some of this pride has been a habit of long standing and God is having to purify me in ways I didn’t expect.

I’m so thankful for His truth shining into my heart and dealing with me, no matter how painful or embarrassing.

It’s worth every bit of the discomfort.

I want to dwell with the Lord Jesus and be completely humbled before Him.

Proverbs 11:2 KJV — When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for dealing with my heart and showing me the ways of pride and arrogance in my life. Lord, I thank You for how You used things I never expected to show me the truth. Lord, continue to wash me with Your Word that I might be completely humbled before You daily. Lord, I have confessed my errors before You and Your forgiveness has been so sweet! Such beautiful gifts of mercy and grace You bestow! May my heart be chastened daily, that no speck of pride be allowed admittance. Let me be Your maidservant, without regard to anything save the joy of serving You. Thank You for Your blessings, Jesus. May my life bring glory to Your name. Amen.