Living Sacrifice 24

This post is Day 24 in a series of studies about “A Living Sacrifice”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

Feel free to comment below with your own thoughts about each verse and how you will be acting on each thought. Also, if you haven’t yet signed up to receive the notifications of new studies, you can do that today (the form is at the bottom of the page).


A Living Sacrifice – Day 24

Romans 12:16

Do not be conceited.

The Thought

Yesterday we spent time looking at whether or not we are proud people, and we have a similar idea again today. A proud person manifests his pride in his relationships when he thinks of others as “lower class” than himself. Being conceited is more feeling proud of our own achievements and possessions, needing nobody else.

Paul warns against the dangers of conceit in his second letter to Timothy, a young pastor under his care. In that letter Paul lists for us some things that will characterise the last days! A scary list!

2 Timothy 3:1-5 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God — having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

Humility is the opposite of conceit. Jesus is our model for that. He was the humble servant. It is His example we must follow. But we must remember that everything that we have is given to us by Father God who asks us to use ALL our gifts for His glory, not ours. Proud pastors in charge of big churches must remember that they have achieved those positions through the grace of a loving God who guides us every step of the way.

Action

Read slowly through the list in 2 Timothy 3 and spend some time asking God to purify your life so that you are more like Jesus. Be honest in your confession.

Praise God for the good gifts He has given you.

Pray for your church leaders that they will be models of humility and give all glory to God for the positions He has led them into.

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