Topic: Danger Of Self-Confidence [DCLM Daily Manna 16 December 2019 Daily Devotional by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi]
Text: John 13:34-38
34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
36 Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.
37 Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.
38 Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.
Key Verse: “Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake” – (John 13:37)
MESSAGE:
Self-confidence is the product of ignorance. Someone had said, “No one is as limited as he who is bereft of the whole truth”. This is the reason for many defeats and failures in life.
In the text, Jesus had given His disciples the new commandment and enjoined them to love one another as He had loved them, Peter interjected and wanted to know where Jesus was going and why he could not follow Him immediately. In his pride, Peter boasted, “I will lay down my life for thy sake”. The Lord picked Peter up and turned his statement into a question “wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake?” It was obvious Jesus knew that Peter was speaking in the flesh and did not know the weight of his comment, neither did he have the spiritual grace to go through the process of laying down his life for the Master at the time.
How we often exaggerate our strength and boast of virtues we do not fully possess! The Lord would like us to learn of Him who meekly besought the heavenly Father for grace to drink of the cup and be baptised with the baptism reserved for Him. Jesus spoke to Peter pointedly that he was not ready yet to fulfil that promise and needed to be broken and remoulded to accomplish that task.
We need to approach the Lord for full work of grace in our lives. Yes, the saving, sanctifying and Spirit fulness of grace for life and ministry is needed by every believer. This will free us from the unreasonable trust and confidence in self.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Only broken and remoulded men can give their lives freely for the Master.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Habakkuk 1-3
DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
