Topic: Shun Inordinate Ambition [DCLM Daily Manna 13 December 2018 Daily Devotional]
Text: Mark 9:30-37 (KJV)
Key Verse: “And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all” (Mark 9:35).
MESSAGE:
It is truism that “pride goes before a fall”. The Christian life is filled with various paradoxes such as ‘the way up is down’, ‘the way to live is to die’, and ‘the way to receive is to give’. The uniform teaching of the word of God is against self-seeking, self-projection, self-exaltation, inordinate ambition and pride of life.
The projection of self in every endeavour describes what sin itself is: Selfishness In Nature. No doubt, God is interested in our progress, success, breakthrough and advancement. He says, “we shall be the head and not the tail, above only and not beneath”, that “whatsoever we do shall prosper”, and many more! However, our motives, modes and methods of actualising this are of great concern to God.
In the world today, people seek a place of prominence in the workplace and the neighbourhood. In several instances, they take steps that are ungodly to attain the desired position, thereby losing the presence and favour of God. This reminds us of a certain young man who coveted the position of his boss and felt that the boss had stayed too long there and must give way to him. He travelled to the village and mentioned it before his fetish father. His father promised to look into the case. Back in the place of work the following week, his boss just got to his office in the morning, slumped and died. His father called him and told him he had “finished” the work. What a world!
Bribing our way to success, cutting corners to reach the top and defying all Christian ethics including using undue influence popularly called “long leg”, run contrary to God’s word. His word, way and time are the best in achieving the desired best for our lives.
Thought For The Day: Making haste outside God’s plan attracts His displeasure.
Bible Reading In One Year: Acts 24-26
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.
