Good morning. Today is Sunday, July 5th!

🥳 Congratulations on starting today with God, and thank you for letting us be a part of it.

— Proverbs 16:18

Have you ever noticed how often the Bible warns about pride?

One of the clearest verses is Proverbs 16:18:

“Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”

That almost sounds backwards today.

Pride is one of the few things the Bible consistently warns against, yet it’s one of the few things our culture often celebrates. We’re told to be proud of ourselves, make our own rules, define our own truth, and never let anyone tell us we’re wrong.

The Bible calls that dangerous.

Biblically, pride isn’t just being cocky or arrogant. Those are symptoms. At its root, pride is making yourself the highest authority. It’s choosing your will over God’s will.

That’s exactly what happened in the Garden of Eden.

The serpent didn’t tempt Eve with money or power. He said, “You will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5). He wasn’t promising that Eve would become another god. He was tempting her to decide good and evil for herself instead of trusting God to define it.

That’s the first temptation recorded in the Bible: “You make the rules.”

From that point on, the pattern repeats.

Pharaoh refused to submit to God. Nebuchadnezzar took credit for the kingdom God gave him. Uzziah became powerful, and 2 Chronicles 26:16 says, “After Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall.” Peter believed he was stronger than he really was and denied Jesus just hours later.

Pride has always sounded the same.

“I know best.”

“I’ll decide.”

“No one tells me how to live.”

The scary part is that our culture often applauds those ideas. It celebrates independence from God and sometimes even celebrates what God calls sin, treating His commands as optional instead of true.

That’s why James 4:6 says, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”

Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself. It’s recognizing that God (not us) gets to define truth, right and wrong, and how we’re meant to live.

Pride says, “My will be done.”

Humility says, “Your will be done.”

When you’re not sure how to pray, A.C.T.S. gives you a simple path to follow: Adore, Confess, Thank, and Ask.

Adoration: Father, You alone are worthy of all glory.

Confession: Forgive us for choosing our way over Yours.

Thanksgiving: Thank You for Your grace and truth.

Supplication: Help us walk in humility and follow Your will.

In Jesus’ name, Amen

“I Will Not Forget” by Stillcreek

Go like, comment, and share!

Thanks for letting us be a part of how you start your day with God.

See you tomorrow,

Zach | Start With God