pride...where did that come from?

As I mentioned last night was my Disciple Class.  I just love this class.  This week we read those prophets...those books of the bible that you never read or have a Sunday School class about.  Zephaniah, Nahum and Habakkuk.  I didn't even know how to pronounce them.  I just knew they were SHORT!!

That is the great thing about this class, you dig deep into these books and I found they are some of my favorites.  I love these prophets of old.  I think it is the vision of a God of punishment and people who took a stand.  They stood up and said to the people and the government "You are sinning.  This is not OK.  Turn from your evil ways."  If someone did that today we would have documentaries written about them and then  have them committed.

Our first assignment was to find the message about sinful "pride".  We all looked at each other like...did we read the right books because I didn't see the message of pride anywhere.  But as we dug...there it was.

In Zephaniah the people of Judah had become self-satisfied.  They didn't need God.  They had called to him and he seemed like he didn't answer one way or the other so...who needs him.  They were busy.  Things were good.  They thought they could do it themselves.  Who needs God?  Their faith in God had become complacent. We'll call on him only when we need him.  Is this sounding familiar...like society today? 

It is scary sometimes how close those Israelites are to us today.  What scares me is we are suppose to learn from history.  HA.  We continue to sin over and over.  We never learn!

But throughout the three books...there is hope.  It is parental love.  As a parent you know how hard it is to discipline your kids.  But you have to do it for them to learn.  God punishes us so we learn.  But we never do!

Habakkuk 3:17-19 is considered  one of the most strongest manifestations of faith (copied those big words) in the bible.  Who has read Habakkuk!  Condensed in Kim language:  When all around me is crashing down...I look to God who gives me strength....This was written by the prophet as he was waiting for the invasion he knew was coming from the mighty Chaldeans.  All  around him there would be destruction but he would rejoice in the Lord.  That is a tough one!

We learn from history...if we are smart! We recognize sinful pride...if we are smart...We see complacency...if we are smart.  Ask for wisdom and open the bible and read these guys!