Destructive Pride

This devotion is such a powerful reminder of the dangers of pride in one's life. May we strive to live like Christ, in a spirit of humility and repent of the sin of pride in our lives.

DESTRUCTIVE PRIDE
by Pastor Thomas Smith, St Clair, MO

"Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility."
Proverbs 18:12.

None of us want to see our lives destroyed. We do not want to experience spiritual and moral ruin, or see our dreams and worthy goals disappear. We do not want to see reproach come upon the Name of the Lord and His work due to our spiritual collapse. Is it possible there could be some indication of self-destruction before it occurs? Are there warning signs that might make moral bankruptcy avoidable? According to the Scripture, there is something that often precedes the fall of mighty men: "Before destruction the heart of man is haughty."

One of the most destructive forces in a person's life is pride. Many great leaders have been destroyed through personal pride. People of tremendous spiritual influence have seen their ministries ruined because of pride. It was pride that led to Lucifer's revolt and expulsion from Heaven. Pride is not a problem for a pitied few of God's creation, but rather it is present in every heart. Children begin to exhibit pride in their earliest years. It is a part of the sinful nature we inherited from Adam and remains a dreaded foe throughout our lives.

One reason pride is so dangerous is because it is very deceptive. We can easily be blinded to its presence in our hearts and minds. Because it is such a powerful force, when it has a stronghold in our lives, its very presence resists attempts to rid the heart of its influence. Pride rebels against the acknowledgment and removal of itself. We must be aware of the destructive nature of self-reliance and self-exaltation, and treat pride as an enemy.

Is there any antidote for such a harmful condition? The Bible declares that "before honour is humility." Just as pride can bring destruction, humility can bring blessing and honor. The cure for the poison of pride is having a humble attitude and spirit. As pride wants to exalt self and refuse correction and instruction, humility recognizes how undeserving and incapable we are. While pride is a natural part of man's fallen nature, humility must be chosen and developed in our hearts.

We are told in the Word of God to humble ourselves. We are responsible to keep ourselves humble and to repent of the wicked sin of pride. This is the way of God's blessing: He actively resists the proud, but pours out His grace on the humble.

Crock Pot Apple Crisp

I don't know about you, but I LOVE using my crock pot. Problem is, I don't use it nearly often enough!! One of my goals this Fall and Winter is to use it once a week. I love the convenience of simply tossing ingredients into ONE pot and coming home to the aroma of an already cooked meal. It's like having someone cook dinner for you and only dirty one pot (which is very endearing when you do NOT have a dishwasher).

Anyway, I came across this recipe from the blog "Get Crocked" and am dying to try it!! Partly because I have a gazillion apples to use from my beautiful little apple tree. Also because it tis' the season for APPLES! Do you have a favorite apple recipe?? Leave it in the comments below and perhaps we'll feature your recipe in the coming days!! :-)

Enjoy!
~Lauren


Crock Pot Apple Crisp

• 1 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 c. light brown sugar
• 1/2 c. white sugar
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/2 c. butter, cut into pieces
• 1 c. chopped walnuts
• 
  
  
• 1/3 c. white sugar, or to taste
• 1 T. cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 6 c. apples - peeled, cored and chopped
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• 
  

1. Mix flour, brown sugar, 1/2 cup of white sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together in a bowl.

2. Combine butter with the flour mixture using fingers or a fork until coarse crumbs form. Stir in walnuts and set aside.

3. Whisk together 1/3 cup sugar, cornstarch, ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.

4. Place the apples in a crock pot, stir in the cornstarch mixture; toss with lemon juice. Sprinkle the walnut crumb topping on top.

5. Cover. Cook on High for 2 hours or Low for 4 hours, until apples are tender. Partially uncover the crock pot to allow the topping to harden, about 1 hour.

6. Serve with vanilla ice cream or drenched in cream or milk for breakfast.

Where We've Been....

Hello Everyone,

So sorry we've been MIA! We really haven't forgotten about you, in fact we've been saddened by our lack of blogging. However, part of our goal in becoming more like the Proverbs 31 woman is WHY we have not been blogging. As most of you know, Page and I have recently given birth to precious babies as well as keeping up with our homes, families and photography businesses. To say our Summer has been busy would be a HUGE understatement. :-) With Fall/Winter approaching, we're hoping to get back into the swing of things, especially since our photography businesses will be slowing down somewhat.

We have SO much we want to blog about, so stay tuned for upcoming recipes, devotions, quick tips, crafts, things we've learned, and so much more!

Thanks for your patience and continued support!!

~Lauren & Page