Haughtiness

261, - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 3:1-4, “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, ” (2 Tim 3:1-4) Some of these terms seem to be repetitive, I mean what's the difference between someone who is proud and someone who is haughty? The word haughty here literally means “smoke!” And one might rightly ask here, “What's the connection between smoke and pride? I think Jonathan Edwards said it best in 1737 when he wrote, “The first and worst cause of errors that abound in our day and age is spiritual pride. This is the main door by which the devil comes into the hearts of those who are zealous to the advancement of Christ. It is the chief inlet of smoke from the bottomless pit (See Rev 9:2) to darken the mind and mislead the judgment.” Pride is the main handle by which he has hold of Christian persons and the chief source of all mischief that he introduces to clog and hinder the work of God.” There's the connection! Haughtiness, is an inlet for all that rises out of hell, and this “smoke” darkens and obscures the mind, thereby blinding discernment. Whereas pride rises up and causes us to consider ourselves better than others, (Remember the Pharisee and the tax collector?) haughtiness opens the vent that allows the very smoke of hell to rise up in us and causes us to think we know better than God! This was of course at the very heart of the rebellion of Satan. Classic examples start with Eve in the Garden, and include other biblical characters such as King Saul who thought he could skip the instructions of God and offer a sacrifice to the Lord without Samuel. King Uzziah did the same thing in 2 Chr 26:16, “But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the LORD his God by entering the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense.” Both Saul and Uzziah thought they were above the Lord's instructions and this same kind of strength sapping haughtiness will plague the church throughout the Last Days. We have seen it in history and we see it on occasion today when church leaders will overstep their bounds. Never mind what the Word of God says, it is what they say that really matters, and all sorts of ungodly behavior and actions are spawned. Did God really say? Is the mantra of the haughty as they lead people away from righteousness and into sin! Beware of any who would lead by questioning the absolute authority of God's Word