Category: Daily Devotions

Devotion based on Week 4 of “The Prophets” – Obadiah (WATCH HERE)

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 “On the day you stood aloof while strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them.” (Obadiah 11, NIV)

The prophet Obadiah paints a sobering picture of Edom’s pride. When their brother nation Israel was under attack, instead of showing compassion, Edom stood aloof. Worse, they even joined in the looting and rejoiced over Judah’s downfall. Pride had hardened their hearts to the plight of others. Rather than seeing Israel’s suffering as an opportunity to show mercy, Edom used it to exalt themselves.

Pride does that. It blinds us to the needs of others and makes us callous to their pain. Where humility opens our eyes to suffering and moves us to compassion, pride whispers, “They got what they deserved,” or “That’s not my problem.”

Obadiah 12–14 lists Edom’s offenses: they gloated, rejoiced, boasted, looted, and even handed survivors over to their enemies. Pride not only kept them from helping — it pushed them toward harming. In their arrogance, they failed to see that their actions placed them under God’s judgment.

We see the same danger today. When a neighbor loses their job, pride can make us think, “If they had worked harder, they wouldn’t be in this mess.” When someone’s marriage falls apart, pride may cause us to gossip instead of grieve. Even in the church, pride can make us distant, critical, or self-congratulating when others struggle, instead of walking with them in compassion.

The call of Christ is different. Paul writes in Philippians 2:3–4, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” To ignore the hurt of others is to walk in the way of Edom. To step into the pain of others with love is to walk in the way of Christ.

The danger of pride is that it also blinds us to our own vulnerability. God tells Edom in Obadiah 15, “The day of the Lord is near for all nations. As you have done, it will be done to you.” Pride may seem powerful in the moment, but it leads to destruction. “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).

But there is hope. God’s answer to pride is found in Jesus. Where Edom exalted themselves over others, Jesus humbled Himself, becoming obedient to death on a cross (Philippians 2:8). Through His humility, He broke the power of sin and pride. Through His mercy, He restores us when we repent. By His Spirit, He softens our hearts so that we no longer stand aloof, but step forward in compassion.

The good news of Obadiah is that though pride brings judgment, God provides a future: “But on Mount Zion will be deliverance; it will be holy, and Jacob will possess his inheritance” (Obadiah 17). Deliverance comes not through our pride, but through God’s grace.

Apply: Where am I tempted to “stand aloof” to others’ pain? Do I ever gloat at another’s failure, even quietly in my heart? Look for one tangible way this week to enter into someone’s struggle with compassion instead of distance.

Closing Prayer:
Lord, forgive me for the times pride has made me blind to the needs of others. Keep me from standing aloof when I could step forward in love. Deliver me from arrogance and fill me with the humility of Christ, who laid down His life for me. May Your Spirit shape me to be a person of compassion, reflecting Your mercy in an unmerciful world. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Devotion based on Week 4 of “The Prophets” – Obadiah (WATCH HERE)

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“Will I not on that day,” declares the Lord,
“destroy the wise men out of Edom,
and understanding out of Mount Esau?
Your mighty men shall be dismayed, O Teman,
so that every man from Mount Esau will be cut off by slaughter.
Because of the violence done to your brother Jacob,
shame shall cover you,
and you shall be cut off forever.”
— Obadiah 8–10 (ESV)

As we have seen this week, the short book of Obadiah is a sobering warning against pride.  Today are verses that show us how pride can disguise itself as wisdom. In verses 8–10, God confronts Edom—a nation descended from Esau—for its arrogance, violence, and misplaced trust in its own wisdom and strength.

Edom was known for its strategic cities, rocky fortresses, and alliances. They believed themselves untouchable, clever, and self-sufficient. Their pride blinded them to betray their “brother Jacob”—Israel—when Israel was under attack. Rather than offering help, Edom stood aloof. Worse, they joined in the violence, taking advantage of their brother’s vulnerability.

This passage shows us the dangerous chain reaction of pride: it starts with self-assured wisdom, progresses to indifference, and eventually results in injustice. God does not overlook this.

The Lord calls out the wise men of Edom. This is not because being wise is evil, but because the Edomites had begun to idolize their own understanding. They trusted in their ability to interpret the world, to make deals, and to navigate threats, all without God. Their wisdom became self-contained and cut them off from humility and compassion.

In a culture that prizes opinion, knowledge, and being “right,” it’s easy to begin thinking we are the ultimate arbiters of truth. Pride masquerades as insight. We forget that God alone is the source of true wisdom—and that His wisdom is often upside-down from the world’s. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. (1 Corinthians 1:25).

Once Edom exalted its own wisdom, its perspective warped. Instead of seeing Israel as family, as their “brother,” they saw an opportunity. Instead of empathy, they chose advantage. This is what pride does: it isolates us in a world where we are always right, always the most important, and always justified in our apathy.

When we think we see clearly without God’s light, we end up blind to understanding the pain of others. We no longer feel the urgency to help, to advocate, or to step into someone else’s suffering. Like Edom, we can find ourselves standing by while others hurt.

True wisdom begins with a fear of the Lord and acknowledgement that all wisdom comes from him.  God’s wisdom begins with humility. James 3:17 says, “The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits.” That kind of wisdom isn’t focused on being right or powerful—it’s marked by compassion and perspective.

The tragedy of Edom was that they forgot their story. They forgot their connection to Jacob, their shared heritage, and the covenant God made with both nations. When we walk in pride, we forget our own need for grace. And when we forget our need, we withhold it from others.

Obadiah reminds us that wisdom without humility is no wisdom at all. Pride in our own intellect or insight leads us to isolation, cruelty, and ultimately destruction. But when we submit our minds and hearts to the Lord, He reshapes our perspective—restoring empathy, renewing compassion, and calling us back to love.

 

Apply: Consider today where you have set your wisdom up before the Lord’s wisdom.  Does your “know it all” spirit get in the way of caring for others.

Prayer: Lord, strip away any pride that blinds us. May we walk not in the arrogance of our own understanding, but in the humble, others-focused wisdom that comes from above.AMEN

Devotion based on Week 4 of “The Prophets” – Obadiah (WATCH HERE)

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“If thieves came to you, if robbers in the night—Oh, what a disaster awaits you—would they not steal only as much as they wanted? If grape pickers came to you, would they not leave a few grapes? But how Esau will be ransacked, his hidden treasures pillaged! All your allies will force you to the border; your friends will deceive and overpower you; those who eat your bread will set a trap for you, but you will not detect it.” (Obadiah 5–7, NIV)

Pride is dangerous.  Obadiah delivers a striking picture of Edom’s downfall comparing it to thieves who come in and steal.  However, unlike ordinary thieves who take only what they want, Edom’s destruction would be total. Allies would betray them, friends would deceive them, and traps would be set that they would never see coming. The reason? Pride had blinded them. They trusted in their strongholds, their alliances, and their own cunning. But the very things they leaned on became the source of their downfall.

Pride does that. It blinds us to reality, makes us overconfident, and dulls our awareness of danger. Just as Edom did not see betrayal coming, pride can leave us vulnerable to spiritual traps.  How so?

1. The Trap of Self-Sufficiency
   Edom trusted in their wisdom, wealth, and mountain fortresses (v. 3–4). We fall into the same trap when we believe we don’t need God’s help. Self-sufficiency seems like strength, but it’s actually a trap that isolates us from God’s grace.  God becomes a last resort versus a point of first reliance.  Our culture boasts “self-sufficiency” as a virtue but often leaves the Lord out of the picture.  We must remember Jesus’ words in John 15:5 “Apart from me you can do nothing.”

2. The Trap of False Security
   Edom thought their allies would protect them, but those very allies betrayed them. We too can put false security in friends, career success, or financial stability. These can all crumble overnight. True security is only in Christ.  As King David understood in Psalm 20:7 “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”

3. The Trap of Deception
   Pride convinces us that we see things clearly, when in fact we may be blind to danger. Just like Edom’s leaders, who didn’t notice betrayal brewing, we too can miss Satan’s traps of temptation, compromise, or worldly thinking.  Accepting a small tweak on God’s truth can leave us distant from a biblical foundation.  Wanting the friendship or employment can lead us to “justify” behavior or priorities that lead us away from a solid relationship with Christ. Pride is deceiving.  Satan is the father of lies and loves to distort the truth.  1 Peter 5:8 “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

So how do we avoid pride’s blindness?

• Stay Humble: Recognize daily that we need God’s wisdom, not just our own. Humility keeps our eyes open. (James 4:6)

• Stay Rooted in God’s Word: Scripture acts as a plumb line to reveal truth when pride tempts us to ignore warning signs. (Psalm 119:105)

• Stay Dependent on Christ: Through prayer and trust in Jesus, we find real strength and protection that no earthly alliance can provide. (Philippians 4:13)

• Stay Alert in Community: God gives us fellow believers in our church who speak truth, hold us accountable, and help us notice dangers we might miss. (Hebrews 10:24–25)

The traps are real.  Be alert.  Be watchful.  Be humble so you don’t get caught!

Apply: Pride says: “I’ve got this.” Faith says: “God’s got me.”  Take time today to ask: Where am I trusting in my own strength instead of God’s? Are there areas of my life where I’m blind to danger because pride tells me I’m secure? Confess those to the Lord and ask Him to open your eyes.

Prayer: Lord, forgive me for the pride that blinds me to dangers and makes me trust in myself more than in You. Keep me humble and alert. Protect me from the traps of self-sufficiency, false security, and deception. Teach me to walk in Your wisdom, depend on Your grace, and rest in Your strength. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Devotion based on Week 4 of “The Prophets” – Obadiah (WATCH HERE)

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“The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks and make your home on the heights, you who say to yourself, ‘Who can bring me down to the ground?’ Though you soar like the eagle and make your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down,” declares the Lord. (Obadiah 1:3–4, NIV)

Obadiah, the shortest book in the Old Testament, packs a sharp and sobering message. It speaks to the nation of Edom, the descendants of Esau, who looked down on Israel (descendants of Jacob). While Israel suffered, Edom stood pridefully by, mocking, gloating, and even taking advantage of their brother’s misfortune. God’s judgment was clear: Edom’s pride had deceived them.

Obadiah highlights an essential truth: pride deceives us. Edom thought their mountain fortresses made them invincible. They boasted in their location, their wisdom, and their alliances. But God declared that none of these could protect them from His judgment.

Pride is deceptive because it gives us a false sense of security. It whispers:

• “I don’t need God.”
• “I can handle life on my own.”
• “I’m better than others.”

But Scripture warns us, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18). The moment we rely on ourselves instead of God, we step onto dangerous ground.

The heart of pride is self-centeredness. It puts “me” on the throne instead of God. Edom’s pride blinded them to compassion, led them to mock others’ suffering, and caused them to oppose God’s people. Pride is never harmless. It poisons relationships with God and with others.

Jesus warns of this in Luke 18:9–14 with the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. The Pharisee trusted in his own righteousness, looking down on others, while the tax collector humbly cried, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” Jesus declared the humble man justified, not the proud.

Pride separates us from grace because it makes us think we don’t need it. As James 4:6 reminds us: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”

Obadiah’s prophecy isn’t just about Edom, it’s about us. Pride still lurks in our hearts. We may not boast in mountain fortresses, but we might put our confidence in careers, finances, accomplishments, or our own wisdom. When we do, we risk falling into the same trap: trusting ourselves instead of the Lord.

The good news is that God’s call is always to humility. The gospel invites us to lay down pride and walk in grace. In Philippians 2:5–8, Paul points us to Jesus, who humbled Himself, becoming obedient to death on a cross. The Son of God embraced humility to perfectly cover our sin of pride.  The Son of God showed humility to guide us away from our pride.  The Son of God humbly served us to save us from our sin of pride and every other sin!

Apply: Examine Your Heart: Where are you tempted to rely on yourself instead of God?
Practice Dependence: Begin each day with prayer, confessing your need for His strength. Celebrate Grace: Remember that every success you enjoy is a gift from God, not a monument to your own greatness.
Prayer: Lord, guard my heart from pride. Show me where I rely too much on myself and too little on You. Give me the humility of Jesus, who laid down His glory for my salvation. Help me to trust You fully, love others deeply, and live for Your honor alone. Amen.

Devotion based on Week 3 of “The Prophets” – Amos (WATCH HERE)

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Sometimes you just have to knock it down and start over.

When a wall is out of plumb, sometimes it can’t be saved, no matter how hard you try.

One wall that’s crooked leads to another distorted wall and finally the whole building is on shaky ground.

But sometimes it’s hard to get there.

Spiritually the people of Israel were out of plumb.  Amos points out things of their worship life, their lifestyle, their values and their security that did not align to the Lord.  

If one was off, maybe the others could pull them back.

But they were all off.

Why?

Because the people had abandoned listening to the Word of the Lord.

They were doing life their own way with their own priorities, their self-made advice, and their own form of truth.

Like a parent who walks away from a stubborn child who insists on doing things their own way and allows them to experience the consequences of their selfish actions, so the Lord allowed Israel to pursue their own whims as they dismissed him.

The indication they hit bottom is when they realized their predicament and began to seek the Word of the Lord, it was not to be found.  Amos 8:11 says, “The days are coming,” declares the Sovereign Lord, “when I will send a famine through the land— not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord. 12 Men will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the Lord, but they will not find it. 

They might have all that the world has to offer, but they were void of what the word had to say.

The punishment the Lord promised was coming.  The temporal consequences for their sins would be felt.

But the Lord did not leave them without hope.

Amos 9:13 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman and the planter by the one treading grapes. New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills. 14 I will bring back my exiled people Israel; they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit. 15 I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them,” says the Lord your God. 

The goal of the Lord’s message and impending captivity was to awake the hearts of his people back to him.  His promise of hope gave the people the picture of what hearts again aligned to the Lord would look like and experience.

The God of all grace, even though the wall had to be destroyed, would rebuild straight to plumb.

Does the Lord do this in our lives today?

Maybe not as drastic as Israel, but perhaps.  Perhaps he allows the good things of life to be taken away because we have allowed them to become the ultimate thing.  Perhaps he allows a time challenge and hardship where it seems like he is absent, but he is refining and reorienting your heart back to his.  God knows best how to help us realize what is out of plumb and then in his grace restore our broken hearts to align to his cross of grace and forgiveness.  And when this happens, the life we experience and the eternity we get to look forward to far surpass the pain of allowing the Lord to tear down the misaligned wall and rebuild it straight to his heart.

 

Apply: How is the Lord working in your life to point out the areas that are out of line and realign them to his heart?

Prayer: Lord thank you for your law that points out where my life is out of alignment.  Thank you for your grace that is willing to forgive and rebuild the wall of my heart and life back in alignment with you.  Keep me always aligned to you!  AMEN.