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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.

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

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What are your values?

What is the underlying code that drives what you do, how you set your priorities and how you interact with others?

You might call these inner compass realities as your values.

When you operate in the context of your values, you generally are at peace.

When you are forced or willingly step outside those values, it creates discomfort and possibly anxiety.

For example, if one of your values is “prioritize family” and your employer asks you to work a lot of overtime and it prevents you from being with family, you will feel stressed and uneasy.

The problem is when you are comfortable with your values, but your values are wrong.

This is what was happening in Israel when God sent the prophet Amos.  When the Lord’s plumb line measured the values of the hearts of Israel, they did not align.

Israel valued personal gain over caring for people.  Israel’s leaders valued what they could get from people over what they could do for people.  When boiled down to its essence, people carried values that benefited themselves above being a blessing to others.  Here’s what the Lord said:

Amos 2:6 This is what the Lord says:

“For three sins of Israel, even for four, I will not turn back my wrath.

They sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals.

7 They trample on the heads of the poor as upon the dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed.

Amos 5:7 You who turn justice into bitterness and cast righteousness to the ground

11 You trample on the poor and force him to give you grain.

Therefore, though you have built stone mansions, you will not live in them;

though you have planted lush vineyards, you will not drink their wine.

12 For I know how many are your offenses and how great your sins.

You oppress the righteous and take bribes and you deprive the poor of justice in the courts. 

The LORD calls them from their materialistic values to value justice and mercy.  The poor and needy weren’t there to be taken advantage of, but rather to be given the same consideration and measure of justice that the more well off had.

What about our values?

Maybe your challenge isn’t the same as Israel in that you value personal gain over the justice of others, but are their values that don’t measure to the plumbline of the Lord.

Values can often be seen by what we prioritize our time and finances on.

Take time this week to evaluate the way you spend your time and resources.  What do they say about your values?  Do the words of Amos call you to repentance?

Remember the plumbline of the Lord is for our blessing.  It shows where we are off to call us back to the LORD.  The Lord values mercy and grace.  He loves to forgive and transform our lives and hearts.  

He loves to direct our hearts to value time in the Word and worship.  He loves us to prioritize values that promote righteousness, godliness, justice, peace and love of others.

These are values that are worth pursuing!

 

Apply: Take time to evaluate and delineate what your values are.  Measure them to the LORD.  What is aligned?  What needs to be adjusted?

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your love which calls out my misaligned values and returns them back to you.  Transform my heart and my actions to always value and live what honors you!  AMEN.