Pride Goes Before a Fall. Part [14] 04/12/2026 (Morning thought)

2nd Corinthians 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

It was pride that caused Hezekiah to make one of the greatest mistakes of his life. God had blessed him really good with material and spiritual blessings and when he was on his bed of affliction, needing healing, he prayed like never before. In the valley of affliction, he humbled himself, as he stared the grim reaper in the face. And God heard and answered his prayer. It is a sad commentary on human nature, that it’s often the case that God only gets our attention when our backs are against the wall.

2nd Kings 20:1 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, thus saith the Lord, set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live. 2 Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the Lord, saying, 3 I beseech thee, O Lord, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.

4 And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 5 Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the Lord. 11 And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the Lord: and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz.

2nd Corinthians 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

May The Lord add His blessing to the study of His word. God bless!

Pride Goes Before a Fall. Part [13] 04/12/2026 (Evening thought)

Genesis 16:3 And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 145] Flattered with the honor of her new position as Abraham’s wife, and hoping to be the mother of the great nation to descend from him, Hagar became proud and boastful, and treated her mistress with contempt. Forced to listen to the complaints of both, Abraham vainly endeavored to restore harmony. Though it was at Sarah’s earnest entreaty that he had married Hagar, she now reproached him as the one at fault.

Hagar’s haughty spirit would not brook the harshness which her insolence had provoked. “When Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.”… Genesis 16:4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes…. Even the apostle Paul struggled with the same issue, for the abundance of knowledge and deep spiritual insights given to him by God, was an ongoing threat to his humility, in so much that God could not even answer his prayers for his own good, when he asked for healing.

The reason for God denying his request is directly pointed out, so that we who live in the 21st century, where pride stalks the land unrebuked, might take heed, lest like Paul, God has to refrain from blessing or healing us, lest we too become puffed up…. 2nd Corinthians 12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

2nd Corinthians 12:8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

May God add His blessing to the study of His word. “Good night” and God bless!