Lisa Notes: What’s better than better?

You know how you work to improve on something, you get better, and then you feel good about yourself?

Don’t go there.
Not without God.

Pride will follow you.
And negate all evidence of your supposed success.

If you haven’t experienced that yet, I praise God for the work God He’s done in you.

But as for me, I’m still a learner. I still get tripped up. I still forget that all good things come from God and never from me.

So this passage by Joseph Stowell stands out to me.
I hope you can’t relate.

The infamous prayer of the Pharisees, “Lord, I thank you that I am not like…,” reflects the proud distance they maintained from the less righteous among them.

It never occurred to them that we are all beggars telling other beggars where to find bread.

Regardless of how we try to cover ourselves, most of us feel that we really are better than those who “live in sin.”

But we are not better—not at all. We are forgiven but not better.
JOSEPH M. STOWELL, Why It’s Hard to Love Jesus

What’s better than better?
Forgiven.

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Renee · 694 weeks ago

So very true...forgiven but not better. Like that, Lisa. God bless and Merry Christmas.
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Nikki (Sarah) · 694 weeks ago

Ouch!!! Okay. I can relae too. Hope you have a great weekend Lisa.
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Nancy · 694 weeks ago

Some of my online friends compain about Christians who think they are better than everyone else. I replied, quoting Eph. 2:8-9, and assured them that a boasting Christian is not an obedient Christian.

It's so easy to slip into pride. I have to watch myself, too.
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floyd · 694 weeks ago

Well said, the foot of the cross is level. I spent a great deal of time in my life chasing the wind for what my insecurity needed. Now older, a bit wiser, I constantly hear from within the words of King David, "All things come from Your hand." It's all His, it's only our blessing to get to be part of His great plan...
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Brenda Maddox · 694 weeks ago

The Beth Moore Study I am going through now "Believing God" deals with this message this week also. I didn't think I had a problem with this but when I hear it twice, I always examine to see if it is an area I need work in. It is funny how we can take pride in humility. Boy we can sure mess things up.

Esther Joy · 694 weeks ago

When I'm not able to still be a learner, I do have a problem!

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barbarah 65p · 694 weeks ago

This is something I have to battle constantly. My m-i-l told me years ago that she didn't participate in many outward ministries because of a tendency to spiritual pride. While I understand that, I don't think God wants us to hide in our rooms and never do anything to avoid the temptation. Yet it is something we must be constantly aware of and seeking His grace for. Constantly learning,
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Carrie, RtK · 694 weeks ago

I like that. I am totally forgiven but I'm not better.
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bekahcubed · 694 weeks ago

I find myself in the Pharisee's position much more often than I'd like. I have to remind myself that even the things that I (pridefully consider that I) do better than others are only because of God's grace at work in my life. I do not have bread because I am better at making bread--but because a gracious King bestowed bread upon me.

Such a good, thought provoking quote. And I love your question and answer: "What's better than better? Forgiven." AMEN.
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char72 44p · 694 weeks ago

This is a good lesson for all of us. It is easy to get to thinking we're pretty good and forget that without Him we are nothing. Thank you for sharing this insight.
Blessings,
Charlotte
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