Speak His Word Only

Exodus 18:11 “Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them.” Introduction Exodus 18 records the testimony of Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law , after he heard what the LORD had done for Israel. God had delivered His people from Pharaoh, brought them through the Red Sea, and demonstrated His power over Egypt. Jethro's declaration in Exodus 18:11 was therefore not merely a statement about God's greatness. It was a response to what God had demonstrated through His acts of deliverance . The gods of Egypt had been worshiped and feared, Pharaoh had exalted himself against the LORD, and Egypt appeared to possess overwhelming power. Yet God showed that no ruler, nation, spiritual power, or object of worship could stand above Him. Expository Insight “Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods” Jethro had heard what God had done, but now he confessed what those mighty acts revealed: YHWH is supreme . This does not mea...

“He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul: he that keepeth understanding shall find good.” Introduction Proverbs 19:8 teaches that pursuing wisdom is not merely an intellectual exercise—it is an act of care for one's own life. Scripture connects getting wisdom , loving one's own soul , keeping understanding , and finding good . A person who truly values his or her life will value the wisdom that comes from God. God's wisdom protects us from foolish decisions, helps us recognize danger, corrects our thinking, and teaches us how to walk according to His will. It is possible to possess information without possessing wisdom. Biblical wisdom involves knowing God's truth and allowing that truth to govern how we live. The verse also tells us that understanding must be kept . It is not enough to hear truth temporarily. We must hold onto it, guard it, remember it, and live according to it. Historical and Biblical Background The book of Proverbs belongs to the wisdom literature...

1 John 2:16 (KJV) “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” Introduction First John 2:16 gives believers a serious warning about the desires, attractions, and attitudes that characterize a world living independently of God. John identifies three areas: The lust of the flesh. The lust of the eyes. The pride of life. These three describe powerful ways through which temptation can work upon the human heart. The flesh desires gratification. The eyes desire what they see. Pride desires recognition, status, independence, and self-exaltation. John's warning must be read together with the preceding verse: 1 John 2:15 (KJV) “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” John is not teaching that God's physical creation is evil. Scripture declares that God created the heavens and the earth. Rather, in t...

“The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.” Introduction Zephaniah 3:17 is one of the most beautiful declarations of God's relationship with His people in the Old Testament. Yet its beauty becomes even greater when we understand where it appears in the book of Zephaniah. Zephaniah is not primarily a book of gentle promises. Much of the prophecy announces judgment, repentance, the Day of the LORD, and the consequences of rebellion. But judgment is not the final word. Toward the end of the prophecy, the message changes from judgment to restoration. God promises to gather, restore, save, and dwell among His people. Zephaniah 3:17 presents the LORD not as a distant observer but as the mighty God dwelling “in the midst of thee.” The verse contains several powerful declarations: The LORD is present. The LORD is mighty. The LORD will save. The LORD rejoices over His peop...

“Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD.” Introduction Obadiah 1:4 is a powerful warning against pride, self-exaltation, and false security . The nation of Edom believed itself to be secure. Its mountainous territory and fortified positions gave its people confidence that enemies could not easily reach them. Yet God declared that no height was high enough to place Edom beyond His judgment. The language is striking: “Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle...” The eagle soars above the earth and builds its nest in high and difficult places. God uses this picture to describe Edom's confidence in its elevated position. Then He intensifies the imagery: “Though thou set thy nest among the stars...” Even if Edom could rise beyond every human enemy, it could never rise beyond the authority of God. The message is unmistakable: What man exalts, God can bring down. Historical Background Obadiah is th...

“The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?” — Obadiah 1:3 Obadiah 1:3 directly addresses pride , but it also provides an important lesson about love because pride can prevent genuine love from operating in the heart. Edom's elevated and protected location contributed to a false sense of security. Their problem, however, was deeper than their physical surroundings. God identified “the pride of thine heart” as the source of their deception. They began trusting in their own strength and believing themselves to be beyond correction. Pride deceives because it causes a person to see himself incorrectly. It can make us feel superior, self-sufficient, and less sensitive to the needs and suffering of others. Love produces the opposite disposition. Love is willing to humble itself, demonstrate compassion, serve others, forgive, and recognize our depend...

 “Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.” Introduction Daniel 4 records one of the most striking lessons concerning pride, humility, divine sovereignty, and the authority of God . Nebuchadnezzar was the powerful king of Babylon. He possessed wealth, authority, military strength, and an impressive kingdom. Yet none of these things placed him beyond the authority of God. God warned Nebuchadnezzar through a troubling dream. Daniel interpreted the dream and warned the king to turn from his sins. Nevertheless, Nebuchadnezzar continued to glory in his own accomplishments. Eventually, the judgment God had announced came upon him. By the end of the chapter, however, Nebuchadnezzar's language had dramatically changed. Instead of praising himself and his kingdom, he praised “the King of heaven.” Daniel 4:37 therefore presents a powerful biblical truth: God is abl...

“Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.” — Daniel 4:37 KJV Daniel 4:37 records the remarkable confession of King Nebuchadnezzar after God humbled him. The king who once gloried in his own greatness came to acknowledge that true sovereignty belongs to the “King of heaven.” “I Praise and Extol and Honour” Earlier, Nebuchadnezzar looked upon Babylon and declared: “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built…by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?” — Daniel 4:30 KJV His attention was upon my power, my kingdom, and my majesty . But by verse 37, his language has changed. Instead of praising himself, he praises God. His humiliation taught him that human authority exists beneath the sovereignty of the Most High. “The King of Heaven” Nebuchadnezzar was one of the most powerful kings of his era, yet he learned that there was a King above him. Ea...

“Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.” — Ezekiel 16:49 Ezekiel 16:49 gives an important biblical description of Sodom's sin . God identifies pride, abundance, idleness, and the failure to strengthen the poor and needy. The verse reveals that love is demonstrated by how we respond to people in need . Sodom possessed abundance, yet abundance did not produce generosity. They had enough for themselves while failing to strengthen those who were vulnerable. The problem was not simply having material provision. The danger was allowing prosperity to produce pride, self-satisfaction, indifference, and neglect of others . This gives us an important lesson about godly love: love notices people . It does not become so comfortable with its own blessings that it becomes insensitive to another person's suffering. The following verse conti...

“Thy terribleness hath deceived thee, and the pride of thine heart, O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, that holdest the height of the hill: though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the eagle, I will bring thee down from thence, saith the LORD.” — Jeremiah 49:16 Jeremiah 49:16 is God's warning against Edom , whose strength and protected location had contributed to a dangerous sense of self-confidence. Their security became connected with pride of heart , and pride deceived them into believing they were beyond being brought down. Although the verse primarily addresses pride and judgment, it also teaches an important truth about love . Pride and godly love work in opposite directions. Pride elevates self, while love makes room for humility, compassion, mercy, and concern for others. Edom's problem was deeper than living in a secure place. God specifically identified “the pride of thine heart.” External strength had produced an internal condition. They trusted ...

“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” — Proverbs 16:18 Proverbs 16:18 gives a direct warning about pride and a haughty spirit . Pride can cause a person to think too highly of himself, reject correction, disregard others, and become confident in his own wisdom rather than depending upon God. This verse also teaches an important lesson about love because pride can interfere with our ability to love others properly . Pride asks, “How can I elevate myself?” Love asks, “How can I serve, strengthen, and care for someone else?” A haughty spirit looks down upon others. Genuine love does not need to diminish another person in order to feel important. Love can honor others, listen, forgive, show patience, receive correction, and rejoice when someone else is blessed. Pride can also blind us to our own weaknesses. When we become convinced that we cannot be wrong, we become less teachable. That is why Solomon connects pride with destruction and falling . The dang...

“In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.” — Proverbs 14:3 Proverbs 14:3 connects pride with the way a person speaks . Pride is not always revealed through possessions, position, or outward behavior. Sometimes pride becomes most visible through our words . The expression “a rod of pride” presents proud speech as something capable of causing harm. A foolish person may speak arrogantly, boast about himself, belittle others, reject correction, or answer harshly because pride is governing the heart. The second half of the verse presents a contrast: “the lips of the wise shall preserve them.” Wisdom exercises restraint. A wise person understands that every thought does not need to be spoken and every disagreement does not require a harsh response. Pride can make the mouth destructive, while wisdom teaches the mouth when to speak, how to speak, and when to remain silent . The verse therefore reveals an important spiritual principle: our s...

“The LORD of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth.” — Isaiah 23:9 Isaiah 23 contains a prophetic judgment concerning Tyre, a wealthy and influential commercial city. Tyre's prosperity, trade, influence, and reputation had produced a kind of glory that appeared impressive among the nations. Yet Isaiah 23:9 declares that human glory cannot exalt itself indefinitely before God. The expression “the pride of all glory” exposes the danger of allowing success to become self-exaltation. Wealth, influence, accomplishments, beauty, reputation, or position may bring recognition, but none of these makes a person independent of God. God's judgment against Tyre demonstrates that what humanity highly honors can still be brought low . The problem is not simply possessing wealth or influence; the danger comes when those things become the foundation of pride, self-sufficiency, and personal glory. Pride says, “Look at...

Nothing Shall Separate Us from the Love of God “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” — Romans 8:38–39, KJV “For I Am Persuaded” Paul begins with remarkable certainty: “For I am persuaded.” The Greek verb carries the sense of being convinced or having confidence. Paul does not say, “I hope nothing can separate us.” He says he is persuaded . This confidence grows out of everything Paul has been explaining throughout Romans 8: there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus; believers have received the Spirit; they are God's children; the Spirit helps in weakness; God works according to His purpose; Christ intercedes; and nothing can ultimately defeat God's redemptive purpose. Romans 8 therefore moves from: “No condemnation” — Romans 8:1 to “No...