Verse of the Day - Psalm 16:2

O my soul, you have said to the LORD, "You are my Lord, My goodness is nothing apart from You.” ~ Psalm 16:2 (NKJV)

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We like to think we're pretty good people, don't we? And we like to think that others are pretty good people, too. We try not to lie, cheat, or steal, and we definitely don't go around killing people. So, on a scale of 1 to 10, we nod our heads and think, Yeah, we're doing pretty good...

But the reality is that we're not good -- not by ourselves. We are pitiful wretches, if truth be told, without God's divine cleansing and transformation. And true saints know they are true sinners. Saved by grace, and good by God -- and God alone.

Somehow, though, we can tend to get a little prideful on down the line in our spiritual walk. Our prayer can go from, "You are my Lord; apart from You I have no good in me..." to "You are my Lord; and I'm pretty good, too..." Where does that pride come from? How do we get pious and self-righteous?

We are exhorted by God to strive for righteousness, for holy and godly living. And if we're seeking to honor Him, we are doing that. But let me tell you, it is by the power of the Holy Spirit that we are able to live rightly, not by any good in us. I pray we never forget who we are in our flesh, because it can rise up in a heartbeat and help us remember who we are -- a sinner saved by the grace of our Lord Jesus. And then our pride is again thrown under the bus, as we fall on our knees and say, "You are my Lord; apart from You my goodness is nothing."

James and Peter both reference Proverbs 3:34 in their writings to the believers, reminding the readers, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." How can we receive grace, if we don't humbly acknowledge our sinfulness? And how can we stand before a holy God without falling to our knees and pleading the blood of Jesus to cover our sin in His mercy and grace? Our positional stance with God should always be, You are God and apart from You, my goodness is nothing.

No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. ~ Micah 6:8 (NLT)

The next time you're tempted to think or say out loud, "I'm a good person...", check yourself and be sure to give God the credit for whatever goodness flows from your life. He is our source and our strength; to Him be the glory for whatever good we produce, amen?

Love,
Joelene