Even as several grandiose building projects have terminated because of cost overruns, so must we carefully count the cost of our spiritual building project.

Humility is not an obsequious act we turn on and off at will, but a sober reflection of our true relationship to God and our spiritual siblings.

Pride distorts our view of reality and our relationships. Being humble is not for the faint of heart, but requires God's Spirit operating in our lives.

Competition in the church can lead to disaster, destroying harmony and unity. Competition and pride destroy unity; humility and cooperation enhance unity.

Humility, poverty of spirit, and acknowledging our total dependence on God are of the utmost importance. God responds to those who are humble.

The story of Job reveals a man whom God forced to see himself as he really was, and his true self-image paved the way to a leap forward in spiritual growth.

Two tests to reveal the presence of pride are the way we treat others (especially our own family) and the way we receive instruction or correction.

The intent of fasting is to deflate our pride—the major taproot of sin—the biggest deterrent to a positive relationship with God. Humility heals the breach.

The apostle Andrew is a sterling example of humble service. Through Scripture contains only a little about him, his character should encourage us all.

Throughout the course of Biblical history, whenever sin appears, confusion, division and separation are the automatic consequences.

Competition is the root cause of war, business takeovers, and marital discord. Solomon describes man's rivalry with one another as a striving after wind.

Any time we feel prompted to exalt ourselves, we demonstrate Satan's spirit of pride, thereby jeopardizing our entry into God's family.

Meekness is often confused with weakness and considered to be undesirable. But Jesus lists it as a primary virtue of one who will inherit His Kingdom.

Three symptoms of pride include (1) lying to protect our self-image; (2) competitiveness; (3) believing our personal ideas are more valuable than God's Truth.

Self-exaltation was one of the sins that got Satan in trouble. Conversely, we are to humble ourselves so God can exalt us in due time.

Meekness is one of the hardest virtues to define. The Bible shows meekness to be strength, as the character of such people as Jesus and Moses shows.

The Scriptures provide many examples of how difficult relationships were dealt with by humility, deference, longsuffering, and prayer.

The fear and trembling before God is more like reverence and awe instead of abject terror. It leads us to total dependence upon God with a desire to repudiate sin.

In the Parable of the Great Supper, Jesus exposes and corrects the ignorance of those who, in their pride, misjudge their true moral condition.

We must have both perseverance and humility in prayer to keep our vision sharp and clear. Without humility, the doorway to acceptance by God is closed.

We will be kings and priests, responsible for those coming out of the tribulation. We must prepare now to fill the entire earth with the knowledge of God.

Good manners are not just an accomplishment, but a duty that everyone must practice in order for society to move smoothly.

Meekness is not the most sought after of character traits, but it is a necessary one for Christians. Here are three steps to developing it in our lives.

Tearing one's clothing has lost its meaning, such as when it is used as a form of vanity like in torn clothing fashions or as a form of faux humility.

God spoke audibly to Moses and the people, intentionally testing their faithfulness, to instill the fear of the Lord in them, and to keep them from sin.

Because of our lack of self-discipline and willingness to guard the truth, we have allowed our theological base to deteriorate under the persuasion of the world.

God's people may fall into the trap of forgetting the sinful past from which God rescued them and come to look disdainfully on those not yet called.

Much has been said and written about leadership in the church in the past several years. Godly leadership is an outworking of the virtue of meekness.

Living by 'No pride, no problem' eliminates the grief associated with placing our desires over God's will for us when facing demotions or loss of status.

The work of John the Baptist was to introduce his cousin, Jesus, identifying the Lamb of God. We need to emulate His lamb-like characteristics.

Genuine humility is one of the most elusive characteristics a person can attain. It consists of of self-respect accompanied by a genuine desire to serve.

Sacrifices of thanksgiving, praise, and gratitude are required of God's called out priests. By meditating on the right things, we prepare ourselves for prayer.

The prospect of death makes one more mature and self-aware, illuminating the meaning of Ecclesiastes 7:2-4 that it is better to go to the house of mourning.

God's children should never emulate the self-willed attitude Frank Sinatra's song "My Way" glorifies. Human nature and godly character are polar opposites.

Those who view religion as a life of gloom and deprivation are too short-sighted to realize that the world's entertainments do not satisfy the deepest need.

Some theologians see law and grace at the opposite ends of a continuum. They cannot imagine how God's sovereignty and man's free moral agency can co-exist.

All that we have has come from others, especially God. The Day of Atonement points out how needy and dependent on God we are; fasting shows our frailty.

Those wise in their own eyes, including philosophers, politicians, educators, and religious leaders, have failed in their quest to make the world better.

Church government should reflect God's government, typified as a family, with Christ as the loving husband and the church as the submissive wife.

Pride, the father of all sins, is the source of self-exaltation, self-justification and the despising of authority. It cloaks rebellion in a deceptive appeal.

Having its roots in a Greek word denoting 'actor', hypocrisy suggests pretending or deceiving—a filthy inside disguised by a clean outside.

What is it to be poor in spirit? This attribute is foundational to Christian living. Those who are truly poor in spirit are on the road to true spiritual riches.

Footwashing is the initial part of the Passover ceremony. Why did Christ institute it? What is its purpose?

God's people must follow the spirit of the law regarding the treatment of others, being humble, sincere, and gentle, esteeming others before themselves.

Without thanksgiving and praise, our prayers degenerate into the 'gimmes' with the emphasis on the self. We must give God thoughtful thanks in every circumstance.

Americans have a hard time submitting to authority and like to consider themselves as sovereigns, having the last say over anything including church doctrine.

The peace that passes all understanding comes from yielding to God's will, asking Him for a soft, pliable heart to replace the hard heart of stubbornness.

The greatest, according to Jesus Christ, can be determined by the one who serves the most with an attitude of humility, generosity, and other-centeredness.

Here are four qualities of character that our full acceptance of God's sovereignty will build and that will prepare us for whatever work God may choose for us.

We need to exercise humility and forbearance when we deal with the weaknesses of our brethren, restoring them in love as we would expect them to do for us.

Jesus demonstrated His meekness in His treatment of many with whom He interacted. Balancing firmness and gentleness, He seeks to save rather than destroy.

Once we accept God's sovereignty, it begins to produce certain virtues in us. Here are four of these byproducts of total submission to God.

Doctrine and practice be evenly balanced. If the behaviors are detached from principle and doctrine, the weightier matters of the law will be neglected.

Meekness is the opposite of weakness, exemplifying self-control under immense pressure, demonstrated by Jesus refusing to retaliate.

In addition to thanking God for all He does, it is a godly principle to take time to consider the kind acts of others and let them know we appreciate them.

In Paul's listings of virtues, meekness always appears near the end, reflecting its difficulty. Meekness is the gentle, quiet spirit of selfless devotion.

The contrite or brokenhearted person finds special favor with God, and a humble or contrite spirit is indeed a precursor to forgiveness and spiritual healing.

Paul, using the body analogy in I Corinthians, focuses on the need for unity and inter-relatedness by concentrating upon sound doctrine.

In the matter of godly standards for dress, we must adopt the humble, childlike, sincere, unassuming, and teachable attitude, loving God intimately.

The chief tool we can use to do good (building positive relationships between other people) is to develop and exercise the mind of God within us.

Fasting puts us in a proper humble and contrite frame of mind, allowing God to respond to us, freeing us from our burdens and guiding us into His Kingdom.

We must not have a one-dimensional perspective of God. Our puny minds can only grasp a tiny sliver of what God really is.

The hallmark of Christian character is humility, which comes about only when one sees himself in comparison to God. Pride makes distorted comparisons.

'Stare Decisis' is a principle that precedent should determine legal decision in making a case involving similar facts.

Submitting is repugnant to the carnal mind. The church is no place for uncompromising people who demand their own way.

Jesus proved that one cannot become a leader through political intrigue, but by assuming the position of a humble servant. God sets Himself against the proud.

If we are not receiving God's correction or chastisement, we should be concerned! God's chastening is what He uses to sanctify His spiritual children.

Pride is a perverted comparison that elevates one above another. Because of its arrogant self-sufficiency, it hinders our faith. Faith depends on humility.

Nothing that we could ever do could impress God, except for our contrition, acknowledgment of our infirmity, and remorse for our sins which displease God.

Ecclesiastes 7 contains a paradox: wickedness appears to be rewarded and righteousness seems to bring trouble. We must be careful in how we respond to this.

The group that one fellowships with is less important than the understanding that there is one true church, bound by a spiritual, not a physical unity.