II Timothy 3:1-5 contains 19 characteristics of carnality. The common denominator is self-absorption and pride, placing the self above others.

It is impossible to cultivate self-control unless one uses God's Spirit to reprogram the desires of the heart from self-centeredness to submission to God.

The religious hobbyist Micah practiced his own self-devised hybrid of religion, amalgamating some orthodox truth with abundant noxious, pagan admixtures.

Self-righteousness lies at the root of many other sins. Because we are self-centered, self-righteousness will follow as surely as water runs downhill.

Are birthday celebrations as harmless as they seem? How did the practice start? Here is a spiritual principle concerning birthdays that many do not consider.

If we were to consciously monitor our thoughts, we would be appalled about the percentage of our day that we are exclusively wrapped up in ourselves.

We must not construe the term, "whatever our heart desires," as a pass to sin, but we should use every occasion to grow in thinking and acting like God.

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.

The Baby Boomer generation has taken on characteristics of narcissism, self-absorption, and excessive self-centeredness, leading to rampant materialism.

Worship is required for all events in our lives, including the trials that build character within us. Anything that displaces God must be rooted out.

Over the past six decades (from the Boomer Generation to the Millennial generation), individuals have grown more narcissistic, entitled and miserable.

This earth is a prison, and Satan is its jailer. The inmates—mankind—do not realize that there is no free will! A prison takes away freedom.

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.

The 'people of the lie' do not believe they have any major defects and, consequently, do not have any need to examine themselves, let alone change.

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.

The Day of Atonement, when God commands us to afflict our souls, is a day of self-evaluation and repentance to seek unity with Him and our brethren.

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

As parents, we can protect our children from death and destruction if we discourage the self-absorptive pulls through correction and discipline.

Balaam, motivated by self-interest, believing that the ends justify the means, willing to do anything to get his way, is spiritually inferior to a donkey.

The Good Samaritan parable teaches that unless one practices doing good rather than just knowing good, his faith will be severely compromised.

Both Ruth and Naomi demonstrated covenant loyalty in this marriages long after the death of their spouses. Ruth faithfully continued to serve her mother-in-law.

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.

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.

According to the book, 13th Gen: Abort, Retry, Ignore, Fail?, those born between 1961-1981 belongs to the 13th Generation, the 13th since America's Founding Fathers.

The sin of pride underlies many of our other sins, and it is often the reason for the contentions we get into as brethren.

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

Why is human nature so corrupt? Why is it so widespread? How did it come to be? Did God create it this way?

Our concept of marriage must be positive and more mature, modeled after Christ's attentiveness toward the Church, as opposed to the world's distorted concept.

Just as a dead person does no works, so a faith that does not include works is also dead. A person in whom living, saving faith exists will produce works.

Pride is the basis of resisting God, while humility is the key to a relationship with Him. We recognize it in others but we seldom see it in ourselves.

James' exhortation about the use of the tongue seems to stop with James 3:12. However, the rest of the chapter provides more wisdom on controlling our speech.

Because of lawlessness, love has gone stone-cold. Sin and lawlessness begets more sin and lawlessness, and natural affection and love disappear.

We need to give thanks for everything, blessings and trials. Christianity ought to be an exhilarating experience, but it depends on our outlook on life.

If we fear things other than God, we stunt our spiritual growth. We stop overcoming because any non-godly fear will involve self-centeredness, the opposite of God.

The paradox of Ecclesiastes 7 shows an unrighteous man flourishing and a righteous man suffering. The solution to this conundrum is found in Psalm 73.

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.

Religious narcissists, who identify with the servant who received ten talents, cherry-pick Scripture to enhance their self-love and support their views.

Pride elevates one above God, denigrating any dependence upon God, replacing it with self-idolatry. We ought to boast or glory in the Lord instead of ourselves.