Self made man

Deuteronomy 8:11 “Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, 12 lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, 13 and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, 14 then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery,

Deuteronomy 8:17 Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ 18 You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day. 19 And if you forget the Lord your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish. 20 Like the nations that the Lord makes to perish before you, so shall you perish, because you would not obey the voice of the Lord your God.

America today loves the "self made man" or "self made millionaire". We glorify these prideful men who struck it rich. I was caught off guard as I read the tattoo of a professional football player "self made". I know that before CHRIST got a hold on me I was all about becoming a "self made man". I think many of us have fallen into that trap of self reliance and that is a dangerous pit to dwell.

When I read and ponder the verses above I am convicted at all of the times that I took the glory for what God was doing in my life. Stealing God's glory always ends up bad for the thief who did so. I truly stand amazed at God's grace that covers all of those errors of mine. I also stand in fear of not treading on the will of God taht gives that grace. I do believe that Deuteronomy 8 is a chapter that we all need to consider with great intensity.

Do you believe that if you steal God's glory for your success that you will be punished for it? Or do you care? I assure you that he does, and he has proven it time and time again. The things that we hold up and glorify above our God, are the very things he has to either knock out of us or judge us for because they are separating us from Him and He loves us.

You may say, "what about all of the arrogant rich guys who live the good life and glorify themselves over and over, they seem to not be judged." Well if you pay attention, God allows all of these high flyers to destroy themselves with the very things that they build themselves up with, as they have rejected His care, love and provision. It always happens that way. Anything man made will decay. Anything that God creates and regenerates is eternal.

So examine your life and if there is a hint of "Look at what I did" in it, you have a choice to make: either repent and give God the glory for what He has done in your life or keep it for yourself and deal with the consequences.