pride – La Vista Church of Christ

Greatness and Humility

Jeffrey Hamilton — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 21:52:04 +0000

by Hugh DeLong

Who is the greatest in the kingdom of God? Out of all the people in Galilee, out of all the people who came to see Jesus, out of all the disciples who followed Jesus, the apostles were chosen. Is that not enough? No, they constantly argued about which of them was the greatest (cp. Matthew 20:20-28; 23:11; Mark 9:34; 10:35-45; Luke 9:46-48; 22:24-27).

What is greatness? How do we define it? How do we measure it? Great in what? Great in influence? In encouragement? In forgiving? In mercy? In benevolence? The world’s goals would include being rich, famous, powerful, popular, etc. Some are in fact ‘great’ at accomplishing such goals, and yet they are extremely poor towards God. This hits at the very heart of man’s purpose in life.

We are stewards, for not only do all our possessions come by the permissive will of God, but also our abilities. Our very lives are totally dependent upon Him (Acts 17:28). We make plans and purposes only to have the circumstances of life nullify them. (read Proverbs 19:21).

Under the law of Moses, they were warned to remember that “In the wilderness He fed you manna which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do good for you in the end. Otherwise, you may say in your heart, 'My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth.' But you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day” (Deuteronomy 8:16-18).

What do you have that you did not receive (I Corinthians 4:7)? This was said in the context of arguing about who was ‘the greatest teacher’. Yet, Paul affirms that even in that role, it is not about being ‘greater’, but about being faithful to God. Living up to one’s ability will bring a ‘well done, thou good and faithful servant’ from our Lord. Of whom much is given, much is required. Yet, having done all that is required, we are still unworthy of God’s love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness (Luke 17:10)

We are servants, servants of God. Let us strive to serve one another. Paul said: “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3-4)

Are you great at putting others first?

Overconfidence and Doubt

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 07 Jun 2026 17:14:11 +0000

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Overconfidence-And-Doubt.mp3

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

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Text: Romans 14:22-23

I. Several correspondence that I have had contained similar questions:

A. A woman who engaged in acts in the past that she knew were wrong said, “I have asked God for forgiveness and am trying to further my relationship with him, but I don't feel I deserve to be cleansed.”

B. A young man who engaged in sinful acts said, “My big problem is I don't want to go to hell, for crying out loud! I want to search for God, find God, and follow all of His commandments. I want to do what He asks because I'm scared of Him, and I do love him. I don't want to go to Hell! Will He forgive me if I start doing what He asks, seek him, and repent? Please, I'm scarred!”

C. A teenage girl wrote, “I have accepted Jesus Christ and have given my life to him and accepted his death as a payment for my sins. Isn't that the way to get into heaven? I have prayed for forgiveness for my homosexuality so will I go to heaven? I have had sleepless nights over this. I mean, if I was born this way why should he not let me go to heaven? I want to go too! I don't want to suffer forever.”

D. A teenage boy wrote, “I had a thought go passed my head, making me think I was gay or bisexual and I know I'm not. But it seemed to be because I thought of myself being a girl and ... yeah ... anyway, too deep. Well, I'm trying to block all of those thoughts. Will God forgive me? I need to know because I know He hates homosexuals, but I know I'm not a homosexual; I've just been though stuff. Never touched a guy, though I had thoughts. Please, I know maybe you don't understand fully, but I don't want be a sinner. I need help. I don't want go to hell.”

E. In yet another note from a teenage boy, “So you're for sure God will forgive me? Because I want to feel safe. I guess I've been hanging out with myself a lot and have became a low life ever since my girlfriend went back home.”

F. All of these came within a few days of each other.

1. So how was your week?

2. The closeness of these notes got me thinking about their similar traits.

3. Each person had realized they were in the wrong and started making changes in their lives. Some better than others, but changes none the less.

4. But they are each fearful that it won’t be enough. They are scared and don’t know which way to move.

II. Confidence in God

A. The example of Paul

1. A young man named Saul was extremely zealous for God. When a new religion came on the scene, Saul was at the forefront to see that this was opposed. - Acts 8:1-3

2. It took a vision from Jesus to get Saul to reexamine his faith - Acts 22:3-11

a. God send Ananias to Saul to teach him the truth

b. It is the way God chose, to have people learn the truth from other people - I Corinthians 1:21

c. Saul was invited to wash away his sins - Acts 22:16

3. But that forgiveness didn’t wash away Saul’s, now known as Paul’s, memory of what he did - I Timothy 1:12-15

4. Despite his past, Paul had confidence - II Timothy 1:12

B. Paul was amazed that such a vile sinner as he was saved, but he had full confidence in God that he was saved.

1. Not because he had confidence in himself

2. But because he had confidence in God and the certainty of God’s promises

C. As Paul told Timothy - II Timothy 1:7

III. But there is danger is overconfidence - Romans 14:22

A. We can have faith and confidence in things that do not come from God.

B. The key to confidence is knowing we are doing what God asked of us - I John 3:21-22

C. Conducting ourselves according to the grace of God - II Corinthians 1:12

D. Striving to give no offense to God or man - Acts 24:16

E. The problem is that we can do things without checking to see if God approves

1. Israel wanted to conquer Canaan after God said “No.” - Deuteronomy 1:41-42

2. Joshua’s first attack at Ai, never knowing that God was opposed - Joshua 7:1-5

F. It is no different when people just know God will accept the things they came up with, though they never consulted His Word - Matthew 7:22-23

G. Take heed, lest you fall I Corinthians 10:12

H. “Happy is the man who is not condemned in what he approves.”

IV. The subtle snare of doubt - Romans 14:23

A. Think back to those we mentioned at the beginning.

1. Though they were attempting to make changes in their lives, doubt settled in.

2. It is not hard to understand. I’ve taken tests, and though I would say that I knew the material well, I would be plagued with doubts about whether my grade was good enough until I saw the actual results.

3. We don’t get direct feedback from God. God tells us what He expects from us, and we might see that we are doing it, but until that final result comes in ...

B. Doubt is a subtle weapon of Satan

1. He’s used it from the beginning - Genesis 3:1-5

a. He got Eve questioning what she heard and what she knew

C. Doubt makes us unstable - James 1:5-8

1. Thus we are vulnerable to attack

2. We can fall - II Peter 3:17

D. Doubt means we have insufficient faith - Matthew 14:26-31

1. Peter was doing well, until he opened the door of doubt

E. We need to recognize the danger of doubting - Mark 9:17-24

V. Be steadfast - I Corinthians 15:58

A. Not stubborn or stiff-necked, but acting according to knowledge.

B. Knowing what we have learned and from whom we have learned - II Timothy 3:14

C. It is not blind overconfidence but a knowledgeable trust in our Master

D. Don’t let doubts take you down, be confident that God knows and means what He says.

Religion on Parade

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 17:10:50 +0000

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Religion-on-Parade.mp3

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

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Text: Matthew 23:5-12

I. Jesus condemns the Pharisees many times and in our reading he condemns them for using religion as a way for people to notice them. - Matthew 23:5

A. What is a phylactery (or some translations say frontlet)?

1. It comes from passages like Exodus 13:6-9.

a. The sign or monument or memorial was taken literally.

b. But notice that it was the Passover meal that was the sign on their hand and forehead.

2. Deuteronomy 6:4-12

a. Again the statement in verse 8 was taken literally, despite the preceding statements that it was to be in their hearts.

b. God said that the teachings of God and his word was to always to be a topic of conversation so that they would not forget God.

c. Instead of putting God’s word in their hearts they literally bound them on their arms and foreheads.

3. There were phylacteries for both the head and the hand. It was a leather box, cube shaped, closed with an attached flap and bound to the person by a leather band. One was bound to the inner side of the left arm so when the arm was bent, the phylactery would rest over the heart. The knot fastening it to the arm was done in the form of the letter yodh and ending in a string that was wound around the middle finger of the hand. Inside the box were copies of the passages Exodus 13:9, 13:16, Deuteronomy 6:8, and 11:18 – the passages stating to keep God’s word near at hand. A second leather box was bound in the center of the forehead. The knot on this band was done in the form of the letter daleth with the letter shin at each end of the box. These letters, including the one on the arm, forms the Hebrew word “shadday”, which the word for the Almighty.

4. Elaborate ceremonies were developed for attaching the phylacteries. The arm was bound first and then the head while quotations from the Scriptures were recited. They were worn by every male over 13 years old at the time of morning prayer, except on Sabbaths and festival days, since such days were sufficient reminders of the commands, statutes, and ordinances of God by themselves.

B. What are Tassels?

1. Twists of threads on the corners of their garments to remind them of the law of God - Numbers 15:38-40

2. It seem to become the custom to line the borders of the outer garment with fringe.

C. What Jesus said was that the Pharisees and Scribes, to show their piousness, would use wide bands and large boxes for their phylacteries and make their fringes extra long.

1. They did it to be noticed by others, so others would see them as religious men.

2. As if the size of the things they wore would reflect their piousness.

II. This is not the only way they showed off their religion

A. They expected places of honor because of their position in the Jewish religion.

B. They expected special greetings when people met them. They especially loved the title “Rabbi”, which means “teacher.”

C. Matthew 6:1-4 - They made sure everyone knew when they gave aid to the poor.

D. Matthew 6:5-8 - They prayed publicly so others would see them

E. Luke 20:46-47 - They made long prayers so others would notice

III. God doesn’t need a show, He sees the heart. Only men look for a show

A. The Pharisees justified themselves in men’s eyes, but forgot that God sees the heart.

1. In other words, they did things outwardly so that other people would see but neglected to understand that God knows everything, even the things others may not see.

B. John 5:41-44 - Jesus did not seek the honor of men and therefore men did not accept him.

1. Even those inclined to believe on him would not admit it before others - John 12:42-43

2. This is why confession is required for salvation.

C. Philippians 2:2-3 - Nothing should be done from selfish motives or empty pride.

D. Selfish motives breeds evil - James 3:14-16

IV. How Christians should behave

A. Christians purposely pick the lowly - Luke 14:7-11

B. Our prayers should reflect our knowledge of our true position before God - Luke 18:9-14

C. Our righteous deeds and prayers are done in private - Matthew 6:1-8

V. Yet the desire to show off our religion still exists

A. Have you noticed that few churches meet in plain, simple buildings?

1. What drives the desire for large, ornate buildings with stain glass windows?

2. Is it the desire to please God? Or do the bronze name plates, saying “donated by ... ,” have something to do with it?

B. Have you noticed that religious leaders have special robes calling attention to their office?

1. Is this found in the word of God?

2. Is God impressed with such attire or is there another motivation?

C. We can also mention the use of special titles by religious leaders.

1. Men are called “reverend”, “pastor”.

2. It seems people are not satisfied with this. Now a days it is “right-most reverend” or “senior pastor”

3. When I object to titles, people say “we just want to give respect.” Yet, I as a man do not deserve such respect, especially by my fellow men.

D. Lay people also get into the act

1. I can’t begin to number the people I have seen wearing crosses or other symbols of Christianity, and yet they speak foully and act unbecomingly of a follower of Christ.

2. How does the wearing the symbols of a faith make a person religious? It doesn’t!

3. For whom is the wearing for? God? Or to impress others with your claims to a belief?

E. There have been gatherings at the flag poles at schools for prayers.

1. I don’t object to prayers said at school or in behalf of schools, but why at the flag pole - out front where everyone sees?

VI. Our religion is seen by others, but it is not for show.

A. It should never be done to impress others.

B. It should not be done to declare to others “I am a Christian.”

C. God’s light shines through us because we are Christians and not because we wear Christian adornments - Matthew 5:14-16

D. Paul’s prayer is that Christ dwells in your hearts and not on your sleeves - Ephesians 3:14-19

Trusting Self or God

Jeffrey Hamilton — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 18:44:33 +0000

by Doy Moyer

Jesus told a parable “to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt” (Luke 18:9). What a statement! Jesus targeted head-on an attitude that was common enough that He wanted this parable to be known by future generations.

“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:10-14).

Jesus turns expectations on its head. Between the Pharisee and the tax collector, everyone would know that the Pharisee was righteous and the tax collector was a sinner. Tax collectors were often grouped with other sinners. For example, Matthew, a tax collector, recorded this: “And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?’” (Matthew 9:10-11). His response was, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners’” (Matthew 9:12-13). Jesus was mocked for associating with them: “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds” (Matthew 11:19).

To contrast the Pharisee with the tax collector would have seemed foolish to those who were self-righteous. The problem, however, is that those who have such self-trust likely don’t realize it. Of course, they trust in God! Of course, they are doing what’s right. Just ask them! They are happy to tell you.

“The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus.” Some indicate that he prayed “to himself” or “about himself.” Likely, he was standing “by himself” as he prayed, and certainly he was praying about himself as he compared himself with others and boasted about what he did. “God, I thank you that I am not like other men…” should send up a red flag. This shows how easy it is to downplay sin. “I’m not that bad, like those people over there who do these terrible things.” We might be tempted at times to think, “I may not be perfect, but at least I’m not like them.” Comparing one’s life and accomplishments to the sins of others is one of the most dangerous paths to take. We feel self-justified on the basis that our sins just aren’t as bad as theirs. We may be thankful to God, but even thankfulness can be wrong-headed when the object is our proud, self-righteous trust.

The tax collector, on the other hand, standing far off, “would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’” He sees himself before God as “the sinner” (NASB). He is not comparing himself with others. He is not calling out how bad others are. He isn’t showcasing his works as if he should be praised. He offers only a confession and a plea for mercy. Here is revealed where our trust abides.
A worldly consideration of these two might see the Pharisee as strong and the tax collector weak. The Pharisee is confident in himself; the tax collector appeals only to God. The Pharisee boasts in his works; the tax collector grieves over his actions. If the tax collector is the sinner, surely the Pharisee is righteous.

Not so, for righteousness is never self-defined. It is not for the proud. Jesus’ words would have hit like a ton of bricks: “I tell you, this man (the tax collector) went down to his house justified, rather than the other (the Pharisee).” Why? That hardly seems fair. The tax collector admittedly is not righteous in himself. He is a sinner. How can he be justified? Here is the Lord’s answer: “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Self-exaltation never sits well with God. The problem of sin cannot be met with, “But I’m not as bad as they are, and look at the good I’ve done.” Justification can only come when we realize the depth of our sin and trust God for mercy. That takes humility, and humility runs contrary to trusting in self-righteousness.

Only when we abandon the pride of, “I’m thankful I’m not like other men,” and embrace the humility of, “God, be merciful to me, the sinner,” will we know justification. This exaltation only comes from the God who opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble (I Peter 5:5).

The Sin of Pride

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 09 Nov 2025 17:56:08 +0000

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/The-Sin-of-Pride.mp3

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

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Text: Psalms 73:1-12

I. Pride is prevalent in our society

A. Pride in our work

B. Pride in yourself - often called self-esteem

C. Pride in sin. We have a whole month called “Pride Month” to celebrate sin

D. Letters come addressed not just to the church, but to “Senior Pastor” or “Reverend”

II. People have always wanted titles, to have others look up to them

A. III John 9 - Diotrephes loved to be looked up to

B. Matthew 23:1-12 - The Pharisees did everything to be seen by others

C. The disciples argued who was greatest - Luke 22:24-27

D. Nebuchadnezzar’s pride - Daniel 4:30

E. II Chronicles 32:24-26 - Hezekiah’s pride kept him from acknowledging God’s gift to him.

F. We see pride in all walks of life and in all sorts of situations

III. The meaning of pride

A. Pride refers to exalting yourself; blowing your own horn; being arrogant, disdainful of others; high-minded.

B. Pride is the opposite of humility -- considering others as better than yourself - Philippians 2:3-8

1. Christ shows humility. God takes on man’s form to die for man. Never once did Jesus trumpet who he was. Never once did he demand his “rights.”

2. Paul, the least of the apostles - I Corinthians 15:9

3. Saul, from an insignificant family - I Samuel 9:21

4. David was a shepherd boy and the youngest son in a obscure family

5. Abraham, just dust before God - Genesis 18:27

C. Strife is always associated with pride

1. A proud person wants things done his way

2. Without the willingness to give in for other’s sake, there is strife

3. Proverbs 13:10 - Pride brings contention

4. Proverbs 14:16 - The arrogant lack caution

5. Proverbs 28:25 - Pride stirs up strife

D. Pride is a sin - Proverbs 21:4

1. Habakkuk 2:4 - The proud is not upright

2. Pride of life is not of God - I John 2:16

3. A thing worthy of death - Romans 1:30

4. Pride is the sin Satan is guilty of - I Timothy 3:6

IV. The world boasts of its pride

A. “Look out for number one.” “I’m OK, your OK”

B. In perilous times men will be proud, headstrong, haughty - II Timothy 3:1-5

C. The humble are held in contempt by the proud - Psalms 123:4

D. Sometimes it looks as if it is a better way - Psalms 73

V. The result of pride

A. Proverbs 11:2 - Pride brings shame

B. Proverbs 16:18 - Pride proceeds destruction

C. Luke 1:51 - God scatters the proud. Do you recall the tower of Babel?

D. James 4:6 - God resists the proud

VI. Learn to be humble

A. I Peter 5:5-6 - Be submissive and clothed in humility

B. The Bible never uses pride in a good sense when applied to people’s view of themselves.

C. We all like complements. We want to think we are worth something. However, always consider others as more important.

D. Like too much sweets, seeking your own glory is not good for your spiritual health - Proverbs 25:27

Lessons We Need from Balaam and His Donkey

Jeffrey Hamilton — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 00:17:45 +0000

by Richard Blackford

It begins with Balak, the Moabite king, who was fearful of the Israelites moving through his territory on their way to the Promised Land. He sent for Balaam, a non-Israelite prophet and diviner, to bribe him to pronounce a curse on the Israelites.

Concerning the donkey, the KJV, ASV, and older translations use the word “ass,” which was the traditional term for a donkey. Because that word evolved into other things, apparently the newer translations thought it would be “politely” correct to use the word “donkey,” which didn’t enter the language until the 1700s. But there is no question what Balaam made of himself!

Balaam was offered payment to curse Israel. Later, he was offered sheep, oxen, and high honor if he would do this.

Balaam's Idolatry

It doesn’t say he bowed to images, yet he was guilty of idolatry. He was determined to get the rewards Balak had offered and tried repeatedly, though God would only allow him to prophesy good, not evil. He was stubborn (“as a mule.” A mule is half donkey!). “Stubbornness is as… idolatry” (I Samuel 15:23).

Balaam was also covetous and was specifically noted for his greed for personal gain over his integrity (II Peter 2:15; Jude 11). Plainly, “covetousness, which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5).

He was also guilty of pride, a form of self-idolatry, but was humbled by a donkey.

We’re also told that Balaam taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication (Revelation 2:14). This was called “the doctrine of Balaam.”

Irony

There’s plenty of irony in this story.

Balaam’s anger got so out of control that he carried on an argument with a donkey and didn’t even realize the donkey was talking back to him! And she won the debate.
And have you ever wondered why we’re told that the donkey was a “she?” Perhaps at a time when women were esteemed as less than men and more like property, Balaam needed humbling and was schooled by a donkey who also happened to be female.
There is irony in that while Balaam wanted to kill his donkey, she was saving his life! Wow, does it get more ironic than this? Yes.
Balaam’s donkey gave him a lesson in anger management! Balaam was so hot-headed that he beat her three different times when she balked at the sword-bearing angel. At that same time, Balaam tells the donkey that he wishes he had a sword so he could kill her. And the sword-bearing angel tells Balaam that if the donkey hadn’t turned away, he would have slain Balaam and saved the donkey. Whew!
While the donkey spoke sensibly and solemn words to Balaam, he made a donkey of himself!
It is said that “the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey” to speak and that “the Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth.”
The number “3” figures prominently. Three times, Balaam attempts to deliver the prophecy Balak desires. Three times, Balaam beat his donkey. Three times Balak offered a different site and animal sacrifices, thinking it would please Jehovah.
Balaam said, “Let me die the death of the righteous” (Num 23:10). But you can’t die the death of the righteous if you have not lived the life of the righteous.

Back to the anger management lesson. Did you notice how kindly she speaks to Balaam? She made an impassioned plea about how long she had been tried and true, faithfully serving Balaam without incident, and when she behaved out of character, he should have known something unusual was up. She could have chewed him up and spit him out! But she did what Proverbs 15:1 says: “A soft answer turns away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.” Peter said, “She restrained the madness of the prophet.” She could have called him a “dumb ass” for his asinine behavior, which would have stirred more anger, but that’s what she was called in II Peter 2:16 (KJV, ASV). It’s hard to say which is more humiliating: to be called that name or to have to admit that you had to learn a lesson that was taught to you by a dumb ass.

Although God would only allow Balaam to bless (not curse) Israel, there is an incidental lesson contained in the words Balaam told Balak that should be echoed by all preachers today. He said: “If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the Lord saith, that will I speak.” He spoke similar words on more than one occasion.

Unglorious Death

Balaam made a poor choice by associating with evil men, from whom he coveted riches and honor. In his case, there was no profit in being a prophet, and his life ended without either gain or loss. He died in battle amidst God’s enemies, the Midianites, whom he had misused against Israel. And he was slain with the sword after all, by the Israelites (Numbers 31:8).

Lessons for Us?

Are we (you and me) idolaters? Stubbornness and covetousness aren’t treated lightly, are they? Has pride been a bigger problem than we are ready to admit? Have we ever been a stumbling block to others? Do we need some serious anger management? These questions aren’t for the person sitting next to you. They’re for the person sitting next to them.

An "Aside"

Many times on atheists’ websites, they have tried to use Balaam’s donkey as evidence that the Bible is “filled with fables.” This is the only incident of its kind, so it is hardly filled with fables. In fables, animals talking is the norm (The Tortoise and the Hare, The Ant and the Grasshopper, etc.). This passage plainly shows it was not normal for donkeys to talk, and only through a special intervention from God, who opened the donkey’s mouth, was she able to (Numbers 22:28).

A Final Word

The Bible addresses some serious issues, but sometimes God subtly inserts a touch of humor. So if you are of a mind, go ahead and hee-haw.

What Is Performance Culture?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 14:28:50 +0000

by Herb Berkley

Performance culture is a mindset that measures worth, identity, and success by outward achievement, visible productivity, and continual competition. It's a relentless cycle demanding constant validation, feeding on comparison, anxiety, and a need to prove oneself repeatedly. Within this culture, acceptance is transactional—earned by output rather than freely given.

Performance culture promotes:

“You are what you produce.”
“If you're not achieving, you're failing.”
“Rest is weakness. Hustle defines your worth.”

It’s a treadmill without an off-switch, where life is reduced to performance metrics—status, promotions, titles, likes, and bank balances.

How Does Performance Culture Work?

At its core, performance culture relies on an illusion: If I do more, achieve more, and outperform others, I'll find fulfillment, acceptance, and purpose.
This mentality operates in predictable ways:

Reward and Punishment:

It thrives on incentives—bonuses, praise, promotions—and punishes shortcomings through demotion, isolation, or ridicule. Success feels exhilarating; failure, devastating.

Comparison and Competition:

Individuals often benchmark themselves against others, which can lead to envy and insecurity. Success isn't inherently valued; it is only relative to one's peers.

Restlessness and Burnout:

Always striving, never satisfied, performance culture breeds anxiety, exhaustion, and spiritual emptiness. Rest becomes guilt-ridden, and peace elusive.

Identity and Worth Based on Achievement:

Personal value becomes inseparable from performance. Failures become identity crises rather than growth opportunities.

God's Truth on Performance Culture

Scripture directly confronts the deception at the heart of performance culture. God's truth challenges this worldview and offers freedom from its tyranny.

Identity Rooted in Grace, Not Performance:

"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain" (I Corinthians 15:10 ESV).

Your worth isn't something you achieve—it's something you receive. God's grace undermines the transactional approach to value in performance culture. It declares you valuable, loved, and accepted—not because of your works, but despite them (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Rest as a Divine Command, Not Weakness:

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28 ESV).

God created humanity for rhythms of rest. Consider the old law of the Sabbath and its intended purpose. God created restful practices for renewal, not endless hustle. God rested after creation to establish His eternal pattern of rest. Therefore, resting acknowledges His sovereignty, His provision, and His sufficiency. Rest reminds you who God is and who you are not.

Faithfulness over Achievement:

"Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much" (Matthew 25:21 ESV).

Notice, Jesus rewards faithfulness, not mere success. God's measure is relational obedience and fidelity, not worldly accomplishment. Heaven does not tally trophies, bonuses, records shattered, or the number of followers—it celebrates trustworthiness.

Freedom from Comparison:

"For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ" >(Galatians 1:10 ESV).

The gospel liberates you from the prison of comparison. Approval comes from God alone, freeing you from seeking validation in human applause. You live before an audience of One whose acceptance doesn't fluctuate with your performance.

Work from Approval, Not for Approval:

"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men" (Colossians 3:23 ESV).

Scripture doesn't dismiss hard work; it transforms its motivation. You no longer work to earn approval, but joyfully serve from a place of gratitude, knowing your approval has already been secured in Christ.

Reflective Question:

Are you striving to prove your worth through what you accomplish, or are you living from a place of rest in what Christ has already accomplished for you?

Pride Comes Before the Fall

Jeffrey Hamilton — Tue, 27 May 2025 16:16:49 +0000

by Orlando Gonzalez

Out of all the characters in the Scriptures that have done foolish things, there is none, in my humble opinion, that has outdone what Satan did.

Ironically enough, he started his life off splendidly! You may be right to say that he had much more than anything he would’ve ever needed in his life. Satan used to be one of, if not the greatest, angel God had ever created in all of existence, and yet, he suffered a downfall that could’ve been completely avoided if it were not for himself becoming his own worst enemy.

Thankfully, God was willing to give us a brief glimpse into the origin of the enemy of mankind, the Great Adversary. In the book of Ezekiel 28:12-17, we read this:

“Son of man, take up a lamentation over the king of Tyre and say to him, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh,

“You had the seal of perfection,
Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
You were in Eden, the garden of God;
Every precious stone was your covering:
The ruby, the topaz, and the diamond;
The beryl, the onyx, and the jasper;
The lapis lazuli, the turquoise, and the emerald;
And the gold, the workmanship of your settings and sockets,
Was in you.
On the day that you were created
They were prepared.
You were the anointed cherub who covers,
And I placed you there.
You were on the holy mountain of God;
You walked in the midst of the stones of fire.
You were blameless in your ways
From the day you were created
Until unrighteousness was found in you.
By the abundance of your trade
[f]You were internally filled with violence,
And you sinned;
Therefore I have cast you as profane
From the mountain of God.
And I have destroyed you, O covering cherub,
From the midst of the stones of fire.
Your heart was lofty because of your beauty;
You corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor.
I cast you to the ground;
I put you before kings,
That they may see you” (LSB).

Granted, this passage is a message that God wanted the prophet Ezekiel to convey to the king of Tyre about his rebellious nature and impending doom; however, the description of the king bears a resemblance to that of a fallen angel. Fortunately, we do not need to delve deeply into the text to determine if this is indeed a symbolic overview covering the downfall of the Great Adversary or not, for God mentions not only the Garden of Eden (Ezekiel 28:13) but also the position of a cherub (Ezekiel 28:14). A cherub, mind you, is a highly-renowned position for an angel.

Unfortunately, despite being highly esteemed even by God Himself, Satan wanted more. He wasn’t satisfied with staying as the most powerful, beautiful, and dignified angel out of all of his brethren. One day, he decided, in whatever extreme and ridiculous reasoning he managed to convince himself into following, that it would be a good idea to become like God (his Creator) and the only way to make that possible would be to remove Him from His position; A complete mutiny; a rebellion. A treacherous act. Worthy enough of the deepest pits in Hell.

I do wonder if Satan had any second thoughts or remorse when he was nearing the time when he would carry out this plan. All the thinking, all the planning, all the conversing with other angels to get him to join him and paint the Being that was the source of all that is good as the villain. However, it all played out, we know what caused his rebellion.

In Isaiah 14:12-15, we see that pride was what ran through the spiritual veins of this once highly renowned figure of beauty. It caused Satan to foolishly think that he could do a better job than the Creator at running reality as we know it. So, unsurprisingly, God didn’t take it too kindly. Isaiah 14:12 mentions how badly Satan lost his power, Isaiah 14:15 states his destiny, and Luke 10:18 describes how Satan fell.

“And He said to them, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning” (LSB).

It’s humorous (and saddening) how Earth can be seen as a “What-If” scenario if Satan did manage to rule over Heaven. It’s astounding how he thinks he’s better than the Holy Trinity if he can’t even rightly run a single spec of dust in the universe!

Now, you would think that Satan would have learned his lesson and would try his absolute hardest to seek God’s forgiveness and mercy. Well, no, you’d be wrong. Instead, Satan held on to his pride with an ungodly grip. So much so that he thought he still had a chance at overthrowing God after Jesus died and saved humanity! But unsurprisingly, that attempt didn’t work (Revelation 12:7-9). Now, in the modern day, Satan is on a dog leash, being used as a tool to carry out God’s will until He is thrown into Hell, according to Revelation 20:1-3:

“Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were finished. After these things he must be released for a short time” (LSB).

What should we take away from this, then? The clearest message from this character of the Bible is that pride should be avoided at all costs! It is so dangerous that if someone like Satan were to allow himself to become who he is today thanks to becoming discontent with his former position in Heaven, then we Christians should never believe that we can never become prideful, even with all the experience, knowledge, and wisdom that we have obtained over the years! Yes, we can, and always will, have the choice not to become prideful, but there will always be moments of temptation, big or small. Subtle, or obvious. The devil knows how human minds work, and if we aren’t careful enough, we will start to think that we’re right with full sincerity and conviction, when in reality we have compromised our salvation, ruined our relationship with God, and have caused significant damage to our reputation and effectiveness in the kingdom. Focusing on yourself and what you want never ends well (Proverbs 16:18). Just like how God condemned Satan for becoming prideful over his state in life, God will also condemn us (I Timothy 3:6). We must deeply reflect on our thoughts, our hearts, and our actions and use the Word of God as the judge of whether we’re right in His sight or not.

Let us always remember to strive to avoid becoming conceited. Here are the last two passages that I want to share with you for your consideration. Heed them, and the grace and love of God will strengthen and guide you all the days of your life.

“You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time…” (I Peter 5:5-6 LSB).

“But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Be subject therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:6-7 LSB).

Controlling Our Emotions

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 21:40:33 +0000

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Controlling-Our-Emotions.mp3

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

Text: Mark 7:18-23

I. From the heart comes the emotions which affect all aspects of our life - Proverbs 4:23

A. We can poison the well with evil thoughts - Mark 7:20-23

B. We can sweeten it with righteous ideals - Philippians 4:4-9

C. It affects our outlook on life - Proverbs 15:13

D. Our emotions have to be controlled, else they will control our lives

1. Control gives us added strength - Proverbs 16:32

E. Trust that God can teach us how - Proverbs 3:5-8

II. When emotions are out of control

A. You are left vulnerable to attack by others - Proverbs 25:28

B. It can misguide us - Proverbs 28:26

1. That is why everything isn’t as it may appear - Proverbs 14:12

2. It twists us up, even to the point of leading us away from God - Proverbs 19:3

3. A classic example are the Jews - Acts 13:45-46

a. Their emotional response lead them away from the truth

C. It is foolish to vent your feelings - Proverbs 29:11

III. Dangerous emotions

A. Anger - “a fiery resentment over mistreatment, whether real, exaggerated, or imagined”

1. The problem

a. It doesn’t lead to righteousness - James 1:19-20

b. A fool exercises no control over his anger - Proverbs 12:16

c. You end up making dumb mistakes - Proverbs 14:29

d. It leads to fights - Proverbs 30:33

(1) There is no control over what is said

(2) Soon there is no control over what is done

e. It gets us into trouble, repeatedly - Proverbs 19:19

2. The solution

a. Stay away from angry people. It is a learned trait - Proverbs 22:24-25

b. Distinguish between important matters and small annoyances - Proverbs 19:11

c. Slow down your response and look for solutions to the problem - Proverbs 15:18

B. Envy - “displeasure at another’s good fortune, thinking it should belong to you and not them”

1. The problem

a. It destroys the person from the inside - Proverbs 14:30

b. It causes harm to others - Galatians 5:15

c. It promotes evil - James 3:14-16

d. The classic example: Cain - I John 3:12

2. The solution

a. Focus on serving God - Proverbs 23:17-18

b. If someone, because of their evil, doesn’t deserve something know that God will handle the problem - Psalms 37:1-3

c. Esteem others above yourself - Philippians 2:3-4

C. Arrogance - “an inflated feeling of self-importance”

1. The problem

a. You don’t listen to others and you get conflicts - Proverbs 13:10

b. It is destructive - Proverbs 16:18

c. It is sinful - Proverbs 21:4

2. The solution

a. Humility - Proverbs 18:12

b. The humble learn - Proverbs 11:2

c. When we see ourselves as God does, we lose our pride - Romans 12:3

D. Impulsiveness - “rashness, recklessness, acting without advance thought”

1. The problem

a. Without thought we lose what we have - Proverbs 21:5

b. We say things we later regret - Proverbs 29:20

c. It can be destructive - Proverbs 13:3

2. The solution

a. Think about where you are going - Proverbs 4:26, Proverbs 14:15

b. Understand what you are doing - Proverbs 14:8

c. Look where it leads - Proverbs 22:3

d. Guard your thoughts and words - Proverbs 21:23

e. Think before you speak - Proverbs 15:28

E. Anxiety - “uneasiness caused by fear of misfortune”

1. The problem

a. Causes depression - Proverbs 12:25

b. It destroys health - Proverbs 17:22; 18:14

2. The solution

a. Choose to be happy - Proverbs 15:15

b. Cultivate pleasant friends who give good advice - Proverbs 16:24; 27:9

c. Trust in God - Proverbs 16:20; 29:25

d. Hope in God - Psalms 42:11

IV. The solution to uncontrolled emotions

A. Respect God - Proverbs 14:26-27; 19:23

B. Listen to correction - Proverbs 17:10

C. Cultivate godly wisdom - Proverbs 3:1-26

Based on a lesson by Frank Walton

A Narcissistic Society and Religion

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sat, 28 Sep 2024 15:27:05 +0000

by Stephen Harper

I have been reading, when time allows, “The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement,” and it is eye-opening and also something that has validated many of my own observations over the last couple of decades. I am sharing with you a paragraph regarding its effect on churches and religion in general:

“Originally, religions could enforce narcissism-reducing practices because they didn’t have to compete for adherents: if you were born into a religion, you usually stayed. Now, however, people can select the religion that works for them — often the one that offers the most benefits with the least pain. To complete, religions have to give people what they want. Because reducing narcissism is not always pleasant, most people are not going to attend churches that demand humility.”

First, yes, following what your parents did is not faith but merely habit or tradition. Second, “competing” for members or adherents sounds more like a business than a soul-saving organization. But the lines about giving the people what they want and no one wanting a church that demands humility is, unfortunately, the sad state of our American society.

We who are disciples/believers/Christians must be distinctly different from society, and the true church must not change its message to please the audience or society.

God’s word says plainly, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6) and, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up” (James 4:10). Jesus also demands of His people, “love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12), and revealed to us that it is “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35).

Love and humility are, to God, far more significant than egotism and an attitude of entitlement.