Be Real Together:
Take a few minutes to catch up, tell stories, and laugh together. Trust and friendship take time to build. If you’re launching a new DNA, one person should tell their story — what do we need to know about you? Next week, have another person in your DNA share their story.
Read Together: Daniel 4
Grow Together: Observe and Apply
Daniel 4 tells a story of a king who thought he had created a utopia in which he was ultimately sovereign over all and highly favored among the gods. The reality is that this king, though given plenty of opportunities to humble himself to the true Ruler of the universe, would instead fall prey to his arrogant disposition and learn his lesson the hard way. His pride would be costly - both at the expense of his earthly authority, but also his mental sanity.
Pride is something none of us are immune to.
Consider these statements:
“Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind.” —C.S. Lewis
“[Pride is] the main handle by which the Devil has hold of religious persons, the chief source of all mischief that he introduces, and the tool that clogs and hinders a work of God.” —Jonathan Edwards
In his pride the wicked man does not seek [God]; in all his thoughts there is no room for God. —Psalm 10:4 (NIV)
Have you seen this be true in your own life? Can you identify ways you’re currently struggling with pride?
God invites King Nebuchadnezzar to turn from his pride, repent of his sin, and acknowledge that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms. Just as God was gracious to Nebuchadnezzar,
God is gracious to confront us in our pride.
God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. —James 4:6 (CSB)
How have you seen God be gracious to confront pride within you?
The cure for pride is genuine worship.
8 [Jesus] humbled himself by becoming obedient
to the point of death—
even to death on a cross.
9 For this reason God highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus
every knee will bow—
in heaven and on earth
and under the earth—
11 and every tongue will confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father. —Philippians 2:8-11 (CSB)
How did Jesus model humility? How can you worship him this week?
Pray Together:
Jesus, thank you for showing us the way of humility. Forgive us of our pride. We repent of the ways we’ve glorified ourselves - we humble ourselves before you now. Would you and you alone get all the glory. We exalt you. You are Ruler of all, King of Kings, Lord of Lords. In Jesus’ Name we pray, AMEN.