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| PRIDE COULD KILL YOU |
| A GREAT SIN IN AMERICA Often when people are proud, they refuse to admit it. In extreme cases, people whose pride has been wounded return to the workplace from which they have been fired and shoot down innocent victims. This tragedy has also happened at schools when teen-agers have been made fun of and have returned to take revenge for their hurt pride. Some are even willing to die defending their pride. PRIDE IN THE CHURCH Many times Christians give in to the examples of non-Christians. It is easy to think, like the rest of the world thinks “I am just standing up for my rights. I’m not just equal to you, I’m better than you. I won’t let you walk all over me!” How quickly Christians lash out in anger if they feel someone has hurt their pride. All we have to do is remember when Jesus found us lying in the dirt and filth, and picked us up and, cleaned us up. A COMPUTER CHECKS ITSELF A computer has all kinds of self -checks. It checks its discs, it checks for viruses, etc. Maybe we should run a check on our attitudes. Sometimes we worry more about our computers than we do about ourselves! PROUD WRATH Proverbs 21:24 Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath. Sometimes we have good reason to get angry, but many times the root of our anger is pride. THE ANSWER IS CONTROL If your house is on fire, it’s bad; it could burn your house down. That is fire out of control. If there is fire in your furnace, it’s good; it will warm your home. That is fire under control. The Holy Spirit in our lives gives us control. LED BY THE SPIRIT Romans 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. That word mortify means kill or do away with. But we can’t do it without the Spirit. VAIN GLORY Galatians 5:26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. The word “vain” means “empty“, and that is what we are when we seek to be better than others. IF A BROTHER SINS Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. There is a saying, “He who lives in a glass house shouldn’t throw stones.” MEEKNESS TOWARD THE SINNER Timothy II 2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. MEEKNESS AND GENTLENESS OF CHRIST Corinthians II 10:1 Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, We have the Lord as the perfect example to look to. SEEK MEEKNESS Zephaniah 2:3 Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD'S anger. God has a special love for a meek, humble person. LUCIFER (SATAN) Ezekiel 28:13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. 14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. 15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. 16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. 17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. Isaiah 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. ACCEPT GOD’S PUNISHMENT HUMBLY Leviticus 26:41 And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity: Sometimes a child gets nasty and spiteful after being corrected. If we, as children of God, take correction humbly, we probably won’t need as much correction. WOMEN TO PUT ON MEEKNESS Peter I 3:4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. 5 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: This scripture speaks for itself. Need I say more? LOOK WHAT I HAVE DONE! Isaiah 10:12 Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks. 13 For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man: 14 And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathereth eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped. 15 Shall the ax boast itself against him that heweth therewith? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? as if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood. Count the number of times he said ”I” in this reading. If you hear “I “too many times, look out! There may be pride there. DO YOU WANT TO DWELL WITH GOD? Isaiah 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. What do we really have to be proud of within ourselves? HUMBLE AS A LITTLE CHILD Matthew 18:3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. GOD KEEPS HIS DISTANCE Psalm 138:6 Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off. Some folks wonder why God seems so far away from them. This may be their answer. WHAT CAUSES PRIDE? 1. Being rich. 2. Being famous. 3. Having talent. 4. Being good looking. 5. Being intelligent. 6. Being popular. 7. Doing great works. 8. Having power. 9. Having few problems. 10. Having muscles. And the list just goes on. WHAT DO THE PROUD SAY? WHAT DO THE HUMBLE SAY? P. I have the most things. H. God has given me so much, I want to share. P. I want it my way. I want to be happy. H. I want the best for you. I want you to be happy P. I am more important than you. H. You are worth more than all the world. P. I want to rule over you. H. I want God to be your Master. P. Everybody look at me! H. Everybody look at Jesus. P. I am the best. I want to win. H. I want the best for you. P. I didn’t get my fair share. H. I have so much, take some of mine. P. Let me go first. H. I please others that I may win them to God. P. Get out of my way! H. Here, let me help you. P. I hope that he messes up. H. I hope that he does well. |
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| by H. Witmyer |
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