One of the "seven deadlies" ----the seven deadly sins----is pride.
It happens to be the first listed. It's the worst of the list.
I've been thinking much about pride this fall. Let me take you on a journey.
A few years ago I met with a group of people praying every Sunday evening for a specific need. One night there was a gentleman who offered a word from the Lord.
It was incredibly powerful.
"You are a stiff-necked people! Your pride will bring you low."
I don't remember all of what he said, but the message was clear. We, the church, those meeting for prayer, were rendering our prayer worthless through our pride/sin in our hearts.
Conviction.
Pride is insidious. It worms its way into little phrases like "You'd be so proud!" or "You can be proud..." or "I'm so proud of...."
But then it takes on a monstrous form of self aggrandizement.
Most of us will never admit that we'd think much of ourselves, but in some forms of mental illness it is PRIDE that rears its monstrous head, matching the claims of Lucifer himself, that demon manifesting pride.
The mind tricks itself into thinking that it is limitless and powerful-----like God.
Really, this happens. Look it up.
So how can we fight this most monstrous of sins?
Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord. Learn to be the servant of all. Practice self-control. Glory in your weaknesses!
Yes, God has made man in His image, and God declared that it was good. God is good. But the likeness really stops there. Man is sinful. Man is limited. Man is a created thing.
God's grace is what we can glory in.
Maybe it isn't okay to pat ourselves on the back, to admit pride---even in the most innocuous-seeming situations. Maybe it isn't okay to "take pride" in our children, or grandchildren, our school, our group, church, or even our own accomplishments. Maybe that's just pride. Plain, ugly pride.
When you see it unmasked it is a horrific thing to behold. It is a powerful beast, difficult to tame. It can hardly be reasoned with.
If you have pride in your heart, ask God to clear it out. It loves to hide there, quietly waiting.
Maybe it is only acceptable to give ALL THE GLORY to God, alone.
In Him we live and move and have our being. Acts 17:28
If my people, which are called by my name, will HUMBLE themselves, and seek my face....THEN I will hear from heaven, and forgive their sins. 2 Cor 7:14
It happens to be the first listed. It's the worst of the list.
I've been thinking much about pride this fall. Let me take you on a journey.
A few years ago I met with a group of people praying every Sunday evening for a specific need. One night there was a gentleman who offered a word from the Lord.
It was incredibly powerful.
"You are a stiff-necked people! Your pride will bring you low."
I don't remember all of what he said, but the message was clear. We, the church, those meeting for prayer, were rendering our prayer worthless through our pride/sin in our hearts.
Conviction.
Pride is insidious. It worms its way into little phrases like "You'd be so proud!" or "You can be proud..." or "I'm so proud of...."
But then it takes on a monstrous form of self aggrandizement.
Most of us will never admit that we'd think much of ourselves, but in some forms of mental illness it is PRIDE that rears its monstrous head, matching the claims of Lucifer himself, that demon manifesting pride.
The mind tricks itself into thinking that it is limitless and powerful-----like God.
Really, this happens. Look it up.
So how can we fight this most monstrous of sins?
Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord. Learn to be the servant of all. Practice self-control. Glory in your weaknesses!
Yes, God has made man in His image, and God declared that it was good. God is good. But the likeness really stops there. Man is sinful. Man is limited. Man is a created thing.
God's grace is what we can glory in.
Maybe it isn't okay to pat ourselves on the back, to admit pride---even in the most innocuous-seeming situations. Maybe it isn't okay to "take pride" in our children, or grandchildren, our school, our group, church, or even our own accomplishments. Maybe that's just pride. Plain, ugly pride.
When you see it unmasked it is a horrific thing to behold. It is a powerful beast, difficult to tame. It can hardly be reasoned with.
If you have pride in your heart, ask God to clear it out. It loves to hide there, quietly waiting.
Maybe it is only acceptable to give ALL THE GLORY to God, alone.
In Him we live and move and have our being. Acts 17:28
If my people, which are called by my name, will HUMBLE themselves, and seek my face....THEN I will hear from heaven, and forgive their sins. 2 Cor 7:14
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