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ON MEDITATION There are a few well meaning Christian friends who ask me about my leaning towards eastern philosophy and meditation. I w...

Wednesday, August 16, 2023

PRIDE

 LOVE NOT THE WORLD :


Love not the world, nor the things in the world. 


If any one love the world, the love of the Father is not in him;


because all that [is] in the world, 


the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, 


and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.


And the world is passing, and its lust, but he that does the will of God abides for eternity.-

-

1 John 2:15-17 (Darby)


PRIDE:


The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.I fast twice in the week, I tithe everything I gain.


-Luke 18:11-12


(Notice how Jesus brought out that the underlying attitude of the Pharisee was reliance in self. He boasted before God of all his "excellent" qualities and works, things he evidently thought would earn him God's respect. His vanity about these things then motivated him to regard others as less than himself.)


PRIDE IN ACHIEVEMENTS:

All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. 29…as the king was walking  on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30 he said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?”


31 Even as the words were on his lips, a voice came from heaven, “This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you. 32 You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.”


-Daniel 4:28-32 


PRIDE THE ROOT CAUSE OF SIN:


An angel named Lucifer tried to exalt himself above God. 


He declared: “I will ascend to heaven;  I will raise my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north. I will ascend  above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High” (Isaiah 14:13-14) 


 (Look at the pride of this angel, most handsome and brightest, who said “I”, “I”, “I,”  “I”, “I”, “I”)

 

He said, “I will” five (5) times, and God said, “No, you won’t” and cast him out of Heaven. Lucifer, “son  of the  morning”  become Satan  the accuser.  

 

God said to Lucifer, “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.” (Ezekiel 28:17)

  

Every sin whatever it is has pride at its root because all sin is defiance of God. What could be more prideful than saying, “I won’t follow God’s standard”.  

 

God isn’t impressed with your credentials. You must come to God and say, “I am a sinner, and I realize I am worthy of nothing”. 

- The Importance of Humility, Daily Readings, John MacArthur

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