PRIDE OR HUMILITY ? (WITH VIDEOS - ONE A SERMON BY ADRIAN ROGERS) & ARTICLE ON HOW TO BE HUMBLE - INSPIRATIONAL WEEKEND

 

[Male Peacock]

I have always thought that a male peacock was the epitome of pride!  Male peacocks strut and show off as if they believe they are so wonderful and special and spectacular! Actually, they are!  Most people have heard how some people view short of stature men who boast and strut around and puff out their chests as if they are similar to a banty rooster!  This post does not intend to criticize and "bash" anyone, but only to point out that pride is NOT becoming; worse, it is a sin that God hates most of all! We all tend to have a bit of a pride problem; we were born with it; it comes from within - and we inherited it from the fall of Adam in the Garden.

God hates pride because it is a sin that caused the fall of mankind in the Garden of Eden.  And pride made a beautiful angel into a devil - pride created Satan, the deceiver and destroyer! Satan's kingdom is founded on pride. And when a person is extremely proud, they tend to be independent of God Himself. A proud person thinks "I can handle it", and a proud person wants things their own way and not God's way.  

Following is a 38 minute excellent sermon by Pastor Adrian Rogers on how pride can devastate a life! It is a helpful and insightful sermon - the best sermon I have ever heard on the subject of pride!

In his sermon, Pastor Rogers includes an abundance of Scriptural references.

By the way, he passed away in 2005.  He was an American Southern Baptist preacher and an author as well.

The reason I choose the topic of pride for this article is because my previous post was about meekness and Jesus' teaching on that subject in His Sermon on the Mount, or the Beatitudes, found at Matthew 5:5.  And another reason is because in my daily Bible reading recently, I came across Psalm 138:6, which also deals with pride.  It follows: 

"Though the LORD be high, yet hath He respect unto the lowly: But the proud He knoweth afar off."

 

In Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalm 138:6-8 he explains:

"Though the Lord is high He has respect to every lowly, humbled sinner, but the proud and unbelieving will be banished from His blissful presence.  Divine consolations have enough in them to revive us even if we walk in the midst of troubles, and God will save His own people that they may be revived by the Holy Spirit, the Giver of life and holiness.  If we give to God the glory of His mercy, we may take to ourselves the comfort. This confidence will not do away with, but quicken prayer.  Whatever good there is in us it is God Who works in us, both to will and to do.  The Lord will perfect the salvation of every true believer and He will never forsake those whom He has created anew in Christ Jesus unto good works."  -  end of Henry's quote

[Rooster at Hanauma Bay - Oahu, Hawaii (Acrylic painting on canvas]

As I prayed for the Holy Spirit's guidance and help in writing this article, I at once was answered partially by a Scripture popping into my mind which was:

"But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth ME, that I AM  the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgement, and righteousness in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD."  -     Jeremiah 9:24

In Webster's 1828 dictionary it tells us that to glory or glorying means exulting with joy, or boasting; a display of pride.

So we should not take ourselves so seriously!  We should not be all wrapped up in ourselves and our accomplishments.  Instead, whatever we have or whatever we do accomplish or we are capable of, whatever gifts or talents we have --  bottom line:  It all comes from God and His blessings to us!   It is the good Lord in His love and mercy Who provides.  We should fall on our knees every day in gratitude to Him and thank Him for His goodness and love and provisions! For all He has done for us!  Be grateful to Him.  All of God's kindnesses to us should humble us.

 

 

Albert Barnes' Notes (Commentary) explains Jeremiah 9:24 for us:

"This is the prophet's remedy for the healing of the nation (Israel).  It is the true understanding and knowledge of God of which the first means the spiritual enlightenment of the mind (1Corinthians 2:13-14), the other, the training of the heart unto obedience (John 8:31-32).  This knowledge of God is further said to find in Him three chief attributes:  (1) lovingkindness  - i.e.,   readiness  to show grace and mercy; (2) judgment - a belief in which is declared in Hebrews 11:6 to be essential to faith; (3) righteousness -  which is essential to religion absolutely.   ....  Unless men believe that God's dealings with them in life and death are right and just, they can neither love nor reverence Him."  -  end of Barnes' quote

[Loving Spoonbills]

So the opposite of pride is humility! At the GotQuestions.org website there is an excellent article concerning what the Bible says about how to humble yourself. Here is the link to that article:  https://www.gotquestions.org/how-to-humble-yourself.html

Here are a few quotes from the above article, but I pray that you will go to the above link and read it all !  "We cannot become more humble by focusing on humility, as it becomes a source of pride when we believe we have achieved it.  .... The Bible has much to say about seeing ourselves in proper perspective.  Holding the Biblical perspective humbles us. Humility increases when we are willing to be humbled by God, circumstances and others.  Our sinful natures do not want to be humbled."

Following is a wonderful video by Christian You Tube Channel "Lion of Judah" that explains how to be more like Jesus. Enjoy and be blessed!

And another awesome video by Christian You Tube Channel "Grace For Purpose" which encourages us to put our complete trust in God.  Powerful!

The above video includes Psalm 9:10, which reads:

And those who know your name put their trust in You, for You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You."  

In these troublesome and chaotic and uncertain times in which we are now living,  the above Psalm gives comfort.  One thing is certain, God is never changing and He loves you and will never forsake you.  Trust Him!  He keeps His promises! 

True believers in Jesus, the Savior, derive comfort in the promise that He will return soon for us and take us to be with Him in heaven.  How awesome is that!   Many Christians are "battle weary" from numerous things happening in our world these days!  On a global scale as well as on a personal level.  But we have a blessed hope:

"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."  - Titus 2:13-14

But what if you are not  a true Christian, a person who has been born again - saved by a spiritual birth - by a belief that Jesus is the Savior and the only way to heaven?  He died a cruel and painful death on the Cross in your place -  a substitute for you in the sense that He took mankind's sins upon Himself - paid the debt in full for our sins - ransomed us and became sin for us and shed His precious blood as the Lamb of God, so that when we believe with all of our very being that He is The Savior, His shed blood washes us clean, so to speak.  We are born again - spiritually!!  What love He has for us!!

Following are "Salvation Scriptures" for the unsaved, as well as for Christians to share with unbelieving family members and others.

"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." -  John3:36

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me."  -  John 14:6

 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."  -     John 3:16

 

HAVE A BLESSED AND CHRIST CENTERED WEEKEND -  AND LIFE!

 

"Be Child-like And Humble" - Inspirational Weekend

My photograph here is of a female peacock with her baby behind her.  The baby eventually snuggled under the mama's breast feathers for safety and comfort.  It reminds me of Matthew 23:37 where Jesus says,  "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not."

This shows how Jesus had wanted to display tenderness and compassion and love to Jerusalem even though He was pointing out its great sins. In the preceding verses He had condemned the Pharisees and scribes in very strong language.  

But the verses I would like to concentrate on in this post are found at Matthew 18:3-4 which follows:

"Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.  Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

Jesus' disciples were overly concerned with who would be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, which prompted Jesus to say the above statement.

In the previous post last weekend, we talked about the kingdom of heaven and how, in order to be a part of it, you needed to repent and also be born again.   In the above verses, Jesus is telling us we need to become child-like and be humble in order to see the kingdom of heaven.   Children are trusting and unpretentious.  As believers in Christ, we should become as trusting and as humble as little children, having faith in the Lord and in His loving words to us which guide us in the Christian walk and in His footsteps.  There is simplicity and meekness in the helpless and inexperienced child.  We adult Christians should be meek as well, and simply trust in the Lord with all of our heart, mind, and soul.  It is as much a duty to trust God as it is to serve Him.

We must, like little children, be teachable; and open to truth and to conviction.   Also, it is a child's character to obey.  If you are a true believer, you will endeavor to always obey God.  Not self-willed and self-sufficient, but dependent on the Lord for guidance.  His will, not yours, be done.

The child also has undoubting faith in his parents and teachers.  We Christians should be the same toward God.   Remember,  "Without faith it is impossible to please God: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."  (Hebrews 11:6).

"Pride makes faith impossible."  -  Andrew Murray

The proud will say, "I can handle this", and not turn to the Lord for guidance.   The proud will not be able to have true faith; that is why we need to be humble as little children.   We are God's children, after all.

"According to what we have of God will be our real humility, because humility is nothing but the disappearance of self in the vision that God is all."   -  Andrew Murray

Remember, God hates pride.  

"The fear of the LORD is to hate evil:  Pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate."  -  Proverbs 8:13

To me, male peacocks are very prideful in their display and attitude.  It's as if they know they are beautiful and so they strut their stuff.   Christians should not be that way.

How do we cultivate the grace of humility?

The first root of humility is love.  

Realize yourself the object of great mercy.  Take all of your blessings as an act of an individual favor to you.  Be grateful.

Be more reverential.  If your health permits, get down on your knees in prayer to the Sovereign God of the universe, and realize every breath you take comes from Him.  He is the Almighty God and He is in control.   

Always try to keep yourself a little child, spiritually speaking.  You are God's child; rely on Him and trust in Him as you would if you were a child.   Your heavenly Father loves you and wants the best for you.  Read and study your Bible and pray continuously in order to develop a close, personal, intimate relationship with Him through Jesus Christ.  If you have such a close relationship with God, you will learn humility and obey Him as a child does its earthly Father.  You will reverence the Lord.  

Have a happy and a Christ centered weekend!