TRANSFORMING YOUR WORLD

Greetings and Blessings;

Recently I began a series on one of humanity's, including or especially Christians, biggest hindrances to a fulfilled life. An infectious disease that has caused the fall of so many. PRIDE.
I noted that there are perhaps three manifestations of pride. The first is the kind of pride a parent feels when their child excelled in something that they could not do before. Or the pride of a spouse when the other got the promotion. That kind of pride is fine unless the parent now feels that their child is better than any other and their child can do no wrong. Not good. The second kind of pride is the pride that causes someone to not reach out for help when they need it. Perhaps this is one of the reasons men tend to die sooner than women. Though sick, some men can't admit something may be wrong and by the time they see a doctor its too late. What's worse is when someone is having emotional or psychological concerns but won't get help for fear of others thinking they're crazy. The third pride is the pride of arrogance. When someone thinks they are superior to others, can do all things better than others, are brighter than others, are more sophisticated than others, even thinking themselves super spiritual with a false sense of humility, they are setting themselves up for a fall or worse, destruction. Pride can cause persons, families, churches, businesses and even nations to collapse under the weight of their on arrogance. Throughout Scripture we find warnings about the sin of pride. My opening text was from Daniel 4:28-37. Here King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon who saw himself as all sufficient and godlike had a lesson in pride. Prophesy was given to him concerning the lesson he would soon learn. As a result of the lesson the king became insane but in the end openly praised and worship the Lord our God and humbled himself before Him. Its always better to confront our own pride issues before our Lord loves us enough to confront it for us. That may not be pleasant at all. In 2 Chronicles 7:14, the Lord declares: "if my people who are called by my name would......" Then before He says .....If they would......pray, seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, He first said " If they would humble themselves." All else follows humbling ourselves. Full of pride and little or no humility? Then their is no need to pray. I admonish you with the sermon title "Lay the Pride Aside."
God bless you all.