1 Corinthians 13:14
Pride comes before a fall Proverbs 16:18. But does this deter even those of the household of faith? A new suite and you know what? It was shipped all the way from Italy but do I say? We brag when " when you look at me from up down I am worth 120,000/-. When all this is out at play, where is love, yet love does not show off? Love is not a four letter word . It is an imprint of the transformational effect of the heart occasioned by the redeeming power of the blood of Jesus. Any contact with the blood that has remained fresh for the last 2014 years is bound to bring forth visible and tangible progression of change.Pride is defined as arrogance or majesty, haughtiness, highness or simply proudly swelling
It is pride that brought down Saul, 1 Samuel 15:12. Saul goes out and does things his own way and then turns towards Gilgal. Deep in his heart he knows he has Agag safe and secure. The best cattle, sheep , Lambs and everything good is well stucked in his safety. He was welling in him self. Wait until Samuel appears on the scene. Does this point to some area in our lives? What is it that God has conditioned you to kill and you have hidden from the knowledge of men? Imagine the treasures you are holding on and you very well understand the way you got them. Does this bring glory to Jehovah? What is the source of the wealth you are showing off? Pause a minute and ask your self candidly, I am a candidate of pride or what?
Look at that golden chain in your neck, remember how it got into your possession? I am just wondering when you rock in that chair, do you remember the humbling beginnings that you had before? Why have you exalted yourself to this level? My dear, what bleating sound is the Lord point at that is coming form you? What convicts your heart? There was another man called Gehazi, 1 Kings 5:20 "Gehazi, the servant of Elijah the man of God was another culprit. He said to himself I will go behind the prophet of God and benefit from what he has refused. This is not strange with most of us. I know as much as you know the schemes you have been undertaking behind the scenes and looking down upon the servant of God. You call them not enlightened, un-educated or informed. Beloved it is the love connection that makes the difference. Alot of the energy that could be used in growing the ministry is used in undermining servants of God. The current episodes featured in the electronic and print media involving men of the cloth point towards the decay in our society. It calls for serious soul searching to determine our stand with God. Surely if you love God, would you go to bed with a sheep of your pasture, a member of your congregation? This acts is no license for us to prostrate with pride and gossip about our church leadership. These men need to be loved and given direction and counsel. Remember the bible says touch not the anointed of God 1Chronicles 16:22. 2 Chronicles 20:20 "Believe you in the Lord your God, so shall you be established, believe in his prophets, so shall you prosper"?
Could it be that you are making spiritual in-roads because of the spitting your pastor? You are busy pulling down people and playing the fool who with a sharp axe cuts down the branch of a tree on which he is seating on yet requires no advice on the contrary. Pride will damage you if not kill you. May be you have asserted yourself like the men in John 8:, the woman caught in the very act of adultery. Full of pride, they selfishly kept aside the men. Their arrogance, personal excellence was no match for the savior of the world. His mercies are new every morning. Today he is saying, "stretch out your hand and say Jesus I avail myself to you". Forgive me. He will not only forgive you but will fill you with his love. The love unspeakable is what you will acquire. The experience of this love cannot be quantified. It is awesome, bringing out the other attribute of God. He is all loving.
It is only when we shed of pride that we are able to exhibit purity and reverence of our live. Our beauty should not be from the outward adornment , such as braided hair and golden jewelery or fine clothes. But isn't this what beauty and being appealing is all about today. We pride of the salons we patronize and the number of gold carats our jewelery contain. Peter would love us to show beauty from our inner man, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. Dear believer, what areas have become our focal points today? I hear you when you say image is everything. But what is image if you cannot stand with confidence in the presence of the mirror of the word of God? This word is able to bring out with all truth who you just-fully are. Without Jesus image is just image period.
Listen to the counsel of the words of 1 John 2.16 "For what 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". Pride is a symptomatic of where your spiritual thermostat is pointing;,The right side is an indicator that your spiritual thermostat is faulty and hence the worldly inclined behavoir. When embracing pride, you feel nothing is an indicator for an already cold heart . It needs the lovely fire of Jesus to fan it into flame. Pride like the one exhibited by Jezebel, 1Kings 19:1-2 cannot stand the authority of the written and spoken word of Jehovah. Some of the pride you are swimming in just needs a dose of either or both the Rhema and Logos word of God for total transformational shift..
Daniel 4:37 Daniel tells Nebuchadnezzar and this is what the Lord is speaking to us this hour. "And those who walk in pride he is able to humble". Pleas child of the Most High, better humble yourself and shed off your pride before it is too late. You cannot stand the humbling power and effect of God. He says that he never appointed us to his wrath, 1 Thessalonians. Better to submit to the author of the living than bask in the momentary glory of pride that will be banished in the unquenchable fire of God.Take your time stand in the mirror of the word and come out refined with the fire of the word. And remember pride is the beginning sign of failure. Believe it, Act it and Live it . Amen! blessings in the glorious name of our savior and Lord Jesus Christ.
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