From Pastor Marvin Good Friday morning to you. Today we are reading Proverbs 11. As I was reading, the Lord seem to stop me at verse 2. Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. (New Living Translation) A month ago my family and I pulled up weeds and planted flowers in our front flowerbed. Then we put down some red mulch. I was so proud how well our landscape looked. But, three weeks later, the weeds were back, and they had brought some friends, many friends. The yard was overgrown with weeds again. I was disappointed and a little perturbed, but it was my fault. I hadnt got all the roots of the weeds. I learned a lesson of which Proverbs 11:2 reminded me. Pride - arrogance and delusions of greatness because of ones achievements, status or possessions - is the weed of my soul. Its roots are deep, and if I leave just a little bit behind, it will flourish again in my heart and take over my entire life. Just like I hated the weeds growing back in my yard, I hate the weed of pride when it flourishes in my heart. How do we know if we are letting the weed of pride take over the flowerbed of our heart? We know the weeds of pride are overtaking the flowerbed of our hearts if we answer yes to one or more of the following questions: Do I have a habit of finding fault in others? Am I in the habit of being self-sufficient? Do I always have to be right? Do I focus on others weaknesses? Am I striving to be successful at all cost? Do I always want people to serve me? Do I always focus on myself? Do I always boast about my possessions, status, and strength? Do I wait for others to come to me to resolve conflict? Am I in the habit of seeing nothing for which to repent in my life? Do I blame others for my failures? Do I refuse to ask for feedback? Am I afraid of criticism? Do I want and take all the credit for myself? Do I plan my life without consulting God? Man, when I look at this list, I can see and feel the weeds growing in my heart, and this is dangerous.The reason why pride is so dangerous is because it is characteristic of the devil and it always sets itself up against God. Pride opposes God and God opposes the proud. If we dont get to the root of the weed of pride, it will bring other friends: self-deception spiritual blindness hard heart fighting contempt for others jealousy and envy violence injustice oppressing others Pride, though it can afford us temporary prosperity, it will always end in disaster and disgrace - opposition from God, loss of reputation, wealth, position, strength, and even death. The answer to pride is humility. Humility is a heart attitude of lowliness and obedience, grounded in the recognition of my status before a great and holy God. The humble person is a wise person because she has learned how to judge herself aright in the presence of our great God. How do we weaken pride, and thereby prevent that ugly weed from flourishing in our lives? 1. Think about the Cross every day 2. Reject self-sufficiency and fully embrace dependence on God 3. Tell God thank you a lot 4. Recognize the shoulders of others on which you stand 5. Serve others, especially those who cant return the favor 6. Confess and repent daily 7. Ask for feedback 8. Acknowledge that all you have comes from God 9. Accept Gods immeasurable love and grace Fighting the weed of pride will be a constant source of tension with each of us, but God has promised strength and grace to those who recognize who they are in light of who he is. Questions? What did God say to you through Proverbs 11? Have a great day!
Posted on: Fri, 11 Jul 2014 11:09:16 +0000