Pride is the venom of the bite of vanity, arrogance, defiance, selfishness, stubbornness, anger, passion, lust, greed, sloth, and, other deadly behaviours, known to lead us into sin/err! Pride is a strong opponent to what is just, right, and, good, and, CAN destroy the well-being of the person of pride, as well as all in their path! Pride is simply, against *GOD*! Pride would have us believe *GOD* is so far removed from us, that what we do, acquire, accomplish, has nothing to do with HIM! Pride is a viable enemy, oh yes, it is!!!
We are to LOVE *GOD*, FEAR *GOD*, and, be HUMBLE before HIM! Pride does not allow any of these to occur, except in part, if that! Pride is DEFINITELY in opposition to HUMILITY! One CANNOT humble themselves at all, in pride! Pride does not care about being humble, in fact, most who are in pride, consider humility beneath them, or, a sign of weakness! Humility takes FAR more strength to learn, and, live in, than pride could ever hope to have!!!
I have never had an over-abundance of pride, but, it doesn't take much to be in err, and, to foster more! Pride works stealth-like, and, sneaks up on us, when we are not aware of it's existence! I doubt if anyone will ever be completely rid of pride, but, that is not the point; the point is to recognize it, admit it's presence, and, work towards controlling it, and, overcoming it! As I have said before, in my belief, a lifetime is not nearly enough time to train in *GODLINESS*, but, what matters is that we TRY!!!
My pride has seen me walk out of jobs (I have had some nasty, mean bosses, believe me!), refuse help, and, other things, which, at the time, I did NOT know were actions, and, behaviours of pride! I just knew I WASN'T going to conform to certain things, in which case, we see stubbornness! One of the last places I walked out of, I said, "I would rather scrub toilets for a living, than work for you!" And, guess what, this happened at the beginning of the economical disaster we are in, and, I couldn't find work, so, I had to make my own way, in which case, and, I laugh about this all the time, I began a cleaning business, and, toilets were at the top of the list of duties:))) *GOD* delivered me into my own words! However, I made it work for me, because my pride had been shot down, and, I became humbled to the task before me, which then, turned into caring for the elderly! Ah, the lessons we learn...
Now, I have rarely, if ever, been selfish, because I have known oh, TOO many selfish people, and, it is just not in my nature to be this way, but, when we act in pride, selfishness IS a part, and, parcel of the root!!!
*GOD* DETESTS pride in those HE LOVES! Pride interferes with HIS WILL, and, WAYS! Pride separates us, greatly, from HIS presence, and, communication with us! Makes sense, because of what I have had to experience with prideful, arrogant people in my life! Sometimes they are like brick walls, unreachable, but, *GOD* ALONE, knows HOW to break through these walls, and, humble us!!!
Let's take a look at some of the many Scriptures concerning pride:
PROVERB 8: 13...
(The fear of the LORD is to hate evil;) Pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth I hate.
PROVERB 16: 18-19...
18/ Pride goes before disaster, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
19/ It is better to be humble with the meek than to share plunder with the proud.
ISAIAH 2: 11-12...
11/ The haughty eyes of man will be lowered, the arrogance of men will be abased, and the LORD alone will be exalted, on that day.
12/ For the LORD of hosts will have his day against all that is proud and arrogant, all that is high, and it will be brought low;
OBADIAH 1: 3-4...
3/ The pride of your heart has deceived you: you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, whose abode is in the heights, Who say in your heart, "Who will bring me down to earth?"
4/ Though you go as high as the eagle, and your nest be set among the stars, From there will I bring you down, says the LORD.
MALACHI 3: 19...
For lo, the day is coming, blazing like an oven, when all the proud and all evildoers will be stubble, And the day that is coming will set them on fire, leaving them neither root nor branch, says the LORD of hosts.
MATTHEW 23: 12...
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
1 PETER 5: 5-6...
5/ Likewise, you younger members, be subject to the presbyters. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another, for: "God opposes the proud but bestows favor on the humble."
6/ So humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.
So many more Scriptures address pride, but, this should be enough to cause us to think, reflect, and, correct!!!
The uninformed, untrained, uncontrolled egocentric being is the evidence of living in the world, the carnal, fleshy realm, which, highly, opposes the spirit; the TRUE self, which, IN CHRIST, we are to live in!!!
1 PETER 1: 14-19...
14/ Like obedient children, do not act in compliance with the desires of your former ignorance
15/ but, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in every aspect of your conduct,
16/ for it is written, "Be holy because I (am) holy."
17/ Now if you invoke as Father him who judges impartially according to each one's works, conduct yourselves with reverence during the time of your sojourning,
18/ realizing that you were ransomed from your futile conduct, handed on by your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold
19/ but with the precious blood of Christ as of a spotless unblemished lamb.
1 PETER 2: 11...
Beloved, I urge you as aliens and sojourners to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against the soul.
1 PETER 4: 1-3...
1/ Therefore, since Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same attitude (for whoever suffers in the flesh has broken with sin),
2/ so as not to spend what remains of one's life in the flesh on human desires, but on the will of God.
3/ For the time that has passed is sufficient for doing what the Gentiles like to do: living in debauchery, evil desires, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and wanton idolatry.
REV. LWINSOR © 2012
BIBLICAL, and/or, other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS
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