HEAVENLY INCLINED...: PRIDE, HAUGHTINESS, ARROGANCE, EGOCENTRICITY = DEPARTURE FROM *GOD* & *GOD*LINESS...

Thanksgiving for the LORD's Favor

Psalms 138 (A Psalm of David)
1/ I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.
2/ I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy loving-kindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.
3/ In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.
4/ All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth.
5/ Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great is the glory of the LORD.
6/ Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.
7/ Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
8/ The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me:
thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands... AMEN!!!

One CANNOT earn GRACE, it is HIS own ESSENCE; a gift, still, IF one claims to be IN HIS GRACE, we ARE to, or, OUGHT to, be reflections of that GRACE! 2 CORINTHIANS 6:1, tells us not to take HIS GRACE in vain! This means, living in LOVE, morality, ethics, virtue, righteousness, and, spiritual improvement, TOWARDS, spiritual maturity, WHILE, visibly BEING as LIGHTS, beaming OF *GOD*, beckoning the world, TO THE LIGHT! Righteousness MEANS, conduct in conformity with *GOD'S* WILL, and, "Be HOLY because I AM HOLY!", therefore, indicating that knowledge, wisdom, and, effort, DO, apply TO the righteous!!! NEVER forget, we were grafted in, and, if we do not bear fruit, as a dead branch, we will be pruned out, just as were, the natural branches!!!

We are not saved by works, instead, works PROVE HIM in us: they identify HIS own...

IF I claim ONENESS with *GOD*, through CHRIST JESUS, I am DEAD TO THE WORLD, THUS, LIVING as HIM, which is, hopefully, witnessed IN, and, THROUGH, my every thought, action, and, reaction; MEANING, I am, THROUGH CONSCIOUS application OF THE WORD, HIS COMMANDS, HIS WILL, REFLECTING righteousness, not, merely, FAITH! I become, the TRULY FRUITFUL branch, of THE VINE, the TRUE member of THE BODY/THE CHURCH, CHRIST JESUS, and, TESTIFY, then, GLORIFY, BOLDLY, BY my thoughts, actions, and, reactions, HIS name, because, HE IS WORTHY, and, IN HIS LOVE, has SHOWN me, how I OUGHT to exist, to which, I eagerly, adapt, and, comply!!!

MATTHEW 5:48...
So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect

1 PETER 1:14-16...
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."

ROMANS 12:2...
Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.

Conduct, in conformity to *GOD'S* WILL, marks the righteous; it is NOT because of guilt, or, ancient Laws, but, because of LOVE; LOVE for *GOD*, self, then, others! CHRIST JESUS gave us Commandments to live by, of which, the first is to LOVE *GOD*, with all of your mind, heart, and, soul; the second is, to LOVE one another!

LOVE COMPELS us to LIVE IN HIM, through conduct which conforms to *GOD*; in other words, morality, ethics, doing good, and, being good, and, ever striving to improve the spirit! It is about REFLECTING THE TRUTH, for ALL to bear witness to, FOR, and, TO HIS GLORY, RADIANTLY SHINING OF HIS POWER, GRACE, and, MERCIES!!!

It IS ALL ABOUT LOVE, baby, all about LOVE!!!

MATTHEW 4: 17...From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

JOHN 14:15..."If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

NOTE: I do not intend to preach, rather to reach; to stir up, awaken, to inspire, and, bring forth, in discussion, that which is, perhaps, dormantly existing in the heart of hearts, thus, little, or, no, sugar coatings, just THE WORD of *GOD*, the TRUTH, along with some of my thoughts. And truth is, I am reminding myself always, as I practice these reminders, in the best of my abilities, and capacities, while RELYING on THE LORD to lead me on that narrow PATH---> MATTHEW 7: 14: "For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it... TO *GOD* BE ALL GLORY...

PRIDE, HAUGHTINESS, ARROGANCE, EGOCENTRICITY = DEPARTURE FROM GOD & GODLINESS...

Haughtiness has wrecked havoc in societies as of late; well, it has been around since the beginning, but there were times when it was taught for what it is, to be blatantly, and disdainfully proud---

PRIDE IS ENMITY WITH THE LORD *GOD*, and the more we realize this TRUTH, and WHY, the better people we can become! Haughtiness IS a product of pride, and IS rampant in these days, which IS having all sorts of counterproductive effects on everyone, and on our advancement!!!

As of the past decade, there has come forth a denouncement on the essential principle of RESPECT. I have heard it said that no one owes anyone respect UNLESS they have earned it, which pretty much overthrows respect as a WHOLE, BECAUSE respect IS essentially, regard for one another AS fellow humans sharing this world! It has become passe to respect elders, or any of many of those authoritative figures who used to be respected for their age, experience, wisdom, or their long-standing decency. Kind of cold, kind of strange, and kind of wrong for many reasons; one of which is that we SHOULD inherently respect one another because we ARE ALL in this together, and without respect, there is introduced distrust, disregard, contempt, and well, all sorts of negatives which breed dissension, as well as wrong-minded behaviours...

Discernment of the knowledgeable kind AIDS us in being able to determine if someone merits our respect or not, AFTER we are around them awhile! It is only FAIR to give everyone the benefit of doubt INITIALLY upon interacting with them, as going into interaction with people void of respect/regard really puts potholes in the foundation straightaway!!!

HUMILITY ALONE reiterates respect! Christians, for sure, ought to be HUMBLED, and therefore, others are MORE significant than ourselves, which CANNOT be UNLESS respect, and regard are in the heart, in the mind, and therefore, found in interacting, and relationships! We are to BE MODELS of GOOD works, which involves a LOT of interacting, and relationship building, thus, respect IS crucial TO doing so, AND to bringing people together TO make the world a better place!!!

When we are haughty, we become the center of our universe; everything revolves around us. There is little, if any, concern for what others think and no consideration of the will of God. Pride, haughtiness, is the trunk of the tree from which all other sins sprout. When we are at the center of our world, then nothing that we want is unlawful to us.

God is resistant to haughtiness. Over and over in Scripture, we read that God brings down the haughty and the proud (2 Samuel 2:28; Psalm 18:27; Isaiah 2:11, 5:15; Ezekiel 16:50). Twice in Proverbs, we read that haughtiness precedes destruction (16:18, 18:12). The New Testament is clear on the dangers of arrogance, warning repeatedly against it. Both James and Peter warn that God actively opposes the proud (James 4:6, 1 Peter 5:5).

None of us are immune to pride. The Bible tells us of otherwise good people who were brought down in one way or another by pride. The godly king Uzziah was struck with leprosy because, in arrogance, he tried to take the place of the priest and burn incense before the Lord (2 Chronicles 26:16). Similarly, Hezekiah’s pride in his possessions eventually brought the discipline of God on him (2 Chronicles 32:25). Peter’s prideful statement that he would never forsake Jesus (Matthew 26:33-35) was found to be false when he denied Him (Matthew 26:69-75).

The danger of pride is the reason for the many exhortations to humility in Scripture. Meditation on some key passages can fight the tendency we all have toward pride.

1 CORINTHIANS 4: 7...
For who makes you so superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

We have no reason to be proud; all we have, or are, or do, that is good, is owing to the free and rich grace of God. A sinner snatched from destruction by sovereign grace alone, must be very absurd and inconsistent, if proud of the free gifts of God.

ROMANS 12: 3...
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith God has given you.

Pride is a sin in us by nature; we need to be cautioned and armed against it. All the saints make up one body in Christ, who is the Head of the body, and the common Center of their unity. In the spiritual body, some are fitted for and called to one sort of work; others for another sort of work. We are to do all the good we can, one to another, and for the common benefit. If we duly thought about the powers we have, and how far we fail properly to improve them, it would humble us. But as we must not be proud of our talents, so we must take heed lest, under a pretense of humility and self-denial, we are slothful in laying out ourselves for the good of others. We must not say, I am nothing, therefore I will sit still, and do nothing; but, I am nothing in myself, and therefore I will lay out myself to the utmost, in the strength of the grace of Christ. Whatever our gifts or situations may be, let us try to employ ourselves humbly, diligently, cheerfully, and in simplicity; not seeking our own credit or profit, but the good of many, for this world and that which is to come.

Some CRUCIAL lessons ARE being left out as we learn our LORD *GOD*, HIS WILL, HIS WAYS, HIS WORD, which IS one reason we MUST study diligently, and deliberately, on our own, THAT we are safe from being led ignorantly, and thus, endangered, BECAUSE ignorance leads us into MANY errs, and areas which work against us, and our LORD!!!

Our EVERY CONFIDENCE is derived FROM our LORD *GOD*, and so, it is rather superfluous to place so much confidence in the self! For one thing, IF we are Christian, the self HAS died, and the spirit is NOW our TRUTH! For another thing, we ARE TOTALLY RELIANT ON THE LORD FOR EVERYTHING we need! HE, ALONE, HAS GIVEN us this day, and what is necessary to providing for us!!!

We ARE BETTER AS ONE than as individuals, each with their own smug agendas; THIS IS where the woes of the world spring forth of, and it DOES trace right back to PRIDE! Ah that we could SEE, and WOULD listen to THE LORD *GOD*, as it WOULD cause a great shift towards LOVE, PEACE, COMFORT, and all which is beneficial to our very existence!!!

I believe with all my being that whomever *GOD* LOVES, HE WILL HUMBLE, which awakens us TO HIM, and to being ONE WITH HIM, FOR HIS GLORY, and the greater good of all! To be less in one's own esteem leads to being greater in the end!!!

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BIBLICAL, and/or other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS