18th July 2006- Pride Kills

A Legend in Your Own Mind
By Gloria Copeland

Do you want to know one of the secrets of staying in the will of God, of keeping yourself from getting off track?

Don't overestimate yourself!

Proverbs 16:18 says, "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall." How many times have we seen that borne out! How many times do we see believers get into trouble because they get an overblown idea of themselves. They begin to think they're so smart that they have it all figured out.

Then, the next thing you know, they're thinking they have to straighten everyone else out. Instead of just letting Jesus be Head of the Church, they feel like they have to step in and do the job.

Once that happens, it's just a matter of time before they're flat on their faces in failure. Why? Because the Bible says God resists the proud! (1 Pet. 5:5).

Don't put yourself in a position where God has to resist you. Rate your own abilities soberly. Adopt an attitude of humility. Keep a watch on yourself, and when you catch yourself getting puffed up with your own greatness, repent and remember that every good thing you enjoy and every bit of success you've had has come by the grace of God and by His power.

Look back on your life and see how many times you could have lost what God had given you. See how many times, when you were floundering around making every mistake imaginable, His tender and precious mercy pulled you through.

• Point to Ponder: Pride goes before a fall.

• Verse: Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." (1 Peter 5:5)

• Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 5:5-7; James 4:6-17

• What you can do about it: Don't become a legend in your own mind. Instead, humble yourself beneath the mighty hand of God, and let God do the exalting--that prevents some very painful falls. Meditate on how the Lord has saved you and carried you through your darkest times.

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Scripture Reading (1 Peter 5:5-7; James 4:6-17):

a. 1 Peter 5:5-7
5:5
Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."
5:6
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
5:7
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
New International Version


b. James 4:6 - 17
4:6
But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."
4:7
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
4:8
Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
4:9
Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.
4:10
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
4:11
Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.
4:12
There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you--who are you to judge your neighbor?
4:13
Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money."
4:14
Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
4:15
Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that."
4:16
As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil.
4:17
Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.
New International Version
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