PRIDE DESTROYS.
MEMORISE:
But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. James 4:6
READ: Isaiah 14:12-15
12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
MESSAGE:
The Bible says in Proverbs 16:18:
“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”
As we see in our Bible reading of today, Lucifer, who later became the devil, was thrown out of heaven because of pride.
“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:” Isaiah 14:12-13
When the devil realized that pride leads to destruction, he made it one of his major weapons, he deceived Adam and Eve, telling them that when they ate the forbidden fruit they would be as wise God.
“And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.” Genesis 3:6
Adam and Eve fell. The glory of the Lord that covered them departed and they realized they were naked and exposed. Pride disgraces its hosts beyond measure. The story of Pharoah is another case in point. It was pride that caused him and his soldier to drown in the Red Sea. One would expect that after experiencing the ten terrible plagues God sent to him and his people, Pharoah would humble himself before Most High, but instead, he remained stubborn, asking “Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go” (Exodus 5:2)?
By the time he realized that the Lord is the Almighty, it was too late for him to repent.
To escape the spirit of pride you need to be genuinely born again and sanctified so that the mind of Jesus Christ may be in you. Philippians 2:5-7 described the humility of Jesus Christ in spite of His greatness. Humility elevates while pride destroys. Choose wisely.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, please help me to voluntarily humble myself so that You may exalt me, in Jesus’ name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Kings 11-15.
HYMN 14: JESUS MY LORD, MY GOD, MY ALL.
1. Jesus, my Lord, my God, my all,
hear me, blest Savior, when I call;
hear me, and from thy dwelling place
pour down the riches of thy grace.
Refrain:
Jesus, my Lord, I thee adore;
O make me love thee more and more.
2. Jesus, too late I thee have sought;
how can I love thee as I ought?
And how extol thy matchless fame,
the glorious beauty of thy name?
3. Jesus, what didst thou find in me
that thou hast dealt so lovingly?
How great the joy that thou hast brought,
so far exceeding hope or thought!
4. Jesus, of thee shall be my song;
to thee my heart and soul belong;
all that I have or am is thine,
and thou, blest Savior, thou art mine.
