Hi everyone!
We're continuing on from last weeks teaching on 2Chron Ch 7:14. God desires
for His children to walk in His blessings continually. He has no greater joy
than seeing His children prosper in all areas of their lives (3 John 2).
The prosperous life belongs to each and every one of us in the body of Christ because it has already been bought and paid for on Calvary's cross by our Lord Jesus Christ. But have you noticed it doesn't just happen to you automatically.
The blessings of God don't just fall out of the sky and into your lap like
ripe apples falling out of a tree. We have to position ourselves to receive
by believing right and living right. We have to fight the fight of faith and
walk it out in love.
In reviewing last weeks teaching; pride, prayerlessness, hearts turning away
from the Lord, and wickedness will result in the blessings of God being stopped
and a curse alighting upon the land and its people. Let's take a look at pride
this week, and how humbling ourselves (humility) can oppose this deadly evil.
•••
Pride is humility's opposite.
Humility is the Lord's character and pride is the devil's character.
Nobody is free from pride in this world, it is the nature of the flesh.
•••
Pride is not a good listener. It is an interrupter.
Pride is always talking about itself and it's own interests.
Pride is centred in self.
•••
Pride won't listen because it thinks it already knows.
Humility is a good listener because there's bound to be something in this
that I don't know yet or that I could learn more about.
•••
Pride has a high opinion of itself.
Humility esteems others higher than itself.
Can you show, and do you show genuine interest in other people and in what
they are saying? Is what you're saying and your view the only thing that is
important?.
Interrupting is a manifestation of selfishness and pride and it is disrespectful.
•••
Pride believes lies about itself and it's natural that it tells lies.
Humility is honest with itself and it always tells the truth.
•••
Pride believes things that are untrue; pride operates in deception about itself,
it tries to maintain and project a false image that is portraying that I am
something that I am not, that I have things that I don't, that I am in a place
spiritually that I am not.
Humility will admit I am what I am, and I'm where I am. Humility will tell
the truth!
•••
When confronted pride makes excuses. Humility makes adjustments.
•••
Pride pretends it already knows and won't ask for help. Humility will ask
questions. Humility will ask for assistance.
•••
Folks, as you can see pride is sneaky and deceptive, and if we're not careful
we can be held captive by it's evil power. When Jesus was on the earth He
said that He was meek and lowly of heart (humble, see Matthew 11:29). Let's
ask God to show us our prideful ways and repent of them. Turn entirely away
from them by imitating our wonderful Master Jesus. The first step in dealing
with pride in our lives, families, churches and nation is to humble ourselves
and admit it! Confess it!
If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to
accept the truth. But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just
to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong 1John
1:8-9 (NLT)
Folks please read Daniel Chapter 4 for further study
David
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At times I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or I
might command locusts to devour your crops, or I might send plagues among
you. Then, if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and
pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from
heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land. I will listen to every
prayer made in this place, for I have chosen this temple and set it apart
to be my home forever. My eyes and my heart will always be here.
2 Chronicles 7:13-16 (NLT)