Keeping Grace Flowing
by Dr. Charles Stanley
16 There are six things the LORD hates – no, seven things he detests: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, 18 a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, 19 a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord among brothers. Prov. 6:16-19
While you can never lose your salvation, you can dam up the grace of God in your life by your attitudes and behavior. Proverbs 6:16-17 states that God hates pride. Dr. Don McMinn, in his book Spiritual Strongholds, defines pride as "inordinate self-esteem, vainglory, preoccupation with one’s self."
McMinn lists some characteristics of pride: "selfish, ostentatious, showy, haughty, egotistical, vain, conceited, loves self, pompous, arrogant, immodest, contentious, narrow-minded, opinionated, loud, boastful, materialistic, demanding, moody, critical, reluctant to accept criticism, highly competitive, desire to always be in control, refusal to admit one’s weaknesses, inflated sense of one’s abilities or opinion, inability to accept God’s forgiveness." McMinn’s first recommended solution to pride is to develop humility: "At least three times the Bible instructs us to ‘humble ourselves’ (Matthew 18:4, James 4:10, 1 Peter 5:6), so humility can be self-induced. Humility involves confessing our dependence upon God and respect for other people. The Bible promises wisdom (Proverbs 11:2), good tidings (Isaiah 61:1), and honor (Proverbs 15:33) to those who are humble." All other sins cry out, "I have a need." Pride is the only sin that cries out, "I need nothing. I can manage." And that is exactly why God hates it.
1 What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Isn't it the whole army of evil desires at war within you? 2 You want what you don't have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous for what others have, and you can't possess it, so you fight and quarrel to take it away from them. And yet the reason you don't have what you want is that you don't ask God for it. 3 And even when you do ask, you don't get it because your whole motive is wrong – you want only what will give you pleasure. 4 You adulterers! Don't you realize that friendship with this world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again, that if your aim is to enjoy this world, you can't be a friend of God. 5 What do you think the Scriptures mean when they say that the Holy Spirit, whom God has placed within us, jealously longs for us to be faithful? 6 He gives us more and more strength to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say, "God sets himself against the proud, but he shows favor to the humble." James 4:1-6
by Dr. Charles Stanley
16 There are six things the LORD hates – no, seven things he detests: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, 18 a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, 19 a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord among brothers. Prov. 6:16-19
While you can never lose your salvation, you can dam up the grace of God in your life by your attitudes and behavior. Proverbs 6:16-17 states that God hates pride. Dr. Don McMinn, in his book Spiritual Strongholds, defines pride as "inordinate self-esteem, vainglory, preoccupation with one’s self."
McMinn lists some characteristics of pride: "selfish, ostentatious, showy, haughty, egotistical, vain, conceited, loves self, pompous, arrogant, immodest, contentious, narrow-minded, opinionated, loud, boastful, materialistic, demanding, moody, critical, reluctant to accept criticism, highly competitive, desire to always be in control, refusal to admit one’s weaknesses, inflated sense of one’s abilities or opinion, inability to accept God’s forgiveness." McMinn’s first recommended solution to pride is to develop humility: "At least three times the Bible instructs us to ‘humble ourselves’ (Matthew 18:4, James 4:10, 1 Peter 5:6), so humility can be self-induced. Humility involves confessing our dependence upon God and respect for other people. The Bible promises wisdom (Proverbs 11:2), good tidings (Isaiah 61:1), and honor (Proverbs 15:33) to those who are humble." All other sins cry out, "I have a need." Pride is the only sin that cries out, "I need nothing. I can manage." And that is exactly why God hates it.
1 What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Isn't it the whole army of evil desires at war within you? 2 You want what you don't have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous for what others have, and you can't possess it, so you fight and quarrel to take it away from them. And yet the reason you don't have what you want is that you don't ask God for it. 3 And even when you do ask, you don't get it because your whole motive is wrong – you want only what will give you pleasure. 4 You adulterers! Don't you realize that friendship with this world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again, that if your aim is to enjoy this world, you can't be a friend of God. 5 What do you think the Scriptures mean when they say that the Holy Spirit, whom God has placed within us, jealously longs for us to be faithful? 6 He gives us more and more strength to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say, "God sets himself against the proud, but he shows favor to the humble." James 4:1-6
posted by John Willis at 3:03 PM
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