Selfish Pride | Aspiritualnotefromth

SELFISH

PRIDE

"Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination

to the LORD...he shall not be unpunished."

(Proverbs 16:5)

"God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble."

(James 4:6)

Selfish pride is your greatest enemy, and it is a sin that God hates!

In Greek, "pride" is the word "υπεριφἀνεια" and "proud" is the word "υπερἰφανος." These two words mean excessive pride, arrogance, puffed up, conceited, disdain, and haughty. In Hebrews, "pride" is the word "gevah." This word means majesty, pride haughtiness, exalted, and highly exalted. The Bible tells us about two kinds of pride. One of them is when we feel good about ourselves or for others for a job well done. God does not condemn this kind of pride, and of course, it is not sinful (2 Corinthians 7:4; Galatians 6:4). God hates the other kind of pride which comes from self-love, self-admiration, and self-righteousness: "The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate" (Proverbs 8:13). This kind of pride is sinful because it provides resistance to seeking God: "The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts" (Psalm 10:4).

Self-pride is the opposite of the spirit of humility that God seeks. "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3). The person who is "poor in spirit" recognizes that he is unable to come to God apart from His divine and saving grace. This result brings him to God because he depends on Him. The proud person is totally different. His pride blinds him, and he thinks he has no need of God. He even thinks God will accept him because he is special, and he deserves it. Pride is the greatest sin that keeps many people from accepting Jesus Christ as Savior and directs them to hell. Instead of boasting in the Lord according to 1 Corinthians 1:31, the proud person boasts of his own strength. He also tries to inherit eternal life with his way and not God’s way. "For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth" (2 Corinthians10:18)

Pride is the professional sin of the devil. It is a sword that wounds the one who uses it. C.S. Lewis identifies pride as "the great sin," "the essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride," "comes direct from Hell" and "the mother of all sins." Augustine stated that "pride is the root of every sin." Pride is the most serious, dangerous, and deadly sin because it blinds our understanding to recognize the truth and makes us live in spiritual self-illusion and fantasy. Pride blinds us, and we are not able to see everything we have comes from God and not from ourselves. All our talents and abilities are gifts to us from Him.

Pride can destroy any person and any society. Without pride, there would never be an argument, divorce, a war, nor division within the church. Pride can delay revival, ruin homes and nations, deceive and defeat Christians, and send more people to hell than any other sin. Pride is a very deceitful sin. Everybody is contaminated with the virus of pride, and they have no idea that they are. Even the proud person is often very proud of his humility. Pride can ruin all the virtues. The proud person is capable of doing any sin. "Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16:18). It is necessary for our spiritual life to fight pride. We should not permit it to enter our heart because soon, we will find ourselves a slave of Satan and his demons.

Why is pride so sinful? It is because pride blinds us, and we take credit for something God has done. Pride takes the glory which belongs to God. Anything we achieve in this world would not be possible without God empowering us. The Bible says, "what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it" (1 Corinthians 4:7)? We have to give God the glory. If we do not, we will pay the price. "Pride goes before destruction...Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud" (Proverbs 16:18-19).

According to the prophet Isaiah, Satan was cast out of heaven because of pride. He had the selfish nerve to try to replace God. Because of Satan’s rebellion, he will be cast down to hell in the final judgment of God. Be wise and not a fool. "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble" (James 4:6).

Pride brings shame. Humility brings wisdom. Do not toot your own horn, but be a humble person. Do not worry about getting credit for what is done. God has his own way of honoring the humble and silencing the proud. Without being humble, you cannot have grace, and without grace, you cannot have salvation. Do not let pride guide you to hell.

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• Self-pride is the opposite of the spirit of humility that God seeks.

• Pride blinds a person, and he thinks he has no need of God.

• Pride is the professional sin of the devil.

• Pride is a sword that wounds the one who uses it.

• Pride can destroy any person and any society.

• Pride blinds a person and he takes credit for something God has done.

• Pride takes the glory which belongs to God.

• Pride sends more people to hell than any other sin.

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The Problem with Pride

By Dr. Adrian Rogers

"Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall."

(Proverbs 16:18)

There is a very dangerous sin that, in my estimation, is doing more to hold back revival, destroy homes, ruin this nation, cause Christians to live in failure and defeat, and fill hell than any other sin. Very frankly, it is the sin of pride.

Pride is such a deceitful sin. Many people who are infected and infested with pride have no idea that they are. As a matter of fact, the proud person is often very proud of his humility.

What is Pride?

Pride is an attitude of independence from God. Do you know why people don't pray? Prayerlessness is not a great problem. The great problem is they don't feel a need to. Prayerlessness is really a spirit of independence from God. If you're wrestling with prayerlessness, what you're really wrestling with is pride.

Pride is also esteeming one's self above other people. Do you think that because you have achieved certain things or have certain things that you’re better than somebody else?

Below are some of the indicators of a proud person:

A proud person becomes irritated when corrected for mistakes.

A proud person accepts praise for things over which he or she has no control.

Pride refuses to take counsel and to learn from other people.

Pride often shows itself in competition with other people.

Pride does not want more; pride wants more than somebody else.

Pride will not admit mistakes.

Pride

REPLACING GOD

WITH SELF

BIBLE VERSES

"Hear, and give ear; Do not be proud: for the LORD has spoken." (Jeremiah 13:15)

"Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished." (Proverbs 16:5)

"The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, and the perverse mouth, do I hate." (Proverbs 8:13)

"An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin." (Proverbs 21:4)

"Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." (Proverbs 16:18)

"But he gives more grace. Therefore He says, God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble." (James 4:6)

"Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honor is humility.” (Proverbs 18:12)

"A man's pride shall bring him low: but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit." (Proverbs 29:23)

"For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself." (Galatians 6:3)

"When pride comes, then comes shame: but with the humble is wisdom." (Proverbs 11:2)

"He that speaks of himself seeks his own glory...”(John 7:18)

"For men to search their own glory is not glory." (Proverbs 25:27)

"Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips."(Proverbs 27:2)

"For not he that commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends." (2 Corinthians 10:18)

"Likewise, you younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble." (1 Peter 5:5)

"For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy." (2 Timothy 3:2)

"Whether therefore you eat, or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31)

"There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness." (Proverbs 30:12)

"Whoso boasts himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain." (Proverbs 25:140

"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;"

(2 Corinthians 10:5)

"For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith." (Romans 12:3)

"And if anyone think that he knows any thing, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him." (1 Corinthians 8:2-3)

"That no flesh should glory in his presence." (1 Corinthians 1:29)

"Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents" (Romans 1:30)

"Let the proud be ashamed, For they treated me wrongfully with falsehood; But I will meditate on Your precepts." (Psalms 119:78)

"Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy." (1 Timothy 6:17)

"Not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil." (1 Timothy 3:6)

"This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you no longer walk as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind." (Ephesians 4:17)

"Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord"

1 Corinthians 1:31)

"For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life,

is not of the Father, but is of the world."

(1 John 2:16)

"These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:

A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood,

A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil,

A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.”

(Proverbs 6:16 –19)

"Thus says the LORD,

Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,

neither let the mighty man glory in his might,

let not the rich man glory in his riches:

But let him that glorieth glory in this,

that he understandeth and knoweth me,

that I am the LORD which exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth:

for in these things I delight, saith the LORD."

(Jeremiah 9:23-24)

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:

it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."

(Ephesians 2:8-9)

PROUD PEOPLE

ARE FULL OF THEMSELVES.

HUMBLE PEOPLE

ARE FULL OF GOD!

QUOTES

"Pride must die in you, or nothing of heaven can live in you."— Pastor and Author, Andrew Murray

"Give me humility, in which alone is rest, and deliver me from pride, which is the heaviest of burdens." — Monk and Author, Thomas Merton

"Pride is your greatest enemy, humility is your greatest friend." — Theologian, Cleric and Author, John R.W. Stott

"A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you."— Novelist, Scholar, Broadcaster, C.S. Lewis

"The proud person always wants to do the right thing, the great thing. But because he wants to do it in his own strength, he is fighting not with man, but with God."— Philosopher, Theologian, Poet, Social critic, and Religious author, Søren Kierkegaard

"Through pride we are ever deceiving ourselves. But deep down below the surface of the average conscience a still, small voice says to us, something is out of tune."— Psychiatrist and Psychoanalyst, C.G. Jung

"Pride is the master sin of the devil."— Preacher and Editor of the Christian Leader, Edwin Hubbell Chapin

"None are more unjust in their judgments of others than those who have a high opinion of themselves."— “Prince of Preachers” Charles Spurgeon

"He that is proud eats up himself: pride is his own glass, his own trumpet, his own chronicle."— Playwright, Poet and Actor, William Shakespeare

"The deceitfulness of the heart of man appears in no one thing so much as this of spiritual pride and self-righteousness. The subtlety of Satan appears in its height, in his managing persons with respect to this sin. And perhaps one reason may be that here he has most experience; he knows the way of its coming in; he is acquainted with the secret springs of it: it was his own sin. Experience gives vast advantage in leading souls, either in good or evil." — Pastor, Theologian and Missionary, Jonathan Edwards

"Pride costs us more than hunger, thirst, and cold."— President, Thomas Jefferson

"Too many people spend money they haven't earned, to buy things they don't want, to impress people that they don't like."

"Get someone else to blow your horn, and the sound will carry twice as far." — Quotes by Actor and Humorist, Will Rogers

"God's Word and Spirit humble us, enabling us to see our pride for what it is."— Dr. Charles R. Swindoll

THE DEADLY SIN OF PRIDE

THE CENTER OF SIN AND PRIDE IS "I"

Isn't it funny

Isn't it funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell?

Isn't it funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says?

Isn't it funny how everyone wants to go to heaven, provided they do not have to believe, think, say or do anything the Bible says. Or is it scary?

Isn't it funny how someone can say "I believe in God" but still follow Satan (who, by the way, also "believes" in God)?

Isn't it funny how people can send a thousand jokes through e-mail - and they spread like wildfire - but, when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing?

Isn't it funny how the lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene pass freely through cyberspace, but the public discussion of Jesus is suppressed in the school and workplace?

Isn't it funny how someone can be so fired up for Christ on Sunday, but be an invisible Christian the rest of the week.

Are you laughing yet?

Isn't it funny how, when you go to forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it?

Isn't it funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us?

Jesus paid the price by dying on the cross for the forgiveness of the sins of mankind.

Writing about Pride

Some people are overqualified. Therefore, God cannot appoint them.

Pride can befriend only those who are short in their inner heights and inner depths.

A man of pride is an "I" specialist. A man of humility is an "I" perfectionist.

Preference and indifference are the obverse and reverse of the pride-coin.

You are admiring yourself to such an extent that you have made it clear that you do not need even God's Admiration.

You are full of yourself. Poor God sincerely tells the whole world that His Heart is too small for you.

Your excessive love of yourself destroys you not only beyond your realization but also far beyond your imagination.

Your body is proud of its simplicity.

Your vital is proud of its vitality.

Your mind is proud of its majesty.

Your heart is proud of its humility.

Your soul is proud of its luminosity.

And finally, your God is proud of His unity in multiplicity.

— From Sri Chinmoy Library

First Sermon

The young seminarian was excited about preaching his first sermon in his home church. After three years in seminary, he felt adequately prepared, and when he was introduced to the congregation, he walked boldly to the pulpit, his head high, radiating self-confidence.

But he stumbled reading the Scriptures and then lost his train of thought halfway through the message. He began to panic, so he did the safest thing: He quickly ended the message, prayed, and walked dejectedly from the pulpit, his head down, his self-assurance gone.

Later, one of the godly elders whispered to the embarrassed young man, "If you had gone up to the pulpit the way you came down, you might have come down the way you went up." The elder was right. God still resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.— Prokope

Gas Mileage

According to a story in the Grand Rapids Press, the owner of a small foreign car had begun to irritate his friends by bragging incessantly about his gas mileage. So they decided on a way to get some humor out of his tireless boasting, as well as bring it to an end. Every day one of them would sneak into the parking lot where the man kept his car and pour a few gallons of gas into the tank. Soon the braggart was recording absolutely phenomenal mileage. He was boasting of getting as much as 90 miles per gallon, and the pranksters took secret delight in his exasperation as he tried to convince people of the truthfulness of his claims. It was even more fun to watch his reaction when they stopped refilling the tank. The poor fellow couldn't figure out what had happened to his car.

Why The Frog Fell

Two geese, when about to start southwards on their annual autumn migration, were entreated by a frog to take him with them. On the geese expressing their willingness to do so if a means of conveyance could be devised, the frog produced a stalk of long grass, got the two geese to take it one by each end, while he clung to it by his mouth in the middle. In this manner, the three were making their journey successfully when they were noticed from below by some men, who loudly expressed their admiration of the device, and wondered who had been clever enough to discover it. The vainglorious frog, opening his mouth to say, "It was me," lost his hold, fell to the earth, and was dashed to pieces. — J. Gilmour

"Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall."

(Proverbs 16:18)

A woman played a convenience store video game in North Carolina. After fourteen hours, the woman scored seven and a half million points on the game called "Tapper." The woman told her fiancée to call a local television station to cover her record-making attempt. After waiting for the cameras to be set up, the woman returned to her game. However, she was shocked to see the video screen suddenly go blank. While setting up their lights, the camera team had accidentally unplugged the game!

Dear Friend, Have you lost your power? Maybe pride is the culprit? A proud spirit can quench the Holy Spirit and reduce your effectiveness in the Lord. Humble yourself before God and find new power for the game of life!

"There is no room for God in a person full of himself."

— Rabbi, Baal Shem Tov

"Pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate."

(Proverbs 8:13)

In The Screwtape Letters written by C.S. Lewis, a senior devil urges his young protégé to divert a Christian’s thoughts away from God and focus instead on the faults of the people around him at church.

During a Sunday service, I found myself distracted and somewhat annoyed by a person near me who sang loudly off-key and was out of sync during the unison readings. But when we bowed our heads for a time of silent prayer, it struck me that the Lord must surely be more pleased with that other person's heart than with the judgmental feelings He saw in mine.

A few days later I happened to read Proverbs 8 and was struck by verse 13: "Pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate." Throughout this chapter, wisdom calls to us to gain an understanding heart (v.5) and to find life and obtain favor from the Lord (v.35). The alternative is to go through life with a superior attitude while dying inside in the process (v.36).

Pride is a sword that wounds the person who uses it along with those against whom it is used. Arrogance robs us of all God longs to give us, but "by humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life" (22:4).

Oh, just a bit of Thy meekness, my Savior,

To be the least when of self I would boast;

Finding my glory and strength in Thy favor,

Know in my weakness Thy grace can do most. —Bosch

Pride brings shame. Humility brings wisdom.

— By David C. McCasland

"Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall."

(Corinthians 10:12)

On April 10, 1912, the RMS Titanic set forth from Southampton, England on its maiden voyage. The huge ship, considered unsinkable, was a floating city, carrying 2,300 passengers to New York City. One passenger wrote in a diary that 'even God couldn't sink this ship.' This exuberance led to carelessness. Too few lifeboats were supplied, safety drills were ignored, and the captain ignored repeated warnings of icebergs in his desire to set a new trans-Atlantic speed record. Within four days, the Titanic sank, carrying 1,500 passengers to their icy deaths.

Dear Friend, Do you feel unsinkable? Are you beyond sin or weakness? A proud spirit can undermine your need to depend on the Lord. A false sense of confidence can lead you too near to sin. Draw close to the Lord for help, and keep off a sinking ship.

Putting Down Pride

"For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes,

and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world."

(1 John 2:16)

Now, our Father, in the simple, plain terms of sinners, we thank You for using for your glory those of us who are given to ugly pride and controlling dominance. We also thank You for finding ways to reduce our pride, either through Your Word or through our experiences. I thank You that we can still be who we are while we are engaged in exalting Christ and bringing ourselves in line with Your desires for our lives.

As You rip from our hearts the self-satisfaction that we would love to cling to, Father, and, as we bleed within, remind us that nothing we surrender goes unrewarded. Remind us that as You reduce us and crush us, You make us anew. You help us point our lives to the Savior. Give us satisfaction in the roles You have placed us, and help us not to worry about being in some place of authority. Ultimately, exalt the name of Christ in our lives. At the same time, use Your Word and Your Spirit to humble us, enabling us to see our pride for what it is. We praise You for Your work through Jesus. Amen. — Dr. Charles R. Swindoll

Five Ways Pride Can Ruin and Devastate Lives

PRIDE DEFILES GOD. Pride is a fist in the face of God. It was pride that turned Lucifer, the son of the morning, into Satan, the father of the night. In the Garden of Eden, when Satan came to tempt Eve, the temptation was to be as God. It was the same thing that had caused Satan to fall.

PRIDE DEFILES MAN. We were born with pride, and it defiles the very heart of man. "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man." (Mark 7:21-23) If you see an apple with a worm hole in it, the worm did not bore into the apple; he bored out of it. The egg was laid in the blossom, and the worm was hatched inside the apple and made its way out. Pride is on the inside and makes its way out of our hearts. We need to be born again because when we were born the first time, we were born with a nature inclined to pride.

PRIDE DEFILES SOCIETY. There has never been an argument, a war, a divorce, nor a church split that pride was not the major factor. Proverbs 13:10 states, "Only by pride cometh contention..." and Proverbs 28:25 says, "He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife..." If God resists the proud, then the proud man is out of fellowship with God. Anyone who is out of fellowship with God is going to be out of fellowship with other people.

PRIDE DISHONORS LIFE. The proud person wants praise, honor, and esteem, but through pride he gets dishonor. Proverbs 11:2 says, "When pride cometh, then cometh shame...." Proverbs 18:12 also states, "Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility." As Jesus taught us, the way up is down and the way down is up. The proud person always ends up not with admiration, but contempt.

PRIDE DESTROYS SOULS. Pride ultimately destroys all that it controls. It is the road to ruin. Proverbs 15:25 says, "The Lord will destroy the house of the proud...." Also, Proverbs 16:18-19 says, "Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." The seeds of destruction are in pride. I'm telling you, pride is the road to ruin; it is filling hell.

God Gives Grace to the Humble

Let me tell you about the grace of God. ". . . God resisteth the proud, but gives grace unto the humble,"(James 4:6). Grace is both the desire and the ability to do the will of God. The grace of God is sufficient for everyone, and no one can be saved apart from the grace of God. But, grace and pride are antithetical, and God resists the proud. It is not that God merely doesn't help the proud--God lines Himself up in battle array against them. Don't let pride escort you to hell. Humble yourself and lay your pride in the dust. — Dr. Adrian Rogers

In The Hand Of God

(Inspirational Story)

There is a beautiful story about a child playing with a vase his mother had left on the table for a few moments. When the mother turned at the sound of her son crying she saw that his hand was in the vase and was apparently stuck. She tried to help him and pulled and pulled until the child cried out in pain. But the hand was stuck fast. How would they get it out? The father suggested breaking the vase but it was quite valuable and the child's hand might be cut in the process. Yet he knew that if all else failed there would be no other alternative.

So he said to the boy, "Now, let's make one more try. Open your hand and stretch your fingers out straight, like I'm doing, and then pull!" "But Dad," said the boy, "if I do that I'll lose my penny!"

The boy had a coin in his hand all the time and was holding it securely in his tight little fist. And he wasn't prepared to open his hand and lose the penny. But once he opened his hand it came out of the vase easily.

What are you holding onto so tightly as to hinder your walk with Jesus?

That vase can be likened to the entrance to the Kingdom of God. It is narrow yet quite easy to pass in, but first you must "open" your hand to God and allow earthly things to fall. If we keep our fists closed and hold fast to what we have and keep it for ourselves, we will be unable to take hold of the "Hand of God"!

We arrived with nothing and will depart the same way.

Jesus told the parable of the rich man found in Luke 12:16-21 who wanted to build bigger barns to store his grain and goods. But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' We need to be on guard, or the things we own will begin to own us. It is our own clenched fist that makes us a prisoner.

Open your hand to the hand of God and you will see great things take place.

"Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

Honor the LORD with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase:

So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:

For whom the LORD loves he corrects; even as a father the son in whom he delights"

(Proverbs 3:7-12)

Choices

There are many choices we make in life, some more important than others. Scripture presents numerous examples of those who made choices which should be examples to us in choosing right with its accompanying joy or choosing wrong which leads to great sorrow. There is one choice however which is more important than any other, for it has eternal consequences. One cannot remain neutral in regard to this choice, for to do so is to choose eternal death in hell. The choice I am speaking of can be explained by a remarkable story about a man named Thorp.

Thorp and some wicked companions were infuriated by the open-air preaching of that prince of evangelists, George Whitfield, the friend and companion of John Wesley in the 18th century.

Not content with rudely interrupting Whitfield's public meetings, Thorp and his friends went to a tavern, there to spend the night in making merry. A proposal was made that each in turn imitate the preacher with a prize given to the best performer. This proposal was received with loud applause. The three companions took turns in mockery, reading aloud a verse of Scripture and pouring out a stream of blasphemous ribaldry, imitating the mannerisms and style of Mr. Whitfield.

Thorp then arose, boasting that he would excel them all. He announced his text--"Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish" (Luke 13:5). The sequel was most unexpected. As Thorp quoted the text it proved its living power, for there he stood, a guilty and condemned sinner in the sight of God. His conscience awoke and threatened him with the judgment of God for his blasphemous intentions. The Spirit of God laid His mighty hand upon him. Instead of following the evil example of his wicked companions he, like Balaam of old, was forced to give utterance to divine truths. As he proceeded with his address, he spoke truths that gripped the terror stricken consciences of his guilty companions and they were spellbound. They dared not stop him; they were awestruck.

When Thorp finished his discourse, not a word was said about the prize. He went silently to his home, a changed man, converted to God by his own sermon. He knew by personal experience that "the Word of God is quick [living], and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, ... and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Hebrews. 4:12).

Thorp became a consistent Christian and an earnest preacher of the gospel. He often declared that if ever he spoke under the direct power of the Spirit of God, it was on that memorable occasion.

There was a definite time in Thorp's life when he made a choice which determined his eternal destiny. We can happily say that he chose the way of life as found in the shed blood of the Lord Jesus rather than continuing on in the wicked life he had been following with its ultimate end of eternal death.

It is our prayer, dear reader, that you will make the wise choice, as Thorp and many others have, in confession of our sins and acceptance of the provision made by the Lord Jesus on the Cross of Calvary in payment for those sins.

"I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that thou and thy seed may live" (Deuteronomy 30:19). – MWTB

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Testimonies

"I was a proud intellectual from South India who had read the Bible many times. But when God opened my spiritual eyes, I learned that my intellectual talent was nothing but zero and I qualified myself to be one of the outstanding sinners in the world. My conversion came while listening to an Indian pastor who told me that the precious blood of Jesus can cleanse the heart, the mind, and the conscience. He suggested that we close our eyes and imagine that we were standing before the Cross of Calvary and then to think of all our sins and addictions for 5 to 10 minutes. At first, it was intensely painful and then I submitted all those sins and addictions to Jesus. It was a miracle! All my haunting memories were taken away. I am at peace. Jesus is truly "the Way, the Truth, and the Life.' John 14:6" — S.P.

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Muhammad Ali was not only one of this nation's greatest athletes, he was also one of the most proud. "I am the Greatest!" he would say. One day he boarded a plane but refused to fasten his seatbelt. The flight attendants politely requested that he do so, but each time Ali refused, until finally, he said, "Superman don't need no seatbelt." "Yes, I realize that," replied the attendant, "and Superman don't need no airplane."

Dear Friend, Are you beginning to think too highly of yourself? Don't let pride be your Kryptonite. The Lord opposes the proud and will arrange things so you will know you are not the "Person of Steel!" Boast in the Lord and not yourself. Only He is the Greatest!

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Bruce Larson, the famous writer, and speaker, was drafted into the army and was shipped from his native Chicago to a boot camp in the south. On the first day, Larson took some grits at breakfast. He never had grits before and began putting milk and sugar on them. "Is that how you Yankees eat grits up north?" a fellow recruit asked with a chuckle. Larson was too embarrassed to admit he was wrong and simply replied that he loved his grits with milk and sugar. Under the gaze of the whole table, he forced himself to eat the sugary mix pretending to enjoy them. The next day he studied how the other recruits prepared their grits with butter and pepper.

Dear Friend, Have you been wrong about something, but refused to admit it? Don't be so proud! Humble yourself and be honest about your mistakes. God will give you the grace you need to make the situation right. Being too proud to be honest will just add to the problem. Keep this in mind; eating humble pie is a lot better than sweetened grits.

By being humble and not proud we discover our true self before God!

"Pride makes us artificial and humility makes us real."

— Thomas Merton

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Live, Love, Laugh!

"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine"

(Proverbs 17:22)

A dead duck flying!

Eric took his young nephew with him hunting. All the way to the duck blind the older man boasted of how great a shot he was. After a few hours of waiting in the blind, a single duck flew across the sky. "Watch this," Eric said gleefully. He then emptied both barrels of his shotgun at the bird. Unfortunately, the duck flew on. "There goes a rare sight, my boy," Eric exclaimed in awe, "A dead duck flying!"

Dear Friend, Have you been tooting your own horn? Be careful that you don't disappoint others. Boasting of your gifts and abilities may puff up your ego, but it can let down others who believe you. Don't be a dead duck. Be real about your potential!

I Run for Fun

One time I read a fable about a dog who loved to chase other animals. He bragged about his great running skill and said he could catch anything. Well, it wasn't long until his boastful claims were put to the test by a certain rabbit. With ease the little creature outran his barking pursuer. The other animals, watching with glee, began to laugh. The dog excused himself, however, by saying, "You forget, I was only running for fun. He was running for his life!"

Boasting Grandmother

An elderly, wealthy woman in Florida was boring fellow beachcombers as she bragged on and on about her two remarkable grandchildren.

Unable to stand it any longer, a fellow sunbather interrupted her.

"Tell me, how old are your grandsons?"

The grandmother gave a grateful smile and replied, "The doctor is four and the lawyer is six..."

Texas and Oklahoma men

A Texan was bragging about the "bigness" of everything in Texas. To his surprise, a man from Oklahoma agreed with him. "Yep," said the man, "everything's big in Texas! Hey, I once knew a Texan who was so big they couldn't find a coffin to bury him in when he died." "And what did they do?" asked the Texan. "Well," replied the man from Oklahoma, "they just let the hot air out of him, and buried him in a shoebox!"

Dear Friend, Has life dealt you a few hard knocks lately? Maybe the Lord is trying to let out a little air! Humble yourself before the Lord. Let God take a few quarts out of your ten-gallon hat!

Dear Friend, Are you tooting your own horn or are you a humble person?

Don't worry about getting credit for what is done.

God has his own way of honoring the humble and silencing the proud.

Do what is required with a thankful heart and give the glory to God.

A proud spirit will only set you up for a big letdown.

WEBSITES

What does the Bible say about pride?

Pride

Why is Pride a Sin?

Pride: The Great Sin.

Pride: The Worst Sin

Pride: The Sin That Destroys

Pride and Humility

The Problem of Pride

The Problem with Pride

The Peril of Pride

"I have Cerebral Palsy-What's your problem?"

Evangelist, David Ring

God uses David to help and inspire thousands of people every day. The Lord will bless you through David's testimony and at the same time you will laugh and cry.

David Ring Ministries Home Page

David Ring- Life Testimony- Part 1

David Ring- Testimony- Part 2

David Ring- Testimony- Part 3

Life of David Ring