Pride

“Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind.”
“It is the comparison that makes you proud: the pleasure of being above the rest.” CS Lewis

This morning during the worship time we had together we talked about Angels. Angels are the Lord's servants. They are His messengers.

One of His great angels made a choice to go against Him and receive the worship that was due Him. This Seraphim, was a glorious one, called Lucifer, the Son of the morning. His sin was PRIDE.

Isaiah 14:12
“ How you are fallen from heaven,
O Lucifer, son of the morning!
How you are cut down to the ground,
You who weakened the nations!
13 For you have said in your heart:
‘ I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;
I will also sit on the mount of the congregation
On the farthest sides of the north;
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,
I will be like the Most High.’
15 Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol,
To the lowest depths of the Pit.

Pride is an evil that's hard to break away from, especially if we are really good at something in our lives. And the difficulty here, is we are each really good at something that sets us apart from the rest. We begin to see this "good" in us as something to be praised and honoured. We forget we are like the moon, the reason we shine is because the light of God shines upon us. If the moon comes under the shadow of the earth, it's "light" immediately disappears. It has no light in itself without the light of the sun. So, this truth is the Christian's truth.

Proverbs 16:4
The LORD has made all for Himself,
Yes, even the wicked for the day of doom.
5 Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD;
Though they join forces, none will go unpunished.
6 In mercy and truth
Atonement is provided for iniquity;
And by the fear of the LORD one departs from evil.

Christian, we have so much,....in Christ! We have the Source of the universe as our Lord and God. He has given freely to us the things of God. He has resourced His church with power and authority. Our mission is one of the greatest honours given to a created creature, to bring all men to the Christ.

He asks only one thing of us, never to do it in our own strength. Never to believe it is us doing the good works and not His power that works within us. He asks us to give glory only where glory is due,...to our only God and Saviour!

When we confess that without Him we are nothing. Without Him we are worthless and deserving of death as a vertict in the highest court. Without Him we are a people of no hope, no promise and no life. When we confess these things, then pride vanishes and a humble, thankful heart enters as it seeks to worship its Lord.

Oh, the joy of being a Christ-ian!