How do you know if you have pride in your life?

Good morning. What a blessing the rain was yesterday. I know many have been praying for rain and what a wonderful thing to see prayers answered and God provide.

We are in the sermon series the bait of satan and have looked at Pride for the past two weeks. This morning is the culmination of those two messages, if you missed them go to our rightnow media page and you can see them. If you do not have rightnow media please see me or scan the qr code on one of the many posters around the church.

Speaking of QR codes, if this is the first time you have been to CCC or if you are new here and have not filled out a visitors card please scan the QR code on the Welcome to our church flyer that is posted throughout the church. This will take you to a google form that you can fill out to share your information with us so we can stay in contact. If you are old school we do have visitor cards in the back you can fill out and either give to me or put in one of the offering plates.

This morning’s message will be different than most here at CCC. Usually I dive deeply into scripture to allow God to speak through His word. Of course today is based upon scripture but most of that scripture has been looked at the past two weeks.

This morning is more of the application of the past two weeks. Also in transparency, I did not come up with the 7 signs. God led me to an article called Seven Signs of Pride In Your Life. I took the heart of that article and used it to come up with the message today.

Just to quickly review the past two weeks where we looked at 6 forms of pride

1. Pride Gives Credit To Self

2. Pride Seeks Credit From Others

3. Pride Seeks Credit From God

4. Tearing Yourself Down is Prideful

5. Comparing Yourself to Others is Prideful

6. Condemning Yourself is Prideful

Let’s Pray

START OBS

This morning we will look to apply what we learned the past two weeks in the form of things or signs to look for in your life to see if pride is present

Pride is a big deal

Pride is a cancer

It starts small

All humans have pride

All humans have cancer cells

It just depends on if they grow and become dangerous

You are sinful by nature

Pride is a large part of that sinful nature

Do you let it grow?

Do you feed it?

Do you ignore it?

If you were diagnosed with cancer you wouldn’t ignore it

You would deal with it

You would seek treatment

In fact your entire world turns to focus on destroying it

The same must be true with sin

Pride is sin

You must decide to reject all sin, including pride

You must make your entire focus on eliminating sin from your life

As a child of God, which is what you are as a Christian, one who has accepted Jesus Christ, then you are to do the work of obedience

God does the work, the Holy Spirit, through God’s Word changes you from the inside out but you have to read it

You have to allow the Holy Spirit to apply it

I Peter 1:14-16

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“As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.””

Do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance

If you have accepted Jesus then you are now a new creature

However you can choose to return to the vomit of your old ways

I want to spend a few minutes here this morning because this is such a big deal for Christians

I fear many Christians do not strive to be holy as God is holy

Most Christians would say yes I do

Do you really?

This is all encompassing This is a complete lifestyle change

This takes actual work and dedication

This takes sacrifice

This takes putting God 1st and others 2nd and yourself last

So many Christians today are still conformed to the passions of their former ignorance

Their former mindsets such as

I am a worrier

I have anxiety nothing can be done

I am a product of my failed parents and broken home

I have always been this way and will always be this way

Addiction runs in my family I can’t change that

Some Christians say these very things, even more think them and believe them

They are the opposite of the Gospel

Jesus breaks chains

Jesus gives you complete freedom

Most Christians have a stronghold, or several strongholds

Those sins that continue to hang on in your life

Most of the time they are pet sins

Sins you are comfortable with

Sins you really don’t want to go away

How do I know.......

they are still there

Jesus paid the price and forgave and removed all of your sin

If you still struggle with a stronghold and are a Christian it is because you are hanging on to it

Psalm 103:11-12

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“For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.”

This is truth

Because of God’s steadfast love toward those who fear Him

Fear is fear but also respect and obedience

Fear comes from a Hebrew adjective yaw-ray meaning fearing; morally, reverent, afraid fear

Websters 1828 defines reverent as expressing reverence, veneration or submission. Submissive, humble, impressed with reverence

Vs 11 is pointing to your relationship with God because of His love you submit and obey......humble

Because of His love you fear Him and then

If you fear Him

If you submit to Him

If you pray for forgiveness

If you pray for your pet sin, your stronghold to be removed it is as far as the east is from the west

Gone

Stand on God’s word this morning

That is how you become holy and He is holy

Standing on and obeying and applying God’s Word

Changing who you are

Back to this morning

7 signs that pride is in your life

1. You look down and judge those less fortunate than you.

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What is your natural response.....your immediate response when you see someone less fortunate than yourself?

Is it.......

They made poor choices and deserve where they are?

They have the same opportunities as me, it is their fault.

Go to school and better yourself

They need to work harder and do better

You have to be so very careful here

Many will say, I feel sorry for them but from a very prideful, self-absorbed place

They are not as good as me so I feel sorry for them

Jesus looks upon people with compassion which is much different than looking down on or feeling sorry for someone

Do people take advantage of Christians

Do people take advantage of the system

Sure

Are people lazy and dependent upon others

Yes

Not your deal

Have compassion

Be discerning

Make sure you help and not enable but always have compassion

Question to remember here

Question to ask yourself

Do I recognize God blessed me and my success is out of my hands?

Sure you work hard

God says no work no eat

II Thessalonians 3:10

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“For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.”

You are called to work

You are called to work hard

But

God gives you the ability to work!

If your response to someone down and out is anything but compassion you must check yourself for pride because it is there

2. When someone fails or makes a mistake is my 1st thought judgement or mercy?

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Mistakes happen

You make mistakes

I make mistakes

Everyone makes mistakes

There is zero question that people make mistakes

The question is what is your 1st thought....your natural....gut reaction when someone makes a mistake?

Do you get frustrated

Do you get angry

Not everyone will verbalize their frustration but it is still there

Some will very loudly verbalize their frustration

Here is the issue

That frustration is usually not at the mistake but the fact that the mistake has inconvenienced you in some form or fashion

it doesn’t matter if you say it

Feel it

Think and dwell upon it

Judgement=pride=sin

Romans 3:23

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“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

Here is another layer to it

How do you react when you make a mistake?

Many are so quick to judge others yet justify themselves

I didn’t keep my word to you but you do not know what kind of day I have had at work

I lost my temper with my kid but I am very stressed and they were pushing me

Sure, I cheated....I had an affair but you don’t know how my spouse treats me

The list is limitless

I hope you get the point

Humans are quick to justify their mistakes but look with judgement upon others when they make mistakes

This is truly a heart issue. I pray you ask Jesus to show you your heart this week.

3. Do you complain and gripe a lot or do you verbally give thanks often?

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You and I woke up today in Nevada Mo USA

We live in one of the wealthiest countries in the world

Most have a place to live

Most have food to eat

Most have clothes to wear

If you are a Christian you have forgiveness and salvation

You have Jesus and the Holy Spirit living inside of you

These are truths

Yet

You

I

We

complain a lot

We....modern Western Christians take so much for granted

So much of the world today faces starvation and unclean water

When was the last time you were thankful....stopped and spoke how thankful you are to have clean, running, safe water at the turn of a handle or push of a button?

Myself and 5 others from CCC went to the Sheldon Baptist Men’s breakfast yesterday morning

It was awesome and I pray they were blessed with the fellowship and Word they received yesterday

My good brother in Christ Matthew Coy gave the message yesterday. Matt works for the Lamar school district....he keeps the buses running

He is a wonderful man and works very hard. His job is physical and recently his knee swelled up and he couldn’t work. Many would struggle with this but yesterday he stood in front of a group of men and said he thanked God for this. It allowed him to slow down and refocus on God

He also gave thanks for God’s timing as there were some things at work, which required travel and lots of walking, that usually happen during the time of his injury that this year were moved to a different time

He said he was so thankful that God provided for him by moving those things

Do you grip and complain

or

Do you give thanks?!?!?!?!?!

here is the real issue

When you complain you usually complain because you feel you deserve better

Romans 6:23

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“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

You deserve death

That is what you deserve

If you are saved here this morning

you GET forgiveness and eternal life

You are blessed here this morning

Does pride cause you to complain instead of give thanks?

4. Do I see myself spiritually advanced?

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God wants you spiritually advanced

James 1:4

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“And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

Mature

Perfect

Complete

Lacking in nothing

You and I as Christians are to be working toward that very thing

However pride gets it confused

You can become very prideful when you state

I am a Christian

I am a Sunday School teacher

I am a children’s church worker/leader

I am an elder

I am a deacon

I am a pastor

I have attended church for years

What you really mean by those statements when you are prideful is this

I am so far ahead of most people spiritually

You miss it

Luke 5:8

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“But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.””

You should never see yourself as spiritually advanced or

beyond

or

ahead

or

above other Christians but you are to see yourself as Peter

Peter realized how short of Christ he really was

You and I fall so short of Christ we have nothing to be prideful about!

You should want to teach kids the Bible

Jesus loves kids

Jesus made it a priority to teach kids

Luke 18:16

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“But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.”

If we all saw things as Jesus saw things

If we all had the compassion that Jesus had

If you and I claim to be Christians

If you and I claim to have accepted the gift of forgiveness and salvation

We would be beating down the doors to teach the children and the lost

Not because of pride but because of love

They NEED Jesus

That should be our top priority.....taking Jesus to the lost....especially the children!

Why do you sell Jesus short

Why do you sell God short

Why do you sell the Holy Spirit short

Jesus willing mounted the cross to die for your sins

God created everything, including you, and gave His only Son to die for you

The Holy Spirit raised Jesus from the dead

You don’t think they can work through you to teach the kids

You don’t think they can work through you to reach the lost

You don’t think they can work through you to grow the saved?

I can hear you now....Pastor I am not called to that

That may not be one of the works God created you to do, I agree

But look around

God has you here

God has you at CCC

He will provide for you if you are willing to do His work.

We have Sunday mornings, Sunday School and Church, including children’s Sunday school and Children’s Church and worship and tech and trying to start a greeting ministry

We have a women’s discipleship group on Monday nights

We have a men’s discipleship group on Wednesday nights

We have a co-ed Bible study on Wednesday nights

We have Free in Him a women’s lunch and bible study on Fridays at noon.

Those are our ministries.....not saying God wont grow more because He very well might but right now that is it

If you are here

If God called you here to CCC

He called you to those ministries for the time being

Be prayerful in where you can serve

Prayerful about where to be fed

Prayerful about where you can feed others

5. Do you love approval and applause?

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Social media teaches look at me

Look at how good I am

It is all about me

Just over here living my best life

That screams give me praise

comment to make me feel better

Hit the love button

Share my post

All so I can feel better about myself

All so I can feel the rush of your applause and approval

You seek your worth from humans and not God

You are worthy because God sent Jesus to die in your place

You are a new creature in Christ

The only good in you is Christ

You must be so very careful about why you do things

If you are a Christian you must do works, not because the works gain you anything but because you have gained forgiveness and eternity in Christ

God didn’t save you to have you sit in a pew on Sunday mornings

God didn’t save you just to be nicer to people

God saved you because He loves you

God saved you because He wants none to perish but all come to repentance

God leaves you here on earth to do HIS work

I don’t care if you are a professional athlete or a janitor

God has you here to do His work

To shine the light of His Son Jesus into the dark world

To love like He loves you

To walk as Jesus walks

To disciple others as Jesus disciples you

Listen God is it

He is the only priority

The only thing that should matter to you is salvation

Am I saved

Are those I meet saved

If you are saved then am I growing in Christ

Am I doing the work of obedience in my life

If you are doing anything for any other reason than the love of Jesus you are seeking men’s approval and applause and miss the point

6. Are you obsessed with your appearance?

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Society and maybe you will stop at nothing to make itself or yourself look good

This is both physically…clothes make up etc

and status or socially

The world is great at window dressing

putting the best foot forward

Putting on a happy face

Making everything appear to be good

You have all fell for it

You see a commercial or an advertisement or a post on Facebook

you get so very excited about whatever it is, maybe a restaurant or a trip or a whatever

You go and it is nothing like what the commercial or advertisement or post said it was

You are so disappointed....they only showed the very best which was such a small part of the truth

Be authentic

Understand that appearance doesn't matter

eternity matters

Accepting Jesus matters

Your heart matters

Pride drives you to have to have the latest name brand things

Pride drives you to spend an hour in the mirror getting every hair right

Pride drives you to worry about your clothes and how they look

Jesus didn’t even have a place to lay His head

Matthew 8:20

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“And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.””

Jesus Himself

God almighty in human form

Didn't even have a place to lay His head

Jesus never worried about what to wear or what to eat as He had full faith in God to provide

Is it wrong to have nice clothes

Is it wrong to look in the mirror

Is it wrong to want to look nice

No

It is again a heart issue

You know if you are putting appearance ahead of God

You know if you get your self-worth from you appearance and clothes etc instead of God

If you don’t know then pray about it

Ask God to show you your heart here and then respond accordingly

Finally

7. Are you unable to confess, apologize or ask for help?

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You have been there

Maybe you are there right now

You know you are wrong but refuse to admit it

you refuse to apologize for it

How many marriages have failed or are falling apart because one or both refuse to apologize

refuse to admit their faults

How many relationships or jobs or opportunities end the same way

We are going to dive into unforgiveness next week so I am not going to spend a lot of time here but when you refuse to confess your faults/sins

when you refuse to apologize for your faults/sins

You are destroying yourself and your relationship with everyone including God

Refusing to ask for help when you need it is also prideful and a sign pride is in your life

When you stop and truly think about it

How childish and dumb are we when we refuse to ask for help when we need it

Hebrews 10:25

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“not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

I could have used many scriptures here but felt this one was where God was leading me

God created each of us, you, me, for community

He created us for fellowship

You are not created or designed to do this life alone

First and foremost you are to do it with and through God by accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior

Then you are to do life with your Christian brothers and sisters

You are designed to do life together

When you need help and hide it

or refuse to ask for help

You are talking that community and fellowship away from yourself but also your brothers and sisters in Christ

Galatians 6:2

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“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

We are called to carry each others burdens but if you hide your burden or refuse to allow someone to help you carry it

you are standing against the Bible and that is a horrible place to stand

This morning the altar is open. During this time of invitation I want you to get with God

Just you and God

Ask Him to show you, convict you of areas you have pride in your life

Bring those to Him at this altar

confess and be forgiven and cleansed of all unrighteousness

Leave here forgiven and clean in right standing with God

That is what this time is all about

If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior then today is the day.

That tugging on your heart

That urge to come forward

That is the Holy Spirit urging you to move and accept Jesus today!

You may feel something very similar with conviction if you are saved here this morning

Will you move?

STOP OBS