Putting off Pride to Pursue our Purpose

Pursuing our purpose to Praise by putting off pride.

Introduction

"Psh, well look at me” - Young man struggling // Get to know him to discover how to encourage him // Relationship // QUOTE.

>> Pride will keep him from finding the true purpose of relationships/marriage.

>> Pride will KEEP YOU from pursuing your purpose of praising God.

Read Psalm 145

Boasting in self = robs God of his glory // Jeremiah 9:24 “but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.” >> Psalm 138:6 “For though the Lord is exalted, Yet He regards the lowly, But the haughty He knows from afar.” // Proverbs 6:16-17 “There are six things which the Lord hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: Haughty eyes...” = God opposes, resists, loathes the proud.

[[we are warned about the perils of pride]]

[[overview]]

another dream // This time the dream is a large tree that is cut down but root left behind.

Tree symbolizes grandeaur AND pride: Isaiah 2:12-13 “For the Lord of hosts will have a day of reckoning Against everyone who is proud and lofty And against everyone who is lifted up, That he may be abased. And it will be against all the cedars of Lebanon that are lofty and lifted up, Against all the oaks of Bashan,” // Isaiah 2:17 “The pride of man will be humbled And the loftiness of men will be abased; And the Lord alone will be exalted in that day,”

Here is the purpose in the intro and the final words: that people would be humble and exalt the true God == Daniel 4:26 “‘And in that it was commanded to leave the stump with the roots of the tree, your kingdom will be assured to you after you recognize that it is Heaven that rules.”

1. THE COWARDICE OF PRIDE

First, what is pride?

Pride initiated the first fall Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28, their hearts were inflated and they sought to make themselves like God.

Pride thus, is an over-inflated view of self which leads to self worship. // Pride is a competition toward others and toward God. “Pride seeks to undo GOd.” Thomas Watson.

The prideful expect to be served when he walks into his home

The prideful man can’t honor his boss

The prideful man is constantly the victim self pitying victim.

The prideful man can’t get over himself and fellowship (he is too shuy)

The prideful man can’t show compassion or mercy

The prideful man does not have a lifestyle of prayer

He does not… seek the counsel of other men

He does not confess his sin

Pride is produced when you are:

1. COMPLACENT & COMFORTABLE

Complacency destroys fools (the prideful) Proverbs 1:32 a

Mark 10:25 ““It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”” // 1 Timothy 6:9 “But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction.”

Deuteronomy 17 warnings for a king to not become self sufficient, but find your contentment in Christ.

2. Takes all the CREDIT

pride builds its own platform and it is self-serving.

3. COMMANDED by self

He is supreme over his life, His life is first place, he is commanded by a self-supremacy. The foolish man says there is no God. But this man 30 years before saw the powerful witness of God in the fiery furnace .

He hasn’t learned - calls the wise men again

recognizes daniel as a man filled with a spirit

calls him by his caldean name.

God becomes merely one of many options and solution. This self commanded life produces chaos.

4. Does not CONCEDE to his privileges

Does not concede to two testimonies (chs 2 and 3)

God grants him a dream rather than strike him down (chapter 5)… the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

Grants him an interpreter and messenger despite dpending on his worldy vain ways (Isaiah 47:12-13 ““Stand fast now in your spells And in your many sorceries With which you have labored from your youth; Perhaps you will be able to profit, Perhaps you may cause trembling. “You are wearied with your many counsels; Let now the astrologers, Those who prophesy by the stars, Those who predict by the new moons, Stand up and save you from what will come upon you.” )

Grants him a cure for his pride (v26-27) and time yet does not concede…

God’s humble heart for the proud: 2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”

2. THE COURAGE OF HUMILITY

First, what is humility?

A right view of self that leads to one not thinking less (or more) of one self but thinking of one self less (often).

“Humble people are focused on God and others, not on self. Even their focus on others is out of a desire to love and glorify God. They have no need to be recognized or approved. There is no competition with God or tohers. There is no need to elevate self, knowing that they have been forgiven and that GOd’s love has been undeservedly and irrevocably set on them. Instead, a humble person’s goal is to elevate God and encourage others. In sorth, t hey “no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.” 2 Cor. 5:15

note the cowardice of the wise men… nobody spoke up… probably afraid. “One wonders if fear partly e xplains their inability. Surely they could divine that the dream suggested something calamitous, likely for t he King; perhaps they sought it safer for their heads not to bear ill news. “

Humility produces courage which is displayed in and leads to:

1. Compassion

Daniel does not fear for his own life, but for the jdugment coming on the king… his life.

He took no pleasure in this severe word yet does not hold back from that truth plainly.

2. Candor

He is bold and does not with hold from the truth.

He speaks up.

Romans 10:13-15 “for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!””

EXPRESS TRUTH

3. Counsel

You just don’t point out the poison, you provide the healing potion.

His counsel is one for his blessing to be prolonged.

1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;”

This is our purpose to praise him by proclaiming His excellencies!!

MIssions and evangelism exists sbecause worship doesnt.

Our love for CHrist must end in praise - your love for your wife is not complete until you praise her; or tell her… It oveflows in praise. Praise leads to proclamation… The humble person must proclaim this God as nebuchandezzar does (Daneil 4:1-3)

1 Corinthians 15:10 “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.”

Proverbs 11:30 “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who is wise wins souls.”

Daniel 12:3 ““Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.”