//    PRIDE   \\

Proverbs 6:16 These six things the LORD hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him:

17 A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, (NKJ)

Prov 6:18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

Prov 6:19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. (KJV)

OF THE SIX THINGS LISTED THE VERY FIRST THING MENTIONED. PRIDE

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Prov 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate. (NKJ)

Prov 11:2  When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom (NKJ).

Prov 13:10  By pride comes nothing but strife, but with the well-advised is wisdom. (NKJ)


Prov 14:3  In the mouth of a fool is a rod of pride, but the lips of the wise will preserve them. (NKJ)

Prov 15:25  The LORD will destroy the house of the proud, but He will establish the boundary of the widow. (NKJ)

Prov 16:5  Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; though they join forces, none will  go unpunished.

Prov 16:18  Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall (NKJ).

Prov 21:24 A proud and haughty man--" Scoffer" is his name; he acts with arrogant pride. (NKJ)

Prov 25:27 It is not good to eat much honey; so to seek one's own glory is not glory. (NKJ)

Prov 28:25 He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife, but he who trusts in the LORD will be prospered. (NKJ)

Prov 29:23 A man's pride will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor. (NKJ)

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Luke 17:7 "When a servant comes in from plowing or taking care of sheep, he doesn't just sit down and eat. (NLT)

9 And the servant is not even thanked, because he is merely doing what he is supposed to do. (NLT)

10 In the same way, when you obey me you should say, 'We are not worthy of praise. We are servants who have simply done our duty.'  (NLT)

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If God uses you in a ministry office be wise about calling attention to self

Matthew 23:2 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:

Matthew 23:5-8 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.  KJV

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DON'T LET PRIDE WORK ITS WAY INTO YOUR HEART.

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LET'S TAKE A LITTLE SIDE TRIP. THIS TEACHING BY JESUS WAS ONLY ADDRESSING ONE POINT BUT THE THOUGHT APPLIES TO MANY AREAS.

Matthew 6:3  "But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, (NKJ)

4 "that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.

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LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT A GOOD KING BUT HE HAD A PROBLEM DEVELOP IN ONE AREA.

2 CHRONICLES CHAPTER 26:1 Now all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah. (NKJ)

2 Chronicles 26:4 And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. 

5 He sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God; and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper. (NKJ)

2 Chr 26:16 But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the LORD his God by entering the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense. (NKJ)

LET'S TAKE THIS VERSE OUT OF THE LIVING BIBLE

2 Chr 26:16 {Uzziah's Sin and Punishment} But when he had become powerful, he also became proud, which led to his downfall. He sinned against the LORD his God by entering the sanctuary of the LORD's Temple and personally burning incense on the altar (NLT).

17 So Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him were eighty priests of the LORD-- valiant men. (NKJ)

18 And they withstood King Uzziah, and said to him, "It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the LORD, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have trespassed! You shall have no honor from the LORD God." (NKJ)

NOW REMEMBER GOD ESTABLISHED THE ORDER IN WHICH THINGS WERE TO BE DONE. THIS WAS NOT UP TO MANS DISCRETION. UZZIAH WAS OUT OF ORDER. HE KNEW BETTER.

2 Chr 26:19 Then Uzziah became furious; and he had a censer in his hand to burn incense. And while he was angry with the priests, leprosy broke out on his forehead, before the priests in the house of the LORD, beside the incense altar. (NKJ)

20 And Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and there, on his forehead, he was leprous; so they thrust him out of that place. Indeed he also hurried to get out, because the LORD had struck him. (NKJ)

2 Chr 26:23 So Uzziah rested with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of burial which belonged to the kings, for they said, "He is a leper." Then Jotham his son reigned in his place. (NKJ)

HIS PRIDE IN THE END COST HIM HIS LIFE.

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NEBUCHADNEZZAR KING OF BABYLON HAS A DREAM. DANIEL INTERPRETS IT FOR HIM AND IT CAME TO PASS.

Daniel 4:28 All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. (NKJ)

30 The king spoke, saying, [[ "Is not this great Babylon, that [[ I have built ]] for a royal dwelling [[ by my mighty power ]] and [[ for the honor of my majesty?"]] (NKJ)

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Daniel 4:31 While the word was still in the king's mouth, a voice fell from heaven: "King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! (NKJ)

32 And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses." (NKJ)

33 That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws. (NKJ) 

NEBUCHADNEZZAR HAS AN ATTITUDE CHANGE

34 And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever: for His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation. (NKJ)

35 All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; he does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, "What have You done?" (NKJ)

36 At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to me, I was restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me. (NKJ)

37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. [[ And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.]] (NKJ) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

NEBUCHADNEZZAR IDENTIFIES THE PROBLEM HE HAD IN VERSE 37 PRIDE!! NOTICE HE HAD A CHANGE OF HEART. WE LEARN FROM THESE TWO KINGS EXPERIENCE NOT TO GET PUFFED UP WITH  PRIDE. GOD DOESN'T LIKE IT.  AFTER ALL IT WAS THE DOWNFALL OF SATAN.

What an example Billy Graham is to us.

Billy Graham outlived much of his fame. Young people today have no idea the level of influence and celebrity he held for most of his life. By the end of 2016, even though he hadn’t preached at a crusade in years, he was again on Gallup’s annual list of “the 10 most admired men in the world.” It was his 60th appearance on that list! His crusades were a phenomenon everywhere they were held. They filled stadiums and other large arenas. In the 1960s and 70s young evangelical preachers from every region in the country seemed to add a slight North Carolina twang to their speaking. The rhythm of his speech, his movement behind the pulpit, his gestures, and his cadence served as a pattern for a generation of young ministers. It still amazes me that he was also a personal friend. When I was with Campus Crusade for Christ, I invited Billy to come and minister at UCLA. By that time, he had already been one of the most famous men in the world for a couple of decades. His crusades already filled stadiums. But when I asked, he came. For Billy, it was never about money or prestige. It was always about human beings and where they would spend eternity. On a couple of occasions, I was privileged to spend time with Billy at his North Carolina home. Though the whole world seemed to be clamoring for a piece of him, he was always generous with his time and wisdom. But his influence on me went far beyond my personal contact with him. Like millions of others, I watched his crusades on television. I heard the powerful messages from God’s word. I saw the thousands streaming forward at the end of every such event. I’m still moved every time I think about it. In his crusades, he spoke passionately about the signs of the times, and the soon return of Jesus. His preaching helped pave the way for my book, The Late Great Planet Earth. Critics said his sermons were too simplistic. In its obituary, the New York Times wrote, “Some mainline Protestant leaders and theologians accused him of preaching a simplistic message of personal salvation that ignored the complexities of societal problems.” But from long experience with pen and paper, as well as standing behind pulpits, I can tell you that keeping it simple is not easy. In fact, it’s easier to be longwinded and overly complicated. Billy Graham preached the way Abraham Lincoln wrote. He could say more in a few minutes than most could say in a couple of hours. The point of his sermons was never to amaze people with his intelligence or grasp of issues. It was always about Jesus. It was about speaking the Gospel to his generation. 1 Corinthians 2:1-2 explains Billy’s approach. “And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.” (NASB) Instead of “superiority of speech,” the New Living Translation says, “lofty words.” That’s an accurate translation and much more applicable. Billy was known for the excellence of his speaking. But he rarely used “lofty words.” In fact, his speech was made more excellent by the fact that he kept “lofty words” to a minimum. Billy spoke, not to impress, but to be understood. He was a communicator of the highest level. And he preached in person to more people than anyone else in the history of the world. He preached in remote villages and great metropolises. He preached from a heart of love. Billy Graham changed the world for the better. But he didn’t just change the world. Through him, God changed eternity — one decision at a time.

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Scribe note: Billy was very humble in every respect and God was able to use him more mightily than any other person so far. No open hint of pride in his persona.

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