In the middle of pride is "I"

The Chick bank robber

Ps 59:12 For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips, Let them even be taken in their PRIDE, And for the cursing and lying which they speak.

Pali, this bull has killed me." So said Jose Cubero, one of Spain's most brilliant matadors, before he lost consciousness and died.
Only 21 years old, he had been enjoying a spectacular career. However, in this l958 bullfight, Jose made a tragic mistake. He thrust his sword a final time into a bleeding, delirious bull, which then collapsed. Considering the struggle finished, Jose turned to the crowd to acknowledge the applause. The bull, however, was not dead. It rose and lunged at the unsuspecting matador, its horn piercing his back and puncturing his heart.

Just when we think we've finished off pride, just when we turn to accept the congratulations of the crowd, PRIDE stabs us in the back. We should never consider PRIDE dead before we are.

What does the Bible say aout pride?

Pr 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,

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

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

Jas 4:6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the PROUD, But gives grace to the HUMBLE."

7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom
10 HUMBLE yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

2Ti 3:1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:

2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,

1Jo 2:15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world.

Ps 10:2 The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor; Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised.

Ps 36:11 Let not the foot of pride come against me
Ps 73:6 Therefore pride serves as their necklace; Violence covers them like a garment.
Pr 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate.
Pr 11:2 When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom.
Pr 13:10 By pride comes nothing but strife, But with the well-advised is wisdom.
Pr 14:3 In the mouth of a fool is a rod of pride, But the lips of the wise will preserve them.
Pr 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.
Pr 21:24 A proud and haughty man -"Scoffer" is his name; He acts with arrogant pride.

Pr 29:23 ¶ A man's pride will bring him low, But the humble in spirit will retain honor.

Specific people who experienced pride in their lives

They did it because of prIde

• Lk 18:8 Rich ruler
• LK 12:18 Rich farmer
• Pharoah, David, Peter, Moses, Naaman, Cain, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, etc

Parable of the Pharisee & the publican
Luke 18:9-14

Lu 18:9 ¶ Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
11 "The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men--extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.
12 'I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'
13 "And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'
14 "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Similarities of the 2 men

• Both went to the temple to pray
• Both went voluntarily
• That's it

The Pharisee

• Prayed thus with himself
• Degraded others
• Praised himself

The Publican

• Instead of telling God what he had done right, he told God what he had done wrong
• Instead of telling God what he was not, he told God what he was
• Instead of praying to himself, he prayed to God
• Instead of asking for God's praise, he praised God
• Instead of standing for all to see, he stood afar off so as to see himelf
• Instead of telling God what he had done for God, he told God what he needed

The Publican

• Instead of standing for all to see, he stood afar off so as to see within himself
• Instead of telling God what he had done for God, he told God what he needed
• Instead of exalting himself before others, he humbled himself before God.
• Instead of judging others, he judged himself.

G. Gordon Liddy was sent to prison due to his involvement with the Watergate scandal of the 1970’s, After his release from prision Liddy was quoted in The Christian Century Magazine in 1977 as saying: "I have found within myself all I need and all I ever shall need. I am a man of great faith, but my faith is in George Gordon Liddy. I have never failed me,"

1Co 15:8 Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.
9 For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

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