Lee McDowell Christian
Ministries LMCM
Nacogdoches,
Texas Gal. 2:20 KJV
Thoughts
on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength - # 39
Michael’s book is
available through:
Abiding Life
Ministries International
Littleton, Colorado
(303) 972-0859 almi@abidinglife.com
Pride
Pride {goes} before destruction, and a
haughty spirit before stumbling. --Proverbs 16:18
Pride, like Satan himself, is the master of disguise. We see the overtly proud person whose acts are so obvious in his haughty attitude as he thinks himself better, looks down on the afflicted, and expects to reign. We see him and find him disturbing because he amplifies what is hidden in us, though we think, “What a jerk! If only he could get a good look at himself from the outside!” However, he is blind and proud of his nakedness. What I want to talk about is disguised pride, something much more insidious.
Did you know that depression
is usually disguised pride that occurs as a person reacts to the
blow of the realization that he cannot be perfect, control himself and others,
or do any manner of a good job of imitating God? Self-hatred
is pride, for how can one hate self unless he has fallen from the lofty
image he had of his own flesh? Self-deprecation
can be pride. “Oh, I cannot do that; I am too stupid and have never
succeeded in anything. No one likes me. God could never use me.” Just how much
time does the self-deprecating person spend thinking about himself? Victimization is pride. “Oh,
let me tell you what they said to me. How could anyone say that? How could
anyone be so unkind?” “I got cheated; the family took my money. Do you think I
deserve to be treated that way?” Being offended is pride. “How dare you say that to me!” Self-defense is pride. Does
one really think that his flesh is so wonderful that it needs defending? Then
there is inferiority, and that is definitely pride. The inferior have spent so
much time looking for good in themselves that eventually they find the bad; if
they know good, they will know evil. Jealousy, hating one’s unrighteousness, obsession on failure and
rejection, the feeling that one does not deserve anything, expecting the worst,
being negative, all are pride. See how it is the master of disguise?
OUCH! That hurt, didn’t it?
Well….amen.
A great thing about this writing is that probably for the first time we
see the actual reality that these things ARE pride. With that identification, then we can decide
whether we will do something about all that pride that is leading to much
destruction in our lives.
SO…what do we do. Thelo.
Greek word for “to will…not only willing something, but also pressing on
to action…to have a mind to.” We must
acknowledge that God has told us that all this (things Michael mentions) as
“pride” comes before our destruction/damage/injury/stumbling. Rip off the disguise, get up and get moving
in Christ. “Lord Jesus, come and be my
love. Come and be my acceptance and
contentment. Come and be my worthiness. Come and work all things together for our
benefit. Amen & Amen!
Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point Green
– IT, Incredible Truth
Red – GP, Greatest Promises
Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches Pink
– PV, Priceless Victory
Lee McDowell Christian Ministries
P. O. Box 633244 Nacogdoches, Tx 75963 936-559-5696
No comments:
Post a Comment