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Complete Sermon Notes
The Deception of Pride
JAMES PART NINE: 12/7/16
4:13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”;14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” 16 But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
Boasting: to talk with excessive pride and self-satisfaction about one’s achievements, possessions, or abilities.
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Leads to Deception, Leads to Rebellion, Leads to Spiritual Blindness, Leads to Quarrels, Leads to Confusion, Leads to Anxiety, Leads to Depression, Leads to False Worship.
Pride Knocks us off track. We make bad decisions; we have the wrong focus – it wastes time, money, and energy – we drift away from God.
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Ultimately, it leads to damnation: The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” Psalm 14:1
KEY – Don’t plan for; it says not to boast.
“GOD, BLESS MY PLANS” – RATHER THAN, “GOD, WHAT IS YOUR PLAN?”
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THE RIGHT WAY: Lord here’s what we would like to do and what we feel you’re calling us to do but you direct us.
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THE WRONG WAY: arrogantly assume this is what you’re going to do. Arrogance is self-willed. Being self-willed is not God centered.
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Leads to Deception: “The pride of your heart has deceived you” (Obadiah 1:3).
Those who are humble are led by God – “the humble He teaches His ways.”
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Leads to Rebellion: “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry” (1 Samuel).
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Leads to Spiritual Blindness: “Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And return and be healed” (Isaiah 6:10).
The deception is that you “think” God’s on your side because you’re going through the motions.
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Leads to Quarrels: I don’t like what you said – you “challenged me” – “Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice” (Proverbs 13:10).
A prideful person doesn’t want advice – they are not teachable. This is one reason why I read a lot of books.
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Leads to Confusion: “The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life” (Proverbs 22:4). Abundant life – not a confusing life.
Because it blinds, it also confuses.
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Leads to Anxiety and Depression: “Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else” (Galatians 6:40).
Humble yourself before the LORD and He will lift you up – James 4:10
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Leads to False Worship: “Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men’” (Matthew 15).
Again, it’s tied to blindness – I appear holy therefore I am. Their rules over-ruled a relationship with God.
The Deception of Pride – We think that we are right when we are wrong.
Like the Old Testament prophet, Elijah, who spoke on God’s behalf, the same plea goes out today: How long will you waver between two opinions? If God is God, follow Him!
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You either humble yourself, or God will. – Isaiah 2:12 – “The LORD Almighty has a day in store for all the proud and lofty, for all that is exalted (and they will be humbled).”
But How Do I Humble Myself? Go thru the 7 points again and APPLY the truth.
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It starts tonight – but it’s not finished tonight. You will be tested in this area. How do you develop humility if you’re not given the opportunity to humble yourself.
Same thing with fasting, or prayer, or Bible study – it’s easy to make the commitment.
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