The Con Artist Named Pride Series

Illustration: Let me share a story with you that hopefully will drive my point home for you. A minister received a card with a note in it from a lady in his congregation. He said she was very complimentary about his preaching, & compared him with Billy Graham. She finished by writing, "I think you are one of the really great preachers of all time." Later that day, when he showed the note to his wife, she asked, "Who is that woman?" He replied, "She is a very intelligent woman in the congregation who loves great preaching." He then asked his wife, "How many great preachers do you suppose there really are in the world?" She replied, "One less than you think."

3. This is really how it starts. Compliments and praises are a wonderful thing to get. I have to admit, I love hearing positive things about my preaching but I also need to be reminded that it is not me that is preaching.

4. My gift, my calling is from GOD and He is the one that is using me to bless others. It is nothing about me and everything about Him. The compliments are wonderful but to put things into perspective, they are the LORD’S because He is the one doing it, not me.

5. As I think about the Pharisee in the parable, I can’t help but to believe that this is more than likely how he became such a conceded and puffed up individual. And I do pray that this never happens to me.

B. As followers of Christ we are called to humble ourselves under God and not to exalt ourselves above any one for that matter.

1 Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

1. We are told that it is God that is to lift us up in due time. But I think maybe as humans we are just too impatient to wait for Him to lift us up and we seek praise from others instead of God.

2. Why do we seek approval and praise from other people? Sure it feels good and I do believe if you have the right spirit praise can and is a blessing to build one another up.

3. Scripture teaches us that were are to build one another up but that we are to build each other up for the sole purpose of glorification to God not us.

1 Thessalonians 5:9-11 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

4. I believe that this ultimately leads us into yet another con by the Con Artist Named Pride. Pride can even,…..

II. Con us into believing we don’t need God.

A. Will get to a point filled with pride so much; that we sub- consciously or even for some people consciously believe that we are simply more important than God.

1. First of all let me share with how God feels about this Con Artist.

2. God has some very explicit things to say about pride that we need to pay close attention to. Let’s take a look at Proverbs 6:16-19. Listed here are six things that the LORD hates and seven that are detestable to him.