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Pride

Oh dear precious friends and family,

 

Pride is the most serious, and the most subtle, sin. It often is not even recognized as existing.

Pride is the root of all sin. It causes us to turn away from God instead of turning to Him. All disobedience has pride as its root. All rebellion has pride behind it. All mistreatment of other people is caused by pride: someone putting their self and their feelings above the other person and their feelings.

 

Is pride residing in you?  (Pride is so subtle that it can deceive you into self-righteous thinking "look how i am always helping others", or "what a humble person i am") 

 

 

I urge you to examine your heart and if there is even a small root of pride, admit that you have pride in your heart and ask God to humble you.

 

 

Please do not let your pride blind you to the Truth and keep you from receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior.

 

 

If you neglect addressing the small root of pride in your heart, over time it will grow and grow, until it consumes you. 

 

Then when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, brings forth death. (James 1:15)

 

 

Unconfessed sin can slowly damage and if it remains unconfessed, eventually bring death.  King David experienced the physical fatigue and damage that unconfessed sin brings on the body.  Thanks to the Lord that King David recognized his helpless state and turned to the Lord God to confess his sin and receive healing.

 

In the 38th Psalm, he begged God. "O Lord," he said, "do not rebuke me in your wrath, nor chasten me in your hot displeasure! For your arrows pierce me deeply, and your hand presses me down. There is no soundness in my flesh because of your anger, nor any health in my bones because of my sin." (Psalm 38:1-3)

 

I urge you not to foolishly cling to your pride.  It will be the death of you.

 

"A man who hardens his neck after much reproof will suddenly be broken and there is no remedy" (Proverbs 29:1).

 

 

I urge those of you who have not received Jesus Christ as your Savior to read the verse below and believe it. Trust in Jesus and live!  Cling to your pride and die.

"The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."  Mark 1:15

 

"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 3:23

 

Jesus is the Only Way!

If you have not trusted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior:

Have you ever been sitting in a church service and felt that small tug on your heart urging you to respond to the tug by trusting in Jesus?  Some of you may be like "huh?", but some of you know exactly what I am talking about.  (A church worship service is just one example of the many places and opportunities where you might feel that familiar tug on your heart to respond to Jesus.)

Do you know who is behind the familiar little tug?   The Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit convicts unbelievers of sin and of their desperate need to trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior. 

I imagine that many of you are familiar with the inner struggle that ensues between the little tug on your heart and your mind every time that you've felt that small tug on your heart.  The tug on your heart is urging you to respond and trust Jesus as your Lord and Savior, while your mind is set on resisting the tug.  I pray that next time you feel that familiar tug on your heart that you will choose to respond to the tug and trust Jesus as your Lord and Savior.  Jesus gives forgiveness of all your sins, peace, and eternal life in Heaven to those who trust Him as Lord and Savior.   Without Jesus, you are guilty for all your sins and will suffer eternity in Hell.

You do not know if this is the last time the familiar tug will pull on your heart, so I urge you to respond and trust Jesus the next time you feel that familiar tug.  Don't wait!!  If you die without trusting Jesus as your Lord and Savior you are guilty for all your sins and will suffer eternity in Hell. 

Jesus loves you so much that He died on the cross and rose again (He conquered death and sin) so that by trusting in Him you might receive forgiveness for your sins and eternal life in Heaven with God the Father and Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit. 

Now this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation (the turning away of wrath by an offering) for our sins. (1 John 4:9)

 

Perhaps reading this you have felt that familiar tug on your heart.  If so, you can respond to the tug by:

Admitting to Jesus that you are a sinner and have sinned and need Jesus' forgiveness.  (Sin is preoccupation with ourselves, or to put it another way, anything that we elevate ahead of God.  I am the LORD your God, you shall not have any other gods besides me. )

(Romans 3:23 – For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God)

Telling Jesus that you believe that He is the Son of God, He died on the cross for your sins, and He rose again (conquering death).

                (John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.)

Confessing that Jesus is your Lord and Savior.

                (Romans 10:9 - If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.)

 

Below is a sample prayer that you can modify to tell Jesus that you trust Him as your Lord and Savior and receive the gift of eternal life.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the gift of your Son, Jesus Christ.   I am a sinner and in desperate need of forgiveness.  I believe that Jesus, the Son of God, died on the cross for my sins.  Thank you Jesus for your sacrifice and for forgiving me of all my sins.   I believe that God raised Jesus from the dead (conquering death) and that Jesus is alive and seated in Heaven.  I confess that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior and invite Jesus to come and live in my heart.  Thank you Jesus for your unlimited grace which has saved me from my sins.

In Jesus name,

Amen

 

Have you trusted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?   If Yes, then praise the Lord and may you grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity.  (2 Peter 3:18)

 

 

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind." Matthew 22:37