Guest Called Posted October 19, 2004 Share Posted October 19, 2004 I want to begin a study on proud people vs. broken people. I am going to be sharing different characteristics of pride and humility and discussing them. I will probably be sharing every couple of days or as my time allows. I would appreciate any insight that you can give and any thoughts you may have on this! One of the biggest problems in the church today is that it is filled with puffed up Christians. Self-righteousness is rampant. We are too proud to rely on God, instead we rely on our own intellect. However, God is looking for people with a broken spirit. Psalm 51:16-17 16 You would not be pleased with sacrifices, or I would bring them. If I brought you a burnt offering, you would not accept it. 17 The sacrifice you want is a broken spirit. A broken and repentant heart, O God, you will not despise. I want to share an example of a proud man vs. a broken man. Luke 18:9-14 9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' 13 "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' 14 "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." Now I want to share the first comparison that I have: Proud People Focus on the failures of others Broken People Overwhelmed with a sense of their own spiritual need We can see an example of these two types of people in the passage from Luke that I just shared. In this passage we see that the Pharisee went to the temple to pray and he began to list all the sins that he doesn't commit, he thanked God that he was not like the publican, he made sure that he told all the "good" things that he did. This Pharisee was a proud man! Confident in his own righteousness. This Pharisee was completely focused on what an evil, sinful man the tax collector was. He went so far as to publicly pray about that specific man! WIth him in the same room! Now compare him to the publican. He was so broken he could not even look up to heaven. He was overwhelmed with his own spiritual need in light of God's holiness. The tax collector knew that compared to God's righteousness he was nothing! All he could say was "Have mercy on me a sinner". In the end we see that the publican is the one who left justified before God. Because he was truly broken before God. He recognized his own spiritual need for forgiveness. So, where do you fit in this example? Are you like the Pharisee? Are you quick to point out the sins of others? Do you love to tell all that you do that is so "righteous" in our own eyes? Are you so confident that you think that you have it all together? Proverbs 3:34 He mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble. Maybe you are like the tax collector? Are you overwhelmed with a sense of your own spiritual need? Do you beat your chest in prayer, sorrowful over the fact that you are so sinful in light of Almighty God? Are you begging God for mercy? James 4:8-10 8 Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, you hypocrites. 9 Let there be tears for the wrong things you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. 10 When you bow down before the Lord and admit your dependence on him, he will lift you up and give you honor. I hope that you will examine your heart and see where you fit in? Let the Holy Spirit reveal to you if you need to change! I will be sharing more as my time allows! God Bless, Debbie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonard Posted October 19, 2004 Group: Royal Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 115 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 8,281 Content Per Day: 1.12 Reputation: 249 Days Won: 3 Joined: 03/03/2004 Status: Offline Birthday: 10/30/1955 Share Posted October 19, 2004 And we ought to remember that an inferiority complex is merely the 'flip side' of pride: It still keeps all the attention focused on me, me me..... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Called Posted October 19, 2004 Share Posted October 19, 2004 And we ought to remember that an inferiority complex is merely the 'flip side' of pride: It still keeps all the attention focused on me, me me..... That is so true Leonard! Alot of people don't realize that! Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nebula Posted October 19, 2004 Group: Royal Member Followers: 10 Topic Count: 5,823 Topics Per Day: 0.75 Content Count: 45,870 Content Per Day: 5.94 Reputation: 1,897 Days Won: 83 Joined: 03/22/2003 Status: Offline Birthday: 11/19/1970 Share Posted October 19, 2004 If you notice - that was King Saul's problem. But in fact, insecurity and pride truly are flip sides of the same coin. Only an insecure person has the need to focus on other's weaknesses (to cover their own). Feeling superior is a way to feel better about yourself. In this light, a broken person has found their covering in Jesus and are thus able to cover others with the same grace that has been given to them (and that they have accepted and received). Unless you have accepted this grace unto yourself - and I mean truly received and truly believed - you cannot really return it to others. I speak from my own experiences and hard learning here. And I am still learning. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi4Yahweh Posted October 19, 2004 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 75 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 1,955 Content Per Day: 0.26 Reputation: 636 Days Won: 1 Joined: 11/12/2003 Status: Offline Share Posted October 19, 2004 Hi, I was just doing a bible study on Humility and Pride. Pride is a umbrella that breeds all kind of sins such as: PRIDE: -Self-centered -Putting your own-needs before others -Thinking your better then others -Thinking that your always right -Judgmental and Critical of others -Mocking and Sneering at others -Tears other down -Fault Finding -Ungrateful and Unthankful -Merciless and Unforgiving -Not willing to do humiliating task -Thinks others should serve them On the other hand Humility show its self in many forms: Humility: -Considerate of others even those you disagree with. -Puts the needs of others before their own needs. -Thinks highly of others and considers themselves the least of all people. -Thinks others are better them themselves -Merciful and quick to forgive -Looks past peoples faults and errors -Consistently encourages others and builds others up even when they are down -Always thankful toward others -Seeks to be a servant of others even if the task is humiliating and embarrassing The Greatest people in the eyes of God are those who consider themselves the least important of all people" Most Christians think that Humility is an option, but the truth is, its the life we have been called to. Living like Jesus who is the greatest example of true humility which we are to follow after and immatate. Me must die to our pride and selfishness. The bible says God resist and rejects the Proud but honors and blesses the humble. The bible says God gives grace to the humble but hates the prideful. James 4:6 Without Gods grace we are doomed so I will humble myself and live in Gods grace and mercy. If you want Gods grace and blessing in our life then we must humble ourselves and learn to walk in humility. If you want to live under the wrath of God and be cursed then continue to walk in Pride because a fearful destruction is at the end of your path. God bless, 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Called Posted October 19, 2004 Share Posted October 19, 2004 Thanks Nebula and Jedi! Y'all are both beating me to the punch! HA! That is so awesome! What you have both said just confirms everything that God is teaching me about this! Jedi you said this: If you want Gods grace and blessing in your life then you will humble yourself and learn to walk in humility. If you want to live under the wrath of God and be cursed then continue to walk in Pride because a fearful destruction is at the end of your path. I want to point out something you said here. That I think is so important! Humility is not a one time thing. We must walk in humility. It is a daily surrender of our will to God's will. Thanks y'all! In Him, Debbie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kabowd Posted October 19, 2004 Group: Royal Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 112 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 3,489 Content Per Day: 0.48 Reputation: 13 Days Won: 0 Joined: 07/28/2004 Status: Offline Share Posted October 19, 2004 I'm going through some really hard things right now. But..that's basically what the testimony of my life has been: pain and healing, love and loss. Part of it I think is just that God knows what it takes to keep me in a state of total reliance on Him. He allows things to happen that devastate me, because He knows it will drive me straight to Himself...which is I guess what brokenness is. This is a poem I wrote a long time ago during a hard season, reading this topic reminded me of it...and how much I need Him again right now: Devastated As fragile as i feel this heart is made of steel polished by the pain that i have known thought i was being strong but getting weaker all along because inside the fear had only grown. i pushed the pain inside i ran, at least i tried i should've known i couldn't out run You You're more stubborn than me You know exactly what i need So i guess thats why You broke my heart in two. though it hurts me so, something that i know i should be glad it drives me straight to You i guess if this is what it takes, for my hardened heart to break I'll stay devastated if You want me to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherTraveler Posted October 19, 2004 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 80 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 1,595 Content Per Day: 0.22 Reputation: 10 Days Won: 0 Joined: 09/12/2004 Status: Offline Share Posted October 19, 2004 What a wonderful thread! Thank you all for the posts, very refreshing and encouraging. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shiloh357 Posted October 19, 2004 Share Posted October 19, 2004 Thanks for this study, Debbie!! This is something we all need to be reminded of. I will be following this study closely!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Thomas I believe Posted October 19, 2004 Share Posted October 19, 2004 Humility is not a one time thing. We must walk in humility. Only when we walk in Humility, will we draw closer to our wonderful God. Called, I always need reminders like this. Thank you !! In His Love, Michael Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." Peter 5:5 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. James 3:13 :dove Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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