7 Ways Pride Deceives by Shane Idleman

[Music] the message is you know I don't even know if I should say this title the deception of pride the deception of pride and I often say that I am a prideful man working on humility often I think it's healthy to admit that because pride can can rise up in the best of us and we can start to think a little bit more highly of ourselves than we should and God will begin to humble us when that happens because he loves his children and pride is deadly what I'm going to talk about is pretty serious because pride leads to deception pride leads to rebellion pride leads to spiritual blindness pride leads to quarrels pride leads to confusion pride leads to anxiety and depression and and pride leads to false worship that's not a good list because it's it's dangerous and it can really sidetrack us so if you have your Bibles it's James for chapter 4 verse 13 and James is saying something interesting here at first it might seem like something that doesn't make a lot of sense but I'm hoping to unpack that and I did a little bit last Wednesday James says this 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 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow for your for what is your life it's even a vapor that appears for a little time and then it vanishes away instead you ought to say if the Lord wills we shall live and do this or that but now you boast in your arrogance so it wasn't just somebody saying you know I'd like to do this or do this they were boasting in their arrogance they were boasting in their self-confidence all such boasting is evil therefore to him who knows to do good and does not do it to him it is sin in other words he's saying you know now the boasting is evil and because you know it if you continue in that pattern it's going to be sinning you will be caught in a sinful lifestyle and boasting the word means to talk with excessive pride and self-satisfaction about one's achievements possessions or abilities its its excessive pride and don't have you ever been around those people where it's just like I can't be around you much longer it's just it's just terrible go down and take a trip to Hollywood and listen to those guys or sports often athletes or or people who have successful in a different thing it's it's they just want to tell you I'm so successful in this area and and I'm and look at my achievements look at what I've accomplished and it says it's his arrogance because even our breath is from God I think we forget that even that breath were taking that wonderful gift of life is from God everything our money our accomplishments if somebody accomplishes something it's because he's given you the gifting and the ability to accomplish it that's why he gets all the glory and all the credit and and think that's why I love that song hallelujah that that word hallelujah is a praise to God for what he's done and so when we boast and we say well here's what I'm going to do and there's nothing wrong with planning that this isn't about is somebody saying you know what next year I'd like to do this I'd like to move here my plan is to be here at work and retire at this age and by next year I want to hopefully have a raise and we want to have our car paid off and that's not boasting that's that's planning and God when you say God here's what I'm planning what is your plan I want to come alongside of your plan versus saying god here's what I'm doing now bless it and we do that don't we we just we steamroll ahead I'm not really concerned what God's saying I'm just going to do this and and that's that's boasting and that's arrogance thinking we're going to accomplish something without the Lord's help so that's really what he's talking about here what happens is pride knocks us off track a prideful person cannot be led of the Lord it knocks us off track we make bad decisions we have the wrong focus it wastes time it wastes money wastes energy and we actually drift away from God now this is probably I'm sure a group of believers we love the Lord but the sad fact also is pride ultimately ultimately leads to damnation a Fool has said in his heart there is no God and when somebody rejects God they die in that state of rejection it's because pride played the biggest role I've got people in my own life which I'm sure you do - I'm trying to get to friends in high school other people that I'm trying to get to but you know what's preventing it not humility they're not humble and teachable they're prideful and they're arrogant they don't they don't you know that's good for you Shane that's good for you I'm glad you found religion like I'm some little kid who needs to be appeased but this isn't for me why is it for me because it's pride and pride will lead to damnation Satan said I will be like the Most High God and he was cast down it was pride its pride the Bible if you're ever wondering where the enemy's coming at you it's just three areas that's all it's all you have to worry about three that's all just three the lust of the flesh the lust of the eye and the boastful pride of life that's where he comes and it's interesting you watch he you start to do good at work and money's coming in do you get more humble no we get wet sometimes prideful things are going our way things are going good we what do we get humble order to get prideful now now walking around every it's like if it seems like everywhere we go people like I've heard of that Church it's out there and it's growing so much to puff up the chest yes prideful or no humility and that's why God keeps it in check stay it's his work I mean for anybody to think that anybody is orchestrating all this and look at what we've done is ridiculous it's God bringing people from all over but see the pride of life can rise up in success and then we often have failure to Humble us and we get a prideful and success and then we get humbled so that's what's happening here pride is a very destructive and it has to be dealt with often on a daily basis or at least a weekly basis or taking it to the Lord saying okay Lord this week I'm getting prideful in this air at these areas and you might be thinking what is prideful mean well it's boasting is is accomplishing look what I've accomplished look at what I've done it manifests itself in a lot of different ways one way is you're not teachable you're always right you've got to get the last word in okay say Amen on that one no men's on that one you're gonna leave me hanging right I have to do this too sometimes you just this not gonna get prideful you know and we don't want to be challenged we don't want to be you know it's just this pride rises up in us because it's thinking of ourselves more highly than we should and Paul says you should not think of yourself more highly than you should so let let's get into this for a minute the key is don't plan for it it says not to boast well I should reiterate that the key is plan for things but don't boast in them plan what I talked about earlier Lord is this is this part of your plan what do you want me to do god bless my plans is what we often say rather than God what is your plan so the right way that we should handle this planning for tomorrow is Lord here's what we would like to do what we feel you're calling us to do but would you direct us I mean I've got plans that I'd love to pay off bills at some point I love AI plans for this church you know we'd love to see two services here we'd love to see two services full we'd love to see the kids connection building full we want to make a kids area there we want to do but Lord would you show us what is best what would you guide us and it's good to make plans but you better be very flexible because often we make our plans a certain way but things happen life happens people get sick they get hurt they get we've got to take care of certain family members we didn't plan on things are shifted this isn't what I thought this is when I planted didn't plan on as I talked about Sunday you've got to learn to trust in God's sovereignty he can deliver you but even if he doesn't he's still sovereign like those three Hebrew boys at caught in that fire and they said right before they went to the fire they told the King and I'm reiterating I know some of you heard this bi think it's important point is they told the king that we are not going to bow down to your image our God is able to deliver us but even if he doesn't we're still not going to bow to you and I've noticed that sometimes we can get on the other side of you know God's gonna heal this person or me God's going to do this and God's gonna get me through this I'm gonna I'm actually have to he's gonna take me over and I'm not gonna have to deal with it I didn't know I was gonna have to go through it and and we have these plans on when God doesn't fulfill the plan like we thought if we're not careful it can lead to bitterness and people get there's a lot of people angry at God there's a lot of people that's a lot of times when I deal with when I'm talking with atheists I'm going back and forth with a few online and in and I've had lunch with them I've shared that before and other people at these at the hospital homes sometimes is there angry at God they're mad why did God allow this how could a loving God Anna and we we forget that he is sovereign in the good times and the bad times we trust him regardless whether things look like and that will make life much easier because you're not fighting against God yes it's challenging I'm not trying to minimize challenges please don't misunderstand we don't like the curveballs that life throws to us but I'd rather live trusting God and saying Lord your sovereign you'll get me through this and humbling myself instead of getting prideful and how could you okay I'll play this game but on my terms and that never works so this is an interesting area that's the right way to do it Lord here's what I would like to do but what do you want to do the wrong way arrogantly assume that this is what you're going to do arrogance a self-willed being self-willed is not God centered being so I'm trying to being self will this here's what my will wants here's what I'm going to do Dobson wrote a book many years ago the strong-willed child oh man do you have any strong-willed children is it just me I think I got all four all four just just just mine no even the little three-year-old today she's like stupid means because she's struck I want that and I want it now and that's how we're raised I wanted now I want my crackers now I want to eat now I don't want to go to bed now and that's an interesting part too because I tell my kids I would if I wish Morgan will come home and tell me it's now time I would love to take a nap what let's go to bed I'd love to just go to bed I'm tired what's wrong with you guys you just want to stay up even when you're exhausted and and they're so self-willed that's pride so what parenting does is you actually over the course of parenting is you break that pride out of them by helping them humble themselves and talk to him saying that's not right we don't allow that you're not going to act like that and I really about six months ago I had a quite an experience with my son he was not acting good and in school and and I know that because I went through that when you don't like something you don't want to read something you know I'll learn it and and it realized I took him in his room and I was you know this is you you're not gonna talk to mom like that you're not gonna throw fits like this it's not it's not acceptable it's not gonna happen and I finally realized he looked at me said dad I'm trying I don't want to but I don't know how I don't know and I really know he's like me he's struggling he wants to be a good son but dad I don't know how and he's crying I want to but I don't know so I saw the struggle ah I know I know that struggle you know here we think we can raise him like little drill sergeants yes sir no sir and there's perfect little kids but he's struggle I want to treat mom good but it's hard I want to treat you good but it's hard a night huh and so I walked so I went and got a prayer journal with him at the store and we're walking through prayer and we're praying for and that seemed to calm everything down and with spiritual warfare okay devil you want to play this game yes let's play this game we're gonna get into prayer we're gonna get into seeking it we're gonna train them but understanding his struggle to I didn't get as upset I became a lot more compassionate but kids are strong-willed they are very strong-willed and what we our parents they're supposed to do is help them break that will what's the old saying break their will but not their spirit you show them and that's part of training teach a child I believe when that when Bible says teach a child in the way he should go when he was older he will not depart from it that teaching is a molding shaping humbling process because I want to take my kids to the hospital homes I wanted to show them what it looks like to feed a homeless person you know I be humble did I do that dentists there we go might need a new microphone again okay so back to the self-willed now this whole topic of pride the deception of pride I know it doesn't apply to anybody in this room right team just get it just get a CD on your way out get a CD and there's people we know who we can give this CD to and but it's just just sit and listen that if this doesn't apply to you if it doesn't apply to you that means it does apply to you right leads to deception let's look at the first point leads to deception the pride of your heart has deceived you Obadiah 1:3 it's interesting these prophet of prophets Obadiah and micah nahum and Ibaka and Zeff and i and zechariah and these these minor prophets it's interesting God would call them at certain points in Israel's history because his people had become prideful and they would often say you stiffed NIC people you don't listen to God or this the pride of your heart has deceived you here's a danger with pride when we don't stay humble we don't stay teachable and when we're not teachable we think we think we're doing God's will and we think we're spiritual and we think we're on God's side when reality deception is crept in and I see it and I'm not talking about anybody in this room so don't think I am but I see it a lot I used to in marriage counseling I don't do it as much my mom's helped out a lot in that area cause she has a she's a marriage family therapist who who's helped with the church church really started to grow but I would see really angry men and and and and you mean when you you know when you look at something from the outside you can you can see clearly but they can't see clearly and I'm like if you talk to me that way at home too I would be you know it's in but they were so prideful they were like why the Bible says this they need to submit to me and I'm the man of this house and I make all the money and God you know I get my kids there and and they're just so prideful but if that pride has deceived him like why is my wife upset at me why why are we having marriage problems why why I can't see it because pride deceives that's the deception lol element of it is we think we're holy and spiritual and in tune with the things of the Spirit when really it's deception because pride you can't see clearly you can't see clearly spiritually and pride begins to puff up and we begin to think even we're writer is that a word I don't know but we're right and and others are wrong and so what will happen it leads into deception those who are humble are led by the Lord shamed you have a scripture for that yeah the humble he teaches his way so as we humble ourselves and what that looks like lord I was prideful today I was prideful today I was arrogant I didn't treat somebody the right way or or and you humble yourself and you begin to see clearly again but if you if you don't and that probably begins to build and build and build and you live in this bubble of deception even as a Christian that's why a Christian can continue in some rendus sins and not really see anything wrong with it justify it because of pride because of pride it leads to deception it also leads to rebellion for rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry so when a person is stubborn that they are rebellious to God it and when we're stubborn about certain things and we know who we are we know when those things happen and the stubbornness leads to rebellion against God and rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft might say well Shane how is that rebellion very easy God says I hum yourself and I will lift you up the humble he teaches his way the humble shin and shall inherit the earth the humble will know my will and so as we're not humbling ourselves and we are doing things our way we are in rebellion against God we rebelled against his clear-cut Commandments for us and as a result deception rebellion at least a spiritual blindness isaiah 6:10 make the heart of this people doll in 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 now some people say well why is God making their heart make the heart of this people dull and there hears in their ears heavy often you'll see in this case in other cases with Pharaoh was a good example when a person begins to continually can and continually rebel against God and got in and hardens their heart and hardens our heart God basically says you want it you got it and then he would make their heart dull in their ears heavy and they could not hear so that's what pride will do it will lead to spiritual blindness you can't see clearly when you're prideful you can't read the Bible very well and you sure can't pray how could how can a prideful person pray what we have an example in the New Testament don't wait Jesus gave an example can you believe that person that that person came up I think it was more like a religious leaders or somebody wealthy in the city and said god I thank you I'm not like that tax collector I'm not a sinner I get he's telling God he gives I give of 10 percent I do all these things and this other sinner beats his chest and said lord have mercy on me a tax collector have mercy on me a sinner actually see the humility and the pride so the pride led to spiritual blindness this guy actually he thinks he's gonna come before God and say I'm glad I'm not like him and I gift to you aren't I spiritual and he was blinded spiritually and wasn't Jesus rebuked the religious leaders more often than not for their blindness you blind guides you're leading blah mind you're leading people astray you are blind guides you're a whitewashed tombs you don't know the things of God you're stiff neck people you draw nigh to me with your lips but your hearts are far from me so they now that's what's sad I believe for the religious leaders in my opinion they were deceived because of pride and they had spiritual blindness because of pride and they actually thought they were God's representative they did not know that they were gonna spend eternity in hell because of pride isn't that deadly isn't that dangerous and here's an interesting thing with pride you need to abort it quickly that's a good kind of abortion you see it coming up you have to get rid of it because pride grows it starts little it begins to grow and begins to grow begins to grow and over and over takes us the deception is that you think God is on your side because you're going through the motions that's what these religious leaders did that's what people do they go through the motions I'm talking about spiritual people now they'll go to church they'll even read their Bible they'll even do things spiritually and they think because of that they're on God's side without looking at the condition of their heart now it also leads to quarrels don't we know that oh goodness how many house fights could we stop if we would humble ourselves leads oh no and the amens on that one that's where oh that's right we don't need this message we're gonna give out the CDs we're gonna give out the CDs to people that we know leads to quarrels I don't like what you said you challenged me where there are strife there is pride but wisdom is found in those who take advice isn't that interesting property 10 I always look to this when I'm when I'm struggling this area where there is strife there is pride now it doesn't mean that there's always anytime to strife there's always pride because now let me qualify that not necessarily on your part you could be loving and nurturing and trying to keep your family together here comes Christmas their strife what's going on it's pride in the other people often the pride will always lead to strife because remember self-willed and as soon as I don't get my way what happens strife and then he goes on to say but wisdom wisdom and humility are always often the inner little interchangeable or interlinked together knowledge wisdom humility it's all this the wiser humble the humble use wisdom it's used together so but wisdom is found in those who take advice this is interesting this is one word this is one reason I try to be note the word try teachable teachable you want to learn and if there's another reason why it personally I read a lot of books I don't want to I don't have that approach where you know I just I'm just not gonna read a lot of books I read a lot of different authors a lot of different theologians I've learned so much I wouldn't trade that for the world I am able to get different views different perspectives on different things in theology and church history and you look at things and and you want to be teachable from looking at the experiences of others and especially those who have came before us and those who have succeeded so one aspect of pride to avoid quarrels in your house at your job with your family is to humble yourself you don't always have to get the last word in you challenged me I'm upset you ever feel that way somebody's challenging you and like whoa yeah and you get you go back and forth and there comes a strife where did that come from humility no it came from pride pride and that's why we're trying to do in this church and that's why I brought the the team on Sunday is I so appreciate all these people because I could truly say that we're trying to work on humility we're trying to you know say Lord what teach us help us work together and humble ourselves and not get prideful and why I want to do it this way or I want to do it this way and it's a process and it hurts sometimes it hurts to humble ourselves it hurts the flesh the Spirit loves it but the flesh does not like when we humble ourselves so at least a deception leads to rebellion Lysa spiritual blindness leads to core girls and it leads to confusion proverbs 22 for the reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life in this word life there he's talking about like when Jesus said you shall have life it's abundant life it's life over filling its life that where it's not confusion confusion a lot of times pride brings and confusion because you know there's something missing there you're walking that fence I know I need to be pleasing God and humble but I'm so confused in life and that confusion sometimes makes us even more prideful so one thing we have to watch out for with pride is if life is very confusing there are seasons but if it's always confusing and there's all this drama a pride might be in there somewhere if there's tons of drama tons is confusion what's going on this is chaotic and there's there could be pride at work there because that's a part of korells 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 6:6 40 each one should test their own actions then they can take pride in themselves alone without comparing themselves to someone else humble yourself before God and he will lift you up James 4:10 so here's anxiety and depression often times are the results of Pride and trying to get our way being anxious being depressed about things all these emotions sometimes are centered around not getting our way and things not going the way we want and prior we start to become prideful and angry and we also compare ourselves with one another don't we we compare we why why aren't I yeah why don't I have that why aren't they going through what I'm going through and as a result we become prideful and lift it up an arrogant that's why I like James 4:10 humble yourself before the Lord and He will lift you up here's how you have to humble yourself well maybe I'll get to oh wait I get to the end I don't give it too much right now and then next at least a false worship this is scary this is very scary Matthew 15 jesus said you've 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 in other words they were saying the right thing sound familiar what does this mean quoting scripture appearing godly saying the right thing but jesus said your heart your heart is far from me and that's my concern for a lot of people as they can say the right thing but their heart is so far from God and in vain they worship me so they will come so a prideful person when they come to church you know that they're there it doesn't happen here again but other churches they'll come in and they'll be judging already they'll be judging from the lobby they'll be judging what people are wearing they'll be judging certain things and they they come in with a sense of pride and God has given them this gift of discernment really nots a gift of discernment it's a prideful arrogant feeling and they come in and hell brother and I'm spiritual and I've gosh I spent 14 hours in this this weekend and I'm just you know and and and just boasting and gloating and then they'll come to church and they'll sing a few songs and and they'll sing and they're participate but they are worshiping God in vain vain means it's pointless why are you doing that I don't desire sacrifice and mercy I desire broken and contrite heart saith the Lord so these people were they had their hearts were far from him they were worshiping God in vain they're teaching as doctrines the commandments of men another sign of pride is you start to put a lot of rules on things now there's nothing wrong with rules thank God that God has given us a lot of rules do this obey this stop that do this take on this put on that you know all these things but we start to make all these rules as a form of spirituality and pride see I can I can it's funny a prideful person they'll make these rules you know that that I don't even know tons of rules and that you have to meet these rules in order to be spiritual but then they break all these other rules you know they'll say we can't watch TV but they're addicted to porn they'll say you can't go to the movies but then they treat their family like garbage and they make all these well you shouldn't do that and this and this and they put all these rules on people they're carrying that's why the Bible talks about feet freedom in Christ I believe the closer we get to Christ the more we look like him and you're not bound by all these rules and things because you want to do it out of love now it's like saying you just like your spouse telling you every week you better not cheat on me gosh I guess not better night this would be better not cheat like alright fine it does what kind of marriage is that that the true love is is saying I don't want to do that because I love you that would hurt you that's not right and we do it that's why with grace grace is an interesting thing because of God's grace we actually live under a higher standard people think because of God's grace I can sin more actually no because of the grace you want to live at a higher standard you want to obey Him you want to love him you want to follow his laws and his rules and in his things because of that relationship so because of that it flows out out of a loving relationship joy comes when you follow and it's not it's if it's ever difficult and rigid you've got all these rules and things you might want to rate reassess what's going on in your heart the deception of pride we think that we are right when we are wrong that's the deception like the Old Testament prophet Elijah who spoke on God's half behalf the same plea goes out today how long will we waver between two opinions if God is God follow him here's the thing you either humble yourself or God will as a Christian I've known as God loves us enough that if we don't humble ourselves he'll convict us he'll show us and if we don't humble ourselves he will I've seen it so many times okay tough guy I'm gonna take that job from you what I'm gonna take that vehicle from you I'm going to take that source of income I'm going to make you just at work this or foolishness or I'm going humble you in your marriage I'm gonna and god will humble us if we don't humble ourselves because he loves us because we know it's pride good here's why it's deceptive to a person who's prideful they get away with it for a week then they get away foot away with it for a month then they get away with it for six months and then they think why must be on God's side he's blessing me did you know the devil can bless you they can take an hour drive that way the devil can bless you that's Hollywood la Los Angeles right I mean you can you the there's rich Milton they're miserable they are absolutely miserable so just because God is and people say that we'll look Shing God's blessing me well the devil could be he might be just opening tons of doors and keeping you in that pride because we often tie blessings into God's favor right God's open this tremendous door at work I'm making more money this is happening God must be happy with me not necessarily not necessarily because then it then it doesn't follow that if somebody's going through sickness or hardship or a tough time that God doesn't love them and he's frowning upon them he actually uses the valleys as well as the mountaintop experiences it's the valleys where we appreciate the mountaintop experiences it's the valleys where we learn to trust in God when you don't have that job when you when you're when you're relying on him I've shared this before I don't know if I have here my dear Lancaster a few different times but I II he took me through so many things when I when I recommitted my life I would say I just had a come-to-jesus moment in 1999-2000 right in there I was at 24 hour fitness making a lot of money well over six figures in my twenties built a custom house in quartz hill big dodge truck all lifted up with the big motor and you know this you know prideful boy like looking back I'm like oh goodness gracious Lord you were so grateful man you're just just so prideful and and and just and then he began to take those things away and I was like the number-one salesman in an all the area of California and different things tons of awards and different things and then what happens Oh corporations you have to beat last year's numbers I have to increase same-store growth by 6% and all these budgets I'm beating myself every year like I can't keep this up and I got demoted to run just one gym in Santa Clarita the 24-hour fitness off via Princesa it was a demotion so I go from all these gems money and now down to this and that's when God really started to Humble me and it was a humbling process and then after I left there I moved back home with my mom barely got by had to go work with my brother digging ditches basically pay me $100 a day just dug ditches and was very happy but God it was his reef front every refining process so people look and say Oh Shane you're living back home with your mom and you're not you could barely you can barely even pay your bills at $100 a day and oh man God you must have really missed it not at all that was a refining fire that's what God used and it was it was a wonderful experience but very humiliating very humiliating I would be in houses in these areas digging up certain lines for him he was a he did a underground work and I would just you know go from six figures a year to this and it was but God was humbling and humbling and humbling and then working my way back into construction I eventually started my own construction company and owned some heavy equipment and was making really good money and use that season to save and save and save and save and then guess what happened in 2008 by by market yep oh goodness gracious and then we're living off that savings for like a year and a half and we're down to our last I think was like five thousand dollars that's it that's all we had and work there was there's no work like Oh what just happened everything went bye-bye and but people would look and say well he must not be following God now I was following our God wholeheartedly we were giving we're helping the church but it was just a difficult season and I said well I've got I've got and that's when I got into real estate real quick and God just blessed that tremendously and then right when I get into real estate I had a need to felt a need to plan a church on my house how is this gonna work but he used that income then the church just grew and we were fine financially from the get-go and how he used those seasons of abundance and then lack and then abundance and then lack and then abundance and then lack and you're trusting God you're trusting in God and what he does and and whether the valley or the the mountaintop so just be careful we can trade it on blessings alone you you you have to look at is my life conforming to the image of Christ am i obedient am i trying to be humble and gracious and loving am I filled with the fruit of the Spirit am i spending time in his word and worship and prayer and then what comes what comes you don't gauge it off you know abundance and now God brings blessings thank God for it he'll bring it'll just you just you go with the flow right it was it was interesting I I don't know if you remember this I think I shared it and sorry if I repeats things sometimes but I think it's relevant but when I was helping with grace fest two years ago that big concert a big Christian festival I was able to have a booth and brought like 1500 bucks like all of just about everyone I had out of storage and I've got there the night before and then the sprinklers came on so I get there in the morning and they're like a shame we got to talk to you we are so sorry everything's ruined like okay and just had to get out to like Lord you you're gonna do something you know this is well okay how do I not went through all that I would have been prepared for this but then that the city walked around they say oh just felt this form we have insurance for this we'll just we'll just cover them all like really I wouldn't even how did that happen within an hour you know went from this terrible like my goodness - oh that's pretty nice that's a good blessing but you can look at that because God used that to test me - I believe and to just you know the disappointments in life and I wish to say I always pass the test well but I don't there's you know you get upset you get you grumble you complain and God works through that so I said all that to say you cannot rate where you're out with God based on blessings and you cannot rate it on where God is maybe withdrawing things why am I going through this these health issues or these financial issues why you can't base it on that alone however God will use challenging times sometimes to spank us spiritually we can't discount that people the Bible is clear that if God will discipline his children he will begin to take away things and take away things I've seen pastors who were caught in sin and would never admit it their church dwindled from large to small err to smaller - smaller and smaller and they lost it or people in business you know the gods you know why am I going through this or why and they don't humble themselves and seek God so sometimes he will use sickness sometimes he will use a lack of sometimes he will use losing a job he will he disciplines though how does he discipline us there's not a big wooden paddle up and up and up in the sky that comes down and disciplines us that happened in grade school I just told somebody this week and when I went to Bethel Baptist I was one of the first students there you know that church and Avenue K and that school many years ago and they would paddle you it was and I got paddle three times for chewing gum you just lean on it on the desk and they get this big paddle with holes in it what are the holes for so the wind can blow through it and it goes quicker it's just BAM Pat and why discipline do you ever think I chewed gum again never again it took years and I would chew gum I would chew gum a couple of times they think they caught me four times and it resulted in paddling and now I think in the public school system we went from chewing gums to rape and robbery and assault the top three public school problems when I was a kid was chewing gum making too much noise and fooling around boy have we drifted but that's how God Waffen discipline us - so I don't want to discount that and sometimes people get mad when I talk about this but God will discipline his children he will take things slowly I'm taking that income I've taken that thing I'm taking that and maybe in sickness sometimes can be a result we had time look at as we get into James and different passages where sickness some of you are sick and dying because you're taking communion and mocking the cross and because you're continuing in the sin so it's very and people say well how do I know it's easy you take it to the Lord if you take it to the Lord you confess your repent you're working on things and you're in and you're filled with the Spirit of God and you know that you've removed besetting sins and you're seeking God and things are happening then you push through but if you know all this could be possibly the result of my sinful choices and my sinful habits that I need to repent I need to get back on track and God can rebuild and rebuild but he will often use those things because how else will we change I don't know if I would have changed your 24 Hour Fitness had I not went through all that I don't think I would have I mean I hope I would have but it's those hard times that make me think oh god I need you that's why ministering in the hospital homes is is is what I call very easy compared to an atheist or compared to somebody who doesn't want to hear about God because they're now ready to hear about God they're ready okay here's where I ended up here I don't know if I'm getting out god I need you and that's really a loving father will get person to a point of phone finally surrendering I'd rather he get somebody to a point of brokenness and possibly dying in six months so they can spend eternity in heaven then allow them to continue in a very destructive lifestyle and say nothing and often wonder I don't joke about I mean I joke about Hollywood a lot but I I my heart breaks for like Britney Spears and Katy Perry and even Madonna now I guess she can't sleep because Trump was elected you know and like what's gonna happen Madonna I mean Kali you know it's like but I have a because they they that depression anxiety that Robin Williams taking is oh it's because they need God and those riches will keep them away from God Shane how do you know that because jesus said it it's hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of why is it hard because riches contend for that when we have it all you don't see a need for God and and that's why mission field in the mission field they're so receptive the humble will inherit the earth the meek will inherit the earth humble broken in spirit those who are no God so don't get too excited about riches because those I've seen that that drive many people away from the Lord from serving him on fire for God in their 20s working you know for the Lord and in then God just it would ever happen invest I know guys right now they're they're probably have at least and they're my age at least a million and a half each in stocks and gold and silver and they're I mean they can retire now but they're chasing those things they used to teach the Bible they used to love God they used to be involved in church and those things have because it becomes an addiction a passion that that I have to chase this almighty dollar riches will keep people from the kingdom and it's pride its pride that's doing it one of the best ways to get rid of if that's your area as to give it away you know you say if you get but you you start to a calor thank you for this um let me give some away thank you for this let me give some away thank you for this let me gifts and you get rid of that you get rid of that that bondage when you're mounted ironically these two people are the church that they go to now and then the the they they have been known to be just as tight as as somebody run a tight tight budget like they don't do it they're just so tight they're misers right you've seen them it's funny the richest people are often the ones that are that though they'll argue with a waiter waiter on fifty cents I'm not giving you a tip over a dollar you didn't do anything and they're a millionaire what does it happen pride pride so you might get now asking the question okay but how do i humble myself how do i humble myself well you go through the seven points again and apply the truth everything we just talked about see now if we go ah that makes sense that's what I have to do that doesn't do it I talk to people all the time Oh to make sense that's what I have to do doesn't matter if you don't do it so in this area of deception is the pride of your heart has deceived you humble yourself are you in rebellion against God humble yourself a people have a problem with authority and rebellion they're just they just don't like Authority they're in rebellion against God humble yourself and admit it if you're being led spiritually and you're blind to the things of God you're spiritually blind humble yourself if you're if you're fostering quarrels and arguments if you're an argumentative person do you know who those people are they want to debate everything they just want a nation and they bring it up just to debate the argument they want to argue they want argue arguing repent humble yourself anxiety and depression because we're out of God's will humble yourself and get back in the center of God's will leads to false worship have you been drawing nigh unto God have you been drawing nearer to God with your words and acting spiritual like these people yes I go to church yes I'll come to the Wednesday study I mean the Wednesday studies obviously you're more spiritual than Sunday people right I won't answer that one right normally though the window midweek study you get people are serious and you you really want to who's serious come to the prayer meeting before the service and that's what will that will show you a lot of where people are at spiritually but let me get back to this that's what we have to do this false worship if you're drawing nigh to God with your lips you say the right things but your hearts not broken and humble before him here's a good test a prideful person usually usually doesn't cry or weep or something for for family members or friends or a nation they don't care they could care less and don't care about visiting people the hospitals they don't care about people in need they're prideful in their arrogant a humble heart is a broken heart a humble heart is a broken heart your heart breaks for the things that God's heart breaks for your humble and you want to go and help you want to make a difference the heart needs to break that's what I talk about all the time the primal heart doesn't and I can't I watched some famous pastors that I look up to sometimes and I'm wonder if they ever even cried over a sermon if they've even even shed a tear over the lost people that that are on their way to hell in their own church I mean it boy do they got their theology down but their hearts not right I mean they they can pull apart the Greek and the Hebrew but their hearts not right they're not weeping over their message their hearts not broken and therefore being poured out to others that's a sure sign of pride if you have no compassion if there's no compassion you have no you have no humility it goes together if we can I mean there's a huge list we could go down but if there's not a brokenness for others or just when you hear about something like somebody in the church man they just lost this i/o that's been here too bad well we need people the hospital home ZOA who cares they'll get over it it's just but they're going in church they're prideful humility always has a broken heart and I just want to close with this the power of the made up mind I've read a book on fasting before I forget the author's name but he talked he had a chapter about the power of the made up mind when your mind is made up that you're going to humble yourself you can do it when you ask God god help me God I need you don't please don't humble me let me humble let me humble myself you don't need to take everything away from me until I cry mercy let me Lord help me humble myself I humble myself before you I've been wronged in this area I've been wronged in my marriage I've been wronged in my walk with you I've been playing Church god I'm humbling myself before you and he will answer that prayer I'm at Brandt come back up we've got about we've got a little bit of time we're gonna end a little bit early but what I'd like to do we're gonna do two songs and I'll be available for prayer are we Sam I'll be up front or back wherever if you need prayer come and see me but even afterwards we want to encourage fellowship we you it's okay it's some churches make you get in circles and pray and most of you were like oh don't do that they don't want to do that I don't know these people but so I'm not gonna do that but I would encourage you afterwards to talk to somebody you don't know and if it feels right say how can how can I pray for you or how can I pray for you and I think there's power in that that's people coming together we're not just gonna go home and eat we're how can I pray for you in this airing that builds camaraderie builds fellowship where two or three are gathered there I am jesus said so instead of just chatting about the Broncos are they playing still no Bert or you know let's try to say can I pray for you about something and we in and if you don't if it's if you doesn't feel comfortable that's okay but it needs to needs to start getting in that direction where it feels comfortable to pray with people so Brad is gonna do two songs and then as we leave we'll just have fellowship and I'll be up here I'll pray with you for whatever you'd like I've seen God answer tremendous prayers I've seen the court system gonna take kids out of the home actually stop and not put the kids in home I've seen people almost be fined or go to jail and God does intervenes I've seen marriages falling apart and God intervenes and breaks one of the spouses they they meet somebody they read a book or they hear a sermon they come back home I've seen God answer so many things when his people pray this is the most important part you know just just sitting in the pew going mm-hmm that Jay made some good points today that really accomplishes nothing actually doesn't complement and you don't change if we don't apply what God's Word says we are actually living in deception because we're practical [Music]

Channel: SermonIndex.net

Views: 8,703

Rating: 4.818182 out of 5

Keywords: Revival, Character Of God, Free Sermons, Video Sermons, Jesus Christ, What Is The Gospel, SermonIndex, What Is The Truth, Shane Idleman

Id: viPoROumPBc

Length: 50min 45sec (3045 seconds)

Published: Thu Dec 08 2016