Humility

Well, good morning, it's good to see all of you this morning.

It's good to see the other sex than just men from last night, so

balances out the congregation here.

I Wanted I was asked by Mike to speak on

Humility and I want to take you to a few places in the in the scriptures on this.

And intrigued me as I was reading through the epistles one particular year.

And let's go to the book of Ephesians because oftentimes in

biblical counseling We find ourself in the book of Ephesians dealing with

husbands and wives.

Parents and children usually in chapter 5 and

so I wanted to get back into as I was reading through the epistles, and I read the first three chapters

of Ephesians and it It all takes you vertically mostly you and your

relationship with God and who you are in Christ.

And how he saved us by his grace.

But I noticed something as soon as it turns from practical theology

then into practical application.

You know the epistles are constructed that way as you know about midway in

between these these epistles it turns from more of a

vertical dimension than taking Your walk with Christ and now let's

apply it in your life.

And then there's what's called a hinge like a door turns on a hinge.

That is the word therefore.

And I want to take have you look at chapter 4 verse 1 which is this hinge.

From a looking at Christ into now walk with Christ, and it says I

therefore and there's that hinge a Prisoner for the Lord.

I urge you to walk now in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called

with all what?

With all humility and then gentleness and patience.

Bearing with one another in love.

It goes into our walk with Christ and the first thing that is addressed is our added

our attitude our attitude.

If you have the right attitude if I say to a husband who is in Christ.

You need to love your wife like Christ loved the church.

Now if he has a proud attitude.

And impatient.

It's gonna not go well.

But if he has this attitude of humility and gentleness and forbearing.

It may be difficult depending on what the situation is.

But God will grace him and he's humble enough that to receive God's grace to do what God's

called him to do the same with a wife.

You know submit to him you got to be kidding me, but with a humble attitude.

Attitude gentle forbearing.

Then by God's grace.

They can do this Again as they keep their eyes on Christ.

So they're great.

They hinge the attitude is addressed.

Let's go to another epistle.

Let's go to the book of Romans.

Little quiz early in the morning.

Where's the hinge in the book of?

Romans 12 1.

All right chapter 12 verse 1.

Let's see if the Lord the Spirit of God addresses attitude here in

chapter 12 at the hinge.

We're very familiar with the first two verses.

I appeal to you therefore brothers by the mercies of God.

To present your bodies a living sacrifice wholly acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship?

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.

That by testing you may discern what is the will of God.

What is good acceptable and perfect and that's usually where we stop, but look at verse 3.

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself.

More highly than he ought to think.

What's that?

What's another word for that?

Pride.

That's right.

Go right after the attitude.

Be that that living sacrifice but a humble attitude.

Don't think more highly of yourself than you ought to think.

But think with sober judgment each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

Let's go to a feet.

Philippians

a church dearly loved by Paul.

But there were two women in that church that weren't getting along.

Were they?

They're mentioned in chapter 4.

There are many times.

I'm very thankful that I didn't live in that era.

I Mixed.

I mean, I'd love to have seen Jesus in person and walk with him, but I'm kind of afraid of

my name.

It'd be mentioned in this in the New Testament like Yodi and Syntyche.

I Mean they're only mentioned here, and it's not a very good thing.

And when we get to heaven if we keep our names.

You know they'll introduce.

I'm Yodi.

I'm Syntyche now.

They're getting along now.

But what you know of them is oh, you're the two ladies that weren't getting along in the church at Philippi.

That's a tough way to go when you're only known for that.

But here the the church was to help them get along in chapter 4.

But look at chapter 2 chapter 2

where the Spirit of God through Apostle Paul Says in verse 1 if there's

any encouragement in Christ any comfort from love.

Any participation in the Spirit any affection and sympathy complete my joy by being of the same

mind.

Having the same love being in full accord of one mind.

Do nothing from rivalry or conceit?

There is speculation by some commentators that that will.

Well, that's what was going on with these two ladies.

They both had worked with Paul.

That's kind of a big thing.

Wow, I I served along Paul.

They they ministered to him and maybe there was some rivalry going on and you have this

being addressed.

Be of the same mind same love do nothing from rivalry or

conceit but in humility.

There it is again.

Right sort of right in the middle of Philippians and then the greatest expression of that

comes next Verse 5 have this mind among yourselves, which is

yours in Christ Jesus who though he was in the form of God.

Did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped.

But made himself nothing taking the form of a servant being born in the likeness of men being found

in human form he humbled himself and then it goes on about The death

and exaltation of Christ.

We could go to Colossians chapter 3 same thing.

Attitude is just fundamental in your walk with Christ

in your relationships if you try to jump to chapter 5 of Ephesians and say all right let's help

a husband and wife get along and parents and children and siblings and all of this and You do not

have the humility the humble mindset it won't go well.

It'll be pulling teeth as they say trying to corral cats.

I mean it just won't work.

And it doesn't bring glory to God.

Now as I was going through and reading this and seeing the the change here in the

the transitions to humility and attitude I Do have to confess I didn't think I had

that big of a problem with pride.

I really didn't.

I thought a proud person.

Was someone who would walk around and boast on themselves all the time?

That's what I thought I Should have known better.

But I thought someone who goes around saying I'm the greatest.

Everyone look at me and all that kind of thing and constantly talking about themselves.

Wanting to be first and everything.

They probably have a pride problem.

They need to read this and meditate on it until I

Look more closely at pride and for a week.

I just began meditating on the manifestations in

Scripture of pride.

Now I don't you don't have notes, but let me just give you a couple of words here about pride.

It may be helpful when you ever do get the notes.

You can kind of just it'll be the the outline a Little bit of information about pride.

God hates it.

It's an abomination to God.

One of the first things that says that God hates is a proud look in Proverbs chapter

6.

It says in a Proverbs 29 23 a man's pride will bring him low.

But a humble spirit will obtain honor.

Proverbs 16 verse 5.

Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord.

Surely he will not go unpunished.

Proverbs 13 10 behind contention is Pride

behind fighting Will be pride when you look at the

The definitions of the words that are used for pride in the Old Testament several different Hebrew

words are used six of them to be exact and all of them refer to a

Magnification and exaltation and even rebellion.

If you can see this kind of a highness mentality.

When you go into the New Testament, you'll find two different categories for pride.

One word group Suggests the meaning of straining or stretching your neck up.

You kind of kind of catch that you know.

It's a picturesque type of language here of stretching or straining your neck.

Then the other word group Conveys a blindedness a

Blindedness enveloped with smoke.

A literal translation.

How you think now, what does that mean?

Oh here they are.

These are the notes.

All right.

So as you get those you can Fill those in.

Great.

Thank you all for for helping.

So if you just kind of get that in your mind Pride is an exaltation of oneself.

It's a stretching up of one's neck and when you're when it's up there You're enveloped with smoke

and I thought what does that mean?

You're enveloped with smoke?

Started looking at some commentators and Here are the two different ways that that might be

implied there one You're a legend in your own mind.

All right, you're a legend in your own mind.

You're thinking too highly of yourself.

And you have grandiose thoughts so you're enveloped with smoke.

The other Implication is you're blinded in the smoke.

You can't see.

You can't see that you're an arrogant individual now, which

one do I side with of those two?

Both both.

You think way too highly of yourself and you're blind and you can't even see it

and What intrigued me is after well before I got

married I had a professor Say to me in a preaching lab.

Where I was just I was falling apart.

I was so nervous.

I didn't want to speak in front of people and They people were grading me in these homiletics

labs.

I mean, they're sitting there grading you on how you're doing and I had Every

nervous tick you can imagine I was scratched and shake and quivering.

I mean you name it.

I had it and the professor afterwards said Mike would know him.

Dr. Zemeck.

He said Stuart you don't look very comfortable when you're speaking in front of people.

I said well You're very observant.

He says what are you thinking about when you're up there?

I Guess I'm thinking about what they're thinking of me.

He said that's your problem.

That's pride.

That's what he said to me.

That's pride my first semester in seminary.

I Had I've never had anyone tell me that before.

Now they told me I was shy.

I was inter introverted.

I was nervous all of those kind of words, but no one ever said that's very

Very much pride.

Oh.

Then I got married marriage is a great sanctification

project, isn't it?

So is parenting they're all sanctified sanctifying agents in your life when I got married

Stuff was coming out of me and out of my mouth and my actions.

I just couldn't believe I Mean I thought this this woman that you have given me Lord is

bringing me down spiritually.

Do you know what it was?

It was already in my heart the Lord was allowing me to see what was in my heart.

I definitely married up.

Zandra is a phenomenal godly woman and it wasn't that she was bringing me down.

She was just being the agent and my sanctification to bring out of

my heart.

What was in there and the need?

But she also said One one time with great respect, honey, I I

Think there's a lot of pride there.

That's a second time.

I've heard that I don't see it.

GK Chesterton says if one person calls you a mule consider the source.

If to call you a mule look for hoof prints,

and if three call you a mule just get a saddle.

It's the old the mouth of two or three witnesses let a matter be confirmed and here I was hearing it again.

And I'm thinking what is it and I think when you are up there in your own mind whether you are

boasting on yourself or the flip side of self -pity and fear of man.

You are consumed with yourself and you're blind to it.

You just don't see it.

It's a blind spot in your life.

So These words of being high and lifted up.

Thomas Watson said an angel is a knowledgeable creature but take away

humility from an angel and You have the devil.

Take away humility and what can be very beautiful can become very wicked.

St. Chrysostom said pride is the mother of hell.

We should we should hate it because God hates it.

And we could go on with more Things that people said about pride,

but some biblical examples of proud people.

We could go with Satan whether you go with Ezekiel 28 or Isaiah 14 if you allude to that

of his high and Lofty if it's a double meaning there.

But you just go to Genesis 3 and anyone who contradicts God is a proud individual.

And he did he contradicted God to Eve and the temptation.

You have Uzziah in 2nd Chronicles 26 16 where it said that when he became

strong his heart was so proud that he acted corruptly.

It's not just Uzziah as I've been reading through the Old Testament this year I'm finding one one person after

another says when they became strong.

They forgot God they became proud.

Nebuchadnezzar's on his rooftop and He said well, this is Babylon my idea.

I did it by my own hands, and I did it for my own glory.

That was the last thing he said before he was.

The human lawnmower right in the backyard of the palace.

I mean it God humbled him and he says in Daniel 437

That God is able to humble.

Those who walk in pride the thing about Nebuchadnezzar was he was

warned a year earlier to humble himself by Daniel and Interpreting the dream.

He said please humble yourself.

This is you you're gonna fall and he didn't.

As Spurgeon said either you have two options right to be to humble yourself or be humbled and

We better go with the the former.

Then we could go to the Pharisee and Luke 18 where he says he was praying to himself and

comparing himself with the public in and boasting on his his good deeds.

King Herod in Acts 12 preaches.

Well.

He didn't preach he gave an oration a Wonderful speech

and The people said the voice of a God not a man now.

I'm reading into the white space here.

But you catch that.

He just said well, thank you very much.

You know, it was good.

Because the next thing it says is God killed him and Why

well, it says in Acts 12 because he did not give glory to God.

Now that's a pagan King.

That wasn't even a believer.

Because every gift every good gift that we have even unbelievers who have been graced

by God in common grace.

Every ability and good thing that they have they should be thanking God for it and giving him the praise.

That's a sobering passage now his children

God's children.

We should excel and being thankful and giving God the glory for everything.

That's good.

God's very jealous.

All the glory belongs to him then you have a lot of different warnings in Scripture and.

And Deuteronomy 8 Israel was warned.

He says lest he says don't forget the Lord once you get into the land and you've eaten and are satisfied.

Then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God.

You'll become proud you'll forget in Proverbs 1618

pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before stumbling.

There are so many Proverbs on Against pride and the results of it a lot of

warnings in there.

Now.

What is pride?

Pride really is self -worship worship.

It's a it's a mindset of self.

That has a focus on oneself.

I think you have three blanks in your notes.

There's a focus on yourself.

Secondly there is a pursuit for self -recognition.

You're wanting attention to yourself.

So a focus on self a pursuit of self -recognition and thirdly there's a desire to

control and use all things for self.

Let me put it a different way.

That may make sense to you.

It helped me.

If you think that from you by you or to you belong anything.

That's going to be pride because from him.

By him and to him Belong all things at the end of Romans chapter 11.

You're stealing the glory that belongs to the Lord.

You're thinking that something good came out from you and that by your own strength you did

something and That you should receive some of the glory and recognition.

You think this goes on in our day?

Think it goes on in our day and in our life.

Yes.

No one is void of pride on any given day completely void of it.

So it's an ongoing Sanctification that the Lord wants us to keep humbling ourselves

growing in humility.

You said well, you can't really do that if you think you're humble at all you're not.

Have you ever heard that one if you think you're humble at all you're not.

That's some bizarre theology.

I'm ever hearing that.

That's a command in Scripture to humble yourself.

Just like the command to love one another.

So what if I do that with that one if you think you're loving at all you're not.

What if I did that to all of the imperatives.

If you think you're encouraging to one another you're not

now if you think you've arrived at humility.

You've not you're you have not done that.

But we should be able to look back and look at the grace of God in our life and say thank you

For helping me to look a little more like Jesus.

We should be growing in humility.

Paul said in Acts 20 with humility of mind I served you.

How could he say that how could Moses who wrote right the

Pentateuch?

How could he in Numbers chapter 12, right?

Moses the meekest man on the face of the earth.

Now there's one for you sit and think about that one.

How could you say that about yourself?

Well, this is the definition of pride.

It is all about self and there is a flip side to pride and that is this wannabe.

I Wish I could boast on myself.

I Wish I could be like someone else.

I Wish I could speak like so -and -so or do like so -and -so.

This flip side of self -pity this low quote self -esteem that's being promoted

today.

That person is eaten up as as much pride as someone who goes around boasting on themself.

Now that's how I used to live growing up.

I'm very familiar with this flip side.

This was the kind of stuff I would do and it's insidious.

I Do something whether I was taking piano lessons and I'd play and

my my dad or mom might say, you know Stewart.

That's that's really good.

No, it's not.

No, it's not.

I can't play.

And I said, oh, no, you really can.

No, I really can't.

Have you ever been around someone like this is it's they are manipulating you

to fuel their Self -focus and self -pursuit.

Now sometimes I come across people like this especially Parent.

I mean adults are a little bit more refined in their manipulation at times.

But sometimes kids will still do that, you know I'll come by one and they'll they did something fairly well and I

say, you know, that's really he did really did a good job.

No, no, I didn't you know what I want to say.

It's pretty fleshly.

I Want to say you're right.

It stinks.

Just to see their reaction.

And I don't do that.

Because that'd be mean wouldn't be like Christ, but I I know what they're doing.

I've been there and you're just as consumed with yourself is Someone who goes

around boasting on themselves.

It's insidious.

I'm telling you this this thing of timidity fear of man.

You are thinking only of yourself.

It's the wannabes.

I wish I could you know be on top of the world.

You're still consumed With yourself and talking about yourself

and it's pride.

It's just a different manifestation of it.

And as I began to meditate a whole week long on this I began to thinking where else does this come

out?

Most of these manifestations is an autobiography.

I'm very familiar with these because this was sort of meditating on pride in my life.

Where does it just seep out?

So let me run through a few of them that you get kind of a glimpse at this.

When you complain against God.

You're a complainer.

Not very thankful.

Just complain a lot.

Whatever happens that you always see the the bad side of things a Lack of gratitude.

You're not very thankful because you think you deserve that or better.

So a lack of gratitude and Romans 1 it says unbelievers are known to be unthankful.

But Christians should not be where he should be the most thankful people when you're angry.

You said well, I'm righteously angry, right?

So you're thinking about God and his reputation and his will.

No, we're typically thinking about ourselves.

What we're not getting what someone's doing to us our reputation.

That's why we're angry.

That's pride.

Withdrawal you pout.

Moody, and I'm not talking about DL.

But you're moody it's it's silent murder is what it is.

You're gonna you're gonna really you're angry at your brother or sister.

It's pride.

Seeing yourself better than other people.

Having an inflated view of your own importance gifts and abilities.

What Romans 12 3 warns against.

How about number 7 in your list perfectionism?

Wow, I never thought about that as being pride.

Sure it is because you can't be faithful in everything when you're trying to be perfect in something

you can't and Usually what a person excels in is.

What gives them the strokes?

They get they get the encouragement the Praise from

people or they'll show you what they can do to get that praise.

But other areas are left undone.

Mandated areas of their life are undone.

You look at the commands of God and oh, well, I don't get time to do that.

Oh, I can't get to that either.

I don't have any any time for that because I'm trying to be perfect over here.

That's pride.

Talking too much now.

I've been asked to speak during this hour.

But when you're not forced to talk.

Who does most of the talking.

When you're with other people who does most of the talking.

Because if you're humble you're gonna try to draw people out.

You're gonna try to take an interest in them.

Consider their interests more than your own.

Philippians chapter 2.

When you're not forced to talk who does most of the talking.

And when you do talk, do you talk about yourself?

Even though the conversation moves down the road you bring it back to you.

Oh I'd tell you about what I you know back to me.

There's a Comic Garfield and he said to his

the other pet Odie Odie I'm really tired of talking about me.

You talk about me for a while.

That's the kind of thing, you know of Self -focus in your speech.

Here's another manifestation seeking independence or control trying to be sovereign thinking there's a vacancy in the Trinity

for you.

You want to be sovereign.

Or even seeking independence.

I don't want anybody telling me what to do.

What is that?

That's pride.

We weren't created that way.

We are created to be dependent on God and an interdependency upon one another.

We weren't created to be independent of God and people.

Here's the one I'm most familiar with the number 11 being consumed with what others think.

That's so paralyzed me.

I I have a major regret in my life, and I'm thankful the Lord forgives and

You move on and repent.

That's why I'm here today.

By God's grace repenting and doing what he wants me to do and using the gifts.

He's given me.

But for years and years as a believer, I would not talk in public.

I would not.

I wouldn't give my testimony.

I Didn't even want to get up and tell the class in college that we're having soccer practice down on the

field.

I Turned down every offer to speak every opportunity

because I feared man and That is insidious it was pride.

I needed to confess that as pride and then by God's grace learn to fear God more.

And want to please him more Than what people think?

Dr. Zimmick of my professor who first told me you're thinking way too much of yourself

he said what you need to do is study the word and then Preach or teach it

to God's people.

They're there not to hear you.

They want to hear what God has to say in his word.

That's very free.

So why are they grading me in here in the homiletics?

Oh.

Some other manifestations.

Being devastated by anger criticism you get someone to teach Sunday school and someone sits in and says, you know, that was

just excellent.

God really helped you.

To do well this one thing might be helpful for you.

Oh, I quit just devastated by a criticism.

Or evaluations come in and you look at 20 of them 19 are very encouraging.

One has a problem with you and you just can't sleep that night because of the one.

Being sarcastic or being unteachable.

Being sarcastic or hurtful you can you can really cut people down in pride lower people around

you.

It lifts you up a lack of serving.

Proud people don't serve.

They like to be served.

Last night I was telling the men, you know.

One of the things that came out in my life is that when I got married.

It was a lot like two in love with one and my

wife's a tremendous servant.

Just tremendous helped me and servant and that was a great.

You know, I serve me she serves me and and it's

it it does not make for a Christ honoring marriage and Again as I was looking

over all these and meditating on them.

You can only imagine as I'm writing these things.

This is where it's coming out of my life.

That at the end of the week, I mean I was devastated.

I was a young pastor.

We had two little children.

I'm married and I'm looking at at the pride and the amount of it in my life.

I mean, I just wanted to To go in a hole and die.

Just saying what have I been doing.

And and I'm thankful for God's grace and his mercy that he grants

forgiveness and By his grace you can repent.

And become more like Christ.

And I'm thankful for people around me that were very forgiving.

My kids my wife my congregation at the time.

A lack of compassion.

Manifestation of pride.

You say you want compassion.

Talk to my wife.

No, that means you're not like Jesus.

Jesus is full of compassion.

Being defensive.

A Lack of admitting when you're wrong yet.

We say oh we sin every day theologically.

Well, do you confess your sin?

Oh, well, I don't know.

Last time I confessed sin a couple days ago, I think.

That's not humility.

A lack of admitting when you're wrong.

And you always find excuses or a lack of asking for forgiveness.

A lack of biblical praying.

Watson the Puritan said beggars beg.

You know, we ask God for grace every day.

Oh.

Resisting authority voicing preferences or opinions when you're not asked.

You are you around people like this that?

You don't even ask them their preferences, but they'll tell you.

I mean we've had people wanting to redecorate our home.

So what why do you have the picture up there and what why is the couch over on that corner?

It really should go over there.

I Didn't ask you.

You know, you don't live here.

That's a proud Mentality that wherever it goes it wants the world to go a revolve around

them the way they they want it to be.

Oh, we could go on minimizing one's own sins and max in shortcomings maximize others.

I see the log in your eye.

I think I only have the spec just the opposite of what Jesus said being impatient jealous

using other people.

You have no time for people who don't serve you being deceitful

using using attention -getting tactics.

Not having any close relationships because proud people tend not to go very deep.

You know there tend to be a mile wide because they're they're building relationships.

You got a hump that's a humbling process.

You got to work at that.

Now there's 30 there and the last one says what?

Etc.

That's for you to fill in whatever.

I've left out this

Pastor.

Well it was a chaplain who came to me.

And he said are you are you the one who wrote this this book exemplary husband?

And there's a chapter in there on pride and all these manifestations.

Did you do that so well?

Yeah?

I hate you.

He said I went to my pastor and our marriage was not doing too.

Well, and so we went to our pastor, and he gave me that list of 30

Manifestations, and he said I want you to circle the manifestations that apply to your life.

He said that was a painful week as I went through he says and I circled 27 out

of 30.

He said I went back with my wife.

I sat there.

My head was about between my knees.

I Handed to the pastor all the ones that were circled and when you know what he said to me.

What he said what is about the other three you don't understand?

This is an area that God gives grace

to the humble but he opposes the who the proud and.

And it takes grace to grow in.

Your walk with the Lord it takes grace in your relationships.

We need his grace daily, and we need as much as we can get.

Well, then keep humbling yourself by God's grace.

Keep your eyes on Christ.

There's promoters of pride usually everything that has self in it except self -denial

will be promoters of pride.

Self -esteem self -love.

Self -actualization self -assertiveness self rights.

Self -righteousness on.

You could go all kinds of promoters of pride today.

Now we could skip over there.

You say I get that Stuart.

I got that I mean.

I know I have some pride.

Can we just move on we have 15 minutes left hurry it up.

I was intrigued reading the life of Job until I got to chapter 38.

I'm feeling very sorry for this guy.

All right, I'm Moved to pity on him.

He lost all his children.

Everything he owned and he's afflicted with some physical malady

and in chapter 38 well up to that.

He's he's having a problem now with God.

He can't figure out what's going on doesn't know what's going on in the heavenlies between Satan and God and

He's struggling and he starts to contend with God he almost is putting God on a witness stand and

pointing his finger at him.

How can this be and this isn't?

Who in chapter 38?

God speaks.

The Lord speaks and he says I've got something to say and I'm not interested in dialogue.

Who is this that contends with the Almighty I?

Think it immediately.

Job realized he's not on the witness stand.

God Job is and he needed he needed to get

Who it is that God is and not get the answer to why this is happening in his

life?

Sometimes we're all caught up with why when we really should be thinking about who?

Focus more on the character of God and it's okay.

I don't need to know the answer of why God is good, and he's just and he's wise and he's he's

perfect in every way.

For two chapters God speaks, and he just humbles Job.

Where were you when the creation?

You know when the world was formed?

Oh, let me think.

There's no answer for that at the end of two chapters.

This is Job's reply and Job 40 verses 3 and 4.

He says behold I am insignificant.

What can I reply to you?

I'll lay my hand on my mouth.

Paraphrased.

I'll keep my mouth shut.

I'll bite my tongue whatever expression people use.

That's the wrong answer.

Because the heart isn't changed.

That's just a person saying all right all right.

I've been sarcastic and I've been doing this and that and the other.

I'll just keep my mouth closed.

Well, that's no heart changed.

Remember it's out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks.

So just when you think okay let up Lord, I mean this is this is tough for Job.

You almost get the sense from the passage that Job's getting up, and he's gonna walk away.

And the Lord says stand there.

I have more for you two more chapters.

Four chapters of where were you Job?

You know you are little.

I am the Almighty now at the end of four chapters.

This is what Job says.

I Know that you can do all things.

That no purpose of yours can be thwarted.

I Have declared that which I did not understand and things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.

You instruct me.

I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eyes sees you therefore I retract and I

repent and Dustin ashes see the difference.

See the difference.

I You may have to linger a little longer on where prides being

manifested.

I Think you you know just in counseling.

And just in our own growth you may need to linger a little longer on where pride is being

manifested in your own heart and life.

Just like Job needed to do and don't get morbid

and self examination.

Martin Lloyd -Jones says.

You know, you've crossed the line he said if we're always talking to people about ourselves and our problems and our troubles and

If we're forever going to them with that kind of frown upon our face and saying I'm in gray difficulty.

It probably means that we are all the time centered upon ourselves.

That's introspection and that in turn leads to condition known as morbidity.

Look at your sin confess it and then turn to Christ now the

attitude of humility and I'm gonna Shift here on humility

very unnatural to man.

Very unnatural to man.

This is something wrought by God several Old Testament terms.

All referred to a crouching down bowing low even in the New Testament

everything from servile base.

Gentle yielding.

Just the opposite of this high lifted up lost in the clouds bowed

low if you think of a seesaw.

When God is raised Man is lowered.

When man is high God is lowered.

You can't have them both up there.

One of the things that I do homework assignments in counseling no matter what the person's problems are I have them reading the

attributes of God.

They must get to know their God.

There are many examples in Scripture of humility of humble people.

Of Habitual humble people not perfect.

Abraham when he preferred lot Moses when he's when it compares him to everyone else on the face of the

earth.

He's more humble.

John the Baptist who said I'm not on I'm not worthy to untie the latchet of Christ's

sandal, even though that was his cousin Mary who said behold the bond slave of the

Lord may it be done to me according to your word.

The tax collector who beat his breast and said be merciful to me.

The sinner.

Apostle Paul Who just said I'm the least of all

Saints.

I'm the chief of all sinners.

I mean that that's not he's he wasn't just Exaggerating.

He really the closer you come to Christ the more you're going to see your sin and You're going to

realize that you are you know apart from God's grace a

miserable wicked sinner and He he realized that God is

perfectly holy and he is not.

And yet God accepted him in Christ.

And he just had a humble mindset.

Before man, the greatest example is Jesus of humbling himself

not Grasping and holding tight to the independent use of his attributes in heaven and all the glory

he shared up there with the other two members of The Trinity, but he humbled himself.

He's the greatest example of humility humble servant.

Philippians chapter 2.

The definition of humility the three blanks are the same three words now you're focused more on

God namely in the face of Christ.

You're pursuing that God is exalted not you and

your desire now is to glorify and Praise and

please God in all things.

So a focus of pursuit and a desire that from him by him and to him belong all things.

Now all of the manifestations of humility you should be able to look at these and

Say there's a little bit of this.

I do try to do this by God's help.

You should be able to do that.

Not just see all the pride manifestations.

But you you ought to be able to come over to the humility and say I have not arrived here.

Believe me, but there's some Praise God for that

Richard Baxter said when you have he called it self judging.

Self -examination.

He said if you only look at your weaknesses and not your strengths by God's grace your

graces.

He called it.

If you only look at where you're weak and where you fall short and you don't look where God has graced you.

You will not have an accurate picture of yourself.

If you always look at your graces and never your shortcomings, you also will not have an accurate picture of yourself.

You must look at both.

This is where I need to grow and praise God.

This is where God has helped me to grow and Then you'll have a more accurate sober assessment of

yourself.

But you look at all of these manifestations and we don't have time to go through them.

You can do this.

But looking to God recognizing his character thanking him for all things.

Primarily number three focusing on Jesus Christ.

You're just consumed with Jesus.

You just rejoice if someone sees anything about Jesus in your life.

You're overwhelmed with his goodness and his grace.

Oh a few in relationships is number ten.

You're a you're a good listener.

You care about people.

You're listening to them you're asking questions you're trying to bring them out.

You're preferring them first.

I mean a number 13.

When someone criticizes you you're thankful.

It's hard maybe to hear it, but you're thankful.

It's because you know that they love you and they're trying to help you.

You have more of a teachable spirit.

You're more aggressive and number 17 serving others.

Not wanting to be served

number 22 Martin Lloyd -jones said this is one of the most difficult exhortations in Romans 12.

That is rejoice with those who rejoice.

He said oh, it's easy to weep with those who weep.

But when someone else is blessed by God and you don't happen to be in on that blessing

He said that will it will expose your heart.

Can you rejoice with those who rejoice.

You know we had two miscarriages and Friend of ours had a baby.

Can you rejoice.

Could we rejoice with them that they just had a baby?

See, I mean that's that is now resting and our hope is in our God not

in our circumstances.

Rejoice with those who rejoice.

Weep with those who weep and you'll be working harder on close relationships now.

I want to go to a Being intentional here moving from pride to humility

first.

Need to humble yourself before the mighty God our mighty God.

With focusing on the gospel of Jesus Christ there is nothing that I know of in

all of Scripture that will humble you more than Focusing on what God did through Christ in

his life death burial resurrection.

If that doesn't move you to humility.

Then you need to hear the gospel and be saved.

I Mean if Christians aren't moved by what Christ did on the cross.

There is no higher motivation for a Christian than the mercies of God through Jesus Christ and

what he did on our behalf.

And that's what Paul Beseeches us by the mercies of God.

Right the first 11 chapters of Romans.

I beseech you then by all the mercies of God through Christ.

Be that living sacrifice humble yourself.

There's nothing higher.

If that doesn't move you then you need to check your pulse and examine yourself as Paul said and see if you're in the faith.

That's where we need not just the gospel is not just for salvation.

We must depend on what Christ has done and focus on that every day of our Christian life.

There's a by the way, I'm just gonna give you a pointer here or an info there is

a Primer coming out.

It's being published by focus publishers.

It's a primer on the gospel and how to meditate on that every day

for Christians.

It's coming out.

I think I'm gonna get sent a copy next week.

So it should be out within a few weeks.

Others talk about preach the gospel to yourself every day like Jerry Bridges CJ Mahaney and others.

But this is a primer on how to do it of How to focus on it with the actual passages of

Scripture in a Christian's life every day.

I Just encourage you that may be a good thing to focus on and our quest to be more like Christ

in humility practical steps.

Read the Psalms and prophets.

I would say Continue to read through the Old Testament.

The Old Testament presents such a high view of God.

Did to reverence him, I mean all of Scripture does but when you go, well, they complained where did they go?

You know the ground just opened up and they got swallowed up.

I maybe I shouldn't complain.

You know, there's something there that you see in an awesome God and.

And you reverence him you fear him.

In the right way.

Here's one ask others if you come across in a proud way.

Ask your spouse don't and start the list.

I would encourage you, you know, use the list circle the things that you see and say To you if you're married.

The youth in here you could ask your parents.

Ask your siblings if they're honest with you and just say here's here's some things I see.

Do you see these are there others that you you see?

Would you put an asterisk by those that seem to stand out the most?

Because that'll become your worksheet of moving and growing in this area.

But remember you also need to then look at the evidences of humility.

If you're a Christian and say here is where I think the Lord is helping me.

Would you agree?

You know.

You need to look at both not just the weaknesses, but the graces as well

and then have this mindset.

This must be a way of life.

Excuse me, and you must work with the Spirit of God in doing this.

You can't do this.

Okay, I'm gonna put on a humble mindset.

You can't you're gonna flop immediately.

Without Christ you can do nothing.

It's his spirit who is in his children both to willing to do his good pleasure.

We must pray without ceasing.

Lord help me the person that what that person just did or said this is tough to take.

I pray for your grace.

Help me to think for their good for your glory and respond in a way.

That would be more like Christ.

And you just pray without ceasing.

Dr. MacArthur says humility creates the vacuum that divine grace fills.

Humility creates the vacuum that divine grace

fills.

I'm gonna talk more about that issue of pride and humility even in the message this morning.

But I want to close with a passage from Isaiah 57

verse 15.

Isaiah 57 verse 15.

For thus says the high and exalted one who lives forever

whose name is holy.

I Dwell on a high and holy place and

Also with the contrite and lowly of spirit.

In order to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.

He's high and exalted.

And he dwells in the heavenlies, but he also dwells with those who are broken and contrite of heart.

May we be that kind of person his children as we walk with Christ.

Let's pray father.

Thank you For this time together.

And Lord in a room the size there.

I'm sure those who have not bowed before you and humbled themselves and

Have acknowledged their sin before you and asked for saving faith.

I'm willing to repent of their sins and living for themselves and living now for the Savior.

I pray that if it would please you you would grant Mercy and grace

in their life today.

May they see that their pride is a truly an abomination to you and that it is your

mercy.

That allows them to take one more breath this side of hell

and for your children.

Lord may we just be humbled under your your mighty hand.

We thank you for your grace and your mercy through Jesus Christ we thank you for forgiveness of

sins.

We thank you that you have given us your spirit to indwell us and To help

us to become more like our Savior and Lord.

I pray that as people are around us.

What they would see would not be us but Christ in us in

His name we pray amen.