Pride

The following is borrowed from "In Touch", the monthly devotional magazine from In Touch Ministries, the global ministry of God through Dr. Charles Stanley. This piece was in the 2/99 issue, page 35.

"While you never lose your salvation, you can dam up or hinder the grace of God in your life by your attitudes and behavior. Proverbs 6:16-17 states that God hates pride & here.

"Dr. Don McMinn, in his book, Spiritual Strongholds, defines pride as "inordinate self-esteem, vainglory, pre-occupation with one's self." [more on self-destructive "self"] McMinn [and I] lists some characteristics of

PRIDE:

• selfish............ostentatious...........haughty
    
• egotistical...........vain..........conceited.....loves self
    
• pompous.........arrogant.....immodest....contentious
    
• narrow-minded......opinionated.....loud
    
• boastful.......materialistic.....demanding....moody
    
• critical...................reluctant to accept criticism
    
• highly competitive....desires always to be in control...demanding of "respect"...easily offended.
    
• refusal to admit one's weaknesses............showy
    
• inflated sense of one's abilities or opinion value
    
• one unable to accept God's forgiveness 

McMinn's first recommended solution to pride is to developed humility: "At least three times the Bible instructs us to 'humble ourselves' (Matthew 18:4, James 4:10, I Peter 5:6), so humility can be self-induced. Humility involves confessing our dependence upon God and respect for other people. The Bible promises wisdom (Proverbs 11:2), good tidings (Isaiah 61:1), and honor (Proverbs 15:33) to those who are humble."

"All other sins cry out 'I have a need!' Pride is the only sin that cries out, 'I need nothing. I can manage!' And that is exactly why God hates it."

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