The Teaching Of Jesus Vs. The Teaching Of The World

How do we learn humility?

Through Suffering

Through Pain

Through Lack Of Progress

Through Roadblocks

Through Frustration

From Mountains We Cannot Climb

From Disabilities

From Death

From Destruction

From Powerlessness

From Demonstrations Of God’s Power

From Mistakes

From Achievements Crumbling

From Possessions Lost

From Arrogance Returned Back To Us

From When We Are High Up And Brought Down Low

From Pleasure Prevented

From Sources Of Satisfaction Cut Off

From High Opinion Of Oneself Brought Down

From Swollen Head Shrunken Down

We have invented for ourselves different kinds of pride to make pride acceptable.

We even have various names for our pride.

Proper Pride

Just Pride

Modest Pride

Natural Pride

Justified Pride

Innocent Pride

False Pride

Where pride exists, immorality comes in because pride pushes out moral authority.

To resist temptation because you know something, your sense of wrong requires you submit yourself to God.

If you are puffed up with pride, you do not want to submit to anything or anyone.

Even in your pride, when you hurt, God is with you. No matter how you hurt, or where you hurt, God is ministering to you…if you will open up your heart, you would find He has been there all the time.

Some of us have a tough time admitting we hurt.

We have difficulty admitting we cannot do things on our own.

We have difficulty admitting we need God.

However, if we admit we need God, if we surrender, then we become aware God is within us every moment.

Jesus said, “I am with you always.” And He meant it.

Who wants to surrender today?

We want our stuff.

We want our own way.

We want it all.

We want it now.

We are even told we deserve it all.

The world teaches me…

I can think well of myself…

Jesus teaches me…

I can see I am a redeemed child of God, once fallen, once in darkness, but now I see myself as totally surrendered to Christ.

The world teaches me…

I can have my self-esteem because of my achievements.

“Look at all the great things I have done.”

“Conversely, you should regret you have not done great things.”

Jesus teaches me…

Any esteem I possess is to disappear in Christ’s glory and grace.

Grace, or the love of God, fills the emptiness where self-esteem once lived.

Self-esteem lives in the emptiness of selfishness.

To hold regrets for not doing great things or being great is pride speaking.

The world teaches me…

I can be confident in who I am and what I can do.

Jesus teaches me…

I can be confident because Christ lives in me, and I am His servant.

The world teaches me…

I can stand back and admire my accomplishments.

Jesus teaches me…

I can glory in what Christ sacrificed for me as an undeserving sinner.

The world teaches me…

I can feel better than others because I know I am better than they are.

Jesus teaches me…

I can see I am just like everyone on the earth who is fallen, all those for whom Christ died. I can see none of us is higher or lower.

The world teaches me…

I can strive to be in a position above others, to be superior to them.

“Be the top, be the best, be no. 1.”

Jesus teaches me…

I can strive to be who Christ called me to be…a humble servant who does not care about position.

The world teaches me…

I can strive to be praised by others.

Jesus teaches me…

I can strive to be unknown and unrecognized by others.

The world teaches me…

I can reach down because I am up and others are low.

Jesus teaches me…

I can reach over to others because I am just like they are.

The world teaches me…

I can glory in self-praise.

Jesus teaches me…

I should glory in the fact I have a hope beyond death…because Christ died for me…because Christ loves me unconditionally, even if I glory in self-praise.

The world teaches me…

I can swell with pride.

Jesus teaches me…

My pride should be deflated because the touch of Christ's love is so profound and so real His love fills the emptiness where the pride takes up room.

The world teaches me…

I should love to be great.

Jesus teaches me…

I should love to be who God made me...a totally new person from the person I started out being.

The world teaches me…

I should love to be good.

Jesus teaches me…

I should love to strive to be my redeemed self…humble and meek in spirit.

The world teaches me…

I should love to be famous.

Jesus teaches me…

I should love to be unknown by mankind, known only to God, which is enough.

The world teaches me…

I should love to be rich and powerful.

Jesus teaches me…

I should love to be rich in life and possess only the power of God’s love.

The world teaches me…

I can make it.

I must strive to achieve.

Jesus teaches me…

I have already made it…I have already made it into eternal life because I have accepted Christ as my savior and Lord.

This message was presented in November 2011 as the Virtual Church message in Shepherd's Care Ministries virtual church site at http://www.shepherdscare.net