Sunday, June 4, 2017

Pitfalls of Pride, Close-Mindedness

Pitfalls of Pride, Close-Mindedness


"If you want something done right, do it yourself." You have heard that. Some of you may have said it. Some of you may actually believe it. "If you want something done right, do it yourself." No one else could possibly do it as good as you. Most could not even do it the right way, according to your standards of course. "If you want something done right, do it yourself."

How is this Pride? How does Pride put us into this Position? Pride tells us, we are the best. Pride tells us, WE are the only person that can do it. Pride tells us we are the best and no one else can possibly do it the way you know is the best way to do it.

You become arrogant, rude, and refuse to even consider, that someone else may have a better way of doing whatever it is you are trying to do. You close your Mind off to anything other than your belief, plans, and ideas. In some cases, you may even work yourself to death while disallowing anyone else from helping.

Let's look at Pharaoh. In Exodus 5 we see the first time Moses goes before Pharaoh. Pharaoh refused to listen to Moses. He did not accept that God was bigger or of more importance than him. He refused to even listen to Moses. Instead, he doubled down on how HE thought things should go. He is Pharaoh. There is no one wiser, more important, than he.

You know the story. Water turned into blood, fish died. Frogs. Biting Insects. Wild animals. Livestock Disease and Boils. Hail of Fire. Locusts. Darkness. The Plagues of Pharoh. Moses kept trying to tell him there was a better way. Simply Obey God and Let God's People go. Pharoh remained Close Minded until the very end, costing him a huge price.

Now you do not have to be a Pharoh. A King. Or someone in a high place of Authority. The Word warns us in Proverbs 18:13
"If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame."
And in Ephesians 4:17-18 we are warned that we need to open our Minds to God, and not to follow the things of a failed world.
"Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart."
Why?
"For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." {Romans 8:6-8}
We must not be Closed Minded toward God and whatever He or His Word says. Forget the World. Forget what MAN says. We must always be listening to God. We do not know better. We do not even know what we do not know. We do not understand the reasons of the Universe. God does. He has a purpose and a plan for everyone in it. That includes you.

1 Corinthians 2:14 puts it this way.
"The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned."
The World will tell you that there is no Hell? No Hell, no Devil, no need of a Savour. Live as you will. Oh, we still tell people not to harm others, but other than that, pretty much anything goes. Homosexuality, Abortion {Although that MURDERS the most innocent of life}, Any God at all, or No God at all, just try to be a good person.

People LOVE the World and all the pleasures in it. WE are after all, simply Fleshly Beings that operate in the Physical and Material World. Someone comes along and says, no, you cannot do this or that, because God says so, or, this or that is Sin, or, Jesus is the ONLY "the way, the truth, and the life" and that Jesus tells us that "No one comes to the Father except through me." Some people close their minds while accusing the Child of God of the same. They do not hear the Truth. Why?
"As it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day.”" {Romans 11:8}
This is why Jesus spoke in Parables.
"Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given . . . . And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: 'Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive, for the heart of this people has grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their heart and turn, so that I should heal them'" (Matthew 13:11,14,15).
Even if we are the absolute, and undisputed, best in the World, at something, we must never allow ourselves to become Prideful and Close-Minded. Remember, God can use others to teach even the best and most powerful of all people. He can and will still teach us all things. We must learn to be Wise, and open our minds to the possibility that God has the better way already laid out. We are not in this by ourselves. We are not in it FOR ourselves. We are here to serve the Most High God and our Fellow Brothers and Sisters. Never forget the Wisdom of this little piece of advice found in James 1:19-20
"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of."
Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray..

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"


That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." {Romans 10:9} You need to find a Church that God leads you to, and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A new Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." {Colossians 3:10}

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.
{2 Corinthians 13}

Until next time, be Blessed, be a Blessing, and Jesus IS Lord!

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