Martin Family Bible Study cont'd

When you think you are all that and a bag o’chips, you are letting your sinful nature show instead of giving God the glory for your life and anything in you that’s good.

Galatians 5:26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Galatians 6:3-4 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else...

Satan's job is to bring Christ follower's down. He waits to jump in on the strongholds of our lives. He looks for our weaknesses leftover from our old selves. Remember that he even tried it on Jesus after his 40 day fast in the desert. (Matt.4) Our flesh craves instant gratification....and where do we get that? From our dear, great, great, great... grandmother Eve. It's an actual "tale as old as time". We all want to satisfy the flesh and when we're not being controlled by the Spirit, by default we will be controlled by the flesh. Satan sends the pride to well up in us and tell us we "deserve" whatever we want. We have "rights" to whatever we want, right?!

Definition of Sin: Doing what I want, when I want and I just don't care. Sin=Consequence

Definition of Obedience: Doing what God wants, when God wants, with a right-heart attitude. Obedience=Blessing

Pride is the sin that most subtly sneaks in to the lives of one walking in the Spirit, tempting the flesh to fall. Remember that old Proverb (11:2&16:18)...."Pride cometh before a fall."

The first time a word is mentioned in God's Word is always a good way to study to learn more about it.

First mention of "pride" in God's Word: Leviticus 26:18-20 NASB

Leviticus 26 explains a general overview of Moses' laws, and the promises that go with them. See the definitions above that I've been using with my kids since they were little come straight from this chapter. (learned from Life Action Ministries) Look at what the first mention says about pride. Note how God deals with it, and the consequence of it.

I will also break down your pride of power; I will also make your sky like iron and your earth like bronze. Your strength will be spent uselessly, for your land will not yield its produce and the trees of the land will not yield their fruit.

Pride was the reason Satan became who he is in the first place. Pride definitely came before he fell....to the earth. It's pretty safe to say that pride is Satan's specialty and we need to be aware of it sneaking into our lives. Have you ever felt as if your strength was being spent uselessly? I have. I hate the feeling of being exhausted because I worked so hard....all for nothing. It's time to stop trying so hard, spinning endless wheels, and turn it all over to Jesus.

Personally, pride has been a huge stronghold in my life. Anyone who knew me B.C. (before Christ) can tell you, I was unbelievably & disgustingly full of myself. I'm so susceptible to pride sneaking back in without notice, unless I'm constantly being transformed by the renewing of my mind and washing with the water of God's Word. I found this page about destroying strongholds, and it's really a great resource for finding out and dealing with whatever it may be in your life that keeps coming back to disrupt your walk with God.

Father God, break down our pride and humble our hearts. Help us to learn to rest in Your power and let go of the need of our own.

Galatians 6:14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.