Am I proud?

Yesterday

We began to LOOK at the solution to conflict by unfolding verses 6-10.

Do you remember what the fix is? 

Today

We are going to hunker down in verse 6, and take a bite into God being opposed to the proud!

Open GODcha to the Book of James.

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NOTE:

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Or, you can use your hardbound Bibles and follow along.

You can print off this post and put in a Notebook!

 

Let’s Pray

Oh Lord, we pray Your Spirit would instruct us from Your Holy Word today. We pray You, Holy Spirit, would make the Word vivid and real to us. And we ask that You would give us hearts that would desire to please You and obey You as we hear.

 

LOOK at What God Says

Let’s pick up where we left off yesterday.

What will you do first?

READ God’s Word

Read James Ch 4:6-10, asking the 5W’s and H.

Engage now>

What is being contrasted?

What are God’s instructions?

What does He begin with and end with?

Now this is very important, who is James addressing?

 

Okay, let’s just focus on verse 6 and concentrate.

KEEP LOOKING

Incorporate All Our Strategies

Incorporate All Our Strategies>

Unlock the Meaning 

What words would be key to this verse?

Let’s check out each key word separately.

GODcha didn’t suggest checking out ‘opposed, but to understand its meaning is an eye opener. It’s just a tap away!

Understand God’s Words

Check Out the Meaning

 Dictionary Tutorial >

Opposed, antitássōto set an army in array against, to arrange in battle order.  

 

Proud, hupereâphanos; appearing above others. Often associated with those who despise, reject, God (. . .Jas 4:6; 1Pe 5:5). Arrogance, pride.

LISTEN…

What is the Spirit asking?

Am I proud, despising and rejecting God, my Creator? Why? 

 

TIP: Remember to take the definition back to the text.

“But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “GOD IS OPPOSED [sets an army against; He fights] TO THE PROUD [those who despise, reject, God],”

LISTEN…

If I am proud, do I realize God is opposed to me? 

Respond to God…LIVE it out!

 

LOOK at Other Truths About

The Proud

 CR-Cross References-Word Search Tutorial >

LISTEN UP!

1. Do you remember what we learned about the arrogant back in James 3:14?

You might review!

 

2. What is James quoting from the Old Testament, that these Jews would know?

Psa 138:6   “For though the LORD is exalted, Yet He regards the lowly, But the haughty He knows from afar.”

 

3. Let’s see what else we can learn about the proud?

a. There are 7 things that are an abomination to the Lord. He hates haughty eyes, a proud look. (Pro 6:17)

We see: pride is at the top of the list!

Understand: a haughty look is how a person views himself above others.

 

LISTEN…

What is the Spirit asking?

Am I guilty of viewing myself as better than others; that others are less than me, essentially worthless?

Can I recognize when my confidence becomes arrogance? 

Respond to God…LIVE it out!

 

 

b. Pride and arrogance are connected to the evil way. (Pro 8:13)

 

c. Everyone who is proud in heart is abomination to the Lord, and will not go unpunished. (Pro 16:5)

 

d. Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before stumbling. (Pro 16:18)

LISTEN…

What destruction has come to me because of my pride?

 

e. Arrogance leads to strife. (Pro 13:10)

LISTEN…

How has my arrogant heart led to strife?

 

f. The arrogant are ungodlyunrighteousGod-haters, worthy of death (Rom 1:18, 29-32)

LISTEN…

Am I ungodly, unrighteous? 

Do I hate God?

 

g. The arrogant are lovers of self (2Ti 3:1-2)

LISTEN…

Am I consumed with myself? Self- centered?

Do I consider myself right and first at all times?

 

h. Those who are prideful are not of God (1Jo 2:16)

LISTEN…

 

How can I guard myself against pride?

 

You know pride keeps many from bowing the knee to Jesus, and is extremely sinful, because it is a heart that despises and rejects God, being an attitude of independence from God.

LISTEN…

If I don’t think I am prideful, perhaps I need to think again.

 

3. Let’s take the time to do a Word Search on ‘proud’.

CR-Word Search Tutorial> 

CR-Word Search Video>

Type in ‘proud‘, then try  ‘pride‘, ‘prideful‘, ‘arrogant‘, ‘boast and/or boasting’.

What did you discover?

 

Let me share my discovery.

Pride

Is a sin (Pro 21:4)

Separated Satan from God (Isa 14)

Describes those who think they are wise (Isa 5:21)

Proceeds from within and defiles a man

Is connected to:

coveting/wickedness – can’t stand the thought of people thinking one isn’t as rich, successful, talented, deserving and/or sophisticated as others.

deceit – would lie in hopes to gain something for themselves they think they deserve, or to hide something from others that they fear might make them look bad.

envy – doesn’t want others to appear better than them.

slander – to diminish others in the minds of those people whose favor or respect a person must have (Mar 7:20-23)

 

LISTEN…

Has my proud heart separated me from God?

 

Did you see that other sins are the direct fall out of pride?

Those whose hearts become proud:

Forget God (Deu 8:14); (Hos 13:6)

LISTEN…

Do I tend to forget about the Lord?  

 

 

Boast (2Ch 25:19)

Boast in wisdom, might, and riches (Jer 9:23); (Psa 49:6)

Boast of their idols (Psa 97:7) 

Boast about tomorrow (Pro 27:1)

Boast in arrogance, it is evil (Jam 4:16)

LISTEN…

 

Am I boastful? Do I brag? About what?

Is my thinking, conversation, and life all about me? ‘I’, ‘I’, ‘I’ ?

 

Act corruptly (2Ch 26:16)

Evil; wicked (Job 35:12); (Psa 10:2)

LISTEN…

How has pride caused me to act corruptly? 

 

 

Connected to lying lips/falsehood (Psa 31:18; 40:4)

Deride others (Psa 119:51)

Forge a lie against others (Psa 119:69)

LISTEN…

What has pride caused me to lie about, or speak falsely about? 

 

 

Are Shameful (Psa 119:78)

LISTEN…

What have I done that is shameful?

 

 

Exalt Self (Jer 48:29)

LISTEN…

 

What have I done to exalt myself?

What causes me to exalt myself?

 

Behave Arrogantly (Dan 5:20)

LISTEN…

 

When have I behaved arrogantly? Why?

 

 

Their soul is not right within them (Hab 2:4)

Rebel against the Lord (Zep 3:11)

LISTEN…

How have I rebelled against the Lord?

 

Respond to God…LIVE it out!

4. According to CONTEXT that rules interpretation, who are the proud that God resists in verses James 4:1-5?

Context of James thus far tells us the proud are those who:

Are operating according to the world’s wisdom (arrogant),

Are controlled by their pleasures,

Love the world,

Are God’s enemies, and

Disregard what Scripture says.

Now we see: God stands, fights against such ones – those who love the world, who are His enemies.

Understand: James is telling us such ones don’t have genuine faith, but he wants them to know there is a cure, they can have genuine faith.

Understand: the cure is to receive God’s grace.

 

5. What must the proud do to receive God’s grace?

Humble themselves before the Lord.

We’ll check this out tomorrow!

 

Let’s Call It A Day!

Meditate on why God is opposed to the proud, and what He will do to such ones!

 

Now, Record What God has Taught You.

Put your discovery in your Notes.

Record the personal things God has touched you with.

 

Turn What You LEARNED into a Prayer

Perhaps. . .

ALMIGHTY GOD, FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN, thank you for Your Word that is razor sharp. Oh, may we be ever mindful of where we have come from. Fallen creatures, sinners, wretched to the core of our beings, but You sent Your beloved Son to die for us, to save us! May we understand, we have absolutely nothing to be prideful or boastful about! Oh, may You help us to see ourselves today! Help us to see if we are prideful in any way, shape or form. Is our pride causing us to reject You, Father, and You, Lord Jesus? Is our pride preventing us from seeing our sin, or even being willing to admit our sin? Oh Father, I pray that as we see how much You hate pride, and set an army against those who are prideful, that You would open our eyes and ears to receive Your Truth! Help us to confess our pride and turn from our self sufficiency and self glorification to You. May we do this for Your glory and our good. In Jesus name I ask this! Amen!

 

You did great today! Hang in there, you will be so glad you did.

Next: we will LOOK at God’s grace.

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