Do you have a problem with pride? How do you think most people would answer that question? “Why, no. I don’t have any problem with pride.” We answer this way because, usually, we do not see pride in ourselves. It is always in the other person.
No one is ever so small as when he is trying to be big. God has no pleasure in our self-sufficiency. He says, in Matthew 23:12, Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased. In James 4:6 we read, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. In Proverbs 16:18 Solomon declares, Pride goes before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
The delusiveness of pride is our failure to recognize it in ourselves. Few of us will admit guilt and squarely face the issue before God in humble repentance. So often we are marked by a false humility which has pride at its root. Trying to appear righteous, we pride ourselves in the fact that we do not do this, or that, or the other thing. We condemn others in their sin in order to exalt ourselves. All this is a kind of superficial piety which God hates.
A Sunday school teacher had just finished teaching her class of boys about the hard-hearted Pharisees of Jesus’ day. She had carefully explained the sinfulness of their arrogant attitudes revealed in the Pharisee’s prayer: God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are. At the close of the lesson, she had the youngsters lead in short prayers. One boy prayed, without any apparent realization as to the meaning of the lesson, “We thank thee, God, that we are not like that Pharisee.” You see what I mean? How difficult it is to detect our own pride. None of us would class himself with the Pharisees. We do not go about displaying our religion. No, we are not like the other person. But it is this very spirit that breeds pride and, ultimately, failure in the Christian life. We need to see ourselves as we actually are before God. We need to face up to the sin of our own hearts. We must humble ourselves and overcome the deterring sin of pride. Humility is to make a sincere and correct estimate of one’s self. It is to fully submit to the leadership of the Lord Jesus, that we might be used of Him. To be sure, the yoke of God can never fit a stiff neck. Our wills must be broken if Christ is to have the preeminence in our lives.
John Ruskin declared, “I believe that the first test of a really great man is his humility.” He went on to say, “I do not mean by humility ‘doubt’ of his own power. But really great men have a curious feeling that the greatness is not in them, but through them.” This is true. It must be Christ at work through us. Otherwise, all our efforts for Him will be in vain. He can only work through us if we are empty of self. It is possible to fill an empty bottle with pure, clear water from a spring, but it would be foolish to try to put water in a bottle already full. The Lord has no blessing for a heart full of haughtiness. He reserves His blessing for the heart emptied of self.
The beginning of greatness in the sight of God is to be little, the increase of greatness is to be less, and the perfection of greatness is to be nothing. There are no roads leading to blessing other than humility. For this reason, God says, Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and He shall lift you up (James 4:10). The way up in the sight of God is always to go down. Mark Guy Pierce tells of a man whom a manufacturer proposed to take to the top of a lofty tower that he might view the city. He reached a passage where he saw a stone staircase winding up into the darkness and began to mount the steps. “Oh, no,” said the manufacturer, “You’re going the wrong way. It is down here.” “But, I thought we were going to the top of the tower?” “That’s the old way and you would find only a nailed door at the top. This is the way,” and the manufacturer pointed to some steps leading down. “Going down is a strange way to get up,” said the visitor. Descending, they entered an elevator and were soon at the top of the tower, high above the city. Here is the believer’s victory: going down to get up. There is no other way, dear friend. Look at the men of the Bible who were blessed of the Lord. What was the secret of victory in their lives? Let’s look at a few and see what they said of themselves.
Peter said, in the presence of his Savior, Depart from me for I am a sinful man, O Lord. Paul said, Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints. The centurion said to Christ, I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter unto my roof. John the Baptist said, One mightier than I comes, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose. Abraham said, Behold, now, I am but dust and ashes. Jacob said, I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies thou hast showed unto thy servant. Gideon said, I am the least in my Father’s house. You see, these men were emptied of self and filled with God’s Spirit. What about you? What about me? Are we victorious over the sin of pride?
Dr. Henry Van Dyke said, “God has two thrones: one in the highest heavens and the other in the lowliest hearts.” Christian, let the Lord search out your heart. Let Him give you a real victory over yourself, that God might fulfill His purpose through you.
Maybe you have never believed on Christ. Maybe you are like I was. For years, my pride stood in the way of my salvation. I had a kind of “do-it-yourself” religion. I was trusting in a few good works to get me to heaven. One day, recognizing my sinfulness, I laid aside my pride and came to Christ. I learned that salvation is of God, not of self. The Bible says, For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Come to Christ at this very moment and acknowledge Him as the Lord of your life.
A note about support
Here are a few comments from listeners: “I’m sorry that I can’t give much.” “I don’t like churches and preachers who ask for money.” “I wish my gift could be bigger.” “My small gift won’t count for much.”
And, here are some facts about gifts to Glad Tidings: 92% are under $100.00; average gift is $26.32. We hope this will encourage you to give without reservation, regardless of the size of your gift. All of us working together make this ministry possible. And, thanks to each and everyone who supports Glad Tidings Radio!
Little is much when God is in it.
Labor not for wealth or fame.
There’s a crown and you can win it,
If you go [or give] in Jesus’ name.
Kittie J. Suffield
God Changes Hearts and Molds Lives for His Gloryy
This is the story of two men in God's hands. In 1956, Dr. Blair was the guest speaker at the annual Spiritual Emphasis week at Lincoln Air Force Base in Lincoln, Nebraska. Eight airmen went forward and accepted Jesus Christ in the first service on Sunday morning! The services which followed during the week were poorly attended and Dr. Blair came home discouraged. When Mrs. Blair asked him about the meeting he replied, “It was the worst flop I was ever in!”
Eight years after that meeting at Lincoln Air Force, Dr. Blair was involved in a Bible conference in Allentown PA where he learned about David's conversion and his missionary service with the Navigators. After Horace Fenton (Latin American Mission) told Dr. Blair David's story, Dr. Blair returned to his room, got on his knees, apologized to God, and promised to never call a meeting a flop, even if nobody came! God has His plan and the Spirit honors His Word.
David Dawson's Story - “I was baptized at age 5 and attended Sunday School and church until age 14, but never understood how Jesus had anything to do with my life. At age 14, I left the church because I felt it was not relevant to my life. I was plagued by three giant problems: Who am I? Why am I here? What am I supposed to be doing? Everybody needs to have a purpose in life, but I didn’t.
This lack of purpose drove me to drink and break every law God ever gave to mankind. I was trying desperately to find this missing element in my life. This drove me to alcohol, which caused me to end up in jail. After high school I joined the military in an effort to get control of my life, but it didn’t solve the problem. I was lonely, and I continued to drink which sent me back to jail for the second time. I was in big trouble and was facing a military court-martial. I was terribly dissatisfied with my life and tried to change, but I didn’t know how.
At this point I began contemplating ending my life since I couldn’t find anything worth living for. I had enough religion to cause me to cry out to God. One day, after several weeks of asking God to help me, I saw an article in the Lincoln Air Force base newspaper about a Protestant preaching ministry at our base chapel. God spoke to me. “This is the answer you have been praying for.” Dr. J. Allen Blair was to be the speaker for the week. As Dr. Blair shared his own personal testimony that Sunday morning, I realized that, as a young man, he had searched for the answer to the same three questions. He shared how he had found Jesus to be the answer to the three questions. He gave his life to Christ, and his life was changed and transformed by God. Then, God began to call him into the ministry.
That morning when he gave the invitation, I gave my heart and life to Christ. Dr. Blair taught me how to develop a relationship with God. When I began to further develop that relationship God began to answer the questions for me. I gave my life to Christ that day, and now 50 years later I am still serving Christ.” David L. Dawson
Equipping the Saints is the ministry founded by David L. Dawson. His ministry materials are used around the world to bring Christians to maturity and to teach them to disciple others.
Visit their web site, www.equippingthesaints.org; email, etsusa@aol.com; or phone ETS,
(903) 455-3782. The postal address is: ETS, 4006 Walnut Street, Greenville, TX 75401.
Listeners Talk Back
Byersville, Ohio: “It’s a joy to hear you every morning. It is a must! It starts my day out great. Keep up the good work. We all love you, and God does too.”
Beuna Vista, Georgia: “What an inspirational and helpful book (Mother’s Memories), that will be enjoyed by several members of my family.”
Gift Calendars for 2007 - Scripture Planner Calendars
Available NOW from Glad Tidings!
$10.00 each plus $2.00 post/hand. in the continental USA.
Total cost is $12.00
Don’t miss this opportunity to give a quality gift for any occasion. Here is how the process works. You send a list of your friends along with $12.00 for the calendar and postage. We’ll send the calendar to your friends and will enclose a panel card informing them that it is a gift from you! Your seasonal shopping is done. They will remember your gift all year, and because of the nature of the calendar, you will minister to them through the verses of Scripture at the top of each page.
Companion Autobiographies
This month you can purchase the autobiographies of Dr. Blair and Mrs. Blair for $15.00 plus $2.00 post/handling. The cost of these books—$10.00 each, but due to the nature of their content, we want you to have the opportunity to have both perspectives. You’ll see how the Lord worked in the lives of two young people from very different backgrounds and merged them into a team that has touched the lives of people around the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
God used them and perhaps, you’ll see that God can use you as well!
Shining The Light - Dr. J. Allen Blair
Mother’s Memories - Elva Blair
$10.00 each plus $2.00 post/hand
- OR -
Both for $17.00 total cost, USA address only.