THE PRIDE & ARROGANCE OF THESE LAST DAYS

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0><script type="text/javascript" src="http://hb.lycos.com/hb.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://ratings.lycos.com/ratings/lycosRating.js.php"></script> <script type="text/javascript"><![CDATA[//><!]]></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://scripts.lycos.com/catman/init.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-start.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-middle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-end.js"></script> <noscript> <img src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/img/common/ot_noscript.gif?rand=633412" alt="" width="1" height="1" />  <iframe frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" width="728" height="90" src="http://ad.yieldmanager.com/st?ad_type=iframe&ad_size=728x90&section=209094"></iframe>  </noscript> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=95 BGCOLOR="#330066" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="048005f0dkblkv.gif"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Preach The Word</b></FONT><B>     </b><B>|    </b><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B> </b><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Preach The Word"><U><B>home</b></U></A></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="2 Timothy"><U><B>2 Timothy</b></U></A><B>   l   </b><A HREF="id54.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="DANIEL"><U><B>Daniel</b></U></A><B>   l   </b><A HREF="id69.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="ZECHARIAH: "><U><B>Zechariah</b></U></A><B>   l   </b><A HREF="id70.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="MARK"><U><B>Mark</b></U></A><B>    I    </b><A HREF="id136.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="TOPICAL STUDIES"><U><B>Topical Studies</b></U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=385 BGCOLOR="#DDDDDD" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>THE PRIDE & ARROGANCE OF THESE LAST DAYS</b></div> <div> 2 Timothy 3:2c,d</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> "Pride is the only disease known to man that makes everyone sick except the person who has it."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> 2 Timothy<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > is a letter written by a man imprisoned in a filthy, Roman Dungeon: the Apostle Paul.  A fitting, true-to-life, picture of how this world welcomes God's most faithful men.  His words are carefully chosen and weighed because he knows he doesn't have much time left before he's executed for a crime punishable by death: Preaching an Illegal Religion: Christianity. </FONT></div> <bR> <div> But, surprisingly, he's not depressed. The world spits on him and his close friends abandon him, but he is filled with joy, anticipation, thankfulness and hope. Because he knows the truth. He knows that the sound of his decapitated head thumping to the ground will be the key to his deliverance and the beginning of a great, long awaited reunion. </div> <bR> <div> In another letter he wrote in prison he said:<I>  </I>"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I don't know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body." Phil. 1:21-24  </div> <bR> <div> You can't get more humble and selfless than that, folks.</div> <bR> <div> So, as he pens this Second letter to Timothy, Paul has no concern about being executed. No concern about his own life.  No, his greatest concern is that when he's gone to glory, the work of the Gospel will go on. And knowing that the longer the Lord tarries before He returns the harder it's going to get for Christians to hang-on and persevere, he chooses as his main theme: <I>The Importance to keep on Enduring Hardship right to the end. </I></div> <bR> <div>  <B>Chapter 1</b>: Endurance through Persecution & Suffering; <B>Chapter 2</b>: Endurance through Local Church Troubles, and <B>Chapter 3</b>: Endurance In Spite of Great Apostasy.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>1. PEOPLE IN THESE LAST DAYS WILL BE BOASTFUL (2c)  </b><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" ><B>   </b></FONT></div> <bR> <div> "People will be…. boastful"</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" ><B>"Alazon"</b></FONT>: <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" >"Primarily signifies a wanderer about the country… a vagabond… an impostor… a quack"  Vines, p.128</FONT>  <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" >"A noun meaning `braggart', which Plato defined as a person who claims greatness that he does not possess."</FONT></div> <bR> <div> MacArthur goes on to say, <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" >"Boastful persons brag about their accomplishments, overstating the truth to the degree that it has no basis in reality. They are know-it-alls who try to deceive people into thinking they are brilliant. They love to see their names in print and their faces on television. They exaggerate their abilities, their accomplishments, their talents, their reputations, and their value to society and to the church. They are the heroes of their own stories." </FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" >2 Timothy, p.112</FONT></div> <bR> <div> An adequate description of a lot of modern people, isn't it? If you want the absolute best picture of boasting, just watch the <B>WWF</b> guys. Remember, Mohammed Ali?  <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" >"Fly like a butterfly, Sting like a bee!"</FONT> But, today the butterfly lost his wings and the bee his sting, it seems to me. </div> <bR> <div> But Christians don't have that problem, or do we?  I've heard Christians say, <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" >"Why do you go to that church, man? It's dead there! You should come to our church, man! We got the Preacher, the Big Band, the Baptisms, the Miracles! And you should see our building! Oh yeah! We're really Biblical here!"  </FONT>And the other Christians said, <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" >"Yeah, but how's your Christian life?"</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Companies are experts in this area. Many commercials on TV are good examples of boasting: Everybody wants you to believe they are the best. <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" >"Just buy our product and it'll change your life!"</FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Boast</b><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >:  </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" >To speak with excessive pride, especially about ones own accomplishments, abilities, or possessions: to brag. (Websters)</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>Synonyms</b><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >: Exaggerate, puff, talk big, be proud of, flatter oneself, show off, cocky, conceited, egotistical, puffed-up, swollen-headed and vainglorious. </FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Biblical Examples of Boasting:</b></div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Goliath, the Philistine Giant:</U></b></div> <bR> <div> "He said to David, Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?…Come here, and I'll give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!" 1 Samuel 17:43-44</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B><U>Ben-hadad, the Pagan King: </U></b></div> <bR> <div> When he came to attack Samaria, he sent a message to King Ahab, </div> <bR> <div> "May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if enough dust remains in Samaria to give each of my men a handful." 1 Kings 20:10</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B><U>The 70 Disciples sent by Jesus:</U></b></div> <bR> <div> "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name… (and Jesus) replied… do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."  Luke 10:17, 20</div> <bR> <div> If boasting means to speak in an exaggerated way about things that pertain to you, what you've done or what you own, what would than be the antidote of boasting.  If we're not to boast about ourselves, so that people will have some totally exaggerated impression of us, what would the Lord have us do than? The Lord wants His people to boast about the giver of the gifts and what He has done. </div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Biblical Examples of Acceptable Boasting</b></div> <bR> <div> <B><U>David</U></b></div> <bR> <div> "My soul will boast in the Lord"  Ps.34:2</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B><U>Sons of Korah</U></b></div> <bR> <div> "In God we make our boast all day long"  Ps.44:8</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B><U>Paul</U></b></div> <bR> <div> "It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God - that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."  1 Cor.1:30-31</div> <bR> <div> "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." Gal.6:14</div> <bR> <div> "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Eph. 2:8-10</div> <bR> <div> Human boasting magnifies the work and nature of man. Godly boastful magnifies the work and nature of God. Paul says, in these last days people will puff themselves up.  But as Christians we don't waste our time puffing ourselves up. We seek to puff God up, because no man even comes close to what He is and has done and is planning to do. </div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>2. PEOPLE IN THESE LAST DAYS WILL BE FULL OF PRIDE (2d)</b></div> <bR> <div> "People will be… proud"</div> <bR> <div> "<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" >Huperéphanos</FONT>":  to place above. The idea of superiority. <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" >"Showing oneself above others, pre-eminent… it is always used in Scripture in the bad sense of arrogant, disdainful… (High-minded)."  </FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" >Vines, p.898</FONT>  </div> <bR> <div> <I> </I>Modern expressions for this kind of person would be, <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" >"Hotshot", "Bighead", "High & Mighty."</FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <div> "He might even seem to be humble; he might even seem to be quiet and inoffensive; but in his secret heart there is this contempt for everyone else. He nourishes an all-consuming, all-pervading pride. In his heart there is a little altar where he bows down before himself, and in his eyes there is something which looks at all men with a silent contempt." <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" >William Barcley, The Letters to Timothy, Titus and Philemon, p. 214</FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <div> One Seminary Professor, in his course on the Spiritual Life, ties all other sins to this one.  I believe pride is really our believing the enemy's lie that, <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" >"I am god."</FONT> Everytime you act on your own personal pride, you're actually denying the true and Living God, and taking His place. It's as if, in your heart, your saying, <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" >"I know God said to do it this way, but, right now, my way is more important, so I'm going to do it my way."</FONT> It's believing the lie that you don't need God and can really make it on your own.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Some Biblical Examples of Pride:</b></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B><U>The Laodician Church</U></b></div> <bR> <div> "You say, `I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked." Revelation 3:17</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B><U>The Praying Pharisee</U></b></div> <bR> <div> "The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: `God, I thank you that I am not like other men - robbers, evildoers, adulterers - or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'  Luke 18:11-12</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B><U>Nebuchadnezzar</U></b></div> <bR> <div> "Twelve months later, as the King was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, he said, "Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?"  Daniel 4:29-30</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Wouldn't it be great if, when you were Born Again, you'd get rid of pride forever?  Unfortunately, that's not the case. That's why, in the Bible, we seem to have as many examples of pride among Believers as non-Believers.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B><U>Corinthian Church</U></b></div> <bR> <div> "Already you have all you want!  Already you have become rich! You have become kings - and that without us!  How I wish that you really had become kings so that we might be kings with you!… We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong!  You are honored, we are dishonored… Some of you have become arrogant…" 1 Cor.4:8,10,18</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B><U>Galatian Church</U></b></div> <bR> <div> "If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load." Gal.6:3-4</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B><U>Roman Church</U></b></div> <bR> <div> "Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited." Rom.12:16</div> <bR> <bR> <div> How do Christians demonstrate sinful pride? By praying only when your in a rut.  By comparing yourself with the "great sinners" of your community. By comparing your denomination with others in order to put down others. By coming to church for only one reason: What we can do for you. </div> <bR> <bR> <div> Well, God says, that's the way it's going to be in the Last Days. And indeed it is. But you can do something about. You can be different. You can go against the system. How? By constantly throwing yourself upon Christ, repenting of your pride and letting Christ live through you. And according to the written record in the Gospels, Christ didn't have one prideful bone in His body. What did he have?  Humility.</div> <bR> <div> Turn to <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Philippians 3</b></FONT>  (Great Chapter on humility).</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>3 examples:</b> Christ, Timothy and Epaphroditus</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800660000.gif" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Christ (vv5-11)<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >:  Gave His life for wicked, unthankful, sinners</FONT></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800800000.gif" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Timothy (19-23):<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >  Gave Himself in service to Paul and the Church</FONT></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" ><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800800000.gif" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Epaphroditus (25-30):</FONT> Was ready to lose his life for Christ.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Practical Suggestions</b><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > for avoiding personal pride;</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.gif" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Remember how God sees you.</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011880000000.gif" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Spend more time confessing your sins to God.</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.gif" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Seek more to be "faithful", than to try to "impress".</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011880000000.gif" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Remember, "God humbles the proud, but gives grace to the humble."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> What do you prefer, God's judgment or God's blessing?</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800008000.gif" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Haman:<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > Hanged on his gallow.</FONT></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800008000.gif" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Nebuchadnezzar:<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > Stripped of his glory.</FONT></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800008000.gif" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Corinthians:<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > Sick and died.</FONT></div> <bR> <div> But, </div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011880000000.gif" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Joseph:<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > Prime Minister of Egypt</FONT></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011880000000.gif" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Daniel:<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > Government Official of Babylon</FONT></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011880000000.gif" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Jesus:<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > Elevated to God's throne.</FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Remember, in God's kingdom, the way up is always down. </b></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer."  Psalm 19:14</div> <bR> <div> Amen and God Bless You All.</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>