The Stout Heart
Proverbs 16:5; 28:25
Isaiah 9:9-10 – And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart, The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycomores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars.
Isaiah 10:12? I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks.
STOUT, a. 1. Strong; 2. Bold; brave. 3. Large. 4. Proud; resolute; obstinate.
The seat of pride is the heart! – see texts; Mk. 7:21-22
I. SIN of pride. Proverbs 21:4— An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.
A. Abominable? It appears God hates pride above all sins (Prov. 6:16-17). Next to unbelief, I don’t know of another sin mentioned more often in Scripture than pride. It is never mentioned in a positive context.
B. It is a sin because it robs God of His glory. Pride turns the focus on us. Instead of giving God the glory for who we are and what we have, we take the credit.
ÆWe have nothing to be proud about. As Paul said, "What hast thou that thou didst not receive?" (1 Cor. 4:7).
C. As a sin, pride...
Short-circuits our prayers (James 4:6). Cf. 2 Chron. 7:14—You must humble yourself before you are on praying ground.
Stirs up contention (Prov. 13:10; 28:25).
Stops people from getting saved (Mt. 18:3). The bottom line reason why a man will not trust Christ as his Savior is pride.
I can find God saving a murderer, adulterer, thief, blasphemer, crook, idolater. I cannot find where God ever saved a proud man.
II. SOURCE of pride. Job 41:34– Satan is "king over all the children of pride."
A. The original sin in the universe was pride. It is the sin that caused Satan/Lucifer to become Satan (Ezek. 28:12-17 cf. Isa. 14:12-18).
?The proud person has an "I" problem. The middle letter: PRIDE – SIN – LUCIFER
B. It was Satan’s appealing to Eve’s pride that lead to man sinning in the Garden—"Ye shall be as gods…" (Gen. 3:5).
III. SORTS of pride.
A. Pride of FACE (Ps. 10:4—"the wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God.").
1. ILLUS: Painted face of Jezebel.
2. Kyle Hake did some research for me about how many dollars Americans spend on beauty products: $13 billion on surgical/non surgical beauty procedures; $38 billion hair products; $24 billion on skin beauty products; $18 billion on make-up; TOTAL $93 billion a year! To put this in perspective, in 2001 American churches gave $4 billion to foreign missions.
3. David said the Lord "is the health of my countenance" (Ps. 42:11).
B. Pride of GRACE (religious pride). Romans 12:3?For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think…
1. Some are proud of their service for the Lord. Jehu boasted, "Come with me, and see my zeal for the Lord" (2 Kings 10:16).
2. Jesus warned of those who make a show of their religious activities (Mt. 6:1-18—alms giving; fasting; praying). Seeking men’s applause.
3. This statement reeks with pride: "What would you be if you weren’t a Baptist?" "I’d be ashamed."
I was in one Baptist preacher’s meeting where one pastor was preaching who boasted: "The hairs on my head are Baptist hairs… The Bible I preach is a Baptist book… The church I attend is a Baptist Church… and when I die, I’m going to a Baptist heaven!" The saddest thing about that statement is almost every preacher present in that meeting hollered, "AMEN!" I got up and left.
C. Pride of LACE—We’ve become slaves of fashion.
1. ILLUS: Esther Krause (Open Door) tripping and falling on her face after commenting how pretty her clothes were (Prov. 16:18).
2. Much of dress, or undress, caters to the flesh. (1 Tim. 2:9).
D. Pride of ACE—One who excels; of first rank; supreme position
1. Nebuchadnezzar – (Dan. 4:28-37)
Shortly after Tom Brokaw was promoted to be co-host of the Today Show, he was shopping at Bloomingdale's in New York. He was feeling pretty good about himself after years of hard work, first in Omaha, then for NBC in Los Angeles and Washington.

He noticed a man watching him closely. The man kept staring at him and finally, when the man approached him, Brokaw was sure he was about to reap the first fruits of being a New York television celebrity. The man said, "Tom Brokaw, right?"

"Right," said Brokaw.

"You used to do the morning news on KMTV in Omaha, right?"

"That's right," said Brokaw, getting set to sign an autograph.

"I thought so!" He paused and asked, "Whatever happened to you?"
2. Pride is a sign of the times: 2 Timothy 3:2-4 ? For men shall be lovers of their own selves [self-esteem], covetous, boasters [conceit], proud…
When Muhammad Ali was in his prime (Cassius Clay), he boasted, "I am the greatest!" One time while on an airplane, the flight attendant reminded him to fasten his seat belt. He said brashly, "Superman don't need no seat belt." The attendant quickly came back, "Superman don't need no airplane, either."
E. Pride of RACE?National pride (Jer. 13:9; Ezek. 16:49).
V. SIGNS of pride.
A. Deceptive pride (Obad. 1:3-4).
A young woman asked her Pastor for counsel. She said, "Pastor, I have become aware of a sin in my life which I cannot control. Every time I am at church I look around at the other women, and I realize I am the prettiest one in the church. How can I have victory over this sin?" The pastor looked at her and said, "That is not a sin. That's just a delusion!"
1. Pride is like "bad breath"—The people around you know you have it, but you are unaware of it yourself.
2. That is why we must pray, "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me…" (Ps. 139:23-24).
ÆHumility is that elusive characteristic that the minute you think you have it, you’ve lost it.
B. Detecting pride:
PROUD PEOPLE
HUMBLE PEOPLE

(1) Focus on the failure of others
Are overwhelmed with their own spiritual failures (Matthew 5:3, 7:3-5, Luke 18:9-14)

(2) Self righteous; have a critical, fault finding spirit; look at own life/faults with a telescope but others with a microscope
Are compassionate; have a forgiving spirit; look for the best in others (Ephesians 4:32, Colossians 3:12)

(3) Look down, in a condescending spirit, at others
Esteem all others as better than self (Phil. 2:3, Rom. 12:10)

(4) Are independent; have desires for everyone else to meet own personal needs
Are dependent on God and His grace; recognize others' needs and seek to meet them (2 Cor. 3:4-6, Phil. 2:4)

(5) Manipulate circumstances to maintain control; must have everyone do things their way
Surrenders control by giving freedom for others to do or see things differently (Rom. 12:10)

(6) Argumentative?Have to prove they are always right
Are willing to yield to the possibility that they could be wrong, and thus, yield the need to always prove they are right (Rom. 15:2)

(7) Demand personal rights
Yield personal rights (Eph. 5:21)

(8) Self-protective
Are self-denying (Luke 9:23)

(9) Desire to be served
Are motivated to serve others (Matt. 20:26-28, Phil. 2:20-21)

(10) Self-promoting
Desire to promote others (John 3:3).

(11) Seek recognition
Have a sense of unworthiness; eager for others to get credit (1 Tim. 1:12-16)

(12) Keep people at arm's length
Risk getting close to others; are willing to take those risks for the sake of love for others (2 Cor. 6:11-12)

(13) Are quick to blame others
Accept personal responsibility (Matt. 7)

(14) Suspicious of others
Suspicious of himself!

(15) Seek to maintain their image and protect reputation
Dies to own reputation (Phil. 3:7, Rom. 14:7)

(16) Find it difficult to share spiritual weaknesses and needs with others
Transparent with others about their weaknesses and needs (2 Cor. 1:12)

(17) Have a hard time saying, 'I was wrong. Will you forgive me'
Are quick to admit fault and seek forgiveness (I John 1:9, James 5:1)

(18) Wait for other party to come and ask forgiveness in a conflict
Take the initiative to be reconciled; gets their first (Matthew 5:23-24)

(19) Compares themselves with others and feel deserving of honor
Compares themselves with God and feel desperate for mercy (Luke 18:9-14)

(20) Stubborn
Submissive (1 Pet. 5:5)

SUMMATION: HOW TO HAVE VICTORY OVER PRIDE:
Humble yourself—1 Pet. 5:6 (this is a choice that you make).
Realize your absolute dependence on Christ and without Him you can do nothing (John 15:5).
Recognize God as your source of all supply: Your money (Dt. 8:18); Your children (Ps. 127:3); your gifts/abilities (1 Cor. 4:7).
Focus your thoughts on God (Ps. 8:3-4)
Accept Jesus’ principle of true greatness (Mk. 10:43-45).
Exhibit thanksgiving and give God the glory for any success in your life. "He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord" (1 Cor. 1:31).

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