• 

Proverbs 6:16-19  (NKJV)

¹⁶ These six things the Lord hates,
Yes, seven are an abomination to ^[a]Him:
¹⁷ A^[b] proud look,
A lying tongue,
Hands that shed innocent blood,
¹⁸ A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that are swift in running to evil,
¹⁹ A false witness who speaks lies,
And one who sows discord among brethren.

God hates pride, and that has never changed. Yet, it has become common and accepted to be proud and express that pride. To be clear…

Racial pride is a sin…

National pride (disguised as patriotism) is a sin…

Gay pride is a sin…

Being proud of your accomplishments is a sin…

Being proud of your children is a sin…

---

“I’m a proud American!”

“I’m proud to be Black!”

“I’m proud to be White!”

“I’m proud of my heritage!”

“I’m proud of our traditions!”

“I’m proud of my child!”

‘I’m proud of my accomplishments!”

God does not excuse pride, no matter how we justify it.

---

Proverbs 16:18 (NKJV)

¹⁸ Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before a fall.

Proverbs 16:5 (NKJV)

⁵ Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord;
Though they join forces, none will go unpunished.

Did you see that? The bible just said that being proud is an abomination, something that stinks in the nostrils of God. Yes, sin is sin, all sin is wrong, but an abomination is a sin that really ‘pisses’ God off and kindles His anger even more. Kinda like…it’s one thing for someone to pinch you, but it’s a another thing if they were to shoot you.

PRIDE DISGUISED AS ARROGANCE IS A PLAGUE OF THE SPIRIT IN AMERICA

Just watch the news. Just look at social media. Just read some blogs. Humility is viewed by many as weakness, but being loud, being mean, being ‘tough’, being insulting, being condescending, being disrespectful is being validated by too many of our national leaders. The shame is those who call themselves disciples of Christ are not holding leaders accountable. The result will be the next generation will grow to believe this is behavior that is acceptable by God.

God resists those who are proud…

James 4:6  (NKJV)

⁶ But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:

“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”

Humility pleases God. Look at the Fruit (evidence) of God’s Holy Spirit…

Galatians 5:22-23  (NKJV)

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

In our culture, too many people view people with these qualities as weak.

Remember this. Anytime that you feel compelled to say, I’M PROUD, saying I’M THANKFUL is always more appropriate.

“I’m thankful for my children” rather than “I’m proud of my children”.

Try it.

WHY YOU SHOULD BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU SAY, “I’M PROUD OF___________”

BE BLESSTIFIED!

“Sheep!

“Sheeple”

It’s amazing to see how many Christians hurl these words at one another as an insult.

They say this implying someone is blindly following some ‘pied piper’ without any intelligence (especially politically), while they can’t see themselves doing the very same thing they are accusing others of…following some person, group, party or ideology.

These terms SHEEP and SHEEPLE are also used by atheists when attempting to insult Christians.

However, they don’t realize they are telling the truth. I’m glad to be one of Yeshua the Messiah’s ‘SHEEP’.

John 10:11-15 NKJV

^{11 (A)}“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. ¹² But a ^[a]hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and ^(B)leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. ¹³ The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. ¹⁴ I am the good shepherd; and ^(C)I know My sheep,and ^(D)am known by My own. ^{15 (E)}As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; ^(F)and I lay down My life for the sheep.

Matthew 25:31-46 NKJV

^{31 (A)}“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the ^[a]holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. ^{32 (B)}All the nations will be gathered before Him, and ^(C)He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. ³³ And He will set the ^(D)sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. ³⁴ Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, ^(E)inherit the kingdom^(F)prepared for you from the foundation of the world: ^{35 (G)}for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; ^(H)I was a stranger and you took Me in; ³⁶ I was ^(I)naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; ^(J)I was in prison and you came to Me.’

⁴¹ “Then He will also say to those on the left hand,^(L)‘Depart from Me, you cursed, ^(M)into the everlasting fire prepared for ^(N)the devil and his angels: ⁴² for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’

⁴⁴ “Then they also will answer ^[b]Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ ⁴⁵ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, ^(O)inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ ⁴⁶ And ^(P)these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

---

And apparently, King David was honored to be one of God’s sheep.

Psalm 23 NKJV

A Psalm of David.

23 The Lord is ^(A)my shepherd;
^(B)I shall not ^[a]want.
^{2 (C)}He makes me to lie down in ^[b]green pastures;
^(D)He leads me beside the ^[c]still waters.
³ He restores my soul;
^(E)He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of ^(F)the shadow of death,
^(G)I will fear no evil;
^(H)For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

⁵ You ^(I)prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You ^(J)anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will ^[d]dwell in the house of the Lord
^[e]Forever.

---

So, if someone calls you a SHEEP, they are most likely ignoring the fact they are following some ‘shepherd’ themselves.

And, if someone calls me a sheep I will quickly say, “THAT’S RIGHT, AND THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD!”

BE BLESSTIFIED!

King David was fleeing for his life. He was running from a man to whom he was devoted, King Saul. He had done nothing hurt Saul, but the King knew that God had rejected him and chosen David. So he sought every chance he had to kill him, David, a man who honored him. The fact is that David knew God had chosen him. The Judge and Prophet Samuel had anointed David in 1 Samuel Chapter 16…

1 Samuel 16:12-13 (NIV)

¹² So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.” ¹³ So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.

How could God be anointed for the throne if God is allowing him to be pursued by the current king…running for his life?

However, David escaped to a cave in Adullum and then this happened…

1 Samuel 22:1-2 (NKJV)

David therefore departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. So when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. ² And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was ^[a]discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him.

Notice how The Message Translation says it…

1 Samuel 22 (The Message)

^1-2 So David got away and escaped to the Cave of Adullam. When his brothers and others associated with his family heard where he was, they came down and joined him. Not only that, but all who were down on their luck came around—losers and vagrants and misfits of all sorts. David became their leader. There were about four hundred in all.

There were about four hundred men who heard that David had taken refuge in the cave. They weren’t what their current society called ‘the best of men’. They weren’t affluent. They weren’t cultured. And, apparently they weren’t considered to be ‘winners’.

They were in distress…

They were in debt…

They were ‘bitter of soul’…

They were losers…

They were vagrants…

They were misfits…

David, a man chosen by God, did not reject these men. He became their leader. Leaders today don’t want those who are rejected…they want winners. I have heard preacher proclaim that they don’t want to pastor a bunch of ‘broke people’. I have heard national leaders refer to others as ‘losers’. Coaches want the best athletes on their team. Corporate leaders want the best working for them. Everybody wants winners. No one wants to be the one left after the team captains have chosen who they want on their team.

But it was these losers and misfits who fought with David down his difficult road to kingship, until Saul died and he became king of Hebron and then all of Israel.

Those 400 losers were a blessing to David at his lowest point. David was a blessing to them at their lowest point.

Just because ‘the world’ sees someone as a ‘loser’ doesn’t mean that God does!

Just because they’re a ‘loser’ doesn’t mean they didn’t fight valiantly.

Just because they’re in debt doesn’t mean they weren’t wise with their money.

Just because they’re ‘bitter of soul’ doesn’t mean that the world hasn’t given them good reason to be.

Just because they’re considered to be ‘misfits’ doesn’t mean they are capable of greatness with the right leadership.

If you’re a leader, don’t ever look down on those who God has trusted you enough to send to you. Don’t consider yourself TOO GOOD to lead anyone.

If you consider yourself a ‘loser’ or a ‘misfit’, don’t consider yourself NOT GOOD ENOUGH to be used by God.

Remember this…

1 Corinthians 1:27 (NKJV)

²⁷ But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;

Never despise ‘small people’ or small beginnings…

Zechariah 4:10 (NLT)

¹⁰ Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.”

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

There is a horrible Christian subculture that is trying to take over the identity of those who believe in Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ). Especially in America, Christianity is being characterized by mean-spirited, insulting, gun-loving radicals who aren’t much different than what they love to identify as ‘radical-Islam’.

The fact is that if the devil can provoke us to become mean, he can destroy anyone’s desire to become a part of the Kingdom of God.

If the devil can make us ‘mean’, he can change our motives. It’s not about what God wants anymore, but…

about feeding our anger…

about proving we are right…

about condemnation rather than salvation.

Is your anger at sin truly about what God wants or doesn’t want, or about which sins you want to be angry about?

Too many Christians condemn the HIGH PROFILE sins, while excusing pride, insults, arrogance, idolatry, blasphemy and the sins that they have decided that God isn’t as concerned about.

My wife once told me after a sermon, “What you said was good, and true, but I think you lost some of the people because you were preaching like you were angry.”

At first I made excuses, but when I thought about it, she was right. Was I angry at the sin, or was I angry at the sinner? Who do we really think we can convert through ‘fussing at them’ all the time?

When we’re angry, we open the door for our flesh to speak louder than God’s spirit.

Ephesians 4:26-27 (NKJV)

²⁶ “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, ²⁷ nor give ^[a]place to the devil.

Colossians 4:6 (NKJV)

⁶ Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

No matter how much we may feel that we are passionate about the right thing, if we don’t spread God’s word in love, we are doing more harm than good, and He will hold us accountable for being a stumbling block.

Stop and take notice of your tone…your expression… your attitude…your motives, and make sure that the enemy hasn’t hijacked your intentions, just as he did Judas Iscariot. Remember, he was among those who were sent out to cast out demons and work miracles, but the enemy defiled his intentions and motives…

Luke 22:3 (NKJV)

³ Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve.

When I see the behavior of some who call themselves believers online, on television, on social media… it think about what my wife told me.

If you can’t spread your faith in love, keep it to yourself.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

All of us want to be appreciated and there’s nothing wrong with that. The problem comes in when we allow not being appreciated to not only cause us disappointment and stress, but to allow us to stop doing what God expects us to do in regard to others and Him.

---

Learning to have joy, even when being unappreciated, is a part of being spiritually mature.

---

We are not going to be appreciated when we have selflessly given our best and sacrificed for others.

They won’t always get it…

They won’t always care…

They will sometimes even say, “I didn’t ask you to do it!”

We won’t always be appreciated or respected…

At home…

At work…

Even in your church.

You won’t always be appreciated not only by those who don’t know you, but also by those who are closest to you. WHY THE ONE’S YOU LOVE MOST SOMETIMES DON’T UNDERSTAND YOU…

The truth be told, when you’re honest with yourself, do you fully appreciate everyone that you should? Do you fully appreciate the sacrifice that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ made for our sins?

You won’t ever experience the true peace and joy that God intends for our lives until you learn to have joy when being unappreciated. God still loves us and gives us His best even when we don’t appreciate Him. Oh, yes we say we do, but our actions sometimes say otherwise. Every time we complain, we ‘say’ we don’t appreciate God’s sovereignty over our lives…

Philippians 2:14 N (NKJV)

¹⁴ Do all things without ^[a]complaining and disputing,^[b]

 1 Corinthians 10:10  (NKJV)

¹⁰ nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer.

---

7 REASONS GOD HATES COMPLAINING (BIBLE)…

---

I recommend, if you already don’t,  that you make asking God for help in learning to have joy even when unappreciated a part of your regular prayer life. Yes, it’s hard, but that’s one of the reasons He told us through the apostle Paul that we can do all things through Christ…

Philippians 4:13  (NKJV)

¹³ I can do all things through ^[a]Christ who strengthens me.

Learn to have joy and be satisfied in seeing the fruit of the good seeds you’ve planted even when those who benefit don’t appreciate you or acknowledge you. And realize that some never will. Just as some never will appreciate God.

BE BLESSTIFIED!