April 29, 2017. I Chronicles 7-10.

 

I Chronicles 10.13-14 Saul died in disobedience, disobedient to God. He didn’t obey God’s words. Instead of praying, he went to a witch to seek guidance. Because he didn’t go to God for help, God took his life and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.

Saul died because the root sin of pride led him to disobey God on multiple occasions, trapped him with the fear of man and slowly caused him to go insane. Saul like many of us began with tremendous potential. Saul had unlimited potential as a king. He was humble, came from a good family, a natural leader, and courageous. After a few victories, the women would come out when Saul would walk down the street singing "Saul has killed his thousands." Saul began to accept this praise and adulation of the people. He began to live for it. Humility was gone, now arrogance and pride would lead to his tremendous jealousy of David, disobedience to the commandments of God and when God would not answer him, he went to the witch at Endor to inquire of her, and therefore God allowed him to be killed there on the mount Gilboa. 

Pride is such a dangerous sin for it not only affects you but all those in the circle of your life.

1b-Many were slaughtered on the slopes of Mount Gilboa. 2 The Philistines closed in on Saul and his sons, and they killed three of his sons—Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malkishua. 7 When all the Israelites in the Jezreel Valley saw that their army had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their towns and fled. So the Philistines moved in and occupied their towns. 

When the leader (King Saul) was struck, it spread panic among God's people. Jesus knew this same principle would be used against His own disciples: Then Jesus said to them,

All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: 'I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered. Mark 14:27

Saul's sin of pride, hardened rebellion, and eventual ruin affected far more than himself and even his immediate family. It literally endangered the entire nation of Israel.

Are you humble enough to be trusted by God? Pride is a sin not easily detected by the one who is controlled by it’s power. Here are a few spiritual checks that I have found helpful to me.

    Do you rejoice in others success’s or are you jealous? 

    Do you serve others or do you need to be served? 

    Do you listen to those with wisdom or think yourself wiser even though you lack their experience and expertise? 

    Do position and praise motivate your decision making. 

    Are you surrounded by “yes men” or those who tell you the truth in love and for the greater good?

“Heaven Father please keep me form the sin of pride today. Grant me the through the power of the Holy Spirit true humility, give to me good people who will tell me the truth in love and give me discernment when I am hearing the truth no matter how difficult it may be for me to hear. May the life I live and the decisions I make today be good for all those in the circle of my life.

In Jesus name I pray.

Psalm 18.27 You rescue the humble, but you humiliate the proud.