PRIDE: Will someone please take out the trash?

What is that stench? Do you smell that? Is there anyone who's going to finally take that outside, and put it in the proverbial dumpster? Or, are we just going to let it sit and fester; eventually affecting everyone around?

To my colleagues in music ministry: I ask you, Who wants to step up and take out that Glad Bag of trash? Yep! This thing has been stinking since the "Fall of Lucifer." What is this thing I'm talking
about? You've guessed it: PRIDE!

Unfortunately, many of us have had before, or are presently now housing this un-Hefty Cinch Sack of pride in our hearts. Where did this horrible spirit come from? I think the more appropriate question would be:

• Who did it come from? Or better yet...
• Who brought in this trash?

Let's journey together to Isaiah 14:12-14.

Verse 12 says, "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!" Verse 13..."For thou hast said in thine heart, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:" Verse 14..."I will ascend above the heights of the clouds: I will be like the most High."

What a tragedy this is! Imagine with me for a moment. You have the honor, God-given grace, and privilege of being 'Guardian (Covering) of the Glory of God'. GOD, the Creator relishes in His creation saying that 'you sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. You are covered completely by every precious stone. God's craftsmanship in you is so strategic with the tabrets and piping, created in you from the very beginning.  If God decided to blow a wind Himself from Glory, it would flow through 'your pipes' releasing the Sound of Heaven! (Read Ezekiel 28:12-19) My God-gifted brothers and sisters: We've got to ask ourselves...

Is this not enough?

Is it not enough that God has strategically created us to guard the glory? Ezekiel 28:15 continues to address Lucifer's self-inflicted demise saying: "Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou was created, till iniquity was found in thee."

To blend it together for you...

I know for me; one of the worst things is to come home from a long day and the trash was not taken out. Oh yeah. You know the results. It stinks throughout the house entirely!  When we are prideful, we leave the glory of God unguarded and/or unprotected! Not only that, but we're saying in our hearts - that our gifts are more important than the glory. We'd much rather bring glory to ourselves than to HE who is the King of Glory.

Don't take the fall like Lucifer did. He can't recover from his act of pride. Destruction is imminent for him. Proverbs 16:18 says, "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall."

Thank God for His Grace toward us! If you discern that you are operating in pride, humble yourself before HIM who sits on the throne.  God is still looking for someone who HE can blow the "Wind of His Glory" through. He won't blow it through the stench of pride.

Pardon me, while I take out the trash...

-JCS