The definition of a halo is: a disk or circle of light shown surrounding or above the head of a saint or holy person to represent their holiness.

Pride is not always bad. For example, parents are proud of their children, certainly that would be okay. But when pride gets in the way of us and a holy God, we have a problem. Here are just a few examples.

• Adding our works to God’s grace is pride.
• Looking down our nose at others is pride.
• To say “I no longer sin,” is pride and simply not true.

The Bible has much to say about pride and it isn’t good. Following are just a FEW verses as an example:

“Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18)

“The wicked are too proud to seek God. They seem to think that God is dead.” (Psalm 10:4)

“Pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honor.” (Proverbs 29:23)

“Sodom’s sins were pride, gluttony, and laziness, while the poor and needy suffered outside her door.” (Ezekiel 16:19)

“For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.” (1 John 2:16)

Pride festered in Satan until it consumed him to the point of actually rebelling against Almighty God, his Creator. Pride incubated itself within him until it corrupted his thoughts into thinking he could actually overpower God and take His place. God reveals to us through the prophet Isaiah Satan’s thoughts.

“You said in your heart,

“I will ascend to the heavens;

I will raise my throne above the stars of God;

I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon.

I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;

I will make myself like the Most High.”

(Isaiah 14:13-14)

When you think about it, this is a tragedy of tragedies. Satan probably lost more from his pride than we can imagine. What has he gained? He has gained nothing, and lost everything. Notice in these verses his place of honor originally.

“The word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, take up a lament concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: “ ‘You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: carnelian, chrysolite and emerald, topaz, onyx and jasper, lapis lazuli, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you.” (Ezekiel 28:11-15)

He started out so well, but got too big for his britches. He started at the highest level any creature could be given and will end lower than any creature will fall. Notice in these verses the result of his pride.

“Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings. By your many sins and dishonest trade you have desecrated your sanctuaries. So I made a fire come out from you, and it consumed you, and I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were watching. All the nations who knew you are appalled at you; you have come to a horrible end and will be no more.’ ” (Ezekiel 28:16-19)

I read these verses and think how much God blessed the Star of the Morning (as he was originally called). He held the greatest position in Heaven over all the other angels. He was blessed by God with untold beauty and unmatchable wisdom. Man pictures him as a red epidermis pitch-fork carrying evil monster, but he is actually God’s most beautiful of creatures. His beauty and wisdom would overpower us, but behind that is a black heart, corrupted and overflowing with pride and hate.

No wonder it is so easy for us to fall to his deceptions. No wonder it is so easy for that same pride to enter man. We listened to him in the Garden and that same seed of pride was sown within each of us. Our first parents, Adam and Eve, may have been the first to succumb to his lies, but that seed sown within them was passed on to each of us. Today, mankind is still rebelling against his creator because of the pride of Satan that is in each of us.

What parent has never heard of the “terrible twos?” That sweet little innocent child really starts showing the rebellion that is seeded within him/her. And then they eventually become teenagers, and the “terrible twos” raises its head again. Isn’t this true of every one of us though? And where does all of this rebellion come from? Obviously, it comes from pride. Satan allowed pride to overwhelm him and he rebelled against God. We rebel against God for the same reason; i.e. pride.

Don’t think so? Answer this. God made salvation real simple. He said if we will put our faith in His Son, He will save us by His grace. But what does man invariably do? We add something to it. We think God must have slipped up, but we can fix it. We have a better plan. In other words, we are smarter than God. Satan thought he was smarter than God and look where he is now, and especially where he will be when he is thrown into the Lake of Fire.

God has given man rules to follow for us to have a pleasant life. Parents do the same with their children. However, here comes pride again. The child that breaks their parents rules are no different than any of us who break God’s rules. Our pride says, “He doesn’t know what He is talking about. This is my life. He is holding me back.”

As I type these words while discussing pride, another comes to mind; i.e. stupid. Older adults will often look back on their life and say, “Stupid,” referring to themselves. If we have gotten to this point, we have grown up somewhat and realize that our pride has been our downfall. Regardless of how stupid we can be as human beings, thankfully we have a God who has made provision through His Son Jesus to forgive us and provide us with His righteousness. Through Him and Him only we can be placed higher than the angels. Satan and those angels who rebelled with him do not have this privilege, but we do.

I’m sure someone is going to ask, “Why can’t God forgive Satan and those angels that rebelled with him?” All I can do is give you my opinion. All the angels have been in the very presence of God. They have seen Him face to face and enjoyed all that Heaven has to offer. The “after-life” is no mystery to them. God, Heaven and all that God has created is no mystery to them. Nothing has been hidden. On the other hand, we are in the dark (so to speak). However, we are in the light when we believe what God has revealed to us by His Word, the Bible. We accept by faith. The angels know by experience. We can be offered forgiveness because we have never experienced anything beyond this life. It is all 100% by faith that we believe and accept God. As little as we know, beyond what God has told us, some of us still choose to believe God and live for Him. Even though we know nothing, compared to the angels, some of us still believe. Those who believe are saved by grace, the grace made possible by the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Our faith in Him provides forgiveness. The angels have no excuse.

In Proverbs 6:16-19 God informs us of seven sins He hates most. They are an abomination unto Him. Notice that the very first one that is mentioned is pride.

Pride is a destroyer and an ugly sin. Some Christians walk around like they have a halo on their head while they look down on others, perhaps less fortunate. Those who chose to “lord” it over others are found everywhere; the home, the church, the job, the school, you name it. These people are indulging in the same sin that was Satan’s ruin. Those who do not know Jesus as Savior will be judged just as surely as Satan will be judged. We who are believers will be taken to the wood shed if we don’t knock that halo off our head and show the love of Christ we are supposed to have in our heart.

Grant Phillips

Email: grantphillips@windstream.net

Pre-Rapture Commentary: http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com

Rapture Ready: https://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html

In Matthew 16:18 Jesus makes it clear that the Church is His and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. If that be so, then why does it seem that the Church is failing today? Obviously, many who are called Christians have no resemblance to Jesus. Most of the churches have followed the way of the world and not only condone but endorse everything Satan upholds. Has Jesus lost His grip and Satan seized the Church? What is going on?

Read the previous paragraph carefully, because I have been very careful in my wording. Satan may have taken over many “churches,” but he does not have the “Church.” A steeple does not make a Church. Neither does the fence one straddles make a Christian.

So let me say right up front that Jesus’ Church is made up of many people who are in many different churches, but those churches do not necessarily belong to Jesus. Many of the churches are dead, but the real Church lives. When Christ calls His Church out of the world at the Rapture, the cream will rise to the top. All those remaining, and there will be many, are not the Church.

There are millions of people who are “church” members today, but how many of those are “Church” members? Only the bridegroom really knows, and He will call them to Him one day soon.

An untold number of church members are depending on everything but their relationship with Jesus to “get to Heaven.” But as the Devil walks the aisles, and leans over the pews he continues deceiving gullible people, and there are many of them.

That Devil whispers:

• You’re a member of the church. You’re okay.
• You signed a card. You’re okay.
• You walked the aisle. You’re okay.
• You work tirelessly for the church. You’re okay.
• You tithe. You’re okay.
• Your family are Christians. You’re okay.
• You’re in the right church. You’re okay.
• You’ve received many awards for your work in the community. You’re okay.

But the Holy Spirit tugs at the heart and says:

• There is only one way. Trust Jesus and be saved.

As the Devil walks the aisles he has brought the world into the churches of today. It has seeped in through the front door, back door, side doors, and even the windows. The Gospel of Jesus Christ and His holy Bible has been thrown out and replaced with humanism (love of self), materialism (love of money) and hedonism (love of pleasure). Shockingly, even sins such has homosexuality are being accepted and promoted from the pulpits, while those in the pews either submit or leave.

For those who leave, the echo reverberates throughout the land from Christians saying they cannot find a church that actually teaches the Bible. Maybe it is because many churches no longer even believe what the Bible says. Therefore, the true Church within the churches are hungry for the sincere milk of the Word (1 Peter 2:2), but are being denied.

To be fair, there is another reason so many in the Church have not advanced very far in their Christian growth. They have become lazy. Think about this: Most of the restaurants in your area may be serving bad food, but one can always eat at home if you are really hungry, and many these days are doing just that. On the other hand, many more are not. They’re doing without and starving spiritually.

Jesus said through the apostle Paul in Ephesians 6:13-18:

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth [a determination to live for Christ], having put on the breastplate of righteousness [holiness resulting from living for Him], and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace [confidence and inner peace from God’s divine support]; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one [continual basic trust in God].

And take the helmet of salvation [confidence of security in Christ], and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God [total belief and reliance in God’s Word];

praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.” (Ephesians 6:13-18, bracketed comments are mine)

God wants His children to grow in Him. For example, He clearly says so in the following Scripture passage:

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)

It is unfortunate that so many pastors are false prophets, and I do realize the problem is worse in some geographical areas than others. I’m sure it is probably not as bad in the area we live as it is in many of the large cities, but even here some of the churches have long ago compromised with the world.

One dear brother in Christ informed me that he has had some pastors who refused to teach the writings of Paul. That is an indication of either a pastor who is not saved or a flaming idiot. Jesus says,

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17. emphasis mine)

Jesus then had the apostle Peter confirm that Paul’s writings are Scripture.

“And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;

As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.” (2 Peter 3:15-16, emphasis mine)

I have heard of “silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth,” (2 Timothy 3:6-7) actually say they would not listen to Paul because he was chauvinistic.

I believe the apostle Paul has been attacked more than anyone except Jesus Himself. I believe it is so because Jesus appointed Paul as the apostle to the Gentiles (Romans 11:13) and Satan has tried for 2,000 years to discredit any and everything Paul as said; even Paul himself. However, the one critical point these fools are overlooking is this. The message is not Paul’s. The message comes from God that He gave Paul for us to heed.

These mealy-mouthed hypocritical blasphemers are leading thousands to hell with them. They are blind to the Truth. Don’t follow them, for Jesus said.

“Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” (Matthew 15:14)

Paul’s epistles comprise about 1/3 of the New Testament and that does not include the book of Hebrews. Obviously, Satan desires to keep people from hearing all that Jesus says through the apostle Paul.

I would not want to be in the shoes of most pastors and teachers on judgment day. The Lord has made it very clear that we are held to very strict standards that He alone has set in stone. That standard is “Truth.” We are expected to provide the Truth and “accurately handle the Word of Truth (2 Timothy 2:15).

“Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” (James 3:1)

See also Ezekiel 33:1-9. God has several men and women today who are being faithful watchmen on the wall, but there are many more who are failing miserably in this area. Many of these so-called watchmen have so compromised themselves with the false gospel of the world, the true Gospel of God has been extinguished in their area of responsibility. Because of these wolves in sheep’s clothing, millions are being led away from the Truth.

If your pastor or teacher is not being faithful to God’s Word, the Bible, don’t allow him to lead you down that dark alley of lies and hypocrisy. Get out into the sunlight of God’s holy Word and follow the Lord Jesus Christ. The air will be fresher and life so much more joyous.

Grant Phillips

Email: grantphillips@windstream.net

Pre-Rapture Commentary: http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com

Rapture Ready: https://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html