KEY SCRIPTURE: Matthew 23:6 (KJV). “And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,”

The Lord kept describing the attitude and actions of the Pharisees that no true servant of God must do. He said, the Pharisees loved to sit at the high seat to give them airs of importance. Our Lord Jesus is the important one, and that is what we must project always. This is a sign of a very high ego. These are the type of gentlemen or ladies who would be deeply offended, because their title was not added to their names. Such people may break their association with certain friends, if they happened to be in a meeting, that did not recognize their presence. . Such people are so full of themselves.

Dear child of God, or minister of the gospel, if you are acting this way, then you have not denied yourself to follow the master. You are still Lord of yourself. You are still in love of yourself and have no regard for the master. “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.” — Luke 14:26 (KJV). From this very verse of scripture, you are not yet a disciple of Jesus if you are living to please yourself

The Lord taught that we must choose the lowly seat in a gathering, so that we are not humiliated, if there happens to be a more honourable person.  It is very deceptive to think very high of yourself. The Lord Jesus although He is in the form of God, did not insist in remaining in that state, but made Himself of no reputation. He took the form of a servant, and became a man. He humbled Himself and died on the cross. God has also highly exalted him, and given Him a name that is above every name. This is the attitude every one must have, a humble attitude. It is that which attracts God’s promotion. God judges our hearts, and He promotes us. (PS 75:6&7) DON’T BE A PHARISAIC CHRISTIAN

THOUGHT: PRIDE IS A MISPLACED IDENTITY.

FURTHER STUDIES

Psalms 75:5-7 (KJV). Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck. For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.  But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.

Proverbs 16:18-19 (KJV). Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. ¹⁹ Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.