Pride

Galatians 6:3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.

This verse explains the fallen nature of mankind! We think we are something when it Is God Who Is Something!

Satan tells much truth in his deception. Who would believe one who lies about everything? No one! Satan speaks mostly truth, then slam-dunks his point with a blatant lie. In the below case, he made a three-pointer:

Genesis 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

This was Satan speaking through the serpent. God knew that mankind would perceive themselves as gods. With disobedience that came about. You are your own god! God wants you to crucify that god by making it a living sacrifice on His cross. You do think of yourself "as something," when you "are nothing."  You are no god; you are a "wannabee". You want to do "what is right in your own eyes" (Judges 21:25).

Why? 

Proverbs 3:7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.

Self-induced wisdom is evil! It is sinful to have pride in oneself if it is outside God. My main point in this commentary is that Holy Scripture is not about self-esteem at all but Christ esteem!  (See my commentary on self-esteem at http://kentuckyherrin.blogspot.com/2013/07/christ-esteem-answer-to-self-esteem.html).

Hating oneself is not mankind's problem.

Ephesians 5:29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church.

Mankind, then, has a divine love for himself. Rather than hating ourselves, mankind indeed, loves himself. Jesus recognized that self-love: "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" (Mark 12:31).

Hate is not of God. Satan is called "The Hater". In contrast, Satan never loves! Hence, our love of self is from God. What's the problem then? God is a jealous God (Exodus 20:5). We are to have no gods before Him. (Exodus 20:3). Mankind's problem is that we love ourselves more than God.

We think we're something, but we're nothing! Realizing this fact is meekness. We actually elevate our status with God when we realize our place. God honors that:

Ephesians 4:1 I (Paul)... beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love...

And Jesus said, "The meek shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5).

People get upset when things don't go their way. Even at Christmas time, selfish people demand that Jesus's birth be celebrated their way!  Some say, this and that ruined "my Christmas". That thought is blasphemous - you and I don't "deserve" anything being nothing. Christmas is for celebrating Jesus's gift to us - Himself and eternal life, which He is all about. Yet, what do people do? They buy outlandish and foolish things for others as the Reason for the season is forgotten. Jesus is jealous of us at Christmastime. Rather than smelling the sweet incense of love, the aroma of our worship is rotten.

It's not your Christmas; it's Jesus's. You are not god; Jesus Is. You are nothing, but you think you are something. Remember, that is what Paul said about all of us. I'm just the messenger.

What does it take to be something? Self-sacrifice.

Matthew 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

We are to trust God for what we need.  Seeking excess is divine usury. God is not a genie who we rub three times, and make a bequest. God knows what you need, and cares little for what you want!

I have been blessed all my life, even in my poverty. When I lived from paycheck to paycheck, I was happy because my needs were always met. I remember the McDaniels as church. They were wealthy, lived in an expensive home, and drove luxury cars. At that time, my family lived in a rat-infested farmhouse and I drove a $300 Corvair. My clothing was mostly hand-me-downs and my fashion was high-water pants. In spite of this, the McDaniels welcomed my into their home as family and loved me.

I appreciated their love and acceptance so much that I never one time envied their prosperity. I always had the idea that God gave them what they had, and that's what they realized. I am proud that I grew up meek. (Paul allows pride in righteousness.)

2 Corinthians 3:5 (Christians) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ...

We are to be as God, not as gods. What are we to do to become something? Cast ourselves away and let God make us His something:

James 4:5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? 6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

This is our living sacrifice! Let's look at the points:

1. Take Scripture seriously (verse 5)
2. Realize that the evil spirits of lust and envy are in us (verse 5).
3. It's by grace we have anything. We deserve nothing! (verse 6).
4. God shuns those who are proud (verse 6).
5. God gives to those who are humble, and don't feel they deserve anything (verse 6).
6. We are to be submissive to God. We are to do His will, not our own. (verse 7). That is placing God before ourselves.
7. We are to resist the devil, and that includes his temptations (verse 7). That is also with what the devil tempts - pleasure. We are to be grateful that our needs are met, and not focus on pleasuring our own god.
8. Move closer to God (verse 8). Why? He will move closer to you. Rather than doing things your way, your desire will be to be what God wants! With unity of purpose, God communes with those who revere Him.
9. Cleanse your hands. Quit doing evil (verse 8).
10. Recognize that you miss the mark with God - "you sinners" (verse 8).
11. Purify your heart (verse 8). Seek to do God's will, not your own. Stand away from temptation.
12. Realize that you're double-minded (verse 8). You claim to do what God wants but you do what you will. Think clearly about who you really are. You're supposed to be a Christian; be one!
13. Be afflicted (verse 9). When God convicts, feel guilty because you disappoint God.
14. Mourn. (verse 9). Be sorry for neglecting Gods will in favor of your own.  Love is not the refrain: love is not having to say you're sorry. In fact, those who love must say they are sorry and actually be sorry. (I have trouble myself with feeling sorry for those sins I enjoy doing. I'm sure you do as well. We need to reflect on how God feels about our sins).
15. Weep! "Jesus wept" (John 11:35). God cried for us because of our rejection of Him. We should cry for Him for dying in our place. Crying for the grace of Jesus's own blood is worshipful. Tears are the incense God loves to smell (symbolically).
16. Quit laughing when laughter is uncalled for (verse 9). We laugh with the joy and pleasure which we are experiencing, and forget those who are going to Hell.
17. Mourn (verse 9). It must be important; it is said twice. How can Christians even by happy knowing that our fellow man is going to Hell? True love is rebuking and admonishing others to save them from damnation. We should mourn for ourselves also. We are nothing when we disappoint God, and must realize that.
18. Joy turn to heaviness. (verse 9). Realize that we are nothing, that only by the grace of God are we something!
19. Humble ourselves (verse 10). Know our place. We are not gods! In fact, everything we have, we owe to God. Even our ability to exercise our own will is because of God's grace. He gives us the wisdom to even accept or reject Him. Ephesians 2:8 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." In fact, being born-again is when we come to realize that we are not gods, and to be saved, only Jesus can do it (John 3)!
20. He shall lift you up (verse 10)! When we come to realize that we are nothing, it is God who will make you something! God transforms you from the old person (nothing) into the new person (something).

Put pride in its place. Without God, we are mere fuel to stoke the fires of Hell! All the positive Christianity taught by false teachers will never do you any good. Without the mercy of God, all is negative. You are nothing unless God makes you something!