Download... January 24, 2010. Sunday Morning Service. Bro. Dave Goble.
TEXT: PROVERBS 6:16-20
16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
20 My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
The elephant or 800 lb gorilla in the room, is that hindrance, or obstruction,..something that gets in the way of our service to God!
From time to time we have to open our heart profusely in song and testimony! Even and especially when it is difficult to see our way to do them. Something in the room..burdens, trials, limitations are those elephants. we may be ignoring it deliberately,...yet should not be. It needs to be dealt with, if for some reason it is not.
Proverbs 6:16-19 again/ God hates pride, lying, murder, maliciousness, trouble making, hypocrisy, slander, serious accusations. Before those prideful looks comes a spirit or "condition" that is present in the individual, that needs to be dealt with. Do we consider how many "conditions" affect us? We need to take them seriously,..they are the Elephant in the room. Here in Proverbs, pride is the first listed of things God hates,..a serious obstacle. Pride is the opposite of humility.
Job 22:12 Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are! God is high that we might be low, to keep Him lifted up!
Psalms 10:4 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. They seek not God in their thoughts and ways.
Jeremiah 48:29 We have heard the pride of Moab, (he is exceeding proud) his loftiness, and his arrogancy, and his pride, and the haughtiness of his heart.
Haughtiness or arrogancy is an improper placement of one's spirit over another. The elephant in the room, invisible yet an unwelcome presence,..a huge obstacle in the heart, or ofttimes sin. Sometimes people leave it (pride) in their life. It needs to GO. Although potentially invisible now, it will become visible at the judgment bar, someday.
Isaiah 31:4 For thus hath the LORD spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so shall the LORD of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof.
God humbles Himself,...to fight for us! Jesus humbled Himself to help us and fight our battles, ..to get the "elephants" out of the room. "Elephants" or that "800 lb gorilla" are difficult to understand,..as a condition of sin in the heart. We were all afflicted with sin,the elephant in the room, seemingly impossible to remove. Jesus has abased Himself to fight for us,..His people. We must also humble or abase ourselves,..otherwise we cannot deal with the "elephant in the room." We must forsake our presumptions and reputation to get the elephant out. What, rather does God think,.. and not everyone else? Humility is the opposite of pride,..which God hates.
Psalms 116:6 The LORD preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me. Willing to be brought low. It hurts to get help sometimes, and ultimately it will be as that big elephant in the room until we become humbled.
Pastor D Goble told of how many years ago when he had driven through a game park, he became concerned when a bull elephant was fixated upon his path back to the exit to get out. An elephant of any size especially this one at 20 feet high is impossible to get past until they decide to move of their own accord. Finally just before the park closed (approximately 15-20 minutes later) the elephant moved sufficiently out of the way keeping him from being stuck in the park. It illustrates more literally how an elephant size problem can debilitate your progress out of your problems, whether or not it be of sin or problems of the flesh.
Psalms 116:10 I believed, therefore have I spoken: I was greatly afflicted: Only if we our-self in belief can God deliver us. We must be willing to be afflicted to get free from sin. God must be allowed to pull us out for God to be exalted.
Haughtiness is carnality of pride. Pride is the elephant. All concerned must face it. It must be exposed to deal with it, otherwise we allow it to remain or we don't know how to deal with it. It takes up space in our heart that God needs to use in our life. Pride elevates us and is only self righteousness. Pride is also more complex than just a proud look, but is evidence of a presence of a spiritual condition.
Discouragement (a very large elephant in the room) is a cause from failure,..very humbling, needing to be dealt with. It requires us to ask help from God, to lift us back up. It otherwise can cause us to feel singled out and alone in our trial.
Job 6:29,30 29: Return, I pray you, let it not be iniquity; yea, return again, my righteousness is in it.30: Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste discern perverse things? Job suffered everything and was discouraged. He knew it was not his fault but God's testing. Yet he examined himself and justified his elephant with his righteousness. God needed to correct Job in his personal proclaimed righteousness as true righteousness only belongs to God. We dare not justify ourselves, our job is to humble ourself and allow God to be magnified as our deliverer. Discouragement as that large elephant in the room, can lead to self pity, but should never be tolerated. Humble yourself as Jesus in the garden, prayed for this cup to pass (His elephant in the room) yet willingly accepted His suffering in His humility. His "elephant" then left the room through His sacrifice. What is your elephant in the room? It will never leave unless you humbly deal with it.
Proverbs 11:1 A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight. God hates for anyone to gain advantage over another to try to equal the "scale". ("It is not my fault.)" "Tit for tat." What you did not do or someone else did do, to try to pass the blame does not get the elephant out of the room. You must humble yourself,.. and it will hurt to "remove the elephant." Yet we Must do it. We are very human yet we alone need to deal with our personal issues (elephant). Must be humble for God to deliver us. Are you willing? Self examination is a painful process, yet the only humble way for God to deliver us. God can do Anything. We can't, but God Can,..If we let Him. Pride will keep us from help. No matter how embarrassing it is, we must be Wiling to.
Psalms 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. God is our ever present help. To some it might be simple, to another complex. Don't condemn someone for how hard it might be.
Proverbs 6:17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, Pride is the first on the "list." A big elephant,..difficult to understand, and God hates it.
II Corinthians 7:9-10
9: Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.
10: For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. The presence of the complex, does not always mean a lack of humility, sometimes conflict sharpens the focus on the issue. If it produces repentance unto Salvation,...it is so worth it! Cannot avoid the elephant to get God's help in it's removal. The elephant will stay if avoiding because of the lack of humility. Differences of perceptions and understanding causes complex "elephants needing to be removed. Be willing to sacrifice your thoughts for deliverance. Do you have an elephant or 800lb gorilla in Your room? Humility with God only,.. can remove it.
