GOD OFTEN DELAYS IN ANSWERING PRAYER

GOD OFTEN DELAYS IN ANSWERING PRAYER


Proverbs 18:12 "Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility."

Proverbs 11:2; When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.

Proverbs 15:33; The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.

Proverbs 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

In our text, we are given the tragic end of a proud men who "paid too much for their whistles.

It is an old and common saying, that "coming events cast their shadows before them;" the wise man teaches us that a proud heart is the prophetic prelude of evil. Pride is as safely the sign of destruction as the change of mercury in the weather-glass is the sign of rain; and far more infallibly so than that.

When men have ridden the high horse of pride, destruction has always overtaken them. Let David's aching heart show that there is an eclipse of a man's glory when he dotes upon his own greatness.

2 Sam. 24:10. We see Nebuchadnezzar, the mighty builder of Babylon, creeping on the earth, devouring grass like oxen, until his nails had grown like bird's claws, and his hair like eagle's feathers.

Dan. 4:33. Pride made the boaster a beast, as once before it made an angel a devil. God hates high looks, and never fails to bring them down. All the arrows of God are aimed at proud hearts.

Beloved Christian, is thine heart haughty? For pride can get into the Christian's heart as well as into the sinner's; it can delude him into dreaming that he is "rich and increased in goods, and hath need of nothing." Art thou glorying in thy graces or thy talents, skill, etc? Art thou proud of thyself, that thou hast had holy frames and sweet experiences?

Take heed, beloved, there is a destruction coming to thee also. Thy pompous poppies of self-conceit will be pulled up by the roots, thy mushroom graces will wither in the burning heat, and thy self-sufficiency shall become as straw for the dunghill.

If we forget to live at the foot of the cross in deepest lowliness of spirit, God will not forget to make us smart under His rod. A destruction will come to thee, O unduly exalted believer, the destruction of thy joys and of thy comforts, though there can be no destruction of thy soul. Wherefore, "He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."