A proud look is the first sin listed in Proverbs 6:17, and is says God hates it. First Peter 5:5 say, “For God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.” God holds the proud afar off and resists them, but He gives grace to the humble. There’s not enough room in the heart for Jesus and pride at the same time. When pride moves in on the throne of the heart, Jesus is crowded out.

Pride in the heart of an individual is one reason why it’s very difficult to approach an “altar of prayer”. Many think too much of themselves. This is what holds many back from “coming to God”. There’s just something about “stepping out” an approaching an “altar of prayer” and admitting that we’re wrong before God. Pride exalts itself.

In Matthew 10:32-33 Jesus said: “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” Luke 9:26 reads, “For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s and of the holy angels.”

The mourner’s bench (as some call it) is just a convenient place to pray. Most congregations don’t even have them any more. Nevertheless, they present a challenge to “man’s pride”; that’s why many places have taken them out. When we humble ourself, Jesus can enter into our heart, and that is also the only way we can stay in Christ.

It takes a real man or woman to serve God. Any dead fish can float downstream, but it takes a live one to go against the tide. It is easy to go along with the crowd, but it takes a real man, woman, boy, or girl to say “no” to the devil and “yes” to God. Pride gets hold of the young people through peer pressure. They wonder what the other young people are going to think if they get saved and live for God. They’re afraid that others will “laugh and snicker” at them. Well, let ‘em do it! They did it to Jesus!

Jesus is trying to get into the hearts of mankind. Revelation 3:20 reads, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” The latch to the door is on the inside. It takes our will to open the door. As Jesus knocks on our heart’s door, what does He find? A “No Vacancy” sign? Does He find our heart full of worldliness? Pride? The cares of this life? Unforgiveness? Or does He find a welcome sign? Jesus will only dwell in the hearts of those who believe and those who have room. Do we have room for Jesus on our heart? If Jesus in not in our heart, He wants to be! If, there’s things in our heart, which have crowded Him out, we trust that we will make room for Him!