Dr. Ray Pritchard Christian Blog and Commentary

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Broken Jars

  • Dr. Ray Pritchard
    Dr. Ray Pritchard is the president of Keep Believing Ministries, an Internet-based ministry serving Christians in 225 countries. He is the author of 29 books, including Stealth Attack, Fire and Rain,… More
  • Published Jul 10, 2012

“Break the jar while those who go with you are watching” (Jeremiah 19:10).

This is a visual warning of what God will do to Judah and Jerusalem. He will smash the nation so that it is broken into a thousand pieces.

No one will be able to repair it.
No one can avoid it.
No one can stop it.

Why?

“They were stiff-necked and would not listen to my words" (v. 15).
They had an attitude problem.
Their pride kept them from listening to God. They thought they that they could ignore him and go their own way.

What are the marks of a heart filled with pride?

1. Believing your own PR.
2. Refusing to share the credit with others.
3. Anger when your ideas are challenged.
4. Blaming others for your own problems.
5. Living in Excuse Land.
6. Mocking the weakness of others.
7. Talking incessantly about yourself.
8. Demanding your own way.
9. Impatience.
10. A life without joy.
11. Prayerlessness.
12. Indifference to our true spiritual condition.

It’s an ugly list, isn’t it? Pride is a tricky sin. It doesn’t overwhelm us. It just seeps in, one tiny drop at a time, until it fills us, controls us, and then destroys us. 

Better to deal with it now than for God to deal with it later. When God starts breaking the jars, no one can stop him. 

Wake us up, Lord! Grant us courage to tear down our own idols lest you should come and do the job for us. Amen. 

You can reach the author at ray@keepbelieving.com. Click here to sign up for the free email sermon.