Playlist:

playlist Go to the Self Sufficiency (topic) playlist

Living by Faith and Humility

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

People resist God because of their pride, but pride can be neutralized by humility, a character trait that allows a person to submit to God.


The Beatitudes, Part Two: Poor in Spirit

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

What is it to be poor in spirit? This attribute is foundational to Christian living. Those who are truly poor in spirit are on the road to true spiritual riches.


Living By Faith: Humility

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

Paradoxically, God stoops to us when we humble ourselves. Humility produces honor from God; if we humble ourselves, He will hear us.


The Great Con

Sermonette by Bill Onisick

All individuals who have been duped into con schemes have the same perennial weakness: to be self-sufficient and to get something for nothing.


From Pride to Humility

Sermon by John O. Reid

Two tests to reveal the presence of pride are the way we treat others (especially our own family) and the way we receive instruction or correction.


Pride, Humility, and Fasting

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The intent of fasting is to deflate our pride—the major taproot of sin—the biggest deterrent to a positive relationship with God. Humility heals the breach.


Poor in Spirit (1997)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Being poor in spirit is a foundational spiritual state for qualifying for God's Kingdom. Poor in spirit describes being acutely aware of one's dependency.


Pride, Humility, and the Day of Atonement

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

Atonement, when we are commanded to afflict our souls, is a time of self-evaluation and repentance. This is the only way to have real unity with God.


Faith (Part Seven)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Pride is a perverted comparison that elevates one above another. Because of its arrogant self-sufficiency, it hinders our faith. Faith depends on humility.


Human Will

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

God's children should never emulate the self-willed attitude Frank Sinatra's song "My Way" glorifies. Human nature and godly character are polar opposites.


The Spirit of Gratitude

Sermon by Charles Whitaker (1944-2021)

Pride, the kind demonstrated by Nebuchadnezzar when he boasted about what he had accomplished, militates against any feelings of gratitude.


New Covenant Priesthood (Part Eight)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Pride leads to destruction, tricking us into thinking we deserve better than we have. Paradoxically, pride is a mark of inferiority, causing overcompensation.


Deuteronomy (Part 5) (1994)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Paradoxically, humble obedience and dependency upon God strengthens us, while prideful self-sufficiency weakens us.


What's So Bad About Babylon? (2003) (Part 1)

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The world's political, religious, economic, and cultural systems pose a danger to God's people, but God wants us to work out His plan within the Babylonian system.


New Covenant Priesthood (Part Seven)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Pride is the basis of resisting God, while humility is the key to a relationship with Him. We recognize it in others but we seldom see it in ourselves.


What's So Bad About Babylon? (1997)

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Babylon constitutes the fountainhead of instruction that, like strong drink, impairs the ability to function properly while creating the illusion of ability.


Laodiceanism

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Our love for beauty must be coupled with love for righteousness and holiness. Our relationship with Christ must take central place in our lives, displacing all else.


The Sovereignty of God and Human Responsibility: Part Eleven

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

God's sovereignty and free moral agency set up a seeming paradox. Just how much choice and freedom do we have under God's sovereign rule?


What Is the Church's Work Today (Part Three)

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The primary focus at this time is the repair of the faith once delivered that has seriously deteriorated because of heresy, apostasy, and Laodiceanism.