Many of you know I have a soft spot for Wile E. Coyote, super genius. That's because both Wiley and I have something in common. We both think we are super geniuses, and we both get anvils dropped on our heads (which proves - we are both wrong about the genius part!) For people who don't know me well, hearing me say I am a genius can rub them the wrong way. They often think I have a higher opinion of myself than I really do.

I want you to think of someone you feel is or was a genius. Maybe Albert "I flunked out of college" Einstein is a genius, in your mind. There are people who are really, really clever but never say a word about it, and there are those who like to think they are, but are not so smart after all. I want us to consider these two sides of a coin - CONFIDENT or PRIDEFUL - and look at a few examples of people from the bible.

Jesus - says he is the way, the truth, and the life. Confident, or prideful?

A Pharisee - prays aloud how great he is. Confident, or prideful?

Samson - need I say more? Confident, or prideful?

David - "who is this uncircumcised philistine, that he should defy God?" Confident, or prideful?

Paul - "I have fought the good fight, ... I have kept the faith." Confident, or prideful?

Jews - "we have Abraham to our father" Confident, or prideful?

Moses - "must we fetch you water out of this rock?" Confident, or prideful?

Many - "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?" Confident, or prideful?

That last one is kind of hard to determine, isn't it? I think we know, though. Before I give you my answer to it, consider this. Often times I chat with people about the bible. They ask me how I am different than a baptist, a lutheran, or whatever. Ultimately, it all comes back to the bible, the word of God. Either you read it, and obey it, or you don't. Yes, I know many try to hide behind the smoke screen of "that's just your interpretation" but the reality is there are times when you read something in black and white and you just have to decide are you going you do it, or not. Some things are so plain, so obvious, that no interpretation is necessary and would even be inappropriate. So now the person you are chatting with must decide , do they follow the bible or not? Yes or no! And then I hear this - "So what you are saying is that unless people do it this way, they are wrong. And you are right because you do. That is so narrow minded and prideful!" Can you be confident you are right in the eyes of God without being prideful? When does it become more than confidence?

How about when you decide that God may have said something, but you know better. God never said you could establish a church orphan home, but you know better. He said you should have communion once a week, but you think once a month is enough. People do a lot of things in the name of God that he never said they could do. How does he feel about that?

Matthew 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I nver knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Acts 28:30-31 And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came unto him, Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.

II Thessalonians 3:3-4 But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil. And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you. And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into patient waiting for Christ.

Hebrews 3:12-15 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; While it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

1 John 2:28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

I John 5:13-15 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.