Bragging On Jesus

Proverbs 13:22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous. 23 The fallow ground of the poor would yield much food, but it is swept away through injustice.

It looks like both of these verses speak of some kind of increase or the lack thereof in a mans life. It seems Solomon is mentioning some of the insights he gained about people as he observed their everyday life in his kingdom. Maybe when he looked out his window or when he sat in judgment before individuals and heard their stories… You know… underlying every observation we make in life there is a truth where we can gain insight. But like Solomon, we must make our deductions with discernment. We need the Lords help with that.

So let’s think about what Solomon has said…

He tells us how a good man leaves some kind of inheritance to his children’s children… Inheritances usually consist of things like houses, money and land. He likely witnessed men who did this very thing. They were honest men who were not lazy… they worked hard and treated their neighbor justly… He watched how they didn’t spend their paychecks on wine and women or the home shopping network of their day (traveling merchant caravans).... but rather they worshiped the true God of Israel. They provided for their family, they helped those in need, they invested wisely and saved for their children… These were good men (not perfect) but they made good choices with their life and with their income. Solomon saw a truth… a principal we can adopt for our good in the lives of these kinds of men.

But then in the same verse Solomon shares something which at first glance is kind of strange to me… He says that the wealth of sinners makes its way to them who are righteous. How might this happen?

Proverbs 28:8 says: Whoever multiplies his wealth by interest and profit gathers it for him who is generous to the poor.

This goes along with the point Solomon is making in todays verse but it extends the benefits that come to the good man beyond his children’s children to the poor. Somehow the hard working wise righteous man is always blessed enough to provide for his family and to help the needy.

Solomon probably witnessed these men giving freely to the poor and yet by some miracle God always refilled their life with blessings so they could keep giving. Gods math works differently than mans.

2nd Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.

Is this the health and wealth gospel we sometimes hear preached? No, that is a false gospel… this is different. It’s something different… It’s real and amazing and for the glory of God.

In 2nd Corinthians Paul is of course writing to the church in Corinth but he has been presenting the churches of Macedonia to them as an example of how God wants to work in their lives which goes along with our Proverbs passage.

In chapter 8 Paul writes this: 1 We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, 2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.

These were poor people… poor but good people because of the righteousness of Jesus upon their life. God uses his miracle math to keep blessing them enough to give to help the believers who were hurting in Jerusalem.

Did God make them rich physically? No, there is no indication of that. He just kept blessing them over and over in whatever way he decides so they could abound in every good work.

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To see the full transcript go to braggingonjesus.com

2nd Corinthians 9:11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.

Proverbs in 365 Devotions

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Proverbs 13:1 A wise son hears his father’s instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.


You know… there are two kinds of listening. And today it seems that Solomon really wants his sons to listen to his words of wisdom with the right kind of hearing.

One kind is not sincere… This person may listen for a number of reasons but it is not genuine. If you have children then you surly know it’s possible for your instructions or scoldings to go on deaf ears… maybe hearing your words ever so faintly as background noise. A child may only listen to make a case against the rebuker and defend their own position either openly or as a way to rationalize in their heart. They’re really not interested in understanding why their father wants them to do this or that. They only care about justifying the argument for what they want in their heart. This is the scoffer whom Solomon says does not listen to rebuke. It makes since that the person who does not actually hear truth will not obey it but will go on seeking to do their own will.

The second kind of listener is sincere. They want to understand why their father instructs them in this way and how it is that his words are right. They want what is true to make sense to them. Now in this case the listeners ears not only hear the words their father speaks but their heart makes a connection to the truth in his words and it is internalized within them. Then they can be joyfully obedient to their fathers words from the heart.

When our Father in heaven speaks in his word, again there are two kinds of listeners.

One kind listens but does not hear. In Matthew 13 Jesus said this:

13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “‘“You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.”

As for the other kind of listeners… God opens their ears:

David said this in Psalm 40:6 In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required. 7 Then I said, “Behold, I have come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me: 8 I delight to do your will, O my God;

your law is within my heart.”

You may be aware that Jesus read from this very passage in the Temple and it is speaking of himself. David said how God gave him an open ear to listen to his truth about giving sacrifices. This passage pointed directly to Jesus the perfect sacrifice. He willingly gave himself that we might be given his righteousness and be accepted by God.

Maybe today God is opening your ears to hear how Jesus is the good news of Great joy the angel spoke of to the shepherds. Maybe he is giving you eyes to see why Jesus is beautiful and how he is the greatest treasure in the Universe worth leaving all for. He was paid the wages of your sin on the Cross and he will give his righteousness to all who believe in him. To all who delight in him… call on him, draw nigh to him, look to him in faith, rejoice in him.. to all who turn their face away from the promised treasures of the world and come to him. Can you hear the Spirit call you?

Revelation 22:17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

Pray

Proverbs 20:30 Blows that wound cleanse away evil; strokes make clean the innermost parts.

What could Solomon be trying to tell us today? Well, I think we see Solomon giving an example of how discipline is to be used for the good in a person who is caught up in crime or and evil heart… sinful actions. We’ve touched on how one of the qualities of a good king should be mercy… but here the most merciful thing is discipline. We can see how this works when a child gets in a pattern of disobeying their parents. They don’t come to their parents and confess when they’ve messed up but they wait until they get caught to apologize... and then they disobey again and instead of repenting and confessing they hide their sin again until once again they are caught. These times clearly call for a spanking… but it’s a spanking for their good.

Solomon may be alluding to criminals in Israel... thieves and murderers who break laws of the land… but this principle of discipline extends to others… for example we looked at how children need a firm hand at times… and likely it will be various discerning measures of discipline that can work for their good… But what about the people who don’t live under the authority of parents any longer… and they don’t actually break the laws of the land… Of course laws can’t regulate all the actions that flow from the heart… things like of not loving our neighbor or going about lying and cheating and gossiping...

And these people are actually us sometimes… right? We can easily become cold and blind and dull of hearing… And we too need help and correction… an attitude adjustment if you will, for our good… our growth… But who will give us this discipline we need?

Well, first off it’s interesting to ponder how kings and parents and others may use the same tools used by broken people like strokes (which might include spankings)… and they use them to cure brokenness. But the thing is… physical brokenness can be for our spiritual good. After Adam and Eve sinned and thus were broken spiritually God broke the world in that sickness and disease and depression and pain… so much more… all kinds of entropy and even death…

God could have made things easy and removed all sickness and disease… He could have made a way for all to be rich and want for nothing physically… But of course that would not have helped the brokenness that our sin caused between man and God.

But the brokenness of the world… every trouble we might face reminds us of our spiritual brokenness. Mans sin which brought about our separation from the fellowship of our Creator.

And so yes, although we have the righteousness of Christ positionally, a broken world still works for our good practically… He is doing a work in us and so the brokenness still works for our good. And not only that but because he loves us personally, he corrects us individually… He knows what strokes and prods of love we need and even the blows that wound and leave scars that will be for our good.

Hebrews 12:5 …“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”

You know… although physical brokenness like pain and difficulty can point us to the cure for our spiritual brokenness in the promised Messiah, (this is important) one cannot fight spiritual brokenness with spiritual brokenness. For example when racial crimes as horrible as they can be are committed it does no good to fight hate with hate. Proclaiming truth with free speech is good but rioting and beating and destroying property… plundering and stealing… That is hate speech in action. This is not the discipline we’ve been speaking of today that is given out of a heart of love but bitterness. Though they may not know it, those who have hearts for these kinds of things have kindred spirits with those who’s hearts are racially charged with prejudice.

Pray

Proverbs 20:29 The glory of young men is their strength, but the splendor of old men is their gray hair.

Glory is something that defines us… it tells a story about not only people but also things. Paul tells us that the sun, moon and stars have glory.

1st Corinthians 15:41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.

Jesus said Solomon had glory when he compared him with the lilies of the field.

Matthew 6:29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

In todays proverb we see how the glory of young mens strength sets them apart from old men who get grey hair. These differences tell a story that gives us clues that go into the make up of who these are. Solomon speaks generally about certain aspects that are common in both groups of individuals. These are only small parts of knowing a young or an old man. For us to know them better we would need to look at their glories close up, one one one at on an individual level…

Solomon ends todays proverb by saying “but the splendor of old men is their gray hair.”

You know, this is what becomes of the young men who were once known for their strength… they are now known for something else. This time he uses a different word besides glory to describe it… Splendor. But this is like glory…in fact its sometimes translated as glory instead of splendor. But splendor in the Hebrew seems to me to carriy with it the ideal of wearing that glory… It shines out from your life. In some way this God given glory exceeds the strength which you had as a young man. Of course every grey head tells a story of a life of experience, but I expect Solomon is thinking of a man who has grown in wisdom and knowledge and prudence and discernment, peace and joy… His heart is steady and anchored in the Lord. Instead of using his physical strength to build a fence or help a neighbor he now moves whole mountains in peoples lives by counseling them with love and wisdom.

Earlier we looked at how we get to know someone better by reading the stories that their glories tell close up and one on one. That’s the same way we get to really know the Lord. As we see more and more of his glory we know him better and better.

In Exodus 33:18 Moses ask God for this very thing: Moses said, “Please show me your glory.”

And the next day Moses went upon the Mountain and God began doing that very thing. Check it out in Exodus 33 and 34. God began showing Moses who he was. He told him about his character and the different attributes that set him apart from everything and everyone else. It changed Moses... I think for the benefit of the Children of Israel and us… From then on when Moses removed his veil and went before God the skin of his face would glow after being in the presence of Gods glory. But I think the biggest change was his heart. Looking back to this very event the Apostle Paul tells us how God does this very thing for us spiritually.

2nd Corinthians 3:18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

1st Chronicles 16:29 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him! Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness;

Pray

Proverbs in 365 Devotions

Proverbs 10:11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

"Two Wells"

Robin Aylor

There once were two wells flowing out waters.

To nourish the souls of sons and daughters.

One was alive, purified,The other looked clean, to the naked eye.

But toxins like arsenic, venom and bane,

Longed to flow through the children’s veins.

Covered in Aspartame and Formaldehyde sweet,

In hopes that the people would drink and eat.

Lurking and hiding the poison it carried,

Knowing partakers would soon be buried.

Both wells cried out “I satisfy!”.

But one shared the truth, the other a lie.

I thought, how shall one know, which to partake?

Then I looked all about, upon the landscape.

Around one fountain, vegetation was dead.

The people were crying, I heard what they said.

Woe to us! They yelled out in pride.

The waters they drank made them bitter inside.

It had rotted their eyes and made them blind.

It closed up their ears and hardened their mind.

It changed how they think, it made their life stink.

Yet their greatest desire was to take another drink.

From the other fountain, Oh yes! I was sure.

Sprung the water of life, unpolluted and pure.

The grass was green, the flowers in bloom.

The people were singing a joyous tune.

They loved one another, all could see.

That the water of life flowed abundant and free.

They carried that life wherever they'd go.

The water they drank was the word that was spoke.

They spoke in the deserts, the valley and plains.

Knowing Gods living Word, never waters in vain.

John 4:13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Two Wells

R Aylor

There once were two wells flowing out waters

To nourish the souls of sons and daughters

One was alive, purified

The other looked clean, to the naked eye

But it carried toxins like venom and bane

Which longed to flow through the children’s veins

Enveloped with Aspartame and Formaldehyde sweet

In hopes that the people would drink and eat

Lurking and hiding the poison it carried

Knowing partakers would soon be buried

Both wells cried out “I satisfy!”

But one shared the truth, the other a lie

I thought, how shall one know, which to partake?

Then I looked all about, upon the landscape

Around one fountain, the vegetation was dead

The people were crying, I heard what they said

Woe to us! They yelled out in pride

The waters they drank made them bitter inside

It had rotted their eyes and made them blind

It closed up their ears and hardened their mind

It changed how they think, it made their life stink

Yet their greatest desire was to take another drink

From the other fountain, Oh yes! I was sure

Sprung the water of life, unpolluted and pure

The grass was green, the flowers in bloom

The people were singing a joyous tune

They loved one another, all could see

That the water of life flowed abundant and free

The water they drank was God's Word which they spoke

They carried this water wherever they'd go

They shouted His praises in the valleys and plains

Knowing Gods living Word, never waters in vain

Proverbs 20:26 A wise king winnows the wicked and drives the wheel over them. 27 The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD, searching all his innermost parts. 28 Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king, and by steadfast love his throne is upheld.

... The first; verse 26 tells us first how a wise king deals with the wicked. He winnows them and drives the wheel over them. A winnowing fan would blows the chaff off of the wheat… separating it from the edible grain. The grain is put into storehouses or sold in the market while the chaff may be disposed of by burning.Speaking of Jesus and judgment John the Baptist uses this same metaphor In Matthew 3:12: His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” Solomon says the wise king also drives the wheel over them. From what I gathered, driving the wheel over them refers to the threshing wheel which was a wooden frame with three or four rollers armed with iron teeth. It was drawn by two oxen… It crushed out the grain and cut up the straw into fodder. Both are examples of Justice in making judgments by a wise king concerning evil… which point us to the justice of the Lord.

Solomon talks about how God gives man an inner conscience which works to shine a light on his motives.

Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

Romans 2:14 For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them 16 on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.

Man truly has no excuse for why he does not seek God and live righteously and love his neighbor. God gives us enough light to follow that light and find him. Verse 27 points us back to Judgment Day in 26 when God will separate the chaff from the wheat.

God has given us this conscience concerning what is true concerning Himself… whenever we look at his Creation… will we follow the light and seek our Creator? Will we see his sovereignty and care giving rain and fruit and grain and fish and all these good things while at the same time it is a broken world because of sin which should point us to our own sin? Will our conscience follow the light to that point and continue to follow it to his word which promised a Savior the Messiah who would set things right… or will we forget this light of conscience and say its a broken world and there is not God?

In verse 28 Solomon seems to be saying how it is Gods steadfast love and faithfulness in keeping his own word that preserves the king. So as Solomon obeys God from the heart and loves those in his kingdom… he shows mercy to those who repent and judges righteously and is faithful to his word he is emulating the Lord. Because the kings heart is obedient and because God always keeps his word, the king is preserved and his throne is upheld.

Thank You Father that you have given us light to look to you and see the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus. Light from your Creation, light from our conscience, and light from your word.

Psalm 119:130...

Thank You Lord for bringing us into your presence at Judgment when you separate the chaff from the wheat because your Son Jesus took the payment due for our sins and you have applied his perfect righteousness to our life. Thank you for raising him up and for one day raising us. Thank you for giving us your same power that raised him to winnow sin from our own life and live lives of love and mercy towards others. Thank you for your steadfast love that never fails and for preserving us with you for eternity. In Jesus name Amen.

Proverbs In 365 Devotions

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Proverbs 20:25 It is a snare to say rashly, “It is holy,” and to reflect only after making vows.

What does holy mean? Strongs concordance says this word translated from means apartness or sacredness.

As a believer God calls us to be set apart to the Lord. That includes our words.

We are to keep our word both to God and man.

James 5:12 says: But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.

So when we give our word to another we are accountable to God for our pledge. If you are a believer you are an Ambassador for Christ and so our words reflect upon the Lord. In that context our words are holy.

We are not to give our word or make a promise flippantly to others. We say things like I will be praying for you… but what becomes of our words? We say I will be there or I will call you tomorrow morning… or I will commit to this or that…

As the Hebrew indicates; Holy carries with it the idea of being set apart. That’s why we we say God is holy... His character and all of his attributes are so far set apart from sin... To an eternal extreme he is 100% Holy in all his ways.

But we live in a culture where people are holy unto themselves... they are set apart from loving others and loving God and to them sin and selfishness are sacred. That was us… We hoping that the promises of the world like money and nice things and seeking our own glory would bring us joy.

But since we have seen the glory of God in Jesus, our words are to be holy... set apart for the Lord for his glory.

1st Peter 4:11 says: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Another great verse along the same line is: 2nd Corinthians 3:3 And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

In that sense which Paul is describing, Gods word is to be applied and internalized in to our life making us holy and set apart that our life might be matching up with who we are in Christ.

As believers we have the righteousness of Jesus... but practically we are a work in progress. We made a sacred declaration that Jesus is our Lord and we are now on his mission… no longer on our own and we must not be stagnant or fall back and with a wishy washy heart reflect now on our profession of faith after we have made it and say… no… I think I will go back to believing the promises of sin… but rather be holy and set apart more and more.

In closing let me read today’s proverbs again: Proverbs 20:25 It is a snare to say rashly, “It is holy,” and to reflect only after making vows.

Pray

Proverbs 20:24 A man’s steps are from the LORD; how then can man understand his way?

Something about this verse makes me want to smile. I think part of it is acknowledging the sovereignty of God. It just does something for my heart knowing the Creator of all things loves me so much and cares to be involved in each step I take. And another reason I like this verse is because there’s a mystery here… Today's devotion is my pondering a small part of the journey. Please double check my musings.

Why does God intervene in the oh so small steps that man takes from day to day? Actually, I think that if we acquaint ourselves with Gods word we can know what he’s doing our life… at least generally; but specifically well, not so much… It seems to me that Solomon is saying… The reason our plans in this world don’t always go the way we hope is because God channels our steps.

I mean… at the time of trouble does anyone know the real reason why we experience hardships like a loss of job or 1001 other trials? And so we fight against the brokenness that has touched our life…

We may plan to take college courses to begin a specific job… but that falls through because of money or time constraints… or sickness or 100 different reasons… ... We ask “Is God for me or against me?” One path just closes off and we have to go a different way time and time again.

Yet all these things… not only those we consider bad… but those at the time we count as good… somehow work towards the same end.

The details and complexity and vastness of the answer may last throughout our life… I believe one of the reasons for the why is that God is educating us in the ways that he knows is best. He may transport us where we were not planning on going… other times he may let us go the way our wayward heart wants to go, and then other times he may carry us exactly where we want to go as we love following him. In all these things God is directing… pushing, prodding and channeling our steps… even when we follow our wayward heart it may be that we need to hit the end of our rope before we call out to the Lord.

I think Romans 11:36 is a key to understanding today's proverb and the course of our lives.

Romans 11:36 says: For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

So in today's proverb it is not our steps that are in question… Solomon is clear that they are from the Lord… but it is our way that we do not understand. In other words why does God order troubles, trials and even physical blessings in our life? We might even ask why did God break the world and the Universe in the first place. I believe all this brokenness is to remind us that we are broken because of sin… we are not glorious no one is good and we all need a glorious savior… the promised one from Genesis 3.

You see, everything is for the glory of God… and as we see his glory… it becomes for our good.

You know, even when God planned our first step as he placed us in the families we were born into and in the nations he chose… even in the time period of history which we live he did so for our good and his glory.

Speaking of God Acts 17:26-27 says: 26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. …

I think it’s impossible for us to fully and specifically understand how all of the ways in which the Lord orders our steps can be seen as being for our good and for Gods glory.

As Isaiah 55:9 ...

But you know it’s really a good thing to be able to trust God for the directing of our steps because left to ones self we would blindly follow the devil off a cliff into the pit of hell.

Right before Jeremiah ask the Lord for correction he says this in Jeremiah 10:23: I know, O LORD, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps.

Proverbs In 365 Devotions

For more go to braggingonjesus.com

Proverbs 20:21 An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning will not be blessed in the end.

Bad Love

R Aylor

The desire to have what we deserve and not have to wait seems to be the desire of all men... but it’s a false premise. This example Solomon gives concerning an inheritance is a great example. There's this hunger inside of men… this seed of greed that only needs a sprinkle of hope to feed it and the next thing you know it becomes an overwhelming obsession that controls us.

1st Timothy 6:10 acmes to mind: For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

Notice the object of the verse is not money but the kind of love that is associated with it. This is a powerful self serving kind of love that excludes love for others… Its a kind of love that is greedy for the inheritance and breeds distrust among siblings and causes family rifts that last a lifetime. This kind of evil love does not think his brother or sister deserve much of the inheritance at all because they were not the kinds of children to their parents they should have been.

This lends nicely to the truth in the next verse Proverbs 20:22 which says:

Proverbs 20:22 Do not say, “I will repay evil”; wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you.

An inheritance gained quickly is not waiting on the Lord. We may be tempted to rationalize the inheritance as deserving to us by saying it would be justice. God teaches us to leave justice to him. Don’t be vengeful. That can put your heart in a bad bitter place out of fellowship with God.

And the thing is… Justice the way we are thinking would not be in our best interest. As I mentioned… we rationalize things out of balance… so that things appear in our favor. That leads us to the next verse in todays passage.

Proverbs 20:23 Unequal weights are an abomination to the LORD, and false scales are not good.

Look, none of us have been the children to our parents we should have been. Leave the earthly inheritance in the hands of the Lord. Dont be obsessed with money and things… rather yearn for the spiritual riches which are found in Christ.

For those who hope in Christ… He has promised us an inheritance that is an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison full of immeasurable treasures beyond our comprehension… And he gives us a sample of whats to come in the joys we experience in seeing more and more of his glory until that day.

Pray