Bragging On Jesus

Proverbs in 365 Devotions

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Proverbs 8:4 “To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man.

Attention Men And Children Of Man

R Aylor


In Proverbs Solomon has been using "Wisdom" as a person of the female gender and as an allegory to seemingly appeal to his son and to the gender of men to choose Wisdom over her polar opposite, the adulterous or forbidden woman.

Here in chapter 8 and particularly this verse Solomon seems to expound on the meaning of the allegory. Notice he is specific in saying Wisdom is calling out not only to men but also the children of men; which of course would be women as well. I think we could see that all along but I thought is was worth mentioning. In the chapters that follow we will see Solomon introduce many truths that Wisdom brings to men and women for application in life, and later he will bring back the character of the forbidden woman.

Remember Wisdom not only protects us from her but every forbidden sin. So for the rest of the chapter Wisdom is going to be introducing herself properly and telling us more about who she really is.

So before we leave the forbidden or adulterous woman… lets’ do a short recap on the main point so far.

There are two woman who are always calling out for the mans heart... and similarly there are two  "want to be" lovers calling out to all the children of men. (that’s men and woman, boys and girls) Both want our heart… both want to be our true love.

One loved us so much that he laid down his life for us. I think Solomon is trying to introduce us to this person later in this chapter as the allegory continues to unfold.

Pray

Proverbs in 365 Devotions

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Proverbs 8:2 On the heights beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand; 3 beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:

Wisdom Shouts Out

R Aylor

In the previous verse (one) Solomon has told his son and us how Wisdom and Understanding both call out. We can actually hear them if we have ears to hear.

We learned about Wisdom’s voice first in Proverbs one verses 20 and 21 which says: Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; 21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:

If we are truly seeking for wisdom we have no good excuses for not finding her. She is not hiding from us.

So in today's verses where and how might we find Wisdom?

1 - “the heights beside the way” Wisdom calls out standing on the elevated grounds on the sides of the road. How might we come to see Wisdom there? There might be many ways… One could be when you see a neighborhood where someone has used dozers to build up the ground higher than the flood level and erected their home on that spot… Now that is wisdom.

2 - “at the crossroads she takes her stand” Some see Wisdom at the intersections as homeless beggars knock on the window of their car when they stop at red lights. Wisdom goes over the scenarios which could bring a person to this point in their life and realizes it could happen to anyone but at the same time Wisdom sees things that can aid in prevention of this from happening… Truths like it can be a good thing to get a proper education and learn a trade. Don’t be lazy but be willing to work hard. Don’t do drugs… You get the idea….

3 “at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud” As you come into the city limits of town Wisdom is there crying out.

I take it that she is still waiting as you leave. We learned in Proverbs one she was actually in the street and markets… On the highways she holds up a sign as you speed by too fast to read it. I expect that if you're interested you'll see and hear her everywhere you go. Wisdom can be found in the good and the bad… in success and failure alike if we look and hear… and she’s always, always verified in some way within God’s word.

Not only wisdom from a human standpoint for being wise but God is always pointing us to himself.

Romans 1:20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Father please help me not to be blind, ignorant or dull of hearing to your glory today as you publicize your awesomeness on every side calling out for me to come and worship you and seeing your way as the truth and only way to life and you as the greatest treasure in the Universe, in Jesus name I pray.

Proverbs in 365 Devotions

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Proverbs 8:1 Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice?

Can You Hear Me Now?

R Aylor

Growing up at times my brother seemed not to hear others especially whenever he was focused on something in deep thought like when watching TV or playing a game. I remember once someone yelling at him loudly saying "dinner is ready" which should have really rocked him… he didn’t flinch but rather stared at the tv in serious concentration.


Now, on the other hand my mother Gigi can hardly hear at all. This year she turned 83 and sometimes when she guesses what is being ask of her she answers totally off topic. And that’s ok. Mom still helps teach 5th and 6th graders in Sunday School and thankfully that's when she uses her hearing aid. 



I love my Mom and brother both sooo much! They love the Lord. I assume though that their reasons for not hearing are at least some of why we don't hear Gods wisdom and truth as he calls out to us spiritually throughout our day.

Either the world has already grabbed our full undivided focus and attention like the example with my brother or we have become dull of hearing because the loudest noises of the world have injured our ears as is possiblly what happened to my Mother.


You see, it’s not a question if whether God calls out to us with his truths; because he does. But it's our hearing that is the problem. And not just our hearing but God has called us to use all 5 of our spiritual senses.

* Seeing: Psalm 119:18 Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.

* Taste: Psalm 34:8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!...

* Smelling: 2nd Corinthians 2:14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.

* Touch: Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. (Even more intimate than mere touch)

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Back to the text… Solomon ask this question: Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice? (Proverbs 8:1)

Like my brother didn’t hear when we called him for dinner we need to focus through the noises around us and listen for the one who wants to feed us a great feast.

And like my Mom Gigi, the noises of the world can damage our hearing. Spiritually they can damage our spiritual hearing. We need to filter out the world… and put on our hearing aid which is the Holy Spirit.

Lord, help us to drink from the spiritual water and smell the spiritual flowers in your word. May we hear you speak and taste and see that you are good. You have made your abode with us Lord… you have tabernacled with us. Your Spirit is with us till the end of the world. Thank You! In Jesus Name Amen.

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Proverbs In 365 Devotions

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Proverbs 7:22 All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast 23 till an arrow pierces its liver; as a bird rushes into a snare; he does not know that it will cost him his life.


The Ox, The Stag & The Bird

R Aylor

Oh, and they say that ignorance is bliss but the Ox, the stag and bird might disagree.

I can visualize the Ox standing there in the middle of the field, strong and able to overpower any challenger who had ever came his way… until that dreadful day. Not a worry in the world. Oh, there were dangers around him for sure. Coyotes and lions might test him from time to time but he was big and when he pointed his huge intimidating horns their way and shook his head and stomped his feet that was usually all it took and the predators would disappear into the woods. However, on this blissful day he was distracted by the grass he was eating when men caught him unawares and in an instant he was taken out and quickly hauled away to be butchered.

On the other hand, the buck had his own obsession going on that day. While chasing after a beautiful and playful doe he had no Idea he was in the path of the soaring arrow.

As for the bird, he swooped down to peck the seeds in a trap with no anxiety or fear that something terrible was about to happen.

We might talk about the fish chasing a lure that was hiding triple razor sharp hooks or the man being distracted by an uncertain friend request on social media. Nonchalantly he pushes back any keen sensory perceptions of danger he might have. His well oiled rationalized mind machine kicks in and while working in the background does its intended job to perfection. He blissfully swoops down and clicks on “Accept”.

Of course for the believer, the adulterous woman in this passage is not only a woman but anything that comes between us and the love of our life who is Jesus.

Father today please help us to carry your words found in 1st Peter 5:8 within our heart.  Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Proverbs in 365 Devotions

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Proverbs 7:8 passing along the street near her corner, taking the road to her house 9 in the twilight, in the evening, at the time of night and darkness.

 

Obvious In The Shadows

R Aylor

Solomon had just spoken of how wisdom and insight could keep his son from the forbidden woman and then in the previous two verses Solomon tells his him about what kind of person he has seen at his window through his lattice… A simple young man lacking sense. Now we see him passing along the corner near the adulterous woman and taking the road up to her house. And he does all this in the twilight, in the evening, at the time of night and darkness. Even though it is night time… If this young man were riding his donkey or driving his car I expect he would park at least a block away…

Sinful passions turn into compulsions which lead this young man into the neighborhood of the forbidden woman… which for any of us could translate to our own favorite sin.

We’ve all seen people like this young man… heck we have been him. These are people who move in the shadows. They cover up things they don’t want others to see in their shopping carts, lock out our phones and turn their laptops away from public viewing. That’s the same cloak of darkness the young man travels under as he visits the forbidden woman.

The first few times this happens for the young senseless man if might go like this: All of a sudden he realizes he has come farther than he meant to go. He planned on walking close to her house sure, but now here he is… this is her house. I'm right there on her front porch looking in the window. I feel the one who loves me pulling me back to the path... But my sin is near to my heart... Right now I love my sin… so much that I suppress the calls from the one who loves me until I find myself knocking on sin's door.

 

Why did I ignore the one who truly loves me; even the Holy Spirit who prompted my heart to turn back? Whether it’s the forbidden woman or a million other lies that satan promises to be great treasures… The one who loves us is the only one who satisfies. Listen to Wisdom and Insight! Turn around and run. Do not betray the one who loves you…. this one who is the only good thing that has ever come into your life… this one who is the greatest treasure in the Universe.

Proverbs in 365 Devotions

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Proverbs 7:6 For at the window of my house I have looked out through my lattice, 7 and I have seen among the simple, I have perceived among the youths, a young man lacking sense,

 

Looking Through My Lattice

R Aylor

Whether you have looked out through the lattice of your own house like Solomon or through the glass panes of your office… the windshield of your car or the windows of your own eyes… you may have noticed some of the same things Solomon did… People doing things as though they had no sense of what they were getting themselves into..

It's interesting how so many who are impassioned to sin are ignorant of how obvious their obsessive love affair with a particular sin is. 

In retrospect I have seen this blind intensiveness in myself as well. My simplicity could not perceive the big picture, and the few red flags I did see I ignored.

Solomon seems to be telling his son what he has seen looking down upon the street from his window… I can imagine him saying something like… “Look son… see that boy right there walking with his head down… every once in a while he looks up and behind him… See. He does this almost every day around mid day… and a few times a week in the evenings like tonight… Look, he will slow down when he gets to the third house… see there. That is the house of a prostitute. She is usually not home in the evenings but out working the street. Tonight it looks like she is working on her own corner… look you can barely see her on this side of the intersection.

And he, he is a simple minded boy who lacks sense… His world is about to take a crucial turn that will have a major impact on the rest of his life. Tonight will help define who he is and who he will become”.

Oh how foolish we are not to seek out and trust our Creators words... all his commands and promises. Each one are for our good and his glory.

Lord help us not to have a love affair with sin. Please help us not to be simple minded to the lies of satan. Help us not to lack sense and walk right on into the mouth of the lion that wants to devour us. Please quicken our hearts to love your word and go there for your wisdom and all your attributes and characteristics. Please give us accountability with you and others that we might love you with all our heart and our neighbor as ourselves.

Pray

Proverbs in 365 Devotions

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Proverbs 7:4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call insight your intimate friend, 5 to keep you from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words.

 

A Sister And An Intimate Friend

R Aylor

At times in these devotions I’ve referred to Prudence and Knowledge, Understanding and Insight as some of the relatives of Wisdom who aid her in godliness.

Today Solomon wants his son to consider Wisdom along with her sister Insight as his accountability partner to keep him from the forbidden woman. I think all Wisdom's relatives can help us in this same way… and not only to keep us from the forbidden woman but from the forbidden sins we are tempted with each day.

If you think about it… In a godly household, it’s the individual family members and close friends who love us that can be our first line of defense to keep us from whatever sin so easily causes us to fall. Our families know us better than anyone else. And in the same way we also should be looking out for them.

Even more so with those who share with us in the family of God. It can be a tremendous help for believers to be plugged into a Christ centered church that preaches and teaches the truth about God; and wow! Getting plugged in to a small group where everyone loves one another and helps with one another’s needs and gives encouragement in life and accountability for sin… the benefits of this cannot be overstated. 



And so… in our text, of the three women mentioned; one (the forbidden woman) will bind you in chains and drag you through misery and sorrow… never being fulfilled… never finding joy… never fulfilling your purpose… all the way to death; while the other two (Wisdom and Insight) as your sister, and your intimate friend… your accountability partners… they will lead you to joy, hope and life.

Proverbs in 365 Devotions

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Proverbs 7:3 bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.
 

Stick Notes On Your Forehead?

R Aylor


In today's age… where people carry around smart phones and have easy access to paper and pencil… instead of tying reminders around his fingers Solomon might have told his son to stick post it notes on his forehead as a reminder to his fathers words. .

I was just thinking something kind of crazy… I suppose if someone wanted to pursue evil, they also could tie pretty little bows on their fingers to remind them to sin but guess what??? We don't need any help remembering to follow the sinful nature handed down from the first Adam… That comes naturally. 

Back to the text… What helps us remember Gods word?

In order to remember it… It is reasonable to say that we have to read it right? And the more we read it the better we will remember it. Also, the Holy Spirit brings Gods word back to our minds to combat evil and give comfort, reminding us of his truths and giving us direction.

Gods word puts the spotlight on Christ and glorifies God. If we go out in the world looking for our own glory and exaltation then we are not going to be delighting in Gods word.

So let us remind ourself to look for any way we can be purposeful in pursuing Jesus because he is worth everything we have. Don't seek out or treasure this worlds promises. When we see God as all glorious… when we see Jesus as good news… as the apple of our eye… as the greatest treasure in the Universe it brings believers joy…

Memorize his words, meditate on his precepts, write yourself notes, praise him, sing to him, pray, petition, compliment, love and worship, delight in him; let him be your rest… As Solomon says: “write them on the tablet of your heart”.

Proverbs in 365 Devotions

For more go to braggingonjesus.com

Proverbs 7:2 keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching as the apple of your eye;

 

The Apple Of Your Eye

R Aylor

Maybe you’ve heard this phrase “the apple of your eye” before or something similar. One variation… the phrase "Apple of his eye" was possibly first ever used in Deuteronomy 32:10 speaking of how God loved Jacob it says: “he cared for him, he kept him as the apple of his eye”. This phrase or one similar has stayed relative to our language unto this day.

These words surely carry with them the idea that Solomon's wise teachings should have caught his son's heart's eye like a bright red apple...

Solomon wanted his son to take hold of the wisdom God has given him; lavish it, prize it high, eat its fruit and find life. But certainly this passage is also for you and I today. 

Gods words should catch our eye in the same way… they should be savored as something that appeals to us spiritually and desired as sweet nourishment to our soul. 

Psalm 63:5 says: My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,

Father please give me more desire and passion and delight in you and your word. Always be turning my heart in repentance from making worldly things the apple of my eye to seeing you as the all glorious treasure you are.

Psalm 119:37 Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.

Proverbs In 365 Devotions

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Proverbs 7:1 My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you;


Don't Leave Home Without It

R Aylor

Have you ever left your smartphone at home and felt like something was missing? I …have… Maybe you wonder what’s missing and then it hits you so you have to go back and grab it as soon as you can.

Have you ever left home without reading your bible that day? If we do I would hope we feel like something is missing or something is wrong. At the least we should never leave home without Jesus words connected to our hearts. We should acknowledge him as we go about our day, and worship him with great delight. Psalm 1 talks a bit about that. Heres some of the chapter:

Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. 4 The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

Jesus is a treasure worth a zillion times over any smartphone this world could come out with! 


Lord please bring us from never leaving home without our smartphone to never leaving home without your word fresh and delighted over in our hearts.

Lead us from loving the shallow text's we see on social media to loving the ancient text you wrote for us about Jesus.

Lord take us from obsessing over games… even role playing games to actually living out our faith in the real world.

Please carry us from spending excessive amounts of time texting worthless things to our friends to sharing the good news of your beauty and glory with others.