Bragging On Jesus

Proverbs in 365 Devotions

Proverbs 11:31 If the righteous is repaid on earth, how much more the wicked and the sinner!

What's Really Amazing Is...

By Daniel Castor

Do you like to watch movies? I am certainly no movie buff but I do enjoy watching a great story unfold. All great stories have hero’s and villains. And every good director knows that the good guy is always suppose to win. The good guy may struggle, he may have hardships, he may get knocked down and have to fight his way through all sorts of obstacles but in the end things always get better. But this is not so for the villain.

By far my favorite part of any good movie is when the bad guy gets what’s coming to him. He finally gets caught. His times finally up. At last his plans are made know. Or better yet, the good guy catches up with him and beats the living tar out of him before he is thrown in the slammer.

Well God is the best story teller of all and many times we see similar things happen in his story. We see blessings for the righteous man and trouble for the wicked man.

We see this played out In the book of Esther with Haman and Mordecai. The evil Haman is bound and determined to completely eradicate God’s people. The crafty coward comes up with a plan to destroy the Jews by edict of the king. But that’s not all, he will also publicity hang the righteous Mordecai in front of his house on his homemade gallows. It would seem as if the wicked Haman’s plan is. Going great... It would seem as if he has all but won... Until God himself flips the scrips on Haman. The king learns of his devious plan, and Haman is sentenced to be hung on his own gallows while Mordecai is given a position of great power.

Quite often in Gods story we see such things. Blessing for the righteous and trouble for the wicked. That shouldn’t really be that surprising to us because God is completely just and fair. What is surprising however, what is completely amazing is when God decided to give wicked people what the don’t deserve grace!

Such is the glorious reality of the Gospel. Where by the power of God’s grace, the shed blood of Jesus Christ, and Faith in his name , God transforms wicked men into righteous men so he can do them good instead of harm.

I’d you want to know more about how this glorious transformation takes place go read Ephesians 2:1-10

Proverbs in 365 Devotions

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Proverbs 3:11 My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline or be weary of his reproof, 12 for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.


Thank You For Reproof

R Aylor

If you’re like me you have failed many times in life because of sin. For me, time and time again God has initiated his plan to humble me in his own way and timing. (sometimes allowing me to wallow in my own grossness until I am sick of it) But the thing is… I am God’s child. He sought me out and he who began a good work in me will bring it to completion. At times in life that can mean he will use difficult discipline.

You can see God’s steadfast love in Psalm 40. Notice the sorrows that come to the psalmist because of his iniquities but because he is the Lords, God does not abandon him but all his distress works for his good.

Psalm 40:11 As for you, O Lord, you will not restrain your mercy from me; your steadfast love and your faithfulness will ever preserve me! 12 For evils have encompassed me beyond number; my iniquities have overtaken me, and I cannot see; they are more than the hairs of my head; my heart fails me. 13 Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me! O Lord, make haste to help me! 

It appears that the psalmist has already repented and he is trusting God for deliverance of his sins accompanying woes.

You know… with repentance comes unique peace that only our Father can give. Some of sin’s brokenness can leave marks on our body and may stay for a while or longer… they may even become scars that remind us of how God rescued us… but with repentance God’s peace that passes understanding and his joy are showered on us from heaven.

It’t quite a difficult prayer to pray but one I have prayed more than once…

Father God, thank you for loving me enough to reprove me… And Lord what ever it may take for me to treasure you supremely… Whatever it takes that this sin be taken away… knowing Lord that it may take great pain… an accident… an illness… Still Lord I ask for your mercy in this… but turn my heart to you. Please do what you will for your glory. That's what I want. Lord Thank You for your mercy.

Psalm 119:71 It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes. 72 The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

Proverbs in 365 Devotions

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Proverbs 3:9 Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; 10 then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.


All Promises Fufilled

R Aylor

In today’s text we find a promise similar to the one given in Malachi 3:10 “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.”


Many times we give God the leftovers of our days. Maybe it’s because we don’t really believe what God’s word says. I mean, after all, there are a lot of poor Christians… Are they all not giving God their first fruits?

Well it may be true that we do not give to the Lord as we ought but I want us to take a look at something Pauls says. In 2nd Corinthians 8 and 9 he has been speaking about the ways God fills our barns and vats in this life on earth for his glory… and strangely it seems that if we are poor we may still remain so. These are some of my favorite verses. You see, God’s economy uses heavenly math… It’s a kind of miracle math. I encourage you to read chapter 8 and 9 but here’s what Paul says in 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.

Here’s another way to look at this verse which I believe is scriptural. Hebrews 11 speaks of believers who were tortured, imprisoned, stoned… even sawed in two… Some wandering about and living in dens and caves. It points them out as good examples for us. And we know, Christians still suffer today.

Are all Gods promises tethered and restricted to our short time on earth?

Hebrews 11 answers this question. After speaking of all the trials and woes of believers it says this:

Hebrews 11:39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

In this life the heroes of our faith received peace and amazing joy in Christ and God blessed them in great ways so they could bless others… but they still had the accompanying pains and woes that coexist with a broken world. Now they have died but they are waiting for us to join them so as the scripture says “that apart from us they should not be made perfect”.

Yes, one day all our barns will be filled with plenty and our vats bursting with wine and we will experience it with believers all together in the kingdom of God.

2nd Corinthians 4:17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,”

Proverbs in 365 Devotions

Proverbs 3:7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. 8 It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.


Healing And Refreshment

RAylor

In chapter 2 of Proverbs we learned that if a person searches for wisdom like hidden treasures he will find it…

Proverbs 2 verse 10 says: for wisdom will come into your heart…

But in today’s text it says that we’re not to be wise… at least not in our own eyes. These almost seem to contradict or oppose one another.

But when attached to the phrase “not in your own eyes” we can see how any wisdom we have has been imputed to us… and it comes not from our own heart or our our own eyes but like Proverbs 2:6 says: “For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding”.

It is the self righteous man that thinks of himself as self-wise.

But our text says rather than being that man… That is, the man who in his self centered wisdom is not deterred by the fear of the Lord… but instead he follows after sin and rationalizes his selfishness and the lust of his eyes and makes a case that there is wisdom in what he chooses… Anyway… rather than being that man our text says that if we follow after the wisdom of the Lord it will bring healing and refreshment to us. I wonder how that works?

Psalm 31 is a Psalm of David I believe it is about him but it also points us to Jesus on the cross. You can read it in full to see all the parallels. But verse 10 talks about how sin takes away a mans strength…. it brings much sorrow….

For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away.

That’s what sin does to a man which is the opposite of what our text says about the man who looks to the LORD. In today’s text verse 8 says: It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.

You see Psalm 31 shows us how Jesus became sin for us… he who knew no sin became sin so we might receive the righteousness of God. (see 2nd Corinthians 5:21) His flesh and his body took our pain and illness… even our death… all the things that sin brings so we might be be victorious over sin in every way… now positionally 100% righteous before God… and then as we are being changed practically on earth… and finally raised like him incorruptible, with him and accepted by God…

Pray

Proverbs in 365 Devotions

Proverbs 3:6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Golden Horned Evil Jackalopes

RAylor

This verse is often quoted along with the verse that proceeds it.

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

What is it that you acknowledge… the thing you take with you wherever you go in all you do?

If someones life is focused on greed, It will take them off the straight path to God. If they punch selfishness into their new automatic GPS guided steering wheel it will immediately cause you to make a sharp turn… hope your seat belt is on. In like manner, if my focus is on how I look to others, or if I am acknowledging wrong things to guide any area of my life I will stray off the straight path in Gods will.

If I zig and zag from his path all throughout my life, I will likely look back and realize I have wasted almost all of it chasing jackalope rabbits with golden horns down dark dangerous trails.

(Personal note: To this day my brother claims he saw a "Jackalope" as we were growing up in Mineral Wells Texas.)

 

God straight path brings us into his presence where there is real life… That’s where he wants us to walk every day.

Psalm 16:11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

 

Jesus spoke this path that leads to life… He added a dimension to it… he said it was also narrow.

Matthew 7:13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.

It may seem overwhelming to you that the gate is so straight and narrow. The narrow gate is not big enough for Buddha or Muhammad or Confucius or the demons consciously worshiped by the millions of Hindu’s… The narrow gate is not big enough for the religions of the peoples of the west who trust in their own works of righteousness which is dangerously less obvious but equally unable to save them… or who trust in a prayer they repeated or a church building they visit or a family they are a part of or water they were sprinkled with or submerged into…

The narrow gate is so narrow that it is Jesus and Jesus only… period.

In Luke 18 Jesus said this: 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?”

Notice how Jesus answered in verse 27: But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

Father, thank you for letting me trust you and your finished work on the cross. Thank You for taking payment for my sin and giving me your righteousness. May I acknowledge you, keep you in the forefront of my heart and mind as my greatest treasure, and  walk in your steps following you on your path. Thank you for keeping me all the way to the end. As your word says speaking of Jesus in: 1st Corinthians 1:8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Proverbs in 365 Devotions

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

Lean Not

RAylor

What a great, simple, yet most difficult verse to apply in our life. When we first come to Christ we trust him above all our unanswered questions. (for there are always more questions that could cause us to wait no matter how many he has already answered.) We release our feeble grasp of control on life and submit to the guidance of his hands.

And yet even now, even years after first looking to him, our understanding still cries out "Why this way Lord?" but again and again we submit and learn to trust, acquiring more joy and rest in his word. Jesus is the only source for this peace; not only in our salvation's conception but for continual sustaining of this life in his Spirit.

 

Every day we live out the same Gospel that we first believed.

In Matthew 13:44 Jesus said “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.


So yes, it’s the Gospel every day… We let go of what we used to treasure. Not only physical things but things like our own rationalization to follow our selfish lusts...  things like always having to have the last word... being seen as the one who is right and has it all together… We let go of our greed... We open up and let unforgivness fall from our clenched fists. In our joy we let go giving all things up for the surpassing treasure of Jesus.

Lord, as we go forth today help us to forsake our own biased broken understanding and trust you and your word with all our heart.

Proverbs in 365 Devotions

Proverbs 3:4 So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.

It's About Relationship

R Aylor

Solomon has been writing to his Son about remembering his words and keeping them from the heart… how they are important things for living life and being successful to reach your Creators purpose for not only Solomon's son but you and I. Life revolves around relationships. Humans can only have meaningful relationships with other humans and with our Creator, in whose image we were made. That's how God made us.

Do you remember our last devotion and how Jesus spoke about the two greatest commandments?

As we read it again notice that its all about relationships. 
Matthew 22:36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Solomon gave his son good counsel… wise words to be used in relationship with God and others throughout life. As we journey through Proverbs, let’s keep an eye out for good relationship counsel.

Here’s a partial list of the topics that are discussed in Proverbs:

Controlling Anger, Gossip, Slander, Greed and Hate… How should we to Relate to Authority… Dealings in Business, Relationships with friends and family, Borrowing/Lending, Diligence and work ethics, Self Discipline, Honesty, Cheating, Loyalty, Deceit, Speaking, Being Silent, Listening, Loving, Standing up for those who cannot defend themselves, Being Fair, Helping the Poor, dealing with our Pride, Humility, Rebellion, Reproof, Regarding our Plans, Happiness, Goals, Our Heart, Sin, Confession, Peace, Avoiding Adultery, Following after Righteousness, and Wisdom.


I’ll read today's verse again… Proverbs 3:4 So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.

We will experience good relationships with God and man as Jesus and the cross are unpacked; as we remember his words and joyfully keep them… and as the heart of God is taught to us from his Word by his Spirit and applied in our lives.

​

Proverbs 3:3 Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.

Faithful & Steadfast

We Bind And Write


RA

Solomon has been writing to his Sons about remembering his words and obeying them from the heart… and even how doing so will be for their own good… Now he gives them some practical ways of thinking about keeping this kind of a commitment.

If you have ever started a diet or maybe an exercise program, you know it's a lot easier to plan than to follow through on. Reading a book can be difficult for some, much less writing a book, or writing a song, beginning a bible reading plan, learning a foreign language, becoming efficient on a musical instrument or getting a college degree. Etc and etc…

 

Few are faithful and steadfast to follow through on things that are both important and yet difficult. Those who do, tape pictures on their refrigerators, stick post it notes on the dashboards of their cars, set related information as lock screens on their phone; they play like minded audio through their ear phones, repeat, replay, recite, watch, relate, research, write down, converse, discuss, blog and pray. The passions of their heart are on their mind constantly and come to play a part in influencing their decisions at work… in relationships… in their home life… how they spend their money… even the programs they watch on tv…


I suppose the question each person asks is what is most important to me… What is my passion in life? What is worth being paramount overriding and helping to focus every area of my life? Is it my favorite hobby? Will that lead all my thought patterns? Will I work everything in life… even family time all around my job? Will my family be number one purpose for being born and living during my short time in the span of eternity?

Or… is there something greater than everything else which by placing at the forefront which makes all these other great things in life the best they can be also?

In Matthew 22 Jesus was asked this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

 

The Lord Jesus Christ should be at the top of every list we have in life. Do you have that desire? You can probably tell by looking at how you spend your time or even how you spend your money. Are his words bound around your neck? Are they strapped to your backpack? Are they written down on your iPad or tablet? Or more importantly are they written down on the tablet of your heart.

Today let's begin intentionally seeking to know God better through Jesus; and with the Holy Spirits help we will be faithful to love God with all our heart and steadfast to love our neighbor as ourself.

Proverbs in 365 devotions braggingonjesus.com

Proverbs 3:2 for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you.

To Honor Your Parents

In verse one Solomon sets this verse up telling his son not to forget what he has taught him. Now verse two reminds his son’s of the the fifth commandment from those God gave Moses at Mount Sini, and is the first given with a promise. Being repeated by Solomon and then by Paul in Ephesians doesn’t make it more true; but may emphasize the great importance of its application in our lives.

Ephesians 6:1 begins: Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”

Your parents may or may not have been godly. No parents are perfect for certain. They may have used you… They may have abused you… They may have taught you lies; they may have set a poor example for you in life… They may have abandoned you. But God was the one that chose and placed you in the time and country and family you are in for his own purpose and glory…

In Acts 17:26-27 Paul said: 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. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us,

God know’s you better than anyone in the Universe does and whether you see it or not he he gave you the parents he did for your good and his glory.’

Therefore… we should joyously love, pray for, obey and honor our parents with willingness and sincerity as Ephesians say "in the Lord". If we do so it will do us much good and more than that it will glorify our Lord.

Since Jesus died for us and rose again, he gives us that same power that raised him up, even his Holy Spirit which enables us to obey Gods commands with joy from the heart… and that includes honoring our parents in the Lord.

Proverbs in 365 Devotions

Proverbs 3:1 My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments,


Remembering Loving And Acting

R Aylor

I like to joke sometimes and say I have a great memory but its very short. Honestly though, I seem to forget a lot of things in life; like why I walked into a room or what I went to the grocery store for and what my Instagram password is.


Still yet, the things that are most important to me it seems I can hardly forget. I remember my best friends in life, the foods I’m allergic to, I remember to eat every day and sleep every night… I even remember many instructions for life my parents taught me growing up.

That’s what Solomon wanted his son’s to remember. Solomon was the wisest man on earth… and he had some gems to give his sons. Many are written down in these 31 proverbs. It just so happens that his words are also inspired by God himself so they are Gods words to all of us and not only Solomons sons.

We should remember Gods words to us…

The second part of this verse says: “but let your heart keep my commandments”. God has always wanted a people who served him with joy from the heart. So we should not remember his words just as facts so we might pull out of our hat to use in some trivia game but because they are that important to us…

Things like:

We can always go to the Lord when we feel burdened down or stressed for any reason.

Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

God will never remove his love from his children.

Romans 8:38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

For believers everything no matter how difficult comes upon us for our good even when we can’t see how it could be possible… even unto death.

Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

When it comes to the Gods working in our life, he always finishes what he starts...

Philippians 1:6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

If we don’t remember and keep Gods word from the heart it is just legalism… which is disobedience. God wants his children to live lives of great joy in him because we remember his word and follow him from the heart.