Bragging On Jesus

Jesus told this parable in Matthew 13:44 “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. Paul said it like this: Philippians 3:8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ "You shall have no other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:3) Mark 10:21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Do you think this young mans wealth bought him great joy and satisfaction. No, verse 22 says: 22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Jesus is infinitely greater than all the treasures of the earth combined. And look, we don’t get to have two great treasures in

Proverbs In 365 Devotions For more go to braggingonjesus.com Proverbs 19:27 Cease to hear instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge. 28 A worthless witness mocks at justice, and the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity. 29 Condemnation is ready for scoffers, and beating for the backs of fools. Mock Justice Or Delight In Jesus Alright, so today we take a look at this individual who refuses to hear words of knowledge and instead believes the so called knowledge from the darkness of the world… Solomon says they devour iniquity… Selfishness, lust, sinful obsessions… This is his daily food… this is where he gets his nourishment… this fuels his life. Sin is quite the motivator isn’t it. It’s so easy to become obsessed with it. It can easily become the last thing we think about at night and the thing that gets us out of bed in the morning… So this person Solomon speaks of has set their heart fast after sin and nothing will stop them… What if trouble comes their way? Will it cause them to

Proverbs In 365 Devotions For more go to braggingonjesus.com Dealing With The Scoffer R Aylor Proverbs 19:25 Strike a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence; reprove a man of understanding, and he will gain knowledge. This verse has been a puzzle for me to some extent… not so much standing alone but in parallel with other verses in Proverbs. Well let’s take a closer look. For starters the word scoff carries with it the idea of mocking someone with ridicule. There are some people who just enjoy putting others down… In public they try to make them look foolish and ignorant and thereby hoping to look superior to them. In this verse striking a scoffer is put in parallel and contrast to reproving a man of understanding. Doing both can be beneficial. It does not indicate that the scoffer will gain instruction… I assume this is a hardened habitual scoffer and in him being stricken is instruction for those who have been watching him belittle some other person publicly. There are surly times we should stand u

Proverbs 12:25 Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad. 26 One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked leads them astray. Everyone surly agrees there is anxiety in the world… all the time no doubt but today as the corona virus tops 315,000 infected it’s clear as day. People are worried about getting sick… and for loved ones… and what will be the impact on their job and paycheck… if you have stocks… Do I have enough food, water, toilet paper? We are tempted to dwell on all the possible outcomes of the coronavirus. But in truth it’s just another day in the life of a broken world. People all over the world live our their lives in different kinds of suffering. Many live in unsanitary areas that are slums. For example you might google photos of the slums in India. There is just so much brokenness in this world. So many are diseased with things from leprosy to cancer to the coronavirus. Probably millions suffer with depression that is biological in na

Proverbs In 365 Devotions For more go to braggingonjesus.com Proverbs 12:27 Whoever is slothful will not roast his game, but the diligent man will get precious wealth. Slothful is not defined as slow It does not mean one doesn’t know It’s not another word for fun Slothfulness never hit a home run Like the man who doesn’t roast his game Or fix his roof that leaks in rain Its like he just does not care When wet he’ll simply move the chair This lazy dude will hardly move Grumbling he microwaves his food With a “what’s it to you” attitude He lives his life in such a dreadful mood But the diligent man will get precious wealth He cooks what he hunts, he paints both sides of the shelf He exercises, eats right and takes care of his health He loves his neighbor as his self So herein my friend, take the slothfulness test: Have you lost your zest? Except to rest? Have you lost the desire to do your best? Does your house stay a mess? Do you think: why should I dress? Are your mind and body both in digress? How man

Proverbs in 365 Devotions For more go to braggingonjesus.com Proverbs 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and whoever captures souls is wise. We Are All Fruit Trees R Aylor We are all fruit trees…. or like them… Did you know that? Today let’s think about what kind of fruit our life produces. Hmmm… why don’t we start by going through our daily routines and see if there are any opportunities for fruit built in to our routines. Your basic day might begin with an alarm clock dinging or singing some silly song… or you may usually get up without an alarm… Even when I set an alarm many times I get up before it goes off. Question: Do you begin your day with a prayer before you rise from your bed? If so then the first fruits of your day is to rejoice in Gods mercy, ask him for help in his mission… The fruit of him brings you life in the morning… thats what our text says right? “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life”. And the fruit shines out with worship, praise and joy even before you ri

Proverbs In 365 Devotions For more go to braggingonjesus.com Proverbs 12:12 Whoever is wicked covets the spoil of evildoers, but the root of the righteous bears fruit. 13 An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips, but the righteous escapes from trouble. 14 From the fruit of his mouth a man is satisfied with good, and the work of a man’s hand comes back to him. Satisfied Or Snared R Aylor Verse 12 mentions the root of the righteous and how it will bear fruit… and that is contrasted in the same verse with the wicked person coveting the spoils or fruit of those who do evil. Then in verse 13 we see how fruit begins bearing on the tree of the wicked man… that is… the fruit of his lips…which form traps. Solomon says he is ensnared so we find his words bring him into bondage. And then in verse 13 we find that the righteous is not snared by his own words but escapes from trouble… Finally in verse 14 Solomon continues referring to the fruit of a righteous persons lips and how this fruit which bears f

Proverbs in 365 Devotions For more go to braggingonjesus.com Proverbs:19:24 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish and will not even bring it back to his mouth. When Your Head Splashes Down Into Your Oatmeal Today Solomon is talking about a man who is just too lazy to even finish eating. Oh, it doesn’t begin that way does it? Maybe he struggled getting out of bed with faith to face the day… He lacked joy for life… Even the simple things of life… the beauty of Creation… a simple flower adorned in glory that surpassed King Solomon. How long had it been since a morning sunrise brought a smile to his heart? How long had it been since he had even been up early enough to see a sunrise? Or if he was… even if he unhappily drug himself out of bed with a feeble “woe is me”… though he may have seen the sunrise he didn’t really see it. This is the man who finds his selfish desires not in getting rich or holding great power over a people… for he has likely tried those paths… In his eyes working for a living was no

Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. 22 What is desired in a man is steadfast love, and a poor man is better than a liar. 23 The fear of the Lord leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm. Ok, there are a number of truths here… Let’s look at each one… at least what I see here briefly, and see how it fits together. 1 - 21 Many are the plans in the mind of a man, We make many plans in life… even daily and though it didn’t say; our plans are often motivated by our own selfish purposes. 2 - but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. What does it mean to stand? The Lords purpose remains in place… We might even say his purpose is sure to come to pass. Isaiah 46:8 …for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 …‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ 3 - 22 What is desired in a man is steadfast love, A man wants others to show him kindnes

Proverbs in 365 Devotions For more go to braggingonjesus.com Love To Dicipline R Aylor Proverbs 19:18 Discipline your son, for there is hope; do not set your heart on putting him to death. 19 A man of great wrath will pay the penalty, for if you deliver him, you will only have to do it again. 20 Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future. What Is The Commandment? R Aylor We see Solomon possibly speaking to his sons concerning their own sons; but clearly applicable to all. It’s interesting to me Solomon says not to set your heart on putting your son to death. I suspect most parents… even when their children break a precious item dear to you or if they almost burn down the house… (did you note the passion in my tone? I have done those things.)… Even in dire disobedience we do not want to put them to death. But if we do not give them discipline… then that is exactly what we are doing. When they disobey… If we say… no problem with no other instruction… that is not love... the

Proverbs in 365 Devotions For more go to braggingonjesus.com Proverbs 19:16 Whoever keeps the commandment keeps his life; he who despises his ways will die. 17 Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed. What Is The Commandment? R Aylor Alright, today we find Solomon speaking of the commandment in the singular… which is quite interesting i thin… and he doesn’t say whether he’s speaking of the kings command or Gods. So… whats this about? As far as whether this refers to the kings commandment or Gods command…. we have seen over and over in Proverbs so far how the physical things Solomon speaks of points to the spiritual things of God. So there is that aspect and it should not surprise us if that is the case here. As for the commandment being in the singular. I would suppose that this implies there is an underlying commandment that supports the others… A foundational commandment on which all the others hang… For the king it might be something related to how the int

Proverbs in 365 Devotions For more go to braggingonjesus.com Proverbs 19:15 Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger. Deep Sleep & Extreme Diet R Aylor What is this verse saying to us? Lets start with the first half: “Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep”. Sounds like a skit or commercial might be made out of this one: Are you tired of taking pills to in order to have a good nights rest? Why not try slothfulness or laziness as a good alternative to sleeping pills... we can train you how to be a lazy bum and attain that good deep sleep we all want. Is that the message of the text? I think not! Solomon does not mention the word good. In fact the Bible says that good sleep comes not from laziness but honest work. Eccleasties 5:12, which is likely Solomon speaking again says: Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much,... another is Proverbs 3:24 for those who walk in wisdom and discretion… it says: If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie

Proverbs in 365 Devotions For more go to braggingonjesus.com Proverbs 19:13 A foolish son is ruin to his father, and a wife’s quarreling is a continual dripping of rain. 14 House and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the Lord. Good Comes From The Lord R Aylor First let’s look at verse 13, then tie it in to verse 14. How does a foolish son become a ruin to his father? Well, it proclaims to the world that his was a bad father whether he was or not. He did not bring up his son right… He did not teach him to be a man who would do good and walk in wisdom. He brings ruin to his father by polluting his family name… We may think we will be known by our own deeds in life but people also form an opinion about us by who is in our family and even those in our close circle whom we fellowship with… These things, sometimes rightfully and other times wrongfully… still they mark us as one to make judgements about by the world. So a foolish son can be ruin to his father…. But Solomon also says

Proverbs in 365 Devotions For more go to braggingonjesus.com Proverbs 19:12 A king’s wrath is like the growling of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass. Supreme Ruler And Leader Jesus Christ R Aylor Today Solomon gives us and example of one character… A king. Being a king himself he may have been considering his own position in comparison to kings throughout the world. And to go along with this character Solomon gives us two metaphors. Let’s look at the first: “A king’s wrath is like the growling of a lion”. A king has the right to have extreme anger. It is not a sin for him especially if he is a good and just king. It’s a good thing for him to be angry with people who steal or kill or take advantage of the poor, the unlearned or those who cannot defend themselves. He is the final judge. Sometimes kings would make individual judgments against wrongs within their kingdom. If not a good king would at least set up judges who would discern truth with fairness to all concerned. But the king took resp

Proverbs in 365 Devotions For more go to braggingonjesus.com Proverbs 19:8 Whoever gets sense loves his own soul; he who keeps understanding will discover good. 9 A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will perish. 10 It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury, much less for a slave to rule over princes. 11 Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense. Good Sense To Love Ourselves R Aylor Today we have 4 verses that are somewhat related I think. And that link is something called sense. Verse 9 says the one who has it loves his own soul. Do you think it is important to love yourself? Jesus said to love your neighbor as yourself so even his words imply… I believe that we are to love ourselves if we are to love our neighbor. Verse 9 talks about the person who breathes out lies… This person does not have the wisdom to love himself because if he had the good sense and appreciation to read he would find that his lies to his neighbors will lea

Proverbs in 365 Devotions For more go to braggingonjesus.com His Poverty, Our Gain Proverbs 19:6 Many seek the favor of a generous man, and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts. 7 All a poor man’s brothers hate him; how much more do his friends go far from him! He pursues them with words, but does not have them. You may have heard the saying “It’s all about the money”. Well that's the way it works in the kingdoms of this world. We find that people in the broken world give to those who are wealthy in order to gain more for themselves. That’s how it works in politics and thats how it works with our neighbors and acquaintances. In Politics people give support including money to their chosen candidates… not with hopes to overflow their favorite nominee’s pockets with cash but to better their own pockets and those of their own families. As for our rich acquaintances, we fall into the same trap as we do in politics. We seek for them to be our friend with gifts and various forms of flattery, not for

For more go to braggingonjesus.com Short People (Being Snappy & Angry) R Aylor Randy Newman's 1977 album included a song entitled “Short People”. It was a song about prejudiced from an extreme biased lunatics viewpoint… and it was actually about people who are short in stature. But today I’d like to think about “Short People” a little differently. This month, we are to include a pun within our brag on Jesus talk and basically the whole subject and message of the sermon is the Pun. The world has way too many short people. By “short” I'm not talking about Brad Chase or Joe Espinosa... No, its not about being short in stature... these men may be some of the tallest, biggest men around these parts within the kingdom of God. I am referring to a culture of people who are short tempered... not patient with others... always in a hurry to do their well intentioned plans... One person I am talking about is myself because I fall into that “short” category quite often. I want us to look at James 1:19… and James says to

Proverbs in 365 Devotions For more go to braggingonjesus.com Proverbs 19:5 A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will not escape. Yarn Spinner R Aylor Of course this text points us to the 9th commandment in Exodus 20:16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." One might think this is referring to our life on earth and that a liar will be punished in being brought before the magistrate and sentenced… Or maybe someone who lies on the witness stand? Is the verse referring to either of these situations? Maybe Solomon, when he heard of it… punished those who breathed out lies in his kingdom. But, I suppose in every society there are liars who never stand before a court for all their false witnesses. Even in a general sense every person I suppose breathes out deception to others. We lie with our body language and the inflections of our voice every day. We deceive at work and home and to our spouse. When we allow false impressions to continue… We become experts at

Proverbs in 365 Devotions Proverbs 19:4 Wealth brings many new friends, but a poor man is deserted by his friend. ​ A Plethora Of Friends R Aylor Here is another common sense proverb. We know this truth… We see it in everyday life and in the News. When a person becomes homeless they don’t make a whole lot of new friends… they may begin to build trust among others that are in the trenches with them… but even then, not all of them… Some who are desperate even those who they may have thought were their friend steal and take advantage of them. And what about those who have recently acquired much wealth… maybe they won a sweepstakes or the lottery or received an inheritance. Yes of course… friends seem to pop out of the woodwork. Of course, these are the ways of the broken world we live in. But remember, the kingdom of God operates much differently than the world. I like the movie genre of Sci-fi and some Fantasy shows. And so I have this kind of personal analogy of the kingdom of God. I’m sure its not perfe

Taste And Tell R Aylor In want to read some and narrate some in 1st Peter chapter 1, then let verse 9 be our focus. (Note: This is not a full transcript of the audio) 1 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. Notice it says how we should long to drink spiritual things if we have tasted that the Lord is good. I will probably never know if I like certain things in the food chain. I don’t recall tasting cottage cheese, cauliflower or buttermilk… maybe I did as a child but don’t remember. Oysters, snake, rat, armadillo… My brother Jon is braver than anyone I know in this category and will try just about anything. If you have tasted the goodness of God in Jesus… If he has shown you what it means that he is good news for your sin… If he has opened your eyes to see him as beautiful and the greatest treasure in the Universe a