Tag: boasting

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10.12.24. Deaf Ears

2 Cor 9 Repetitive words

How often do we hear a parent repeat an instruction until the recipient blocks their ears to hear. Sometimes we fall into this trap and repeat and repeat our instructions and then wonder why someone does not respond! They have literally turned a deaf ear to our words! Paul didn’t want to fall into that trap, but it seems that he has because he notes: “But I am sending these brothers so that our boasting about you may not be empty in this case, so that you may be ready just as I kept telling them.“ [ 2 Cor 9:3]  Paul is saying, I have been broadcasting your obedience, so don’t let me down. That is a subtle warning to remind them that they were eager, but He reminded them that eagerness is only as good as one’s preparation. He is asking; are they now prepared to share their gift with the collectors? 

Lesson for us is your actions speak louder than your words and my words fall far from the mark if my listeners do not obey. 

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Boasting about God

What are you boasting in?

Jeremiah 7 -9 The heart of God and the heart of Jeremiah.

God has revealed to Jeremiah the sin of his people. They are hypocrites and have a hard heart. Jeremiah reminds them that these are the two things God hates and He will bring judgment on them because they refuse to listen and obey. At the end of chapter nine, Jeremiah reminds them that if you want to be wise and you want to glory, then look and see if you are demonstrating God’s character. What then can we “brag” or boast about? It is this: “God chose what is low and despised in the world, what is regarded as nothing, to set aside what is regarded as something, so that no one can boast in his presence” [1Cor 1:28]

 “Wise people should not boast that they are wise. Powerful people should not boast that they are powerful. Rich people should not boast that they are rich.  If people want to boast, they should boast about this: They should boast that they understand and know me. They should boast that they know and understand that I, the Lord, act out of faithfulness, fairness, and justice in the earth and that I desire people to do these things,” says the Lord. [Jer. 9:23-24]

These are the characteristics of the Lord that stand in contrast to what men boast in. What are you boasting in this a.m.?

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Bragging Rights?

Jeremiah 9:23 “What Do You Boast In”

jeremiah 9 boasting2a

One of my favorite TV shows is Chopped where contestants are given sundry food items from which they are to craft a dish in a prescribed time frame. Then the taste test begins and with each round the judges “chop” one contestant until there is only one left. To that person goes the “bragging rights” along with a financial reward.

As believers we are not in a contest nor do we have to fear being “chopped” but do we have bragging rights? Jeremiah says unequivocally no!  We have no bragging rights to ‘our” wisdom, power or wealth. We may be wise, but it is only partial for God knows all. Power or strength is temporary or someone else will prove stronger than us. Wealth ebbs and flows with the market and it cannot buy love joy or peace and even wise people die and leave their wealth to others.

What then can we “brag” or boast about? It is this: “God chose what is low and despised in the world, what is regarded as nothing, to set aside what is regarded as something, so that no one can boast in his presence” [1Cor 1] To have a personal relationship with the living God is something we can boast about. God says boast that we know and understand the attributes of God of faithfulness, fairness, and justice.

We haven’t been “chopped.” Go and brag about God each and every day giving Him the glory He deserves.

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