I Don’t Mean to Brag But…

Jeremiah 9: ²³ This is what the Lord says:

“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom
    or the strong boast of their strength
    or the rich boast of their riches,
²⁴ but let the one who boasts boast about this:
    that they have the understanding to know me,
that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness,
    justice and righteousness on earth,
    for in these I delight,”
declares the Lord.

============

After my meeting I asked “How do I get promoted.” “Manage upward” was the reply. “What does that mean?” I asked. “It’s a subtle way of telling your accomplishments without going overboard. Do this regularly and you will get ahead.” “Hmmm, I wonder if this would work everywhere.”

• There were times that I would brag about “my” accomplishments.
• There were times that I would speak about what “I” had done through “my” strength.
• There were times that I would talk about “my” wisdom so I could get ahead.

Boasting about my accomplishments in a subtle way worked. I moved up the ladder only to find the top floor filled with people who did the same. Egos ran rampant and after a while we were all “managing upwards” to ourselves, never once acknowledging GOD’s hand.

• GOD wants me to brag about the wonderful relationship I have with HIM.
• GOD wants me to boast about the LORD’s kindness.
• GOD wants me to show off HIS justice and righteousness everywhere I go.

Pointing my life towards me only yields temporary applause on earth. People will smile and give me accolades one day and move far away from me the next. GOD wants me to point my life towards HIS. HE delights when I bring more and more people to HIM and desires that I not be silent about my relationship with HIM. HE has shown me kindness beyond anything I could imagine. HE is a wonderful GOD!

• Are you trying to be in the spotlight?
• Do you feel it necessary to be recognized by everyone?
• Can you point your life towards GOD by giving HIM the credit for “your” accomplishments?
• Will you tell others about HIS kindness towards you?

Is GOD watching?

Exodus 32: ⁷ The Lord spoke to Moses. He said, “Go down. Your people you brought up out of Egypt have become very sinful.⁸ They have quickly turned away from what I commanded them. They have made themselves a statue of a god that looks like a calf. They have bowed down and sacrificed to it. And they have said, ‘Israel, here is your god who brought you up out of Egypt.’

⁹ “I have seen those people,” the Lord said to Moses. “They are stubborn. ¹⁰ Now leave me alone. My anger will burn against them. I will destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.”

============

News traveled to me quickly that the Resident Advisor was going to be gone over the weekend. “Really” I said in a planning fashion. It seemed like people were just asking me to do something. I hopped in my old jalopy, picked up some “friends” and we proceeded to the liquor store. My roommate and I counted twenty one phone calls were made to our room in a ten minute span.

• When no one is watching it seems so easy to sin.
• When authority is missing it seems so easy to go down the wrong path.
• When people aren’t looking it seems like sin won’t really hurt.

Sin seems like so much fun at the time. With frolicking and laughter, sin penetrates my heart and inserts a tiny bit of yeast which grows into a stony tree. Fortunately GOD did something about this.

• GOD saw how rotten my heart can be so HE died for me.
• GOD saw all of my sins and HE created me anyway to die for me.
• GOD saw my shortcomings and HE saw something worth rescuing so HE died for me.

JESUS knows there is no one who is righteous but HIM.  I can pretend I am not a sinner but when I do GOD is not in me. HE wants me to admit the many flaws I have in hopes that others will do the same and accept HIS gift of salvation.

• Are you aware GOD is watching you?
• Are you busy pointing at someone else rather than admitting the sin you commit?
• Can you be honest with GOD and allow HIM to work out your situation?

Feeling Forgiven

Exodus 26: ³³ Hang the curtain from the hooks.

“Place the ark of the covenant behind the curtain. The curtain will separate the Holy Room from the Most Holy Room.³⁴ Put the cover on the ark of the covenant in the Most Holy Room. The cover will be the place where sin is paid for.

============

As I told one lie it seemed only fitting to tell another.  How in the world could my parents tell that I was lying? I mean the first response of “I don’t know” should have been sufficient. Why were they asking me so many questions? Can’t this incident just be done?

• Many times I want forgiveness without admitting I did something wrong.
• Many times I want forgiveness without understanding consequence.
• Many times I want forgiveness without having to face the fact that I am flawed.

The initial covenant between mankind and GOD included a lot of conditions, like a special ceremony for confession of sin. GOD designed a special place that humans were supposed to enter with extreme caution and reverence.  Confession of sin was the main focus and it had to be done the right way, with the shedding of blood from a sacrifice. Do I need to do this?

• GOD did away with the sacrifices to HIM because HE sacrificed HIMSELF for me.
• GOD no longer needs the blood of an animal because HE used HIS own blood to pay for my sins.
• GOD does not need me to carry around stone tablets because HE placed HIS law in my heart.

One of my major battles is “feeling forgiven” rather than “:knowing I am forgiven.” Yes I know CHRIST died for me but sometimes I don’t “feel” it. GOD says “I will be with you always” and that lets me know I am forgiven. The laws in my heart battle with the ways of the world.

The battle wants me to doubt GOD’s everlasting love so I mistakenly seek “feeling” forgiveness with my own made up blinded criteria. GOD says to me “you are forgiven” and that’s all I need!

• Are you down on yourself?
• Are you feeling neglected rather than victorious?
• Can you stop believing the lie and start believing that GOD does care for you?
• Won’t you help others believe GOD cares for them?

The blame game

Genesis 3: ⁹ But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

¹⁰ He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”

¹¹ And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”

¹² The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”

¹³ Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”

The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

============

Laughter filled the room as we tossed the couch pillows around. I had no idea how we started but this was fun until we heard the dreadful sound. “Crash” resounded and our laughter turned into fear.  We had broken a vase in the living room.  

Why did my parents have this vase here anyway? I mean it didn’t have flowers or anything in it. We got the only tape we could find, electrical tape. We taped the large pieces together in hopes of not being caught. “Who broke this vase?” they exclaimed. “I don’t know” was our answer.

• When I don’t accept responsibility for my actions I blame other people, attempting to avoid consequences.
• When I don’t accept responsibility for my actions I blame the one who is in authority because their rules are the problem.
• When I don’t accept responsibility for my actions I blame my situation because without it I would obviously be in better shape.

It’s amazing how fast I blame everything else but me when I sin.  It was my parents or my lack of wealth or the professor or the school or that mean person that caused my downfall. GOD wants me to see the situation differently.

• GOD wants me to own up to my sins because this way I can be cleansed.
• GOD wants me to admit my life is headed in the wrong direction unless I believe in HIS SON.
• GOD wants me to confess my wrongs to HIM.

When I blame everyone including GOD, I miss out on the opportunity to grow.  Yes I may avoid a little consequence but failure is my prize when I go down that path. GOD wants me to own up to my sin and this way I can be healed.

• Are you blaming someone else for your circumstances?
• Do you believe your life would be different if it weren’t for “this” person?
• Can’t you open your eyes to see what you’ve contributed to the situation?
• Can you be bigger than “that” person and forgive them?

Being stubborn

Revelation 9: ²⁰ But the people who did not die in these plagues still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God. They continued to worship demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood—idols that can neither see nor hear nor walk! ²¹ And they did not repent of their murders or their witchcraft or their sexual immorality or their thefts.

============

“Wow!” I thought to myself as I read these words.  What encouragement could I get from these words? I mean it seems like a hopeless situation for all humans. What good could possibly come out of this predicted situation?

Here are a few things I realize…

• GOD is giving me plenty of time to turn to HIM.
• GOD is giving me ample notice to turn to HIM.
• GOD is giving me full warning that if I do not turn to HIM HE will turn against me.

Many times I only want to see the loving, “forgive and forget” side of GOD, this way I can continue in the sin I desire to remain in.  I convince myself that there are no consequences for my actions because “HE will forgive me anyway.” There is a better way to look at this “win lose” situation.

• GOD understands I will sin the rest of my life but loves when I make every attempt to seek HIM.
• GOD knows when I feel like being greedy but loves when I finally sacrifice.
• GOD sees when I doubt HIM but loves when I place my dependence on HIM.
• GOD watches me try to justify my lusts but loves when I focus my energy on HIM.

The great news is JESUS did save me from myself. HE knew I would never turn to HIM so HE took the eternal consequences of my sin but that doesn't mean my relative consequence goes away.  I mean if I were to rob a bank and get shot in the process then my consequence for my action would be served.

I do not profess to understand why every sin I do is not met with immediate consequence, in fact it scares me. I do know that when I turn to GOD I am blessed ever time!

• Are you doing something GOD doesn't want you to do?
• Is your heart getting hard toward “that” person?
• Even though you are forgiven for all sins, can you turn away from some of them sometimes?
• Won’t you put your trust in GOD and know HE forgives?

When I’m weak HE is strong

2 Corinthians 11: ³⁰ If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.

============

“This is my year” I thought to myself. The promotion would be mine because our team worked hard and we delivered on time and well within budget. Now it was time to tell people about our accomplishments. Every year we would do performance appraisals and I listed all the things “I” oops “we” had accomplished.

When I didn’t get the promotion a mentor told me I need to learn how to brag about myself without sounding like I’m bragging. I wonder if GOD wants me to do this.

• When I brag about myself I’m seeking approval from people who may not have my best interest in mind.
• When I boast about my accomplishments I overlook the one who made them come true.
• When I brag about my actions I may be trying to cover up flaws.

Boasting draws the attention to me and once everyone is watching, I need to keep on boasting otherwise they will see my broken parts. This vicious cycle does not work well with the LORD because I leave HIM out of the picture.

• When I show others my weaknesses it takes their eyes off of me and puts them on the LORD.
• When I show others my defects it enables others to bring their defects to the LORD.
• When I show others my problems it opens the door for people with the same problem to give it to the LORD.

“Why am I bragging” is the question I had to ask myself. Is it to get another award or accolade? Do I feel better when others celebrate “my” accomplishments? Well, to tell the truth I believed bragging was my way to the top. BUT GOD wants me to use the light inside of me to focus the attention on HIS SON.

HE doesn’t want me to be proud of my weaknesses rather HE wants me to openly admit I have them and HE is the forgiver and gives me eternal life. He wants my weakness to point to HIS strength.

• Are you busy trying to be something in front of people?
• Are you seeking approval from people who cannot see GOD inside of you?
• Can you stop trying to seek human approval and seek GOD’s blessings?
• Will you open yourself up to show your weaknesses so you don’t have to hide any longer?

Bragging about sin

1 Corinthians 5: ⁶ Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.7 8 

============

“They’ll never know that I took the key” I said to myself. We’ll have our fun, clean up and no one will be wise to our antics. Since I was the office clerk I had access to all the keys in the dorm. This went on for a while and soon I got sloppy and began to brag about how much fun we were having.

The news spread and soon we had too many people for our little hide away. Complaints surfaced and I had caused problems. My explanation was, “We were only trying to have a ‘little’ fun!”

• When I’m acting opposite of GOD’s ways I want a crowd to make me feel good.
• When I’m doing things GOD would not appreciate I want others to say I’m doing well.
• When I’m thinking GOD won’t mind what I do I seek accolades from people involved in the same sin I’m doing.

GOD wants me to examine myself and “get rid of the old yeast” or stop trying to hang with the ways of this world.  It’s tough to go against the tide and the world is asking me to let go of things sacred to GOD.  The world wants me to be greedy, lustful, sensual, and power hungry always seeking the finer things in life.

All of the items I mentioned are like little pieces of “yeast” that rises in the dough of my soul causing me to go deeper and deeper into sin. Soon I woke up questioning GOD, questioning HIS power and I was headed down the path of questioning HIS existence. Fortunately for me, HE had a better plan than the destructive one I wanted.

• Is there some “little” sin you are bragging about perhaps on some social network?
• Are you telling the girls or the guys about your escapades?
• Can you ask yourself if your actions or words are pleasing to GOD?
• Can you back off of “that” sin at least once today for GOD?