BOASTING
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Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
Memory Verse
For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
Boasting is what we call self-sufficency.
Self-sufficiency is a terrible sin in the eyes of God.
The reason is because man is ever so frail, infirmed, corruptible, and subject to disease, accident, heart attacks, and death at the snap of a finger.
Yet despite his frailty and the uncertainty of his life, man still ignores God and walks upon earth as though his future is totally in his hands.
This philosophy is known as humanism.
Humanism - the boast that man is the ultimate being in control of his life and fate.
Such a boast is utter foolishness when man is nothing more than a speck compared to God, our all-knowing and all-powerful Creator.
Humanism which is boasting is so unreasonable and illogical that it is totally unworthy of a thinking and honest being.
Yet it is the very position and philosophy, the very lifestyle chosen by so many people even christian quote unquote.
SELF-SUFFICIENCY IS PLANNING WITHOUT GOD
Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:
There is nothing wrong with making plans.
We should plan and prepare for the future. In fact, we should never fail to take the time to plan.
Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
But planning before we act is not what this Scripture is talking about; it is warning us not to plan without God.
Despite the warning of Scripture—and Scripture gives warning after warning—most people plan their lives without God.
They plan as if their own wills and desires control the destiny of life.
Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:
How many plan, yet in all their planning do not consider God—not to the point of making sure that it is His will and making sure that they acknowledge Him in all their ways.
But why not?
Why does man not acknowledge God as he lays plans and walks through his plans?
Because of self-sufficiency
Most people just feel little need for God.
They feel that their destiny lies in their hands; that they control their future. They feel that their future depends upon their own …
The point is this: people feel self-sufficient, perfectly capable of handling their own life. Therefore, we often put little meaningful trust in God. Until our plans falls completely apart.
Again, we not only should, but must plan life and work while on earth.
It is the only way to fulfill our purpose for being on earth.
But we must seek God’s will and guidance, help and care, and acknowledge God as we plan and live out our plans.
Boast not thyself of to morrow;
For thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
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ILLUSTRATION:
The joke is told of a farmer who went to sell a cow. As he passed his neighbor,the farmer told of his big plans. He said, “I am going to sell this cow, put some of the money in the bank, buy a big meal for myself and a present for my wife.” His wise neighbor cautioned, “Dear friend, you should say, ‘If the Lord wills, you will do these things.’” “Oh, I am going to do them all right. I have my cow right here and off I go,” the farmer said. Later, the farmer came back beaten, bruised and bleeding, with his clothes torn. “What happened?!” the neighbor asked. “I was robbed and they took my cow,” the farmer said. “Well, what are you going to do now, go home?” his neighbor asked. “If the Lords wills,” the farmer replied.
It is easy for us to laugh at the farmer in this joke. But all of us have foolishly acted in the same manner.
We have made big plans, felt confident and able, only to have the events in our life change everything. Our first course of action should always be to consult God.
SELF-SUFFICIENCY IS BOASTING, BRAGGING, AND ARROGANCE
But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.
The word “boastings” means an empty boaster