I love this verse! Look at how precise it is…
1 Corinthians 4:7 (NLT)
“What do you have that God hasn’t GIVEN you? And if everything you have is from God, why BOAST as though it were not a GIFT?”
Hahaha!
God doesn’t mess around does He?
Any questions?
Think about this: why do we boast as though it were not a gift?
Everything has been given to us from God.
Colossians 1:16 (NLT)
For through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him.
It’s all been made by Jesus and for Jesus.
We own nothing. It’s all a gift from God.
James 1:17 says, “Every good and perfect gift comes down from heaven.”
Everything is a gift. So we have no room to boast about anything.
Not our possessions, jobs, businesses, companies, clients, projects, success – nothing!
God stripped Gideon’s army down to barely nothing so they would not boast:
Judges 7:2-24 (NLT)
”The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will BOAST to me that they saved themselves by their own strength. Therefore, tell the people, ‘Whoever is timid or afraid may leave this mountain and go home.’” So 22,000 of them went home, leaving only 10,000 who were willing to fight. But the Lord told Gideon, “There are still too many! Bring them down to the spring, and I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not.” When Gideon took his warriors down to the water, the Lord told him, “Divide the men into two groups. In one group put all those who cup water in their hands and lap it up with their tongues like dogs. In the other group put all those who kneel down and drink with their mouths in the stream.” Only 300 of the men drank from their hands. All the others got down on their knees and drank with their mouths in the stream. The Lord told Gideon, “With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home.” So Gideon collected the provisions and rams’ horns of the other warriors and sent them home. But he kept the 300 men with him. The Midianite camp was in the valley just below Gideon. That night the Lord said, “Get up! Go down into the Midianite camp, for I have given you victory over them! But if you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah. Listen to what the Midianites are saying, and you will be greatly encouraged. Then you will be eager to attack.” So Gideon took Purah and went down to the edge of the enemy camp. The armies of Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east had settled in the valley like a swarm of locusts. Their camels were like grains of sand on the seashore—too many to count! Gideon crept up just as a man was telling his companion about a dream. The man said, “I had this dream, and in my dream a loaf of barley bread came tumbling down into the Midianite camp. It hit a tent, turned it over, and knocked it flat!” His companion answered, “Your dream can mean only one thing—God has given Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite, victory over Midian and all its allies!” When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship before the Lord. Then he returned to the Israelite camp and shouted, “Get up! For the Lord has given you victory over the Midianite hordes!” He divided the 300 men into three groups and gave each man a ram’s horn and a clay jar with a torch in it. Then he said to them, “Keep your eyes on me. When I come to the edge of the camp, do just as I do. As soon as I and those with me blow the rams’ horns, blow your horns, too, all around the entire camp, and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon!’” It was just after midnight, after the changing of the guard, when Gideon and the 100 men with him reached the edge of the Midianite camp. Suddenly, they blew the rams’ horns and broke their clay jars. Then all three groups blew their horns and broke their jars. They held the blazing torches in their left hands and the horns in their right hands, and they all shouted, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” Each man stood at his position around the camp and watched as all the Midianites rushed around in a panic, shouting as they ran to escape. When the 300 Israelites blew their rams’ horns, the Lord caused the warriors in the camp to fight against each other with their swords. Those who were not killed fled to places as far away as Beth-shittah near Zererah and to the border of Abel-meholah near Tabbath. Then Gideon sent for the warriors of Naphtali, Asher, and Manasseh, who joined in chasing the army of Midian. Gideon also sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down to attack the Midianites. Cut them off at the shallow crossings of the Jordan River at Beth-barah.” ….
> God multiplies through subtraction
> Pruning
> Fasting
> Tithing
> Worship
Matthew 6:33 (NLT)
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
Seeking first requires denying time for yourself.
John 12:24 (NLT)
”I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives.“
All these are issues of boasting.
Psalm 34:2 (NLT)
I will BOAST only in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 1:29 (NLT)
No one can ever BOAST in the presence of God.
1 Corinthians 1:31 (NLT)
If you want to BOAST, BOAST only about the Lord.
Do you boast only in the Lord?
If you haven’t yet, I encourage you to read my 7th book: Gifts. It will help you to see all the gifts God gives to us.
I’m cheering for you… got some feedback from this blog? I’d love to hear from you!
Please join me 10am every Tuesday for The Kevin White Show. Let me know if there is any way I can serve you. I offer you my shoulders to stand on. I pray every day for God to strengthen, encourage, and comfort you. God bless you!