GREEK WORD AND VERSE: James 4:16- But as it is, you BOAST [falsely] in your presumption and your self-conceit. All such boasting is wrong. (AMP) Word: Boast - Boastings–KJV Arrogance–NASB Brag–NIV Arrogance–NKJV Your own plans–NLT Greek Spelling: ἐν ταῖς ἀλαζονείαις Practical Application: The phrase your own plans (alazoniais) means an empty boaster (A.T. Robertson. Word Pictures In The New Testament, Vol.6, p.56). That is, it is a person who boasts about something he thinks he has, but he does not really have it. He lives in an unreal world. Any person who goes through life without God isjust like this. He lives and plans, thinking that he controls his life and the future. His life is one big boast of self-sufficiency, and it is wrong, totally wrong. A thousand things can happen to change his plans—to injure him or to radically change his life and work, or to snatch his life right out of this world. Most people boast—laymen and ministers alike—boast of their work, what they have done, their ability and possessions. But note a fact seldom thought about: most boasting is not done by word of mouth. It is done by the way we live. We boast by flaunting our abilities and successes through our possessions and activities such as expensive houses, clothes and cars, exclusive clubs, friendships, and recreation. We have an urge, a tendency to boast and to be seen and recognized as better and more successful than others. And note what Scripture says: we rejoice in our boastings—that we are more successful in our work than some others. But such boastings—such pride and arrogance—are evil. Why? Because a mans ability and life are due to God and rest in the hands of God. And in addition to this: the future—tomorrow and even one hour from now—is in the hands of God. It may be a heart attack—it may be a thief—it may be an accident—it is all in the hands of God. What a person needs to do is trust God and commit all his ways into the hands of God, acknowledging Him in all things and at every turn of every day.
Posted on: Sun, 28 Sep 2014 05:21:09 +0000
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