Daily Bible Study

Tweet

Day 208 Proverbs 20:14 Proverbs 20:14 It is naught, it is naught, says the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasts. Haggling is still done in many parts of the world. The buyer will make an offer on something and the seller will counter it until they come to a satisfactory price for both parties. I saw my son use the technique when he bought his car last year. The seller wasn’t going to accept his offer, but when my son was ready to walk away, the seller agreed. The seller wants the sale more than they want to see someone walk away. When all is said, and done, both will boast about the price they got for the item and the price they paid for it. Haggling was common in Bible times. It was an art. Abraham haggled for the tomb of his wife Sarah, Boaz haggled for Ruth, Solomon’s brother haggled for the woman who was his father’s concubine at the end of his life, and lost that wager. Solomon refused to haggle. Instead he had his brother killed for making such an offer. One must be careful what he is haggling for, it could cost him more than he bargained for. Even Esther haggled for her people and Haman lost his life in the bargain. Artaxerxes wasn’t going to give up his wife, and Esther wasn’t going to give up her people. For Christians, God made a bargain for the souls of mankind, and Satan accepted his offer. The price was Jesus’ death for our souls. What a bargain! Ultimately Satan lost that bargain, because Jesus rose from the dead, crushing his hopes of sealing the souls of mankind for himself. God doesn’t lose wagers, he wins them, at any cost. It just so happened that the cost was the blood of his son for our souls. Have you accepted the price of God’s wager for your life? Can you boast in your salvation? David said his boast was in the LORD. Psalm 34:2 My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. (KJV) Paul had this to say about boasting. 2 Corinthians 10:12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. 13 But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you. 14 For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ: 15 Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men’s labors; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly, 16 To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s line of things made ready to our hand. 17 But he that glories, let him glory in the Lord. 18 For not he that commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends. Your boast is in God and your Lord Jesus Christ. It was God’s bargain that brought your salvation. It was his bargain that raised Jesus from the dead. It was his bargain that allows the Holy Spirit to draw you to himself through the shed blood of his Son on the cross. It was because Satan lost the bargain and cannot boast in you, that he will do everything he can to steal, kill, and destroy everything you have. He cannot win if you are boasting in the Lord. Let’s pray: Father, let me boast in you. You provided my salvation through the death, burial, and resurrection of your Son, Jesus. Let me tell the world what you have done, boasting in all you have done for me through Jesus, your Son. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen. Copyright © 4 April 2017 by Valerie Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay