Passage of the Day: James 3: 13 … Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
My Journal for Today: New month … new topic; and for my acknowledged benefit, in November, again following John MacArthur’s devotional book, Strength for Today, as we have been this year, we will undertake a study of an element in life which should be highly pursued by all Christians; … and that is WISDOM from God (see Proverbs 4: 7). And MacArthur, in his focus on Christian wisdom, will be using many passages this month from the Book of James in the New Testament; and I like his statement from today’s devotional entry, “Wisdom is the art of living skillfully.” And today’s passage from James, the historically postulated half-brother of Jesus, is God’s challenge for believers to seek God’s way of living, through wisdom and understanding.
Above, I refer my co-readers to Proverbs 4: 7. >>> Did you look it up? [BTW, I do put these referral scriptures in my entries not only for myself – but also for you who might be reading and meditating along with me!] Well, if you haven’t searched it out, here’s what it says: Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Now, I don’t know about you; but that passage hits me where it lives. God is saying, through His Holy Word, …and through James the Just in the NT as well as Solomon in the OT, that wisdom is a value and an element of life to be pursued above most, if not all, other human intellectual and/or emotional pursuits.
We all have opinions about life, which lead to our choices and our actions. [see NKJV – Prov. 23: 7] Even the fool, as MacArthur points out on this date in his devotional, will claim to be making wise choices. However, James wrote that only the “understanding” that comes from God can be identified as the wisdom that directs the truly wise person to make Godly choices. That true believer will be the one, as today’s verse exclaims, who exhibits good behavior [i.e., Godly choices and actions] with the humility and meekness of Godly insight. He (she) will also be the gentle believer who becomes a specialist at finding and living the Godly life, … the one who can/will be TRULY WISE [i.e., “Godly wise”].
My personal aspiration is to become one who seeks diligently to find God’s way and His will through this minefield we call life, being guided by God’s primary direction finder, … His word; and then I ardently desire to walk with meekness/humility, prayerfully unscathed following the footsteps of my Savior (see James 1: 5 – 6, Luke 9: 23, and Prov. 3: 5 – 6).
What about you? Is this a serious pursuit for you as well? If so, come along with me this month; and we will pursue the very mind of God together.
My Prayer Today: Lord, show me Your way … I will live it. Amen
Showing posts with label wisdom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wisdom. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 01, 2011
Monday, May 17, 2010
2010 – May 17 – Wising Up, … the Hard Way
Study from God’s Word… Prov. 22: 17 – 21; Prov. 1: 1 – 7; Prov. 25: 1; Prov. 9: 10 – 12; Prov. 10: 27; Prov. 14: 2, 26-27; Prov. 15: 33; Prov. 29: 23; Prov. 28: 14; Prov. 3: 5 – 8; Prov. 14: 12 [16: 25]; Prov. 16: 3, 20; Prov. 18: 2, 4, 10; Prov. 19: 3; Prov. 20: 24; Prov. 21: 22; Prov. 26: 12; Prov. 28: 26; Prov. 29: 25; Prov. 15: 3; Prov. 16: 1, 4, 9, 33; Prov. 19: 21; Prov. 21: 30-31; Prov. 22: 12; Prov. 27: 1; Prov 13: 14; Prov. 15: 24; Prov. 16: 22: Prov. 17: 13; Prov. 24: 7, 13-14; Prov. 26: 4 – 11; Prov. 27: 22; Prov. 29: 9; Prov. 10: 13, 23; Prov. 13: 15; Prov. 14: 6, 8, 15, 33; Prov. 15: 21; Prov. 16: 16; Prov. 17: 24; Prov. 20: 5, 12; Prov. 10: 14; Prov. 13: 16; Prov. 14: 18; Prov. 15: 14; Prov. 18: 15; Prov. 19: 2; Prov. 20: 15; Prov. 21: 11; Prov. 23: 12; Prov. 24: 14 … Passage for Reflection: Proverbs 1: 7… NIV 7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
My Journal for Today: The proverbs, which I read this morning and documented by number above, were pre-organized by Dr. Smith for the disciple’s study into various topics related to wisdom, … topics such as … The Purpose of the Proverbs, Fear of the Lord, Trust in God, Divine Providence, Wisdom Versus Folly, Dealing with Fools, Discernment and Understanding, and Knowledge. It would have taken me a long, long time to organize these proverbs into study topics like this; so I’m deeply indebted to the work F. LaGard Smith has done in his Daily Bible in Chronological Order so that seekers such as I can read through God’s Proverbs in topical order like this. It makes it so much easier to glean truth and personal application through such a study; and today’s highlight verse zeroes in on one truth which cannot – and must not – be ignored by disciples of Christ; and that is the connection between fear (i.e., “fear of the Lord”) and discipline.
Ugh! “Discipline!!!” That concept just seems to resonate with negative emotions, doesn’t it? We think of being afraid of our parents when we were naughty because of the “discipline” which might (and often did) result. Or we think of all that dedication and “discipline” an Olympic athlete, like a Michael Phelps, had to have to become a Gold Medal winner, … let alone one who wins eight of those suckers.
Yes, “discipline” seems such a hard thing to take; and the concept of “fear,” also found in today’s highlight passage, is another concept which resonates with negative. Yet, like “discipline,” the idea of fear can have enormously positive implications. It is fear of harm which keeps us from doing impulsive and foolish things, isn’t it (or shouldn’t it be)? And it is “fear” and “discipline” which, when applied to one’s life, leads one to excellence, as it did for Phelps swimming for all those gold medals.
So, the question becomes, “How do I apply the FEAR OF THE LORD to my life in a way that I will apply the DISCIPLINE I need to obey Him, serve Him, and glorify Him?” And that’s a matter of faith and belief, isn’t it? If we believe God’s word, which implies the discipline of knowing God’s truth from His word, we will do what God says; and that requires the discipline to read, learn, and apply the precepts found in the Bible to our lives. My challenge has always been CHOOSING to believe that the outcomes are worth the effort it takes to reverence my God – through His truth – enough to dig it out, interpret it for my life, and then to apply it to what I choose to do. And in that process I will become a worthy and effective DISCIPLE (the core of “discipline”) for Christ … OR NOT!!!
I can only pray that I believe and choose to live as a Proverbs 1: 7 disciple of Christ, making Him the Lord all I think, say, and do.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, You know my heart; and I do fear You because I know how much You have loved me by dying for me. And oh, how my reverence leads me to know You more today than yesterday … and even more tomorrow than today. Amen
My Journal for Today: The proverbs, which I read this morning and documented by number above, were pre-organized by Dr. Smith for the disciple’s study into various topics related to wisdom, … topics such as … The Purpose of the Proverbs, Fear of the Lord, Trust in God, Divine Providence, Wisdom Versus Folly, Dealing with Fools, Discernment and Understanding, and Knowledge. It would have taken me a long, long time to organize these proverbs into study topics like this; so I’m deeply indebted to the work F. LaGard Smith has done in his Daily Bible in Chronological Order so that seekers such as I can read through God’s Proverbs in topical order like this. It makes it so much easier to glean truth and personal application through such a study; and today’s highlight verse zeroes in on one truth which cannot – and must not – be ignored by disciples of Christ; and that is the connection between fear (i.e., “fear of the Lord”) and discipline.
Ugh! “Discipline!!!” That concept just seems to resonate with negative emotions, doesn’t it? We think of being afraid of our parents when we were naughty because of the “discipline” which might (and often did) result. Or we think of all that dedication and “discipline” an Olympic athlete, like a Michael Phelps, had to have to become a Gold Medal winner, … let alone one who wins eight of those suckers.
Yes, “discipline” seems such a hard thing to take; and the concept of “fear,” also found in today’s highlight passage, is another concept which resonates with negative. Yet, like “discipline,” the idea of fear can have enormously positive implications. It is fear of harm which keeps us from doing impulsive and foolish things, isn’t it (or shouldn’t it be)? And it is “fear” and “discipline” which, when applied to one’s life, leads one to excellence, as it did for Phelps swimming for all those gold medals.
So, the question becomes, “How do I apply the FEAR OF THE LORD to my life in a way that I will apply the DISCIPLINE I need to obey Him, serve Him, and glorify Him?” And that’s a matter of faith and belief, isn’t it? If we believe God’s word, which implies the discipline of knowing God’s truth from His word, we will do what God says; and that requires the discipline to read, learn, and apply the precepts found in the Bible to our lives. My challenge has always been CHOOSING to believe that the outcomes are worth the effort it takes to reverence my God – through His truth – enough to dig it out, interpret it for my life, and then to apply it to what I choose to do. And in that process I will become a worthy and effective DISCIPLE (the core of “discipline”) for Christ … OR NOT!!!
I can only pray that I believe and choose to live as a Proverbs 1: 7 disciple of Christ, making Him the Lord all I think, say, and do.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, You know my heart; and I do fear You because I know how much You have loved me by dying for me. And oh, how my reverence leads me to know You more today than yesterday … and even more tomorrow than today. Amen
Sunday, May 16, 2010
2010 – May 16 – Calling All Nincompoops
Study from God’s Word… Proverbs topically presented … WISDOM … Proverbs 8: 1 – 36; Prov. 9: 1 - 6; Prov. 2: 1 – 22; Prov. 3: 13 – 24; Prov. 1: 20 – 33; Prov. 9: 13 – 18; and Prov. 4: 1 – 27 … Passage for Reflection: Proverbs 9: 13 - 17… NIV 13 The woman Folly is loud; she is undisciplined and without knowledge. 14 She sits at the door of her house, on a seat at the highest point of the city, 15 calling out to those who pass by, who go straight on their way. 16 "Let all who are simple come in here!" she says to those who lack judgment. 17 "Stolen water is sweet; food eaten in secret is delicious!"
My Journal for Today: I must admit that I was drawn by curiosity to the title of today’s devotional entry by Dr. Smith as he takes his readers into the book of wisdom which we call PROVERBS. Ordering and editing these poetic reflections on life, mostly authored by Solomon, Smith uses topical divisions for the daily reading segments to help his readers focus on the wisdom being presented by the various proverbial authors. And he begins with probably one the major themes Solomon reflected on in these poems; and that was the essence of “wisdom,” hence today’s title which points, maybe too personally for me, to the opposite of the wise man … that of being what we humans often call … “The Nincompoop (aka, “the fool”).”
Smith helps us see that Solomon uses a word picture to depict a battle between two women, who personify “Wisdom” and “Folly” by his writings. These early proverbs I believe were written during a point of Godly discernment, early in Solomon’s life, when he had sons whom he needed to impart the wisdom God had given to him as king [and of course, as a father as well]. Later in his life, however, we read, for example in Ecclesiastes, how Solomon had become a very cynical man, one who had recognized himself becoming the fool he wrote about in Proverbs while trying to have his progeny avoid such foolishness. But here in Proverbs, inspired by God’s Spirit, we read Solomon writing about the woman, “Wisdom,” whom we are to pursue and the enchantress, “Folly,” whom his sons (and we) should avoid.
Wisdom, as Smith teaches, is the straight up teacher of truth, lauding Godly virtues and promoting knowledge and understanding Folly, on the other hand, is a cunning liar who makes wrong seem right. As Smith puts it, Folly “… knowing that if simpletons fall tor her ridiculous ploy, they will fall for anything.” And all you have to do is look into the headlines of today to see the battle between Wisdom and Folly being played out in our world.
The question becomes, “Who believes he (or she) is following Wisdom; and who is falling for Folly?” And Smith is right; it is the classic battle of life; truth versus falsehood, good versus evil, and right versus wrong. As Smith asks, “Why anyone would side with Folly is a mystery?” Maybe it’s because others can’t see that they fall for the con game of “Folly,” not being able to see the truth of “Wisdom.” And I’m afraid that lack of discernment will be with us into eternity, guided by those who ultimately have, by their choice of faith, received the Holy Spirit to allow the Godly wise to avoid the worldly folly.
But having made this choice in life and having been one who followed “folly” in my past, I can now see the fate of the “simple,” who cannot discern Folly from Wisdom. As Smith refers, we, who know Christ, and have the advantage of Godly discernment, might have weak moments of human follow. And too often we may make reference to those in the world who don’t get it, as being “simple-minded” as a “dimwit, dunce, dumbbell, ignoramus, moron, knucklehead or a nincompoop!” Hopefully we avoid such invective name calling; but I have to admit that what I see now as a Christian makes me rail with pain when I see so many falling for those, representing “Folly,” who spout untruth, selling it as truth. They are those which call bad, good and wrong, right; and people fall for it. My wife often says, “You just can cure dumb!” And she is so, so right.
For so many years I was one of those “nincompoops,” dumbly following “Folly” in the public arena of life; and being the gullible sort I am, I was a pretty easy prey for Satan and his minions, who were leading me so deftly and coyly down the path to eternal damnation. But so fortunately for me, the lady, “Wisdom,” came into my life, speaking the truth God had her to speak to me through other Christians who followed her truthful path. And I was slain by the Spirit of Christ, Who came after me as the Hound of Heaven, allowing me to see His Gospel Truth; … and allowing me to make the decision to see His truth wrapped in His lady, “Wisdom.” And from April 13, 1983 until the present I have been pursuing “Wisdom” rather than falling for “Folly.”
I pray that is your path as well.
My Prayer for Today: Oh, Lord, help me to continue to be able to see Your truth and avoid the world’s ways as I delve deeply into Your word, where I know I will always find Your will for my life, allowing me to follow Your light and to avoid the darkness of the world. Amen
My Journal for Today: I must admit that I was drawn by curiosity to the title of today’s devotional entry by Dr. Smith as he takes his readers into the book of wisdom which we call PROVERBS. Ordering and editing these poetic reflections on life, mostly authored by Solomon, Smith uses topical divisions for the daily reading segments to help his readers focus on the wisdom being presented by the various proverbial authors. And he begins with probably one the major themes Solomon reflected on in these poems; and that was the essence of “wisdom,” hence today’s title which points, maybe too personally for me, to the opposite of the wise man … that of being what we humans often call … “The Nincompoop (aka, “the fool”).”
Smith helps us see that Solomon uses a word picture to depict a battle between two women, who personify “Wisdom” and “Folly” by his writings. These early proverbs I believe were written during a point of Godly discernment, early in Solomon’s life, when he had sons whom he needed to impart the wisdom God had given to him as king [and of course, as a father as well]. Later in his life, however, we read, for example in Ecclesiastes, how Solomon had become a very cynical man, one who had recognized himself becoming the fool he wrote about in Proverbs while trying to have his progeny avoid such foolishness. But here in Proverbs, inspired by God’s Spirit, we read Solomon writing about the woman, “Wisdom,” whom we are to pursue and the enchantress, “Folly,” whom his sons (and we) should avoid.
Wisdom, as Smith teaches, is the straight up teacher of truth, lauding Godly virtues and promoting knowledge and understanding Folly, on the other hand, is a cunning liar who makes wrong seem right. As Smith puts it, Folly “… knowing that if simpletons fall tor her ridiculous ploy, they will fall for anything.” And all you have to do is look into the headlines of today to see the battle between Wisdom and Folly being played out in our world.
The question becomes, “Who believes he (or she) is following Wisdom; and who is falling for Folly?” And Smith is right; it is the classic battle of life; truth versus falsehood, good versus evil, and right versus wrong. As Smith asks, “Why anyone would side with Folly is a mystery?” Maybe it’s because others can’t see that they fall for the con game of “Folly,” not being able to see the truth of “Wisdom.” And I’m afraid that lack of discernment will be with us into eternity, guided by those who ultimately have, by their choice of faith, received the Holy Spirit to allow the Godly wise to avoid the worldly folly.
But having made this choice in life and having been one who followed “folly” in my past, I can now see the fate of the “simple,” who cannot discern Folly from Wisdom. As Smith refers, we, who know Christ, and have the advantage of Godly discernment, might have weak moments of human follow. And too often we may make reference to those in the world who don’t get it, as being “simple-minded” as a “dimwit, dunce, dumbbell, ignoramus, moron, knucklehead or a nincompoop!” Hopefully we avoid such invective name calling; but I have to admit that what I see now as a Christian makes me rail with pain when I see so many falling for those, representing “Folly,” who spout untruth, selling it as truth. They are those which call bad, good and wrong, right; and people fall for it. My wife often says, “You just can cure dumb!” And she is so, so right.
For so many years I was one of those “nincompoops,” dumbly following “Folly” in the public arena of life; and being the gullible sort I am, I was a pretty easy prey for Satan and his minions, who were leading me so deftly and coyly down the path to eternal damnation. But so fortunately for me, the lady, “Wisdom,” came into my life, speaking the truth God had her to speak to me through other Christians who followed her truthful path. And I was slain by the Spirit of Christ, Who came after me as the Hound of Heaven, allowing me to see His Gospel Truth; … and allowing me to make the decision to see His truth wrapped in His lady, “Wisdom.” And from April 13, 1983 until the present I have been pursuing “Wisdom” rather than falling for “Folly.”
I pray that is your path as well.
My Prayer for Today: Oh, Lord, help me to continue to be able to see Your truth and avoid the world’s ways as I delve deeply into Your word, where I know I will always find Your will for my life, allowing me to follow Your light and to avoid the darkness of the world. Amen
Saturday, May 15, 2010
2010 – May 15 – Not a Wise Move
Study from God’s Word… 1st Kings 7: 1 – 12; 1st Kings 9: 1-9 [2nd Chron. 7: 11-22]; 1st Kings 9: 10-14; 2nd Chron. 8: 1-3; 1st Kings 9: 17-19 [2nd Chron. 8: 4-6]; 1st Kings 9: 20-23, 15 [2nd Chron. 8: 7-10]; 1st Kings 9: 24 [2nd Chron. 8: 11]; 1st Kings 9: 26-28 and 10: 22 [2nd Chron. 8: 17, 18 and 9: 21]; 1st Kings 4: 29-34; 1st Kings 10: 14-21, 27, 23-25 [2nd Chron. 1: 15, 9: 13-20, 27, 22-24]; 1st Kings 4: 26, 10: 26, 28-29 [2nd Chron. 1: 14, 16-17; 9: 25, 28]; 1st Kings 4: 21, 24 [2nd Chron. 9: 26]; 1st Kings 4: 20, 25; 1st Kings 4: 1-19; 1st Kings 4: 22, 23-28; 1st Kings 10: 1-13 [2nd Chron. 9: 1-12]; Psalm 72: 1-19 … Passage for Reflection: 2nd Chronicles 8: 11 … NIV 11 Solomon brought Pharaoh's daughter up from the City of David to the palace he had built for her, for he said, "My wife must not live in the palace of David king of Israel, because the places the ark of the LORD has entered are holy."
My Journal for Today: As you can see above from the record of what I’ve read from the Old Testament today in The Daily Bible in Chronological Order, the record of Solomon’s accomplishments and his accumulation of wealth, worldly influence, and power were impressive, to say the least. And I’m so grateful for F. LaGard Smith’s editing of all of this from 1st Kings and 2nd Chronicles, where it is all written for us to study in parallel reference. I would have never been able to see all of this in such concise space and time to appreciate all that Solomon did in his 20 year reign while the Temple and his palace were being built.
But as I read all of this during my devotional time this morning, especially being alerted by Dr. Smith’s highlight passage and his devotional entry for this date, I was stricken by the strange point/counterpoint of Solomon’s God-given wisdom and his human foolishness. And we see that coming into focus as he makes a worldly and politically “wise” move in marrying an Egyptian princess to solidify his security position with Egypt in those days. However, then he must, against God’s commands, bring this pagan wife into his palace. So, he builds her a separate quarter in the palace so that she will not pollute the holiness of the Arc of the Covenant. Go figure! Such a wise man being so foolish to think that he could bypass God’s will and The Lord’s commands. And this goes on, as I read in 1st Kings 4 and 10 of Solomon’s accumulation of horses and wealth and women, I couldn’t help but reflect on this man’s almost pathological denial of what he must’ve known were God’s commands for any man who became King of Israel. Solomon was mega-wise; and if so, as he accumulated all those horses, women, and wealth, he had to have been convicted by God’s rules for His Kings laid out in Deuteronomy 17.
So, did Solomon, this super-wise man, think that he was pulling the wool over God’s eyes? But knowing how foolish and prideful I can be – and have been – in my life, I empathize with Solomon’s degree of arrogant stupidity, pridefully wrapped up in a package of worldly wisdom, which God had imparted to this man who inherited the kingship from his father, David. Certainly like father, like son; because David knew of God’s commands; but his kingly arrogance was a model of foolhardy judgment in his interaction with the woman who was Solomon’s mother. Wow, Solomon certainly didn’t get this mixture of wisdom and arrogance from anybody strange, did he? As they say, “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”
The whole thing is a clarion and glaring warning that NO ONE can bypass God’s commands. NO ONE is wise enough in our fallen humanity to think that he can get away with a departure from God’s way. And in this New Covenant dispensation, we Christians really have no excuse because we have God’s word – His absolute truth – to shine a light on our path. God, the Father, sent His Son to light that path; and all we have to do is be obedient to His word and follow His (the Son’s) way; and we will have all the wisdom we need to live in this life. That’s what Peter learned and espoused to believers in 2nd Peter 1: 3-4; and this being the truth, we need to realize that if we believe this and live by the truths of such passages as Psalm 119: 105, Prov. 3: 5-6, and Luke 9: 23, we’ll never let pride or denial or human foolishness bring us down as these sinful forces did for Solomon.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help us to believe in, follow, and live by these truths. For in doing so, we will glorify You. Amen
My Journal for Today: As you can see above from the record of what I’ve read from the Old Testament today in The Daily Bible in Chronological Order, the record of Solomon’s accomplishments and his accumulation of wealth, worldly influence, and power were impressive, to say the least. And I’m so grateful for F. LaGard Smith’s editing of all of this from 1st Kings and 2nd Chronicles, where it is all written for us to study in parallel reference. I would have never been able to see all of this in such concise space and time to appreciate all that Solomon did in his 20 year reign while the Temple and his palace were being built.
But as I read all of this during my devotional time this morning, especially being alerted by Dr. Smith’s highlight passage and his devotional entry for this date, I was stricken by the strange point/counterpoint of Solomon’s God-given wisdom and his human foolishness. And we see that coming into focus as he makes a worldly and politically “wise” move in marrying an Egyptian princess to solidify his security position with Egypt in those days. However, then he must, against God’s commands, bring this pagan wife into his palace. So, he builds her a separate quarter in the palace so that she will not pollute the holiness of the Arc of the Covenant. Go figure! Such a wise man being so foolish to think that he could bypass God’s will and The Lord’s commands. And this goes on, as I read in 1st Kings 4 and 10 of Solomon’s accumulation of horses and wealth and women, I couldn’t help but reflect on this man’s almost pathological denial of what he must’ve known were God’s commands for any man who became King of Israel. Solomon was mega-wise; and if so, as he accumulated all those horses, women, and wealth, he had to have been convicted by God’s rules for His Kings laid out in Deuteronomy 17.
So, did Solomon, this super-wise man, think that he was pulling the wool over God’s eyes? But knowing how foolish and prideful I can be – and have been – in my life, I empathize with Solomon’s degree of arrogant stupidity, pridefully wrapped up in a package of worldly wisdom, which God had imparted to this man who inherited the kingship from his father, David. Certainly like father, like son; because David knew of God’s commands; but his kingly arrogance was a model of foolhardy judgment in his interaction with the woman who was Solomon’s mother. Wow, Solomon certainly didn’t get this mixture of wisdom and arrogance from anybody strange, did he? As they say, “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”
The whole thing is a clarion and glaring warning that NO ONE can bypass God’s commands. NO ONE is wise enough in our fallen humanity to think that he can get away with a departure from God’s way. And in this New Covenant dispensation, we Christians really have no excuse because we have God’s word – His absolute truth – to shine a light on our path. God, the Father, sent His Son to light that path; and all we have to do is be obedient to His word and follow His (the Son’s) way; and we will have all the wisdom we need to live in this life. That’s what Peter learned and espoused to believers in 2nd Peter 1: 3-4; and this being the truth, we need to realize that if we believe this and live by the truths of such passages as Psalm 119: 105, Prov. 3: 5-6, and Luke 9: 23, we’ll never let pride or denial or human foolishness bring us down as these sinful forces did for Solomon.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help us to believe in, follow, and live by these truths. For in doing so, we will glorify You. Amen
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
2010 – May 12 – Praying for Wisdom
Study from God’s Word… 1st Kings 2: 13 – 46; 1st Kings 3: 1; 1st Kings 9: 16; 1st Kings 3: 2 – 3, 4 [2nd Chron. 1: 2 – 6]; 1st Kings 3: 5 – 14 [2nd Chron. 1: 7 – 12]; 1st Kings 3: 15 [2nd Chron. 1: 13]; 1st Kings 3: 16 - 28 … Passage for Reflection: 1st Kings 3: 9 … NIV 7 "Now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. 8 Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. 9 So give your servant a discerning heart [i.e., wisdom] to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?"
My Journal for Today: The reading – or in this case today, my rereading – of these passages of Solomon’s decision-making when he came to sit on the throne of David, his father, reminds me of the importance of having and using WISDOM in the scheme of life.
Solomon did some pretty clever – but very HUMAN - things to insure the stability of his throne. Some of them were pretty cut-and-dried, like assassinating some of his potential rivals; but when he was confronted – by God Himself – to ask for anything the new young king might need or want to rule God’s chosen people, Solomon somehow knew to ask for discernment (i.e., wisdom); and God honored him for that by giving him not only all the human discernment possible for any man in those days but also the wealth and power which any king would covet to have as a ruler.
And God’s word even gives us – as He did for the people under Solomon’s rule – a shining example of Solomon’s wisdom when the story of Solomon deciding the fate of a little baby where two prostitutes had laid claim to this child. You know the story of how Solomon wisely ordered that the baby be cut in half by a sword; and the real mother showed herself by giving up the baby so that it would live; and Solomon, knowing he had determined forthrightly who was the child’s mother, was able to make the “wise” choice to give over the babe to his rightly determined mother.
Now that’s wisdom! And, as Dr. Smith points out in today’s devotional, that’s being able to make black-and-white out of a very grey scenario; and that’s the kind of human discernment one would need to be a good and effective leader of God’s people. And it’s always been interesting for me to see how much HUMAN wisdom God gave to Solomon; but the Lord never put a damper on the very HUMAN and fleshly impulses in Solomon which later led to him making some very ill-begotten decisions such as taking on hundreds of wives and concubines as well as doing things as a king which openly and defiantly went against what God had put in place as the rules for those who were under his anointing as king. Yes, Solomon was given a tremendous amount of HUMAN discernment and wisdom; but that doesn’t mean he was able to overcome his own, very HUMAN flesh as his kingship unfolded in time.
We, as very HUMAN creatures, need to recognize that God may bless us with the prophetic ability – maybe even the Spirit-given gift – to discern good and evil; but we still must seek after God’s Spirit and His empowering grace to overcome our own nature and make decisions which are unnatural, overcoming the flesh which is so powerful in our lives (see Jer. 17: 9). And that is why, even with the human wisdom of a Solomon, we need to seek after GODLY wisdom to overcome our HUMAN flesh.
That is why James – the man who became the very wise leader of the Church in Jerusalem after Jesus’ departure into heaven - gave us God’s exhortation (in James 1: 5-6 – linked here) to seek after God’s mind through His Spirit so that we could see God’s way more clearly, avoiding the double-mindedness which is so apparent when we try to make decisions in the flesh.
I challenge myself – and you - to remember that even a Solomon can fall and fail if he doesn’t seek after GOD’S way and GOD’S purpose and seeking after these, as James declared, with single-minded faith, knowing that God, primarily through His word (in our lives) will give us the right way as He had also promised through His word [see Psalm 119: 105] and from His love for His children (see Proverbs 3: 5 – 6).
As a reader here with me, I really hope you know – and potentially have internalized – the truths of James 1: 5 – 6, Psalm 119: 105, and Proverbs 3: 5 – 6; because if we Christians have those truths solidly in our minds and implanted – by faith – in our hearts, we will know to go to God’s word to find God’s way and to reveal His will for our future, allowing us to see His purposes for our lives, and avoiding the human pitfalls which eventually trip up even the wisest of humans (i.e., noting Solomon).
My Prayer for Today: Lord, shine the light of truth and give me discernment from Your word so that I can make decisions which follow You and avoid me. Amen
My Journal for Today: The reading – or in this case today, my rereading – of these passages of Solomon’s decision-making when he came to sit on the throne of David, his father, reminds me of the importance of having and using WISDOM in the scheme of life.
Solomon did some pretty clever – but very HUMAN - things to insure the stability of his throne. Some of them were pretty cut-and-dried, like assassinating some of his potential rivals; but when he was confronted – by God Himself – to ask for anything the new young king might need or want to rule God’s chosen people, Solomon somehow knew to ask for discernment (i.e., wisdom); and God honored him for that by giving him not only all the human discernment possible for any man in those days but also the wealth and power which any king would covet to have as a ruler.
And God’s word even gives us – as He did for the people under Solomon’s rule – a shining example of Solomon’s wisdom when the story of Solomon deciding the fate of a little baby where two prostitutes had laid claim to this child. You know the story of how Solomon wisely ordered that the baby be cut in half by a sword; and the real mother showed herself by giving up the baby so that it would live; and Solomon, knowing he had determined forthrightly who was the child’s mother, was able to make the “wise” choice to give over the babe to his rightly determined mother.
Now that’s wisdom! And, as Dr. Smith points out in today’s devotional, that’s being able to make black-and-white out of a very grey scenario; and that’s the kind of human discernment one would need to be a good and effective leader of God’s people. And it’s always been interesting for me to see how much HUMAN wisdom God gave to Solomon; but the Lord never put a damper on the very HUMAN and fleshly impulses in Solomon which later led to him making some very ill-begotten decisions such as taking on hundreds of wives and concubines as well as doing things as a king which openly and defiantly went against what God had put in place as the rules for those who were under his anointing as king. Yes, Solomon was given a tremendous amount of HUMAN discernment and wisdom; but that doesn’t mean he was able to overcome his own, very HUMAN flesh as his kingship unfolded in time.
We, as very HUMAN creatures, need to recognize that God may bless us with the prophetic ability – maybe even the Spirit-given gift – to discern good and evil; but we still must seek after God’s Spirit and His empowering grace to overcome our own nature and make decisions which are unnatural, overcoming the flesh which is so powerful in our lives (see Jer. 17: 9). And that is why, even with the human wisdom of a Solomon, we need to seek after GODLY wisdom to overcome our HUMAN flesh.
That is why James – the man who became the very wise leader of the Church in Jerusalem after Jesus’ departure into heaven - gave us God’s exhortation (in James 1: 5-6 – linked here) to seek after God’s mind through His Spirit so that we could see God’s way more clearly, avoiding the double-mindedness which is so apparent when we try to make decisions in the flesh.
I challenge myself – and you - to remember that even a Solomon can fall and fail if he doesn’t seek after GOD’S way and GOD’S purpose and seeking after these, as James declared, with single-minded faith, knowing that God, primarily through His word (in our lives) will give us the right way as He had also promised through His word [see Psalm 119: 105] and from His love for His children (see Proverbs 3: 5 – 6).
As a reader here with me, I really hope you know – and potentially have internalized – the truths of James 1: 5 – 6, Psalm 119: 105, and Proverbs 3: 5 – 6; because if we Christians have those truths solidly in our minds and implanted – by faith – in our hearts, we will know to go to God’s word to find God’s way and to reveal His will for our future, allowing us to see His purposes for our lives, and avoiding the human pitfalls which eventually trip up even the wisest of humans (i.e., noting Solomon).
My Prayer for Today: Lord, shine the light of truth and give me discernment from Your word so that I can make decisions which follow You and avoid me. Amen
Saturday, May 08, 2010
2010 – May 8 – Knowing the Limits of Knowing
Study from God’s Word… Psalms 111, 130, 131, 141, and 146 … Passage for Reflection: Psalm 131: 1 … NIV 1 My heart is not proud, O LORD, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me.
My Journal for Today: Dr. F. LaGard Smith has me reading more Psalms, extolling the virtue of faithfulness and the discipline of righteousness; and he has me reeling in the recognition of my own human weakness. And today’s highlight passage from Psalm 131: 1 declares the realization of our limits as well as the respect we should have for the God, Who has created the “…great matters or things too wonderful for me (to fully understand).”
It’s okay to seek after the understanding of God’s way and His will for our lives. He has given us that prerogative and even invited us to get to know Him and His ways deeply. However, we should never be so presumptuous and prideful to think that we’re ever going to be able to plumb the depths of His mind/heart. How often do I return to the humbling premise, ”God is God; and I am not!” And … right in this moment, having meditated on today’s passage, my memory of Scripture has bubbled up in my consciousness, allowing me to remember the words from God to God’s people through the Prophet in Isaiah 55: 8 – 9, which I charge you to go back and study [with the available link], if you don’t know it by heart.
As Smith states today, “… we are foolish to think that we humans could ever unravel the mystery of God Himself;” but even more foolish are those who think they can substitute their own theories or human understanding to posit answers for the unanswerable. And there are many atheists who dabble in such foolishness. At one time in my life I was one of those fools; and I now recognize that all I was doing by trying to substitute my interpretations of such phenomena as the origins of life was giving me an excuse to be my own “god,” not having to obey or live under the sovereignty of THE GOD. And that prideful foolishness got me nowhere in life, … only brokenness and pain.
But now I recognize that God has given me all I need to gain as much understanding about my God as I need to in this life; and that understanding, which is the fear of the Lord and the beginning of wisdom [see Psalm 111: 10], comes from – and ONLY comes from – His truth through His word. As Peter extolled believers in 2nd Peter 1: 3-4, I have enough from God’s truth and seeking His ways to live in this life; and all I have to do is trust my Lord; and he will lead me into and through the minefields of my life (see Prov. 3: 5-6). And that’s enough for me; as it should be enough for you as well.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, You and Your word are enough knowledge for me. Amen
My Journal for Today: Dr. F. LaGard Smith has me reading more Psalms, extolling the virtue of faithfulness and the discipline of righteousness; and he has me reeling in the recognition of my own human weakness. And today’s highlight passage from Psalm 131: 1 declares the realization of our limits as well as the respect we should have for the God, Who has created the “…great matters or things too wonderful for me (to fully understand).”
It’s okay to seek after the understanding of God’s way and His will for our lives. He has given us that prerogative and even invited us to get to know Him and His ways deeply. However, we should never be so presumptuous and prideful to think that we’re ever going to be able to plumb the depths of His mind/heart. How often do I return to the humbling premise, ”God is God; and I am not!” And … right in this moment, having meditated on today’s passage, my memory of Scripture has bubbled up in my consciousness, allowing me to remember the words from God to God’s people through the Prophet in Isaiah 55: 8 – 9, which I charge you to go back and study [with the available link], if you don’t know it by heart.
As Smith states today, “… we are foolish to think that we humans could ever unravel the mystery of God Himself;” but even more foolish are those who think they can substitute their own theories or human understanding to posit answers for the unanswerable. And there are many atheists who dabble in such foolishness. At one time in my life I was one of those fools; and I now recognize that all I was doing by trying to substitute my interpretations of such phenomena as the origins of life was giving me an excuse to be my own “god,” not having to obey or live under the sovereignty of THE GOD. And that prideful foolishness got me nowhere in life, … only brokenness and pain.
But now I recognize that God has given me all I need to gain as much understanding about my God as I need to in this life; and that understanding, which is the fear of the Lord and the beginning of wisdom [see Psalm 111: 10], comes from – and ONLY comes from – His truth through His word. As Peter extolled believers in 2nd Peter 1: 3-4, I have enough from God’s truth and seeking His ways to live in this life; and all I have to do is trust my Lord; and he will lead me into and through the minefields of my life (see Prov. 3: 5-6). And that’s enough for me; as it should be enough for you as well.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, You and Your word are enough knowledge for me. Amen
Friday, January 15, 2010
2010 – Day 15. Jan. 15 – Choosing Your Battles
Study from Genesis 34 – 25; Passage for Reflection: Genesis 34: 31 … NIV But they (Jacob’s sons) said to him (Jacob after they had avenged their sister’s defilement), “Should we have treated our sister like a prostitute.”
My Journal for Today: When one reads and studies, in Gen. 34, this rather extreme, and somewhat bazaar, story of Dinah’s defilement by Schechem, the ruler of the area where Jacob had settled, we might react by thinking that the revenge taken by Dinah’s brothers was justifiable revenge. But Jacob realized that their act of revenge was ill-begotten and unwise because it would bring with it too much social chaos, misperception, and political recoil in the region.
So, what are we to learn from this story? And there is a plain truth here; and that is, “Pick your battles wisely.” And the most obvious, pertinent example God brought to my consciousness this morning had to do with parenting. As our kids grow into and through those “terrible teen years,” we are going to be at odds with our kiddos as they try to test our limits and boundaries (and they will!). And the question will become, “Where do we draw the lines of battle?” Will it be that earring my son wants or the tattoo our daughter desires? Which of the music their downloading from I-Tunes do we allow? Should we let our son have a laptop behind closed doors in our home? Do we let our kids have Internet accessible cell phones?
Some of those battles are worthy battlefields where battles must be fought to protect the purity and growth of our kids; but some of them will be fought with the collateral damage (the relationship between parent and child) being too much to go to battle. And unfortunately it takes the wisdom of Solomon and the war vigilance of Joshua to do battle as parents in this sexually charged culture.
Today parents are faced with battlefield decisions which are mind boggling at times. When my parents were raising me, about the most vigilant they had to be was to watch the friends with whom I hung out. But today, parents have to be vigilant about protecting their kids from the drug wars, the hypersexualized media, and all the rapidly advancing technologies on the horizon. When I was growing up, my parents could easily monitor my whereabouts; but today a parent almost needs to have a GPS device implanted under the skin of their kids to know where they are and to sense what they’re doing.
Parent … if you have kids today, as a grandparent, I hope (and pray below) that you can pick your battles and let God be your guide, as was Jacob in moving to a place where God led him for protection. I pray that your kids recognize your love in settling on clear boundaries for their lives; because the world is ever trying to draw these young ones into the godlessness of our culture; and it’s becoming harder and harder to do the right thing – to pick the right battles – in raising our youth as Christians.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I lift up the kids of our culture. May those who raise them in Christian homes have the wisdom and discernment that only You can provide to pick their battles and win them over for You. Oh, and how I pray that for our daughters, their families, and our grandchildren. Amen
Blogger’s note: My reader-followers, please forgive me for getting a bit personal with my entry for today. Normally, I try to go “generic” with the lessons God gives me to share in this place. However, today, when it came to applying what my devotional had to teach from Genesis 34, the examples above, which are quite personal, came to mind. So, being faithful to God’s leading, I have posted them above as commitments to Godly direction for me … and prayerfully for you as well.
My Journal for Today: When one reads and studies, in Gen. 34, this rather extreme, and somewhat bazaar, story of Dinah’s defilement by Schechem, the ruler of the area where Jacob had settled, we might react by thinking that the revenge taken by Dinah’s brothers was justifiable revenge. But Jacob realized that their act of revenge was ill-begotten and unwise because it would bring with it too much social chaos, misperception, and political recoil in the region.
So, what are we to learn from this story? And there is a plain truth here; and that is, “Pick your battles wisely.” And the most obvious, pertinent example God brought to my consciousness this morning had to do with parenting. As our kids grow into and through those “terrible teen years,” we are going to be at odds with our kiddos as they try to test our limits and boundaries (and they will!). And the question will become, “Where do we draw the lines of battle?” Will it be that earring my son wants or the tattoo our daughter desires? Which of the music their downloading from I-Tunes do we allow? Should we let our son have a laptop behind closed doors in our home? Do we let our kids have Internet accessible cell phones?
Some of those battles are worthy battlefields where battles must be fought to protect the purity and growth of our kids; but some of them will be fought with the collateral damage (the relationship between parent and child) being too much to go to battle. And unfortunately it takes the wisdom of Solomon and the war vigilance of Joshua to do battle as parents in this sexually charged culture.
Today parents are faced with battlefield decisions which are mind boggling at times. When my parents were raising me, about the most vigilant they had to be was to watch the friends with whom I hung out. But today, parents have to be vigilant about protecting their kids from the drug wars, the hypersexualized media, and all the rapidly advancing technologies on the horizon. When I was growing up, my parents could easily monitor my whereabouts; but today a parent almost needs to have a GPS device implanted under the skin of their kids to know where they are and to sense what they’re doing.
Parent … if you have kids today, as a grandparent, I hope (and pray below) that you can pick your battles and let God be your guide, as was Jacob in moving to a place where God led him for protection. I pray that your kids recognize your love in settling on clear boundaries for their lives; because the world is ever trying to draw these young ones into the godlessness of our culture; and it’s becoming harder and harder to do the right thing – to pick the right battles – in raising our youth as Christians.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I lift up the kids of our culture. May those who raise them in Christian homes have the wisdom and discernment that only You can provide to pick their battles and win them over for You. Oh, and how I pray that for our daughters, their families, and our grandchildren. Amen
Blogger’s note: My reader-followers, please forgive me for getting a bit personal with my entry for today. Normally, I try to go “generic” with the lessons God gives me to share in this place. However, today, when it came to applying what my devotional had to teach from Genesis 34, the examples above, which are quite personal, came to mind. So, being faithful to God’s leading, I have posted them above as commitments to Godly direction for me … and prayerfully for you as well.
Friday, September 18, 2009
2009 – Day 260.Sept 18 – God and God Alone
Passage of the Day: Job 28 … Linked for study …
My Journal for Today: Chapter 28 of Job’s search for answers is one of my favorite chapters in this great Book; and Swindoll gets right to the nitty-gritty of the chapter in his devotional as he exposes two concepts Job pursues in Chapter 28; and the two are “wisdom” and “understanding.”
“Wisdom," according to Swindoll, is “… looking at life from God’s point of view.” And Job uses an elaborate word picture in Chapter 28 of the mining practices of his day as the way mankind must search for God’s mind or His will. And so, Job’s perspective on our search for wisdom would have man choosing to go deep and digging for the jewels of Godly understanding so that we can bring out God’s way at viewing life.
And that brings up the second of the concepts which Job pursues in this Chapter; and that is “understanding,” which according to Swindoll is “… responding to life’s struggles and challenges as God would have us respond.” And Job, after describing how man must go deep, even risking life it self, to find God’s infinitely valuable nuggets of life, asks the pointed questions we all need to have answered to have meaning in life in verse 20 of Chapter 28. He says, “Where does wisdom come from? … Where does understanding dwell?” And his answer is the title of my devotional today, “… with God and God alone!”
Solomon’s declaration of this truth makes this pursuit of wisdom and understanding from God all the more evident, as he writes in Proverbs 9: 10, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." Therefore, putting together what Job and Solomon say, we come to the conclusion that a reverent and diligent pursuit of God’s will by digging into God’s truth is the only way to find Godly wisdom and understanding. It’s the only way to be able to make sense of a senseless world; and it’s the only way to be able to respond to meaningless circumstances.
That’s where Job was at this point in life as we find him in Chapter 28, having experienced a chain of confusing and inexplicable circumstances, all of which had him reeling with confusion. And then, the world, personified in his three friends, began giving him worldly knowledge which did not reflect God’s mind as Job knew it. And as we’re going to see, as Job’s tale unfolds, Job knew God’s mind well enough to understand that he, Job, needed to go deeper to pursue Godly wisdom; and he did. And as is God’s promise, when we go deep to know God and pursue His will by digging into His word, He will reward us with His wisdom (check out James 1: 5).
So, my friend, I pray that we’re all be setting down our mine shafts and mining deeply into the truth of God, by knowing/understanding His word, to discover God’s will and to view the world as our Lord would view it. Then, and only then, will we be able to respond to life in the way God intends for His children to respond.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help me to go deep to find the jewels of Your wisdom and to live by the nuggets of Your understanding. Amen
My Journal for Today: Chapter 28 of Job’s search for answers is one of my favorite chapters in this great Book; and Swindoll gets right to the nitty-gritty of the chapter in his devotional as he exposes two concepts Job pursues in Chapter 28; and the two are “wisdom” and “understanding.”
“Wisdom," according to Swindoll, is “… looking at life from God’s point of view.” And Job uses an elaborate word picture in Chapter 28 of the mining practices of his day as the way mankind must search for God’s mind or His will. And so, Job’s perspective on our search for wisdom would have man choosing to go deep and digging for the jewels of Godly understanding so that we can bring out God’s way at viewing life.
And that brings up the second of the concepts which Job pursues in this Chapter; and that is “understanding,” which according to Swindoll is “… responding to life’s struggles and challenges as God would have us respond.” And Job, after describing how man must go deep, even risking life it self, to find God’s infinitely valuable nuggets of life, asks the pointed questions we all need to have answered to have meaning in life in verse 20 of Chapter 28. He says, “Where does wisdom come from? … Where does understanding dwell?” And his answer is the title of my devotional today, “… with God and God alone!”
Solomon’s declaration of this truth makes this pursuit of wisdom and understanding from God all the more evident, as he writes in Proverbs 9: 10, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." Therefore, putting together what Job and Solomon say, we come to the conclusion that a reverent and diligent pursuit of God’s will by digging into God’s truth is the only way to find Godly wisdom and understanding. It’s the only way to be able to make sense of a senseless world; and it’s the only way to be able to respond to meaningless circumstances.
That’s where Job was at this point in life as we find him in Chapter 28, having experienced a chain of confusing and inexplicable circumstances, all of which had him reeling with confusion. And then, the world, personified in his three friends, began giving him worldly knowledge which did not reflect God’s mind as Job knew it. And as we’re going to see, as Job’s tale unfolds, Job knew God’s mind well enough to understand that he, Job, needed to go deeper to pursue Godly wisdom; and he did. And as is God’s promise, when we go deep to know God and pursue His will by digging into His word, He will reward us with His wisdom (check out James 1: 5).
So, my friend, I pray that we’re all be setting down our mine shafts and mining deeply into the truth of God, by knowing/understanding His word, to discover God’s will and to view the world as our Lord would view it. Then, and only then, will we be able to respond to life in the way God intends for His children to respond.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help me to go deep to find the jewels of Your wisdom and to live by the nuggets of Your understanding. Amen
Monday, August 24, 2009
2009 – Day 235.Aug 24 – Good And Bad Advice
Passage of the Day: Job 3: 1 - 26 … Linked for study ...
My Journal for Today: Once again we focus on the feelings of Job as he deals with his personal questions of ill being in Chapter three of Job’s book. He is so rocked by personal loss and pain that he doesn’t know where to turn for help or counsel; and as we know from Chapter 2, there sit his three friends who have earned the right to be heard because they have shared his grief. They even sat with him for seven days and nights sharing the solitude of Job’s loss. So, it’s only natural that Job would hear the counsel of these men, which begins, if you read ahead in Chapter 4.
And we all know what it’s like to seek counsel from another when we’re down and out or confused. And I’m sure that we’ve all had times when the advice we sought was helpful, … maybe even life saving. As we know, from the book of Proverbs, seeking feedback from persons we trust is a wise move. For example, Swindoll quotes Prov. 12: 15, which says, "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who listens to counsel.” Following good advice from wise or experienced counsel can help to bring clarity or release from our confusion or pain.
However, sometimes we get counsel and it seems like our counselors are hitting us between the eyes with even more pain. We know our counselors love us; but what they say is tough to hear, maybe even highly confrontational. It’s the working out of Prov. 27: 6, which states, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.” It’s what we now often call “tough love.”
So, here is Job, wracked with pain and dazed by confusion over why God would visit his life with such devastation; and Job has three friends who have earned their way to be trusted as counselors. And I’m sure you know that one of Job’s friends, Eliphaz, in Job 4-5, gives our hero some feedback as to why God may have wrought or allowed Job to experience such horror. But is it bad or good advice; well that was what Job had to decide; and any time we get advice from someone, even if that person seems trustworthy or capable of being our counselor, we need to test that advice. That’s the truth of 1st John 4: 1 or 1st Thes. 5: 21; and that’s what Job had to do with the feedback he would received from his friends.
My friend, what this illustrates is not necessarily a bad thing, though we know that the advice Job will get from his three friends is less than sterling. It is still a good thing to seek out and listen to trustworthy and loyal servants of God, … Godly men or women, who have earned the right to share their thoughts and wisdom with you. However, following the counsel, it is also wise to evaluate what they say in light of God’s truth and, above all, to seek The Lord’s peace before moving on with any decision or clear direction. That is the advice I always use from Paul from Phil. 4: 6-7 [link provided] when I have need to make an important and Godly decision. That teaching would take some time here to clarify; but I’ll leave it to you to grasp the powerful advice of this latter Bible passage to help you understand where God is leading you.
And as we know, that’s where Job ultimately goes, checking all the counsel he receives from friends with God to make sure His relationship with God is were he receives the ultimate guidance and wisdom. I hope we all know to go deep with God and find God’s peace when we’re confused or lacking clarity. God’s peace, which passes all understanding, is really the only absolutely trustworthy way to get direction we’ll ever get to tell us where to walk in the minefields of life.
My Prayer for Today: Show me the way, Lord, … Your way. Amen
My Journal for Today: Once again we focus on the feelings of Job as he deals with his personal questions of ill being in Chapter three of Job’s book. He is so rocked by personal loss and pain that he doesn’t know where to turn for help or counsel; and as we know from Chapter 2, there sit his three friends who have earned the right to be heard because they have shared his grief. They even sat with him for seven days and nights sharing the solitude of Job’s loss. So, it’s only natural that Job would hear the counsel of these men, which begins, if you read ahead in Chapter 4.
And we all know what it’s like to seek counsel from another when we’re down and out or confused. And I’m sure that we’ve all had times when the advice we sought was helpful, … maybe even life saving. As we know, from the book of Proverbs, seeking feedback from persons we trust is a wise move. For example, Swindoll quotes Prov. 12: 15, which says, "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who listens to counsel.” Following good advice from wise or experienced counsel can help to bring clarity or release from our confusion or pain.
However, sometimes we get counsel and it seems like our counselors are hitting us between the eyes with even more pain. We know our counselors love us; but what they say is tough to hear, maybe even highly confrontational. It’s the working out of Prov. 27: 6, which states, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.” It’s what we now often call “tough love.”
So, here is Job, wracked with pain and dazed by confusion over why God would visit his life with such devastation; and Job has three friends who have earned their way to be trusted as counselors. And I’m sure you know that one of Job’s friends, Eliphaz, in Job 4-5, gives our hero some feedback as to why God may have wrought or allowed Job to experience such horror. But is it bad or good advice; well that was what Job had to decide; and any time we get advice from someone, even if that person seems trustworthy or capable of being our counselor, we need to test that advice. That’s the truth of 1st John 4: 1 or 1st Thes. 5: 21; and that’s what Job had to do with the feedback he would received from his friends.
My friend, what this illustrates is not necessarily a bad thing, though we know that the advice Job will get from his three friends is less than sterling. It is still a good thing to seek out and listen to trustworthy and loyal servants of God, … Godly men or women, who have earned the right to share their thoughts and wisdom with you. However, following the counsel, it is also wise to evaluate what they say in light of God’s truth and, above all, to seek The Lord’s peace before moving on with any decision or clear direction. That is the advice I always use from Paul from Phil. 4: 6-7 [link provided] when I have need to make an important and Godly decision. That teaching would take some time here to clarify; but I’ll leave it to you to grasp the powerful advice of this latter Bible passage to help you understand where God is leading you.
And as we know, that’s where Job ultimately goes, checking all the counsel he receives from friends with God to make sure His relationship with God is were he receives the ultimate guidance and wisdom. I hope we all know to go deep with God and find God’s peace when we’re confused or lacking clarity. God’s peace, which passes all understanding, is really the only absolutely trustworthy way to get direction we’ll ever get to tell us where to walk in the minefields of life.
My Prayer for Today: Show me the way, Lord, … Your way. Amen
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
2009 – Day 125.May 06 – Patiently Waiting
2009 – Day 125.May 06 – Patiently Waiting
Passage of the Day: 1st Samuel 25: 29 - 34 … Link to 1st Sam. 25 for study ...
My Journal for Today: If you’ve been following this interaction between David and Abigail in these past few days, we are learning some lessons from this wise woman. The character lessons are obvious, such as her loyalty to her husband and family and her courage in confronting an angry king-to-be with a force of 400 men who were bent on taking out her household. But beyond this, Swindoll points out three lessons in wisdom which we can glean from today’s passage.
And the first of these is stated this way, “When conflicts arise, … be wise.” And I’d go a step further, I’d say, “Be Godly wise!” And my dear fellow believer, take it from my personal record of failures, when we’re in a conflict, the NATURAL reaction will be to act according to our flesh or our feelings; and this is almost always NOT the wise way to go. I learned a long time ago that I need to resist letting feelings dictate my choices or decisions. Rather, instead of reacting, I need to respond. And that means I need to make choices which are consistent with God’s way, not my own way.
In any conflict, there are always at least two sides; and Swindoll is right when he writes, “Weigh the differences” before responding. Hence, I’ve learned, whenever I can, to run any decision or action through the truth of Phil. 4: 6-7 to seek God’s peace from prayer before I go off half-cocked and react in the flesh. In other words, when in doubt, seek God’s route and deny self. And again, I refer – as I do so often – to Christ’s formula for discipleship in Luke 9: 23. God’s way is always THE WAY.
Next Swindoll writes about this scenario, “Take each conflict as it comes; … and treat it separately.” Each conflict and situation may require a different approach or decision. And that’s the reason the flesh can so often lead us astray. When we react in the flesh rather than to respond with Godly wisdom, we have a tendency to do handle varying situations with the way our flesh dictates; and that will often be with similar, selfish motives. The battle you won yesterday may not need the same approach as a conflict which arises today. So, we must take on each situation as it arises … one at a time!
And finally, there is great wisdom in letting time help us dictate our decision making. And so, Swindoll points out, “Whenever you realize there’s nothing more you can do, … WAIT.” And actually, this wisdom melds with the other advice we’ve been covering these past few days. If David had acted brashly, in the flesh, he would have killed Abigail’s husband and all the males in that household. He would have reacted in the flesh rather than to respond with Godly wisdom. But by waiting and listening to Abigail’s wise counsel and teaching, God’s way was found and the Lord’s wisdom prevailed. Often – well, whenever possible – it’s best to take some time to make a decision, seeking God’s will and His way, rather than letting our feelings or our flesh overcome our faith. And, oh, how the enemy desires for us to listen to our deceitful flesh (again, always remember the ever prevalent truth of Jer. 17: 9) rather than to take the time to respond to God’s leading.
As I meditate here about Abigail and her advice and counsel for David, I think about how I’ve learned to take time, when I need to make a decision, seeking and listening to the advice of my God-given wife, Elly. I may not always take her counsel [though if I’m honest, I usually do]; but I’d be a fool not to let God use her Spirit-given gifts to temper my feelings or leanings on any given matter. And often, when I’m listening to my wife, I’ve heard her return to her favorite Bible verse; and she will say “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding.” And I know the rest from Prov. 3: 5 – 6, which is always the best advice, “In all your ways, acknowledge [God’s way], and He will keep your paths straight.” [My emphasis added.]
The advice we read above, which comes from this biblical encounter, is a good teaching; and it’s one we’d all be wise to learn and implement, especially when we’re confronted with decisions which weigh our feelings and our faith. Let’s let Abigail be our teacher and let David’s surrender to God’s wisdom be our guide.
My Prayer for Today: Father, thank You for Your word which teaches me Your way rather than following my way. Amen
Passage of the Day: 1st Samuel 25: 29 - 34 … Link to 1st Sam. 25 for study ...
My Journal for Today: If you’ve been following this interaction between David and Abigail in these past few days, we are learning some lessons from this wise woman. The character lessons are obvious, such as her loyalty to her husband and family and her courage in confronting an angry king-to-be with a force of 400 men who were bent on taking out her household. But beyond this, Swindoll points out three lessons in wisdom which we can glean from today’s passage.
And the first of these is stated this way, “When conflicts arise, … be wise.” And I’d go a step further, I’d say, “Be Godly wise!” And my dear fellow believer, take it from my personal record of failures, when we’re in a conflict, the NATURAL reaction will be to act according to our flesh or our feelings; and this is almost always NOT the wise way to go. I learned a long time ago that I need to resist letting feelings dictate my choices or decisions. Rather, instead of reacting, I need to respond. And that means I need to make choices which are consistent with God’s way, not my own way.
In any conflict, there are always at least two sides; and Swindoll is right when he writes, “Weigh the differences” before responding. Hence, I’ve learned, whenever I can, to run any decision or action through the truth of Phil. 4: 6-7 to seek God’s peace from prayer before I go off half-cocked and react in the flesh. In other words, when in doubt, seek God’s route and deny self. And again, I refer – as I do so often – to Christ’s formula for discipleship in Luke 9: 23. God’s way is always THE WAY.
Next Swindoll writes about this scenario, “Take each conflict as it comes; … and treat it separately.” Each conflict and situation may require a different approach or decision. And that’s the reason the flesh can so often lead us astray. When we react in the flesh rather than to respond with Godly wisdom, we have a tendency to do handle varying situations with the way our flesh dictates; and that will often be with similar, selfish motives. The battle you won yesterday may not need the same approach as a conflict which arises today. So, we must take on each situation as it arises … one at a time!
And finally, there is great wisdom in letting time help us dictate our decision making. And so, Swindoll points out, “Whenever you realize there’s nothing more you can do, … WAIT.” And actually, this wisdom melds with the other advice we’ve been covering these past few days. If David had acted brashly, in the flesh, he would have killed Abigail’s husband and all the males in that household. He would have reacted in the flesh rather than to respond with Godly wisdom. But by waiting and listening to Abigail’s wise counsel and teaching, God’s way was found and the Lord’s wisdom prevailed. Often – well, whenever possible – it’s best to take some time to make a decision, seeking God’s will and His way, rather than letting our feelings or our flesh overcome our faith. And, oh, how the enemy desires for us to listen to our deceitful flesh (again, always remember the ever prevalent truth of Jer. 17: 9) rather than to take the time to respond to God’s leading.
As I meditate here about Abigail and her advice and counsel for David, I think about how I’ve learned to take time, when I need to make a decision, seeking and listening to the advice of my God-given wife, Elly. I may not always take her counsel [though if I’m honest, I usually do]; but I’d be a fool not to let God use her Spirit-given gifts to temper my feelings or leanings on any given matter. And often, when I’m listening to my wife, I’ve heard her return to her favorite Bible verse; and she will say “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding.” And I know the rest from Prov. 3: 5 – 6, which is always the best advice, “In all your ways, acknowledge [God’s way], and He will keep your paths straight.” [My emphasis added.]
The advice we read above, which comes from this biblical encounter, is a good teaching; and it’s one we’d all be wise to learn and implement, especially when we’re confronted with decisions which weigh our feelings and our faith. Let’s let Abigail be our teacher and let David’s surrender to God’s wisdom be our guide.
My Prayer for Today: Father, thank You for Your word which teaches me Your way rather than following my way. Amen
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