Wisdom Calls

On July 26, 2021   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Proverb 8: 32, 35

Now then, sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways. For one who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord.

There is a lot to love in this proverb and, again, it has been a challenge to choose a verse or two. I will continue to put the link for the proverb at the bottom so that it is easy for you to click and read the entire proverb. The part about wisdom being created and when she was created is fascinating. I chose these two passages, though, because they speak to how we live our lives and the choices we make.

The first idea to take note of is that we can choose to seek wisdom. James 1: 5 reads, “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” So, we can receive wisdom by asking Father for it. That is what Solomon did. In 1st Kings, chapter 3 you can read the story of Solomon’s request and God’s grant of wisdom. Solomon became the wisest king of all time because he asked.

There is, perhaps, a little more to seeking than a one time request, however. If you read the story in 1st Kings, you will see that Solomon was devoted to the Lord and had a longing for the things of God. He sought God and in that seeking He found the Lord. I think seeking is done with the heart rather than the mouth. Request is made unto God through speech, but it is with our hearts that we reach out to Yahweh. When we seek God with the strength of our spirit, then we are always going to find Him. Seeking wisdom is the same. When we seek her with determined purpose, our hearts set on our desire, then we shall receive.

The fruit of wisdom is beyond comparison. I remember as a young adult reading these passages from proverbs, and they invigorated me. They still inspire. In wisdom’s palms are treasures of every kind, but life and the favor of the Lord certainly make up the grand prize. What shall we desire once we have the favor of the Lord?

Seeking wisdom is not a one and done. It is a way of life. As life changes, we need refreshing. The wisdom of yesterday was for yesterday. Tomorrow the need will be different. Dedicate your heart and mind to seeking wisdom. Look for her and she will find you.

Proverb 8:

https://classic.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverb+8&version=NASB

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Acquire Wisdom

On June 21, 2021   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Proverb 4: 7

The beginning of wisdom is: acquire wisdom; and with all your possessions, acquire understanding.

If we wish to be persons of wisdom then the starting point is, seek wisdom. This verse immediately separates the fools from those who would be wise because in order to acquire wisdom, one must seek her. The first step to being wise is to get wisdom. That makes sense, doesn’t it?

From where will you get wisdom? Well, this book of proverbs is a really good start. I hope you are taking the time to read the entire proverb. There is a link at the bottom of this devotion which will take you to Proverb 4.

Most importantly, God gives wisdom. James 1: 5 reads, “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” Solomon received wisdom from God because he requested it. He understood that the task before him was beyond his means, so he asked God to give him the requisite wisdom and God did. We should not overlook the opportunity to commune with God and receive all we need from Him.

We should understand that God will speak to our own hearts and minds when we inquire of Him. However, it is also likely that God will use another person to impart answers to you. It seems to me that we live in a time when people do not want to acknowledge that others may have knowledge or wisdom that we do not. However, there are people who have travelled the road before us and others who are anointed by God to offices which are intended to aid us. Sometimes, humility is the key we need to open the door to wisdom. That is a difficult admission. Recognize also that God has commissioned libraries of books which reveal His wisdom. If we truly wish to attain wisdom, we must be wise and humble enough to search for it and search passionately. Solomon reveals that in order to attain the wisdom of God, we must exercise enough wisdom to seek His ways.

The first step is ours. God is willing to give us His wisdom generously and without reproach. Ask of God and be willing to hear His answer. Search for wisdom and you shall find her. She is not rain, though and thus, will not fall out of the sky upon us. She is a precious gem which must be sought after.

The beginning of wisdom is, acquire wisdom.

Proverb 4:

https://classic.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverb%204&version=NASB

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Wise Counsel

On September 14, 2017   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

James 3: 17

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.

Learning to hear and recognize the voice of God is a skill and like all skills, it can be learned. One of the questions I am asked most frequently is, “How do I know that I hear is God speaking?” That is a good question. Brother James gives us a good response today. If what you hear in your head (or heart) contradicts any of the godly characteristics he lists above, then it is not God. When you ask God for advice and/or wisdom, He will always answer with pure, peaceable, reasonable, merciful, unwavering, non-hypocritical answers which are full of good fruit. One caveat, however. What God tells us does not always sound reasonable to our human minds but when you look at it through the eyes of the Spirit, you will see the reasons for it.

You can extrapolate a bit further with this advice from James. What if you have asked another person for advice or wisdom? Run whatever they say through this machine. If it does not pass the test of James 3: 17, then it is not “wisdom from above.”

Okay, now take it even one step further. What if a person runs a business in which its guiding principles are not as enumerated above? It does not mean the owner is not a Christian but it does mean that God’s wisdom is not being employed in that business. We are all on a learning curve so don’t judge the owner. They, perhaps, have just not learned how to run a business in partnership with God yet. However, you should ask yourself if it is a business you are comfortable aligning yourself with. And, if you really want to hear something radical, watch all of the businesses you deal with. You may actually find a non-Christian who employs more of God’s wisdom than the Christian.

James told us that we are to ask God for wisdom and that the Lord gives it freely (1: 5). Now you know how to check it to determine if it really is wisdom from above.

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Seeker

On June 15, 2017   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Matthew 7: 7 – 8

Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you for every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened.

I have a question for you today. Does or did Jesus have the capacity to tell a lie? Did Jesus ever tell one lie in his life? We need to know because he is the one who spoke these words we read today. Here is another question, is it possible that when Jesus said these words he meant them only figuratively? In other words, are the words in the quoted verses for today meant to express their literal meaning or are they some figurative, allegorical or metaphorical representation of another meaning? We need to know! Does Jesus mean what he said or was he speaking in nuanced riddles?

I looked up simile, allegory, metaphor and figurative and from the meanings I see there, none of them apply to these two verses. Still, many people excuse the literal meanings of Jesus’ words claiming that they represent some other ideas which are not actually spoken. Because Jesus sometimes taught by using parables, some people discount all of his speech as representative rather than literal. Okay, so let me ask you another question. Why would the Son of God, he who came to set us free and to lead us into truth and fullness of life, play cloak and dagger with his beloved? He came to earth to die for each and every one of us; he came to give his life a ransom so that we might be saved. Why then would he hide the ball from us? And yes, that was figurative language I just used and it was obvious and understood.

That is the point of figurative language. It is not meant to hide the truth. It is used to illustrate and make clear difficult concepts. Finally, if we intend to have a relationship with Jesus, one that is based on truth and trust, then we must believe his words have actual meaning. He spoke so that we could hear and be free. When he said, “I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly” (John 10: 10) we must assume and understand that those words mean exactly what they say. Otherwise they do not have meaning and frankly, the whole Bible is undermined. If Jesus wanted to communicate that the purpose of his coming to earth was to give us life, how else would he say it other than to use the words which have the meaning which normally and customarily mean just that? Do you see what I mean? Once a person reduces one of Jesus’ literal statements to fantasy or figurative poetry, then all meaning for all his messages is lost. Who can say which of his statements are mere figures of speech and which ones he actually meant as spoken? Honestly, it is beyond intellectual integrity for one to adopt this posture. It is the height of arrogance. People who excuse away Jesus’ words and meanings replace them with themselves and their reasoning. It is foolishness!

The point of all of this is that Jesus said that if we seek, we shall find. There is no figure of speech in that statement so really, the choice is whether or not we choose to take him at his word. Do we believe the Father of us all sent His only begotten son to earth to lead us into truth, wisdom, and freedom? Why would Yahweh, Abba Father, sacrifice His beloved on a cross for people He intended to mislead? Does that really make any sense at all? Jesus’ brother, James, said that we should ask God for wisdom promising that God would give it to us freely and without reproach (James 1: 5). Why, then, would God offer to give us all His wisdom yet cloak every word Jesus said while in the earth. It is illogical and unreasonable to believe that so, trust that Jesus came to open eyes and doors. Believe him when he says that if we ask, we shall receive. When we seek, we will always find. Knock on the door because Jesus is on the other side waiting to open it to you.

Jesus has so much for us. The Father invested everything He had to bring us into a personal relationship with Him. The Holy Spirit is hovering today with creative power in his hands. They long for us. Let our yearning reach out and take hold of the love offered. Ask, seek, knock . . . receive, find, be welcomed in.

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Knowledge, Wisdom & Understanding

On December 21, 2016   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Proverb 1: 7, 22

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. How long, O naïve ones, will you love simplicity? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing. And fools hate knowledge.

Proverb 9: 10 reads, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Interesting. So, knowledge and wisdom come from a relationship with the Lord. Further, knowing the “Holy One” brings understanding. We, therefore, have access to wisdom, knowledge and understanding through our relationship with the Holy Trinity. Would you think it fair to say that the closer we are in our relationship with the Father, Son and Spirit, the more easier it will be for us to tap into their knowledge and wisdom? Will it be easier for us to gain understanding? I think that is a reasonable conclusion.

Jesus’ brother, James wrote an encouraging passage in his letter. It reads, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1: 5). James points out that God is the source of wisdom. That is not difficult to believe. He also reveals us, though, that God gives us His wisdom and that He does so freely.

Today’s verse also points out that fools hate knowledge. Well, it is no surprise that anyone who hates knowledge is deemed a fool by God but what is perplexing is why anyone would hate knowledge. Why would anyone revel in scoffing rather than gaining knowledge, wisdom and understanding? The answer seems to be in the word “scoff”. Synonyms for scoffing are: jeering, sneering, ridiculing, and deriding. It seems that some folks would rather sneer at others rather than invest the time and energy in seeking God and His wisdom. Let’s be frank. It takes time and energy to get to know God. It takes effort to open your heart and mind to His guidance. It takes faith to believe what you hear. All of this is so worth the small amount of effort but fools scoff at the idea instead of trusting that God will really meet them in the solitude of quiet time.

The really good news is that God honestly does give out knowledge. He really does dole out wisdom and He really does bestow understanding. The bad news is that these priceless gifts rarely come from the prayer, “God give me wisdom.” As soon as you pray that prayer He will try to lead you into time with Him where He can reveal His fullness to you. The reverence of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. The respect, admiration and veneration of the beloved is the beginning of wisdom. Wisdom, knowledge and understanding are the by-products of a life lived with God. As we open our hearts to Him and pour our lives into Him, we find all good things. Holding God in high esteem is the path. Time spent with Him yields all.

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Godly Wisdom

On September 22, 2015   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

James 1: 5

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

We all need wisdom. And we know where we can get it. What great news that he gives to us all generously. You can trust that if you need wisdom for a problem, he will give it to you. He has promised and he is not a man that he should lie (Numbers 23: 19).

We do not have to live our lives like the unsaved, wondering what to do all of the time. We can simply ask the Father. That is how we are able to live a life without worry. We role the cares of the problems over to our Father God and we ask him to give us insight and wisdom into the things we should do. We pray, “Show me what I should do in this situation,” and then we enter into his rest. It could be that he does not want you to do anything. His wisdom will guide you. In every situation, ask God for his wisdom on the matter. Don’t worry yourself to death trying to come up with the answers. That is really not your job. God does not want you burdened down with all of those issues. Just ask for his wisdom and his guidance and then let it go. Do all that he instructs you to do and nothing that he doesn’t. He is the one person we want advice from and He is always available to give us sagely advice from the reservoir of His infinite wisdom.

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Fountain of Knowledge

On May 1, 2015   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Proverb 1: 7

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

I have been blessed to sit under a teaching where we are learning how great men of science have relied on God for their scientific inspiration and discovery. We have learned that we can be as brilliant as Einstein if we will avail ourselves of the same tools he used. No, perhaps we won’t have an IQ as high as Einstein’s but we can receive the knowledge of God through meditation and reliance on the Holy Spirit just like he and others have.

Revering the Lord is what connects us to that unlimited source of wisdom and knowledge. It is almost like hooking up a water hose to the faucet. There is constant availability for each need. All we have to do is turn on the tap and the knowledge flows. Interestingly enough, there is a manifestation of the Holy Spirit called the word of knowledge (1 Corinthians 12: 8). The same verse tells us that there is also a word of wisdom. The point is that God isn’t withholding wisdom and knowledge. He is trying to get them to us. So much so that part of the Holy Spirit’s mission in the earth is to help us to receive them.

In James 1: 5 we are told if we lack wisdom we should ask of God “who freely gives to all men generously and without reproach.” There is no reason we should go through our days, our jobs or our lives lacking the knowledge and wisdom we need. In fact, Solomon tells us that only fools despise wisdom and instruction. Which brings up another point, although the beginning of wisdom and knowledge is a reverential attitude towards the Holy One, there are multiple avenues through which God will deliver wisdom and knowledge. We have already seen that the Holy Spirit is equipped with multiple tools for conveying God’s wisdom but we must recognize that those gifts are exercised by the Holy Spirit through a human being. The anointing of God speaks through people just as God spoke through Solomon when Solomon wrote this proverb. God has also set teachers and others in the body for our edification and instruction. The Lord has given wisdom to people who can transfer those divine insights to us if we will not be foolish.

Lastly, let us not forget two other important ways God conveys His knowledge and wisdom to us. One is meditation. As we meditate on God and His Word the Holy Spirit speaks directly to our spirits giving us precise information for our specific need. Secondly, God speaks to us through His Word. He will lead you to a scripture that speaks to your situation or cause a scripture to practically jump off of the page at you. The main point to appreciate is that God wants to get His wisdom and knowledge to you. It all begins with a heart turned to God, seeking Him, seeking His face.

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