Wisdom

“Don’t copy the behavior or values of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” Romans 12:2 NLT

"Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm"  Proverbs 13:20

“I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart”  Psalm 40:8 NIV

"He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake” Psalm 23:3 NIV




         Do you consider yourself wise?  I don't consider myself 'wise', but I'm definitely wiser now than in my youth.  Hopefully, I am gaining wisdom daily through bible studies, experiences, listening to God in prayer, and from others in my close circle.

         Would you be wise enough today to ask for wisdom from God, like Solomon did?  1 Kings 3:5  "At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”  Solomon first recognized and acknowledged God's faithfulness in the past and present circumstances.  1 Kings 3:6  "Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day."  Solomon then humbled himself and recognized his need for help, guidance, and direction in the great task set for him.  1 Kings 3:7-9  “Now, 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.  Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number.  So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”  When we seek God for help in all things and think of others before ourselves, it pleases Him.  1 Kings 3:10-14 "The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this.  So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice,  I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.  Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings.  And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.”

        In Proverbs 1:7, we learn from Solomon "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction."  Knowledge or wisdom is living out what we know.  We do not always do what we know to be best or right, but we are wise when we do.  Wisdom is the 'fear' of the lord..not reverence or respect, but terror, dread, afraid of.  Most people don't recognize how powerful and mighty God is. "God is the only rock on which we may rest safe in times of danger. Trusting in him brings peace in every circumstance." [Richard Sibbes]  

         Wisdom begins w/fear, but thankfully does not end there.  Jesus came to end the fear by cleansing believers of their sin debt.  1 John 4:9-10  "This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."  1 John 4:16-18  "And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.  God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.  This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidenceon the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.  There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."

         "Jesus drove out the fear---a loving god pursuing an unfaithful people, loving them despite their sin, loving them to the point of death on a cross."

          How can we put our trust in God, if we do not know who He is?  Just like an adopted child doesn't know who the new parent is, what they have in store for them, how they will feed and care for them... the same is true for putting our trust in God.  The more we know of and see His faithfulness to us, the more we can learn to rely on Him and not ourselves.

         Doubt in God comes from the enemy, Satan.   What we wonder about Jesus _____? Does God love me?  Does God want this for me?  What purpose does God have for me?  etc. 

         "God has given us a roadmap: the Bible. God has given us a compass: our conscience. God has also given us a personal guidance counselor: the Holy Spirit. Clearly, God wants to lead us in the paths of righteousness. This is important to understand, because God never intended for you to figure out the steps of your journey without him."  " The Good Shepherd doesn’t just feed us. He leads us. He doesn’t just correct us. He directs us."

  
We are wise, when we seek and follow God's voice in scripture.
We are wise, when we know God better each day.
We are wise, when we humble ourselves to His mighty and powerful name and ways.

Wait on the Lord

Psalm 62:5--"My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him."

           Today's blog is about waiting on God for all things and in His perfect timing.  First, we must seek God, in our questions and decision making in our lives.  God wants to give us direction in our journey of life through Scripture and prayer.  As we wait on Him, there are a few requirements to be met in the process.  God is not a genie or a bellhop waiting for a question, but He does tell us to ask, knock, and seek Him for all things.  We will receive according to His will and in His timing.  Our biggest faults are a lack of persistence in our prayerful asking and a lack of trust in His timing.  We give up too soon and think God failed to answer our prayers.  God may be saying yes, but not now.  God may be saying no, I have greater things in mind.  Let's discuss what we need to have in our 'question and waiting on an answer' process....

Requirements for waiting on the Lord 

1. Faith--Faith is knowing who God is and fulfilling His purposes through you. "No man knows his purpose until he knows the One who created him." [Paul Ojeda]  We must believe that walking in the will of God is the right path for our life's journey.  We must choose to listen and follow Him alone, not what the world says is right--at the time.   "Faith can do much for you. It is not enough to be healed of your disease, unless you take up your bed and walk. O the life of grace which I have seen in some! Their meat and drink is to do the will of God."  [Samuel Ward]  


2. Trust in God--We must believe His timing is perfect and always right. Trust in His timing before making a decision.  "God is the only rock on which we may rest safe in times of danger. Trusting in Him brings peace in every circumstance." -- Richard Sibbes


3. Patience--God’s timing is rarely our own, but it is always worth waiting for. You never waste time waiting on God.  Psalm 37:7 "Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes."


4. Determination--We must be willing to obey the voice of the Holy Spirit, even the whispers.  "To constantly fight against sin is a big part of mortification. We need to recognize the enemy we are dealing with and that he is to be destroyed by all possible means. The battle is a hazardous one that deals with issues of eternity. When a man sees his lust as a trivial thing, it is an indication that he is not mortified. We cannot go forward unless we recognize the danger of our own hearts." [John Owen]

5. Strength-- We must rely on the strength from God to say "no" to things that He does not want for us or in our lives, because our flesh is weak.  "The soul is cast down when our sorrow does not bring us to God, but away from God. There is no discouragement in any affliction or trouble whatsoever, but it is a lack of trusting in God. We may not know the reason God has allowed it, and this requires our trust. When we do not trust in God, we are trusting in ourselves, and we cannot experience victory in our own strength."  [Richard Sibbes]


6. Endurance--"You, who have shown me great and severe troubles, shall revive me again." Psalms 71;20  "How long, Lord, must I call for help?" Habakkuk 1:2 "As with Habakkuk, God hears our burdens. We must continue to cast them on the Lord because He cares for us. God hears us and, in His time, will give an answer." odb.org


        Many of us pray for our loved ones, but we may never see the results in our lifetime.  We must still persist until we do see the prayer answered or until we draw our final breath.  "God’s memory is perfect. He is able to remember our prayers not only for years but also for generations beyond our lifetime. He never forgets them and may move in response long after we first brought our requests to Him. Sometimes His answer is “no,” other times it is “wait”—but His response is always measured with love. God’s ways are beyond us, but we can trust that they are good."
        As for our family, we pray for a cure for our neuromuscular disease, CMT, but it's a prayer not just for us and those currently afflicted but for the generations ahead with it.  Unanswered prayers don't go in God's deleted file but maybe just in a future file to be dealt with later.

Lord, we need you in all things...in our darkest days, You are only hope.  Be the lamp unto our feet and light the way before us.  We need You!  Pull us closer and bring us to life.

Proverbs and Pride

           Today's blog is about the sin we all deal with, Pride.  So go put on some shoes to protect your toes.  I've got on boots myself.  "Pride will kill you. Forever. Pride is the sin most likely to keep you from crying out for a Savior. Those who think they are well will not look for a doctor.   I need to reach for the glasses of Christ-like humility, remembering that nothing good dwells in my flesh, and search my heart for secret pride and its symptoms." [desiringGod.com]  "Pride has kept many people from accepting Jesus Christ as Savior. Admitting sin and acknowledging that in our own strength we can do nothing to inherit eternal life is a constant stumbling block for prideful people."[gotquestions.org]
          Let's begin with describing and defining what Pride is, so we can better identify it within us.  Pride is an attitude of self exaltation and superiority.  It is looking down on others.  It involves arrogance, self-sufficiency, and a refusal to submit to the authority of Jesus Christ.  Pride is essentially self-worship.  There are two types of pride...inward pride and outward pride.  Outward pride is a numbness to the desires of God and others, because there is a focus on self.  Inward pride is an obsession with how others feel about us. None of us are exempt from pride, but before we think too highly of ourselves, we must remember we are all image bearers of God.

        Proverbs 21:2-4  "A person may think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart.  To do what is right and just  is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.  Haughty eyes and a proud heart—the unplowed field of the wicked—produce sin."

      Why is it so important to address the Pride within our hearts and minds? Pride is sin and sin separates us from God and blocks off the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

       Proverbs 11:2  "When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom."

       Humility is about being planted in reality.  Humility is not about thinking less of ourselves, but of thinking of ourselves less.  Life is not all about us and our desires, but of fulfilling God's desires and purposes through us.  Humility is having an accurate and humble view of ourselves, not too highly or too lowly.  Humility is not having a need to be more than who you are.  Humility gives us the freedom to be generous, to give away our power, to give away privilege, to give away opportunities, to give up the need to be right, to have the last word, to give up defensiveness, to be generous without expecting anything in return, to give up feelings of entitlement.

     Matthew 11:28-  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

       When you feel convicted about the sin of pride, use that opportunity to pray and yoke up with Jesus and give that burden to Him.  "Reach for the glasses of Christ-like humility, remembering that nothing good dwells in the flesh, and search your heart for secret pride and its symptoms."

Seven sneaky symptoms of the infection of pride. [J. Edwards/Desiring God]

1. Fault-Finding--Instead of seeing our own heart needs of improvement, we dissect others

2. A Harsh Spirit--speak of others’ sins with contempt, irritation, frustration, or judgment.

3. Superficiality--Having peace with viewable sins, but little concern about hidden sin

4. Defensiveness--"True humility is not knocked off balance and thrown into a defensive posture by challenge or rebuke, but instead continues in doing good, entrusting the soul to our faithful Creator."

5. Presumption Before God--No regard to '‘Worship the Lord with reverence, and rejoice with trembling.’ or thinking God's grace isn't sufficient.

6.  Desperation for Attention-- seeking the glory that comes from men, not God.

7. Neglecting Others--Pride prefers some people over others

        I hope this blog has helped you with your own area of pride.  A lot of my blog comments came from the women's biblical leadership conference called IF:Lead 2018.  I love how we can all encourage each other in this journey of life, including our sinful ways.