Matthew 11:19
"...Wisdom is proved right by her actions."
This hit me this morning as I spent some time with the Lord in the Word. Who doesn't want to be wise? What is wisdom? (http://www.pbministries.org/books/pink/Miscellaneous/fear_of_the_lord.htm) ; Proverbs 1:7, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Proverbs 9:10, Jo:28:28, Psalm 111:10 states similarly). Revering, fearing, recognizing the Majesty, Splendor, Power, Might - the All-ness of God - that is only the BEGINNING of wisdom!
Rightly applying knowledge and understanding from God's point of view, in everyday life, is wisdom. And then the Scripture, Jesus Himself stated, that the proof of wisdom is revealed in actions...what is the result of my action today? Will it prove (today or in the day's to come) to be wise - or foolish? Will my actions prove to be self-centered or Christ-centered? Will my actions prove to be worthy of eternity or will they be burned up in the last days?
Will you join me in asking these questions of ourselves today? Ask God. He will be please to show us. Do you need wisdom today? YES, I do! James says that if we ask God for wisdom...God will give it to us generously and without reproach (w/o blaming, shaming, or calling into question) (James 1:5).
"Lord thank You that You are the One who holds all wisdom. Thank You, All-Wise One, that You not only are All-Wise but that You will give wisdom to me, to us when we ask! James tell us our approach in asking is key, we must ask You and not doubt that You are able and will give us Wisdom! We believe Lord, help our unbelief!"
Showing posts with label Wisdom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wisdom. Show all posts
Friday, June 3, 2011
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Love and Freedom
1 Corinthians 8
"So the weak brother [sister], for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. When you sin against your brothers [sisters] in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother [sister] to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him [her] to fall" (vs 11-13).
Paul is talking about the freedom we have in Christ, and how to walk in wisdom, as we walk in our freedom. All of us have what Paul may call 'weak' areas. The things that tempt me are not the same things that tempt you. Particularly when I was a new believer, I had things that if more mature believers exercised their freedom in certain areas, would have caused me to stumble, fall, and/or sin. But even as a more mature believer, each of us have 'blind spots', areas in which we are particularly vulnerable. Wisdom would tell us that it is important for us to know those areas for ourselves. And yet, Paul is pointing to an area of responsibility, which is predicated - in the context of - Christian Love, in the Love of Christ as the body of Christ. Paul highlights that walking in Love for others, is more important than walking in our freedom! It is more important to Love than to have the last word, or win the argument....(ouch).
By way of illustration (like Paul illustrates his point through the eating of foods/meat, sacrificed to idols - which was clear to the folks of his day), I share with you about the 'red dress.' This experience is from years ago. I was part of a body of believers in which my church tradition was different...actually, I didn't really have a church tradition because I was not raised attending church.
One Sunday, a dear 'mother of the church' came up to me quite serious and with a warning in her voice. She is now gone to be with the Lord. At the time she was @ 65 ish years of age, a matriarch of the community, raised in an African-American church tradition. This dear Mother pulled me aside and said, "only 'ladies of the night' wear red...never wear a red dress to church!" "Ladies of the night' is my translation of Mama's phrase which was in her own, Mother style :):). (some of you are saying, "Mother of the church...what is that?...because you are from a different tradition than one in which their are older women who are viewed as 'mother's of the church body" :)).
I was stunned, felt really sorry that I offended her, and didn't quite know what to say! I think I stammered and apologized. I had never heard of this understanding. Yet, as I prayed about the situation, I was led to not wear a red dress to the church again! At the time I'm not sure if I came to that decision because I wanted to 'fit in' or if I didn't want to offend this dear one, or anyone else who thought that way. The outcome however, relates to Paul's admonition. If my red dress, caused Mother to think about brothels and the like, then I didn't want to be a stumbling block to her! One may argue that she needed to 'understand' that wearing a red dress, just like Paul's illustration of eating meat, didn't mean anything....But - it was likely that this ingrained idea in Mother's mind was not going to change. I was "free in Christ" to wear a red dress... but really, was it more important for me to wear a red dress, or for Mother's mind and heart to be focused on Christ?
So, what is it today, that is cause for others to stumble, that is part of my Christian liberty? How about you, is there something that if you ceased, would be cause to help another continue to grow in their walk w/Jesus? This is a matter of prayer - because there isn't one 'rule', instead it is something that through prayer, the Holy Spirit will reveal to you and to me.
"Lord, show each of us today, anything that, while I'm free in You to engage in, it does not edify another and actually is cause for anothers stumbling. Give me the wisdom and grace to see this, and with humility follow You in it. Lord, help me not to judge another in this, but instead to act in and through Love...because while I pray over this/these situations, others are praying to not be a stumbling block for me. The ground at the cross is level, and we all stand there. Thank You Lord."
"So the weak brother [sister], for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. When you sin against your brothers [sisters] in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother [sister] to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him [her] to fall" (vs 11-13).
Paul is talking about the freedom we have in Christ, and how to walk in wisdom, as we walk in our freedom. All of us have what Paul may call 'weak' areas. The things that tempt me are not the same things that tempt you. Particularly when I was a new believer, I had things that if more mature believers exercised their freedom in certain areas, would have caused me to stumble, fall, and/or sin. But even as a more mature believer, each of us have 'blind spots', areas in which we are particularly vulnerable. Wisdom would tell us that it is important for us to know those areas for ourselves. And yet, Paul is pointing to an area of responsibility, which is predicated - in the context of - Christian Love, in the Love of Christ as the body of Christ. Paul highlights that walking in Love for others, is more important than walking in our freedom! It is more important to Love than to have the last word, or win the argument....(ouch).
By way of illustration (like Paul illustrates his point through the eating of foods/meat, sacrificed to idols - which was clear to the folks of his day), I share with you about the 'red dress.' This experience is from years ago. I was part of a body of believers in which my church tradition was different...actually, I didn't really have a church tradition because I was not raised attending church.
One Sunday, a dear 'mother of the church' came up to me quite serious and with a warning in her voice. She is now gone to be with the Lord. At the time she was @ 65 ish years of age, a matriarch of the community, raised in an African-American church tradition. This dear Mother pulled me aside and said, "only 'ladies of the night' wear red...never wear a red dress to church!" "Ladies of the night' is my translation of Mama's phrase which was in her own, Mother style :):). (some of you are saying, "Mother of the church...what is that?...because you are from a different tradition than one in which their are older women who are viewed as 'mother's of the church body" :)).
I was stunned, felt really sorry that I offended her, and didn't quite know what to say! I think I stammered and apologized. I had never heard of this understanding. Yet, as I prayed about the situation, I was led to not wear a red dress to the church again! At the time I'm not sure if I came to that decision because I wanted to 'fit in' or if I didn't want to offend this dear one, or anyone else who thought that way. The outcome however, relates to Paul's admonition. If my red dress, caused Mother to think about brothels and the like, then I didn't want to be a stumbling block to her! One may argue that she needed to 'understand' that wearing a red dress, just like Paul's illustration of eating meat, didn't mean anything....But - it was likely that this ingrained idea in Mother's mind was not going to change. I was "free in Christ" to wear a red dress... but really, was it more important for me to wear a red dress, or for Mother's mind and heart to be focused on Christ?
So, what is it today, that is cause for others to stumble, that is part of my Christian liberty? How about you, is there something that if you ceased, would be cause to help another continue to grow in their walk w/Jesus? This is a matter of prayer - because there isn't one 'rule', instead it is something that through prayer, the Holy Spirit will reveal to you and to me.
"Lord, show each of us today, anything that, while I'm free in You to engage in, it does not edify another and actually is cause for anothers stumbling. Give me the wisdom and grace to see this, and with humility follow You in it. Lord, help me not to judge another in this, but instead to act in and through Love...because while I pray over this/these situations, others are praying to not be a stumbling block for me. The ground at the cross is level, and we all stand there. Thank You Lord."
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
God's Wisdom and the Holy Spirit
1 Corinthians 2
This chapter is one of my favorites! There is so much packed into 16 verses! Paul is continuing to break-down the differences between God's wisdom, human wisdom, and who is able to discern/know the difference between the two. Further, Paul explains that unless one has the Spirit of God living within him/her, one can not know God's wisdom...indeed it is foolishness to him/her!
"The (wo)man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him/her, and s/he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Corinthians 2:14).
Have you encountered folks who, in hearing Scripture or interpretation and application of Scripture either say they don't understand or say, "that is ridiculous, that is foolish, that makes no sense?" Perhaps upon hearing their reply, you have tried to explain the Word to them, and try as you may, it just 'doesn't make sense' to them. Perhaps you have gotten really frustrated and thought that they are either numb or just hopeless.
The reality that Paul is pointing out to us is clear. He is saying simply that when someone is not born-again and thus does not have the Holy Spirit living within, then the Word of God and it's expression or living out of it, is incomprehensible to him/her! S/he is NOT ABLE to get it...no matter how hard s/he tries. So, all your 'explaining' is for naught, until the Spirit lives within them.
So what are we, 'who are spiritual' (1 Corinthians 2:15) to do? Like Paul, we are to humbly approach others who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus, in the power of the Holy Spirit - not in persuasive words (1 Corinthians 2:1) - sharing with them the Love of Christ, the power of sin, and Christ's overcoming sin through His shed blood on the cross, and His resurrection. For them. For you. For me.
One needs to receive the love and forgiveness of the cross, before understanding the wisdom of God. We need to rely on and trust in the Lord to convey this reality to folks, as we prayerfully 'share Christ and Him crucified' (1 Corinthians 2:2). Some time ago we talked about the 'order of things.' There is a way in which things work, even as revealed through God's Creation of natural order.
And so it is with the wisdom of God. One must have the Holy Spirit within, BEFORE understanding the things of God - until then God's wisdom is foolishness...
"Lord, thank You that You have made a way for us to know You and thus to understand, increasingly, Your Wisdom. I pray that all who are reading these words now, have the Your Spirit within. If not, right now Lord, move by Your Spirit, drawing each one to Yourself - filling with Your Holy Spirit unto salvation and growth in You Lord. Then, help us 'who are spiritual' exercise 'the mind of Christ' (1 Corinthians 2:16) which You have given us, in all things. We love You Lord. Thank You for loving us."
This chapter is one of my favorites! There is so much packed into 16 verses! Paul is continuing to break-down the differences between God's wisdom, human wisdom, and who is able to discern/know the difference between the two. Further, Paul explains that unless one has the Spirit of God living within him/her, one can not know God's wisdom...indeed it is foolishness to him/her!
"The (wo)man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him/her, and s/he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Corinthians 2:14).
Have you encountered folks who, in hearing Scripture or interpretation and application of Scripture either say they don't understand or say, "that is ridiculous, that is foolish, that makes no sense?" Perhaps upon hearing their reply, you have tried to explain the Word to them, and try as you may, it just 'doesn't make sense' to them. Perhaps you have gotten really frustrated and thought that they are either numb or just hopeless.
The reality that Paul is pointing out to us is clear. He is saying simply that when someone is not born-again and thus does not have the Holy Spirit living within, then the Word of God and it's expression or living out of it, is incomprehensible to him/her! S/he is NOT ABLE to get it...no matter how hard s/he tries. So, all your 'explaining' is for naught, until the Spirit lives within them.
So what are we, 'who are spiritual' (1 Corinthians 2:15) to do? Like Paul, we are to humbly approach others who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus, in the power of the Holy Spirit - not in persuasive words (1 Corinthians 2:1) - sharing with them the Love of Christ, the power of sin, and Christ's overcoming sin through His shed blood on the cross, and His resurrection. For them. For you. For me.
One needs to receive the love and forgiveness of the cross, before understanding the wisdom of God. We need to rely on and trust in the Lord to convey this reality to folks, as we prayerfully 'share Christ and Him crucified' (1 Corinthians 2:2). Some time ago we talked about the 'order of things.' There is a way in which things work, even as revealed through God's Creation of natural order.
And so it is with the wisdom of God. One must have the Holy Spirit within, BEFORE understanding the things of God - until then God's wisdom is foolishness...
"Lord, thank You that You have made a way for us to know You and thus to understand, increasingly, Your Wisdom. I pray that all who are reading these words now, have the Your Spirit within. If not, right now Lord, move by Your Spirit, drawing each one to Yourself - filling with Your Holy Spirit unto salvation and growth in You Lord. Then, help us 'who are spiritual' exercise 'the mind of Christ' (1 Corinthians 2:16) which You have given us, in all things. We love You Lord. Thank You for loving us."
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Wisdom vs. Foolishness
Food for Life:
We are focusing on a new book beginning today - Paul's (strong and straightforward) letter to the church at Corinth (written @ A.D. 55, Paul's third year/missionary journey in Ephesus). There were issues of immorality and idolatry in the church - as folks struggled to live out their faith in Christ in the midst of the corrupt and worldly city of Corinth! It appears that Corinth may have been a society much like we find ourselves in today in the USA!
Paul's focus was to assist believers in Corinth, and for us today, to identify the issues (jealousy, divisiveness, sexual immorality, and failure of the church to discipline members), offer solutions to the problems, and teach how to live as 'believers in a corrupt society" (NIV Study Bible p2059).
1 Corinthians 1
"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God....For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of god is stronger than man's strength...Therefore, as it is written: 'Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord" (1:18,25, 31).
Has anyone ever said to you or communicated to you non-verbally that: the God-Man Jesus dying on the cross for you (your sin and theirs) and then rising from the dead and now living and will be returning again - is foolish? And that you are foolish for believing such? Or maybe you once thought it foolish.
This is the point of Paul's message in 1 Corinthians 1. That without faith, which is through God's grace, folks think it foolish to believe in the Gospel message that Christ came, was crucified, rose again, and is coming back - all for you because w/o Christ doing so, you and I would be lost. This world would be it for us. We wouldn't know the joy of real life here, and we wouldn't know the joy of Eternity with Christ. We would only have ourselves to boast in - our works, our accomplishments, our intelligence, our talents, our our our - me, myself, and I.
Without faith in Christ, we have it backwards at best. The reality is human's highest intelligence and wisdom is like God's 'foolishness.' Now, we know that there is no foolishness in God...but if there were, it would be more wise than we could possibly achieve!
And so, Paul is stressing to the believers at Corinth, and us, that we have no reason to be braggarts in ourselves or any one person - which ultimately cause divisions, quarrels, jealousies, and discord. Paul exhorts, calls them and us to 'boast in the Lord' if we are going to boast.
Boasting in anyone or anything apart from Christ, except for God, is...foolish.
"Lord, thank You for the reality and message of Christ. Thank You for all the gifts, talents, abilities, and blessings we have in our lives...they all are from You. You are the source of EVERYTHING that is good. Help us to recognize our dependence on You in all matters in this life and Eternity; and have grateful hearts for all the good that comes from within us...because You live...because You live in and through us. We love You Lord."
We are focusing on a new book beginning today - Paul's (strong and straightforward) letter to the church at Corinth (written @ A.D. 55, Paul's third year/missionary journey in Ephesus). There were issues of immorality and idolatry in the church - as folks struggled to live out their faith in Christ in the midst of the corrupt and worldly city of Corinth! It appears that Corinth may have been a society much like we find ourselves in today in the USA!
Paul's focus was to assist believers in Corinth, and for us today, to identify the issues (jealousy, divisiveness, sexual immorality, and failure of the church to discipline members), offer solutions to the problems, and teach how to live as 'believers in a corrupt society" (NIV Study Bible p2059).
1 Corinthians 1
"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God....For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of god is stronger than man's strength...Therefore, as it is written: 'Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord" (1:18,25, 31).
Has anyone ever said to you or communicated to you non-verbally that: the God-Man Jesus dying on the cross for you (your sin and theirs) and then rising from the dead and now living and will be returning again - is foolish? And that you are foolish for believing such? Or maybe you once thought it foolish.
This is the point of Paul's message in 1 Corinthians 1. That without faith, which is through God's grace, folks think it foolish to believe in the Gospel message that Christ came, was crucified, rose again, and is coming back - all for you because w/o Christ doing so, you and I would be lost. This world would be it for us. We wouldn't know the joy of real life here, and we wouldn't know the joy of Eternity with Christ. We would only have ourselves to boast in - our works, our accomplishments, our intelligence, our talents, our our our - me, myself, and I.
Without faith in Christ, we have it backwards at best. The reality is human's highest intelligence and wisdom is like God's 'foolishness.' Now, we know that there is no foolishness in God...but if there were, it would be more wise than we could possibly achieve!
And so, Paul is stressing to the believers at Corinth, and us, that we have no reason to be braggarts in ourselves or any one person - which ultimately cause divisions, quarrels, jealousies, and discord. Paul exhorts, calls them and us to 'boast in the Lord' if we are going to boast.
Boasting in anyone or anything apart from Christ, except for God, is...foolish.
"Lord, thank You for the reality and message of Christ. Thank You for all the gifts, talents, abilities, and blessings we have in our lives...they all are from You. You are the source of EVERYTHING that is good. Help us to recognize our dependence on You in all matters in this life and Eternity; and have grateful hearts for all the good that comes from within us...because You live...because You live in and through us. We love You Lord."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
