Monday, April 17, 2006

Wisdom and God's Glory

Pro 8:1 Does not wisdom call? And does not understanding put forth her voice?
Pro 8:2 She stands in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the path.
Pro 8:3 She cries in the gates, before the entrance of the city, at the doors.
Pro 8:4 To you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.
Pro 8:5 O simple ones, understand wisdom; and, fools, be of an understanding heart.
Pro 8:6 Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.
Pro 8:7 For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is hateful to my lips.
Pro 8:8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; nothing twisted or perverse is in them.
Pro 8:9 They are all plain to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge.
Pro 8:10 Receive my instruction and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.
Pro 8:11 For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.
Pro 8:12 I, wisdom, dwell with sense, and find out knowledge of discretions.
Pro 8:13 The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil; I hate pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, and the wicked mouth.
Pro 8:14 Counsel and sound wisdom are mine; I am understanding; I have strength.
Pro 8:15 By me kings reign and princes decree justice.
Pro 8:16 Princes rule by me, and nobles, all the judges of the earth.
Pro 8:17 I love those who love me; and those who seek me early shall find me.
Pro 8:18 Riches and honor are with me; enduring riches and righteousness.
Pro 8:19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and what I give is better than choice silver.
Pro 8:20 I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment;
Pro 8:21 I may cause those who love me to inherit riches; and I will fill their treasuries.
Pro 8:22 Jehovah possessed me from the beginning of His way, before His works of old.
Pro 8:23 I was anointed from everlasting, from the beginning, before the earth ever was.
Pro 8:24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no springs heavy with water.
Pro 8:25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I was brought forth.
Pro 8:26 before He had made the earth, or the fields or the highest part of the dust of the world.
Pro 8:27 When He prepared the heavens, I was there; when He set a circle upon the face of the deep;
Pro 8:28 when He set the clouds above; when He made the strong fountains of the deep;
Pro 8:29 when He gave to the sea its limit that the waters should not pass His command; when He appointed the foundations of the earth;
Pro 8:30 even I was a workman at His side; and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him;
Pro 8:31 rejoicing in the world, His earth; and my delight was with the sons of men.
Pro 8:32 And now listen to me, O sons; for blessed are those who keep my ways.
Pro 8:33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and do not refuse it.
Pro 8:34 Blessed is the man who hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
Pro 8:35 For whoever finds me finds life, and shall obtain favor from Jehovah.
Pro 8:36 But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; all who hate me love death.



As many of you know that visit here, I have been asleep when it comes to posting. I apoligize but that pesky thing called work has been getting in the way. I have however kept up the daily scripture reading. I think about it like this. Why would you not have read today? Are you able to survive without food. Is basic milk good for you? I personally cannot think of a greater insult to our Lord than to say thanks for salvation now let me alone. I want your forgiveness but not your instructions. I will see you at the day of my death. I wish to attack that notion because I am continually moving away from convential wisdom and into a completely new direction that puts me at odds with many.

The above passage is talking about wisdom. How does one obtain it? You must pursue it. If you do not, it will not just be handed to you. We must ask at James says in chapter 1 below.


Jam 1:5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and with no reproach, and it shall be given to him.
Jam 1:6 But let him ask in faith, doubting nothing. For he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed.
Jam 1:7 For do not let that man think that he shall receive anything from the Lord;
Jam 1:8 he is a double-minded man, not dependable in all his ways.



So here you have it. Wisdom. Look at proverb 8 above. Before God built anything, wisdom was there. How can we expect to change anything without wisdom? We will naturally run off half cocked and do more damage than good. We must seek after God. In order to change anything 2 vital things need to happen.


Joh 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

How can we expect anything to change unless we can die to ourselves and our worldly wisdom? Should we not seek out God as better than gold? I have learned and find GREAT satisfaction in the fact that God's words will handle ANY situation, and should be written on our hearts so deeply that we will recognize truth from error immediatley. Listen to Peter below.

1Pe 4:11 If anyone speaks, let it be as the words of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as of the ability which God gives, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ, to whom is the glory, and the might forever and ever. Amen.

So if we speak, it should be God's words and not our opinions. We are fallen, depraved, totally corrupt people in whom no good is found. Many will find fault with that reasoning but I challenge you to prove me wrong from scripture. We as a people have laid down our bibles for men's thoughts, with some Bible verses sprinkled in of course to christianize it, but how does God get the most glory? Re-read 1Pe 4:11 again.

So here is my application. If we want to change something, and in my particular case, the direction my church is heading I need to do a few things.

1. Seek Wisdom above all things (Read the proverbs daily)

2. Pray and fast (Mat. 6:16, 17, 18; 9:14, 15; Mark 2:18, 19, 20; Luke 4:42; 5:33, 34, 35; 18:12; John 21:12, 15; Acts 16:24; 27:9, 41; 1Co. 15:2; 16:13; Gal. 5:1; Phi. 1:27; 4:1; 1Th. 3:8; 5:21; 2Th. 2:15; 2Ti. 1:13; Tit. 1:9; Heb. 3:6; 4:14; 10:23; Rev. 2:13, 25; 3:3, 11;)

3. Be patient and long suffering(Rom. 12:12; 1Th. 5:14; 2Ti. 2:24; Jam. 5:7, 8;)

4. Learn God's word (Psa 119:11)

5. Speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15;1Pe. 1:22;)

6. Trust God for the increase (1Co. 3:6, 7; 2Co. 9:10; 1Th. 3:12)

7. Rest in the fact that I have glorified God in my actions and behavior. (Acts 23:1; 24:16; 2Co. 1:12; 4:2; 1Ti. 1:5, 19; 3:9; Heb. 22; 13:18; 1Pe. 2:19; 3:16,)



For truly I say to you that whoever shall say to this mountain, Be moved and be cast into the sea, and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that what he said shall occur, he shall have whatever he said. Therefore I say to you, All things, whatever you ask, praying, believe that you shall receive them, and it will be to you. And when you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive it so that also your Father in Heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in Heaven forgive your trespasses.
(Mar 11:23-26)


I would encourage a discussion on this. Please feel free to question anything I have written.

Jeff