The Way to Acquire Wisdom

Read | Proverbs 2:1-7

My son, if you receive My words, and treasure my commands within you, so that you may incline your ears to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.

For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding; He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; for He is a shield to those who walk uprightly.

Knowledge is a prized commodity in the world, but more important than knowledge is wisdom (Prov. 8:11). God wants us to view life from His viewpoint and evaluate everything according to biblical principles.

How are believers to acquire this God-given insight? The obvious answer is that we must seek it. Too often, however, people who say they want to be wise do little to actually make that happen. Like any worthwhile treasure, wisdom must be actively pursued and carefully gleaned from its sources.

The first source is the Bible. Proverbs teaches that we should pay attention to God’s life-giving words and hold His commands in our hearts (4:20-22). These days information is broadcast with the slant of the people who packaged it. The only way to know the right perspective—namely, God’s—is to read His ancient “broadcast” and apply its principles (8:33).

Another source of wisdom is the counsel of godly men and women (12:15). The Lord at times brings fellow believers into our life to offer biblical advice, encouragement, or reproof. In Proverbs, those who ignore the words of a righteous person are labeled “fool.” Don’t be foolish. Surround yourself with other followers of Christ who are also seeking wisdom as their treasure.

Our heavenly Father ensures that those who seek wisdom will find it (8:12, 17). Diligent believers will discover they possess abundant treasure: In addition to godly insight, they'll have knowledge, discernment, and prudence—rare riches in the modern world. Use them well.

Willing to Wait for God’s Way

Read | Lamentations 3:24-26

"'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul, 'therefore I hope in Him!'The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord."

Many Christians struggle to discipline themselves in the area of self-gratification. There are so many things we want right now. And to make matters worse, we usually have the ability to follow through on our desires. That’s what the credit card industry is all about: Have it now; pay later.

But finances aren't the only area where we get into trouble. Some people are in a hurry to be married and therefore make an unwise choice regarding a mate. Others don’t even see marriage as necessary and opt for premarital sex instead of waiting for the right person. Then there are those who are just in a hurry to become successful and well-respected in their career, never giving any thought to whether the pursuit aligns with God’s plans for them.

One reason the Lord wants us to wait is to protect us from our own self-destructive ways. Those who can’t say no to their own desires end up enslaved by them. God wants us to be mature believers with the character and self-restraint to wait for His provision in His perfect time. Because the heavenly Father is omniscient, He alone knows what’s best. You can trust that if He asks you to wait, He has something more wonderful in mind than you could ever provide for yourself.

Does anything seem to have power over you? If so, it may be an area that requires the practice of self-restraint. Yield to the Lord and submit your desires to Him. Then begin saying no to temptations as you wait for God to reveal His will for your life.

The Priority of Prayer

Read | Luke 5:15-16

"However, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities.

So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed."

Have you ever forgone your daily prayer time, thinking, I am just too busy to pray today?Whenever we surrender quiet time for something else, we are making a statement about our priorities. It is a not-so-subtle way of saying, “Jesus, my calendar is more important to me than You are today. I’ll have to catch up with You later.”

We all do this on occasion, don’t we? Skipping prayer now and then is all too easy because, since we know the Lord is always there, we figure we can make up the time later. It’s as though we have taken God’s eternal, indwelling presence for granted with the thought, The Lord will still be here tomorrow, but I've got to get this done today!

What we fail to realize is that our quiet time with God is what empowers us to face the challenges of the day. Therefore, the busier our day, the more time we should spend in prayer preparing for it!

The Bible clearly shows that Jesus Himself protected His private time with the Father. I cannot imagine any person having more on his mind, having more things to do, or being in greater demand than Jesus. And yet the times when He was busiest are the times we see Him pulling away from the crowds in order to pray.

Is prayer the first thing you cut from your daily agenda when the schedule fills up? Protect that time every day at all costs. Remember, Jesus is God; if He considered prayer necessary to prepare for His busiest days, then it is an absolute essential for the rest of us!

Will a car run without gasoline?  Will the grass grow without water?  Can we fight the good fight without a weapon?  But this is what we do when we neglect to pray.  Prayer is powerful...it is a time to harness God’s supply of strength to give us victory over everything we have to do for the day.  If we are too busy to do so, it is stepping back instead of forward, losing instead of gaining.  Ephesians 6:10-20 is a perfect prayer for times when we don’t know what to pray for.

Is prayer a priority in your life and why?

Self-Reliance: An Unwise Habit

Read | Psalm 55:22

"Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved."

Imagine walking through a crowded airport. You cannot move without bumping into someone, you're late for your flight, and the wheels just broke on your over-packed suitcase. With no other option, you are forced to carry the luggage in your arms and slowly maneuver through the congested lobby toward the ticketing area.

Almost immediately, a young man approaches and offers to carry your bags, but you refuse, saying, “No, thanks. I can do it myself.” Realizing that the ticket counter is two levels up, you make your way to the stairs. Someone asks, “Wouldn't it be easier to take the elevator? It’s right over there.” But you reply, “No, I can do it myself.”

As you finally make it to the top of the staircase, your arms feel numb from the pressure of your bags. Your legs are starting to buckle from the weight. Your back aches from supporting the heavy load. Then you spot a collection of unused baggage carts but ignore them, thinking, No, I can do it myself.

This is a silly story, isn't it? Who would prefer to carry such a heavy burden, ignoring every opportunity to set it down? Yet many believers are doing just that.

Our heavenly Father has called us to lay our cares at His feet. But when we fail to come to Him in prayer, we are just as foolish as the person staggering through the airport, mumbling, “I can do it myself.”

Are you trying to carry a burden that is greater than you can bear? Don't ignore God’s offer to help. The truth is, we really can't “do it ourselves”—and He never wanted us to try.

To rely on the Lord is to cast pride away.  There is a difference between self-reliance and God-reliance.  We can do it or He can!  Let us not forget, the Holy Spirit who dwells in us empowers and enables us, not our own puny self.  Are you trusting God today?

 

All Our Anxiety

Read | 1 Peter 5:6-10

"Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hands of God that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your cares upon Him for He cares for you.  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.  Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.

But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen and settle you."

Did you ever wonder why a passage dealing with anxious thoughts mentions Satan prowling like a roaring lion? Worry can feel like an attack—we get torn up on the inside by fears, frustration, and helplessness. Anxiety is a tormenting emotion, and today’s reading reminds us that the devil wields it skillfully.

But we don't have to live with worry, because God closes the mouths of lions that threaten His followers (Dan. 6:22). Peter described how to keep clear of anxiety’s jaws. First, we humble ourselves before God. What causes worry is a sense of helplessness in a given situation, so the best response is yielding yourself to God—submitting to Him with the confidence that He has the power to control your life. Another thing that builds trust is the realization that God is always engineering circumstances for your good and His glory (Rom. 8:28).

Remember, prayer is a declaration of dependence. When you humble yourself, you’re kneeling before omnipotent God. And since nothing is a challenge for His power, the second step in casting cares on Him is the simple exercise of telling the Lord your troubles and then trusting Him to deal with them. He assumes responsibility for meeting believers’ needs; your part is to prioritize obeying Him and living a righteous life (Matt. 6:31-33).

Lastly, resist Satan by remaining firm in faith. In other words, don't snatch those concerns out of God’s hands to worry over them anew. When the devil’s ways make you tremble with anxiety, reject his lie and affirm that the Lord is adequate to handle the situation.

Anxiety is a tormenting emotion and left unchecked can debilitate you allowing Satan to take control over your life.  How sad it is to let him take our joy away when we can call on the name of Jesus and feel His soothing, comforting arms around us.  We have been made overcomers by the blood of Jesus, and no one can take our joy away unless we give it.  Are you filled with joy today?

Jesus: Our Seeking Savior

Read | Revelation 3:14-22

"And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, “These things says the Amen,the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God:  “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot.  I would wish you were neither cold or hot. So then because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say “I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing – and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked -  “I  counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that shame of your nakedness may not be revealed, and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten, therefore be zealous and repent.  Behold I stand at the door and knock.. If anyone opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.  To him who overcomes, I will grant to sit with me on My throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with My Father on His throne, He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

The Christians at Laodicea pictured themselves as rich and self-sufficient, when in reality, their spiritual blindness and self-righteousness had prevented them from recognizing their true poverty. Though they had closed a door between themselves and Jesus, He never gave up on them. Can you relate to this idea of a loving Savior reaching out to you?

Revelation 3:20 shows that Jesus . . .

• Stands at the door—The Lord takes the initiative. He’s ready and willing to seek us, even when we've erected a barrier.

• Knocks at the door—He tries to get our attention through a variety of means, including circumstances, pain, trials, conviction, sleeplessness, and/or His Word. Then He patiently awaits our response.

• Invites us to open the door—Though Christ is omnipotent, He never pushes His way into a relationship with us. He lets us respond.

• Enters through the door—If we open up to Him, He will come into our lives. Through the indwelling Holy Spirit, we’ll actually partake of Christ’s divine nature and be transformed into His image.

• Dines with us indoors—Now that nothing stands between us and Jesus, we can begin to enjoy all the benefits of an intimate relationship with Him and be nourished by His Word.

Where are you in this process? Have you built a barrier between yourself and the Lord? The Laodiceans show us how miserable we are when we try to keep Jesus at arm’s length. Only when we let Him have unhindered access to our lives will we experience the joy of intimacy with Him.

Oftentimes we fail to appreciate what it is to be called a child of God and heir of heaven.  We get so busy pursuing the things of this earth with the notion it satisfies, only to find out it lasts only for a while.  When we pursue the things of God, we discover the lasting, deep satisfaction our souls yearn for.  Jesus keeps knocking because He loves us so!  will you open your door and let Him in?

The God Who Comforts Us

Read | 2 Corinthians 1:3-7

Even though we experience seasons of celebration, all of us go through difficulties and hardships in life. At times we may find ourselves in despair, wondering if the Lord understands or even notices us. The truth is that He does understand, and He cares so deeply that He sent His only Son to rescue us from our sinful state. Not only that—He loves us and cares enough to comfort us when we hurt.

If you look up comfort in the dictionary, you will find one definition of the word. But take a look at John 14:16 (KJV), and you’ll discover quite a different meaning. In that verse, Jesus describes the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit and calls Him “the Comforter.” That term means “the one who comes to stand by our side—the one who comes to our aid.”

Because believers have the Comforter residing within, there is no need to search elsewhere for comfort. We don’t have to look to drink, drugs, entertainment, travel, or other distractions and pleasures in order to escape our trials and heartaches. We have the source of all comfort dwelling within us.

This means that when we feel as if we’re collapsing on the inside and crying out to God, “I cannot handle any more!” we can expect to sense a little inaudible whisper that encourages us: “You are going to make it because I am here.” When you discern the God-breathed comfort of the Holy Spirit—the One who stands with you no matter what sadness or difficulty you are facing—it is worth more than anything this world has to offer.

 

We have the Holy Spirit living in us, comforting us, strengthening and encouraging in all the moments we feel overwhelmed and discouraged. We don’t have to resort to outward source to alleviate the need, we only have to look inside and listen to that small, still voice saying..”I am here, you are not alone.”  Have you listened to Him the last time you felt needy?

 

Identifying Self-Rejection

Read | Romans 15:7

As news reports indicate, mistreatment of children is tragically widespread. And kids wounded by abuse can be scarred for life. Fortunately, most people’s experiences aren't that extreme. But even mild hurts can fester, affecting relationships and self-image.

The Origin. The bondage of self-rejection can often be traced to feeling unaccepted by someone close. Trauma like divorce or a loved one’s death may also contribute to a distorted self-image. Once internalized, this type of thought pattern can lead to negative behaviors.

The Symptoms. If a person has difficulty accepting himself, he may have a tendency to criticize others and interpret innocent comments as personal attacks. Perfectionism and feelings of inferiority are also common. As a result, fear of failure and criticism may lead to procrastination.

Another outcome of self-rejection is unpredictable anger. People who are hurt may find themselves easily frustrated. Such individuals might become loners or feel overly concerned about others’ opinions. For example, instead of focusing on a church service, one may notice what people are wearing and feel insecure about her own outfit. Someone with this mindset can be hard to love because she questions whether she’s worthy of care and affection. Sadly, she may then behave in a way that “proves” her theory.

We find the solution in today’s scripture: We are to accept one another as Jesus accepts us. This includes accepting ourselves. Ask God to search your heart and reveal any areas of self-rejection.

What Makes a Person Wise by Greg Laurie

The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.

—Psalm 19:7

As we look at all of the so-called government solutions that are supposed to improve our way of life in America, we see that they really haven't done so at all. That is because changing a person's environment does not change a person's heart.

The Bible doesn't teach that man is basically good, yet he does bad things because of bad influences. Rather, it teaches that man is basically sinful, and he is born sinful. He is not a sinner because he sins; he sins because he is a sinner. Sin comes naturally to all of us. The Bible tells us that. And it also tells us that human beings are capable of very evil things.

Those who believe that we can bring about a utopia on Earth through manmade solutions must be very disappointed by now. Because in spite of all our advances in technology, we still can't change the human heart.

Yet Psalm 19:7 tells us, "The instructions of the LORD are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple." The Word of God gives us incredible wisdom.

A number of years ago someone asked me, "Well, Greg, what do you do when you come to a verse in the Bible that you don't agree with?"

I said, "Change your opinion, because you are wrong."

I don't think that individual liked my answer all that much. But as Romans 9:20 says, "Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, 'Why have you made me like this?' "

The Word of God transforms us and makes us wise. And if you don't agree with the Bible, then change your opinion—because the Bible is always right.