Pursuing Wisdom

Proverbs 19:8

He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; He who keeps understanding will find good.

Everyone loves themselves! In fact, to celebrate themselves they will buy nice clothes, do nice things, go on a fun vacation, just to mention a few things. However, not everyone thinks of treating themselves to wisdom. Why? Well, for one, it takes discipline. For two, it's not appealing to the flesh. The flesh hates what is good. Seeking after wisdom appeals to the Spirit. It feeds the Spirit. The Spirit and the flesh are at war with one another. Whichever one is fed, reigns. If you love yourself and want to find good, fetch wisdom, seek wisdom, dig for wisdom. Study, pray, seek the Lord. The rewards are unlimited.

From the pen of Matthew Henry:
take pains to get wisdom, to get knowledge, and grace, and acquaintance with God; those that do so show that they love their own souls, and will be found to have done themselves the greatest kindness imaginable. No man ever hated his own flesh, but loves that, yet many are wanting in love to their own souls, for only those love their souls, and consequently love themselves, aright, that get wisdom, true wisdom. 2. That take care to keep it when they have got it; it is health, and wealth, and honour, and all, to the soul, and therefore he that keeps understanding, as he shows that he loves his own soul, so he shall certainly find good, all good. He that retains the good lessons he has learnt, and orders his conversation according to them, shall find the benefit and comfort of it in his own soul and shall be happy here and for ever.

Watch Out for Curve Balls

I sinned. Yesterday, I allowed us to watch a movie that had suggestive content. Because of the funny quips and scenarios, I rationalized and thought it was worth the laughs. However, it wasn't. In hindsight, I realized that we were laughing at fools. Cheaper by the Dozen is funny, no doubt, but there lifestyle reflects that of people who know not God.

We were being a companion of fools. We were being discipled by a family not seeking to please God. The children did not obey, the parents sought their own, the childen did not love one another, sexual immorality was tolerated. Granted, everyone was transformed in the end and the family united together, however, I fear you came away desensitized to the fear of God. I wish they made more Christian movies we could laugh at together. From now on, train your eye to only view what pleases the Lord. Sin begins with one look sometimes. Just like Matthew trains his eye to hit the baseball, train your eye to know and detect a curve ball when it's coming. What started out as hilarious lines slowly lead to dangerous inuendos. I didn't see the curve ball coming. when you, my beloveds, sense a curve ball is coming, make adjustments. Turn around, and be thankful for the Cross. The cross gives you the power to detect a curve ball and it gives you the grace to whack them over the fence.

Delight in Duty

Beloveds, delight in duty!!!
The carnival of life will entice your fleshly minds to wasteful activities. Silly games, cheap thrills, passing pleasures will profit you nothing. So, be on guard against love of pleasure and seek to be disciplined in what matters. Be disciplined in the things that will bring you everlasting joy and satisfaction. Seek after knowledge, wisdom, and understanding. Delight in it as it will bring you joy that will far outlast the pleasures of this life. You are in the spring time of your life, don't be wasteful, but purposeful. Delight in duty!!!

Below are two verses and MH's commentary to spur you on!!!!

Proverbs 18:15
The mind of the prudent acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

MH:
The more prudent a man is the more inquisitive will he be after knowledge, the knowledge of God and his duty, and the way to heaven, for that is the best knowledge. We must get knowledge, not only into our heads, but into our hearts, get the savour and relish of it, apply what we know to ourselves and experience the power and influence of it.


Proverbs 18:2
A fool does not delight in understanding, but only in revealing his own mind.

MH
A fool may pretend to understanding, and to seek and intermeddle with the means of it, but He has no true delight in it; it is only to please his friends or save his credit; he does not love his book, nor his business, nor his Bible, nor his prayers; he would rather be playing the fool with his sports. Those who take no pleasure in learning or religion will make nothing to purpose of either.

Wicked Thoughts vs Holy Thoughts

Wicked Thoughts vs Holy Thoughts

Jer 4:14
Wash your heart from evil, O Jerusalem that you may be saved. How long will your wicked thoughts lodge within you?

Do you have wicked thoughts lodged within you?
Beware! Whatever vain thoughts keep creeping into your mind, they are drawing you further and further away from the one true God. Your double-mindedness will soon give way to blind idol worship. You will soon be numbered with the idol worshippers in the OT. So, if your mind is becoming fixated on something other than God, nip it in the bud.

Repent and replace your mind with God’s Word. God’s Word alone can rightly divide and dissect the sin in your life. Learn to love God’s law. Learn to cherish the sweet words of life....for they are like a honeycomb, sweet to the taste and healing to the bones.
James 4:8 aptly commands us to, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you, Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable and mourn and weep let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord and He will exalt you.
Thus, repent and return. Soak in the Word. Let the Word be Your daily delight, so that Your wicked thoughts will be replaced with holy thoughts.

Victory in the Wilderness!

Matthew 4:1-11
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil........

Life on earth is a wilderness. It’s a wasteland. It's a place that will never satisfy. Land mines abound. Temptations are abundant. So, beware, my beloveds. They are all strategically designed to defeat you.

Like Jesus, learn to recognize them for what they are......schemes of the devil to destroy your devotion to Christ. Satan will lie to you. He will lay juicy temptations in your path.

However, don’t fear. The righteous are bold as a lion. Jesus conquered the enemy. The enemy is defeated. Your job is to focus on the Word. Emerse yourself in it. Learn it, meditate on it, memorize it. Pant for it as the deer pants for the water. Stand firm in the Lord, He will give you victory over your temptations.

I pray your faith will not fail. I pray that you will be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might! In Christ, you are overcomers. You will have have victory in the wilderness.

Read Matthew 4:1-11

Spring Time of Life: Your Responsibilities

Rejoice, you are in the spring time of your life ! You have much to look forward to. But, beware. Many in this stage become enamered with love for pleasure. It's the way of the culture. However, my beloveds, don't swim downstream with the culture. Instead, swim upstream against the flow.

During this time, gather wisdom, knowledge, and understanding from God. The cost is great if you don't. The results will be regret and shame. Proverbs 5 illustrates this well. It distinctly outlines your responsibilities as a youth, and the benefits taking your responsibilities seriously and the dangers of not. By God's grace, I'm going to try to address these truths the next three blogs.

I love you!!!! God chose you, redeemed you, and has an inheritance for you.

Labor for it!

Wisdom: Labor for it. And with your getting wisdom, get understanding. Proverb 4:7

Beloveds, pray for wisdom. Take pains to acquire it. Give diligence in all appointed means to attain it. Read it, study it, listen to it.

Wait at wisdom’s gate, Prov. 8:34.

Get dominion over thy corruptions, get possession of wise principles. Get wisdom by experience, get it above all thy getting. Be more in pains to get this than to get the wealth of this world.

"True wisdom is God’s gift, and yet we are here commanded to get it, because God gives it to those that labour for it"

(Deduced and quoted from Matthew Henry's commentary)

Buy Truth and do not sell it

Acquiring wisdom requires time. Who has extra time? We all have time!!! It's just a matter of priorities. And priorities depend on where your heart is.

To acquire wisdom, schedules will have to be reworked, entertainment and pleasure will have to be forfeited. For me, it means, simply not going shopping. I don't necessarily like to spend money, but I do like to look. It means saying no to many good things as well. Distractions will vy for your time and energy. You must be purposeful and disciplined in your acquiring wisdom. You must decide on a place, a time, and have a plan. Nothing should usurp that time, unless your family is needing you. Satan will attempt to derail your efforts, your flesh will lust after temporal pleasures, the world will lure you with many traps.

However, you must stand firm against the schemes of the devil. You must be wise and make the most of your days; lfor the days are evil. Ps 90:12 Moses earnestly prays "teach us to number our days That we may present to You a heart of wisdom."

Proverbs states it this way: Buy truth and don't sell it. Stay focused. Say no to distractions. Time will never be recouperated. Learn now to sacrifice passing pleasures for the sake of the Gospel and the good of your soul. Buying truth has a high ROR (rate of return) It's worth it!

Welcome Wisdom!!!

Wisdom is a gift. We should welcome it as an intimate friend. We should attend to it with all diligence, so as to know it. And not only know it, but seek to understand it. Understanding the Word leads to doing the Word.

Proverbs 4 says the beginning of wisdom is to acquire wisdom! Read it, study it, listen to it, Hear and receive God words. Drink it in as the ground drinks the rains which falls upon it.

Hebrews 6:7
For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and breings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God.

So, soak it in, my beloveds! Welcome wisdom as a friend, and it will save your soul!

Our Life Saver

Ps 119: 11
David says: Your Word I have treasured in my heart that I may not sin against Thee.

Just as a helpless swimmer at sea would treasure a life saver, so must we treasure the Word of God. It is our lifeline to keep us from being swept away in sin. We are helpless and powerless without it. Without it, we die.
David knew this. Therefore, he delighted in it, treasured it, and meditated on it.
Thus, remember you too are helpless. You are born again, but still living in your sin craving flesh. Without large doses of the Word of God, you will be carried away by the cravings and passions that so easily entangle you.
Never “cool” in your affection for the Word of God. Treasure it and delight in it more than all riches. Be still and meditate on it. It's your life saver!

The Winter Season

Although the leaves fall and the cold winter sets in, remember it’s a season. A season with a purpose. Spring and summer will soon come around. The leaves will reappear, the flowers will bloom, the birds will sing, the sun will shine. But for now, we are called to endure the winter.
Jesus had His winter season. It’s when he left His home on high for the earth below. He went from royalty to rags, He went from a perfectly glorious place to suffering the pangs of sin. It lasted 33 years. Then he returned to His glory.

Was the 33 years worth it? Absolutely! The results and the rewards are phenomenal. He did the Father’s will, He broke the bonds of sin and death. He atoned for the sins of the world. He is now high and lifted up, exalted to the right hand of the Father. And one day, every knee will bow an deveyr tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.

How does this apply to us? We are to follow in His footsteps. While on earth, we are to crucify our flesh with it’s passions and desires. Then one day we will reign with him.
Just like it was His season to die, it is our season to die.
II Timothy 2:11
If we died with Him, we shall also live with Him.
Is we endure with, we shall also reign with Him.