How has wisdom made your life better?

This question can go in so many different direction and yet, there is really only one way we can follow.  We know the meaning of wisdom from the dictionary means the quality or state of being wise.  Our Lord and King, Jesus tells us in a direct statement from Deut 30, to choose life and he has set before me life and death.  Jesus our Lord and Creator said there is only two ways of living, the way of life and the way of death according to Jer 21.  We know the meaning means being wise and Pro 8 tells us to listen to instruction and be wise.  If we are a wise person, we will accept commands and we know our Creator gives us commands throughout His Word.  So, how does wisdom make my life better is but to follow the commands of our Lord Jesus.

Blessings

Stephen

"I call heaven and earth to testify against you today! I've set life and death before you today: both blessings and curses. Choose life, that it may be well with you—you and your children.

(Deu 30:19 ISV)

"You are to say to this people, 'This is what the LORD says: "I'm about to set before you the way of life and the way of death. (Jer 21:8 ISV)

Listen to instruction and be wise. Don't ignore it. (Pro 8:33 ISV)

The wise person accepts commands, but the chattering fool will be brought down. (Pro 10:8 ISV)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why should we pursue the accumulation of knowledge?

There is only one reason we should accumulate knowledge and we go back to Adam and Eve and the two different trees.  The two trees are tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.  Our first parents picked the wrong tree and on that day we were told we would die in this physical life. 

We know Proverbs tells us the discerning heart seeks knowledge and Peter tells us to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  That is what knowledge is why we are to acquire true knowledge is to know and follow our Lord Creator Jesus.  Knowledge is also part of us to add to our faith from Peter.   Paul wants us to come to knowledge of the truth and growing in the knowledge of God, until we become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Jesus our Lord said )  "Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge” and the keys is learning what Jesus taught, instructed, and way He live, teaching the Way of life all Christians are to live.

Blessings

Stephen

(Gen 2:9 NIV)  And the LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground--trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

(Prov 15:14 NIV)  The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.

(2 Pet 3:18 NIV)  But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

(2 Pet 1:5 NIV)  For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;

(2 Pet 1:6 NIV)  and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;

(2 Pet 1:2 NIV)  Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

(1 Tim 2:4 NIV)  who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

(Col 1:10 NIV)  And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,

(Eph 4:13 NIV)  until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

(Luke 11:52 NIV)  "Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering."

 

True Wisdom versus False Wisdom

When I think of true wisdom versus false wisdom, what comes to mind is there are just two ways of living and only two ways of life. 

Jesus our Lord and Creator tells us that he sets before us two ways to live; one way is the way of Life that our Lord and Creator taught, instructed and by His example that we are His Bride are to live. 

The other way is way of death that Satan by his broadcasting wants us to live contrary to the way of life. 

Satan teaches the works of the flesh and the Holy Spirit shows us what the fruit of the Spirit is. 

Since we have free moral agency, we can follow what true wisdom is (our Lord and Creator, Jesus) or follow false wisdom (Satan and his demons).

Joshua had this choice between way of life and the way of death and he said, “But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD”. 

Blessings

Stephen

"You are to say to this people, 'This is what the LORD says: "I'm about to set before you the way of life and the way of death.  (Jer 21:8 ISV)

If you think it's the wrong thing for you to serve the LORD, then choose for yourselves today whom you will serve—the gods whom your ancestors served on the other side of the Euphrates River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose territories you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD. (Jos 24:15 ISV)

 

 

 

The Three Enemies of Man

The three enemies of man are world, the flesh and the devil.

The World:  James tells us if we are friends with the world, is an enemy of God.  Why, because who is in charge of the world right now, is it not Satan and his demons. 

You adulterers! Don't you know that friendship with the world means hostility with God? So whoever wants to be a friend of this world is an enemy of God.  (Jas 4:4 ISV)

The Flesh: We know when human nature (spirit in man) is not combined with the Holy Spirit, Paul tells us that human nature leads to death where Holy Spirit leads to life and peace.

Or do you think the Scripture means nothing when it says that the Spirit that God caused to live in us jealously yearns for us?  (Jas 4:5 ISV)

To focus our minds on the human nature leads to death, but to focus our minds on the Spirit leads to life and peace. That is why the mind that focuses on human nature is hostile toward God. It refuses to submit to the authority of God's Law because it is powerless to do so. (Rom 8:6-7 ISV)

The Devil: As the devil broadcast his message he is trying to deceive the very elect but we are told not to give opportunity to the devil to work.  We know the devil is like a prowling and a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

But he gives all the more grace. And so he says, "God opposes the arrogant but gives grace to the humble." Therefore, submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will run away from you. (Jas 4:6-7 ISV)

and do not give the devil an opportunity to work. (Eph 4:27 ISV)

Be clear-minded and alert. Your opponent, the devil, is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. (1Pe 5:8 ISV)

because false messiahs and false prophets will appear and display great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. (Mat 24:24 ISV)

Always remember, stay close to our Lord and Creator, Jesus.

Blessings

Stephen

You used to be dead because of your offenses and sins, that you once practiced as you lived according to the ways of this present world and according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now active in those who are disobedient. Indeed, all of us once behaved like them in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of our flesh and senses. By nature we were destined for wrath, just like everyone else.  (Eph 2:1-3 ISV)

 

 

 

James says that we must be doers of the Word and not hearers only.

 

I find this very interesting question about doers of the Word.   James just told us that if we are just hearers only, we deceive ourselves.  

Many say they are saved by grace (which is true) but then by their actions they are telling the world that they hate Jesus our Lord.  This is a Strong statement, but true.

Jesus our Lord tells us that the person who loves Him will: 

·      Keeps His commandments,

·      His Word,

·      Abide in His love

·      This demonstrates our love for God.

·      Demonstrates love: that we live according to God's commandments  

How are we to know what Jesus commands are, but by studying His Word, the Scriptures, finding out what Jesus taught, following His example throughout the Scriptures, and living the Way of Life and not the way of death that Satan instructs in. 

We are told to endure until the end.  By grace we are saved and will be Kings and Priests under our Lord and King at the start of the millennium. 

Blessings 

Stephen 

Keep on being obedient to the word, and not merely being hearers who deceive themselves. (Jas 1:22 ISV) 

The person who has my commandments and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I, too, will love him and reveal myself to him." (Joh 14:21 ISV) 

Jesus answered him, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word. Then my Father will love him, and we will go to him and make our home within him. The one who does not love me does not keep my words. The words that you're hearing me say are not mine, but come from the Father who sent me. (Joh 14:23-24 ISV) 

If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. (Joh 15:10 ISV) 

This is how we know that we love God's children: we love God and keep his commandments. For this demonstrates our love for God: We keep his commandments, and his commandments are not difficult, (1Jn 5:2-3 ISV) 

And this is what demonstrates love: that we live according to God's commandments. Just as you have heard from the beginning what he commanded, you must live by it. (2Jn 1:6 ISV) 

But someone may say, "You have faith, and I have actions." Show me your faith without any actions, and I will show you my faith by my actions. (Jas 2:18 ISV) 

But the person who endures to the end will be saved. (Mat 24:13 ISV)

 

 

 

Double-Minded man

I found the term, double-minded man very interesting.  This term is the Greek word “dipsuchos” and means two-spirited, vacillating in opinion or purpose. 

We know of individuals who will research something to make a decision in life and just keep researching but never come to a final answer or what to do.  This is the same way in a Christian Walk of Life. 

We know there are only two Ways of Life for a individual to live and nothing in between.  The Way of Life and the Way of Death.  One is following the teachings, instruction and examples of our Lord and Creator, Jesus which is the Way of Life and the other Way of death is Satan way.  When we receive the Holy Spirit, the spirit in man combines with the Holy Spirit and we become a new creation. 

We then need to keep Jesus command and do what pleases him.  It is easy to know what to do, just look at what Jesus says he hates and not do it.  This is what a double-minded person does and then we become lukewarm. 

We all continue to make emotional choices to follow on what we desire, feel and think instead of the Words and commands from the Scriptures.  The only way we can show or demonstrate our love for God, we keep his commandments by the Way we live.

Blessings

Partners in fellowship

Stephen

He is a double-minded man, unstable in all he undertakes. (Jas 1:8 ISV)

Come close to God, and he will come close to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (Jas 4:8 ISV)

I despise the double-minded, but I love your instruction. (Psa 119:113 ISV)

Keep on being obedient to the word, and not merely being hearers who deceive themselves. (Jas 1:22 ISV)

Whatever we request we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And this is his commandment: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus the Messiah, and to love one another as he commanded us. The person who keeps his commandments abides in God, and God abides in him. This is how we can be sure that he remains in us: he has given us his Spirit. (1Jn 3:22-24 ISV)

1374. dipsuchos, dip'-soo-khos; from G1364 and G5590; two-spirited, i.e. vacillating (in opinion or purpose):--double minded.

"I call heaven and earth to testify against you today! I've set life and death before you today: both blessings and curses. Choose life, that it may be well with you—you and your children. (Deu 30:19 ISV)

This is how we know that we love God's children: we love God and keep his commandments. For this demonstrates our love for God: We keep his commandments, and his commandments are not difficult, (1Jn 5:2-3 ISV)

"You are to say to this people, 'This is what the LORD says: "I'm about to set before you the way of life and the way of death. (Jer 21:8 ISV)

 

 

Discuss what James meant when he said, "Count it all joy when ye fall into diverse temptations."

 

When I look at the verse where it says, count it all joy when we fall into diverse temptations.  I like the way ISV use the last part, “when you are involved in various trials.” 

The Apostle James tells us that God does not tempt anyone.  Our Lord Jesus said “in the world, we will have trouble.”  Paul says if we walk after the manor of our Lord Creator Jesus, we will be persecuted. 

Our Lord Jesus tells us that He examines a righteous person and  a righteous person will have many troubles, but he will deliver us from them all.

Paul then tells us when we have temptation, the Lord Jesus “will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to endure it.” 

Trials we go through will make us better and stronger Christians for our service in this age and for the Kingdom of God when Jesus our Lord returns and sets up His Kingdom at the start of the millennium.

Blessings

Partners in fellowship

Stephen

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you are involved in various trials, (Jas 1:2 ISV)

I have told you this so that through me you may have peace. In the world you will have trouble, but be courageous—I have overcome the world!" (Joh 16:33 ISV)

Indeed, all who want to live a godly life in union with the Messiah Jesus will be persecuted. (2Ti 3:12 ISV)

A righteous person will have many troubles, but the LORD will deliver him from them all. (Psa 34:19 ISV)

The LORD examines the righteous, but the wicked and those who love violence, he hates. (Psa 11:5 ISV)

No temptation has overtaken you that is unusual for human beings. But God is faithful, and he will not allow you to be tempted beyond your strength. Instead, along with the temptation he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to endure it. (1Co 10:13 ISV)

When someone is tempted, he should not say, "I am being tempted by God," because God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone. (Jas 1:13 ISV)