What A Wise Guy Looks Like

What does wise person look like?  Over the years mankind has tried to portray the wise person as an older gentleman with gray hair who doles out advice and insights.  This could be accurate, but there is another way to recognize a wise person or a person who is full of wisdom.  Read James 3:17 -

” But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without favoritism and hypocrisy.”

First of all, true wisdom is from above.  Only wisdom can come from God.  Yes, there is wisdom here on earth, but usually it is very worldly and not to be trusted.  So a true wise person is seeking his wisdom from God.  Next a wise person will exhibit a peaceable and loving, compliant, merciful spirit.  They won’t be bossing other people around, telling them that there way is the best.  They won’t be argumentative, but will try to maintain peace at all times with all people.  They will show love towards others, like God showed towards us even when we didn’t deserve it.  They will be agreeable and try to comply with others needs, as long as it doesn’t contradict God.  They will be merciful towards others, like God is towards us.  They will be busy about the Lord’s work and producing godly fruit.  They will not be a hypocrite.  They are who they are.  They are honest and not deceptive.  They will not favor one person over another.  They are fair.

So as you if you want to grow in wisdom, first seek it from God.  Next start applying these character traits.  You will soon start to see your self maturing in the Lord and becoming a wise person.

A Kardashian Style Commitment

The marriages these days don’t seem to last.  Take for example the Kim Kardashian marriage.  It lasted a whole 72 days before the husband decided to separate.  Rumors of him wanting to make big bucks on a tell-all book filled the air. Now considering they didn’t have a great lifestyle to begin with and that they decided to pay for a big bling wedding, while airing their new marriage on the air, didn’t help a bit.  The problem is too many people get married out of pure emotion, the benefits it will bring, or the romance of the notion.  Not many people take the time to really understand what commitment is.  Marriage is an agreement to stay together no matter what.  That means putting up with one another’s flaws and sticking it out during tough times.  You aren’t supposed to get married to fulfill your own selfish needs.  You are supposed to be creating a union where you show devotion and love to one another.  It is a union that works together and grows together.  Too many times couples are drawn together because they find each other attractive, but when some new beautiful girl or handsome guy comes along, soon we find fault with our spouse.  Some will stray and violate their marriage.  Others become emotionally separated and still continue the marriage.  Neither way is the way to go.

Spiritually we need to remember that we are married to Christ.  Sounds kind of odd, but read II Corinthians 11: 1-5.

¹ I wish you would put up with a little foolishness from me. Yes, do put up with me. ² For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy, because I have promised you in marriage to one husband—to present a pure virgin to Christ. ³ But I fear that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your minds may be corrupted from a complete and pure devotion to Christ. ⁴ For if a person comes and preaches another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or you receive a different spirit, which you had not received, or a different gospel, which you had not accepted, you put up with it splendidly!

When we accepted Christ in to our hearts, we became like the pure virgin bride marrying their groom.  We are expected to remain pure and devoted to our groom.  Yet, so many stray from that commitment with Christ.  They wonder off in to a myriad of sinful things.  We become corrupted by the beautiful girls and handsome guys of the world that come along and tempt us to stray.  Those beautiful girls and handsome guys come in many forms.  Maybe it is porn.  Maybe it is violent video games.  Maybe it is sports addictions.  Maybe it is our career.  Maybe it is a false religion.  Soon we no longer have that pure devotion to our groom.  Now why do we do that?  Christ is the most perfect husband we could ever dream of.  He certainly isn’t no Kris Humpries (Kardashian’s husband).  He won’t be after His own good and wealth, Christ will be after what is best for us.  He loves us more than any husband ever could.  He is completely devoted to us.  Now why can’t we be that way towards Him?  So take some powerful instructions away from this passage.  Remember that when you received Christ in to your heart, you became His pure devoted bride.  Keep that focus, so you don’t stray.

A Kardashian Style Commitment

The marriages these days don’t seem to last.  Take for example the Kim Kardashian marriage.  It lasted a whole 72 days before the husband decided to separate.  Rumors of him wanting to make big bucks on a tell-all book fill the air. Now considering they didn’t have a great lifestyle to begin with and they decided to pay for a big bling wedding, while airing their new marriage on the air, didn’t help a bit.  The problem is too many people get married out of pure emotion, the benefits it will bring, or the romance of the notion.  Not many people take the time to really understand what commitment is.  Marriage is an agreement to stay together no matter what.  That means putting up with one another’s flaws and sticking it out during tough times.  You aren’t supposed to get married to fulfill your own selfish needs.  You are supposed to be creating a union where you show devotion and love to one another.  It is a union that works together and grows together.  Too many times couples are drawn together because they find each other attractive, but when some new beautiful girl or handsome guy comes along, soon we find fault with our spouse.  Some will stray and violate their marriage.  Others become emotionally separated and still continue the marriage.  Neither way is the way to go.

Spiritually we need to remember that we are married to Christ.  Sounds kind of odd, but read II Corinthians 11: 1-5.

¹ I wish you would put up with a little foolishness from me. Yes, do put up with me. ² For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy, because I have promised you in marriage to one husband—to present a pure virgin to Christ. ³ But I fear that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your minds may be corrupted from a complete and pure devotion to Christ. ⁴ For if a person comes and preaches another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or you receive a different spirit, which you had not received, or a different gospel, which you had not accepted, you put up with it splendidly!

When we accepted Christ in to our hearts, we became like the pure virgin bride marrying their groom.  We are expected to remain pure and devoted to our groom.  Yet, so many stray from that commitment with Christ.  They wonder off in to a myriad of sinful things.  We become corrupted by the beautiful girls and handsome guys of the world that come along and tempt us to stray.  Those beautiful girls and handsome guys come in many forms.  Maybe it is porn.  Maybe it is violent video games.  Maybe it is sports addictions.  Maybe it is our career.  Maybe it is a false religion.  Soon we no longer have that pure devotion to our groom.  Now why do we do that?  Christ is the most perfect husband we could ever dream of.  He certainly isn’t no Kris Humpries (Kardashian’s husband).  He won’t be after His own good and wealth, Christ will be after what is best for us.  He loves us more than any husband ever could.  He is completely devoted to us.  Now why can’t we be that way towards Him?  So take some powerful instructions away from this passage.  Remember that when you received Christ in to your heart, you became His pure devoted bride.  Keep that focus, so you don’t stray.

Desired More Than Gold

Gold fever struck in 1848 when James Marshall discovered gold in John Sutter’s saw mill in the south fork of the American River in Northern California.  Within four months of the discovery when word reached San Francisco 400 of the 600 men left town to seek the gold.  Shops closed, ships were abandoned and homes deserted according to the pbskids.org website.  The thought that free gold could be found just lying around places like California and Alaska made farmers and skilled craftsmen become miners overnight.  They worked hard for their living and dreamt of an easier life from all that free gold.  Unfortunately, it didn’t work out so well for most people.  It usually ended up being the ones who came in and open shops and saloons that ended up getting rich.  This story has played out over and over again throughout history.  Men and women seeking the good life.  Men and women never being content and wanting more.  Men and women dreaming of being rich and living the way they want to.  And just like in the miners case, it usually doesn’t work out that way.  However, there is one sure way to gain something far more valuable than gold in our lives.  Read Psalm 19: 8-10.

“8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; 9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.10 More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.”         

The commandment of the Lord, Word of God, and the judgments of the Lord are where we find true riches.  They will make us rejoice, instead of being dragged down by what we don’t have.  We will find purity in life, instead of always seeing just evil.  We will be enlightened way beyond what any new age religion can do for us.  The fear of the Lord brings true cleanliness to our lives, that no amount of good work could ever bring.  The Lord’s judgments are the only way for us to obtain righteousness.  God expects us to desire His Word and His ways more than anything else in this world.  We should give up everything to obtain the Word of God in our lives, like the miners did seeking God.

This passage contains some of the most important instructions we could ever follow.  Are you desiring the Word of God as much as the people in the mid 1800’s are desiring to find that one great nugget of gold?  Take time to think about what you think about and desire the most in your life.

The Breath of Understanding

God is so amazing.  With a single breath He can do so much.  First in Genesis chapter 1, we see He started with breathing life in to every living creature.  Then in Genesis chapter 2, we see Him breathing life in to the first man, Adam.  Then in Exodus chapter 15, we see God breathing over the seas and taking care of Israel’s enemies.  In II Samuel chapter 22, we see David praising God for his rescue from his enemies by God’s breath.

God breathed spiritual life in to us, when we believed what His Son did for us on Calvary and through His resurrection.  To be made spiritually alive by the breath of God is the most wonderful thing that could ever happen to us.  Once that happens we have the opportunity for God’s breath to give us another spiritual gift from above.  Read Job 32:7 and 8 -

“7 I thought that age should speak and maturity should teach wisdom.8 But it is a spirit in man and the breath of the Almighty that give him understanding.”

Elihu, one of Job’s good friends, share’s with us a very important piece of information that will benefit us as we walk through this world.  It isn’t our education or our time of learning from wise men that gives us true wisdom.  It isn’t living to a ripe old age on this Earth and learning wisdom through experience during a long life that gives us true wisdom.  It is the spirit that lives in us and God breathing understanding in to us.  We will never be able to obtain true wisdom or understanding on our own.  It is only going to be obtained when God chooses to breathe it in to our lives.  We need to seek it from Him.  It is a gift only He can give once we have Christ in our heart.  So ask God to breathe common sense in to you.  Ask with a pure heart or for the right reasons for God to give you a breath of understanding.

What A Wise Guy Looks Like

What does wise person look like?  Over the years mankind has tried to portray the wise person as an older gentleman with gray hair who doles out advice and insights.  This could be accurate, but there is another way to recognize a wise person or a person who is full of wisdom.  Read James 3:17 -

” But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without favoritism and hypocrisy.”

First of all, true wisdom is from above.  Only wisdom can come from God.  Yes, there is wisdom here on earth, but usually it is very worldly and not to be trusted.  So a true wise person is seeking his wisdom from God.  Next a wise person will exhibit a peaceable and loving, compliant, merciful spirit.  They won’t be bossing other people around, telling them that there way is the best.  They won’t be argumentative, but will try to maintain peace at all times with all people.  They will show love towards others, like God showed towards us even when we didn’t deserve it.  They will be agreeable and try to comply with others needs, as long as it doesn’t contradict God.  They will be merciful towards others, like God is towards us.  They will be busy about the Lord’s work and producing godly fruit.  They will not be a hypocrite.  They are who they are.  They are honest and not deceptive.  They will not favor one person over another.  They are fair. 

So as you if you want to grow in wisdom, first seek it from God.  Next start applying these character traits.  You will soon start to see your self maturing in the Lord and becoming a wise person.

Think on These Things

What a great set of instructions can be found in Philippians 4:8.  These instructions will shape or walk with the Lord and our life.  Our mind is what basically shapes us to be who we are.  What we put in to it is basically what we will get out of it.  Garbage in, garbage out.  Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ” We need to have a little better control of what we focus on throughout our day.  We need to put good things in to our mind.  We need to dwell on things that would please the Lord.  We need to pay attention to the various sources of media we use during the day.  Whatever we read in a magazine/book, or view on the internet or TV needs to be as God honoring as possible.  We also need to control as much as possible who we spend alot of time with.  Are they saying things around us that are appropriate, or are they always negative or talking garbage.  Memorize this scripture and start applying it to everyday life.  Look at each category up against everything in your daily life.  Ask God to help you put good things in to your mind.  Ask Him to strong enough to stand up to the bad and not let it in to your mind.  Help your mind to become a praiseworthy place.  A fertal land of purity, loveliness, nobility, righteousness, and admirability.