What decides and settles your burning questions?
Questions and answers.
The options are limitless, it feels like. The media is chock-full of conflicting advice.
Everything around us is changing so fast these days. We are bombarded with new knowledge. And yet we know so little. How on earth are we to make good, wise, decisions nowadays?
Proverbs 8 is chock-full of what “wisdom” advises us to do. A question is: do we really, really want to be wise. It does not take much to be a fool, whereas wisdom calls you out, requires much of you.
And wisdom is obviously not like the advice from today’s Media, predominated by so many “closed-minded, self-confident fools”, as Solomon would have described them (v5). (See: Philippians 3:19) 1
Wisdom knows what is best in every situation
Wisdom is neither “left” nor “right”. It knows what is best in every situation, because “wisdom” follows the established ways in which all things were created (such as heeding natural laws therein).
The problem is – we don’t own it (wisdom, that is). Wish I did. It is so contrary to worldly fake wisdom, what so often stands-in as “wisdom”, but isn’t.
Wisdom knows what works best in God’s Creation, earth. Worldly wisdom is fake.
1 Corinthians 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness (absurdity, stupidity) before God; for it is written [in Scripture], “[He is] The one who catches the wise and clever in their craftiness;”
Why be making up things as you go along, as do the “closed-minded, self-confident fool”s of earth (v5)? God is The Grand #1 in all the universe! Why would anyone not want Him – to follow Him?
“The Lord created and possessed me [wisdom] at the beginning of His way.”
“From the beginning, before the earth existed, [I, godly wisdom, existed].” 2
It’s a good thing to follow “wisdom”. Disregarding “wisdom” leads to bad consequences, like wickedness and remorse, oppression and bad governmental policies.
Where is your heart at? Are you Worldly or Godly?
See references: 1 Corinthians 3:1; 1 Timothy 6:20; Titus 2:12; James 1:14; Jude 1:19
The real bummer of life
The real bummer of life here is that some “bad” comes to us regardless of our following wisdom or not, like pain and sorrow, or, like the repercussions of a nation voting foolishly.
I have to remind myself that the bad of life is temporary. Following wisdom leads us into an eternity of goodness.
The Fall of Man is what causes many of the difficulties that come upon us. But wisdom helps us to make winning decisions throughout our life.
Knowing wisdom well
Wisdom says,
8 “All the words of my mouth are in righteousness (upright, in right standing with God);
There is nothing contrary to truth or perverted (crooked) in them.
Wisdom is righteousness. Wisdom is always “in right standing with God.” Wisdom is what is truth. There is nothing in wisdom that will lead you into perverted, crooked ways of life.
The Apostle Paul knew wisdom well, and we can also. He shared the secret of overcoming in the midst of troubles. He said: “13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
12 I know
how to be brought low, and
I know how to abound.
In any and every circumstance,
I have learned
the secret
of facing
plenty and hunger,
abundance and need.
13 I can do all things
through him
who strengthens me.
– Philippians 4:12-13 English Standard Version Anglicised
As we learn daily to walk in wisdom, repenting when we fail, giving God the glory when we “do the right thing”, we will experience “inner calm”, that Peaceful Easy Feeling of peace in Christ.
The Almighty has sufficiently demonstrated His greatness in both the Scriptures and science. The problem is not a deficiency on God’s part but rather dimness on ours.
“Spirit of God descend upon my heart… I ask not dreams, no prophet ecstasies… but take the dimness of my soul away.” – George Croly (1780-1860), “Spirit of God, Decend upon My Heart.”
Only then will we rest under a full awareness of His dominion. “Oh, that we might learn the undefeatedness of God!” said Watchman Nee.
– Source: More Than Meets the Eye, by Richard A. Swenson, MD; richardswenson.com/about; NavPress; ©2000, pages 185-186.
I must look and see that there is Light in the dimness of my soul, says
…God would tell us, “Be still before me; wait patiently. Trust in me, and I will give you rest.” 3
Colossians 3:15
Let the peace of Christ [the inner calm of one who walks daily with Him] be the controlling factor in your hearts [deciding and settling questions that arise]. To this peace indeed you were called as members in one body [of believers]. And be thankful [to God always].
That peace of Christ in our “inner man” is “deciding and settling questions that arise”. No peace – no settling the questions.
3 Just consider and meditate on Him [Jesus]
who endured
from sinners such bitter hostility
against Himself
[consider it all
in comparison with your trials],
so that you
will not grow weary and lose heart.
– Hebrews 12:3
Do “not grow weary and lose heart”. Draw nearer to God.
James 4:8 Come close to God [with a contrite heart] and He will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; and purify your [unfaithful] hearts, you double-minded [people].
Hebrews 7:19 …a better hope is introduced through which we now continually draw near to God.
Hebrews 6:19 …Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil
FOR MORE:
Why all my pain and sorrow, my sickness and worries?
The secret of facing both plenty and hunger, abundance and need
Being wise in a very unwise world during these end times
What God has going on with us here on this planet
Are you ready to meet your Maker?
Footnotes
- – Proverbs 8: verses 1, 5, 7, 8.
1 Does not wisdom call,
And understanding lift up her voice?5 “O you naive or inexperienced [who are easily misled], understand prudence and seek astute common sense;
And, O you [closed-minded, self-confident] fools, understand wisdom [seek the insight and self-discipline that leads to godly living]….
7 “For my mouth will utter truth,
And wickedness is repulsive and loathsome to my lips.
8 “All the words of my mouth are in righteousness (upright, in right standing with God); There is nothing contrary to truth or perverted (crooked) in them.
- God possesses wisdom – Proverbs 8:21-32
22 “The Lord created and possessed me at the beginning of His way,
Before His works of old [were accomplished].
23
“From everlasting I was established and ordained,
From the beginning, before the earth existed, [I, godly wisdom, existed].
24
“When there were no ocean depths I was born,
When there were no fountains and springs overflowing with water.
25
“Before the mountains were settled,
Before the hills, I was born;
26
While He had not yet made the earth and the fields,
Or the first of the dust of the earth.
27
“When He established the heavens, I [Wisdom] was there;
When He drew a circle upon the face of the deep,
28
When He made firm the skies above,
When the fountains and springs of the deep became fixed and strong,
29
When He set for the sea its boundary
So that the waters would not transgress [the boundaries set by] His command,
When He marked out the foundations of the earth—
30
Then I was beside Him, as a master craftsman;
And I was daily His delight;
Rejoicing before Him always,
31
Rejoicing in the world, His inhabited earth,
And having my delight in the sons of men.32
“Now therefore, O sons, listen to me,
For blessed [happy, prosperous, to be admired] are they who keep my ways. - References: Psalm 46:10;Psalm 40:4;Proverbs 3:5-6;Psalm 56:11;Psalm 28:7;Matthew 11:28.
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