You Think You Are So Smart?!

James 3: 13-18 (NLT)

¹³ If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. ¹⁵ For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. ¹⁶ For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.

¹⁷ But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. ¹⁸ And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.

I would like to think I am a pretty wise girl at the ripe age of almost 37.  I am wise enough to know that I do not know diddly squat.  Just when I think I have it all figured out, God shows me how much I do not know.  I like this definition of wisdom from dictionary.com

Wisdom: knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just 

judgment as to action

Wisdom is not just knowing a lot of things in your head.  Wisdom is also being able to act in a just way.  I want to be wise in all that I say and do.  I do not want to be an idiot.  Hahahaha Easier said than done! 

God so easily puts us in check.  I think some Christians can be so arrogant sometimes.   They walk around puffed up saying, “Look at me and how ‘Christian’ I am being!”  I love how He makes a simple statement to bring our attitudes into a proper perspective in verse 13.  If you think you are wise, understand God, and are all that and a bag of chips put your money where your mouth is….Prove it!

How do we prove it? 

1. By living an honorable life
2. Doing good works with humility that comes from wisdom (if wisdom comes from God than we realize that we can do nothing without Him…so we can’t be prideful about what we do.)
3. Not being bitterly jealous
4. Not having selfish ambition in your heart
5. Not covering up truth by boasting and lying

That is a pretty plain and simple list.  I wish more Christians followed it.  But, I also understand that we are all not perfect even Christians, that is for sure.  And just like other Christians, Christ is working in me.  He is making me more like Him and we are all in that process.  I must be careful to encourage those "being washed"; because we are in all various stages of growth.  

Yup, that cutie is me!

We don’t come to Jesus clean up.  He is always scrubbing away something, thank goodness.  We are born with this sinful, selfish nature.  We are all pretty dirty (vs.14-16).   I love this line from a song by Colton Dixon’s song “You Are”

When all my dirtiness has left me helpless. 
You are the rain that washes me.

I want God’s rain to wash me.  I want His wisdom in my life.

If we understand where wisdom comes from and we figure out to ask for it then God gives us His wisdom.  When we allow the wisdom of God to flow through us we can be that definition of wisdom I stated earlier.  We can have “knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action”. 

Because godly wisdom “from above” is….

Pure

Peace loving

Gentle at all times

Willing to yield to others

Full of mercy

Full of good deeds

Shows no favoritism

Always sincere

Plants seeds of peace

Reaps a harvest of righteousness.

I want this list to describe me.  If it does not, I better figure out what God needs to clean up some more.  I don’t want the old me to rise up.  

I do not want to be jealous; it only leaves me unsatisfied.  

I do not want to have selfish ambition; it only leaves me lonely.  

I do not want to cover up truth with lies; it only leaves me in disillusion. 

I want to prove it by living a life full of God’s wisdom flowing in me and through me.  I can only do it by His help!

I want to prove it!  

GET JOY!

Do you need wisdom today?  Maybe, you are facing some really hard junky life stuff?  God wants to give you His wisdom. He knows the beginning from the end.  He knows what is in your heart and He has a plan for you.  He wants to give you hope.  He wants to help you know what to do.  He does not leave us alone.  You do not have to wonder anymore.  He wants to have a relationship with you.  He loves you and He wants you to love Him back.  All you have to do is start by asking Him to be in your life from this day forward.  If you don’t know Jesus, you can.  Down at the bottom of my blog are some buttons you can click on to learn more about having a relationship with God.  You only are guaranteed this moment; do not let it slip away.  

I love this song!  Thanks Colton Dixon!

When I Need Wisdom!

James 1:5-8

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.   Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.

When I need wisdom...

Playing games after a long day in classes at CBC!

In Bible College I had to do a paper in my Hermeneutics class.  My entire grade rested on that paper.  I had to tear apart Luke 11:9-13.  I mean seriously study it backwards, forwards, upside down, in Greek, in the light of all scripture, while I ate, and possibly in my sleep.  This paper consumed my life.  So many I’s to dot and T’s to cross. 

I worked all semester on that paper.  It was more than 10 pages long.  It was a work of art.  I fulfilled every requirement.  I choose to go to his office and sit there as he graded it.  Yup…that was an option!  I was that confident.  Crazy, I know!  As he read my paper, I sat nervously and watched his face.  I was looking for expressions of delight of a paper well done. 

One of my favorite pics, our dearest college friends at our apt.
I'm sure the boys later cheated at a round of Euchre.

He began to tell me that my paper was written well and it would get an A except for one thing.  My heart began to sink and my face cringed as he began to tell me I had missed the point of the whole passage.  I got too caught up in the details and did not look at the big picture.

How many times do we get caught up in the details of our life, the worries of our situations, or concerns of tomorrow?  We begin to try to manage our life without stepping back to see the big picture and ask the big question, “God what do you want me to do?”  And if we actually do ask that question, how many of us wait around until we actually get His answer? Because if we take a moment and think, who see the big picture better God or us?

The one thing I learned about that Luke passage is that God wants to give us what we ask for.  He does not hold back.  He does not even hold back the thing we need most, Himself (Which by the way is the point I missed in my paper.  He still gave me a B in case you were wondering).  So, if when we ask for Himself and He gives that to us in the form of His Holy Spirit; than when we ask for wisdom, He surely does not hold that back either.  For when we have His presence in our lives, we have wisdom. 

I love this picture of God as generous.  I think we forget how generous He is many times.  I think life fogs up our vision of Him.  God wants to give us good gifts (Matt. 7:7-11).  He wants you to have wisdom for your life.  He wants to direct you.  He wants you to see as He sees.  He wants to even give you Himself through the person of the Holy Spirit to help you (Luke 11:9-13).  He holds nothing back!  And He will never make you feel foolish for asking.  He is a loving God.  We just need to ask. 

When the waves begin to swell...

However, there is a condition on us; our faith must be fully in Him!  I have been learning a lot about myself in regards to this very condition.  Many times, I have tried to live this life on my own….faith in myself that I can get it done.  But, in reality, I can do nothing.  Only God alone can change things, do things, mange my life.  I need to let go and let Him!  You can’t win a war fighting on both sides.  Just like your faith cannot be divided.  It is all or nothing with God. 

On my senior trip, just about to go snorkeling in the Bahamas.

I remember trying to get back to our boat, after snorkeling, in the Bahamas.  The waves began to pick up; because, a storm was coming in.  I was the furthest one out and it took every muscle and every once of energy to swim back to that boat.  Those waves tossed me around like I was nothing.  The waves left me frustrated, exhausted, unstable, and afraid.  When I climbed up on the boat, I was so thankful. 

Much like those waves lack of faith tosses us a round, leaves us frustrated, doubting, unstable, and afraid.   The waves seem bigger and stronger than God.  How can we receive anything in that state?  I am reminded of Peter sinking in the water when he began to doubt. 

Matthew 14:24 -33

Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves.  About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water.  When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!”  But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!”  Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” “Yes, come,” Jesus said.  So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus.  

But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. 

 Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” 

 When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped.  Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.

If your faith is being blown in all directions…

If you feel like you are being tossed around by the waves of doubt…

If you feel like you are drowning in a sea of fear…

Shout out to God, “Save me, Lord!”

And He will reach out to you, grab you, save you, and then He will display His mighty calming power to the storms in your life!  And give you all the faith you need...just call out!

GET JOY!

Proverbs 2 "Wisdom Has Entered My Heart"

It is hard to believe that my study in Proverbs is coming to an end today. (for those of you confused, I jumped in on my friends challenge on day 3) In some sort of weird way this chapter is a nice ending. I am not going to write a lot about it because it speaks for itself.

6 For the LORD gives wisdom,

and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.

7 He holds victory in store for the upright,

He is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,

8 for He guard the course of the just

and protects the way of His faithful ones.

9 Then you will understand what is right and just

and fair - every good path

10 For wisdom will enter your heart,

and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.

11 Discretion will protect you,

and understanding will guard you.

Oh, what good words from the Lord, today. I have learned so much this past 31 days. It has been a journey, a revelation to me, time of reflection and a time for some change. I hope that if you have not read what God spoke to me, take some time and read some of them. Maybe, He will speak to you as well. God is longing for us to know Him, to walk with Him and to love Him. He loves us so much and He has given us His word to reveal that to us. He is simply amazing friends.

Thanks Jenilee for the challenge, I really did...

GET JOY!

Check out my friend's perspective on Chapter 2!

My sister took that picture of the rose. I think it is beautiful!

Proverbs 1 " I Ain't No Fool!"

Okay this is not an April Fool's joke. I am not doing Proverbs all over again. I just came into my friends challenge two days late. It is kind of fitting that I am doing chapter 1 on April Fool's day.

7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

What is a fool? The dictionary says, "One who is a silly or stupid person; a person who lacks judgment or sense. A fool can also be a weak minded, idiotic person." In this chapter we learn that a fool is enticed by sin and ignores wisdom. Verse seven goes as far as to say a fool despises these things.

What is does it mean to be wise? The dictionary says, "Having the power of discerning and judging properly as to what is true and right." In Proverbs 1 some one who is wise is: disciplined, understanding, prudent, does what is right, just and fair. When we choose to believe in Christ, He doesn't ask us to check in our brains at the door. He wants us to use our minds and become wise.

I have learned so much from the book of Proverbs. I hope that I can apply these things to my life everyday and with that I will....

GET JOY!

Check out my friend's perspective on Chapter 1!

How do you like my son's hair? We were thinking about cutting it!

Proverbs 4 "Ponder the Path of Your Feet"

I am a very visual person. When I read things there is this movie going on inside my head. In this Proverb, I love the picture story that is going on here. The beginning shows us this picture of a child sitting on his fathers lap as he is giving him instruction regarding the Word of the Lord. I always love this vision of fathers teaching their children. I think it is somewhat lost in this generation.

Verse 5 is fun …(NKJV) GET WISDOM! GET UNDERSTANDING!

This got my attention today. In our young adult Sunday school class we have been talking about this very thing. We have been discussing that as Christians we need to know what we believe and why. It is so neat that our God is not afraid of us asking questions or seeking truth. In fact he implores us to. It is laziness that keeps us from wisdom.

2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
(KJV)

Finally, we see this picture of the father leading his son to the right path. And as I write this I realize that as a mom I can lead my children to the right path; but I can not walk down it with them, hold their hand down it nor drag them down the stinkin path kicking and screaming. It is their choice to choose Christ.

I can tell them that the right path gives them hope, strength, peace and life. I can tell them that when they come upon the wrong path although it may look easier in the end it is full of sadness, loneliness and death. This is where our faith jumps in, as moms and we have to trust and know that God’s love for our children is so much bigger than our own. My favorite verse declares that...

Jeremiah 29:11
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

Oooo hoooo, so much good stuff, it just warms my soul. Thanks Jen, for the challenge that you have given me. I am lovin it. So, I want to sign off with my favorite portion that was in Proverbs 4, it was a tough decision. Here it is…

7 “Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.”

We can have a lot of wisdom; but if we don’t understand that it needs to get into our hearts, then the wisdom is of no real value.

GET WISDOM, GET UNDERSTANDING,

Check out my friend Jenilee's perspective on Proverbs 4!