Bible League: Living His Word The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.God reveals things to us. The things He reveals are usually things that cannot be known in any other way. If we are to know them, He must reveal them to us. The Apostle Paul refers to these things in our verse for today as "the things of the Spirit of God" and he also refers to them as the "secret and hidden wisdom of God" (I Corinthians 2:7). This secret wisdom includes, among other things, the gospel message concerning Jesus Christ. Although God's secret wisdom is revealed to people, this does not necessarily mean that they will accept what has been revealed. Not everyone, for example, accepted Jesus or the gospel message. Paul says, "None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory" (I Corinthians 2:8). Although Jesus and the gospel message were revealed to them, they could not understand them for what they truly were. The reason why they could not understand was that each of them was a "natural person." That is, they were people devoid of the Holy Spirit. They were people who lived in the natural strength and wisdom of their own flesh rather than in the supernatural strength and wisdom of the Spirit. The wisdom they had was the "wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away" (I Corinthians 2:6). According to this fallible and transient human wisdom, God's wisdom was mere folly. In order to accept and understand revelation of the secret wisdom a person must be given the Holy Spirit, for these things are "spiritually discerned." Because of the sin that is present in all of us, our knowing faculties have been corrupted and cannot properly understand God's wisdom. As a result, it is necessary for the Holy Spirit to enter our lives and open our minds to the truth. Specifically, it is the gift of faith born of the Spirit that opens our minds and allows us to understand the truth of God's wisdom (Ephesians 2:8). Today, let us ask God to fill us with the Spirit and open our minds to the fullness of the truth He is revealing to us. Bible in a Year Old Testament Reading1 Kings 16, 17, 18 1 Kings 16 -- Jehu's Prophecy; Kings of Israel: Baasha, Elah, Zimri, Omri, Ahab NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB 1 Kings 17 -- Elijah Prays for drought, Fed by Ravens; The Widow at Zarephath NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB 1 Kings 18 -- Elijah and Baal's Prophets on Mount Carmel; Elijah's Prayer NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading John 1:29-51 John 1 -- In the beginning was the Word; The Testimony of John; Jesus calls Simon and Andrew, Philip and Nathanael NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion “I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for my own sakeand will never think of them again. Insight How tempting it is to remind someone of a past offense! But when God forgives our sins he totally forgets them. Challenge We never have to fear that he will remind us of them later. Because God forgives our sin, we need to forgive others. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Job 22:21 Acquaint now thyself with him.If we would rightly "acquaint ourselves with God, and be at peace," we must know him as he has revealed himself, not only in the unity of his essence and subsistence, but also in the plurality of his persons. God said, "Let us make man in our own image"--let not man be content until he knows something of the "us" from whom his being was derived. Endeavour to know the Father; bury your head in his bosom in deep repentance, and confess that you are not worthy to be called his son; receive the kiss of his love; let the ring which is the token of his eternal faithfulness be on your finger; sit at his table and let your heart make merry in his grace. Then press forward and seek to know much of the Son of God who is the brightness of his Father's glory, and yet in unspeakable condescension of grace became man for our sakes; know him in the singular complexity of his nature: eternal God, and yet suffering, finite man; follow him as he walks the waters with the tread of deity, and as he sits upon the well in the weariness of humanity. Be not satisfied unless you know much of Jesus Christ as your Friend, your Brother, your Husband, your all. Forget not the Holy Spirit; endeavour to obtain a clear view of his nature and character, his attributes, and his works. Behold that Spirit of the Lord, who first of all moved upon chaos, and brought forth order; who now visits the chaos of your soul, and creates the order of holiness. Behold him as the Lord and giver of spiritual life, the Illuminator, the Instructor, the Comforter, and the Sanctifier. Behold him as, like holy unction, he descends upon the head of Jesus, and then afterwards rests upon you who are as the skirts of his garments. Such an intelligent, scriptural, and experimental belief in the Trinity in Unity is yours if you truly know God; and such knowledge brings peace indeed. Daily Light on the Daily Path Isaiah 62:6 On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen; All day and all night they will never keep silent. You who remind the LORD, take no rest for yourselves;Romans 5:9,10 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. • For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. Numbers 10:8,9 "The priestly sons of Aaron, moreover, shall blow the trumpets; and this shall be for you a perpetual statute throughout your generations. • "When you go to war in your land against the adversary who attacks you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be remembered before the LORD your God, and be saved from your enemies. Isaiah 45:19 "I have not spoken in secret, In some dark land; I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, 'Seek Me in a waste place'; I, the LORD, speak righteousness, Declaring things that are upright. 2 Chronicles 30:27 Then the Levitical priests arose and blessed the people; and their voice was heard and their prayer came to His holy dwelling place, to heaven. Psalm 34:15 The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous And His ears are open to their cry. James 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. Revelation 22:20 He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming quickly." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. Psalm 40:17 Since I am afflicted and needy, Let the Lord be mindful of me. You are my help and my deliverer; Do not delay, O my God. 2 Peter 3:12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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