Bible League: Living His Word Don't fool yourselves. Whoever thinks they are wise in this world should become a fool. That's the only way they can be wise. I say this because the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God.There is the wisdom of the world and there is the wisdom of God. The wisdom of the world is wisdom that arises from the limited perspective of finite human beings. It is wisdom that is limited by a vantage point located within the created order. The wisdom of God, on the other hand, is wisdom that arises from the unlimited perspective of the infinite God. It is wisdom that is not limited to a vantage point located within the created order because it comes from the God who exists outside the created order as its Creator and Sustainer. Given the commitment to their limited perspective, however, the wise of the world reject the wisdom of God. Instead of acknowledging the Creator God as the ultimate source of all things, they elevate mere creatures to the status of ultimate source. Further, instead of submitting to the revealed wisdom of God's will and ways, they elevate their own will and ways above God's. At the extreme, what God has declared evil they declare good and what God has declared good they declare evil. It's not surprising, then, that the wise of the world regard the wisdom of God as foolishness. As a result, it's tempting for Christians to avoid the scorn of the world by accommodating God's wisdom to the wisdom of the world. After all, it's a lot easier. It's not easy swimming against the stream of accepted worldly wisdom, it's not easy being regarded as a fool by the wise of this age, and it's not easy dealing with their persecutions, whether small or great. If you are going to be faithful to God, however, then you must be prepared to be regarded as a fool by the world. The Apostle Paul says we should not fool ourselves about this. The only way you can be truly wise is to become a fool in the eyes of the world, for the limited perspective of the wise of this world is foolishness to the unlimited perspective of God. A stand must be taken. A fact of life must be accepted. The wise of the world will think we are fools. Instead of appeasing them, however, we must accept being fools in their eyes so we can be wise in the eyes of God. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingJeremiah 3, 4 Jeremiah 3 -- Judah as the Polluted Land; God's Great Mercy NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Jeremiah 4 -- Judah's Devastation NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading 2 Thessalonians 3 2 Thessalonians 3 -- Paul's Prayers, Confidence and Warnings for the Thessalonians NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion Don't be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.Insight It would certainly be a surprise if you planted corn and pumpkins came up. It's a natural law to reap what we sow. It's true in other areas, too. If you gossip about your friends, you will lose their friendship. Every action has results. Challenge If you plant to please your own desires, you'll reap a crop of sorrow and evil. If you plant to please God, you'll reap joy and everlasting life. What kind of seeds are you sowing? Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Ephesians 4:15 Grow up into him in all things.Many Christians remain stunted and dwarfed in spiritual things, so as to present the same appearance year after year. No up-springing of advanced and refined feeling is manifest in them. They exist but do not "grow up into him in all things." But should we rest content with being in the "green blade," when we might advance to "the ear," and eventually ripen into the "full corn in the ear?" Should we be satisfied to believe in Christ, and to say, "I am safe," without wishing to know in our own experience more of the fulness which is to be found in him. It should not be so; we should, as good traders in heaven's market, covet to be enriched in the knowledge of Jesus. It is all very well to keep other men's vineyards, but we must not neglect our own spiritual growth and ripening. Why should it always be winter time in our hearts? We must have our seed time, it is true, but O for a spring time--yea, a summer season, which shall give promise of an early harvest. If we would ripen in grace, we must live near to Jesus--in his presence--ripened by the sunshine of his smiles. We must hold sweet communion with him. We must leave the distant view of his face and come near, as John did, and pillow our head on his breast; then shall we find ourselves advancing in holiness, in love, in faith, in hope--yea, in every precious gift. As the sun rises first on mountain-tops and gilds them with his light, and presents one of the most charming sights to the eye of the traveller; so is it one of the most delightful contemplations in the world to mark the glow of the Spirit's light on the head of some saint, who has risen up in spiritual stature, like Saul, above his fellows, till, like a mighty Alp, snow-capped, he reflects first among the chosen, the beams of the Sun of Righteousness, and bears the sheen of his effulgence high aloft for all to see, and seeing it, to glorify his Father which is in heaven. Daily Light on the Daily Path Romans 7:22 For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man,Psalm 119:97 O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. Jeremiah 15:16 Your words were found and I ate them, And Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts. Job 23:12 "I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food. Psalm 40:8 I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your Law is within my heart." John 4:34 Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work. Psalm 19:8,10 The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. • They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. James 1:22,23 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. • For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; 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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