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Heavenly Wisdom

28 Sep

Heavenly Wisdom

James 3:17-18   But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

As many of you know I entered seminary this year as a response to a call I felt on my life. I wanted to know more, a deeper understanding, yet school is against the grain of my past. I hated school and did just enough to get by. I am paying for those poor decisions now. The wisdom that James is speaking of here is not the knowledge gained in a book, but gained in a relationship and grown in the heart. The Gospel is where the change must begin, and only through Christ is the wisdom of the heart ever attained. We can fill our minds full of seminary knowledge, but unless it produces fruit from that relationship; it is a useless endeavor.

This passage in James in similar to the Gospel in that you must understand the bad news, (you are dead in sin without Christ), before you understand the good news, (Christ provided a way of forgiving that sin for eternity). The scriptures before in James show earthly, self seeking wisdom. James 3:14 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. These passages speak of a prideful person who seeks the glory of their wisdom. They are more concerned with their opinions and beliefs that pointing the lost to Christ through their testimonies. This is a wisdom based in pride and straight from hell as James says.

Matthew Henry spoke of this heavenly wisdom: “It is gentle, not standing upon extreme right in matters of property; not saying nor doing any thing rigorous in points of censure; not being furious about opinions, urging our own beyond their weight nor theirs who oppose us beyond their intention; not being rude and overbearing in conversation, nor harsh and cruel in temper. Gentleness may thus be opposed to all these.” Humility is a backbone in heavenly wisdom. Pride cannot co-exist with heavenly wisdom. God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. (James 4:6). To attain this heavenly wisdom requires no college degree, but only a humble heart and the desire to draw near. The pursuit of God and the things of God, will make you wise and tug your heart to share what you have gained with others.

 
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Posted by on September 28, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Not Win?

14 Feb

We all want to persuade others to our viewpoints. In any setting of most any discussion, we want others to believe what we believe. This could even let pride creep into evangelism. We can’t argue someone into accepting Christ. We can only present the Gospel with peace and love, and our testimony of what Christ has done in our lives. It is not us that does the work, it is Christ. We must learn to back ourselves down into meekness, and the strength that arises is the glory of Him who made us.

 

 

Not win?

James 3:16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.

This entire chapter of James is speaking about the power of our speech. The blessings, the cursings, and the hypocrisy from the same mouth. Are you wired to try and win an argument? Do you find yourself compromising your integrity to try and drive your viewpoint home? That is pride and straight from Satan. Verse 15 says, “This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.” We are so inclined to bring to front our thoughts, and our ways, that they can become self-seeking, and not glorifying to God.

There is a meekness in the wisdom of a true follower of Christ that brings with it a strength that the earthly wisdom will not comprehend. There is a peace that comes with the heavenly wisdom that does not need to “win.” Verse 17, “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.” We have all heard of the scriptures about turning the other cheek, and forgiving our enemies, and such. This is the wisdom of Peace, that comes with Christ, that surpasses all earthly understanding. What do you mean you don’t want to win?

 
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Posted by on February 14, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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A Speck

02 Feb

This morning I was still thinking about last nights lesson in Luke by Ed Gravely, and the reflections of how we all could fall into those traps of religion. I know that the term religion and the relationship are confusing to so many of us. I grew up thinking being “religious” was a good thing. But now I have come to understand that resting on what I would call “earthly wisdom” is not from God, but a tool of Satan that self glorifies, and does not preach humility and grace. We must understand that “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast.  (Ephesians 2:8)

James 3:16-17   For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

James has been leading up to these verses by telling us of the power of our speech, and the hypocrisy that can come as a result of it. Do we tend to seek glory for ourselves in our desires and how we speak of heavenly things? Do we become puffed up as those that Pharisees in Christ day whom even missed the glory of God standing before them? But what if we all feel as though in some way we are resting on our wisdom? We feel that we know just enough, do just enough good works, for others to think we are a good person? That ‘just enough’ is self seeking as described above. That is earthly wisdom that forms around religion, and not reverent fear and relationship with Christ.

With Godly wisdom comes meekness. We begin to realize that we can do nothing alone, but it all  flows through Christ. We realize that He reveals to us a great mystery that is heavenly wisdom that comes with time. A humble reverence and awe develop and dwell in our soul that seeks revelation from God. When we receive these specks of wisdom, when He opens our eyes through our hearts, we should only glorify Him as the result. There is only one Way to gain this knowledge, and it is not through envy or self seeking.

 
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Posted by on February 2, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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