Wisdom Of Life

Scriptures: Revelation 2:1-7 Ephesus was the home of a tremendous ministry. Despite harsh persecution, the church planted by Paul endured opposition, spread the gospel, and was quick to challenge false prophets. But 30 years after the apostle left, John’s revelation included a stern warning for those believers. Imagine how the words of Revelation 2 must have struck the Ephesians when they read them. After complimenting their service to the gospel, Christ said, “But I have this against you . . .” That phrase was no doubt extremely disconcerting. The Lord warned them that they had left their first love. In other words, all of their work was being done with wrong motives. Christ called the Ephesians to remember their love for Him and their delight in His salvation. Service is no substitute for an intimate relationship, but modern believers continue to fall into this subtle trap. The commendable things that we do count for nothing unless they stem from a vibrant personal ...

Receive Today's passage: Psalm 119:89-104 “Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me.”  Psalm 119:97-98 Reflect Am I pondering God's Word--meditating on it and committing it to memory? What is holding me back from memorizing Scripture? Fear? Laziness? Intimidation? What's one step I can take today that will help me keep God's Word top-of-mind throughout the day? It's one thing to commit to reading the Bible several times a week, and it's another thing to read it slowly and thoughtfully to discern what message God might intend for us. The writer of this psalm takes Scripture reading a step further, suggesting that we "meditate on it all day long."   Yet repeating a verse or Biblical phrase throughout the day doesn't necessarily need to be a daunting task. In fact it can serve as a tool that helps to keep us calm and level-headed as we f...

Scriptures: Psalms 33:3-11  The work God does is creative. He made heaven, earth, and all living creatures. He formed Adam and Eve in His image and knitted each of us in our mother's womb. His work is also powerful. Through His Son Jesus, He accomplished a great salvation for all who trust in the Savior. Our heavenly Father worked mightily to open a way for us to be reconciled to Him and adopted into His family. Not only that, but God's work is ongoing, and Jesus is the One who holds all things together (Col. 1:17) . In order to recognize God's handiwork, we need to pray in an active, persistent manner. Christ-centered prayers narrow our focus to the Lord. Then we can more readily identify His actions and see how to join Him. Self-centered petitions serve to distract us from Him. The Father also wants our heart and mind yielded to His will. Pursuing our own agenda shifts the focus to ourselves and makes us lose sight of the Lord. But a submissive attitude ...

Receive Today's passage: 2 Peter 1:12-21 “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”   2 Peter 1:20-21 Reflect Am I allowing the Holy Spirit to speak to me through Scripture? When I read the Bible, am I actively listening for God's special message for me? How do I know that it's God speaking to me and not me wanting to hear a particular message? Sometimes we doubt that the Bible actually has a particular, individualized message for us. After all, it's pretty antiquated--we wonder how something that was written thousands of years ago, in a completely different place and time, can still apply to and impact those of us living in the 21st century. What we forget, though, is that God cannot be boxed in to our definition and understanding of time. The God-breathed words that were ...

Scriptures: John 5:16-19   Throughout the Bible, we observe God at work in people's lives. Sometimes He acts in dramatic fashion, as in parting the Red Sea to allow the Israelites to escape the Egyptian army. At other times it may appear as if He's not taking any action. Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus that their brother needed His help, but Christ delayed before traveling to their home (John 11:3-6) . Our Father has given us the Holy Spirit to help us recognize His presence and handiwork. The Spirit cultivates spiritual discernment in us so we can understand when and where He's at work. In addition to spiritual discernment, we must develop patience because the Lord operates according to His timetable, not ours. After being promised numerous descendants, Abraham had to wait until he and Sarah were beyond childbearing years before she conceived. Impatience can cause us to take matters into our own hands and make mistakes. The Lord's efforts can bri...

Receive Today's passage: Matthew 15:21-28 "Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us." He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." The woman came and knelt before him, "Lord, help me!" she said. He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to the dogs." "Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith. Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour."  Matthew 15:23-28 Reflect - Do I live as though Jesus loves me fully, no matter my imperfections and hang-ups? - Do I come to Jesus boldly, despite my flaws and insecurities? - Am I afraid to approach Jesus for what I really need? Sometimes we feel like we need to wait until the perf...

Scriptures: Psalms 25:4-5  When you're facing a decision, whether big or small, it is important to wait upon God for His direction and timing. And though it may sound paradoxical, there are three ways that we can take an active role in the process while we wait. First , we should examine our heart, asking the Holy Spirit to expose any wrongs. If He brings something to light, it is important to take care of that sin immediately--by confessing, repenting, and doing whatever's needed to correct the situation. At times we push this task aside because the impending decision seems like our main concern. Yet we cannot hear from God or receive His full blessing until we deal with transgression. Second , when seeking direction, we should listen patiently and attentively for the Lord to give the go-ahead. It can be difficult to wait, especially when emotions or logic lead us to favor one choice. Third , the answer to our prayer at times requires our involvement. For i...