A Voice For Wisdom

SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE

2008-07-29T12:30:00.001-04:00

PSALM 119:89-91 (KJV)

"For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.

Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.

They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all are thy servants."

A MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION

2008-07-22T17:18:00.003-04:00

MATTHEW 16:13-17 (KJV)

"When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, "Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?'

And they said, "Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.'

He saith unto them, 'But whom say ye that I am?'

And Simon Peter answered and said, 'Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.'

And Jesus answered and said unto him, 'Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.'"

WHAT DID YOU EXPECT?

2008-07-14T08:40:00.002-04:00

JOHN 15:18-21 (ESV)

"If the world hates you, know that it has hated me[Jesus] before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me,they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me."

A PRAYER FOR FELLOW BELIEVERS

2008-07-10T09:51:00.002-04:00

PHILIPPIANS 1:9-11 (ESV)

"And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God."

WORSE THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE

2008-07-02T10:38:00.002-04:00

JEREMIAH 17:9-10 (AMP)

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly perverse and corrupt and severely, mortally sick! Who can know it [perceive, understand, be acquainted with his own heart and mind]?

I the Lord search the mind, I try the heart, even to give to every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings."

A LOSER--NOW OR LATER

2008-06-27T09:37:00.003-04:00

MATTHEW 16:24-27 (AMP)

"Then Jesus said to His disciples, 'If anyone desires to be My disciple, let him deny himself [disregard, lose sight of, and forget himself and his own interests] and take up his cross and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying, also].
For whoever is bent on saving his [temporal] life [his comfort and security here] shall lose it [eternal life]; and whoever loses his life [his comfort and security here] for My sake shall find it [life everlasting].

'For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life [his blessed life in the kingdom of God]? Or what would a man give as an exchange for his [blessed] life [in the kingdom of God]?

'For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory (majesty, splendor) of His Father with His angels, and then He will render account and reward every man in accordance with what he has done.'"

PRACTICAL HOLINESS

2008-06-26T10:28:00.003-04:00

LEVITICUS 19:1-3; 11-18 (MSG)

"God spoke to Moses: 'Speak to the congregation of Israel. Tell them, Be holy because I, God, your God, am holy.

Every one of you must respect his mother and father.

Keep my Sabbaths. I am God, your God.

Don't steal.

Don't lie.

Don't deceive anyone.

Don't swear falsely using my name, violating the name of your God. I am
God.

Don't exploit your friend or rob him.

Don't hold back the wages of a hired hand overnight.

Don't curse the deaf; don't put a stumbling block in front of the blind; fear your God. I am God.

Don't pervert justice. Don't show favoritism to either the poor or the great. Judge on the basis of what is right.

Don't spread gossip and rumors.

Don't just stand by when your neighbor's life is in danger. I am God.

Don't secretly hate your neighbor. If you have something against him, get it out into the open; otherwise you are an accomplice in his guilt.

Don't seek revenge or carry a grudge against any of your people.

Love your neighbor as yourself. I am God.'"

A BUSY BODY OR A BUSYBODY?

2008-06-24T07:36:00.002-04:00

2 THESSALONIANS 3:10-13 (KJV)

"For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.

Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.

But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing."

A ZERO WITH THE RING RUBBED OUT

2008-06-23T09:10:00.002-04:00

ISAIAH 40:15-17 (ESV)

"Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales; behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust. Lebanon would not suffice for fuel, nor are its beasts enough for a burnt offering. All the nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness."

A PLACE TO HANG OUR HOPE

2008-06-16T18:12:00.002-04:00

EZRA 9:8-9 (KJV)

"And now for a little space grace hath been shewed from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage.
For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem."

GOD ALLOWS U-TURNS

2008-06-12T09:13:00.002-04:00

NEHEMIAH 1:8-9 (CEV)

"Please remember the promise you made to Moses. You told him that if we were unfaithful, you would scatter us among foreign nations. But you also said that no matter how far away we were, we could turn to you and start obeying your laws. Then you would bring us back to the place where you have chosen to be worshiped."

LOVE WHAT IS ABOVE!

2008-06-10T20:25:00.004-04:00

COLOSSIANS 3:1-4 (KJV)

"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory."

OH, BE CAREFUL LITTLE . . .

2008-04-04T23:10:00.002-04:00

PROVERBS 4:24-27 (KJ21)

"Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.

Let thine eyes look right ahead, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left; remove thy foot from evil."

SURPRISE!

2008-01-09T20:08:00.000-05:00

MATTHEW 7:21-23 (ESV)

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'"

A CLEAN SLATE

2008-01-01T09:29:00.000-05:00

ROMANS 8:1-2 (NIV)

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death."

SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO

2007-12-29T17:34:00.000-05:00

JOHN 14:1-3 (KJV)

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."

STARTING THE NEW YEAR RIGHT

2007-12-28T12:19:00.000-05:00

JAMES 4:7-11 (AMP)

"So be subject to God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him], and he will flee from you.

Come close to God and He will come close to you. [Recognize that you are] sinners, get your soiled hands clean; [realize that you have been disloyal] wavering individuals with divided interests, and purify your hearts [of your spiritual adultery].

[As you draw near to God] be deeply penitent and grieve, even weep [over your disloyalty]. Let your laughter be turned to grief and your mirth to dejection and heartfelt shame [for your sins].

Humble yourselves [feeling very insignificant] in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you [He will lift you up and make your lives significant].

[My] brethren, do not speak evil about or accuse one another. He that maligns a brother or judges his brother is maligning and criticizing the Law and judging the Law. But if you judge the Law, you are not a practicer of the Law but a censor and judge [of it]."

THE BIG BANG AND GLOBAL WARMING: AN UNDERSTATEMENT

2007-10-19T23:04:00.000-04:00

2 PETER 3:9-11 (KJV)

"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness?"

ALL THAT REALLY MATTERS

2007-10-15T16:50:00.000-04:00

Habakkuk 3:17-18 (NIV)

"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines,

though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food,

though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls,

yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior."

PAINFUL ON PURPOSE

2007-10-13T09:26:00.000-04:00

HEBREWS 12:3-11 (CEV)

"So keep your mind on Jesus, who put up with many insults from sinners. Then you won't get discouraged and give up.

None of you have yet been hurt in your battle against sin. But you have forgotten that the Scriptures say to God's children, 'When the Lord punishes you, don't make light of it, and when he corrects you, don't be discouraged. The Lord corrects the people he loves and disciplines those he calls his own.'

Be patient when you are being corrected! This is how God treats his children. Don't all parents correct their children? God corrects all of his children, and if he doesn't correct you, then you don't really belong to him.

Our earthly fathers correct us, and we still respect them. Isn't it even better to be given true life by letting our spiritual Father correct us?

Our human fathers correct us for a short time, and they do it as they think best. But God corrects us for our own good, because he wants us to be holy, as he is. It is never fun to be corrected. In fact, at the time it is always painful. But if we learn to obey by being corrected, we will do right and live at peace."

OH, BE CAREFUL LITTLE BLOGGER WHAT YOU BLOG.

2007-10-08T12:17:00.000-04:00

MATTHEW 12:35-37 (NKJV)

"A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.

But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.

For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?

2007-09-28T22:42:00.000-04:00

PHILIPPIANS 4:7-9 (KJV)

"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you."

THE WORTH OF THE WILDERNESS

2007-09-10T20:49:00.000-04:00

DEUTERONOMY 8:1-20 (KJV)

"All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers.

And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.

And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.

Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.
Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee.

Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.

For the LORD thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills;
A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey; A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass. When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.

Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:
Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint; Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end; And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.

But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.

And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish. As the nations which the LORD destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the LORD your God."

IT'S NOT WHAT YOU HAVE, BUT RATHER WHAT YOU DO WITH WHAT YOU HAVE THAT MATTERS.

2007-09-01T21:57:00.000-04:00

LUKE 19:11-26 (NASB)

"While they were listening to these things, Jesus went on to tell a parable, because He was near Jerusalem, and they supposed that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately.

So He said, 'A nobleman went to a distant country to receive a kingdom for himself, and then return. And he called ten of his slaves, and gave them ten minas and said to them, 'Do business with this until I come back.'

But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We do not want this man to reign over us.'

When he returned, after receiving the kingdom, he ordered that these slaves, to whom he had given the money, be called to him so that he might know what business they had done.

The first appeared, saying, 'Master, your mina has made ten minas more.'

And he said to him, 'Well done, good slave, because you have been faithful in a very little thing, you are to be in authority over ten cities.'

The second came, saying, 'Your mina, master, has made five minas.'

And he said to him also, 'And you are to be over five cities.'

Another came, saying, 'Master, here is your mina, which I kept put away in a handkerchief; for I was afraid of you, because you are an exacting man; you take up what you did not lay down and reap what you did not sow.'

He said to him, 'By your own words I will judge you, you worthless slave. Did you know that I am an exacting man, taking up what I did not lay down and reaping what I did not sow? Then why did you not put my money in the bank, and having come, I would have collected it with interest?'

Then he said to the bystanders, 'Take the mina away from him and give it to the one who has the ten minas.'

And they said to him, 'Master, he has ten minas already.'

I tell you that to everyone who has, more shall be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away."

DON'T BE ONE OF THE AMERICAN IDLE

2007-06-06T17:38:00.000-04:00

2 THESSALONIANS 3:6-15 (NIV)

"In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow. For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat."

We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat. And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right.

If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of him. Do not associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed. Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother."