Two Kinds of Wisdom.

James tells us there are two kinds of wisdom, wisdom from the world and wisdom from God. He also tells us how to tell the difference between the two. They stand side by side in glaring contrast in their motives and outcomes.

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
 James 1:5-8

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. (Wisdom from God)

But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. (Wisdom of the world)

For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.
 James 3:13-18

Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 

God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”

1 Corinthians 1:26-31

James names, "selfish ambition" and "bitter envy" as worldly wisdom. In our culture, who is admired? Those who get ahead, those who become rich and have many possessions. Have you heard the saying, "Whoever dies with the most toys wins?"  Actually, this has probably been true of almost all cultures. No matter how they get to the top, the top people are envied and admired. How did they get there? Most likely through envy themselves and selfish ambition. 

James knows this. The wisdom from God is nothing like the wisdom of the world; when you look at Jesus, you see wisdom in action. One reason people make fun of Christians is they don't understand God's wisdom. It seems foolish to them to put God and others first. But God can open anyone's eyes if they will ask Him. He gives generously to all, James says. And I love what James says next, "without finding fault." 

We have a God who understands how our brains work and what we have been taught and seen in our lives. He doesn't find fault, he only asks that we come to him for true wisdom, which will result in peace and love instead of "disorder and evil."

What, Me Worry?

There is a lot of talk today on how evil and frightening the world is becoming. Wars of all kinds, terrorism and natural disasters fill the headlines. It is natural to be concerned, but I was reading Psalm 36 this morning and God's words tell us what to do when we feel this way.

Do not fret because of those who are evil

or be envious of those who do wrong;

for like the grass they will soon wither,

like green plants they will soon die away.

Trust in the Lord and do good;

dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

Take delight in the Lord,

and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord;

trust in him and he will do this:

He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,

your vindication like the noonday sun.

Be still before the Lord

and wait patiently for him;

do not fret when people succeed in their ways,

when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;

do not fret—it leads only to evil.

For those who are evil will be destroyed,

but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.

Psalm 36

Instead of looking at what evil there is in the world, let us look up to God for strength, help and hope.

Finding Rest in God.

Rest

by D. L. Moody

 “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and My burden is light."  Matthew 11:28

If you probe the human heart, you will find a want, and that want is rest. The cry of the world to day is, “Where can rest be found?” Why are theaters and places of amusement crowded at night? What is the secret of Sunday driving, of the saloons and brothels? Some think they are going to get it in pleasure, others think they are going to get it in wealth, and others in literature. They are seeking and finding no rest."

I like to have a text like this, because it takes us all in. “Come unto me all ye that labor.” That doe not mean a select few—refined ladies and cultured men. It does not mean good people only. It applies to saint and sinner. Hospitals are for the sick, not for healthy people. Do you think that Christ would shut the door in anyone’s face, and say, “I did not mean all; I only meant certain ones”? If you cannot come as a saint, come as a sinner. Only come! A lady told me once that she was so hard-hearted she couldn’t come. “Well,” I said, “my good woman, it doesn’t say all ye soft-hearted people come. Black hearts, vile hearts, hard hearts, soft hearts, all hearts come. Who can soften your hard heart but Himself?

The harder the heart, the more need you have to come. If my watch stops I don’t take it to a drug store or to a blacksmith’s shop, but to the watchmaker’s, to have it repaired. So if the heart gets out of order take it to its keeper, Christ, to have it set right. If you can prove that you are a sinner, you are entitled to the promise. Get all the benefit you can out of it. Now, there are a good many believers who think this text applies only to sinners; It is just the thing for them too. What do we see to-day? The Church, Christian people, all loaded down with cares and troubles. “Come unto me all ye that labor.” All! I believe that includes the Christian whose heart is burdened with some great sorrow. The Lord wants you to come.

Sometimes Christians go into their closet and close their door, and they get so carried away and lifted up that they forget their trouble; but they just take it up again the moment they get off their knees.

I was in Wales once, and a lady told me this little story: An English friend of hers, a mother, had a child that was sick. At first they considered there was no danger, until one day the doctor came in and said that the symptoms were very unfavorable. He took the mother out of the room, and told her that the child could not live. It came like a thunderbolt. After the doctor had gone the mother went into the room where the child lay and began to talk to the child and tried to divert its mind. “Darling, do you know you will soon hear the music of heaven? You will hear a sweeter song than you have ever heard on earth. You will hear them sing the song of Moses and the Lamb. You are very fond of music. Won’t it be sweet, darling?

And the little tired, sick child turned its head away, and said, “Oh mamma, I am so tired and so sick that I think it would make me worse to hear all that music.” “Well,” the mother said, “you will soon see Jesus, You will see the seraphim and cherubim and the streets all paved with gold”; and she went on picturing heaven as it is described in Revelation. The little tired child again turned its head away, and said, “Oh mamma, I am so tired that I think it would make me worse to see all those beautiful things!” At last the mother took the child up in her arms, and pressed her to her loving heart. And the little sick one whispered: “Oh mamma, that is what I want. If Jesus will only take me in His arms and let me rest!”

Dear friend, are you not tired and weary of sin? Are you not weary of the turmoil of life? You can rest on the bosom of the Son of God.

Calm in the Storm.

Photo by: Malene Thyssen

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Boelge_stor.jpg

And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But Jesus was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”

And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.  Mark 4:37,38

Charles Spurgeon writes about this event: Within the Lord there was a great calm, and that is why there was soon a great calm around Him for what is in God comes out of God. Since there was calm in Christ for Himself, there was afterwards a calm outside for others.

Jesus had perfect confidence in God that all was well. The waves might roar, the winds might rage, but He was not at all disquieted by their fury. He knew the waters were in the hollow of God's hand...He was not troubled, no, he had not even a careful thought. He was as much at ease as on a sunny day. His mind and heart were free from every kind of care.

W have not half the confidence in God that we ought to have, not even the best of us. The Lord deserves our unbounded belief, our unquestioning confidence, our undisturbed reliance. Oh, that we rendered it to Him as the Saviour did!

Spurgeon goes on to write about how some people have trouble sleeping because of their fears and doubts. They go to bed worried for their children or others they love. I have done this myself. Sometimes, instead of having perfect peace within myself that God is working and does all things well - I worry. 

Jesus said to his friends, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?"

I hope and pray that one day I will be like Jesus, who was not afraid of anything but trusted in God's wisdom and love.

God's Peace.

The fruit of the Spirit is peace.—GAL.5:22.

To be spiritually minded is life and peace.

God hath called us to peace.—Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.—The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.—Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

The work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.—Whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

Great peace have they which love thy law.

Rom.8:6.I Cor.7:15. -John 14:27. -Rom.15:13.II Tim.1:12. -Isa.26:3.Isa.32:17,18. -Prov.1:33.Psa.119:165.

http://christianbookshelf.org/anonymous/daily_light_on_the_daily_path/may_1_morning.htm

The Complete Serenity of Jesus.

I read these descriptions of Jesus by Henry Drummond and was moved by them.


Christ's life outwardly was one of the most troubled lives that was ever lived: Tempest and tumult, tumult and tempest, the waves breaking over it all the time till the worn body was laid in the grave. But the inner life was a sea of glass. The great calm was always there. At any moment you might have gone to Him and found Rest.

 Nothing ever for a moment broke the serenity of Christ's life on earth. Misfortune could not reach Him; He had no fortune. Food, raiment, money—fountain-heads of half the world's weariness—He simply did not care for; they played no part in His life; He "took no thought" for them. It was impossible to affect Him by lowering His reputation; He had already made Himself of no reputation. He was dumb before insult. When He was reviled, He reviled not again. In fact, there was nothing that the world could do to Him that could ruffle the surface of His spirit.

 Christ saw that men took life painfully. To some it was a weariness, to others a failure, to many a tragedy, to all a struggle and a pain. How to carry this burden of life had been the whole world's problem. It is still the whole world's problem. And here is Christ's solution. "Carry it as I do. Take life as I take it. Look at it from My point of view. Interpret it upon My principles. Take My yoke and learn of Me, and you will find it easy. For My yoke is easy, works easily, sits right upon the shoulders, and THEREFORE My burden is light." 


Pax Vobiscum, by Henry Drummond

Peace

"The peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Jesus." Philippians 4:7

I read this verse the other day and for the first time I noticed that peace will guard our hearts. I always used to love the first part that says God's peace passes all understanding. I didn't think about the last part of the verse.

Since I have found more peace in my life lately, I can see how peace guards your heart. If you are peaceful, you don't get angry, worried or depressed. Peace guards you from these negative feelings.

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled or afraid." John 14:27

Emotions

Last week my grandson got into some trouble. In the past, I would have been crying and depressed about what had happened. But after using the principles taught to me by Joyce Meyer, I didn't cry, I didn't get depressed and not only that, I had great peace.

Joyce has taught me to, "Think on purpose." I no longer have to let my feelings and thoughts lead me. I can choose not to think negative and sad thoughts. I can choose to think positive and trusting thoughts. This has been a wonderful thing for me. I have been tested and found peace in the midst of chaos. Praise God!

I now believe with faith the verse, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28