What is your definition of wisdom?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
(Proverbs 9:10 (NIV))

What is wisdom?

The world thinks of wisdom as a cunning or shrewdness in a particular area such as business. What passes as wisdom in this world is of no consequence in the eyes of God. The wisdom of the world is fleeting and foolish, for it passes in the blink of an eye. Even intellectual wisdom is fleeting. The “smartest” person in the world can lose it all in the blink of an eye if they are in an accident that causes brain damage.

Just what is wisdom?

True wisdom comes only from acknowledging that we are not “gods” of our own destiny and circumstances. We do not control our lives the way worldly wisdom claims that we do. What happens to worldly wisdom once that person dies without Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior? It may be remembered for a short time, but, it too will die and the person who was considered wise will spend eternity apart from God.

True wisdom acknowledges God and His mastery over all things. It not only says that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, it accepts Jesus’ authority as Lord and Master as well as Savior. With this acknowledgement and acceptance comes true wisdom, for the Holy Spirit will fill you with what is of God. The Holy Spirit proceeds with teaching and guiding you in all things that matter for eternity and not for the next few days, weeks, months, or years.

True wisdom focuses on the eternal Kingdom of God and not on the temporary personal kingdoms that we all try to establish for ourselves.

What is your definition of wisdom?

Copyright 1998 – 2018 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Do you recognize the unchanging nature of Jesus?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
(Hebrews 13:8 (NIV))

Have you ever heard people say that if Jesus were on the earth today, He wouldn’t teach the same things that He taught two thousand years ago?

Their reasoning is that we now live in a modern society that is different from the way things were two thousand years ago. They claim that humanity has advanced and that we have learned so much since Jesus walked among us. They claim that truth is not absolute and what is true for one person is not true for all. They claim that alternate lifestyles are now acceptable because society has accepted them and that Jesus would accept them as well.

If Jesus didn’t do it when He walked this earth, what makes you think He’d do it now?

Sin is still sin!

Just because humanity justifies something doesn’t make it right, especially in the eyes of God.

There is something about human nature that despises change, yet we are constantly looking for something new and better. Paul knew human nature. He warned us about falling for something that was not true. Yet, we have a tendency to do just that.

But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.
(2 Corinthians 11:3-4 (NIV))

Truth never changes.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
(John 14:6 (NIV))

Do you recognize the unchanging nature of Jesus?

Copyright 1998 – 2018 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Stay focused on Jesus and the commandments of God!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
(Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (NIV))

What is upon your heart?

Perhaps I should ask this question. What do you spend all of your time thinking about?

It is the very thing that we think about that is foremost upon our heart. It is the thing that we talk to our children about. It is the very thing that we talk to each other about. It is first and foremost in our thoughts.

If we place something besides God’s commandments in this position of priority, then our lives will follow that priority. If we place God’s commandments in this position, then our lives will follow suit. If we try to achieve the desires of our heart, our priority, and it is not of God, then we are foolish to think that we will prosper.

They plot injustice and say,
“We have devised a perfect plan!”
Surely the mind and heart of man are cunning.
(Psalms 64:6 (NIV))

Do we trick ourselves into believing our own cunning deceptions?

Stay focused on Jesus and the commandments of God!

Copyright 1998 – 2016 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Have you given in to the wolves?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
(Matthew 10:16 (NIV))

Once we become part of the Body of Christ, we , too, have the same directive as that which Jesus spoke in Matthew. We are to be wise to the ways of the world, but we are not to take part in the ways of the world.

We must go out into the world like sheep among wolves.

Think about that statement. When a wolf sees a sheep, it definitely gets the undivided attention of the wolf. The wolf sees something about the sheep that it wants and the sheep walks around knowing that it is in the watchful gaze of the wolf. It becomes a game of survival. The ways of the wolf are cunning and are out to trip up the sheep and devour it. The sheep longs to be at peace with the wolf. This is very similar to the way the enemy treats those who have called upon the name of Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. We must walk very carefully so that we do not get devoured.

It is a fine line that we walk while we are still in this earth. Knowing the ways of the world does not mean that we need to be tempted to follow them. We must keep our eyes upon Jesus and follow Him each and every day.

Have you given in to the wolves?

Copyright 1998 – 2014 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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