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Archive for October, 2013

Pursue Wisdom!

Posted in Wisdom on October 10, 2013|

 “I directed my mind to know, to investigate and to seek wisdom and an explanation, and to know the evil of folly and the foolishness of madness.” Ecclesiastes 7:25

“Pursue Wisdom!” that is what I heard God say to me.  A few months ago I was at an impasse in my walk with God.  I was not sure which direction I should go.  I serve as an associate pastor at my church; I also work there and have a ministry.  However, I felt I lacked direction for my own self.  So I began to pursue wisdom and what a journey it has been.

As I have pursued wisdom I have become more aware of foolishness.  Foolishness is really maddening and I see the evil of folly.  Most importantly I am discovering the value of wisdom and why God expects us to walk wisely.

I have not sought man’s wisdom but God’s.  There is a difference.  I am discovering that many things we do and believe in the world and think is wisdom is actually foolishness to God.

My pursuit of wisdom has not made me smarter; it has made me more sensitive to the nature of God and the schemes of the devil.  I have discovered a righteousness that exist in wisdom and noticed evil that lies in folly.

Too often we look at foolishness as someone or something that may be slow or dim witted.  In the bible foolishness is rooted in wickedness.  The contrast of wisdom and folly is actually the contrast between the upright and the wicked.

I am enjoying my pursuit but it does come with a cost.  The word is a two edged sword and my pursuit of wisdom has caused me to discover the folly in my life.  I am actually examining my own heart.  Anything that God gives us comes with great responsibility.

My pursuit of wisdom has demanded that I walk in it.  God help me.  To ignore wisdom at this point is the most foolish thing I could do.

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What Pleases God?

Posted in Faith, Knowing God, The Father, Uncategorized on October 8, 2013|

“And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6

I am sure that every believer wants to please God.  Of course we want to please our Father.  Many of us strive to please God.  We may think doing certain acts makes God happy.  God does love to spend time with us.  He wants us to walk upright before Him.  The thing that brings God pleasure though is our faith in Him.

Many believers are satisfied in their faith for salvation or that God will take care of them.  But I believe God is really pleased when we put our absolute faith in Him.

Abraham had faith in God.  God told him to leave his country and family and go to the place God would show him.  Abraham listened and obeyed God.  That is good faith.  God did not stop there.  He made Abraham a promise, God told Abraham something that was impossible but Abraham believed God.  God promised that Abraham’s descendents would number the sands on the sea shore.  This seemed impossible because Abraham and his wife Sarah were old and beyond child bearing age.  However, Abraham believed God.  That pleased God.

God doesn’t want us to simply have faith for things like our basic needs.  Jesus told us that God would take care of that because He created us; look at how God cares for the birds.  God wants us to have faith for those things which are impossible with man but made possible with God.

God wants us to believe that He will do what He says.  That He is a keeper of His promises.  He wants us to believe that when we come to Him He will give us what we ask for but mostly that we believe that He is who He says He is.

God wants us to believe that He will heal our diseases because He is a Healer.  God wants us to believe that He will bless us because He has promised to bless us when we obey His commands.  God wants us to have faith that we will prosper because God is our provider.

Many believe that sin displeases God.  God hates sin but Jesus paid the price for sin.  Our sin was settled on the cross.  What brings God displeasure is our doubt.  Without faith it is impossible to please God.  Imagine if Abraham had doubted God’s word and said it would never come to pass.  What kind of relationship would Abraham have had with God?  Even though Abraham obeyed God it was His faith that pleased God and was counted as righteousness.

Whenever we see God in pain in the bible it is because His people refused to believe in Him.  He was in pain when Israel built the golden calf.  He was hurt when Israel cried out for a king like the other nations of the world.  God saw generations of men in Israel die because they doubted God.  Now it pains God when men reject His Son Jesus and refuse to believe in Him.  Without faith it is impossible to please God.

Faith pleases God.  He takes great pleasure in our belief that He is and a rewarder of those who seek Him.  So when God says He will take care of all your needs and wants believe Him.  When He says He will heal all your diseases trust in His word.  When God says He loves you don’t doubt it.  Have faith in God.

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