The Wisdom of God

1Corinthians 2:9-10 - But God has revealed [the things which God has prepared for those who love Him] to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 

I didn't know where I would be headed as a simple thought caused me to start pounding away at a blog. The power of God at work!

I remember years ago occasionally feeling as though I needed a boost of spirituality. I wonder if even back then God was preparing me for a day later in life when He would make Himself so very known to me? So often we don't look at circumstances in our lives as a touch from God...until we actually know Him. Oh, how different life is when we submit to Christ and are filled with His Holy Spirit. The things that come alive on a daily basis. We look at all things through different eyes, sometimes to the questioning minds of friends who do not understand why we bring God into our conversation.

When I was in this "religious" mood I felt as though I needed to read the Bible. I'd grab the old Bible given to me by my grandmother and start in Genesis. It went okay until I'd hit the "begats" in Chapter 10! That's when I'd become discouraged and stopped. I know I did this several times. Oh, had I just skipped them begats and pursued more of Genesis!! Although it didn't read then like it does now, it might have piqued more interest.

How I wish I'd known then what I know now. How I wish I'd had a heart and mind to understand the Word when I was younger. How different would my life have been? What changes would I have made earlier? How different would my work, family and relationships ethics/morals have been?

There's no point dwelling on those things because there's no way of changing them. God grabs of those whom He has chosen when His time is right. What I'm thankful for today is that a change HAS been made and I can go forward in my pursuit of Him and His wisdom.

There's a difference between reading God's Word as I did as a child and young adult without the help of the Holy Spirit and attempting it on one's own. It may not hold your attention; it might not even speak to you. Let me tell you it wasn't until I came into relationship with the Lord that I couldn't get enough. I started a Bible study within weeks and it was delightful. I was like a sponge devouring, learning and most importantly,  understanding. Oh, the wisdom that comes...and not of my own doing...it comes from that relationship with Christ.

Today as I read the Word or study it in classes or just mull things over in conversations with friends, I'm still awed by the newness of it. The Spirit of God always shows something new, even in scriptures which have been read over and over. The Word of God is timeless and always for now! I've often sensed that although we read a verse, a paragraph, a chapter or a book, God has so much more between the lines. I don't know how else I  can explain it. It's only for Him to open up our minds to grasp that between-the-lines information. That's what the Holy Spirit will do when He believes that now is the time to open up a marvelous truth to add dimension to something in our life.

I'm one to highlight and write notes in the margins of whichever Bible I happen to have in my hand at the time. I try to always use the same one because of all these notes. You don't want to lose them! As I was searching for an example of a nugget of wisdom scribbled amidst the scriptures this morning, I suddenly found myself in 1Corinthians. It speaks of Christ, the wisdom of God!! Forget the nugget! Get to the point!

The Apostle Paul is telling the church in Corinth about Christ and the wisdom that comes from Him. Paul was originally Saul, a Jew and persecutor of the followers of Jesus. But when He was miraculously set free from his old nature by the power of God, he became a major spokesperson for Christ. Like many of the other disciples/apostles, the wisdom they received came from the power of God upon their receiving, by faith, Jesus Christ. Many followers were uneducated which is how so many amazingly listened to these men as they preached Christ. The words they spoke were far superior than their backgrounds would suggest.

Paul wrote in 1Corinthians 2:4 that the words he spoke were not persuasive in human wisdom but as a demonstration of the Spirit of God. He stated later to his listeners that their faith should not come from man's wisdom either but from the same power of God. That comes when we choose to believe and receive Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives.

The wisdom of God, he points out, is a mystery. But it is revealed through the Spirit. The Spirit searches the deep things of God. The only way we can know the things of God...understand them...is by His Spirit. That's why reading the Word at first meant nothing to me. Oh, one might read the Bible and understand some of the stories but it will be surface understanding. I'm not in any way trying to say I'm smarter. I'm trying to say that true understanding comes from the Spirit of God which comes when a relationship, a true desire to know and follow Jesus Christ, is determined.

1Corinthians 2:11 - For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even  so no one knows the things of God except  the Spirit of God. 

When we receive Christ into our lives we are given the mind of Christ. We are given gift of the Holy Spirit to discern and to learn the things of God. This is not some arrogant type of belief. It is not out there to cause people to harumph and mock. It is told to us in His Word. It is there for anyone to take hold of if they want to receive Christ and take hold of that special Holy Spirit power. 1Corinthinas 2:14 tells us that the natural man does not (always) receive this information because it is considered foolishness to them. 

There is nothing greater than receiving Christ, receiving the gift of His power and wisdom and especially having that eternal life with Christ. If you have ever had that desire to be "religious" and read the Bible but it has not captured your attention, ask Jesus to show you who He is for you!

1Corinthians 2:12-13 - Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

Know and Understand

Jeremiah 9:23 - Thus says the LORD: "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight," says the LORD.

I need to do a study someday on words just like this. How many times would we find it said that we are to know and understand God? That's what He delights in and we can also if we put our hearts into it.

I think of all the admonitions to us about turning back to God, or turning to Him for the first time. He holds the key to life. All we need is right there in the Word.

The Word (which Nancy Pelosi had such a difficult time saying) is living water. It is our daily bread. It is the true Word of God given to people long ago to help us understand who God is. It's not just rules and regulations, admonitions, but filled with love and hope, words of comfort and words for us today as it was then.

I want to look at the first two sentences of that last paragraph and rewrite them: Jesus (which Nancy Pelosi had such a difficult time saying) is Living Water. He is our Daily Bread. He is the true Word of God given to us long ago to help us understand who God is. So again you see it's all about Jesus. It's all about seeking Him and learning and gaining His wisdom for our lives. 

When we seek Him we are given the ability to understand. He's the link that is missing when people claim they don't understand the Bible. You must first receive Him and everything else falls into place. The wisdom He gives is phenomenal! That's what it means when you hear scripture say "the blind will see, the deaf shall hear." Worldview is deaf and blind. But Christ gives us all wisdom and understanding.

God delights in those who delight in His Word. When we seek His Word (Him) He shows us the desires of our heart. He will speak to each of us individually. We will see differently, hear differently, feel differently. We do all these things because His Spirit has now become our Guide. I just can't tell you what the difference is. It's one of those things you have to find out for yourself. It's something that's difficult to comprehend until you experience it.

One thing's for certain, and I'm so thankful for this: the Word of God will never die. (Just like Jesus rose again from the dead and is alive today.) No matter how much this world or our enemies want it (Him) squelched it will endure, just like the nation of Israel. God has ordained His Word (Jesus) and His original people and no matter how bad things might look, they will not just fade away. Praise God. That means more people have a chance to accept the Word.

We are not wise on our own. We are not mighty on our own. We are not rich on our own. God has given these to us. It's when we don't realize where our wisdom, strength and riches come from we get into trouble...when our pride takes over and we attribute these things to how we worked for them. God deserves the credit. We are nothing without Him. James 4:6 tells us that God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Where do any of us stand? How puffed up are any of us when we do something we think is good? Do we ever give God the credit; do we glorify God?

If we have received Christ, we don't consciously go there anymore. We know where our "stuff" comes from. Because we have turned from our worldly ways and are now seeking His ways, our minds are set on things above, not on things on the earth because our lives are hidden with Christ (Colossians 3:2-3).

How things change when we sit back and realize that we really didn't get from Point A to Point B under our own strength, like I used to think. God's hand was in it all along. He had a plan for my life even when I didn't know Him and that plan included eternal life. I'm thankful for His prodding and turning me towards Him. I'm thankful that He cared that much. And I'll put my life on the fact that He will do that for anyone willing to truly seek Him, to get to understanding Him.

You will never get to knowing and understanding a wooden or stone idol, even if it's placed in a church. No celestial being can speak to you either. We may know about these things, what they "symbolize" but our God is alive and through His Word we may know Him. It is our direct worship of Him; it is our going directly to Him that He delights in. 

John 17:3 - And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.