Wisdom of God

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” Is 29:14

I find myself increasingly frustrated at level of the intellectual blather emanating from the so called academic elite. How can those who claim to be “experts” by virtue of their academic pedigree spew such nonsense? The predictable fare of scientific and philosophical minutiae, most often derived from concocted data and spurious mental gymnastics serves primarily to confound and lull to sleep the uninformed masses who are more interested in “American Idol” or the “WWF” than the moral and ethical decay threatening the destruction of our free society. Be it the ravings of evolutionists or the creative science of global warming, “politico-science-speak” (I made that up) has become a tool of distraction designed to diabolically transform an apathetic and poorly educated populous into mindless drones unable to take a breath without getting permission from Big Brother.

What has facilitated this societal shift from self-governance to big government? Why is the average citizen misinformed and generally apathetic about the world around him? Why has the progressive movement made such giant strides toward stripping away our basic freedom? I believe the answer lies not in a debate between “science” and religion, Jungian Psychology and the truths of the bible rather, I believe it resides in mankind’s obsession with self.

For years now, the progressives and liberal activists have manipulated societal mores and ethical benchmarks in a methodical manner partly because the average citizen has been distracted with himself (herself) and his (her) own physical pleasure more than what is morally correct. One need only look at the state of the family, marriage and the crime rate to see that our society has been engaged with selfish carnal satisfaction at the expense of many institutions we used to hold dear. For example, during the period 1960-2005, according to a Pew Research study, illegitimate births increased sevenfold from 5.3 percent to 36.8 percent. Among blacks two out of every three births are illegitimate. Divorce even among born again Christians achieved parity with the rest of society over the last forty years. And, as of June 30, 2008 2,310,984 prisoners were being housed in federal and state prisons or local jails.

The statistics tell a story that one can literally feel in the environment. The presence of the darkness that pervades our society lies heavy in almost every aspect of our daily lives. People are buying guns at record rates, and there is a general uneasiness about the economy and looming hyperinflation as the government continues increase debt at a “never-before-seen” pace. All the while the wheels of scientific and political misdirection continue to provide the curtain of deception behind which the “wizard” continues to operate the levers.

In the last days

The bible speaks clearly about the days in which we are living. The apostle James writes, “Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.” God, speaking through the prophet Isaiah, continues, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate;”( Is 29:14) and Peter warns, “…in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. I am sure many of you are scoffing now. The bible tells us that the “things of God” (His wisdom) confound the “natural man” (that is a man not filled with the Holy Spirit). How are we then to understand the wisdom of God?

In Acts Chapter 2 and verse 7, Luke writes, “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.” Since the day of Pentecost when Jesus ascended to heaven and the promised Holy Spirit filled thousands of gathered believers like “the sound of rushing wind,” the gift that can unlock the wisdom of God has been available to Christians. Yet, it is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (a foreign concept to the average Christian) that unlocks the treasure found only in God’s word and enables us to understand it.

Many of the “last days” prophesies from the bible and some pulpits will fall on deaf ears and hardened hearts because most Christians have not received this important gift. Until one is “born of the spirit” through a born-again profession of faith, baptism of the Holy Spirit and an on-going relationship of prayer and study of God’s word, God’s wisdom cannot be understood. This certainly explains why so many who profess to be Christians are confused about their faith and, without realizing it, contributed to the secular notion the “America is no longer a Christian nation,” or some such “politico-science-speak” nonsense.

Get over yourself

Distracted by our concern over self, we (Christians included) have allowed our world to reach this historic low point with only further decline on our horizon. Although we do have an answer to our predicament as I explained earlier, I don’t believe we are ready to collectively embrace it. We have not reached our proverbial rock bottom. Until we have been sufficiently broken to repent and love God more than ourselves, we will not embrace our Father and His Son and rise from the ashes.

God is jealous. He wants us all to himself. He wants us to give our lives in service to Him alone. Jesus said that we are to love the Father with “our entire heart, mind, and soul and with all our strength.” God will not share us with money, houses, clothes, MTV or false religious doctrine. He wants all of our love and all of our service demonstrated in every aspect of our lives. He wants us to live our lives in such a way that our outward behavior and internal attitude will bring glory to his name.

Friends, we are not there yet and I believe we will continue to slide into further turmoil, until (if ever) we decide to come back to the Father in humble repentance. When we are ready to fully embrace God and die to our own selfishness, then we will begin to understand God’s wisdom. God is an infinite being who works through the individual sprits of his people in the physical realm. The power of the Holy Spirit flowing through each of us and connecting ourselves to God and each other is the essence of Christianity and the answer to the restoration of the world as God intended.

My prayer. Father forgive us please for not realizing just how much you love us. Forgive us for putting other things before you and for ignoring the gifts that you offer your children. Bring us to our knees Lord and humble us at the foot of the coss. Increase our wisdom through the transforming power of your word and the Holy Spirit. Give us a Daniel spirit and determination to do what is right no matter the consequences. We need you now more than ever Father, please hear your children as we approach you in earnest prayer and humble repentence. In Jesus name I pray, Amen!

Witnessing

"Be merciful to those in doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear-hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh." Jude 22-23

In these last days, being a witness for Christ is more important than it has ever been. The urgency in my spirit as the end draws near is overwhelming. I feel sick to my stomach knowing that the time of our Lord is so close and yet there are so many who still do not know the Lord. Family members and friends who have not received the Lord as Saviour are on my mind constantly.

The noise of confusion and false doctrine seem to be on the rise. The way therefore that we witness must be examinied and customized in every circumstance. Jude speaks of witnessing to some with compassion and kindness. To others he calls for urgency as if rescuing them from a burning building. Still others who are confused and lost in the world system must be shown mercy ernsestly praying for them to see the light of God's love through our lives. Finally others may require us to get into their world and witness to them where they are, being cautious to show them love and kindness being careful not to condone their worldly behavior.

We must constantly call on God in prayer to help us understand how to witness to each non-believer we encounter. It is not a cookie cutter approach rather it is a human to human approach in which we demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ to them with our actions more than our words. Time is drawing near and practice time is over, we are in the fourth quarter and we must begin our full court press to bring in the harvest before the King calls us home.

My prayer. Father there are so many lost souls who need to know the gospel . You have given us the responsibility and the opportunity to share it through our lives and our conversations. Give us discerning spirits Father and show us how to customize our approach in sharing the gospel with everyone in our sphere of influence. Help us to be ambassadors of your Kingdom in everything we do. I pray in the name above all names, Jesus Christ. Amen!

He is our shepherd

"Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture." Psalm 100:3

In these difficult days when it seems that everything we have trusted in seems to be collapsing around us. Consider this verse of scripture and give thanks that our Father, our Creator is watching over us. He made us and he will not let us be alone. He will watch over us and guide us because we are his sheep and he loves us.

God asks two things from his sheep. He wants us to love him with all our hearts, minds, spirit and with all our strength. He also wants us to love one another, as we love ourselves. If we do that we glorify Him and we will draw others to a life of faith in God through Jesus Christ.

Today when you are tempted to get frustrated with those who oppose your political view or something you hear on the news, consider that God created that person and he allowed a particular event so that his sheep would love that person when it they seem impossible to love. Or we would give thanks to God in the midst of a tragedy. Jesus turned the world upside down by the way in which he obeyed the Father and did amazing things that opposed the rational thinking of the people around him.

God wants us to be world changers not world followers. But to do that we must have the confidence and faith that he created us and is with us in everything we do. But he wants us to follow his lead no matter how strange it looks. Lets try it today. Lets do the right thing when everyone around us says its the wrong thing and as we give God the glory through our obedience, we will see the miracles begin to happen around us!

My prayer. Father, you created us for greatness. Help us Lord to turn the world upside down and bring your Kingdom down to this dark and dying world. Empower and strengthen us when we oppose conventional thinking and do what you ask us to do. We await your miracles Father! I pray in earnest through your son and my savior Jesus Christ! Amen

If you are saved tell somebody

"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say this-" Psalm 107:1-2



We, who have been redeemed through the blood of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit have a story to tell. Its good news and we should proclaim it especially to our friends and family. If we do, praise God for our faithfulness, if not, then why?

Paul writes, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.” Romans 1:16 Alistair Begg, in his “Truth for Life” podcast asks, if the gospel is “good news,” “Why would any one be ashamed of good news?” Why someone, who understands what Paul would is saying in this scripture, hesitate to tell others about “the power of God that brings salvation?”

In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul reveals a significant dilemma that exists between the believer and the non-believer regarding the message of salvation through Christ. He writes, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” As the non-believer slips farther away from the “message of the cross,” it becomes more difficult for him or her to understand the message. Conversely, as one grows closer to God and faith is increased the word says that the message is “the power of God.”

If this is true, perhaps failure to share the gospel may, in large part, be due to a lack of faith. If one doubts the power of God to transform lives through salvation he or she may be reticent to share the gospel. Secondly, if an unsaved person tends to receive the word as “foolishness,” another temptation and a growing trend these days may be to “water down” the message in order to make it more palatable. Unfortunately, doubting the message and changing the message are not what God wants and our meddling in his plan, nullify the power of His word.

If we truly believe God’s word we must be faithful to it as it stands. It will not have the same power as God intended if we change it. We must believe it has the power that God says it has and not be afraid to tell it to everyone no matter how they receive it. Paul sums up what God requires of his followers: “For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith." The beginning and end of our relationship with God is only through our faith. We cannot add to or subtract anything from the reality that it is by our faith in Jesus Christ and Him crucified that we are seen as righteous in the eyes of God. No effort, no works no good deeds, nothing can make us righteous. Until we have faith in God's word, we will be unable (perhaps even ashamed) to tell others of the “good news” of our Lord.

My prayer. Father, forgive us for our minuscule faith and our embarrassment for sharing our faith with others. We have sinned against you every time we have lacked the courage to tell others about you. We have disappointed you whenever we tried to dilute the power of your message to make it more acceptable to the world. Help us Lord to expand our faith and be bold in our proclamation of the good news of salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ. In His mighty name I pray, Amen!

Let Us Pray

Father, on this National Day of prayer we find ourselves broken and need of a savior. We have strayed from your word and followed our own way in the United States. Our families are in a shambles, our schools are failing and our country is on a path toward socialism. The freedoms that you granted us are being eroded and we have no one to blame but ourselves.

Lord your word says that if we will humble ourselves and seek your face with a repentant spirit, you will heal our land and restore our souls. Father, it is with a humbleness and heart felt sadness that I approach your throne of grace for my country, my government, my school system, the media, families across this country and most importantly the Body of Christ. Father, we have fallen and we need your hand to help us up. We have allowed ourselves to believe the lies of the Enemy and he has had his way with the institutions that have made this country great.

I pray for all levels of government today Lord from the President down to the town councils and mayors of this country. I pray for a spirit of repentance and against corruption by money and power. Heal our land starting with our leadership. I pray for a Daniel spirit in our leaders that those who are called by your name Lord will stand up for what they believe in the face of persecution. I lift up their decisions that they me be examined in the light of your word.

I pray for the safety and security of our military forces and their families. Renew their spirits and strengthen them in their efforts. Breath life into families who have lost loved ones to the senseless violence of war. Keep the children of lost fathers and mothers under the comfort of your loving touch.

I pray for an open news and media complex that the spirit of truth and not deception be upon it. I pray for role models to stand up in the media and the entertainment industry. I pray for sound policy within our government that would allow free speech to continue and not be shut down because it may be damaging to a political agenda.

I lift up families that are headed by a man and a woman. I pray for the strengthening of fathers and their role as leaders in the household. End today child abuse and apathy within our households. Change the hearts of parents who have lost their way and are not being positive influences on our children. Protect Lord the lives of the unborn in this country.

Help us Lord on this day to remember all that grieves your heart and soften hardened hearts. Restore us Lord to our once greatness. Let the truth reign and let lies be exposed and eliminated. Return prayer to our schools and show us where lies are being taught to our children their. Give us wisdom and courage to promote Christian education and find the resources to keep good schools open. Give parents a heart for giving their children a better life than they had and draw families to you Lord.

Finally Father, unify your Church. We have let denominationalism and false doctrine creep in and have lost our way. Send revival to us both individually and collectively. Help us through your Holy Spirit once again to return to the church as it was in the days of your apostles Paul and Peter.

I pray in earnest through your Son and our Savior Jesus Christ, Amen!