WHERE IS THE WISE MAN?

"Can you discover the depths of God? Can you discover the limits of the Almighty?" Job 11:7

"Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor?" Romans 11:33-34

But how gracious is our God that He has not left us in darkness!

"For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God..." 1 Corinthians 2:10-12

I write a lot of notes in my Bible. The word copious would come close to describing it. The Lord is revealing to me how some of these notes and even how I approach studying the Bible could be characterized as earthly wisdom.

"Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and food fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fuit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace." James 3:13-18

I love reading about theology and almost any other aspect of the Christian life - missionary biographies, Christian how-to (parenting, quiet time, evangelism, etc.). I especially like devotionals. Recently I had been trying to read two devotionals, plus Tabletalk, plus my Bible. Guess what was getting short shrift? The Bible. Well, about two weeks ago I started just using the Bible. Praying the Word and the Word only. Wow! Verses I had read hundreds of times are now leaping off the page.

"All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17

That's one thing God says about His word. (Don't forget Psalm 119 either!) Here's a verse about the study of other books.

"But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body." Ecclesiastes 12:12

Excessive devotion to the Book that really matters has not wearied my body. It has made me more alive than I've ever been.

"But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. and he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers." Psalm 1:2-3


JOY IN DYING

"How shall this insidious motive of pleasure in being made much of be broken except through bending all my faculties to delight in the pleasure of making much of God! Christian Hedonism is the final solution. It is deeper than death to self. You have to go down deeper into the grave of the flesh to find the truly freeing stream of miracle water that ravishes you with the taste of God's glory. Only in that speechless, all-satisfying admiration is the end of self."

John Piper, Future Grace


STEVE GREEN SINGS MY HEART THIS WEEK!

(All lyrics are from Morning Light CD)

In the morning, deep calls to deep
In the morning, You quietly speak
In the morning, You find those who seek
In the morning.

In the morning, I listen and wait
In the morning, faith anticipates
In the morning, You make my way straight
In the morning.
~~~~
Awake my soul and with the sun
Thy daily stage of duty run
Shake off sloth and joyful rise
To pay thy morning sacrifice

Direct, control, suggest this day
All I do, design or say
That all my powers with all their might
In Thy glory may unite.
~~~~
I want to sing with joy
For You renew my being in the morning
Soul, wake up now
The darkness is fleeing
Come to the holy light
Of our Lord, Jesus Christ

So I will wait in quiet,
earnest anticipation
And I will listen to You.
~~~~

"Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary." Isaiah 40:31