Ephesians 1.20-23 describes the immeasurable greatness of God’s power that he worked in Christ:

– Raised Him from the dead

– Seated Him (Jesus) at his (Father’s) right hand in the heavenly places

– Seated Him far above all rule and authority and power and dominion

– Seated Him above every name that is named, not only in this age, but in the one to come

– Put all things under His feet

– Gave Him as head over all things in the church, His body

– Fills all creation with His followers

It is good to glorify the Father and the risen King.  Amen. Maranatha.

Monday’s topic was Seek Wisdom from Proverbs 2.1-4.  Yesterday was Find Wisdom, the expected results of having God’s knowledge, from verses 5 and 9-12.  And today we look at  Wisdom’s Source, where verses 6-8 make it clear that even with all our seeking, it is God who controls the understanding.

The provision of wisdom is from the LORD:

• The LORD gives wisdom
• From His mouth comes knowledge
• From His mouth comes understanding
• God stores up sound wisdom for the upright
• God is a shield for those who walk in integrity
• God guards the paths of justice
• God watches over the way of his saints

See that with the wisdom and understanding, God provides bonus features – shielding, guarding, and watching over His people.

Yesterday’s topic was Seek Wisdom from Proverbs 2.1-4.  Today is Find Wisdom, the expected results of having God’s knowledge, from verses 5 and 9-12.  And tomorrow is about Wisdom’s Source, where verses 6-8 make it clear that even with all our seeking, it is God who controls the understanding.

When you are attentive to wisdom, call out for insight and treasure understanding as suggested in verses 1-4, then you will

• Understand the fear of the LORD
• Find the knowledge of God
• Understand righteousness
• Understand  justice
• Understand equity
• Understand every good path

And

• Wisdom will come into your heart
• Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul
• Discretion will watch over you
• Understanding will guard you
• Understanding will deliver you from the way of evil
• Understanding will deliver you from men of perverted speech.

Notice that the knowledge of God is “pleasant” to your soul and understanding provides discernment when listening to men.

The next three days’ posts are Holy Lists about wisdom, all from Proverbs 2.  Today is Seek Wisdom, the admonitions in verses 1-4 about its value.  Tomorrow will be Find Wisdom, the expected results of having wisdom, from verses 5 and 9-12.  And Wednesday will be about Wisdom’s Source, where verses 6-8 make it clear that even with all our seeking, it is God who controls the understanding.

It is good to desire wisdom, understanding, and insight.  Notice the increasing stakes in this list… the importance of understanding and the effort required grows with the verses:

• Receive my words
• Treasure up my commandments within you
• Make your ear attentive to wisdom
• Incline your heart to understanding
• Call out for insight
• Raise your voice for understanding
• Seek wisdom like silver
• Search for understanding as for hidden treasures

“Don’t marry an unbeliever” is standard wise counseling for young Christians.  Second Corinthians 6.14 – “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers” – is the common biblical reference used.  Verses 14-16 give a list of examples of unequal yokes:

• Righteousness and lawlessness
• Light and darkness
• Christ and Belial (devil)
• Believer and unbeliever
• Temple of God and idols

Verses 16-18 cite Leviticus and Isaiah to make the case for being set apart:

• I will be their God and they shall be my people
• Go out from their (unbelievers’) midst and be separate from them
• Touch no unclean thing and I will welcome you
• I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me.

God is a jealous God and wants his people devoted to Him and His ways; history tells us that unbelievers will drag believers away from Him.

Last July (7/26/13) we looked at the famous Beatitudes list from Matthew 5.  In this version from Luke 6.20-26 Jesus follows the blessings by a list of contrasting woes:

• Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
• Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied.
• Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.
• Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!  Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven, for so their fathers did to the prophets.

 

• But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
• Woe to you are full now, for you shall be hungry.
• Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.
• Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.

The last verse of 2 Corinthians contains a familiar, wonderful, Trinitarian benediction:

 “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” The benediction is a “right now” blessing which puts the three verses prior (2 Corinthians 13.11-13) into perspective; the three verses give an ongoing recipe for harmonious living:

• Rejoice
• Aim for restoration
• Comfort one another
• Agree with one another
• Live in peace
• Remember that the God of love and peace will be with you
• Greet one another with a holy kiss (handshakes and hugs work, too!)

Last post (5/15/14) we saw Paul give a dynamic list of ways he and his fellow apostle-teachers commended themselves.  He follows in 2 Corinthians 6.8-10 with another vibrant listing of the ways they are treated:

• As imposters, and yet are true
• As unknown, an yet well known
• As dying, and behold, we live
• As punished, and yet not killed
• As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing
• As poor, yet making many rich
• As having nothing, yet possessing everything

As in many things, the Christian life turns things upside down.  The last shall be first, the meek shall inherit the earth, the promise of heaven makes all earth’s valuables mere trinkets.

In 2 Corinthians 6.4-8, Paul tells his readers how their teachers commend themselves in every way, by their actions:

• By great endurance
• In afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings
• In imprisonments, riots, labor, sleepless nights, hunger
• By purity, knowledge, patience, kindness
• By the Holy Spirit, genuine love
• By truthful speech and the power of God
• With weapons of righteousness
• Through honor and dishonor
• Through slander and praise

Paul makes it clear that the apostles’ actions are trustworthy (see the list!).  In the next post (5/16/14), see how they are treated for their work.

“If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.”  1 Corinthians 13.3

Love is:

• Patient and kind
• Not envious or boastful
• Not arrogant or rude
• Not insisting on its own way
• Not irritable or resentful
• Not rejoicing at wrongdoing
• Rejoicing with the truth
• Bearing, believing, hoping, and enduring  all things
• Never ending

“So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”  1 Corinthians 13.13