Tag: Peace

The Wisdom of Humility

James 3:13 (NIV)

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

Our Verse of the Day affords us a reflective way to end our week….

In looking at the inspired writings of the Apostle James, I personally sense that he had a great anointing to focus on the “religious folks” among God’s people. He wants to correct their (our) ritualistic or legalistic approaches to relationship with God. Such approaches do not lead to intimacy very well; and James challenges us to examine ourselves and to find practical, spiritual ways to live out our faith. Our verse is one of those morsels of instruction he imparts, so I will place it in the greater context for us:

James 3:13-18 (NIV) – Two Kinds of Wisdom

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

Indeed, there are two kinds of wisdom by which we approach the world and in which we conduct ourselves. Our behaviors, if you will, are driven by the inclinations of the thoughts of our hearts. And the thoughts of our hearts are formed by our spirits – whether influenced by the wisdom that comes from God’s word or rooted in the unspiritual wisdom of this world. James lets us know which “wisdom” we tend to embrace because it is exhibited in the nature of our conduct. He describes both “sources” in sufficient detail for us to get the picture.

So, to ask, “Which “wisdom” is manifesting itself in you? Take a self-assessment today and determine what you are allowing to influence your behaviors and relationships. And if you find that earthly, unspiritual wisdom is dominating your heart … and therefore its thoughts and the conduct that follows … then I encourage you to spend some time in prayer to seek God and ask for His wisdom to be poured out into your heart. In fact, one of the first spiritual issues that James addresses in his book is the lack of wisdom:

James 1:4-8 (NIV)

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

Yes, James urges us to ask God for wisdom; and he assures us that God will give us His wisdom and not find fault with us because we ask. But when we ask Him to help us, to teach and train us, to guide us into the knowledge of His will, we need to receive it and embrace it without doubting. Here is another verse that speaks to the issue of wisdom: “The fear (reverence) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His precepts have good understanding. To Him belongs eternal praise.” (Cf. Psalm 111:10) You will find a wealth of similar instruction in the Book of Proverbs regarding wisdom. King Solomon wrote: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Cf. Proverbs 1:7)

As we enter the weekend, let us seek wisdom from God! Let us ask Him to increase knowledge and understanding in our hearts … so that in humility we might do the good deeds He has prepared in advance for us to do. (Cf. Ephesians 2:10) This is my prayer for each of us … because the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. Let us pray for wisdom to enter our hearts because His knowledge will be pleasant to our souls. Amen. (Cf. Proverbs 2:1-11)

1 Corinthians 3:18-21 (NIV)

18 Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness (Citing Job 5:13); 20 and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.” (Citing Psalm 94:11)

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Links to Bible Gateway for Additional Study on Wisdom:

1 Corinthians 1:18-31

1 Corinthians 2:1-16

Be Like-Minded…

1 Peter 3:8 (NIV)

Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.

Our Verse of the Day addresses the behaviors and personal conduct that should be inherent in our relationships with one another in the Church … the Body of Christ. Perhaps, the Holy Spirit wants to remind us of these apostolic exhortations this morning – which are abundant throughout the New Testament scriptures.

1 Peter 3:8-12 (NIV)

8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 10 For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. 11 They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” (Peter is citing Psalm 34:12-16)

Romans 12:9-18 (NIV)

9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

Ephesians 4:1-6 (NIV)

1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

1 John 4:7-12 (NIV)

7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us.

As you can see, these are practical instructions we can follow in order to fulfill the command of our Lord Jesus: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (Cf. John 13:34-35) And so, I think this is the message we have been called to consider this morning … to evaluate the inclinations of the thoughts of our hearts, and to guide them in the direction of greater, more sincere love for one another.  This is important as we see the latter days coming to a conclusion … perhaps within our generation. (Cf. Hebrews 10:24-25) When we love one another, the love of God revealed through His Son lives in us and is made complete in us.  This is the most powerful testimony we can present to the world around us! And so, I pray that our lives will reflect the light of His love in all that we say and do.  As Paul asserted: “Love must be sincere!”  Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

One New Humanity…

Ephesians 2:19 (NIV)

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of His household…

Our Verse of the Day addresses a theological concept that uses metaphorical language to explain how our relationship with God as non-Jewish followers of Christ is “equivalent” to the natural born relationship of God with His chosen people … His treasured possession.  Let’ look at the context:

Ephesians 2:1-22 (NIV)

1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in His flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in Himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which He put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In Him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in Him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit.

I think Paul gives us a brilliant explanation of how Christ Jesus has joined together both Jew and Gentile believers into one body … one temple … one dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit.  This is how He established a unity of the faith handed down from Abraham through His descendants.  The hostilities between Jewish and Gentile believers have ceased in Christ. Our diversity has been transformed into unity within the Body of Christ … for Jesus accomplished reconciliation and peace with God for both peoples through the cross. Paul presents a similar narrative in his Letter to the Colossians:  

Colossians 1:15-23 (NIV)

15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, 20 and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross.

21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds as demonstrated by your evil behavior. 22 But now God has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation— 23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

I encourage you today to meditate on what Christ Jesus has done … the unity of faith He has established to bring peace and reconciliation to all peoples. Remember, “In Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Cf. Galatians 3:26-29)

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!