A Weekly Devotional –Wisdom– Personal Meditation

A Weekly Devotional –Wisdom– Personal Meditation

Comment: One thing I have noticed in growing old; “Like a garment! All the worldly wisdom collected by mankind is coming to NOTHING!” In vain we heap loads of nonsense upon ourselves and families and expect; that because we are doing what the world requires we will be rewarded. Our society is drugged with deception, a deception that was first accepted by Man in the Garden of Eden. It has carried forth to what it is TODAY. Okay! What is it today? Worldly wisdom runs in the following quote. ”Eye has not seen, nor ear heard. Nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” 1 Corinthians 29 and Isaiah 64:4. I challenge each of us to come to back to the Wisdom of God. Take some today and meditate on Proverbs 8, God’s Wisdom is very much alive and powerful and is eternal.

Devotional: 1 Does not wisdom cry out, And understanding lift up her voice? 2 She takes her stand on the top of the high hill, Beside the way, where the paths meet. 3 She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city, At the entrance of the doors: 4 "To you, O men, I call, And my voice is to the sons of men. 5 O you simple ones, understand prudence, And you fools, be of an understanding heart. 6 Listen, for I will speak of excellent things, And from the opening of my lips will come right things; 7 For my mouth will speak truth; Wickedness is an abomination to my lips. 8 All the words of my mouth are with righteousness; Nothing crooked or perverse is in them. 9 They are all plain to him who understands, And right to those who find knowledge. 

10 Receive my instruction, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold; 11 For wisdom is better than rubies, And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her. 12 "I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, And find out knowledge and discretion. 13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate. 14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding, I have strength. 15 By me kings reign, And rulers decree justice. 

16 By me princes rule, and nobles, All the judges of the earth. 17 I love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me. 18 Riches and honor are with me, Enduring riches and righteousness. 19 My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold, And my revenue than choice silver.

20 I traverse the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice, 21 That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth, That I may fill their treasuries. 

22 "The Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old. 23 I have been established from everlasting, From the beginning, before there was ever an earth. 24 When there were no depths I was brought forth, When there were no fountains abounding with water. 25 Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills, I was brought forth; 26 While as yet He had not made the earth or the fields, Or the primeval dust of the world. 27 When He prepared the heavens, I was there, When He drew a circle on the face of the deep, 28 When He established the clouds above, When He strengthened the fountains of the deep, 29 When He assigned to the sea its limit, So that the waters would not transgress His command, When He marked out the foundations of the earth,

30 Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman; And I was daily His delight, Rejoicing always before Him, 31 Rejoicing in His inhabited world, And my delight was with the sons of men. 32 "Now therefore, listen to me, my children, For blessed are those who keep my ways. 33 Hear instruction and be wise, And do not disdain it. 34 Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors. 35 For whoever finds me finds life, And obtains favor from the Lord; 36 But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; All those who hate me love death."

A Weekly Devotional –Vanity– Personal Meditation

A Weekly Devotional –Vanity– Personal Meditation

Comment: The Webster new world Dictionary describes the word “vanity” as a case, a small table and chair, and a facial mirror. People use these to apply their cosmetics in a form or fashion that is self-pleasing to them. A person who uses the vanity case, the table, the chair and mirror are seeking to restore (at least their facial features) to a temporary appearance of flawless beauty. The subject of pleasing one’s self-image has a long history and can be traced back to the Garden of Eden, notice Genesis 3:6.

Devotional: Satan, that dragon, the serpent of old (Rev. 20:2) has been at work in the world since long ago, roughly 6,000 years, to change the image of mankind into his deceptive image. In this the devil is very successful, as he caused Adam and Eve to choose their self-image over God’s Image, by listening to his words rather that the words of their Creator. So, lets take a moment or two and go back six thousand years and see how all of this happened. 

Genesis 3:1 – First, Satan volitionally changed his image and likeness to that of a serpent (Ezekiel 28:14-18) this is the first use of vanity (iniquity) to change one’s self-image. The purpose, to sway Adam and Eve to consider his deception over God’s Truth. Genesis 3:2-7 – clearly reveals this deception by the offering of vanity to man to do likewise. The only restriction in the garden was discussed, and so was the covenant promise that God made with Adam. 

What is that Covenant? It is found in Genesis 1: 28-31. The Edenic Covenant was conditional; this condition is found in Genesis 2:8-17, please read these few verses. Also, God created man in God’s Image and Likeness, Genesis 1:26-2:17 (now this is a little bit of reading, but if you are interested in mankind’s vain makeover, please read). God’s creation of mankind was completely perfect, did you notice Genesis 1:31? So good was the creation of man that when God observed all that He had Created, all was perfect (very good).

Now deceived, no longer would man resemble the Image and Likeness of God, for example; God is Infinite, Holy and Righteous. Man became finite, unholy and self-righteous. God’s Image was replaced by man’s self-image, see Genesis 5:3. Yes, in the day that God created man, He created them in His Image (Genesis 5:1-2). God called them “Mankind”, this is important, don’t miss it. In Genesis 5:2 the word mankind is capitalized. Before and after this the word mankind is not capitalized. Man’s desire of his self-image is corrupted by his sin of choice to disobey God. There is much more to say about this, so we will pick this up again, next time.

A Weekly Devotional – Promise/Vapor – Personal Meditation

A Weekly Devotional – Promise/Vapor – Personal Meditation

Comment: If you know the Word of God, or at least familiar with the New Testament, you ought to be knowledgeable of these words. Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “if the LORD wills, we shall live and do this or that.” But now (instead) you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. Therefore, for him (or her) who knows to do good and does not do it…

Devotional: In five more days the world will experience a NEW YEAR. What do you think? Most of the public world already have 2018 spent seeking desire and pleasure, yet they do not know what a DAY may bring forth. Boasting about tomorrow is like walking on a cloud, or worse; ignoring the truth that our vapor of life has promise. However, the promise is not in how much we plan gain or lose tomorrow, but what God has God has already planned for those who love Him.

Psalm 103:11-14 has an interesting thought about the love of God. What earthly father fails to pity his children, very few indeed. The children respond in reverential fear (love). The LORD’s pity in this verse is mercy, holding back what one deserves by providing grace to the undeserved. Mercy working with grace produces the love of trusting faith.

Meditating on this someone like the apostle Paul might pen these words in Romans 8:18-30; when looking at verse 28 we see the reason God causes all things to work together for ‘good’ to those (His children) who love Him and are called according to His (The Father’s) purpose. We see clearly that it is not the promise that man plans for himself, but what God has already promised to us who love Him.

Now in closing, check this out! 1 Corinthians 2:9 – But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man. The things which God has prepared for those who love Him." Do we fight and quarrel for the plans and promises of the coming year and for the desires and pleasures of tomorrow that seek to steal the promise of Life? …to him or her it is sin. See James 4:13-17.