Uniqueness

One aspect of our having a personal relationship with our Heavenly Father is that He deals with each of us in unique ways. Sure, there are many ways that He deals with all of His children in the same ways, but He also deals with me personally based on who He created me to be. I need to remember that not only in my walk with Him, but in trusting Him as He works in the lives of others.

Wisdom

God uses lots of different concepts to define wisdom. In Proverbs He says that "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Someone who fears the Lord evaluates each decision on the basis of how it will affect his relationship with God. The preeminence of Christ in every aspect of his life is his only priority.
Solomon's wisdom as described in I Kings has several characteristics. He was said to have discernment--to know the difference between right and wrong. In addition, he could discern not just a good solution or a better solution, but the best solution. He also had insight into human nature and its motivations as demonstrated with the case of the two mothers and the one living child. I Kings also tells us that Solomon's wisdom related to the arts as well. Like the makers of the articles for the tabernacle back in Exodus, Solomon was skilled in the creating of beautiful things. He was also a gifted writer and musician. We are also told that he had skills as an administrator of the kingdom. And finally, we are told that he was a great student of God's creation, an avid scholar of nature.
The point is that God's wisdom touches every area of our being. It is not just mental acuity, but creativity and organization and curiosity. When God gives a man or woman wisdom, he or she is aware of God in everything that they do. All wisdom and knowledge is found in Him. Thus the one who eliminates God from his pursuit of wisdom finds only information not insight. As Paul told Timothy they are "always learning, but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth." And he says in Romans that their thinking is "futile." Thinking themselves to be wise they become fools.
And there is another aspect of godly wisdom that is essential. God's wisdom is shared. We do not possess true wisdom until we take what God has taught us and pass it on. We are all called to be teachers--or makers of disciples--is that scares you less. Whatever area or areas of wisdom God has given us, He has given it to us to share with others. The wise child of God is not the one who knows it all in some particular area or areas, but the one who shares with others all that he knows from what God has taught him. And to not do so is to withhold from those around you the fullness of the wisdom found in Christ. Has he given you wisdom in the area of discernment? Pass it on. In the area of the arts? Pass it on. In adminstration? Pass it on. In music? Writing? Horticulture? Literature? Technology? Pass it on.
We need a body of believers in the world today that is eager to be wise, those that when they come before God to ask for what they want, plead with Him to give them wisdom because that's what they know they need. And then they take what He teaches them and hasten to teach others. God's next generation will only be as wise as this generation enables them to be.

The Whole World

Ornery time: Christ's temptation asserts that currently all the kingdoms of the world are Satan's realm. I John asserts that "the whole world lies under the power of the evil one." How can we claim that The United States somehow got/gets an exemption from "all the kingdoms" and "the whole world"? Now or from its very inception.

Environmentalist

Why is it that so many Christians who claim to love the Creator of the universe have such apathy or even animosity toward caring for His creation. Environmentalist is not a dirty word. It was Adam's calling. He was commanded to be one.

The Positives

God intends for His people to focus on the positives. One of the best examples of that is Paul. When Paul was in prison in Rome, instead of being upset that his missionary-evangelism work was stymied, his confidence in Christ and the message of grace was unshaken. The exact opposite of what Paul's enemies had hoped would happen was happening. Instead of being intimidated by Paul's imprisonment, many of the brethren were made bolder. Some were motivated by a desire for personal recognition, some by a desired to goad Paul into jealousy, but many simply took up the message because if Paul couldn't do it, someone had to; so, it may as well be them. They were motivated by a love for the lost and a desire to reach them with the gospel of grace and forgiveness of sin.
Paul, however, was not concerned with their motives. As long as the gospel was being preached, he was delighted. For he knew that if Christ was lifted up, He would draw men to Himself. Neither the motives nor the methods were important to Paul; the message of the gospel was being preached. and he would rejoice--and then rejoice some more. In fact, he was excited because his imprisonment gave him the opportunity to present the message of Christ to the household of Caesar and to the elite praetorian guards. We will meet some of them in glory some day--soon I hope.
This is not to say that Paul condoned the wrong motives or the wrong methods. Nor that he would operate his ministry in that way. It is just that instead of being upset by focusing on the negatives--and thereby losing his joy--Paul's choice was to focus on the positives--the message of Christ was being preached. God was using his imprisonment to increase the preaching of the gospel of God's redeeming grace. Paul couldn't help but praise Him.
What about you and me? Do we concentrate on the negatives and sulk? Why not consider the positives and rejoice? Look for Christ in your circumstances. He is indeed there--and doing good. Have we missed Him? Usually that's because we are looking in the mirror and feeling sorry for ourselves. Anyone can be a grump or a complainer. Be a saint instead. Ask God to show you the positives going on all around you and be an ambassador of joy.

One Soft Word

One soft word of encouragement, one soft word of edification, even one soft word of exhortation is more transformational than one hundred words shouted in anger--even if the anger is justified.

How many people today will look into the compassionate eyes of Jesus, will be infected by His smile, will feel His touch? How many people will you meet today? How different would the world be if each day we just touched each person in our home with the love of God? We love because He first loved us.

"God Is so Good"

There's a little chorus the children sing: "God is so good. God is so good. God is so good; He's so good to me." We should all sing it more often. And live it. I'm afraid that we humans have a strong fascination with the negative. Yes, even those of us who are children of God. But think for a moment of all that is good that your God, your Father, has given you:

The cleansing of confession--and the joy that follows.
Sunsets--and sunrises.
Taste buds.
Good books--and sometimes even great ones.
The faith of little children.
A friend whose presence brightens your day.
People who love you even during your worst moments.
Memories of special moments.
Flowers.
Gentle breezes on a hot day.
Hot showers and indoor plumbing.
Baseball, hot dogs, and apple pie--or lemon meringue.
Children and grandchildren.
Quiet times, loud times.
Laughter, tears.
Insight into His Word.
Hugs.
Sleep.
Prayer.
Second chances--or third, or . . .
Music.
Faith, hope, love.
The promise: "All things work together for the good of those who love God."

"God is so good. God is so good. God is so good; He's so good to me."