Selah! Take Time and Think Before Indulging

Solomon, the author of Proverbs, is also the author of Ecclesiastes. It is interesting to note that this man, was the wisest of his time, and the bible notes that no one before him or after him has held such wisdom.

In Ecclesiastes 3, he writes:

For everything, there is a season; A time for every activity under heaven.

2 A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.3 A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.4 A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.6 A time to search and a time to quit searching.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.7 A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.8 A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace.


For everything there is a season,


9 What do people really get for all their hard work? 10 I have seen the burden God has placed on us all. 11 Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. 12 So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. 13 And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.

14 And I know that whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God’s purpose is that people should fear him. 15 What is happening now has happened before, and what will happen in the future has happened before, because God makes the same things happen over and over again.

It is possible to reckon that all there is in life is to enjoy oneself with all that the Lord God has given.  While enjoying is good, it is important to understand the context in which one is enjoying himself or herself.  There is a scope, there is a destiny, there is a plan that God has put in place for every man and woman to live in.  Whereas this may be in grey and not black and white, the scriptures provide a clear pathway on how to trend on these grey paths.

So as we plan to indulge in that which God has blessed us with - our monies, our power - the question to bear at all times is, how does this contribute to my getting to God's destiny for me? Is is pro or against?  

After all is said and done, God's purpose and intention for every human being is that we may fear Him (revere and worship him)!  Shall we worship the Lord with our blessings? With our intellect, with our voices, with our friends and families, our monies, our assets - with all that He has blessed us with!

Selah!

WISDOM! WISDOM! 

Where can we find it?  Where can we find understanding?

I do not seem to get enough of this.  Look at what is presented in Job 28:

28 “People know where to mine silver
    and how to refine gold.
2 They know where to dig iron from the earth
    and how to smelt copper from rock.
3 They know how to shine light in the darkness
    and explore the farthest regions of the earth
    as they search in the dark for ore.
4 They sink a mine shaft into the earth
    far from where anyone lives.
    They descend on ropes, swinging back and forth.
5 Food is grown on the earth above,
    but down below, the earth is melted as by fire.
6 Here the rocks contain precious lapis lazuli,
    and the dust contains gold.
7 These are treasures no bird of prey can see,
    no falcon’s eye observe.
8 No wild animal has walked upon these treasures;
    no lion has ever set his paw there.
9 People know how to tear apart flinty rocks
    and overturn the roots of mountains.
10 They cut tunnels in the rocks
    and uncover precious stones.
11 They dam up the trickling streams
    and bring to light the hidden treasures.

12 “But do people know where to find wisdom?
    Where can they find understanding?
13 No one knows where to find it,[a]
    for it is not found among the living.
14 ‘It is not here,’ says the ocean.
    ‘Nor is it here,’ says the sea.
15 It cannot be bought with gold.
    It cannot be purchased with silver.
16 It’s worth more than all the gold of Ophir,
    greater than precious onyx or lapis lazuli.
17 Wisdom is more valuable than gold and crystal.
    It cannot be purchased with jewels mounted in fine gold.
18 Coral and jasper are worthless in trying to get it.
    The price of wisdom is far above rubies.
19 Precious peridot from Ethiopia[b] cannot be exchanged for it.
    It’s worth more than the purest gold.

20 “But do people know where to find wisdom?
    Where can they find understanding?
21 It is hidden from the eyes of all humanity.
    Even the sharp-eyed birds in the sky cannot discover it.
22 Destruction[c] and Death say,
    ‘We’ve heard only rumors of where wisdom can be found.’

23 “God alone understands the way to wisdom;
    he knows where it can be found,
24 for he looks throughout the whole earth
    and sees everything under the heavens.
25 He decided how hard the winds should blow
    and how much rain should fall.
26 He made the laws for the rain
    and laid out a path for the lightning.
27 Then he saw wisdom and evaluated it.
    He set it in place and examined it thoroughly.
28 And this is what he says to all humanity:
‘The fear of the Lord is true wisdom;
    to forsake evil is real understanding.’”

Now, look at Proverbs 8:

Wisdom Calls for a Hearing

8 Listen as Wisdom calls out!
    Hear as understanding raises her voice!
2 On the hilltop along the road,
    she takes her stand at the crossroads.
3 By the gates at the entrance to the town,
    on the road leading in, she cries aloud,
4 “I call to you, to all of you!
    I raise my voice to all people.
5 You simple people, use good judgment.
    You foolish people, show some understanding.
6 Listen to me! For I have important things to tell you.
    Everything I say is right,
7 for I speak the truth
    and detest every kind of deception.
8 My advice is wholesome.
    There is nothing devious or crooked in it.
9 My words are plain to anyone with understanding,
    clear to those with knowledge.
10 Choose my instruction rather than silver,
    and knowledge rather than pure gold.
11 For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies.
    Nothing you desire can compare with it.

12 “I, Wisdom, live together with good judgment.
    I know where to discover knowledge and discernment.
13 All who fear the Lord will hate evil.
    Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance,
    corruption and perverse speech.
14 Common sense and success belong to me.
    Insight and strength are mine.
15 Because of me, kings reign,
    and rulers make just decrees.
16 Rulers lead with my help,
    and nobles make righteous judgments.[a]

17 “I love all who love me.
    Those who search will surely find me.
18 I have riches and honor,
    as well as enduring wealth and justice.
19 My gifts are better than gold, even the purest gold,
    my wages better than sterling silver!
20 I walk in righteousness,
    in paths of justice.
21 Those who love me inherit wealth.
    I will fill their treasuries.

22 “The Lord formed me from the beginning,
    before he created anything else.
23 I was appointed in ages past,
    at the very first, before the earth began.
24 I was born before the oceans were created,
    before the springs bubbled forth their waters.
25 Before the mountains were formed,
    before the hills, I was born—
26 before he had made the earth and fields
    and the first handfuls of soil.
27 I was there when he established the heavens,
    when he drew the horizon on the oceans.
28 I was there when he set the clouds above,
    when he established springs deep in the earth.
29 I was there when he set the limits of the seas,
    so they would not spread beyond their boundaries.
And when he marked off the earth’s foundations,
30     I was the architect at his side.
I was his constant delight,
    rejoicing always in his presence.
31 And how happy I was with the world he created;
    how I rejoiced with the human family!

32 “And so, my children,[b] listen to me,
    for all who follow my ways are joyful.
33 Listen to my instruction and be wise.
    Don’t ignore it.
34 Joyful are those who listen to me,
    watching for me daily at my gates,
    waiting for me outside my home!
35 For whoever finds me finds life
    and receives favor from the Lord.
36 But those who miss me injure themselves.
    All who hate me love death.”

Wisdom calls us his children ... and implores us to listen to his instructions and be wise; not to ignore it!  Why, WHOEVER FINDS WISDOM, FINDS LIFE AND RECEIVES FAVOUR FROM THE LORD!

Who is Wisdom?  Do you know him?  Lets talk about this again.  

GOD'S WISDOM IS UNFATHOMABLE


" Can you catch a crocodile with a hook or put a noose around its jaw? Can you tie it with a rope through the nose or pierce its jaw with a spike? Will it beg you for mercy or implore you for pity? Will it agree to work for you? Can you make it your slave for life? CAN YOU MAKE IT A PET LIKE A BIRD, OR GIVE IT TO YOUR LITTLE GIRLS TO PLAY WITH?" Job 41:1-5

THE BUILDING MATERIALS OF A BELIEVER’S LIFE

A Closer Look

The building materials of any construction work are first and foremost dependent on the use of what is being constructed – it could be a house (semi-permanent or permanent), a school, an estate, a mall – it could be really any construction work including bridges or roads, or a fence.  The quality, cost and value of the materials are also to be highly considered.  What this means then is that in consideration of the building materials, one has to determine the end from the beginning. 

With the believer’s foundation laid in Christ, the building of their faith does not just come automatically.  It has to be intentionally built up.  The bible puts it very clearly that, believers must continue to build their lives on the foundations of their holy faith.  Jude, brother of Jesus, puts it so plainly in Jude 20:

“But you dear friends, must continue to build your lives on the foundations of your holy faith” (Jude 20).

The intentionality in building our faith cannot be achieved if a believer has not fully identified himself/herself in Christ.  Determining one’s identity in Christ helps to secure a believer’s walk of faith.  The truths here below affirm a believer’s identity in Christ!

The fact that one is born again (not physical but spiritual birth), and bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ;
The fact that one is redeemed and accepted in the family of God;
The fact that a believer is counted righteous not on their own standing but because of Jesus’ death and resurrection;
The fact that they have been translated from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light, even the kingdom of God’s dear son, Jesus Christ.

Identifying and affirming one’s identity is therefore a critical component that aids a believer in not only building their faith life, but also critically choosing the materials to use in building.  Without this critical consideration, a believer lives a life oblivious of the cost of his/her salvation.  As a result, they may not also be quite alert and clear on the end result of their Christian faith.

Before proceeding on, let us determine our end result as believers. 

Eternity With Christ

The most profound scripture in the bible, and really the essence of salvation is John 3: 16, thus; 

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

This scripture presents the end-result of a believer’s life – eternal life with Christ Jesus and God the Father.  What a pleasant joy it is to know that though the building process may take long, though the building materials may be costly, the result is an overwhelming, an unending and everlasting joyful life with God the creator, and Jesus Christ, the Saviour. 

In this regard, we now fully understand why the bible further brings out very clearly the fact that all who believe and accept Christ, the Word of God, have been given the right to become children of God.  Why?  So that as children of God we can grow in Him and into Him, day by day, step by step, as we build our lives in Him in preparation to our spending eternity with Him.