Daily Wisdom

 1Pe 5:10 “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” 

Acknowledging and testifying to adversity, is not to be pessimistic, but rather to strengthen myself (Pro 24:10 -  If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small). The more familiar that I am with it, the less likely I am to stumble when it occurs. The scriptures reflect more on hell than heaven itself. You become more reflective of its purpose; you understand God's reason for it (Jms 1:2-4) and are then able to make the best of everything that you are handed. The darkness is only frightening when our faith has been hiding in the sunshine. The Father’s plans and purpose will always be greater weight of glory than our adversity and disappointments. 

R.C. Sproul – “Don’t question why bad things happen to good people. That only happened once, and He volunteered.”… HSAY 

Daily Wisdom

 Gal 6:3-4 “For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor.”

The humble sinner will sometimes be interpreted as one of the least in the eyes of man yet immersed in the eyes of God, and this is due to the humility regarding his own soul. A pure heart does not demean or compare the heart of another individual to define their own self-worth. Instead, I must examine my own heart, and seek God’s grace and strength for my true worth in Christ. I must remember my measure of worth is to the standard of Christ-likeness, not the matrix of man.

Never let your motivation of faith to be centered on man’s standard; only the Savior’s likeness… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Eph 5:20  "Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Negativity is a social cancer: it's difficult to contain and it rots the spirit of man. However, the real danger is that the flesh is so easily influenced by it. That part causes the contagious infection. It's passed on and on until some brave soul enlightens an infected spirit with the hope and promise in Jesus; that brave soul refuses to bite the apple and let the apple eat him. That spirit who refuses to accept doubt and fear is able to amputate it in another through the strength of God's love.  In other words, their hope in Jesus becomes more valued than the lie of negativity is believed to be true.

There's nothing more contagious than the laughter of a spirit that has hope... HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Rom 15:13  “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” 

The human spirit longs for hope knowing one’s own limitation for all of life’s matters. This is the Father’s hope. Hope is magical, Hope is a gift, like a raft we cling to in the midst of a storm. Hope by nature is independent of logic. Hope is power outside of the facts; Hope is not rational. Yet who needs rationality when God is on our side? The capacity of hope is the most powerful fact in our daily life. The only way we’re going to reach places we’ve never been, is if we trust God’s direction to do things we’ve never done. God will fight our battles; we just need to dwell in His promised hope. Without hope in the Father, what do we have to hold too. 

Hope is the belief that the promise will be fulfilled… HSAY 

Daily Wisdom

 Eph 1:5  “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.”

We neglect the gospel when we neglect our adoption and think that we're just a hired servant. The Father doesn't let us come to him on those terms. We'll either come as His adoptive children or we will stay with the swine. He won't let us earn anything from Him because there will be no boasting in His presence. It will either be that Jesus and His glorious gospel has the preeminence or we will go it alone. It requires only our faith in the gospel to foster a personal significant relationship with the Father, every choice we make either elevates human life or heavenly hope in the Father.

Spiritual adoption is the excellency and apex of God’s salvation, not our doing… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Col 3:13 “Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”

Forgiveness is restoration. If we say we forgive but refuse to extend trust, we haven't really forgiven. We are asking the person to prove themselves to us in order to be worthy of our full forgiveness. We're making them work for our grace, which is not the model Christ exemplified. Jesus never requires us to earn back His grace, nor His trust. Remember it was Jesus’ sacrificial act that forgave us and offered us restoration with Him. When we choose to make excuses not to forgive and sacrifice for others well-being, restoration, and growth – we’re spurning the very identity Jesus died to provide. I’m eternally dead without God’s grace; who am I to manage it.

Being a Christian means forgiving the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in me… HSAY 

Daily Wisdom

 Jms 1:22 “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”

I can only imagine how joyful life would be if I could stay so grounded in my faith that I would never waver from a positive outlook/attitude. Yet, what is it about the expectations, plans, or desires that hold such sway over us at times? It’s as if we've written a script for our life that runs about a month ahead of actual life; if reality varies from what we've created in our mind, we then tend to disengage from the Father’s promises, and pout. We’d be better served by not worrying about scripting life, knowing the Father has already written the perfect script (through His Word), we just need to faithfully act it out. We’re all thespian’s, but let’s make sure we act like Jesus!

We can quote the Word of God all day to self and others, but nothing will touch us or others more than when we faithfully act it out in our own life… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Mar 12:31 “The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Social responsibility becomes an aspect not of Christian mission only, but also of Christian conversion. It’s impossible to be converted to God without being converted to our neighbor. We may choose not to, but we’ve been commanded, thus responsible to it. These commandments are from the O.T. (Deut 6:5; Lev 19:18). Loving God, and our neighbor as ourself are the greatest of commandments. Conversion does not make us perfect, but it does catapult us into a full responsibility of discipleship that affects - and infects - every sphere of our living. God loves and cares for His creation and has the right to expect this loving care be replicated from soul to soul. Love glorifies God; God is love!

What a wonderful world we would see if Christians practiced Christianity… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 1Co 13:4-8a  "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends...”

As a house can only be built satisfactorily and durably when there is a foundation, and a picture can be painted only when there is something prepared to paint it on; only love can be legitimate, lasting, real, and satisfying when it’s without restraints, conditions, obligation, or guilt. This is the Father’s love for us, all that it needs to be and is! Tell me how much you know of the sufferings of your fellow man, and I will tell you how much you have loved them. Thus, remember the Father Omniscient, He knows all our sufferings, thus His love is real and all sufficient!

Everything was and is defeated before and without the Father’s love; love conquerors all (1 Cor 13)… HSAY  

Daily Wisdom

 Psa 107:1-2 “Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble.” 

We only enter the fullness of life when our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation and His great love if not with humility and thanksgiving? Thanksgiving is the evidence of our acceptance and acknowledgment of the grace and goodness the Father gives. Thanksgiving is the manifestation of our Yes! to His grace. Everything is defeated and dead without the Father’s great love (Jn 3:16)… yet His promised fullness of life is received by His abundance of grace (Jn 1:16). Thus, the soul sings, “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.”  Grace garners our Thankfulness and provides our fullness. 

Thankfulness unlocks the fullness of life; it turns what we have been given into enough. It can turn a meal into a feast, house into a home, and a stranger into a friend… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Col 4:5 “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.”

The "spiritual show business," which has incorporated itself into church view of Christian work today, has caused us to drift far from the gospel and scriptural discipleship. It’s instilled in too many believers to think that we must do exceptional things for God; we have not. We must be exceptional in ordinary things, to be holy with a concrete gospel on concrete streets among a people who stand on unsolid ground (Mt 7:24-27). The church today is lacking a gospel that is both concrete in scriptural truth and lived-out and preached on concrete streets.

If one had the cure to cancer I feel confident it would be endlessly shared; why is physical death more motivating than spiritual death… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Psa 127:1 “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.”

The problem that we are facing in the church today is that we have so many who have made a decision to believe in Jesus but not a commitment to follow Him. The church has believers who are planning to, meaning to, trying to, wanting to, going to, it just doesn't have many Christians who are doing it. It matters not how I build my life/family, if it’s not built by the Lord’s plans and in His purpose, my labor is in vain, and I’ll fail to experience the abundance that only the Lord can provide. May my commitment be not in my plans, but in Lord’s and making Him my highest priority and “Masterbuilder( 1 Cor 3:10)” for my life.

May we be committed though never seeing the final plans, that’s the difference between the Masterbuilder and us, the laborer in His plans… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Gal 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” 

Just as I came to the Cross, my burden loosed from off his shoulders, fell from off my back, and began to tumble down the hill, and so it continued to do till it came to the mouth of the sepulcher. There it fell in, and I saw it no more! And though the sepulcher could not hold everything within, my sin and burden did not escape. Only the grace that was afforded to me miraculously came forth into the light of day… declaring, I told you I love you! 

Bombs, sadly have kill-radiuses; churches should have love-radiuses--anyone within twenty miles of a church should know it… HSAY 

Daily Wisdom

1Pe 3:15 “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:”

When a believer shares their faith story of Jesus’ great love, provision and faithfulness, the beauty is that others get to listen without working; they rest. There’s nothing to fix, nothing to labor in. And another soul is quietened as they listen, certainly burdened. . . but still resting in the knowledge that the same promise of hope is indestructible and unmovable in meeting their need as well. It needs only to be nourished and released in the same manner they’re hearing it. Spiritual success is greatly measured when one’s faith story begins to change others’ lives eternally.

Let others know how Jesus transformed your test into a testimony, mess into a message, and your misery will become a ministry – lives will be changed eternally… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 2Ti 3:16-17 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

Wycliff makes a strong point… Christianity (Christ likeness) is intended to prove all things by the Word of God: church body, ministers, teaching/preaching, doctrines, choices, all practices. This is God’s purpose in us, prove all by the Word of God; measure all by the measure of the Bible; compare all with the standard of the Bible; weigh all in the balances of the Bible; examine all by the light of the Bible; test all in the crucible of the Bible. That which cannot abide the fire of the God’s Word, reject, refuse, repudiate, and cast away. This is the flag which He nailed to the mast. May it never be lowered!

The Word of God doesn’t conform to our choices, our choices are to conform to Christ… HSAY 

Daily Wisdom

 Heb 12:28 “Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe.”

The practice of being grateful - eucharisteo... is the way we practice the presence of God. Staying in His presence and worship is a practice of the eyes. We don't have to change what we see, only the way we see it. How our eyes see, perspective, is paramount in seeing what the Father sees. If my spiritual eyes have God seeping up through all things, then I can give thanks for anything; be it good things, hard things, and absolute everything. Then I will find my gratefulness knowing that my Father is in control of all things, and thus I can worship in His presence and promises.

Fixing my eyes on Jesus stops me from trying to fix everything myself, and simply worship Him who can… HSAY 

Daily Wisdom

 Isa 55:8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.”

The only things we can keep are the things we freely give to God. What we try to keep for ourselves is just what we are sure to lose. The Father surpasses our dreams when we let go of  our personal plans and agenda to grab the hand of Christ and walk the path, He has for us. Our spirit will continually be dissatisfied in and with this world until we grasp that the Father’s plans are higher than our ways; not because he is less compassionate than we are but because he is more compassionate than we can ever imagine.

The true battle in life is between hanging on to what you think, or letting go to what God knows… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Psa 32:7  “You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance.” Selah 

Faith is the acknowledgment and recognition of the cross as the substitute for man’s inability to save self. Faith saves, because the cross affords the complete salvation of another, and not because man contributes anything to that salvation. Today everybody admits that something is wrong with the world, and the critics of Christianity are the very people who feel this most. The most violent attacks against truth come from those who are most anxious to change the world, and yet they attack the very truth, that like generations past has rescued the soul of man from life’s difficulties. The truth of God’s Word is the only hope man has against life’s troubles.

Losing faith is losing strength; we are twice armed when we fight with faith… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Psa 73:26 “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

Our greatest fear as believers and as a church should not be failure in our efforts of faith; the Father knows our failure thus offers us repentance and His mercy to move forward. Through that process of working out our faith we grow and mature in the Lords’ strength. But our fear should be succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter, it offers a false hope and a measure of worth that can blind us to our need for Jesus. It’s a good thing to meet opposition and struggles in our faith; We should fear when we don’t, because we’re probably not living in our faith.

The moment one realizes this world cannot sustain them, they are left with two conclusions concerning hope; life is simply cruel or Jesus is greatly real… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

Psa 119:165  “Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.”

Man has always longed for peace of mind. Here’s my clear-cut instruction on how to attain it: If I love God and obey His Word, I’ll find "great peace." It’s the cross that the Christian is challenged to seek after: no path of redemption can make a detour around it. Seeking alternatives is where we lose our peace of mind. We all have the best in us, Holy Spirit; and it’s up to us to submit to Him. My submission comes through His Word which leads me straight to the cross and Jesus, and all that I long for.

As Jesus went willingly to the cross, my we willingly approach the throne of grace; obtaining His great peace… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Act 14:22 “Strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”

Life tempts me and at times persuades me to take the path of less resistance. Yet doing so doesn’t always provide the most rewarding results and only softens my spirit for self. I begin to love the same toys that the world loves. I start to fit in, instead of standing out with Christ. I start to look at earth as "home." Before I know it, I am calling luxuries "needs" and using my money just as the unbelieving world. I begin to forget the wars and suffering. I forget people are perishing. Missions and unreached people evade my mind. I stop dreaming about the triumphs of grace and salvation. I sink into a secular mind-set that looks first to what man can do, not what God has done. It is a terrible sickness I can be prone to. And I thank God when life has forced me again and again toward a mind-set of tribulation. Then I immediately see the cross and realize that it wasn’t comfortable/convenient, nor a path of least resistance, for Jesus to go to the cross for me!

Tribulation often squeezes the artificiality out of me, making room for the Holy Spirit work… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Act 12:11 “When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod….”

Often our greatest obstacle is overcoming self and humbly turning to God. Just like the prodigal son in (Lk 15) as compared to Peter here in Acts, when we humbly “come to ourselves” great peace and provision comes with it; the old saying know who butters your bread. Humility drives the soul to thanksgiving and provides patience in the Lord’s provisions. Thanksgiving can’t be an annually scheduled dinner to practice humility, but rather practiced daily by “coming to ourselves” and knowing our provisions are promised only in Him who provides them. 

Humility doesn’t promise a place of perfection, but a place of perseverance in His promised hope… HSAY  

Daily Wisdom

 Acts 11:26b “…  And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.”

The disciples after being in Antioch for a year ministering to the gospel and others were first called “Christians,” depicting Christlikeness. However, although every Christian is a believer, not every believer is a Christian. A believer is only a Christian when he “acts like one. We need to realize a Christian isn’t a description but a depiction, a believer is a description. Being a “Christian” requires one to depict Christ-likeness. May we live in a way that depicts Christ and doesn’t describe us.

A big difference between description and depiction, one verbalizes the other illustrates… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Heb 13:5 “Keep your life free from love of money (world), and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Dietrich Bonhoeffer stated: “The gospel preaches the infinite worth of that which is seemingly worthless and the infinite worthlessness of that which is seemingly so valued.” The price is certainly high for people who don’t know Christ and who live in a world where Christians shrink back from self-denying faith and settle into self-indulging faith; choosing to spend their lives fulfilling the American dream instead of giving their lives to proclaiming the kingdom of God, literally billions in need of the Gospel remain in the dark because the value of a temporal infinitely worthless world, in the hands of man, is given infinite value over the Christ.  

Leave it all in the nail scarred hands that were pierced and wounded for you… HSAY 

Daily Wisdom

1Pe 4:12  “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.”

We don't have a soul. We are a soul. We happen to have a body. That body is for the edifying of Jesus Christ and His glorious love for us. And yet for this to be displayed through us, we must stand in faith amidst life and its trials for the likeness of Jesus to be seen in us. No trials no faith required, no faith then others can’t see Jesus in us (Jms 1:2-18). Likewise, life trials strengthen us for the battle, allowing us to exercise our faith and be an example for others to walk in Jesus. 

Suffering provides the gym equipment on which our faith can be exercised… HSAY 

Daily Wisdom

 Jer 31:3 “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”

No sooner do we believe that God loves us that we can garner an impulse to believe that He does so, not because He is Love, but because we are intrinsically lovable.  Far be it from us to think that we have virtues for which God could love us. Bunyan says, "I thought there was no man in England that pleased God better than I with my service." Which often contributes and leads to our lack of humility in thinking that even in our times of repentance it somehow affords us God’s admiration. Yet, we must remember and acknowledge that we are mirrors whose brightness, if any, is wholly derived only from the Son that shines upon us.

Unconditional love is an illogical notion, but of the greatest of promises given… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Rev 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

The movement in our relationship to Jesus is always from Jesus to us. Always! We can't, through our piety or goodness, move closer to Him. Jesus is always coming near to us, SoS 7:10 “I am my beloved’s, and his desire is for me.” Meaning, our success in moving closer to Jesus isn’t based on our love for Him, rather His greater love for us! To be able to affirm these words, “I am my beloved’s,” is to participate in the heights of Christology, and the riches of the gospel. Though the gospel cannot be privatized, it must definitely be personalized. We must answer and respond to His greater love that’s continually knocking on our heart. We must understand, Jesus isn’t breaking and entering, He’s knocking and waiting for our reception… He’s at the door!

Your relationship with Jesus isn’t based on your invitation, but rather your reception… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

Col 1:20a-21 “And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself… And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled.”

God does not discipline us to subdue us but to prepare us for a life of purposefulness and blessedness. In His wisdom, He knows that an uncontrolled life is an unhappy life, so He puts reins on our wayward souls that they may be directed into the paths of righteousness. This is only done by reconciling us to Himself. Resist and retreat to your own paths, only refrains oneself from traversing paths of hope, promise, and protection in exchange for self-provision.

Short cuts often make for long delays… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

1 Col 1:18b “… that in all things he might have the preeminence.”

Jesus was not revolutionary because He said we should love God and each other. Moses said that first. So did countless other religious/spiritual leaders. The world is poignant about the importance of love. Christian leaders will tell us that the point of religion is to get us to love each other. "God loves you" doesn't stir the world's opposition. However, start talking about God's absolute authority, holiness, Christ's substitutionary atonement, justification apart from works, the necessity of a new birth, repentance, baptism, communion, and the future judgment, and the mood changes considerably. Even love is not true love if separated from the “preeminence” from Jesus’ authority, Jesus is to be given preeminence (total supremacy). All too often, however, believers give Jesus eminence (importance), but not preeminence (finale say).

You can give without loving, but you can’t truly love without sacrificial giving…  HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 1Pe 5:6 “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:”

Every good thing in the Christian life grows in the soil of humility. Without humility, every virtue, and every grace withers. That’s why it’s said humility is first, second, and third in the Christian faith. It's not that God's help and presence must still be proved in our life; rather God's presence and help have been demonstrated for us in the life of Jesus. It’s in fact more important for us to know what God did for Israel through Jesus, than to discover what God intends for us today. The fact that Jesus died is more important than the fact that I will die. And the fact that Jesus was raised from the dead is the sole ground in which my hope and humility grow.

Daily our life testifies to and exalts one of two things - the Savior or self!… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Lk 9:24 “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.”

We are settling for a Christianity that revolves around catering to ourselves when the central message of Christianity is actually about abandoning ourselves. God rewards those who seek Him. Not those who seek doctrine of religion or systems or creeds. Many settle for these lesser passions, but the reward goes to those who settle for nothing less than Jesus himself. Once you have surrendered yourself, you make your heart more receptive in receiving from God, you then become more perfected and completed.

Addition by subtraction, less of self-equals more of Christ. Learn that formula by faith… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 1Jn 4:19 “We love because he first loved us.”

The Degree to which I am blessed staggers me... the degree to which I take that for granted shames me. In that my vision can be so limited I can hardly imagine a love that does not show itself in protection from suffering.... and yet it’s the same love of God didn’t protect His own Son.... He will not necessarily protect me - not from anything it takes to make me more like His Son. A lot of hammering and chiseling and purifying by fire will go into the process. But that’s a love worth pursuing and dying for.

Unless we have something worth dying for, you've nothing worth living for; ask Paul... HSAY

Daily Wisdom

2Sa 14:25 “But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty…”

Nothing is said of Absalom's wisdom and piety. All that’s said of him is, that he was very handsome. A poor commendation for a man that had nothing else in him valuable. We should have a desire and intention to possess a beauty that is worth pursuing, worth fighting for, a beauty that is core to who we truly are in Christ Jesus. We want beauty that can be seen; beauty that can be felt; beauty that affects others. May we intently seek a beauty of holiness, and the adorning of a meek and quiet spirit! Only those who fear God are truly beautiful in His sight.

The beauty of man is found in his reflection of Jesus, not in the eyes of man… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

Jas 4:6 “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”

Criticism of others can often be an oblique spiritual form of self-commendation. We think we make the picture hang straight on our wall by telling another their picture is crooked. That’s the beauty of the gospel: we are all individually more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope. Defining our worth by criticism/judgement of others is like boarding the wrong train, running along the corridor in the other direction does you no good.  

If you don’t behave as you believe, you’ll end up believing as you behaved… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Psa 119:15 “I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.”

There are times when solitude is better than society, and silence is wiser than speech. The believer would be better served alone, waiting on God, gathering direction and strength in His Word for servitude and life to come. But this is often missed. Sermons are heard, yet spiritual growth is slow to show, because the believer doesn’t meditate on it. They love the fruit which hangs on the branches, but they refuse to pluck it, water flows at their feet, but they won’t stoop to drink it. And yet they long for and do without the very blessings they seek.

One can choose to look in a different direction of the truth, but they can never say they did not know… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 2Co 5:21 “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

The worth of oneself in Jesus is the essence of the whole moral problem and the epitome of a Christ honoring life. That I feed the hungry, forgive an insult, love my enemy - all these are great virtues. But what if I should discover that the least among them all, the poorest in spirit, the most impudent of all the offenders, the very enemy himself - is within me, and that I stand in need of my own kindness - that I am the enemy who must be loved, what then? As a rule, the Christian's attitude is then reversed. Yet, I hide it from the world; refusing to admit ever having met this least among the lowly in myself. The Bible is very easy to understand, but the Christians can be a scheming swindler. Pretending to be unable to understand it because they know very well that the minute it’s truly understood, they are obliged to the accountability to Jesus and self.

Nobody's perfect. Well, there was this one guy, but we killed him… HSAY 

Daily Wisdom

 Dan 9:23  “At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved…”

 Consider, the greatest trap in life is not success, popularity, or power, but self-rejection. Success, popularity, and power present a great temptation, but their seductive quality comes from a much larger temptation to self-rejection. When you believe the voices that call you unworthy and unlovable, then success, popularity, and power are then perceived as attractive solutions. The real trap, however, is self-rejection. Criticism can cause one to believe I deserve to be pushed aside, forgotten, rejected, and abandoned. Self-rejection is the greatest enemy of the spiritual life because it contradicts the sacred voice that calls you the "Beloved." Being the Beloved constitutes the core truth of your existence in Jesus; proven by the cross.

 Don’t accepted less than the love God has for you, because you believed man’s opinion of you… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 1 Jn 2:6 “Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.”

God wants you to be something before He ever expects you to do something! Being rightly related accomplishes that. Meaning you’ll never reach your calling in Jesus without establishing and maintaining a right relationship w/Jesus. Paul stated in (1 Cor 11:1 “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.”) Paul knew that without a right standing in Jesus you have nothing to offer. It’s not what you have to offer God that’s important, but rather what God has for you. 1Pe 2:21 “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.” Big difference in what you follow verses who you follow.

Be cautious in what you’re following, you might end up where you’re headed… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 “… there was silence, and I heard a voice. (Job 4:16; 1 Kgs 19:12)

Here we find Job, like Elijah, in a state of silence where there appears a still small voice. This hit home for me - just last night, late after church, I sat in the empty sanctuary alone in the dark with God. But no great revelation or peace came from it. Yet this morning I read (Job 4) and I realize why I didn’t experience God last night in the way I was longing - “I never shut my mouth.”  Instead, my inner voice was non-stop within me during this intimate time with God. I don’t know if I can speak for you as well,  but I believe/know many times I/we miss God’s voice because He can’t get a word in edgewise. “Be STILL and know that I am God” there’s the inner conflict, “be still” - that means shut up and listen. I was more intent on being sure God heard me, that I never heard Him! Turn life’s volume off and be still in silence, God’s not going to scream above your noise.

No surprise that I was able to hear from God this morning, once I shut up and used my eyes to hear His Words… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 1Co 1:5  “That in every thing ye are enriched by him…”

October of 2020, a violent hurricane in S. India that took lives, destroyed property leaving mass devastation, also left gold on the beaches, and washed away the topsoil revealing gold deposits on properties more than $8M. Ever had a metaphorical storm in your life that drove you to your knees in acts of prayer and by and by the storm passes, forgotten but the sweetness of the Spirit‘s presence during remained, warming the soul? Storms may not bring/leave physical riches, but they can often wash away the layers of life’s soil that hide the wealth of the Lord in our lives, leaving a spiritual wealth that remains long after the rainbows are gone. God may not give us an easy journey to the promised land, but He will give us a safe one that’s blessed and filled with everything we need for the journey.

It’s not what we lose in this life, but what we gain in the Lord that’s true wealth… HSAY 

Daily Wisdom

Psa 44:4  “Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob.”

The Psalmist prayer is seeking the Father’s deliverance, Jacob is an ancestral term for generations. The strength of the prayer is that there is no foe to your growth in grace, no enemy in your faith walk, which was not included in your Savior’s conquest’s. Only be strong and courageous, fear not, nor be dismayed (Isa 41:10). Your faith is called to claim victory, not to coward to their attacks. The victory is yours, gather your spoil through the Savior’s victory; you are a child of the King. In which way do you then most honor your Savior, by failing to claim your promised inheritance and the victory it affords you, both in the flesh as well as the spirit!

The Christian mentality is a victorious mentality… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 “… is…” 2 Cor 12:9

In one moment, this passage comes to life and rebukes the soul for petitioning such prayers as, “Lord, may thy grace be sufficient.” How dare us ask that which “is?” God cannot make His grace more sufficient than He has made it; get up, believe it, and walk in it and you’ll find it true. The Lord says it in the simplest way “My grace is (not shall be or may be) sufficient for thee.”  That linking verb “is” describes the subject Grace… that it “is” sufficient. The Father defines it more with “My,” “is,” and “thee” which should be indelibly fixed upon our hearts. The truth is, don’t turn facts into hope, or prayers; but rather walk in them as the promises they are, and you’ll find them as powerful as you believe them. That choice “is” up to you!

God’s grace is sufficient for us anywhere His providence places us… HSAY 

Daily Wisdom

 Jn 11:41 “… And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.” 

Consider the unusual order of prayer. Lazarus is till in the grave, and Jesus’ thanksgiving proceeds the miracle resurrection. You would consider that thanksgiving would’ve followed the miracle? Jesus gives thanks for what He is about to receive. The gratitude breaks forth before the bounty has arrived, in the assurance that it is certainly on the way. Israel would sing their song of victory before the battle was fought in the Lord. It’s the sower who is singing the song of the harvest to come. The thanksgiving before the miracle! Is your thanksgiving based on what you got, or on what God has promised? You can tell based on when you choose to sing!

True faith sings amidst the battle knowing victory is forthcoming … HSAY 

Daily Wisdom

 Isa 49:11  “And I will make all my mountains a way…”

Be assured, what you see as obstacles God uses to serve His purpose. We all have mountains in our lives which threaten to bar our spiritual progress. That thorn in the flesh, that daily cross – we think that if only the Father would remove it, we’d be more faithful and holier. “O fools, and slow of heart… Ought not Christ suffered these things” (Lk 24:25-26). These are the very conditions for spiritual holiness and maturity.  Such  mountains unlock the Father’s grace and mercy in our lives. Patience is our virtue, our fruit of the spirit, that is brought about in our lives through perseverance against such. The mountain you see is the Lord’s, and subservient to His great purpose. Don’t be a casualty or compromise your faith, just climb – the view the Lord will provide is worth it.

 The best view comes after the hardest climb… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Job 38:22-23 “… hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, Which I have reserved against the time of trouble…”

It can be difficult in seeing our trials as great opportunities, often appearing as obstacles instead. And yet the Father reveals to Job a chosen and proving way of His great love, and glorious manifestations. God used hail to help Joshua and the Israelites win a battle (Jos 10:11). If we can see such revelation, then clouds become rainbows, and mountains as paths of ascension. God’s blessings often appear as rough packages, and until they are unwrapped and revealed, we fail to see the treasure within. God has all the forces of nature and man at His control and restraint as His resources for our good. If we could see beyond today as God knows, we’d see the light beyond the darkness that would reveal the path which leads to the glory of the Father’s goodness.

For the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Mal 3:10 “…prove me now herewith...”

Consider those words! The Father’s saying, I still have windows in heaven unopened of which the hinges are not rusted nor bolted shut. The same windows that were opened for Moses, Joshua, and Gideon I’ll open for you. On MY side of the window, it’s the same rich storehouse as old. The lack is not on MY side, it’s on yours. I’m waiting, prove me now. Fulfill the conditions of your heart, bring the tithes of your heart/spirit, and give me a chance. The Father’s ability is so far beyond our largest prayers. I consider my own petitions, I asked for a cupful, and the ocean remains. Or requested a sunbeam of hope, and the sun abides. Before we ponder what, we feel the Lord hasn’t provided, we’d be better suited in looking at what we’ve offered! You’ll never realize the value of something until you choose to invest in it.

Give God all He asks; take all He promises… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Gal 5:5  “For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.” 

There are times when things appear very dark to me, so dark that I must wait for hope. This is the truest test of my faith; to have a vacant place in my heart and yet, not to allow that place to be filled by an interfere presence – that’s the grandest patience that exist. It’s Job in the tempest, Moses in the desert of Midian, even our Lord in the Garden of Gethsemane. There’s no patience so hard as that which endures, waiting on the invisible for their hope. Yet, it’s the promise of that very hope that allows me to hold on to a cup, appearing to be full of sorrow, knowing my Lord sees beyond. Give me this divine power, when the very joy that was before me is gone, to stand unconquered amid the nights doubt, knowing my hope is not in my vision but my Savior's!  

Hope without faith is only a dream. Faith with Hope changes the circumstances… HSAY 

Daily Wisdom

 Isa 30:18  “And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you… blessed are all they that wait for him.” Isa 30:18

Beyond our thoughts of waiting on God, we must consider more wonderful still, of God’s waiting upon us. This offers new inspiration to our waiting on Him, that it’s not in vain. He has inconceivably glorious purposes for us. Yet, we ask, “How is it, if He waits to be gracious, that after we wait upon Him, He waits longer and longer?” The Father waits for the precious fruit of life to be its ripest and has long patience for it. Waiting in the sunshine of His love is what will ripen the soul for His blessing; even under the clouds of trials that bring forth the rain to ripen the fruit we need. Be assured that if the Father waits longer than we wish, it’s only to make the blessing even more precious and fruitful to our soul.

No matte how long it takes. When God works, it’s always worth the wait… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 “… the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?” Jn 18:11

These words of Jesus were greater than the calming of seas and the raising of the dead. Prophets and the apostles could work wonderous miracles, but they could not always do and suffer the will of the Father! To do and suffer (sacrifice) in God’s will is till the highest form of faith, and sublime Christine achievement. To have a sympathizing/merciful God we must have a “suffering Savior.” One cannot do good unto others without a cost of sacrifice, that’s the price (the cup of which we drink from) we pay to do the will of the Father. If Paul had not had his thorn in the flesh we would've missed much of the Fathers mercy we see penned in his letters. 

He who would be a helper to God’s will, must first be a suffer to it… HSAY

Dily Wisdom

“For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him…” 2 Chron 16:9

The Father is looking for those whose heart is perfect (H/W-shâlêm) meaning complete, ready… and who will trust the Father for all He desires to do. The clock of the centuries points clearly to the eleventh hour. The world needs God’s love and deliverance, and it’s only revealed through a consecrated soul. The Father calls for such a man whose heart is in surrender to His will. God is an infinitely loving Being; be not satisfied until in you own inner most soul you can say, God is that infinitely loving Being. Doing so one’s heart is perfected, and God can show Himself in it!

There is no limit to what God can do with a man, providing the man doesn’t limit himself towards God… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 “the LORD said unto me, I will be still, and I will behold in my dwelling place…” Isa 18:4 RV

 As Assyria marched unopposed towards Judah, God appears to make no effort to arrest them. Often, we too see our enemies marching, approaching from the distance unopposed to work their will. But know the Father is still watching from His dwelling place. And while the sun still seems to shine on them, before the harvest the Father cuts them off as a branch with pruning shears. The Father’s stillness is not an acquiescence, He’s not consenting towards our enemies. His timing is perfect in design; and when the enemy is confident in their design – find peace, patience, and power in the Father’s marvelous words… “be still, beholding”

 Don’t get distracted by that which marches towards you, rest in Him that dwells within you!

Daily Wisodm

 “because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:  I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, because thou hast obeyed my voice.” Gen 22:16-18

IF man could grasp the fullness of God’s goodness. Learning that when, at God’s voice, they surrender to Him the one thing above all else that was dearest to their hearts, that same thing is returned to them by Him a thousand-times over. Abraham gives up his one and only son, at God’s call, but Isaac is restored, and Abraham’s family is greatly blessed. This is how God meets every one of us, when we surrender our will to His, God restores, replenishes, and rewards with His blessings greater things that we could garner on our own. Think not that Abraham was unique and solitary, he was the example of surrender we’re all called to.

Intimacy with God isn’t the result of trying harder, but of surrendering more… HSAY 

Daily Wisdom

 “God... calleth those things which be not as though they were.” Rom 4:17b

In (Rom17) we see Paul’s discourse concerning Abraham’s faith. The one who doubted he could have a child is the one God said he would the father of many nations. Such is the faith Paul is referencing, and Abraham struggled with. Faith is asserting what God says over your thoughts; “faith steps on seeming void, and finds the rock beneath.” As the baby bird must face the day of launching itself out of the safety of the nest and into the appearance of nothing; so must one's faith knowing the air is there to lift them from the fall, if they flap their wings of faith against their fear.

Remarkable thing, when you fear God, you fear nothing else; when you don’t fear God you fear everything else... HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 “But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” Job 23:10

Faith grows amid storms – four simple words, but oh, how full of importance for the soul! Faith is that grace and mercy given faculty and ability, when exercised, brings the unseen into plan view, and by which the impossible things are made possible when we stand on God’s promises. But again, it grows amid the storm, right in the midst where it the fiercest. Yet, don’t shrink back... go in! Walk into the furnace because that’s where God is waiting. Not to come out to you, but to call you in; that in your faith you come forth shinning as gold.

Gold never reveals its beauty until it's been through the crucible of fire... HSAY

Daily Wisdom

Isa 40:31 “… they shall mount up with wings as eagles…”

There’s an old fable of how God made birds without their wings at the beginning. Then God created the wings and called the birds to take them up. And though they loomed heavy and burdensome, in doing so the birds then saw above their challenges and all that the Lord had for them. As a parable we too are spiritually wingless as well. It’s not until we choose likewise to mount up with wings that we’ll see above our own challenges and all the Lord has for us. There is no burden which, if we lift it cheerfully and bear it patiently, will not become a blessing to us.

God doesn’t promise a burden-less life, but He promises a blessing for every burden… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 “And he… made me a polished shaft;” Isa 49:2

There is a very famous “Pebble Beach.” The surf continually roars and crashes against the point, relentlessly beating against the stones that cover the point. Tourists are drawn to gather the beautiful round stones carved and shaped by the endless waves. But, when you go beyond the point to a nearby cove, while the pebble beaches are still present, the crashing waves are dormant and docile, and the stones are jagged, sharp, and never chosen.  Why are they left unsought? For the simple reason that they escaped all the turmoil and attrition of the waves, and the quiet/peace have left them unpolished, blemished, and lacking beauty… Polished through perils. The Father sees our beauty within, let Him shape us to it. Many of God’s jewels are crystallized tears.

The waves are simply obeying the Lord, with the same faith comes our beauty… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 “… neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.” 2 Chron 2012

 A life was lost because a pair of human hands touched the Ark of God (2 Sam 6). While placed upon it with the best of intent, to steady it from falling; but they touched God’s work presumptuously and lost their life. Much of the life of faith consists in letting things alone with the Lord. If we wholly trust an interest to God, we must keep our hands off it; and He will guard it for us better than we can help Him. Simply rest in the Lord’s omnipotence. When things seem to be falling apart, the Lord has them falling into place, when left to God.

If you need God to open and close doors, keep your hands off the doorknob… HSAY 

Daily Wisdom

 Hosea 2:14-15 “I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness… and I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope...”

 A strange place to find a vineyard, in the wilderness! And that the riches a soul needs would be obtained in the wilderness, which means “lonely place.” And it’s located in the Valley of Achor, which means “bitterness.” Not the two places that come to mind concerning one’s hope. The Lord knows the wilderness experience can bring out that which is enduring. When our soul becomes adulterous, rebellious, self-willed, or damaged God will call “allure” us into the wilderness and speak to our soul, which brings forth hope. We never know where God hides His vineyards that spring forth our hope, even in the “lonely, bitter place” of the wilderness at times.

The Lord calls us into the wilderness not to abandon us – but to be alone with us… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Hab 2:3 “For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”

Power of patience… There’s an old story of a man who was allowed to see heaven. And while there was shown the “Delayed Blessings Office,” where God kept prayers until the appointed time. It can take a while for believers to learn that delays are not denials!  Isa 30:18 “And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you…” The Father is watching in the hard times/places and will not allow one trial too many. Lift your head and praise Him knowing His promises will not tarry, so neither let your faith. His appointed time, it will surely come!

Don’t confuse redirection with rejection, time is God’s paint brush working His masterpiece in your life… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Isa 28:24 “Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground?”

Man so desires the beauty and riches life can spring forth. He can pass a meadow of soft, thick green grass, as if a rug, and become transfixed on how God’s hand orchestrated such beauty and results. Yet, the very next view he looks upon the land and sees distressed, upturned soil, exposing dried dead roots filled with grub worms. Then his eyes again are drawn to a beautiful harvest of a ripe beautiful crop that’s so inviting and satisfying. But, between the two beautiful scenes is where the Great Plowman (Amos 9:13) furrows through man’s soul, uprooting and turning under that which he thought was fair, and leaving for his gaze the bare and the unbeautiful. We can’t avoid the bare season of the Great Plowman’s hand, de-weeding and upturning that which hinders the abundance and beauty He desires to bring forth in our life.

Be patient while under the plow, it’s the process that brings beauty from ashes… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Pro 4:12  “When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.”

The Lord never builds a bridge of faith except under the feet of the faith-filled traveler. If the Lord built a bridge across great divides for the eye to see, it wouldn’t require faith; that which is seen isn’t of faith. Country bridges utilized self-opening gates. If the approaching wagon stops at the gate it won’t open. Yet, if the wagon continues to move straight ahead the wheels press the spring-loaded lever and the gate opens; such an illustration for the child of God… “when thou goest.” Meaning obstacles are only illusions that cause the believer to swerve from the path the Lord built, causing them to stumble.

Fix your eyes on God and you’ll be less likely to try and fix things yourself… HSAY 

Daily Wisdom

Lk 1:45 “… for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord."

Mary only had a prophetic promise from the angel, and now Elizabeth, concerning her caring the Messiah in her womb. What hope, strength, and faith we can all have knowing we can depend on the performance of the promise and not requiring our own; confidently knowing, “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.” (2 Cor 2:20) A promise is only as good as the one who made it, including our own.  Thank you, Lord we don’t have to depend on any of them spiritually speaking, we can trust in Your performance!

Find hope and strength in that the power of God’s love for you will never be based on your performance for him, but rather His towards you… HSAY 

Daily Wisdom

 Num 13:33  “And there we saw the giants…”

Yes, they saw giants, but Caleb and Joshua saw God! There are two consistent perspectives in such life matters: those who doubt say, “We be not able to go up” and those who believe say, “Let us go up” and possess what God has for us. Stalking giants plague life and they cause the believer to overcome or be overwhelmed. Understand it’s when we are in the way of duty that we find giants; Israel was moving in the Lord’s will when the giants appeared. Recall that Paul in his missionary journey’s was not carried by some mighty providence above the power of storms and enemies (2 Cor 4:8-10). One cannot fail if only they dare to believe, stand fast and refuse to be overcome. Spiritual perspective is the ability to not focus on the giants, but rather the promises of God. 

David wasn’t concerned about Goliath’s strength; he already knew God’s… HSAY 

Daily Wisdom

 Psa 68:28  “The Lord hath sent strength for thee… “

The Father has manifested and imparted His strength to appear within us, our inner man. He strengthens us “to go” and traverse the Hill of Difficulty or descend the Valley of Sorrow; but don’t grow weary, fearful, or doubtful but with perseverance in His promise and power to provide, hold to your strength. As well the Lord is our strength to sit still in a season as difficult as that is to attain, “if only I could do something.”  When the child is ill, and the mother stands in impotence, how severe is the test! But our strength and sufficiency is of God; if we must climb, descend or be still, His strength is imparted to us to do so!

Don’t let yesterday steal or tomorrow borrow of the strength the Lord’s given you for today… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Rom 3:3 “For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?”

I can trace the sorrow, fear, doubt that’s resided in my life to simple unbelief. How can one be anything but peaceful knowing their past is forgiven, present furnished with power, and tomorrow full of hope; because the abiding facts do not change with mood, circumstances, or our disbelief. The promises of God stand absolute, despite our doubt, and cannot and does not make void the veracity and faithfulness of God. No praying believer accomplishes so much with so little expenditure of time as when they are praying. Yet, prayer without faith degenerates into objectless routine, or soulless hypocrisy. While prayer with faith brings Omnipotence to back our petitions.

Nothing lies beyond the reach of prayer except that which lies outside our faith and God’s will… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Mat 14:29-30 “And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.”

Peter had enough faith, maybe even less than a mustard seed, but still enough to step out in faith. But, as with all believers, his sight became the hinderance. Peter acted with only a glimmer of light radiating from Jesus across the darkness. Yet, once in that darkness Peter began to measure the waves and wind that led to his tears. The believer cannot prevail measuring the waves, nor grow strong gauging the wind; pausing at these difficulties is what causes faith to perish. Faith’s resiliency is determined by one’s focus; be it the glimmer of light for one more step or the darkness that prevents it.

Before you doubt God’s direction and stop, take just one more step in faith and see - then do it again… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Mat 15:23 “But he answered her not a word…”

Why did Jesus appear to have such a hard reproach? We’ve all, like the Canaanite women, felt the fear, sorrow, pain that’s led us to cry for mercy that seems to find no response. Picture an image of three persons knelt in prayer. As Jesus approaches the first, He bent over them in tenderness and grace with a smile of love speaking softly into the ear. Leaving and approaching the second He but only placed His hand on the bowed head and gave a look of approval. The third He passed abruptly by without stopping. With the first person we see His great love, the second we see His approval, and the third we can assume His disappointment. But what do we miss in this scenario? The first needed all of Jesus’ love, thought and help in the moment. Without they would fail and fall. The second has a stronger faith and deeper love which Jesus can trust them to trust Him however things may go. The third, whom Jesus seemed to be disappointed in, Jesus said I’m training them by quick and drastic processes for the highest and holiest of service. And they know and trust  me so intimately that they don’t require an outward approval. They are not dismayed by circumstances, but prayerful knowing Jesus is still working without words spoken. When Jesus speaks to you, it’s out of His great mercy knowing it’s needed. Feeling His presence, He’s assuring you to keep walking the path your own. Silence, He’s preparing you for a great opportunity and work due to His great faith in you!

When God is silent, pray to be still and what for His great power to work through you… HSAY 

Daily Wisdom

 Pro 10:12 “… love covereth all sins.”

This is a powerful and challenging verse all in one.  Love first covers sin, not exposing it, then it forgives and forgets, without judgment. But man can be quick to mentally, emotionally, and spiritually harbor, fuel, and hold on to such pain that the regret, bitterness, and anger consume them. One must cry to God in such pain for the power to obey His injunction, “love covereth.” And then mentally dig a grave, emotionally lower the pain into the depth of the pit and spiritually cover it and plant a new beginning of green sod and white roses on top of it, and quickly walk away in love and peace. It’s then the wound that seemed spiritually deadly will heal without a scar.

When it hurts to look back, and fearful to look ahead, look up and find your peace… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Isa 49:16 “Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands…”

The polyps which construct the coral reefs, do their work under the water, never imagining they’re laying the foundation upon which a new island will be formed of which plants, animals and children will prosper. If your place in God’s purpose is secluded and hidden, don’t murmur or complain and seek for more outside of God’s will. The Father placed you there with great purpose and will; for without polyps there are no coral reefs; the Father needs spiritual polyps!

"Just where you stand in the conflict,

There is your place.

Just where you think you are useless,

Hide not your face.

God placed you there for a purpose,

Whate’er it be,

Think He has chosen you for it;

Work loyally.

Out in the fight or on picket,

Stand firm and true’

This is the work which

Your Father gives to you!" … HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Isa 30:21 “And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it…”

When in doubt or difficulty you can hear many voices urging you in one path or another. When prudence utters one advice and faith another, be still, hushing every intruder that has a voice, and simply rest in God’s presence. In that time of rest devote yourself to God’s Word and prayer with eagerness for His counsel and direction while remanding stand still in His presence. No matter how quite or void it seems, separate yourself from the intrusion and shadows of the world, then like Elijah the still small voice (1 Kgs 19) is heard, truth is discerned, and direction is provisioned.  

God speaks to those who take the time to be still and listen… HSAY 

Daily Wisdom

Heb 12:12 “Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.”

This is the Father’s exhorting us to lift up our hands of faith, and bend our knees to fervent prayer. Often faith grows weary losing force and effectiveness; discouraged and timid with obstacles that frighten us. But in such obstacles the Father is ready to heal us, but the exertion of faith reaches our limit and we seek another path around the obstacle rather than walking through it. We use excuses such as: “I’m not ready to deal with this now.” Yet our Father encourages us to walk through the flood with hands lifted high and let Him part the waters. Just don’t let our feet find a different path because we fear getting hurt, when the Father’s ready to heal.

Remember, every healing started with a little hurt. Keep your faith in the great Physician… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Isa 7:11 “Ask thee a sign of the LORD thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above.”

Keep praying, then wait in the Lord with patience and perseverance, until you hear the rain falling. This means you move forward in your worship, servitude and all that lies within your power (not kicking down doors). While you can’t create the wind in your favor, you can set your sails to catch it when it comes. “Cannot the same wonders be done now as old? Where is the God of Elijah? Is He waiting on an Elijah to call on Him?” The same power that worked through Elijah is the same power you have access to today! But do you have the same faith, hope, and love exhibited by such saints? 

The issue isn’t the ability to whom one Prayed, it’s the faith of him who prayed… HSAY 

Daily Wisdom

 Psa 62:5 “My soul, wait thou only upon God;  for my expectation is from him.”

This passage brings great peace. Man spends excessive time worrying about the outcome of a thing rather than relying on the One who provides for it. We never find Jesus rejecting a single supplicant who came to Him for mercy, so we too should find contentment in that the Father hears our supplication and will work everything to His glory and our spiritual welfare. The seed of prayer that lies under the ground is taking root preparing to bloom though unseen and appearing dead. Wait on the Lord and place your expectations in Him, knowing the Father is never delayed, but diligent and perfectly timed in your need.

Faith can expect from God what is beyond expectation… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Gen 41:52 “… God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

The beauty of rain is in what we don’t see, the life and beauty it brings forth. As the rain pours the poet stands peacefully at the window, seeing not raindrops, but a myriad of flowers which will soon bloom forth and pens: “It isn’t raining on me, it’s raining flowers I soon shall see.” When the rain in life is pouring down in measure beyond what you can endure, know that it’s not raining on you, but rather for you! IF you’ll hold to the Father’s promises, under the beating down of the rain will spring up beauty you never saw coming! It’s not raining affliction, but assurances of love, hope, and promise which will bloom forth beauty and fruit that otherwise you’d never get to see.

Nothing blooms without a little rain; everything has purpose, even pain… HSAY 

Daily Wisdom

 Acts 4:33 “… great grace was upon them all.”

In this passage unity in great grace was brought forth in the body. Through such grace man can see as never before despite the darkness him. But such grace doesn’t settle upon us by chance, and if we don’t discern certain states of grace, and choose them, and in our thoughts nourish them, they never become fastened in our nature or behavior. Every step taken in grace must be proceeded by first apprehending it, and then prayerful resolve to humble ourselves to it. For grace to abound in our life one must put themselves daily on the altar of sacrifice as did Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane… “not my will, but thine, be done.” (Lk 22:42). As life-giving rain falls from above, so does the power and life-giving grace fall from the Father above… may we shower ourselves in it!

Of all the wonderous works, grace is the greatest of all… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Rom 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

How wide is the assertion of Paul! He doesn’t say “We know that some things, or most things or only joyous things… but rather “ALL” things. And all things “work” – they are working in your life; not have worked, could or might. Psa 145:17 “The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.” What a beautiful promise, that the LORD in His righteousness insures “all things work together.” Dwell in the LORD’s love, hold to your salvation and the Lord will do His work in your life for His glory and your good.

What may appear to be falling apart, may actually be falling into place by God’s work… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Psa 37:3  “Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.”

Feed on His faithfulness, stop supposing… As a believer “supposing” can be spiritually hindering; suppose you lose your job, health, resources? Such “supposing” can lead to thoughts of a sobering, fearful future. It’s often our thoughts of “supposing” that makes us miserable in our faith. But the Lord is our shepherd and knows our every need and situation. The Lord addresses our “supposes” in Heb 13:5-6 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” 

The eagle that soars (Isa 40:31) doesn’t worry itself as to how it will cross the river… HSAY 

Daily Wisdom

 1Jn 5:4  “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”

It can feel at times that every corner we turn in life there’s an enemy or foe waiting to rob you of your hope, joy, peace, or substance. Satan never retires from his efforts of deluding or ruining God’s children. But your faith is the game changer in any situation, it can snatch victory from the jaws of death. No matter the darkness of a situation, or trouble faced, the lifting of your heart to God in a moment of real actual faith, alters life’s situations in a moment. As a child of God your victory is promised and possessed by your faith and is activated as a spiritual 911 when applied.   

Faith never fails it only falters when man’s fear flourishes instead… HSAY 

Daily Wisdom

Job 35:10  “But none says, ‘Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night.”

The story of Job is hard to fathom. Yet, Like Job, you may wonder where is God when you need Him most? Elihu spoke to this very point. His conclusion was that God is still concerned even though He doesn't intervene immediately in every situation. In your sleepless nights, or the oppression that comes with some mornings, ask the Holy Spirit to fix your eyes on your Maker, knowing He can and will fill your soul with a song. In our bereavements, discouragements, even actual failures God draws nigh and closest to the brokenhearted (Psa 34:18) and who lacks a song to sing. His song offers hope and is harmonious with His providence. Seek the Father’s face and you’ll find songs that will strengthen your soul.

Trust in the Father and He’ll tune your heart to sing to His grace and salvation… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 1 Pt 4:7b “… watch unto prayer.”

A hard day’s work offers a kind excuse for shortened prayer and quick night; then rising to a late morning and your devotions and prayers done in haste… no “watching unto prayer.”  There has been that done which cannot be undone. Prayer surrendered, exposes yourselves to suffering. Temptation will never be too tired or late in its attacks against you, it’s ever-present lurking and watching for moments of weakness in your spiritual armor (Eph 6:10-18).  Jesus, God in flesh, felt it necessary to rise before the breaking day to pour out His heart to God, how much more ought we to “watch unto prayer?” A prayerless life is a powerless life!

If you are too busy to pray, you are busier than God calls you to be… HSAY 

Daily Wisdom

 Exo 14:21 “… the LORD caused the sea to go back… all that night…”

This small excerpt from (vs 14) offers great comfort by showing us that God is still working in our darkest hours. When life situations are the darkest, don’t be fearful or doubtful just because you can’t see the Lord’s hand working amidst the darkness. The next day of your life only manifests what the Lord had been doing that night! In your dark times you believe to see, but you are not seeing… don’t forget it was “all that night.” Your joy by way of the Lord is revealed in the morning (Psa 30:5); a result, even though you don’t see it, from the Lord “all that night” working in your life.

In the darkest times of your life should come your loudest praise, knowing God is clearing a path to walk… HSAY  

Daily Wisdom

 Rom 4:18a;19a  For Abraham…“Who against hope believed in hope… And not being weak in faith…”

George Muller responded to a question concerning great faith: “the only way to learn strong faith is to endure great trials.” Faith is established and measured by the ability to trust/obedience when faith is all you have. Don’t overlook the opportunity when passing through great affliction, you’re in the very presence of great faith working in your life. If only you will let go and grasp the garment of Jesus (Mt 9:20), He will teach the mightiest hope in faith you can hold to. Faith isn’t about just letting go, it’s about choosing what to hold on to. Hope and faith are unavoidable in life; the question is, what do we place it in?  That’s established in every choice we make!

Faith fosters a hope of expectancy when things are otherwise hopeless… HSAY  

Daily Wisdom

 Isa 28:12  “To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.”

Why do we worry ourselves? What use does fretting bring us? We’re aboard a vessel which we could not steer even if the Lord put us at the helm. We have no knowledge of the reefs that destroy, or where they are before us. Be still, the LORD is on the throne. And though the enemy may come in waves crashing over us, the Lord calms the seas (Mk 4:35-41), and if need be, affords us to walk on top of the waves (Mt 14:29). Don’t give way to despondency, it’s only a ploy of satan that withers the heart, making it unfit to receive the Father’s abundant grace!

Keep your eyes on the Lord and you don’t have to fear what’s before you… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Job 5:26b “… like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season.”

The tenure/life of old wooden vessels were contributed not only to the age of the wood, but as important is the straining and wrenching of the vessel by the sea. This caused a chemical reaction within the wood that hardened the wood; creating ships that have endured sailing for over a hundred years. There’s often a vast difference between the strength of a character that’s lived in self-indulgence and the spiritual fiber of those whose life has sailed rougher seas, and endured straining and wrenching by carrying the Lord’s cargo and being helpers of men. This is a beautiful comparison, meaning the Lord will not allow His righteous to sink until the fruit/crop is ripened in their life. Just as grain isn’t cut down when it’s green, it endures until fully ripe, like Job.

Smooth seas never make for a skilled sailor or hardened ship… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Rev 14:3 “And they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.”

There are some songs from the original artist, when sung by others are not done justice. Music is in the heart. Many such songs come from memory and sung from personal experiences. They bring out their burden from the shadow of the past. John records in Revelation that in heaven there will be a song that can only be sung by the souls who’ve experience and received redemption. No angel can sing it, to sing it one must be a child of the cross. The Father is training us to sing what the angels cannot. In the darkest nights He is preparing your voice, in the valley perfecting your voice, and in the storms, He’s deepening your voice. 

Keep singing from the heart, your redemption song, so others can sing in the heavenly choir… HSAY    

Daily Wisdom

 Mat 14:18  “And he said, “Bring them here to me.””

We all have great needs or soon will, or find ourselves overwhelmed with difficulties, trials, burdens. These are all divinely provided vessels for the Holy Spirit to fill and opportunities for receiving blessings and deliverances (Eph 3:20) which you can get in no other way. Bring these vessels to God and hold them steadily before Him in prayer and faith, and keep still, and stop your own relentless work and allow the Father hands to hold them. Every trial, burden that threatens to overcome you with discouragement and disaster, will become testimonies of revelation of His grace and glory in our life, as never seen before. Bring them before the Father, and leave… but don’t leave with them! Don’t expect God to work with what you won’t let go of.  

Put everything in God’s hands, and you’ll see God’s hands in everything… HSAY 

Daily Wisdom

Num 21:17 "Then Israel sang this song: “Spring up, O well!—Sing to it!"

What a strange song. Israel had been traveling over the desert's barren sands, no water was in sight and they were famishing with thirst. Then God told Moses, "gather the people, and I will give them water", and consider how so. They gathered in circles and with their staves began digging in the sand, while singing "Spring up, O well, sing ye unto it." Upon which the ground gurgled and water gushed forth. The digging of the well is a beautiful picture of God's blessings that flow in our lives, and we have only to reach by praise and faith. Yes, they labored in obedience, but reached the needed water by praise; they sang upon the sand in faith. Our Praise and Faith will still open fountains in our desserts. There is nothing that pleases the Lord so much as faithful praise. Are we PRAISING GOD enough, Even in our desserts?

Know the very spot upon which we doubt, fear, murmur could be the very spot where blessings are flowing under us... HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 2Ti 1:6 “Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.”

How often do we humbly consider what God gets out of us? Especially in weight of the unmeasurable investment He has in us by way of the cross! The Greek word Paul uses for “stir up” is (anazōpureō) meaning to rekindle, freshen up. And is used in the present tense, meaning continually doing or exercise of. This is in reference to our spiritual gift/s (gift of God-1 Cor 12:7-11). Not to use our gift from God on a faithful/continual basis is to cheat God out of His investment. Just as you, with your time, finances and resources, expect a return on your efforts… God is no exception!

If our investments are limited to this earth, we’re the world’s worst investors… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 1Ti 6:12  “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.”

As Jesus proved /shewed Himself blessed and worthy of the Fahter’s adoration (vs 15), we too are called to witness a good confession before God and man. Such requires of us to strive after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and meekness (vs11). Paul illustrates this using active verbs to describe the Christian life: run, pursue, fight, hold tightly. This requires of us to have an active faith, not passive. True faith offers no buttons to push for quick service.

Don’t confuse patience in God with passiveness towards God; only one requires faith… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 1Ti 4:10-11 “For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe. 11 These things command and teach.”

The labor and reproach are experienced in the stewardship of carrying forth the gospel to a lost world. Our trust and strength amongst the reproach is in the promise of our living Saviour, whose desire is that all men would be saved (1 Tim 2:4). But such promise is only appointed to those who’ve acted in faith/obedience by accepting the “gift of God” (Rom 6:23). Understand, the only profitable exercise is in godliness (vs 8), when we labor and suffer to teach others such a truth of salvation.

Salvation isn’t about you, it’s for you; it doesn’t depend on you, it saves you… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Ti 3:15  “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”

The Bible is the written form of what God expects us to know and do. Though times have changed, the original authority remains as the Word of God, and it must be studied seriously, understood thoroughly, and applied faithfully. It is the pillar and ground of truth upon which a believer must stand, and the gospel is preserved, shared, and testified to. Quarreling, gripping, and schism causes cracks to the foundation of the church and the lives of its saints and their testimony and character. 

Stronger the foundation is, which you stand, the greater your identity in Christ is seen… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

1Ti 2:8 “I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.”

Paul calls the believer to submissive prayer, not only in church but in daily living. With hands lifted in supplication as Moses (Exo 9:29; 33), but also indicating hands that are not defiled by sin, pure and holy in nature. Paul adds without “wrath” within one’s spirit. That’s why Jesus said that we should interrupt our prayers, if necessary, to make peace with others (Mat 5:23-24). This is seen in the word “doubting” (dialogismos) meaning, were not to approach God in prayer in the midst of clamorous disputing's and angry contentions with others. Wrath and doubting, are a prayer hinderance to the Father’s ears.

Don’t build barriers against your prayers with angst and anger towards others… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Mal 3:3 “And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.”

We have nothing to offer of ourselves that’s of worth outside of Jesus and His righteousness. We can’t offer any right performances in religion unless our persons be justified and sanctified by Jesus. Till we ourselves be refined and purified by the grace of God, we cannot do anything that will redound to the glory of God. God had respect to Abel first, and then to his offering; therefore God purges his people, that they may offer their offerings to him in righteousness, (Zep 3:9). A worship that redounds to God’s worth, only abounds in Jesus’ refining work in our life.

Know that the fire’s of life are not to punish you, but refine you to your full worth… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Mal 2:11 “Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved…”

Israel’s sin was separating their dealings with God from the rest of their life. They sought after pagan women and dealt treacherously with their brother. This brought a manifold judgement from the Lord (vss 2-4). Our blessings come when we walk in the Lord and according to what He thinks, not what we think. We cannot successfully separate any aspect of our life from the Lord, He must be Lord of all. Seek your way in the Lord, and you’ll find your way in life. (Psa 37:4 “Delight yourself in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”)

Healthy desires are found in our delight for the Lord, not in our lust… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

Col 3:10 “And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.”

Encouragement by itself will not sustain one’s spirit. Only a changed spirit will find lasting encouragement. Meaning the good that we do can only be observed, whereas the bad that we do can be absorbed (It shall be unclean – Hagg 2:13; vss 10-19). Point being, transformation is better for the soul than encouragement. Defilement (sin) can be transferred; people with colds don’t catch health, people with health catch colds. Refusing to change (transformation) one’s spirit cannot be overcome by encouragement alone. A disobedient spirit is dangerously contagious, while a transformed spirit can be observed and mirrored.

Is our walk observed or absorbed? Both are contagious, be cautious… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

Mat 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”

I’ve often wonder, do you think Jesus enjoyed the beatific vision through His whole life? I ponder because the Lord was able to see things that our sins keep us from seeing. Remember that the promise of the “vision of God” in the beatitudes is a promise made to whom? To the pure of heart! WE fail to see the continual beauty of God and His promises, not because there’s a problem with our optic nerve, but our heart and the impurity within. So yes, Jesus was able to maintain the beauty of the Father within His vision because he maintained a pure heart. The magnitude of this is exemplified by the cross and seldom fully grasped. (Gal 3:13 “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.”). This is why the Father and Holy Spirit turned their back to Jesus, He was cursed by God for us, and separated from the Father! And yet during His forsakenness on our behalf, Jesus prevented us from drawing every breath under the curse due us. And yet Jesus was able to see and maintain the purpose and beauty within it all… YOU!

A pure heart resembles a mirror in which the beauty of Christ is reflected for others to see… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Hag 2:3 “Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing?”

Don’t let your eyes, or feelings, convince you of something greater than what God has promised for you. God is encouraging the remnant of His children that even though the rebuilt temple pales in comparison to Solomon’s original temple, don’t doubt the promises it represents in God. Haggai encouraged them with God's promise that the glory of the rebuilt Temple would surpass that of original (vs 9), and some 500 yrs. later Jesus walked into the courts of the rebuilt temple. 

Trust God where you cannot see Him, and don’t fear the unknown; the mystery is God’s the promise is yours! … HSAY

Daily Wisdom

Hag 1:14  “And the LORD stirred up the spirit… of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the LORD of hosts, their God.”

Rarely do we see in the scriptures a prophet’s message produce such a quick response. Within (23) days after Haggai’s message, they returned to building the Temple. Are we as quick to respond to the Word of God for our lives? Do we respond to the Holy Spirit’s revelation or resist it? God’s Word does not exist for the sake of our enjoying Biblical stories; biblical stories exist for the sake of our enjoying God. I make this point because there is great purpose and narrative to God’s Word, and it points to man’s need.

The Word of God is not just to be heard or repeated; it’s to be breathed in, lived by and acted on… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Hag 1:5  “Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.”

Such a simple statement yet loaded with ponderance.  Haggai was encouraging the people to finish rebuilding the Temple (God’s work). God asked His people how they could be more concerned with their comfort (ceiled houses) than God’s Kingdom (i.e., more concerned about their own sacrifice than CHRIST’S sacrifice.) We’re just as accountable to “consider” the same question. Are our ways God’s ways or have we placed our interest over His purpose for us?

Consider, when the world is running towards a cliff – he who is running in the opposite direction appears to have lost his mind… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Col 1:27  “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

Hope hinges on what we choose trust in. In (Psa 20:7) we’re told “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses” meaning those who put their trust in the physical world around them; the scripture goes on to say, “but we will remember the name of the Lord.” True hope is not what we hold to, but who holds us. This is revealed in the glory of Christ, who manifests Himself in and through our lives, that when we find situations in which Christ is all we have, we experience that Christ is all we need.

Faith climbs the stairs that glory has provided and looks out the window which hope has opened… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Col 1:5 “For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel.”

Our hope is gospel based (1 Pt 1:3-4), and with it is our hope established. Hope is the spiritual antidote to that which afflicts the soul; hope heals what the world brings hurt to. But the power of hope is determined by what we hold on to. Whereas the first two chapters of Colossians relate primarily to “principle” (doctrine), the last two chapters relate primarily to “practice” (behavior; manner of life). Paul didn’t treat the subject of “behavior” until he first treated the subject of “belief ” (doctrine). Hope isn’t based on behavioral modification, but spiritual transformation.

What you believe determines how you behave… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Jn 19:30 “… It is finished…”

The death-kneel of man’s fleshly efforts rings the loudest in the dying words of Jesus, “it is finished.” Proof, Jesus rose again from the dead. If He had not completed His work of redemption for our penalty of sin, He would have been left in the tomb till then. Our preaching would have been in vain along with our faith, and we would still be in the penalty of our sins… but HE ROSE! And the repentant thief on the cross is the clearest picture in scripture of salvation coming to us by grace through faith apart from oneself.

Everything stinks until it’s finished, can you smell the sweet victory… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Jas 3:17 “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.”

All that we need for peace and prosperity are found in the Words of the Lord. In addition, it defines our character.  Have you ever known anyone who claimed to be wise but who acted foolishly? True wisdom can be measured by a person's character (vs 1). Just as you can identify a tree by the type of fruit it produces, you can evaluate your wisdom by the way you act. Foolishness leads to disorder (vss 13-16), but wisdom leads to peace and goodness.

Wisdom does what is right, not what is easy or convenient… HSAY 

Daily Wisdom

 Jas 3:5 “Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!”

How can something so small be so destructive! What we don’t say is equally, if not more, as important than what we do say.  Interesting that (vs 2) tells us, if we can control the tongue, we can control the body. And yet we spend endless energy trying to get the body in shape, and it should be our tongue! Before we exercise our tongues consider, is what we say true, edifying, necessary, and kind? What we say is not to be done to make us feel better, but to encourage and strengthen those who hear.

Sadly, the tongue weighs practically nothing, yet few can hold it… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Jas 2:14 “What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?”

Sadly, there are some religious movements that have tried to use this Scripture to prove that “good works” are essential to salvation and thus part of the saving Gospel (Mt 19:17c). However, this verse is speaking to believers (my brethren) who already have salvation, not to unbelievers who are in need of salvation (Phil 2:12). James is reminding Christians here that what they do speaks louder than what they say (Mt 21:28-32). Too often how we live speaks so loud that people can’t hear what we’re proclaiming.

Always be preaching the gospel, and when needed use words… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Jas 1:27 “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”

The simplest things are often overlooked, especially in Christianity. Believers can be more concerned about what they become in the Lord rather than what they do for the Lord. When we give/sacrifice with no thought of receiving, we show what it means to truly serve others. The results of focusing on others lessons our ability of being influenced and affected by the world. Pure religion is about the fatherless and afflicted, not self-focus and attention.

Don’t complicate what the Lord called us to, Jesus is saying: you want to be a blessing to me, then bless them in need (Mt 25:34-40-read it)… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

Jas 1:16 “Do not err, my beloved brethren.”

One of the shortest scriptures in the bible, but it can keep us from ending up a long distance from the Lord! We must take particular care not to “err” in our conceptions and actions towards the Lord. The Greek word for “err” is (planao) meaning to wander, go astray, be seduced; Don’t stray into erroneous opinions, and/or go off from the standard of truth. Instead, bring everything into subjection, which is of truth, and depart not from it least we become a castaway (1 Cor 9:27).

The maturity of the believer is not his ability to resist temptation, but to avoid it… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Jas 1:4 “But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” 

We can't really know the depth of our character until we see how we react under pressure. Such pressures come to the surface when life requires patience. I find this verse interesting in the fact that it starts with “let patience”; as if to say, it requires patience for patience to work in our life. We see this in (1 Pt 2:20), it’s not the patience we must endure for wrongdoing, but rather when we do well and suffer for it is true patience measured. But know it’s in this time that a perfecting work of the Lord comes about in our life when we endure and let it come about patiently. 

Our patience in the Lord will always determine His perfect work and purpose in us… HSAY