Daily Wisdom

Heb 12:17b “… for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.”

This short passage, in full context, reflects upon Esau’s inability to endure in his suffering. Thus, he was willing to sale his birthright without fore thought to his pain being but a moment of discomfort, which only led to sorrow in his spirit later. According to the Bible, there are two kinds of sorrow (though he sought it carefully with tears): (1) worldly; and (2) Godly. Of the two, only Godly sorrow leads to true repentance (2 Cor 7:8-9,10). Repentance may include “remorse” (made you sorry – vs 8), but remorse is not repentance. Judas may have been remorseful over what he had done to Jesus, but he did not “change his mind”; he only regretted what he had done to an innocent man; in Esau’s case himself. Hell is full of sorrow, but only for the consequences of sin. The rich man who died and went to Hell uttered not a word of sorrow for his actions, only sorrow for his pain (Lk 16:19-31). You can weep over sin and even express great sorrow, but until you “change your mind” and agree with God there’s no repentance. Esau's story shows us that mistakes and sins sometimes have lasting consequences (Gen 25:29-34; 27:36). Even repentance and forgiveness do not always eliminate sin's consequences. But sorrow that leads to true repentance repairs the soul and strengthens our Spirit for tomorrow.

People on earth hate to hear the word repentance, those in hell wish they could hear it one more time… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

Psa 94:12-13 "Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O LORD, and whom you teach out of your law, to give him rest from days of trouble..."

Some of the most peaceful sleep can be had while rainstorms are raging. With the same peace we can sleep amidst life’s adversities storming around us. Such peacefulness comes for those who are trained in the Lord’s way (Heb 12:11 “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”). Discipleship, becoming Christ like, is a spiritual growth that cannot be achieved without our devotion and God’s discipline. When you feel God's hand of correction, accept it as proof of his great love, realizing the same God that corrects you also controls the storm Otherwise, correction is only seen as judgement to those who still love to live in their sin.  

A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor can a man be perfected without discipline… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

Isa 31:3 “Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses’ flesh, and not Spirit…”

When Israel found themselves under attack by the Assyrians (ch. 30) they turned to Egypt, a picture of the world/man, for help rather than the faithfulness and strength of God. Isaiah makes a profound statement of clarity in stating “are men, not God.” It’s good for men to “know themselves to be but men” (Psa 9:20). What results can man orchestrate in comparison to God? Isaiah states, like a lion roaring over his prey, though a multitude of shepherds are called against him he will not be afraid or depress himself in the matter. Despite the Egyptians power of horses and chariots, they’re flesh and not Spirit, and therefore, as strong as they are, they become wearied with a long march or battle. We must find our strength and faith in the Spirit of God, and not the Flesh of men; (Deut 3:22 “You shall not fear them, for it is the Lord your God who fights for you.”)  God’s power and faithfulness are without limitations, man’s flesh can only offer the best of intentions with great limits. The flesh has fault, the Spirit has strength.

As man, if we apply the faith God will provide the fight… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

Zep 1:12 “At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are complacent, those who say in their hearts, ‘The LORD will not do good, nor will he do ill.”

Much of the church today is tied to an ignorance and apathy about justification, thinking that being a better person is all God requires. True, we should be a better person than we were yesterday, but not by our own standards. Apathy is an attitude that is indifferent/careless to the change that God calls us to (Phl 2:5 let this mind be in you which is in Christ Jesus). Be it a negative attitude, worry, guilt, fear, loneliness, bitterness, pride and apathy itself, we’re called to act in the Lord to change our hearts towards such! Apathy is the anesthesia to the Christian life that numbs the spirit, blocks the pain that is there to motivate a change in our heart and spirit. In (Rev 3) the church of Sardis, picture of the last days church, was warned of their apathy, (vs 1 “I know your works. You have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of God.”)

The worst chains are those which are not felt, seen nor acknowledge by the prisoner… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

1Co 2:12 “Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.”

To have received or be granted something that offers the greatest value and resource for any matter in life and yet fail to use it for your betterment and improvement would be foolish. When we decide to handle life matters with self-guidance or the wisdom of the world (vs 6), we leave no room for God to be God either in us or through us. The greatest value and worth we have and possess is the Spirit of God within us. And it’s the Spirit that gives to us freely and abundantly (Jm 1:5) the resources and wealth for our good and betterment by way of His wisdom. Both wisdom and wealth are weakened in its limitations when provided through man and the world.

Self-wisdom or the reliance upon worldly resources is like looking through rose-colored glasses prescribed by satan… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

1 Cor 2:9 “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”

When deciding between living according to worldly wisdom or the wisdom of God, just know that His wisdom and design for you is higher, grater, and more wonderful than anything you’ve seen, heard or imagined for yourself. But, in context of the passage, it is not referring to the subject of Heaven/eternity, but to the revelation of God’s Word. Thus, “things” here refer to “spiritual truths.” The Word of God contains within its pages “spiritual truths” that are so deep, so profound, so precise, and so eternal that man has not even begun to scratch the surface of what lies beneath, and is only revealed to those whose love and desire for it drives them to desperately seek after it.

If you don’t feel strong desires for the revealing of the glory of God, it’s not because you have drunk deeply and are satisfied. If so the case, your thirst would only be greater… HSAY  

Daily Wisdom

Psa 34:3 “O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.”

This statement appears to be a contradiction. To “magnify” is to enlarge. How can anyone enlarge the Jesus? He is the Creator of heaven and earth (Heb 1:2,10).  His natural magnitude is such that He fills the universe and there is nothing that man can do to enhance His nature or increase His stature. In the pursuit of scientific knowledge, scientists use microscopes to enhance observation. We seldom stop to think, however, that by magnifying something we have not changed its size one iota, the object under observation remains its original self. Point being, magnifying does not affect what is being observed; it affects only the observer, giving him a wider, broader and deeper vision of the object, he is magnifying. So it is with Christ, we certainly cannot enlarge Him (1 Kg 8:27). But we can enlarge our vision of Him when we magnify our worship and see our humility in His greatness.

Magnify God rather than your problems and you’ll see things with a right perspective… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

1 Cor 1:13a “Is Christ divided?”

Paul provides a rhetorical question that’s applicable for us today. Consider that churches are launched almost weekly with a supposed newer or better format for worship, favoritism of preachers, music, style. Such a mindset was indicative of the church in Corinth who was divided in Christ by focusing on preference rather than purpose. (Phl 2:5 “Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus.”)  Don’t fall to the persuasion of preference over purpose (Mt 22:25). We unite in Christ when we fulfill the true purpose of the church: (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.”)  A united body/church is not flashy it’s faithful in its servitude to the Lord’s purpose, not their preference.

When we let preference weigh in our purpose, we confuse the sacred with the secular… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

1Cor 1:9 “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.”

The confirmation of our blamelessness (vs 8), is founded upon God’s faithfulness (vs 9).  He who had begun a good work in us, and carried it on thus far, would not leave it unfinished. Not upon the principle of strict justice, but gracious absolution; not in rigorous law, but from rich and free grace. How glorious is our hope in such a privilege, that His power subdues our corruption, and allows us fellowship in Jesus; He who has called us is faithful and will do it (1 Th 5:24). Our ability to grasp the magnitude of our sin, multiplies our ability to grasp the grace and faithfulness of His love through Jesus.

Fellowship with the Father and the Son is most vivid and sweet; and Christian joy is greatest, by way of it, even when the cross is heaviest… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

Psa 136:1 “O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth forever.” 

What greater Psalm or verse(s) illustrate God’s enduring love for us. The Psalm’s composition repeats itself (26) times in the latter half of every verse in reference to God’s eternal love and promise to us that, “his mercy endureth forever.” Mercy, defined as not getting what one deserves, is only applicable and sustained by God’s greatest of love for us. There’s no weightier matter, or more worthy to be repeated, than “God’s mercy endureth forever.”  Repeated with a crescendo to His children for our acknowledgment that every favor offered and promised gifted comes by way of His great mercy.  We are never so earnestly called upon to pray and repent as we are to give thanks; (Heb 13:15 “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.”)

Mercy is like the rainbow; it never shines after it is night. If we refuse to praise His mercy, we shall only have justice… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

Psalm 101… Perfect Heart

In Psa 101:2, we see David seeking God for a “perfect heart” in two areas, his Behavior and his Walk. Yet, David uses two different words for perfect in the Hebrew, (taw-meem’) meaning “truth” in his behavior, and (tome’) meaning innocence in his walk.   

David’s prayer in (vs 2a) “I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way” meaning to act in the truth of God’s Word. (3 Jn 1:4 “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”). David goes on in (vs 2b) “I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.” Meaning to walk in innocence, not only upon the public throne, but also in the privacy of his house/life. (Pro 10:9 “He that walks uprightly, walks surely…”); uprightly is the same H/word (tome’) for perfect in (vs 2b).

One can speak with spiritual eloquence and maintain a holy appearance… but it is our behavior and our walk that will reveal our true character… HSAY