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

 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

 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 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

 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

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

 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

 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

 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

 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

 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

 Eph 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” 

The greatest pieces of art are recognizable not only by the signature of the artist, but just as much by the artist style and how they utilize the canvas and brush strokes. As a believer are you recognizable as a piece of God’s work; can others see His traits of goodness, faithfulness, love, hope in your own life? By God’s design we’re called to good works that show forth His traits. We shouldn’t have to sell ourselves as a valuable piece of art, others should be able to recognize whose we are, and whose hand is on our life!

We’re created in Jesus to provide great works, don’t live like a starving artist by selling yourself short… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Heb 2:6 “… What is man, that thou art mindful of him? …”

Though not mentioned by the writer, David penned this scripture in (Psa 8:4). The writer in Hebrews was speaking to the Jews who were conversant with the scriptures and knowing of David’s statement. David knew that in order to respect God's majesty; we must compare ourselves to his greatness. When we look at creation, we often feel small by comparison. This is a healthy way to get back to reality, but God does not want us to dwell on our smallness. But understand His great love for us, and as much His great purpose in us; to bring forth the glory of His love for others to experience.

Humility is a reflection for others to see the greatness of God’s love, not our self-depreciation… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Heb 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

Believers are too often missed guided in their guilt, as if God is on His throne with thunder and lightning crackling around Him daring you to approach or worse sin against Him. Guilt isn’t solely related to sin but can be equally related to our misconception of God and His grace. Consider the truth that in the N.T. Gospels (guilt or guilty) is only mentioned “10” times. Six of those times Pilot is acknowledging Jesus is guilty of nothing, two times Jesus is pointing out the Pharisees guilt of hypocrisy, and the last two are Jesus talking to the same crowd about blaspheme of the Holy Ghost. The N.T. isn’t a book of guilt, shame, condemnation but of Grace and God’s great love for you.  Don’t carry a burden God doesn’t ask you to carry. And as believers, we must be very slow and cautious in a routine of signifying sin, and quicker in displaying Jesus’ love for the sinner. Guilt isn’t a doctrine Jesus preached, but love is!

Accountability to truth does not require or call one to place the guilt of sin upon another… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Hos 3:1 “Then said the LORD unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the LORD toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine.” 

Unfortunately, the believer can be prone to play the spiritual harlot too many times in their faith walk. Yet, despise man’s acts the Lord is ever loving and longsuffering with His bridegroom’s wondering heart. The Lord directed Hosea (picture of God) to buy back his adulterous wife Gomer (picture of the believer) from her self-will ways picturing man’s spiritual harlotry. Oh, that we wouldn’t abuse the undying love of Jehovah God for us by playing the spiritual harlot.

When I boast my it not be out of my love for God, but only in His love for me… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Hos 2:20 “I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD.”

The time will come when unfaithfulness will be impossible. God will bind us to Himself in His perfect righteousness, justice, love, compassion, and faithfulness. God was promising a fresh new beginning, not just a temporary rewriting of a tired old covenant. God's wedding gift to his people, both in Hosea's day and in our own, is His compassion. Through no merit of our own, God forgives us and makes us right with him. There is no way for us by our own efforts to reach God's righteousness, but he graciously accepts us, forgives us, and draws us into a relationship with Himself.

Love is the game two can play and both win, especially with the Lord… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

‘Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;’ Mt 5:43-44

The easiest thing to love is that which reciprocates an equal or measurable amount of love back. But true love doesn’t measure by such standards. Christ like love isn’t self-seeking but serving. In the flesh, often our first line of defense in dealing with a challenging individual is avoidance, and the second is to restrain compassion or affection towards them. But Christ states that for us to only extend compassion/love towards those whom we’re comfortable with, we’re then just like the Pharisees/hypocrites (vss 46-47). 

Instead, we’re called to be perfect, Greek word (teleios) meaning complete, mature, as Christ was mature in assuring His love was experienced by all that He encountered. The easiest and most powerful way to illustrate not only your love for Christ, but His love being present in you, is to love as He loved; without measuring the cost or applying demands and expectations. 

If you truly desire to look more like Jesus, it starts with loving like Jesus… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 "Lo, in the midst of the throne ... stood a Lamb as it had been slain." Rev 5:6

Why should our exalted Lord appear in His wounds in glory? The wounds of Jesus are His glories, His jewels, His sacred ornaments. To the eye of the believer, Jesus appearance is just because He is "white and ruddy;" white with innocence, and ruddy with His own blood.

The wounds of Jesus are far more glorious than all the splendor of His physical appearance. A soldier’s medals don’t define his honor, it’s the scars and blood that was shed. The thorny crown is more than an imperial diadem. It is true that He doesn’t bear it not now, but there was a glory in it though it that never flashed of gold. Jesus wears the appearance of a slain Lamb as His court dress in which He wooed our souls, and redeemed them by His complete atonement. Nor are these only the ornaments of Christ: they are the trophies He proudly bears showing of His love and of His victory.

The Lion: rest assured we will see the promise of His roar when our Lord returns… HSAY