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

 Zec 7:7 “Should ye not hear the words which the LORD hath cried by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity…”

Be careful what you wish or even pray for, personal prosperity often brings about personal problems. The Israelites had lost their sincerity in worship. Zechariah told them that they had been fasting without a proper attitude of repentance or worship. When we go to church, pray, fellowship are we doing these things from habit or personal gain? God says that such an attitude of worship will lead to ruin. Verse 12 states Jerusalem’s allowed their hearts to become an “adamant stone.” Any sin seems more natural the second time—as we become hardened, each repetition is easier; ignoring or refusing God's warning hardens our hearts more so each time we do wrong.

Are there parts of our heart  and worship which are hardened? We must acknowledge a hard head and a hard heart are often synonymous… 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

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction…” Pro 1:7

In the information age today, knowledge is plentiful, but wisdom is scarce.

Wisdom is far more empowering than simply knowing, it affects every aspect of life.

We will only see things in the world wisely when we seek God worshipfully… God-fearing worship leads to God-given wisdom

Trying to apply wisdom in life apart from Christ, is as foolish as applying wall paper without glue.

Never mistake knowledge for wisdom. One helps you make a living; the other helps you make a life.

HSAY… Todd

Daily Wisdom

Jdg 18:18 “And they set up Micah’s graven image, which he made all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.”

Here we see idolatry creep into the tribe of Dan. Dan was the second largest tribe of Israel and the last tribe to receive their inheritance from Joshua in the Promise Land. Shiloh was the religious center for Israel and the remaining eleven tribes, all adult males were required to travel there for certain feasts. For Dan, Shiloh was roughly 80 miles away. That may have been their excuse for not fulfilling their requirements? May be unintentional, but still problematic for Dan as it was for the Israelites when delivered from Egypt (Exo 20:1-5). Aaron fell pray to such miss calculation (Exo 32:4-5). Worshipping images of God is not worshipping. Be it buildings, programs or theme formats. Worship is the sacrificial investment in God’s will and purpose (Gen 22) and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit that brings about a character change in Christ-likeness (Phl 2:5 “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”). The size, sounds and decorations of a building or the creativity of a program should not dictate the measure of sacrifice offered to be Christ-like.  

The comfort in worship (sacrifice) lies in a God who cannot exaggerate His promise!

HSAY… Todd      

Daily Wisdom

"Beware lest any man (includes self) spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." Col 2:8

Nothing is more dangerous than religious confidence in a fake god of our own imagining. Man’s mind, full as it is of pride and selfish will, dares to imagine a god according to its own capacity; as it sluggishly plods, indeed is overwhelmed with obtuse ignorance, it conceives an unreality and an empty appearance as God. What then are we worshiping except an idol of our own hearts desire of worship, whom we think the righteousness of our works pleases? In this our ignorance lies: “I’ll be happy once I attain my spiritual security in my own praiseworthy deeds and vows and ceremonies.” This claim is a false idol — a false security in the flesh — a false image of God and a false gospel and a false god altogether. This was Martin Luther and John Calvin's reformation battle, ignited by this confrontation with vain securities. The Reformers opposed images and statues and shrines and icons and relics. And today we must protest against our own heart's selfish definition or desires outside of true worship... sacrifice to God's will for our lives, not our doings! (2Co 10:5) "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;"

HSAY... Todd

Daily Wisdom

“And the house which I build is great: for great is our God above all gods.” 2 Chro 2:5

What are you building in life; is what you’re building providing others access to and favour of Jesus or self?  In 2 Chronicles 2, Solomon had great purpose in wanting to build a temple for God, not to house him (vs 6), but to worship and sacrifice to Him. Yet, Solomon needed help in resources to do so. He called upon his father’s (King David) old contact the King of Tyre whose nation served and worshipped many gods.  In doing so Solomon, unlike many Christians today, chooses not to hide or conceal his purpose in what he desired to build.  Solomon makes God the central purpose as to why he did what he did (vs 4). By Israel keeping close to the commandments and worship of God, the neighboring nations were willing to be taught by them, as the Israelites had been willing in the days of their apostasy, to be infected with the idolatries and superstitions of their neighbors.  It’s easy to confuse a lot of activity with a purposeful life, but if they don’t see Jesus in it they’ll only see you. Expecting others to respond to Jesus based on what you do rather than “why” you do it, is like expecting a criminal to walk into a jail because he was impressed with a police officer.

The greatest way to deal with your past is to make it the opening story towards your promised future.

HSAY…Todd

Daily Wisdom

“Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” Psa 29:2

Worship is a challenge for many because it requires that you attribute to another what your flesh desires to receive. Thus left to yourself you lapse into a state of spiritual entropy and acquiesce to the thought that things are getting worse and there is nothing you can do about it.  So wrong, your life is to be lived in worship as one who has been resurrected between Easter and our Lord’s return. Your worship is the heart pouring out its gratitude and awe, expressing your appreciation of who He is and the grace He poured out through Christ Jesus. Satan is like enemies trying to prevent you from reaching Christ, the closer you get the stronger they attack by creating a selfish doubt in the selfless cost required to achieve your destiny. It’s a sad thing to see Christians whose lives are so parallel to unbelievers that it’s difficult to tell whether they are in the flesh or the spirit. Consider, if you’re not interested in worship, then you want have much interest in heaven.

“Worship is simply giving God His breath back.”

HSAY…Todd

Daily Wisdom

“No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.” 2 Tim 2:4

Prepare yourself for battle, but let God do the fighting; it’s His battle not yours if you chose to get Him in it (1 Sam 17:47). Your efforts to walk in the righteousness of God is an enduring battle; satan want fight you while your sinning, only when you’re trying to get out of it. “Know that the weapons of warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.” (2 Cor 10.4) Don’t grow worrisome in your battle and ask God to simply change your circumstances, instead turn them into worship and watch Him turn your battles into blessings. Paul illustrated to Timothy the comparison of soldiers and athletes who conditioned and disciplined themselves to sacrifice for what was worthy to fight for.  Battles are typically not for the faint of heart, it requires you to be warrior not a worrier. The greatest battle you’ll face is Faith vs Fear; requiring you stand in the former in order to conquer the latter. Don’t get blinded by a battle and fail to realize God has already won the war.

You can’t make the same mistake twice, the second time it’s a choice.

HSAY…Todd

Daily Wisdom

“Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.” Pro 30:5

Your strongest testimony occurs in those moments between when you leave church worship and before you return; knowing your willingness and purpose in keeping God’s word is the greatest form of worship to God and the most powerful testimony in showing others His goodness; and can be the key that unlocks someone else’s prison.

The word of God is the bread of life, not an appetizer for the world.

HSAY…Todd 

Daily Wisdom

“And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost.” Lk 1:41

Consider in the span of a few feet was the presence of Jesus, the child of Mary, and John the Baptist, child of Elisabeth; one being God in flesh, the Messiah and the other the forerunner to Him and greatest born among women.  And even though John the Baptist who once he was born his father's tongue was miraculously loosed and spoke immediately praising God (vs 64); it was while still in his mother’s womb that John experienced the presence of Jesus for the first time and leaped in His presence. This experience was a precursor to the day John the Baptist while baptizing saw Jesus and proclaims “behold the lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world” (Jn 1:29). John the Baptist obviously never missed an opportunity to rejoice over or acknowledge the presence of God; do we miss such opportunities, rejoicing in the presence of God?   Feasting on the presence of God, the world loses its allure and creates a clear path of joy (Psa 16:11).  Don’t let your emotions be your guide, stop, be still and know He is God; a moment in His presence changes everything!

HSAY…Todd

Daily Wisdom

“What man is he that feareth the Lord? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.” Psa 25:12

Two things often define a person, their patience when they have nothing and their attitude when they have everything.  And one’s decision either way is an act of worship, thus what defines you is not your circumstances, but your decisions. Be cautious in making emotional decisions related to temporal dilemma’s, instead of concentrating on how you feel, focus on what you know to be true from the word of God.  The definition of a good decision is not determined by worldly standards, but eternal truths and while they may not bring you comfort they will bring you God’s favor.

Everyone will make life decisions, let the moment be defined by God and not the world.

HSAY…Todd

Daily Wisdom...Praise

“To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.”  Psa 30:12

Let all that is capable of praise within us, all our powers, be employed in enduring celebration to the goodness of God. Isaiah states himself in (Isa 38:20) we will sing the song of praise all the days of our lives. This Psalm states the purpose of such praise, noting God is worthy through the dealings with him (and us) in the varied parts of our lives and the prosperity in which He has bestowed upon us (vss 2-3 and vss 6-7), the reverses of trials and afflictions that oppressed us. In due time, like the Psalmist, God will deliver us from all our troubles; “weeping may endure for the night, but joy cometh in the morning” (vs 5).  Wise for us to start singing His praises now!

HSAY…Todd