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An Insidious And Powerful Glory Thief

Our purpose in life is to give glory to God. Unknowingly we very often do the opposite. How? We steal Glory from God through our discontent.  This is manifested in complaining, impatience, and negative responses,  like “Oh no!” “Not again!” “Jeezz!” and “This is terrible!” I see this tendency so clearly in myself, especially when there’s pressure or sickness.

Discontent is just the opposite of praise and thankfulness. It is saying “God isn’t always good!”  It is saying, “He didn’t handle this well!” It is an insult to our Holy, Loving, All-powerful, Sovereign King.  In contrast, as John Piper is fond of saying, “God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him.” That includes being satisfied in Him in all He allows into our lives and how He handles these things.

What does God think about our discontent? In Numbers 11:1 it says, “Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the LORD, and when he heard them his anger was aroused. Then fire from the LORD burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp.”

Discontent that leads to complaining is not a small thing in God’s eyes. It is the visible evidence of our rebellion and unbelief. It is a statement that we know better than God. It is a sin that we must immediately confess and repudiate in repentance.

How do we combat our very natural tendency to complain and be discontent? First is to recognize it, confess it for the serious sin it is and repent. Then we can ask God for help in replacing it with satisfaction in Him. This is followed by actively praising God in and for all, based on our knowledge of His wonderful, powerful, rich and loving character.

For instance: “I praise you Lord, for the privilege of losing my keys; it reminds me of my weakness and dependence on you. I thank you that you know where they are and will help me to find them at the right time. I praise you for this opportunity to trust you and forgive myself.”

“Thank you, Lord, that I just go my wallet stolen. You are the Sovereign King, you will use this happening for good in my life, and I praise you for it.”

Praise and thanksgiving like that gets up the shield of faith, protecting us from the fiery darts of self-pity, complaining and discontent that Satan shoots at us to activate these sins within us.

Psalm 143:8 says, “Cause me to hear your loving kindness in the morning, for I trust in you.”  Another step is to nurture our first love for Jesus, as that will increase our trust in Him.  Spending time each day gazing upon His perfection described in the Word and worshiping Him for it will increase our trust in Him. Then we will wake up in the morning thinking about His goodness rather than worrying about our troubles.

May God help us to spot our discontent, our complaining, our impatience, our snapping at one another, and replace it instead with trust and praise so that we may be more than conquerors dressed in the armor of God.

“He who offers the sacrifice of thanksgiving honors me and opens the way that I may show him the salvation of the Lord.” Psalm 50:23

PS. PS. Typical of the Lord, immediately after writing this, He tested me: would I apply what I’d written? I had my list of things to do today, and suddenly I couldn’t find it! What I had done with it I had no idea! But, praising God, resting in Him, I went on with my work and within half an hour the thought came to me where it might be, and there it was! I had joy in the loss and joy in the finding. Supernatural joy.

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Psalm 33:10-12

Psa 33:10  The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.” [You, O Lord rule, you are Sovereign. You see what people are planning and in your might, power and majesty thwart the wrong that contravenes what you want.  And what you do allow, you have a purpose for, you will use for good in the lives involved. Praise be to you for your greatness, Lord, for your wisdom, for your power, all of which are continually at work to transform the evil of men into the goodness of God.]

Psa 33:11  “But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.” [In contrast to humans and evil spiritual powers, you are unstoppable, unconquerable, undefeatable and eternally triumphant. You will bring out the results that you have planned, no matter what men and demons may do. You are able to weave their rebellion and rejection of your commands into the overall fabric of your purposes for the redemption and recreation of the universe. In the process you rescue from the kingdom of darkness all those who will believe and sweep them into the Kingdom of Light.

You are firm and faithful, you are unchangingly consistent, ever sure and supremely powerful. What you planned from the beginning has come to pass despite Satan’s constant attempts to thwart your desires: the line of Judah was preserved, the Messiah came, He made the necessary sacrifice, rose from the dead and provided salvation for all. No present force could prevent this, no power exists that could thwart it. “There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord.” (Prov.)

Praise be to you the Sovereign God, You are the star breather, the galaxy former, the planet hanger, the earth spinner and the dawn bringer. You are great beyond comprehension. You are worthy of worship beyond anything we could ever give you.

Psa 33:12  “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance.” [Blessed is way to weak a word for the wonder of being made the people of God, being chosen for His inheritance. Especially when I consider what I actually deserved as an enemy of God, incapable of obeying you, Lord. You would have been right and righteous to strike me down upon birth, send me to hell and separate yourself from me for eternity.

Yet you called me to be one of your children, a princeling in your family. You cleansed and transformed me, you chose and cherished me, and I stand before you dearly loved, deeply cared for, doted on and delighted in. Not because of what I am, but because of who you are: Love itself, Light itself, Life itself, breathing new creation into a being born a ruin, giving worth to what was destructive, making useful what was dangerous.

To belong to you, O Holy God, is a marvelous shift of fortune, a wonderful change, an undeserved privilege, a miraculous outcome—all dependent on your goodness. Praise be to you that you gave worth where there was waste, you gave value where there was viciousness, you gave life where there was languishing. In you we are wanted, worthwhile, wondered at and watched over. To be your people is a privilege beyond comprehension.

We give you glory, honor and praise for the incredible goodness of your heart, the unbelievable forgiveness of your character, the incomprehensible love of your being.  We bow before you in thankfulness, gratitude and joy. We rise up to return your love in obedience, rejoicing and praise. Glory be to you in our lives today. Amen.

 

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Psalm 33:6-9

Psa 33:6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made,”

[How powerful you are, Lord, able to create through simply speaking. Praise you, Lord Jesus, that you, as the Living Word, made all that there is. Your might is immeasurable filling the skies with stars. Your power is greater than the stretch of the known heavens, wider, deeper, longer and higher than we will ever be able to comprehend, for you are infinite in every way.]

“their starry host by the breath of his mouth.”

[You are the star breather, exhaling stars great and small, blowing them into orbits, galaxies, clusters of galaxies and placing them properly in the universe. Billions of stars, billions of light years apart, yet you can measure the heavens with the span of your hand. You, O Lord God, are mighty beyond comprehension, worthy of worship, worthy of love, worthy of awe, worthy of fear, worthy of obedience by all your creatures.]

Psa 33:7 “He gathers the waters of the sea into jars;”

[The vast oceans are but a small puddle to you, easily channeled into the place prepared, kept in store for your plans.]

“he puts the deep into storehouses.”

[You, Lord God, prepared all that mankind would need and stored it up: minerals for health (zinc, magnesium, selenium); metals for help (iron, titanium, aluminum); might for power (coal, oil, atomic energy); and measures for money (gold, silver, precious stones). You, knew what would be needed and prepared all, putting it where men could find it. You are the great and wise Planner and Provider.]

Psa 33:8 Let all the earth fear the LORD;”

[Your might, your power, your dominion, your wisdom and your creation are all reasons to tremble before you, to bow in surrender to the Almighty Ruler. You are the One to be feared, not puny man, or even Satan who is far more powerful than us, but also immensely less than you.]

“let all the people of the world revere him.”

[The wonder of your works, the beauty, the wisdom, the creativity, the intricacy, the variety, the vastness and the very minute detail of all lead us to bow before you in awe, in wonder, in reverence at such power, such greatness, such goodness, such beauty and such majesty. You alone are worthy of worship, O Lord God.]

Psa 33:9 For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.”

[With such ease you made all, with such finality you placed all. Every part of creation obeyed you and even now in its present twisted state the universe follows the laws of physics you established. Your wisdom, your order, your goodness are visible to all who care to see, for what you made is good.]

Glory be to you, Lord God, the great I AM, you are the One to whom we bow in worship and rise up in obedience. May this increasing knowledge of how great you are lead us to further trust, rest and praise, giving you greater and greater glory.

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Psalm 33:20-22

Psa 33:20  “We wait in hope for the LORD;”

[This is a decision. Instead of trying to save ourselves in our slight strength and weak wisdom, we must wait for you, Lord. Sometimes we wait for a long time, but you are faithful and will act at the right time, just as you did with Joseph, keeping him in prison until he had learned all that was necessary. Then you brought him out, ready for the great work you had prepared for him. In you there is hope, a certainty of provision at the right time, of love moved by wisdom and power to bring about what is best.]

“he is our help and our shield.”

[Your mighty, majestic power moves in lavish love to support us in our weakness. You pour upon us grace, wisdom, insight, peace, joy and rest.  Out of your superb strength you move to protect us from the attacks of the enemy, from all that would harm us spiritually. You hold your hand of power over us to ward off evil and evil men. You only are our true help and shield.]

Psa 33:21  “In him our hearts rejoice, “

[You alone are the source of our joy, Lord Jesus. All that is good comes from you, from your gracious heart and hand. To know you, to live with you, to be your child, to serve in your power, this is far more than enough for rejoicing no matter what our circumstances may be.]

“for we trust in his holy name.”

[Yes, our joy flows because you make it possible for us to trust in you. You have opened the way so we can know your Name in all its power and purity, its love and light, its faithfulness and forgiveness. You are worthy of trust and submission and obedience.]

Psa 33:22  May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD,”

[Praise you that your love never fails, that your faithfulness never ends, that your grace flows forever. Praise you for your promise that your love will rest upon us, not only now, today, in the moment of need, but forever!]

“even as we put our hope in you.”

[Again you remind us that this is a partnership: you provide all, then you wait for our participation. May our daily decision to hope in you be ever evidenced by the persistent present of praise in our hearts, minds, souls and mouths.

To you be glory forever and ever, Lord Jesus, King of Glory, Lord of lords, Shepherd of power and love. I bow before you in awe and respect, I rise up in submission and obedience to you, your Word, your Spirit, your Truth. Glorify yourself in my life today.

 

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Psalm 33:16-19

Psa 33:16  “No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength.”

[The king or warrior may be saved and escape, but armies and strength are not the deciding factor, God is. Think of the huge multinational army that came against King Jehoshaphat. He turned to God for help and God supernaturally saved him (2 Chronicles 20). Think of the Assyrian army that came against Jerusalem and the Lord put to death 185,000 of them in one night (2 Kings 19). Think of David versus Goliath. Think of Daniel versus the lions. Think of Paul versus the Jews at the temple.  In each case the deciding factor was not might or size, but God. So it is with us, Lord, we want to turn to you for help, not the puny powers of this world.]

Psa 33:17  “A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save.”

[In David’s day a horse was the strongest beast available to man in battle, the most powerful military means, but it was not enough to win. The rider needed help from God, or he was doomed. You, Lord, are the Ruler, the Decider, the Helper of all who turn to you.]

Psa 33:18  “But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,”

[We must choose to fear You, Lord, rather than men, to live in submission to your Truth rather than culture or personal preference, to choose what is right rather than what is comfortable. Our hope must be in your gracious, good heart of love, not in people, or circumstances or our own efforts. We must make the choice to come to you, to seek your help, to rest in and trust in you. Then you will act on our behalf.

This is an active partnership role you call us to. King Jehoshaphat demonstrated this for us in 2 Chronicles 20, where he joined you by fearing you rather than the enemy and trusting you rather than his army. He demonstrated this by sending out a choir of praise before his army. As the choir began to sing praises to you, then you caused the enemy soldiers to turn on each other. You saved Jehoshaphat and his people by your power poured out in response to praise generated by trust.]

Psa 33:19  “to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.”

[Here, O Lord Jesus, is the true picture. You are the only One who delivers us from death—how many times have you saved me from an accident, including near head-on crashes; and how you did save us in the one we had. You are at work in seen and unseen ways, delivering us from death daily. And in the greatest way, Lord Jesus, you have delivered us from eternal separation from you by your own death and resurrection. We are saved and safe now for eternity!  And you are the One who supplies our daily bread, often in great abundance. You see our need and provide it. You are the Source of all, you are the Provider of all. You are worthy of our trust, our worship, our obedience our praise. May you be glorified in our decisions today.]

 

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The Power of Giving Thanks

Just before I left the plane in Istanbul on a recent trip, the stewardess announced that we had to go through passport control here. So I zipped down the long halls in order to speed up the process. However, when I arrived, there were at least 500 people in line before me. The line snaked back and forth seven long times.

After half an hour I had only made it through the first two turns with five more to go. At this rate I would certainly miss my next plane. I began to complain, “Look at that, half the passport booths up there are empty, and look how slowly the police are working!”

Immediately the Spirit rebuked me, “Remember Psalm 50:23!”

“Ah, yes, Lord, forgive me for my unbelief! I praise you for this delay. If I miss my next plane, you have something else for me. I can trust you in this!”

Within five minutes several more policemen showed up and began checking passports. The line moved much more quickly and within 15 minutes I was through and on my way to my next flight.

Would the same thing have happened if I hadn’t praised? I don’t know, but praising sure made a difference in me and gave God glory as He helped me trust Him.  He certainly saved me from complaining, unhappiness, stress and worry, while making sure I got to my next plane in time.

Giving thanks is a privilege. In it God is calling us to a partnership with Him where He has rich gifts awaiting us. Psalm 50:23 shows us some of those gifts.

“He who offers the sacrifice of thanksgiving honors me…”  Note that this speaks of sacrifice, denying self, giving thanks when it is not natural, when it costs us. This obedience is a great means of glorifying God. When we trust Him by giving thanks in the midst of uncertainty, hurt, disappointment, suffering or loss, the angels stand in awe, the demons cringe in defeat, our family and friends are amazed and God’s name is lifted on high.

Giving God such glory is the purpose for which we were created. So every time we find ourselves in situations where there is no solution, no discernible good, no positive point, and we choose to believe that God is good, at work and trustable, we can give thanks. In doing so we are fulfilling the reason for our existence: glorifying God. It is doing something that will last for eternity.  And we should be noting all the positive things in our lives and giving thanks for those, too. This privilege of honoring Him through giving thanks is the first gift.

The verse goes on, “He who offers the sacrifice of thanksgiving…prepares the way that I may show him the salvation of the Lord.” The second gift is the possibility of partnering with God in bringing the solution to our situation. He puts lots of power into our hands. This truth is echoed in 2 Cor. 12:9b where Paul says, “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may rest on me.” As we give thanks and praise in our inability to bring change, God moves to bring the resolution and conclusion He’s planned and prepared.  It may come right away, or it may not be visible until years later, as with Joseph in Egypt. Whether seen or unseen, He is moving and we can in faith praise Him for it.

A third gift God has for us when we give thanks is the privilege to be a powerful witness in a unique way to those around us. Our unnatural, supernatural response to troubles, and our persistent penchant for proclaiming in thanksgiving all the good things He gives us puts us right up on the stage of grace, shining the light of Truth on God’s gracious character in a way that words alone could never do.

A fourth gift is that in giving thanks, in expressing gratitude in things positive and things difficult, we actually cooperate with God in improving our emotional, mental and physical health. A secular article entitled “Giving Thanks Makes Us Happier,” points out research showing how an attitude of gratitude brings many benefits.

You can read the whole article at:
https://www.newsmaxhealth.com/health_stories/Giving_Thanks_Happier/2011/11/23/418975.html?s=al&promo_code=D947-1

A summary says, “Researchers delving into the physiology of gratitude have discovered it acts powerfully upon neurotransmitters in the brain to increase happiness, reduce stress, boost energy and even improve sleep.” Another benefit is that it strengthens our immune system. This, of course, is simply discovering what God has told us all along: giving thanks is right, good and powerful.

It is our possibility and privilege to make every day a “thanksgiving celebration” and every moment a “gratitude opportunity.” Let’s follow the lead of Jesus and join Him in doing so continually.

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Psalm 33:12-15

Psa 33:12  “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance.” [This is so true, Lord: to belong to you, to be your possession, to know you is wonderful. Blessed is too mild a word! To know that you chose us, wanted us as your people, sought us out, bought us, adopted us, transformed us, love us, cherish us—what  marvelous truths! It is more than we could ever have hoped for, even if we don’t compare it to what we actually deserve (punishment, rejection, suffering, eternal separation from you and all that is good).

You are the God who is beyond our dreams, beyond our hopes, beyond our understanding. You are Great, Powerful, Glorious, Perfect, Gracious and Pure. You are the fulfillment of the longing of our hearts and far more. Glory and honor belong to you alone!]

Psa 33:13  “From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind;” [Such power, such ability, such completeness that you can look down and see the whole of mankind. No one is hidden from your sight. What a grief it must be to you to see us sin, to hurt others, to dishonor your name, to rebel left and right, yet you keep on looking and working among us because you are faithful and good and loving.]

Psa 33:14  “from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth—“ [Again the word “all”—every single human being is fully in your sight, having your complete attention, for you are infinite in your abilities. You are beyond comprehension and worthy of our worship and trust!]

Psa 33:15  “he who forms the hearts of all, [You are our Maker, you know how things should work, you give directions, guidance, power and desire so we can live as you intended and join you in all you do.]
“who considers everything they do.” [Praise you, Lord God, that you are not just aware of each person, but you think on, weigh, evaluate everything, every single thing we do. That is scary! Not one thing goes unnoticed, and if it weren’t for your great mercy, we would be eternally dammed by these things we do. As it says in Rev 20:13,15 that before your throne “each person was judged according to what he had done…If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”  Our own works bring not salvation but damnation. But there is that big “IF” in this sentence ”if our names are not written in the book of life.”  And praise God, that in the lives of believers the opposite of  this is a reality: our names ARE written in the Lamb of God’s book of life!

That fact alone is enough for us to rejoice forever, even if every other thing goes wrong.  We must follow the example of Habakkuk. In 3:17,18 he wrote: “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails  and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls…”  This is a bad, hopeless situation. But Habakkuk goes on in faith:  “…yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” Knowing God, being His forgiven child, having Him as our Savior, Shepherd, God and King who watches over us every moment is certainly enough for joy in any circumstance.

Glory be to you, O God, for you are worthy. May you be exalted, lifted up and praised throughout this day in my life. Amen.

 

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Our Faithful, Powerful, Rich and Magnificent God

Praise you, Lord God, for your good and powerful work in my life, bringing change, bringing hope-giving, heart level change. I give you glory and honor for what you have done, for what you are doing, for what you will do. You are the great transformer, the powerful new-creature-Maker. You can break through my soul barriers, my self blindness, the evil deceptions of my heart.
You, Lord God, King of Glory, Wise and All powerful, prepare the way for us, then wait for our cooperation. You are the Loving One who spreads Light in my soul so I can share in your Life abundantly. Praise you for your persistence in pressing me to respond, in leading me to admit, confess, repent and forsake my sin. Keep it up, Lord, that you may be more and more glorified in my life.
Praise you for your purity, your holiness, your perfection, your cleanness, your spotlessness, your sinlessness. You are the only true God, the only One to be trusted fully, the only righteous One. I lift you up, I glorify you, I exalt you with all my heart.
Lord God–Father, Son and Spirit–I praise you for the deep work you have done in my life, bringing transformation of my heart and soul, bringing me to think truth, decide for truth, feel truth, live in truth. This is a great change, a powerful shift from insecurity to rest, from self-defense to eager confession, from fear to secure faith, from unrest to full rest, from complaining to praise, from fretting to thanksgiving, from outward influence to upward influence.

You have worked richly, powerfully, faithfully, continually. I am deeply thankful and rejoice in your love, I revel in your grace, I bask in your goodness, I wallow in your rich, transforming forgiveness, I worship in your absolute, whole-hearted, unending, empowering acceptance.

What a wonder: to be your child, to awake to your presence each morning, to be transparent before you, to rest in your marvelous love, to rejoice in your perfect, warm, gracious, loving forgiveness and acceptance, to be a cherished, beloved, deeply cared for and delighted in son.

I rejoice in knowing that you have gone before me this day, that all is in your hand, under your control, within your wisdom. In you there is security, in you there is significance—far more than I ever will need. Forgive me for forgetting this, for fighting for scraps of security and significance on the streets of life, ignoring the whole warehouse full you have granted me,  forgive me for not believing you, for accepting instead the half-truths of the world, my flesh and the devil.

Help me today to live in your light, to dwell in your shelter, to rest in your shadow, to walk in your presence all day long. May your name may be further glorified in me, through me, by me before the unseen hosts and all those I can see around me. Help me to live the purpose for which I was created, redeemed and commissioned: to bring glory and honor to your Name this day.

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Psalm 33:1-5

“Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him.”  [And so it is Lord, it is so right for us to praise you: you are worthy of worship for you are holy, you are great, you are wise, you are loving, you are just, you are firm, you are never fearful, negative, unbalanced, unjust, selfish, proud or evil in anyway. You are Light, you are Life, you are Love. You are worthy of praise, exaltation and glory.]

Psa 33:2,3  “Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.” [You love beauty and music, Lord, and you have given these to us as a means of exalting you. To sing and play instruments to give you glory is a wonderful privilege, is a marvelous gift from you.

Praise you that we can come at any time through the Name and Blood of Jesus into your presence to praise you in song and express the joy that we have in you, the wonderful, marvelous, eternal, exalted Creator and Sustainer of the universe, full of goodness, devoid of evil, overflowing with grace, holiness and power.]

Psa 33:4  For the word of the LORD is right and true;” [Praise you, Lord God, that your Word is flawless, always correct, always trustable, always totally right and true. Praise you for speaking it, preserving it, giving it to us so we can read it, memorize it, soak in it. I give you honor and glory for your loving provision in revealing yourself to us.]

“he is faithful in all he does.” [You are faithful to your character!  You tie yourself to your qualities, you never stray outside the boundaries you have set for yourself. You are always good. You are always wise. You are always providing. You are always protecting.  You are always powerful. You are always patient. You are always present. You are faithful to the end: completely, entirely, purely, perfectly faithful. You are the One to be trusted.]

Psa 33:5  “The LORD loves righteousness and justice;” [Your love, O Lord, is so comprehensive, so great, so perfect, enveloping all that is good. Praise you that you are passionate about righteousness and do only what is right and pure and positive. Thank you that you love justice and always judge sin, never condone evil. Praise you, too, Lord, that you are also merciful, for if you interacted with us only on the basis of righteousness and justice, we would be blown away in a moment, sent into an eternity separated far from you and all that you are.

But your righteous and justice are accompanied by love:] “the earth is full of his unfailing love.” [In you, Mercy triumphs over Justice because you are love itself, providing a way for forgiveness even though it cost you greatly, and continues to bring you pain and suffering as unbelievers reject you and we believers live in rebellion and unbelief. Praise you that in your love you persist in disciplining, chastening and correcting, in leading and transforming. Praise you for your patient, gracious, powerful, ever flowing love.]

You, O Triune, Eternal, Perfect and Loving God. To you we bow, to you we surrender, to you we bring praise, honor, glory and worship, for you are worthy of this and more. We bow before you in awe, we rise up in thankfulness and go through this day in obedience that your name may be exalted in all we do.

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Heavenly Wisdom, 9th and last part

< Read Part 8

So do we have heavenly wisdom? Perhaps it would be helpful to look at the opposite, devilish wisdom.  James 3:14, 15 says, “…if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.

Bitter envy: competition, seeking to defeat others, being jealous of other’s achievements and honors, wanting what they have.  The question is not, “Do I have envy?”  If we are honest, such desires rise up in our souls regularly.  The question is, “What do I do when envy raises its ugly head?” If I have heavenly wisdom, I will recognize this  envy right away before it becomes bitter and reject it in favor of the seven qualities of heavenly wisdom.

Selfish ambition: seeking to make myself look good, feel good, be successful (for the wrong motives), be significant and secure from my own efforts and the opinions of others.  This quality is totally self-centered.

The insidious thing about selfish ambition is that it can be disguised as a spiritual thing, “Working for the Lord,” “giving myself to ministry.” In reality, though, it is revealed when you don’t get your way, when others don’t cooperate, when you are instructed to do something in a more effective but less self-satisfying way.

Selfish ambition is seen primarily in our motives, and we do not often examine our motives naturally, but seek to ignore them. So we are back to the first quality of heavenly wisdom, purity.

It behooves us and is glorifying to God to regularly spend time in confession giving the Spirit time to bring up sins we didn’t notice. And it is also important to listen to what others have to say about us, about what the see as sin in our lives.  When several are saying he same thing, we need to pay very close attention.  And then we need to measure ourselves by the seven heavenly wisdom qualities, repent where necessary and cooperate with the Spirit in being wise in a heavenly way.