April 18 – The Wisdom of the Believer (1 Corinthians 2:1-16)

“We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.” (1 Corinthians 2:12)

IN WORD:
This verse is the conclusion of the remarkable story of God’s wisdom being made manifest in this world. We started with complete bankruptcy. We end with being let in on the deep mysteries of God. Paul makes an astounding claim: “We have the mind of Christ” (2:16).
Most Christians believe at some level that God is unknowable. It is true that we can never know everything there is to know about Him. We will explore His depths for eternity and still be near the surface. But the unknown God has made Himself known in the Cross. There He is Judge and Redeemer, wrath and love, holy and merciful, mighty and wise. The power of God was revealed one black day on a hill in the Middle East, and no one expected it to look like that. It seemed shameful, but it resulted in victory, life, and peace. Everything we will ever need was made available there.
Need salvation? It is given to us. On the basis of Jesus’ blood and the power of His resurrection. Need wisdom? It is freely given at the Cross, too. Need anything at all from God? He calls us to meet Him there — every time, for every purpose. The Cross and resurrection were God’s ultimate intervention in this world and the basis of all meetings between the holy and the profane. The mysteries of the sacrificial Lamb run deed, but they are available to us, always and forever.

IN DEED:
The fifth lesson of wisdom from the Cross is this: Never underestimate the availability of God. God did not just scratch the surface at the Crucifixion. He reached into the depths and drew us out. He invites us into its victory and the resurrected life that follows — to know it, to savor it, and to tell it. Never cry out to God, “Where are You?” Without looking first at the Cross. Understand what He has freely given and base your life on it. At the Cross, His wisdom is yours.

“The Spirit breathes upon the Word, and brings the truth to sight.” -William Cowper-

April 17 – The Wisdom of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:1-16)

“The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.”
(1 Corinthians 2:10)

IN WORD:
Leave it to God to exercise His perfect wisdom. Somehow, we thought that a God who is Spirit might give us a salvation of the flesh. But the One who bears children must bear children in His likeness. It’s the way of genetics — physical or spiritual.
Brought into a spiritual kingdom — though its spiritual nature encompasses body and mind, as well — we must learn of its culture. You cannot expect to prosper in another country without learning something of its customs and speaking its language. So it is with the Kingdom of God. We must be immersed in its culture and come into its character. The means for doing this is the Spirit of God.
Becoming wise in the ways of the Kingdom is like putting on a set of strange, new clothes. We look different and we feel different. This is no illusion; we ARE different. And we can take comfort in the fact that while a multitude of Christians — only God knows if they are genuine or not — are content with a superficial spirituality, God has called us to go deeper. The Cross is our holy invitation. We are not saved for superficiality. We are called into the wisdom that underlies the foundation of this universe, called to understand its purpose, its dynamics, its direction, and its needs. The invitation is more remarkable than we might think; it is a summons to participate in the works of God.

IN DEED:
he fourth lesson of wisdom from the Cross is this: Never be afraid to go deep. The privilege of the believer is to share in the deep things of God. The Cross was a secret mystery from before the beginning of time, but now it is revealed for our glory (2:7). We are co-laborers with Him, sharing in His likeness! All creation must marvel at the sight.
Never be content with staying on the surface, and never assume you’ve learned enough. God is deeper than most people know. Dive into the depths of His wisdom.

“The Holy Spirit of grace desires to disturb your sleep. Blessed are you if you awaken.” -Lars Linderot-

April 16 – The Wisdom of Jesus (1 Corinthians 1:18-31)

“You are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God — that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.”
(1 Corinthians 1:30)

IN WORD:
The life of faith begins with a confession of bankruptcy. In order to accept our Savior, we must accept our need. We cannot have His righteousness with out denying our own; we cannot have His holiness without confessing our sin; and we cannot receive His redemption without owning up to our bondage. We are bankrupt before Him, and fools if we do not know it.
The beauty of the Cross is its ugliness. God left us no aesthetic religion to idolize, no self-effort to perfect, no Law to fulfill. He completely undid us by doing it all Himself. The way to become godly now is not to become godly; it is to declare our ungodliness and cast its cost on Another. The way to become pure now is not to be pure; it is to declare our impurity and ask for the heart and mind of Another. The way to live is not to seek life; it is to die and let Another live in our place. We thought the wisdom of God would be to make us better people — through works, service, intellect, philosophies, religion, and more. But in His wisdom, Jesus did not come to make us better. He came to do away with the old entirely and to birth something new. We take hold of that by embracing the ugly, ignoble Cross. Only then can newness come.

IN DEED:
The third lesson of wisdom from the Cross is this: Never despise the humble appearance of God’s plan. Make no mistake — the Cross was not at first gilded with gold to adorn our steeples and necklines. It was first a place of disgrace. It was. The symbol of death. It was brutal & ugly, horrid and shameful. But it was God’s way! From the foundation of the world, He ordained that His priceless treasure be dressed in very plain clothes.
If you’re ever tempted to avoid the unattractive path God has planned, turn to Jesus on the Cross. See Him as a reminder that priceless treasures are in broken vessels.

“Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to thy Cross I cling.”
-Augustus Toplady-

April 15 – The Wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:18-31)

“In the wisdom of God, the world, through its wisdom, did not know him.”(1 Corinthians 1:21)

IN WORD:
The world lived in darkness. Why would God ordain such ignorance? Why would He not want the world to recognize Him through its own wisdom? Doesn’t He want to be known? Why isn’t He more easily found?

Think about it this way: Who would receive glory if we found God on our own? He would be the hidden One, we would be the seekers, and the credit in this divine hide-and-seek would go to the intellect of the pursuers. God did not ordain it this way. He is the Pursuer, and He receives the glory. The world, in its “wisdom,” refuses to play that game — to its own detriment. But those who really desire God are glad when He reveals Himself and are not reluctant to give Him the glory for finding the seekers before their own wisdom could find Him.
There is nothing in the human mind that can discern eternal realities without a revelation from above. It is all on His own initiative. If it were not, He would be the passive object of our activity. We would never be sure of His love; we would never know His ways; we would never see Him work. We would only find Him, and we would never be certain of what we found. But in His active pursuit of human rebels, His character is displayed. We see the intensity of His love, the wisdom of His ways, and the power of His works. His glory falls from above.

IN DEED:
The second lesson of wisdom from the Cross is this: Never forget the divine initiative. We think we pursued God, forgetting that He supplies all revelation, all strength, and all means of knowing Him. That’s a stressful — and futile — pursuit. We must cooperate with Him, but we must also rest. Knowing Him requires our diligence, but it is a diligence of reception, not a diligence of acquisition. We receive only what He has already given. As a result, we cannot celebrate our wisdom or the world’s — only His.

“His wisdom’s vast, and knows no bounds, a deep where all our thoughts are drowned.” -Isaac Watts-

April 14 – The Wisdom of the World (1 Corinthians 1:18-31)

“Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?”
(1 Corinthians 1:20)

IN WORD:
The wisdom of the world would never have chosen a cross for its salvation. The wisdom of the world always chooses the path of obvious victory. It knows nothing of the deeper battles and subtleties of faith. It acts on what it sees on the surface and grabs as much visible glory as it can. It will not wait; it seizes the day.
We are not born of that spirit. We are born of the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of God will lead us to the Cross. He points us toward eternal realities, not temporary glory. While earthly wisdom tells us to get what we can while we can get it, God’s wisdom shows us the reality of eternity that lies beyond the visible nature of this corrupt world. It shows us the Resurrection beyond the Cross.
Those of us who seek true wisdom do not simply desire information from God. We want to know what He is like. We must come to see Him as the source of all truth, and we must take our cues from Him. We shouldn’t be satisfied with Him just telling us what to be believe. We need to see it in action. What is His wisdom like? What would He do if He were clothed in human flesh?
God has given us the answer, of course. We can examine the wisdom of Jesus, which led Him to death for a greater good. What He did in surrendering to the Cross was absolute foolishness in the eyes of the world. And it still is. But we can see beyond the Cross if we are wise, and based on what we see, we can walk toward it with confidence.

IN DEED:
The first lesson of wisdom from the Cross is this: Never exchange eternal glory for temporary gain. Jesus forsook the temporal because He knew the eternal. But the world will always urge us to seek a superficial victory today. Don’t. It’s a foolish world, and God has shamed it. See what God has done, learn the wisdom of the Cross, and embrace it.

“We were deceived by the wisdom of the serpent, but we are freed by the foolishness of God.” -St. Augustine-

April 13 – Blessed Fear (Psalm 128:1-2)

“Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in His ways.”
(Psalm 128:1)

IN WORD:
Our logic tells us. Not to fear the God who defines Himself as “love” and who offers His grace freely to all who will accept it. Yet, as we’ve seen, fear is where wisdom begins. Those who fear Him will become wise, and those who do not are fools. The Scripture makes that clear.
The one who does not fear God takes a casual approach to life. The awesome beauty of creation is taken for granted. The preciousness of time and life become less precious. Little by little, relationships become more trivial. And sin becomes a non-issue, something that doesn’t really exist or that God will just overlook without much thought. The one who does not fear God does not understand himself.
Those who do fear God, however, begin to see all things as holy. Creation is a blessing, life is a privilege. Relationships and resources turn into responsibilities for stewardship, and sin becomes a tragic defamation of the character of our Father. The one who fears God begins to see sin as ugly graffiti defacing the divine property and as high treason against the divine plan. And for God-fearers, that will unsettle their minds and gnaw at their sensibilities.
What is the blessing in that? How can such a painful discontent be called a “blessed” life? Because it gives us the right perspective and puts us on the right track. It unites us with the heart of God — not a God we’re terrified of, but a God who captivates us in awe and reverence. It sobers us up from our once-random, once-reckless existence. We see things as they are, and we can never take life casually again.

IN DEED:
What is the measure of your fear? Are you casual about the precious gifts of God? Do you take grace for granted and see your sin as tolerable? Are your relationships take-them-or-leave-them propositions? Are your time and resources carelessly managed? Let any symptoms of fearlessness alarm you. Laugh and enjoy life, but fear God. Love Him warmly, but respect Him deeply. You will know what it is to be blessed.

“Fear the Lord, then, and you will do everything well.”
-Hermas-

April 12 – Detestable Pride (Proverbs 16:5;n 1 Peter 5:5-6)

“The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.”(Proverbs 16:5)

IN WORD:
Our world honors pride. We often give the most media attention to those who demand it. Athletes make arrogant claims and then are lauded for their competitiveness. Entertainers shamelessly promote their own image and then are praised for their confidence. Political and military leaders proudly wield their power over vulnerable people and are rewarded for their assertiveness. Making a name for oneself is an honorable business in the world’s culture.
We might easily be drawn into that philosophy if we don’t continually remind ourselves of God’s hatred for pride. It is a consistent biblical theme: Pride is repulsive. It directs glory inward instead of upward. It seeks the honor of the gifted rather than the honor of the Giver. It is far too impressed with the ingenuity and resourcefulness of human abilities. In its very essence, it ignores God. If we want to avoid it, we must always honor Him. We also must honor His hatred of it.
That’s hard to do. Pride is the foundation of self-will, which is the ultimate foundation behind every sin. It is deeply ingrained in us. We hate it in others, but we wallow in it when we’re allowed to. Whenever a little glory comes our way, we drink it in as though it’s the sweetest thirst quencher. But like other sweets, it has little substance. Eventually, no amount of honor will cover the fact that we’re needy on the inside. Something deep within us craves glory, but something deeper reminds us that we aren’t worthy of it. The depths of our soul know that God is the only worthy recipient of praise.

IN DEED:
Let every hint of pride be repulsive to you. Let God deal with those who seek their own glory; it is not our job to humble anyone. But the Bible repeatedly tells us to humble ourselves. Hate the pride that you are prone to love. Agree with God that it is a detestable thing. Send it away and seek His glory. His honor comes to those who do.

“Pride is utter poverty of soul disguised as riches.”
-John Climacus-

April 11 – Envy Rots

“A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.”(Proverbs 14:30)

IN WORD:
Envy is a subtle enemy. We think we’re free from it, but it is often the silent root of our sins. We can make ungodly decisions because we want the quality of our lives to match that of our neighbors. We can make unwarranted judgements because we are compelled to mentally reduce other people in order to mentally enlarge ourselves. And we can avoid God’s plan for our lives because we want too strongly to fit into our culture. Our constant tendency is to compare ourselves to others, and comparison leads to envy. It affects the way we spend our money, our time, and our talents. It affects the careers we choose and the relationships we cultivate. Deep within us all is a drive to “make it,” to succeed well beyond the average person. We want success because we’ve seen others have it.
This envy-rooted drive for success-by-comparison carries many physical symptoms with it. It sucks us into a consuming “rat race,” a treadmill that undermines good health. It keeps us spending more than we have to spend, impressing more than we need to impress, and controlling more than is ours to control. It tells us that we’re never quite good enough and that there is always more to be done. It stresses us out.

IN DEED:
How do we get beyond such a corrosive attitude? There can be no room for envy when we measure ourselves by how God sees us rather than by how others see us. If we are all abject sinners saved by extravagant mercy, who is there to envy? Only those who have taken hold of God’s unfathomable grace, which is available in equal measure to all who will take hold of it.
If you are eaten away by the stress of the rat race, first recognize the envy that underlies it. Then try this: Perform one act per day that defies “success” as you once defined it. Choose not to impress someone; refuse to invest in an image; compliment someone you once judged. By all means, let your heart be at peace.

“Envy is a denial of providence.” -Stephen Charnock-

April 10 – A Heart At Peace

“A heart at peace gives life to the body.”(Proverbs 14:30)

IN WORD:
The relationship between the spirit and the body is deeper than we might think. Not all physical infirmity is a product of spiritual turmoil, but much of it is. When God is on the periphery of our lives, our bodies can’t stand the void. Ask anyone who has heart trouble. Stress is often a big part of it. And stress is the result of a too-distant God.
Peace has prerequisites. One of them is a surrender of all the self’s attempts to earn God’s approval. Instead, we are to understand that God approves of Jesus and we are related to Jesus by faith. Another is an inspired ability to trust God, even when circumstances seem to dictate against trust. But there is one often assumed prerequisite to peace that is a decidedly misguided assumption. Peace is not dependent on circumstances. Not real peace, anyway. The real peace that comes from God is available in spite of circumstances. And it is often revealed only in the difficult times. We never know the truth of our relationship with God until it is burned in the fire. Does it remain? Then it is gold; it is true. Or does it collapse? Then it was combustible from the very beginning, worth nothing at all. Peace from God must be tested. If it isn’t, we never know whether it’s genuine or not.

IN DEED:
We human beings are a strange mixture of mind, body, and spirit. We like to think of these as separable entities, but they are not. They interrelate at levels we can scarcely understand. Sin has physical effects. Mental stress has physical effects. And a heart at peace gives life.
Whatever you are going through — and it is a safe assumption that we are always going through something — it is not to affect your peace. God is above your circumstances, and He is greater than your sin. Bring it all to Him — your sin, your trials, your everything. Bind yourself to the things that really matter and the One who can govern them. And rest. Be at peace and be well.

“Peace rules the day when Christ rules the mind.”
-Anonymous-

April 9 – How To Honor God

“He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.”
(Proverbs 14:31)

IN WORD:
For most of us, caring for the poor is an afterthought. We’re not unconcerned; we’re just not very intentional about our efforts. For God, caring for the poor is essential. It is an emphatic theme in His Word. It is written into His Law, it is expressed in His wisdom, it is measured by the prophets, it is characteristic of Jesus, and it is a substantial ministry in the New Testament church. From cover to cover, the Bible tells us of God’s concern for the poor.
Modern Christianity maintains ministries for the poor, but they are often peripheral ministries. For most Christians, our efforts include donating things we no longer value or need and urging our churches to help the needy. But our God is a hands-on God, and we are to be hands-on people.
The message of Proverbs 14:31 is that our view of the needy reflects our view of God. Do we see in the destitute the image of God? Perhaps it is veiled, but it is there. Though the image is fallen, it is God’s nonetheless. Don’t let its obscurity fool you; all humanity was created in His image, and our attitude toward toward other people is symptomatic of our attitude toward God. Or, to put it another way, our love of God will determine how we treat other people — even the very least of them. If we can easily let His creation suffer, we probably don’t think much of God.

IN DEED:
Why is it so important to God that we be kind to the needy? Because if we aren’t, we’ve forgotten who we are. We were needy. He was kind. Did we learn anything from His example? Do we consider His love valuable only because it was applied to us? Did mercy really sink in?
The poor remain because God wants to know: How much do you value His ways? Give Him a demonstration today. Show kindness to those who need it most.

“World poverty is a hundred million mothers weeping because they cannot feed their children.” -Ronald J. Sider-