Where Does Real Wisdom Come From?

There have been times when I have sat in awe of some of the stuff that comes out of the mouths of the old.  I’m talking about those that are supposed to be smart, experienced, and relatively wise in their field.  I don’t want to name, names, but some are billionaires, politicians, and one was a renowned theoretical physicist who once said, “There is no God.”  Of course the Bible says that only a fool says there is no God. (Psalms 14:1)  So really old age, intelligence and certainly not money determines wisdom.  So where does real wisdom come from?

“I’m a young man,
    and you are all old and experienced.
That’s why I kept quiet
    and held back from joining the discussion.
I kept thinking, ‘Experience will tell.
    The longer you live, the wiser you become.’
But I see I was wrong—it’s God’s Spirit in a person,
    the breath of the Almighty One, that makes wise human insight possible.

The experts have no corner on wisdom;
    getting old doesn’t guarantee good sense. Job 32:6-9 (MSG)

Therefore, honestly, anyone who is filled with the Spirit of God can have wisdom.  Ask God questions.  Tell him you want understanding of people, and of situations.  God wants to tell us things.  He is just waiting for people, who will use the knowledge for his purposes to start asking.

I have found this profound truth to be quite useful, and helpful.  In a couple of cases where people, who I thought would be the very last people to hurt me, have and I didn’t understand how, or why.  I asked, and in one case I was directed to a TV minister for the answer that came in his message.  The other, the Spirit of God showed me instantly a picture of how a minister has surrounded himself with others who are deceived in the same manner as he is.  Now I know how to pray for these individuals.

Yes, you can learn some things from the old and experienced, if it aligns with the truth from God’s word, but you can also go to God directly and simply ask, but don’t act so surprised when He answers you.

Copyright © 2021 Mark Brady.  All rights reserved.

The Wise Thing to Do

Charlie 49“That’s just great!  What am I going to do now?  How am I going to get out of this?”  Have you said something along this line in recent days?  It seems like I have, a lot, or on several occasions.  Some, when faced with problems or challenges don’t sleep much, while others, might get worried sick.

I generally have no problems sleeping, ever, but I am guilty of focusing too much on answering the question, “How am I going to take care of this?”  Did you catch my mistake, or see where I went wrong?  My thinking and attitude is totally off balance.  “How am I going to do this?”  Sure, it’s always easier to see what someone else is doing wrong.  Here is what I should have done:  gone to God and asked for wisdom.

“But if anyone is deficient in wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without reprimand, and it will be given to him.”  James 1:5 New English Translation (NET Bible)

I picked this translation because the word, “deficient” is a better translation of the Greek word instead of “lack”.  And, to be honest, I can identify with being deficient, bankrupt, empty, void of understanding of the problem, which almost paralysis me.  According to Rick Renner,

“Wisdom gives you special insight that helps you know what to do.”

Also, the word, “ask” is more of “reverently expecting an answer”.

So go back to sleep, or go back to living life.  Admit you don’t know, ask God for wisdom, and be confident your answer is on its way, because God gives wisdom generously.  That’s the wise thing to do!

Copyright © 2019 Mark Brady.  All rights reserved.

Stumble or Build?

stone 1There it is.  Right there in front of you.  It is unwelcomed, and even now, is unwanted, but there it is.  A situation has developed in your presence.  One that activates emotions.  They seem to come out of nowhere, and they arrive so fast.

Immediately, you are forced to answer the question; “Am I going to stumble, or am I going to build?”  You’re interacting with someone when all of a sudden you find yourself in the middle of a misunderstanding, or someone acting ugly.  What do you do?  Do you match their level of intensity?  Lobby similar words?

One way of reacting will most likely cause you to “stumble”.  Your relationship could break down, or fall apart.  Over what?  A situation?  But what if you took a moment, breathed, and responded in a way that would “build” your relationship?  That would cause you to grow closer to the individual, or grow and mature inwardly.

AND [Jesus] said to His disciples, Temptations (snares, traps set to entice to sin) are sure to come, but woe to him by or through whom they come! (Luk 17:1 AMP)

Satan casts the first stone.  He definitely wants you to stumble.  Hoping you will fall, and get hurt.  Jesus hands you a hammer in hopes you break up the stone and build a stronger relationship.

Copyright © 2018 Mark Brady, All rights reserved

God’s Top Ten List

The Ten

  1. No other Gods before me.
    I’m to be your first priority.
  2. Nothing should be your idol.
    Keep your life pure.
  3. Don’t use my name when cussing.
    Understanding this can bring humility.
  4. Keep Sundays Holy.
    Resting one day a week is a wonderful thing.
  5. Honor your father and mother.
    Doing so will bless your life.
  6. Killing is not good.
    Love is a much better way.
  7. Committing adultery tears people apart.
    Learning intimacy will bring people together.
  8. Don’t take what isn’t yours.
    If you do, you’ll never learn to trust.
  9. Lying is a bad idea.
    Honesty is always the way to go.
  10. You shouldn’t want what isn’t yours.
    Contentment brings peace to your life.

God didn’t come up with these 10 commandments to make your life miserable.  He didn’t do it so we would become “religious”, and start a bunch of denominations with a list of “rules” to live by.  He gave us these principles, to live by, so we could relate to him better, and with each other.

Copyright © 2018 Mark Brady, All rights reserved

Your First Thought

20180412_200110It happened again.  The explosive temper from one I am supposed to love, and I do, but the pain.  I left their presence, but I was a “walking wounded”.  I kept rewinding the scene and playing it over and over in my mind.  Why?  This didn’t need to happen.  I begin seeking comfort.

I went to one of my favorite pizza places and ordered a pizza.  Sad, I know, but I tend to turn to favorite foods for comforting.  Later in the evening God whispered, “Why didn’t you turn to me for comfort?”  I searched for the truth and then had the realization, so my reply was, “It wasn’t my first thought.  God… (tears) I’m so sorry!  Help me loving Father to make you my first thought.”

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of sympathy (pity and mercy) and the God [Who is the Source] of every comfort (consolation and encouragement) 2Co 1:3-6 (AMP)

But I turned to pizza instead of God.  The very pizza pictured in the photo.  It was extremely windy, and as I was taking my second step out of the restaurant a gust of wind blew the box right out of my hand.  I went back in, ordered another one, and then cleaned up the parking lot.  To be honest I looked both ways to see if anyone was watching.  You know, that five second rule.  I decided it didn’t apply to asphalt!  My turning to food first, instead of God, made for a very expensive medium pizza.  Lesson learned, I hope!

Copyright © 2018 Mark Brady, All rights reserved

The Day Stephen Hawking Accepted God

Free will, to do what you want, say what you want, is a great gift from God.  It does come with a lot of responsibility though.  God took a risk giving us such freedom, but it opens the door for us to, of our own will, accept Him, his son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.

God didn’t want little robots, programmed to serve him, but a being, like him, to choose him, as He has chosen us.  Stephen Hawking chose not to.  Below are his own words:

“I regard the brain as a computer which will stop working when its components fail. There is no heaven or afterlife for broken down computers; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark.”

Rom 14:11  Read it for yourself in Scripture: “As I live and breathe,” God says, “every knee will bow before me; Every tongue will tell the honest truth that I and only I am God.” (MSG)

Stephen Hawking died March 14, 2018.  March 14, 2018 is the day Stephen Hawking accepted God!  Oh how I would have preferred he had done it before he passed, but I do not know of the contrary.  I pray, all living men and women will accept God, and profess with their mouths that there is only one God.  That Jesus Christ is His son, and admit the Holy Spirit completes the Trinity.

So, that brings me to ask one question:  What day did you accept God?

Copyright © 2018 Mark Brady, All rights reserved

FLOW

 

080412 335A river flows downstream.  Life in a boat, doing nothing, on that stream, comes easy, natural.  It takes no effort, but to go upstream is another story.  The mightier the current, the harder one must paddle, or use external power.  You stop for one instance, or turn off the engine, and you begin going back down.

We can’t get to our destination upstream on our own.  We must have the power from the One who has been in the boat.  From the One, who has walked on the water.  From the One who has made it to the other side.  From the One who said, “It is finished!”

I desire to FLOW with God.  I will do my part, but I will rely on Him for the power I don’t have in and of myself.  Following His FLOW will take me where He wants me.  The more I make this my life practice it will get easier, and become more natural.

Keith Hector, recently preached a message at my church on FLOW.  He said flow is:

F aith
L ove
O bedience
W isdom

Flowing with God, and in God takes all of the above.  It requires trusting Jesus.  It demands following the Holy Spirit.  God asks us to do things that are not natural to our flesh, so we cannot boast in and of ourselves.  He also knows the joy we experience when we FLOW with Him.  He knows the confidence we experience, and He knows it encourages us to go further.

Copyright © 2018 Mark Brady, All rights reserved

Check it out:   “My main attempt in this short life is to deeply love humankind. I long to love like Jesus: intentionally, authentically, and with no boundaries. So here I am, a messy 14 year old making art, learning to love, and writing.”  Click:  ~ ava lucia ~