It all started with this verse:

Proverbs 4:7
Wisdom is the principal thing;
Therefore get wisdom.
And in all your getting, get understanding.

And I asked myself, “what, then, is wisdom?”

I decided to go to the beginning of Proverbs to see if “wisdom” can be identified.

Proverbs 1:1-6 declares the purpose and intent of the book is to impart wisdom. So that’s a good start.

Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,
But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

From this verse I’ve gleaned two things:

1. Wisdom begins with a healthy respect, reverence and awe of the Self-Existent and Eternal God. The fear of the Lord is acknowledging how big He really is. A little respect goes a long way.
2. Argumentative, simplistic fools consider wisdom and the discipline of instruction as insignificant and contemptible

I’ve now established a basic binary view of people categories: those who value wisdom and those who do not. Those who do not value wisdom are “simple”.

A basic word study reveals that wisdom is tied to the discipline of instruction; meaning that wisdom is more than simply “knowing” – wisdom applies knowledge.

The personification of wisdom is described in Proverbs 1:20,21 as calling aloud in public to gain the attention of the simple, inviting them to gain wisdom.

Proverbs 1:22
How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?
For scorners delight in their scorning,
And fools hate knowledge.

The words “simple” and “simplicity” are of the same Hebrew origin meaning “silly” or “seducible”. Further amplification of origins indicates “to be (wide) open; spacious; roomy”. A modern descriptor might be “an airhead” – one who is easily seduced, gullible and/or deceived. Picture a fishhook and worm – the simple take the bait.

Simplicity is more than passive indifference to the value of wisdom. Simplicity actively opposes wisdom. Wisdom’s call is met with open contempt, mockery and indignation.

It may rightly be said this post emphasizes more what wisdom is not rather than what wisdom is. But that’s all I’ve got for now.

Colossians 4:17 (NKJV)
17 And say to Archippus, “Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.”

It’s possible that Archippus was prevented from going to the Church assembly by reason of weak health or age. The word “fulfill” may have indicated his ministry is near it’s end.

Time will do that to you – everything we do not only has a beginning, but also an end. You will eventually face identity crisis if your identity isn’t based in something deeper than your activity. You are not who you are because of what you do, you do what you do because of who you are.

A believing Christian finds their identity in the Person of Jesus Christ, not the function you serve. Come a day when you won’t be able to serve that function anymore.

He who first brought you into the service of your function is He who will receive you when the service of your function is through. That’s where your true identity is found.

John 7:37-38
37 …Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

Within the believing Christian is the incubation of Genesis 1:1 where the Spirit of the Lord hovers over the face of the deep considering what form of creation He will bring forth.

Psalm 87 describes the visitation of a great and mighty God to humanity. Zion is depicted as the dwelling place of God to which every nation will flow. Each resident of Zion is described as having been born and registered there as true citizens. It is a dwelling place; a city; a nation. The final verse states that: Both the singers and the players on instruments say, “All my springs are in you.” (Psalm 87:7)

There is a wellspring of eternal life. I desire to to drink from that wellspring. I desire that there would be through me a free, unhindered flow of healing water to the nations.

Oh God, I pray – free me from my bonds. Free me from my fears. Free me from my inhibitions. Free me from my ignorance, my blindness, my deafness. Oh God, may I be unto you and in you, for you and by you, a channel through which the current of your Living Water may freely flow without hinderance. Amen.

Isaiah 41:17-20
17 “The poor and needy seek water, but there is none, Their tongues fail for thirst.
I, the LORD, will hear them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
18 I will open rivers in desolate heights,
And fountains in the midst of the valleys;
I will make the wilderness a pool of water,
And the dry land springs of water.
19 I will plant in the wilderness the cedar and the acacia tree, The myrtle and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the cypress tree and the pine And the box tree together,
20 That they may see and know,
And consider and understand together,
That the hand of the LORD has done this,
And the Holy One of Israel has created it.

If I come to the Source, I become the source for others.

Jesus said, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:37-39).

A river flowed eastward in Eden to bring life to the Garden. That river flowed out from a singular source. Other river examples are found in Ezekiel 47:1, John 19:34 and Revelation 21:1. In each of these cases, healing and life came from that flow.

Many live in dry wilderness conditions. The Lord longs to restore the Garden of Eden to them. As I draw near the Source, I become the source. I am blessed to become a blessing. I become the source of water that brings healing to the nations. I become as God’s vice-regent, His deputy, His representative, to bring the word of life, to bring His presence to a people in need.

Ecclesiastes 7:10 
Do not say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For you do not inquire wisely concerning this.

The older I get, the easier it is to look back on the past with romanticism. I pine for the vibe of former days – life seemed so much simpler then. But the times have changed and I must accept that life will never be the same again.

It is worthwhile to consider that yesterday was not without it’s own difficulties. Romanticizing the past serves to maximize the good and minimize the bad. This does not make for a balanced view. Yesterday had its struggles too.

The battle is real and sufficient for the day is it’s own trouble. We’re never more acutely aware of life’s struggles than the ones we face today. And yet, in time to come, who’s to say we won’t look back and pine for this season of life also? These ARE the good old days!

I’m currently reading the following book:

Interesting book so far. It’s really more about the glory of God than it is of Paul. The first few chapters provide a broad definition of God’s glory. The rest of the book focuses on what Paul said about the glory of God. Who knew that God’s glory is such a central theme throughout the Bible? But it is!

The glory of God is difficult to define because it covers a broad scope. One way to characterize it is to say that “glory” is the collectivized display of all the amazing internal qualities of the Person of God (His holiness, His goodness, His power, etc.).

“Glory” may also reference the spectacle of creation that reveals the inward nature of Creator (sunrise, mountain ranges, the universe, etc.) and the events on earth that reveal His power (the rise & fall of kingdoms, miraculous events, etc.).

“Glory” may also be descriptive of those circumstances in which the immediate presence of God was on display, such as His manifestation at Mt. Sinai and in visions seen by the prophets, such as Ezekiel and John in The Revelation. Jesus Himself was the visitation of God upon the earth. His glory was veiled in human form, but revealed at the cross (John 17:1). And so it was that the hardened centurion who presided over His crucifixion had a change of heart (Mark 15:39).

The entirety of all that God does throughout time in creation is ultimately to the glory of God. This concept dovetails quite nicely with a long standing notion I’ve held that heaven itself will be the experience of a never-ending, inexhaustible unfolding revelation of the glory of God even into eternity.

Thinking of these things inspires me. Base creature though I am, I seek to employ menagerie means to capture the inspiration, to communicate it, to make it manifest on earth.

Genesis 17:17
Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?

There are many types of laugher:
fake laughter; genuine laughter. A snicker, a chuckle, a great belly laugh.

Genuine laughter involves an element of loss of body control such as in a sneeze or an orgasm, in which there is a temporary unhinging and a release of tension or discomfort.

Laughter is an automatic response to music. When I hear the right note being played at the right time in context of a music structure – for a moment it seems cosmic, as if the stars have come into alignment and all the universe is in harmony & symphony with itself and the power of music becomes evident – I have to laugh!

Likewise, in conversation with a friend, when the spontaneous juxtaposition of two streams of thought unexpectedly highlights a point of truth never before considered in such a light – the result is laughter. The laughter itself seems to say, “Ha, ha… I never thought of it that way before!” Laughter is the response to an unexpected conclusion in conversation.

Real life also plays out to unexpected conclusions. Who can predict the destiny of a newborn child? Who knew that Nazi Germany would suffer complete defeat in the Second World War? Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential victory was a complete surprise. Life’s unpredictability was especially poignant when Princess Dianna was killed in a car accident. Who saw that coming? Nobody, that’s who. It was a shocking turn of events.

One of the elements that made for C.S. Lewis’s faith in the Bible story is that it’s so unique with a conclusion so unexpected that it has that ring of truth. Consider the concept: Creator of the universe becomes a part of creation in order to redeem creation through His own natural death and resurrection. What author could have penned such a story? You can’t make this stuff up, folks!

And so, when God gave prophetic insight to Abraham about promises yet to be fulfilled, all Abraham could do was laugh. Abraham’s laughter was an expression of faith, not unbelief. It was a gasping response to an outcome so far beyond natural expectation that it would never have come to mind except for Divine revelation. Abraham’s laughter became a foreshadow of the fulfillment of promise: the child born of promise was named Isaac. “Isaac” means “laughter”.

Revelation 14:12
Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

I feel anger when I see cruelty and evil committed by people against one another. Too often justice seems absent. But the times and seasons are in God’s hand. He draws a line to which evil may advance and no more. Job suffered for unknown reasons but God set a limit to what could be done to him. Nazi Germany’s war machine advanced across Europe until God drew a line at Stalingrad and they could advance no more.

I don’t know what will happen tomorrow. I don’t know why things happen as they do. I don’t know how far evil will be allowed to advance until God draws a line. All I know is that God is good and the times and seasons are in His hand.

As long as time remains kingdoms will rise & fall. But time will end as God draws a line in the sand and says “No more.” Then the form of this world will pass away. The cosmos will be transformed and the knowledge & glory of God will fill every corner. A new heaven and new earth will be established and God’s righteous rule and reign will stand for eternity.

This is the Bible message. Does it seem fantastical to you? Do you regard such things as the crutch of weak and the opiate of the masses? Believe what you will. But I accept the Word as true. Yes, I take comfort knowing that God is good and that the times and seasons are in His hand. I will look past present circumstances to see the coming Day. This is the patience of the saints.

Revelation 21:1
Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away…

1 John 2:15-17 15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

Mark 5:34

Then Jesus said to her, “Daughter, because you dared to believe, your faith has healed you. Go with peace in your heart, and be free from your suffering!”

The woman with an issue of blood lived for twelve years with a debilitating and humiliating condition. She spent all her resources to find a cure. For her trouble she ended up in worse condition. She was at the end of her rope. Jesus was her last hope.

It can be a scary thing to bring everything to Jesus because if He lets you down you will truly be without hope. And yet, this woman “dared” to believe. She took the risk of facing despair on the other side. She discovered that Jesus is more than enough to meet her need.

Matthew 4:8-9
Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”

Power is an intoxicating drug. Those who desire power never have enough. The fallen nature of man is patterned after the devil’s desire to occupy the highest place; to BE God Himself. History is replete with those who sold their souls in quest for power; who unleashed suffering in the world as a consequence of their bid to gain power and to keep it.

In contrast, Jesus left the highest place in heaven to take the lowest place. He stood in trial before a human court – falsely accused – and refused to offer a defence for Himself. Pilate said “Do you not know that I have power to crucify you and power to release you?” Jesus replied, “You could have no power against me at all unless it had been given to you from above.”

Jesus embraced the lowest place through His death on the cross. And yet, His crucifixion was for the sins of the world that whosoever would believe in Him would not perish, but have everlasting life. Now raised from death, Jesus again occupies the highest place. Those who believe are raised with him.

What use is it to gain all the wealth and power of this world, with everything it could offer you, at the cost of your own life? And what could be more valuable to you than your own soul? – Mark 8:36,37