Is there a difference?

I think “being smart” often relies on our own cognitive abilities.

“He sure is smart.”

“That was a smart solution you came up with.”

“What a smart thing to do!”

We tap into our own knowledge, be it through reading, studying or experiences.

When we are being wise, we rely on someone or something other than our own storehouse of knowledge to inform us, knowing our own limitations. That takes humility but also discernment.

The Apostle James wrote: “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” James 3:17

The more we embrace the wonder of God, the more we realize how inadequate we are without His guidance in our lives. Smartness relies on what you already have stored in your brain. Wisdom constantly seeks to learn, embrace and use knowledge from an outside source. For the believer, that source is our Lord.

It is good to be smart, whether from the street or from books. But how much better to gain wisdom from the One who created the universe and expressed complete love on the cross!

Lord of all wisdom, increase our desire to know You, to emulate You and to turn to You when we just do not understand. 

Thought: What situation or problem today is beyond your ability to figure out? Bring it before God in prayer. Ask for His wisdom.

By Julie Cosgrove
Used by Permission

FURTHER READING

Get Wise

Living Wisely

Seeking the Source of Sound Wisdom

The post Being Smart or Being Wise appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain? … [The one] who keeps an oath even when it hurts…” Psalm 15:1,4

One of the biggest challenges of being a Christian in modern, western culture is that there are 100 seemingly innocuous choices every day in which we can express faith in the true God, or a counterfeit.

Some of these decisions are complicated, and involve mining the depths of our motivations and sinful tendencies. Some are much easier, or at least simpler. I have seen many young adults humming and hawing over a decision of whether to follow through on a commitment or not, because of its cost. Perhaps we see our commitment as negligible since we over looked certain details, or we forgot how things would precisely look when it came time to follow through.

As Christians, we are to reflect Christ, and one of the things that God emphasizes about Himself more than anything is that He is a God who keeps His promises. And don’t think that it was easy for Christ to keep His promise because He knew what it would cost Him. Remember the drops of blood in the garden? Remember that carrying through in a commitment that had unforeseen challenges in it demonstrates your trust in God seeing you through these challenges. There are times to apologize and admit your failure when you committed to something unhealthy or damaging in some way. However, we need to consider the beauty of Christ’s faithfulness in keeping His promises, what it would have meant for us if He backed out because it became too hard, and seek to follow in His footsteps.

…After all, isn’t that what a disciple does?

Father, Thank You for being 100% faithful in all of Your promises, so that we can trust all Your breathtaking promises for the future. Please help us to image You in our commitments to each other, whether big or small.

By Thomas Pujol
used by permission

FURTHER READING

• Prayer to Follow God
• God Supports Your Every Need as You Follow Jesus
• Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus
• Walking with Jesus

Follow Us On:  Facebook  • ‘X’ Twitter  •  Instagram  • Pinterest

The post What Disciples Do appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.
-He has made everything beautiful in its time.”  Ecclesiastes 3:1 and 11

It is autumn where I live and while we still enjoy days of bright sunshine and pleasant temperatures, cool nights suggest that summer is over. Most trees at the lower elevations remain green but aspens on mountain sides now glow with golden leaves.

But if autumn indicates the end of the growing season, why are so many of my neighbors busily working in their gardens? With dirt-smeared hands and small shovels, they dig into soft earth and plant ball-like seeds called bulbs. What kind of crop can they possibly expect when it is very likely that we will have snow in a matter of weeks?

These gardeners know a secret: the bulbs they plant now need long weeks in what will soon be cold ground in order to produce the brilliant colors of tulips and daffodils and the heady perfume of hyacinths when spring arrives.

Do you ever grow weary with the process of Christian discipleship, with memorizing Bible verses, studying the precepts of scripture and other aspects of spiritual discipline? With the advent of the microwave, cell phone communication and the internet, we have become accustomed to much that is instant. Even in the spiritual realm, we frequently expect to see immediate and concrete results, or experience emotional reaction when God is busy planting bulbs so that – at the appropriate time – we will burst into bloom.

Thank you, Lord, for prescribing seasons, both in nature and in our lives. Thank you for the times of blooming but also for the colder days when I may not see results but know with confidence that you are producing growth.

by Marilyn Ehle
used by permission

FURTHER READING

• • Preparing for Winter
  • Hope Changes Everything   – without Winter there would be no Spring
  • Secret of Contentment

Follow Us On:  Facebook  • ‘X’ Twitter  •  Instagram  • Pinterest

The post Growing in Winter appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“A man finds joy in giving an apt reply — and how good is a timely word!” Proverbs 15:23

Thoughts on today’s verse

Knowing the right word at the right time is a great gift. But even the best of speakers has to admit that the best of his or her words are not nearly as good as those the Spirit gives. Nevertheless, we must not excuse ourselves of insensitive speech, unkindness, or even missed opportunities because we were not paying attention to what was said, were not spiritually in tune with the needs of our companions, or simply did not know Scripture well enough to bless others with gracious speech at the appropriate time.

Prayer:

 Loving Shepherd, I will spend much of my time today with people. Some of them know you, but most do not. Please give me wisdom to say things that lead people closer to you. Give me words of help and hope for the broken. Give me words of tenderness for the fainting. Give me words of direction for the confused. Father, I pray that whatever words I say today may reflect your will and be led by your purposes. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

By Phil Ware
used by permission
from https://www.heartlight.org

FURTHER READING

• Small Words, Large Meaning
• Words that Echo
• Lessons from Life: Words

The post The Right Word appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“ … Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have…” 1 Peter 3:15

One of my most dreaded childhood experiences was when my teacher would ask me a question. Although I often knew the answer, the question paralyzed me because I was unprepared for the scrutiny. In today’s increasingly secular world, many believers experience a similar paralysis when confronted with an intrusive or challenging question about their faith.

Why are so many believers unprepared for the world’s inquiries and inquisitions? Statistics suggest it’s the thriving epidemic of biblical illiteracy. In Matthew 16:15-16, Jesus asks Peter,

“Who do you say I am?” Peter responds: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” In Acts 17:3, Paul reiterates: “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,” Both men boldly proclaim truth, but their concise answers are the result of divine revelation and intentional, disciplined study of Scripture. They had adequately prepared themselves to proclaim the sovereignty and divinity of the Messiah.

Are you prepared to answer spontaneous inquiries about your faith? Christian apologist, Ravi Zacharias observes: “Everyone — pantheist, atheist, skeptic, polytheist — has to answer these questions: ‘Where did I come from? What is life’s meaning? How do I define right from wrong and what happens to me when I die?’ Those are the fulcrum points of our existence.”

In a world desperately seeking answers, believers don’t require a seminary degree to effectively proclaim Christ. They need only willingly prepare their hearts and minds through regularly studying God’s Word so they can effectively proclaim Jesus as the answer the world needs.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the privilege of knowing You. May Your Holy Spirit help me to prepare my heart and mind to be Your faithful witness. Empower and equip me with Your Word and grant me favor to effectively proclaim Jesus. Amen.

By Allan Mitchell
Used by permission

FURTHER READING

• The Elevator Speech
• Ready?
• Prayer Before You Speak

Follow Us On:  Facebook  • ‘X’ Twitter  •  Instagram  •  Pinterest

The post Who Do You Say that I Am? appeared first on Thoughts About God.

What is Wisdom?

1. The quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment; the quality of being wise.
2. The soundness of an action or decision with regard to the application of such experience, knowledge, and good judgment.

Definition of Wise:

Having the power of discerning and judging properly as to what is true or right; possessing discernment, judgment, or discretion.

The Bible says:

“Get wisdom, get insight.” Proverbs 4:5

Why Should we get Wisdom?

Wisdom provides true and lasting happiness–something we are all striving for.

Proverbs 3:13 says,

“Happy is the man who finds wisdom and the man who gets understanding. It is the key to lasting happiness.”

Proverbs 19:8 says,

“He who gets wisdom loves himself.”

Proverbs 16:16 puts it,

“How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver! “

Proverbs 8:20 says,

“I (Wisdom) lead in the way of righteousness…”

Proverbs 3:17b states,

“Her (Wisdom) ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.”

Proverbs 4:7 says,

“Wisdom is the principal thing;  therefore  get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding”.

What are the Characteristics of a Person who has Wisdom?

Proverbs 9:10 says,

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.”

The wisdom that leads to life and ultimate joy begins with knowing and fearing God.

Proverbs 11:2 says,

“When pride comes, then comes disgrace; but with the humble is wisdom.

The wise person is characterized by humility.

Wisdom consists in knowing and doing the commandments of God. Jesus said that hearing and doing God’s Word is godly wisdom.

Wisdom also includes sensitive, mature judgment or discernment.

Colossians 1:9 says,

“We have not ceased to pray for you, that you may be filled with knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.”

How Do We Get Wisdom?

Desire it with all your heart.

Proverbs 4:8,

“Prize her (wisdom) highly and she will exalt you; she will honor you for your embrace.”
Wisdom must be valuable to us.

Saturate yourself with the Word of God.

Psalm 19:7.

“The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.”

Pray for wisdom.

James 1:5 says,

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God.”

Think about the brevity of your life.

Psalm 90:12, says,

“So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.”

We must come to Jesus. Jesus is the wisdom of God.

Colossians 2:3 says,

“In Him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

Father God, you are the source of all godly wisdom and we desire it with all our hearts. We ask that you will fill your people with your wisdom. Amen

This article has been condensed from an article by John Piper.

By Katherine Kehler
Used by Permission

FURTHER READIBG

• Living Wisely
• Build Wisely
• The Wise Builder

Follow Us On:  Facebook  • ‘X’ Twitter  •  Instagram  •  Pinterest

The post Get Wise appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“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. For all that is in the world– the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions–is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” 1 John 2:15-17 (ESV)

In light of recent events, I have wanted to think about where I am before God and what He expects of me.

So I went down the imaginary stairs of my consciousness, to the inner store-cupboard of my being.

I made my way past the previously opened boxes, piled in a heap on one side. For now I was keen to find the box I hoped would still be there, so I pressed on and opened the cupboard.

Yes, there it was, the box labelled, “In the need for faith, open“. Its container was somewhat battered and torn by past frequent use and abuse but lately it had become dusty. I struggled with the box as I carried it from the cupboard to a waiting table. There, in the light of the room, I rummaged inside the box and pulled out a cassette entitled “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego“. Its tale can also be found in Daniel chapter 3.

I placed it in the player on the table. It told of three God-fearing people who, by an attitude of faith, were blessed. They built a bridge of trust with God between a time of imminent painful death in a fiery furnace by order of the king, and a time where they were to find themselves coming out of the furnace untouched. With either outcome in mind they had been prepared to face the fear of death because they loved God more than this life.

It is a reminder I re-play to myself time and again. It tells of faithfulness expected and rewarded. I believe it speaks of daring courage, self-sacrifice, in the face of a painful torture. How could they do it? They believed their life would be kept safe in God’s hands, even through death itself.

“ for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way“. Daniel 3:29b (ESV)

LORD, in your mercy hear our prayers for our world today. LORD, for those in positions of oversight faced with the impossible, unbearable, overwhelming or ceaseless, bring to their hearts and minds your Wisdom, Peace, Hope and your deliverance from dissipation.

LORD, in our time stem the tide of fear. Show us the way You wish us to go in Your Kingdom and grant us the courage to remain faithful wherever that may lead us. Give us eyes that see the need, ears that hear the call and a spirit that is willing to serve, to the praise of Your Name. Amen.

By Rod Marshall
Used by Permission

FURTHER READING

• Forgiveness – Yourself and  Others
•  Going Deeper with God

Learn more about knowing Jesus at: https://thoughtsaboutgod.com/four-laws/

The post Boxes appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere” James 3:17

James describes two kinds of wisdom ? the kind from heaven and the one from earth (James 3:13-18). The wisdom of this world focuses on self. Selfish ambition and bitter envy naturally dwell in human hearts. People generally look out for their own interests.

On the other hand, “wisdom from above” or “God’s kind of wisdom” (NLT) flows from God’s character. In the passage above, James states that after the foundation of purity, being peace-loving appears as the second most important aspect of heavenly wisdom.

Loving peace requires all the elements of God’s wisdom ? purity, the consideration of others, and humble submission to God and His way. In order to truly live out God’s call to peace, we need God’s mercy, as found in His righteous character, and His unbiased and genuine love.

Peace-lovers desire unity and harmony more than being right. They consider listening to others as more important than airing their own opinions. Peace-lovers value people more than tasks.

Yet, loving peace doesn’t mean peace at any cost. Rather, peace-lovers willingly pay the cost of peace by denying themselves. In the journey toward wisdom, loving peace marks a significant milestone, because loving peace highlights the difference between worldly wisdom (self-promotion) and heavenly wisdom (submission to God).

Holy Spirit, make me a peace-lover. I want to live my life with heavenly wisdom, not the wisdom of this world. Amen.

Suzanne Benner
Used by Permission

https://thelife.com/devotionals

FURTHER READING

Wisdom of God

Making Sense of God’s Wisdom

The Benefits of Acquiring Godly Wisdom

Follow Us On:  Facebook  • Twitter  •  Instagram  • Pinterest

The post Heavenly Wisdom appeared first on Thoughts About God.

Moses announced in Exodus 15:11,

“Who among the gods is like you, Lord? Who is like you—majestic in holiness?”

The psalmist asked,

“Who in the skies is comparable to the Lord? Who among the sons of the mighty is like the Lord” (Psalm 89:6).

Isaiah wrote,

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory” (Isaiah 6:3)!

God is not just holy or holy, holy, holy—he is wholly unlike us. Pain does not plague him. The economy does not faze him. Elections do not define him. Diseases do not infect him and death cannot claim him. Ephesians 3:20 proclaims he is

“able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.”

Stare at the mountain less and at the Mountain Mover more. Ponder the holiness of God. Let his splendor stun you and inspire you!

By Max Lucado
Used by Permission
From: Glory Days

To learn more about Max Lucado visit his website at:
https://maxlucado.com/about/

FURTHER READING

Splendor of His Holiness

God Is HOLY

Keep These Things and Ponder Them in Your Heart

GOD IS HOLY . . .

Follow Us On:  Facebook  • Twitter  •  Instagram  • Pinterest

The post Ponder the Holiness of God appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.“ Isaiah 54:10

Forty million Americans over the age of 18 are affected by some form of anxiety disorder — roughly 18 percent of the nation’s population according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA). Probably many countries today have similar statistics. Think of the millions spent on medications and appointments with medical health professionals. Plus consider the relational and social implications for each person who suffers from being depressed or anxious.

Could there be a spiritual element that could work along with other forms of therapy?

God created us and understands our deep complexities better than we do. Through that wisdom, He provides instructions, found in scripture, which both protect us and provide for us. For example, when it comes to our tendency to be anxious, He commands us to seek peace ? both internally and externally ? in our heart, mind and soul, plus in all our relationships.

We humans have limited power to control the world around us but we can have control over our internal world. Peace can seep into our souls in moments of anxiety when our minds focus instead on God’s total sovereignty over the affairs of the nations and our lives (Isaiah 40:12-25).

God, in His perfect wisdom, promises that we can experience peace if we focus our thoughts on Him. Jesus comforted his disciples by telling them not to fear by relaying to them that God knows when sparrows fall to the ground and that they are of greater value than many sparrows (Matthew 10: 29-31). We can take comfort in the fact He is a personal God who knows us and the details of our lives, and loves us deeply.

We cannot control our circumstances but we can turn to the one who controls all things. Peace will spread deep within us as our focus shifts from circumstances to the one who governs all.

Jesus I need your peace deep in my soul. Thank you that you are the Prince of Peace, the fruit of your Spirit’s work is peace and you promised to give your followers a peace that the world will not understand. I claim that peace today. Amen.

By Mike Woodard
Used by permission

Do you have Jesus in your life to comfort you and give you peace?  Would you like to have a relationship with Him? If you do,  you can start today by committing and submitting your life to him. It starts with a simple heart felt prayer:

Lord, thank You for dying so we can be set free from all of guilt and sin — no matter how big or small.  Your blood has erased all of our sin. Thank You so much! Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life to you and ask you to come in as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of person you want me to be. Amen

If you did pray this prayer or once like it, we would love to hear from you. Some helpful internet links will be sent to you and we can also connect you with an email mentor if you’d like that. Your choice. But we’d still love to hear from you.

FURTHER READING

• Prayer for Inner Peace
• Peace I Leave You
• How Can I Deal with Inner Turmoil? 

The post Where is Your Focus? appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God.” 1 Corinthians 3:19

During my Bible reading I began to reflect on how little any one person knows and how limited one person’s wisdom is.

Each of us have some insights, knowledge and wisdom, but the scope is usually fairly narrow and limited to our sphere of influence and knowledge. Our world. We are good at what we do and have gained wisdom and knowledge regarding our special interests and experience. But if we were suddenly placed in a new, unfamiliar position or found ourselves in a foreign city unable to speak the language, not knowing know how to even find a bathroom, we would become aware of limitations. Our knowledge and experience would not help us. We need someone else to help us.

When I consider the six billion people in the world – each having wisdom about life in their world – I realize how little wisdom each of us as individuals possess. Compared to God – next to zero.

Now then, think about the wisdom of God. He knows everything and is all wise. Even if we compiled all the wisdom of everyone in the world and measured it against God’s wisdom, it would be almost nothing.

Also, when we remember that everything we know and everything we have comes from God anyway, we cannot think ourselves wise, but only be humbled.

Remember the “wise advice” Job’s friends gave him when he had lost everything? They thought they were very wise. Job himself questioned God about why this disaster happened to him. God was not impressed by any of them. (Read Job 38 to 41)

What is wisdom? The Bible tells us,

“The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.” (Proverbs 1:7).

When we begin to recognize that our life is about God, not about us – that is the beginning of wisdom.

How do we get more wisdom? One way is to read God’s Word and to learn from Him.

“Nothing is perfect except your words. Oh, I how I think about them all day long. They make me wiser than my enemies, because they are my constant guide. They make me even wiser than the aged.” (Psalms 119:96-100).

Fear God. Know God by reading His word and obeying the insights and directions He gives you.

Next time you think you are wise in your eyes, remember, you may be knowledgeable and have some insights in your small world, but compared to total wisdom, you (and I) know little. And even if we added all the combined wisdom of the people in this world, compared to God, it is nothing.

God, build in us a healthy fear and reverence for You. Cause us to soak up the wisdom of Your Word – the only perfect words. Help us to be humble. Amen.

By Katherine Kehler
Used by Permission

Further Reading

•  God is Faithful
•  God Knows Everything
•  Salvation Explained

The post Wisdom of God appeared first on Thoughts About God.

Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.   Proverbs 17:28

As child I heard this proverb in the statement:

“It is better to be silent and be thought a fool, then to open your mouth and remove all doubt.”

Our words reveal much about our thoughts, feelings and ultimately our character.

Thoughts by Mike Woodard
used by permission

FURTHER READING

• Stop Talking! 
• Prayer Before You Speak
• The Words of Our Mouth
• Heavenly Wisdom

Follow Us On:  Facebook  • Twitter  •  Instagram  • Pinterest

The post Even a Fool appeared first on Thoughts About God.