Trials. Hardships. You have them. I have them. They’re not fun. But what if there was some greater purpose behind some of them? In Hebrews 12: 7, 10 we read: “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children… God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his … Continue reading Trials can be trainers and teachers
wisdom
Tie your shoes first
Knowing the ABC’s of Christianity is important. In fact, if we don’t have a solid grasp of the basics, it’s going to be difficult for us to move on to more complicated matters. The writer of Hebrews was frustrated with his readers. He says: “though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need … Continue reading Tie your shoes first
Death bed perspective
I’ve had the privilege of talking with many people in their last days on earth. As people look back on their life, there are moments of reflection. Do you want to know what people never say? They never say, “I wish I had earned more money. I wish I had worked more. I wish I … Continue reading Death bed perspective
With humility comes wisdom
[Last devotional until September 6th, 2021. See note below.] Proverbs 11:2 says: “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” Have you ever wondered why that is? It’s because pride wants to take the wheel and be in control. Humility, on the other hand, is about kicking out arrogance so that God’s … Continue reading With humility comes wisdom
The misinformation age?
It was T.S. Eliot, the poet and playwright, who wrote: “Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?”* Those are good questions. People call this the information age, but it may end up being dubbed the mis-information age! Something vital is missed when the information we … Continue reading The misinformation age?
Embody one of these traits this week
On Friday we explored the idea of wisdom. After looking at James 3:17 we found that wisdom is not just stuff you know; it’s who you’re known to be. Today let’s try to apply James’ insight about wisdom to our own lives. Let’s look at that verse again: “But the wisdom from above is first … Continue reading Embody one of these traits this week
Wisdom: who you’re known to be
Who or what is a wise person like? Many people, when they try to describe someone who is wise, start to list things they know—usually profound bits of knowledge which have been tried and tested though time and the refining grind of real-life experiences. I would tend to agree. That certainly sounds a lot like … Continue reading Wisdom: who you’re known to be
Well-grounded people
Do you need wisdom to ground you? To make you more stable? Me too. Fortunately, Jesus’ half-brother James (a prominent leader in the early church), tells us what to do: “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. … Continue reading Well-grounded people
Be a California Redwood
The California Redwoods are massive trees, apparently the biggest living things on earth. Some are higher than 360 feet, and some are more than 60 feet around. Many are over 100 years old, and some are even over a thousand years old. Some of them have even been somewhat burned in forest fires—but they still … Continue reading Be a California Redwood
You can’t stand on quicksand
Yesterday I said that wisdom is hearing Jesus’ words and putting them into practice. Sounds good, right? But it also sounds STABILIZING. Here’s why.
The Up Devotional 