Wisdom

IBS 5

Ephesians 5:15-17

“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

This life is not my own. This is a truth the Lord is bringing to light in my life. I knew my life wasn’t my own before coming into Ignite, but it was more head knowledge than understanding and application. The more I understand that I was not made for me the more I long to die to myself the way Jesus died for me. Since being here in Antigua, the Lord has been peeling off layers of myself that I didn’t even know were affecting my walk with Him. I could read the words in this verse “redeeming the time” and franticly try to fill my time with acts of service. I could consciously go out of my way to do something nice for someone, which is not a bad thing. But God doesn’t want what I think I should do. God wants me to let Him lead me by the Holy Spirit and walk in obedience where He calls me. A faulty mindset the Lord revealed to me I had was the desire to work “for” Him, rather than “unto” Him. I have to wake up at 6:30 each morning. My first week here in Guatemala one of the mornings was harder to get up. I pulled my body up until I was sitting straight up and thought, “Okay Lord, I am going to make my bed for You with joy.” Again, this is not a bad mindset, but God doesn’t need me to make my bed for Him. He could make it if He wanted to. But God wants me to make it unto Him; in submission and with thanksgiving. The will of the Lord is not for me to work for Him. He doesn’t need me. But I get to serve Him with my life; even in the little things. The Lord has showed me that redeeming the time is not the work I do, but the time I spend with Him and then pouring into others. God wants me to be a servant; wherever I am, whoever I am with, whatever I am doing.

My Application: I can redeem my time by spending more quality time with the Lord; then pouring out myself because He filled me. I will read my Bible before I go to bed each night and continually ask the Lord to change this mindset of working for Him into a service unto Him.

Wisdom

IBS 4  

2 Corinthians 1:12

“For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you.”

In 2 Corinthians Paul is praising the church in Corinthians for their change of behavior. He is boasting in the work Jesus has done in and through him and Timothy in encouragement. In verse 8 Paul writes, “For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even life.” Now in verse 12 Paul is writing from the victory stand point declaring that the Lord delivered them from this suffering. I am thankful for the example Paul is. Paul allowed himself to suffer for the sake of the gospel, even not knowing the outcomes. I know in my life I am going to suffer, at times beyond what I think I can bear, but I am always promised a way out. Paul writes multiples times that we should count it our joy when going through struggles. Our struggles reveal our problems which allow for us to submit to the Lord and let Him do a work in us.

Application: When faced with struggles, or suffering, I will boast in the name of Jesus. That no suffering I experience on this earth will ever replace the suffering He underwent on the cross for me.

Wisdom

IBS 3

James 1:5

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”

I forget this verse too often. I think in my own understanding when I am trying to pursue a heart of wisdom I run to reading the word and trying to put into practice the truths of wisdom that I read. In this I unconsciously neglect the simple fact that I can freely ask Him for wisdom. But instead of asking Him, I try to figure wisdom out on my own. Yesterday we had over and hour of time to be alone with the Lord; we call this time On the Mount. As I was reading in my Bible and talking to the Lord He revealed to me how I so easily fall into the mindset that when I read my Bible it is my responsibility to pull truth out of it; as if revelation of truth comes from me. This is a "textbook" mindset. What I mean by this is that if I open my Bible with the expectation that I am going to learn, and I am going to define what I read, I would be denying the Holy Spirit the ability to reveal Himself to me. I immediately repented and asked Him to reveal Himself to me by the power of His Holy Spirit. What I think doesn't define the truth. I need to step out of the way to let Him show me who He is fresh each day. What a vast God I serve and get to know! When I want to get to know people, I dont sit down and tell them who I think they are. I listen to what they have to say, I watch their character and allow time spent with them to reveal who they truly are. Why should I handle my relationship with Jesus any different? I would be a fool to neglect getting to know Him truthfully, allowing Him to reveal Himself and not listening to what He has to say.

Application: Every time I open my Bible to spend time with the Lord, I will ask Him for a fresh out pour of the Holy Spirit,for a revelation of Himself to me through the Holy Spirit and the wisdom to apply what He has revealed to me. 

Wisdom

IBS 2

 Psalm 111:10

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.”

Reading this verse I appreciate how straight forward it is. It gives clear instruction that the path to wisdom is to first fear the Lord, then obey His commandments. This obedience to His commandments requires submission to Him and knowledge of His commandments. When I read this verse I also think of Jonah. God called him to go to Nineveh and preach against the wickedness of the people. Jonah disobeyed and fled from the call of the Lord in the opposite direction. His actions showed that he had no government of himself, very little respect of God and little to no affection towards men. Fearing the Lord is not fear in terror, but rather honor and respect, knowing He is powerful; righteous in justice, and long-suffering in grace. When God makes His call known to me I can rest in submission to Him; knowing that the true path to wisdom is in fear and obedience. This is a truth I am learning daily through being in the IGNITE program. I can rest in submission. I have never fully known the depths of submission and I am so thankful that the Lord asks me to lay aside myself and to fear Him.  I love how this verse states His praise endures forever. His praise and glory are not determined by me. I can give Him glory and bring Him praise, but He is praised with or without me.

Application: I will continually submit myself to the Lord. My thoughts, my heart, my desires. I will ask Him to teach me what it truly means to fear Him.

Wisdom

IBS 1

James 3:13-17

“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.”

When I read this verse my first thought is that wisdom is a matter of the heart. I want to be wise, I want to be a woman in pursuit of the gentle and quiet spirit Christ calls me to have in 1 Peter 3:4. In order to have a gentle and quiet spirit I must first bring my spirit under obedience and quiet my heart before the Lord. In my desire to pursue wisdom I so often forget that the establishment of wisdom is submission. Submission to the Lord and what His word says. The wisdom the earth has to offer me is self-elevating, full of my own envy and tainted with confusion. God is not a God of confusion. When I try to be wise by my own understanding I create confusion. As I submit to the Lord He draws me deeper into His word; giving me clarity that wisdom is a matter of pressing into His word and allowing Him to establish me. One of the biggest truths I pull from James 3:13-17 is that wisdom is not merely understanding or knowledge. Wisdom is understanding with action; it is the ability to know what is needed in a situation and determining how to respond. The Lord keeps reminding me that in order to gain wisdom and understanding and before I can act on the wisdom I have, I first must have self-control. I must have control of my heart, my mind, my emotions, my words. The Lord keeps speaking to me Proverbs 10:19 which says, “In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise.” In my pursuit of wisdom I will continue to humble myself before the Lord and press into His word. I will quiet my heart before Him and ask Him to transform my understanding of wisdom.