by Beth Fore
“Who is wise and understanding
among you? Let him show it
by his good life, by deeds done
in the humility that comes from
wisdom. But if you harbor bitter
envy and selfish ambition in your
hearts, do not boast about it or deny
the truth. Such ‘wisdom’ does not
come down from heaven but is
earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For
where you have envy and selfish
ambition, there you find disorder
and every evil practice. 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.
Peacemakers who sow
in peace raise a harvest
of righteousness.”
(James 3:13-18 NIV)
A Closer Walk with God
Father, as I meditate on Your word today,
I understand that You alone know the path I will take.
I ask for Your wisdom, insight, and discernment
as I submit my will to Yours in the decisions I make.
Give me complete trust and faith in You, Father,
as You walk with me on this journey today.
Give me Your power, strength, and faithfulness
as Your Holy Spirit guides me to follow Your Way.
Help me to live this life as an exciting adventure
looking forward to the delights and sorrows that lie ahead.
Help me to live life fearlessly and expectantly
as I submit wholly to You and follow where I am led.
Keep my eyes and mind focused on You, Father,
so that Satan’s deceitful lies don’t lead me astray.
Transform me into the likeness of Your son, Jesus,
so that in every thought and deed I will seek to obey.
Use me as Your vessel to bring honor and glory to You,
so that others will know You and offer You praise.
Shower me with Your spiritual blessings, Father,
and walk closely beside me for all of my days.
by Beth Fore
*Wise people ask God for His wisdom and understanding so that they can know what God desires for their lives, and they seek to do His will rather than Satan’s will or their own.
“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. Peace lovers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.” (James 3:18 NIV)
As Christians, we can have a closer walk with God when we ask for His wisdom and understanding. God has a perspective on everything that is unique to only Him. He sees the whole picture from the creation of the world to the end of times. He works ALL things together for His good and our good. We show that we have this wisdom from God when we live a good life and do good deeds in humility.
Many people choose worldly wisdom rather than godly wisdom. This wisdom is selfish and self-satisfying. These people harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in their hearts, and this wisdom is earthly and unspiritual because it comes from the devil. This wisdom leads to disorder and every evil practice.
In order for us to walk closely to God and to understand His will for our lives, we must meditate on His Word often. We must trust Him completely and ask Him for His power, strength, and understanding as we face our daily challenges. We must keep our eyes focused on God’s will and stand up and confront Satan with his deceitful lies. We must desire God’s transformation of our spirits into the likeness of Jesus Christ, and we must seek to bring honor and glory to our heavenly Father in everything we say and do.
APPLICATIONS
- Do you pray that God will give you wisdom? Why is it important for us to pray for wisdom?
- Why do so many people fall into the trap of believing Satan’s wisdom?
- What are some of the things you need to do to be sure you are choosing God’s wisdom over Satan’s?
- Think about your relationship with another person with whom you are very close and intimate. What are some characteristics of that relationship that make it so intimate?
- Do the characteristics mentioned above characterize your relationship with God? Are there additional characteristics that you could have to make your relationship to God even closer?
If you have questions about how to follow Jesus or deepen your relationship with Him, email us at NLBIministry@gmail.com.
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