September 2021 week 2
Friday
THINGS ARE NOT ALWAYS WHAT YOU THINK
Lesson Objective: To understand the need to fully examine and study what is being taught as truth in today’s society.
Scripture: Matthew 4: 1-4;
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted[a] by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Understanding the need to have the wisdom of discernment to tell the difference between good and evil. The use of software like photoshop is very prevalent today. It is fairly easy to take a real picture and change it to look quite different while appearing to still be real. While the majority of time it is quite harmless and used for personal enjoyment there have been times when it is used to be harmful and can be used to destroy lives. Many people suggest that the difference between good and evil is like night and day; however, I would suggest that like photoshop seldom is evil so blunt that one can tell it clearly. Evil is most often clothed in half –truths so that we can mistake it for the truth if we are not careful- Matthew 7:15. Christ was tempted by Satan with half- truths. The first temptation was with bread since Christ had not eaten for 40 days and 40 nights. The second temptation was with misstating how God will take care of us. The third is with riches and glory. People may use religion to cause people to go astray. Simon the magician is an example in Acts 8: 9-11. Verse 10 suggest that the people were so amazed that they thought his power came from God. “and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.” However this was not the case as Simon wanted to use the power of the Holy Spirit to continue his on money ministry. We find some preachers that use the Bible to teach false doctrine such as prosperity ministries or suggesting that the definition of sin has changed over time. Acts that used to be sin or no longer sin.
Thought for the day: Be careful of who we follow and ensure that the teachings are consistent with the Bible and not just follow one that is popular. Acts 17:11
Thursday
Wisdom – Stay Away From Temptation
Scripture: Proverbs 7: 24-26
Now then, my sons, listen to me; pay attention to what I say.25 Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths. 26 Many are the victims she has brought down; her slain are a mighty throng.
If you play with fire long enough you will eventually get burned. One of the secrets of fighting temptation is to know when it is coming and to avoid it and go to the other side of the street. Wisdom allows us to ascertain the danger and as a result to avoid it. Temptation is like alcohol to an alcoholic. A recovering alcoholic knows the importance of not just being willing to say no to the first drink but more importantly not being in an enviroment where alcohol will be present. Using wisdom to decide where to go and to decide where not to go. A person suffering from substance abuse should not go back to the same environment. Temptation is all around us and we must use wisdom as a shield in front of our hearts for we are seeking to have a pure heart. The biggest mistake is to think that we can overcome temptation just because we are Christian for as Matthew 26: 41 says the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak, We must be wise in all that we do.
Thought for the day: Wisdom is reflected in making good decisions in where we go and what we do.
Wednesday
From whom do you seek counsel
Scripture: Proverbs 1: 8-10
My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
9 For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not
Lesson Objective: Be careful from whom we seek advice
From whom do you seek advice or counsel when you have a problem or have a decision to be made. We often times make one of two mistakes. The first mistake is that we have already made up our mind and just want someone to confirm our decision even if it is wrong. So we ask until someone agrees with our decision even if we know that it is the wrong decision. Somehow thinking that this will make the decision correct. The second and perhaps more dangerous mistake is to seek counsel from those who are not Christian. Saul made that mistake by seeking a seer rather than seeking advice from Samuel who had a direct line to God. When we go to non Christians for advice , the advice may sound good but is not biblically based and we can make choices that are not consistent with the wishes of God. An example is that non Christians are often times ok with terms like ‘eye for an eye” or “ it is ok to tell a white lie” or not understanding the meaning of forgiveness and love as defined by the Bible. The non Christian does not fear God which is the first step in obtaining wisdom and furthermore does not accept the reproof of God. Furthermore when we go to a Christian for counsel, please seek Bible reference instead of “this is what I think” and be careful of someone who immediately gives you an answer without first seeking prayer. Please ask only the wise for counsel and be willing to listen.
Thought for the day: Seek wisdom from the wise. The blind cannot lead the blind
Tuesday
Wisdom- How to gain it
Scripture: Proverbs 9: 9-10
Instruct a wise man, and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man, and he will increase his learning. 10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding
Lesson Objective: Find where to gain more and more wisdom
Many people go through life seeking to find treasures. They look everywhere. They seek the map with the spot marked by an X or other sources but only to come up empty-handed. They seek it through unhealthy relationships or drugs or alcohol. However the answer can be found in Matthew 6:33. “ But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you”. This brings us to the treasure of wisdom. Where do we find wisdom? The answer is in the scripture which says “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding”. It can also be found in James which states “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him”. So the answer is simple, if one seeks wisdom then they first must seek God. Then the very interesting fact is that the more wisdom one seeks through instructions the more wisdom is gained. So it appears that wisdom is a continued journey to a destination that we will never reach but should continually seek. But it begins with the single step of first seeking God and fearing God which means worshipping him and giving him the ultmost respect.
Thought for the day: Wisdom is there for the asking and it is free.
Monday
Wisdom
Scripture: Proverbs 1:1-3
The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: 2 To know wisdom and instruction, To [a]perceive the words of understanding,3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, Justice, judgment, and equity;
Lesson Objective: To learn the real meaning of wisdom and how we should use the wisdom
In one dictionary wisdom is defined as The ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting; insight. Another reference source states that wisdom is not knowledge or intellect or understanding and certainly not something that one can learn in a text book but gained through using all three collectively to make proper decisions. As did King Solomon, we must first seek wisdom over everything. Wisdom is necessary in order to gain understanding. We use wisdom to receive instructions and to properly administer justice, judgment and ensure equity. For many wisdom is difficult to obtain because we are taught to be self reliant and not to depend on anyone else and to make decisions that are self first and others second. However wisdom is most often received by experiences. These may be personal experiences or learning from others. Learning from others can be learning to do what they do or learning to not do what they do. Both are ways to gain wisdom. But know that gaining wisdom is an intentional act and is learned over time.
Thought for the day: What will be your intentional act today to gain greater wisdom?