12-25-2009, 10:34 PM
:heartbeat: James 3:17
Wisdom from Above
13 Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.
17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.
18 And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
One particular word, "reasonable", really stood out to me in today's Bible text. Webster's defines the word 'reason' as 'to think/give consideration; to be fair; to have sound judgment'. 'To think fair-mindedly with sound judgment' sounds about right - and it's one of Christ Jesus' finest teachings. What a powerful teacher Jesus was and is! Even today as we read his words we're compelled from the heart and mind to listen closely and carefully consider his teachings that have the power to change minds and lives for the best of all possible results. "...he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures." (Luke 24:45)
Matthew 17:25
He said, "Yes." And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth collect customs or poll-tax, from their sons or from strangers?"
Matthew 18:12
"What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying?"
Matthew 21:28
"But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, 'Son, go work today in the vineyard.'
Matthew 22:42
"What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?" They said to Him, " The son of David."
Mark 8:33
But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's."
Mark 12:30
"AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.'
Luke 8:18
"So take care how you listen; for whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him."
Luke 10:36
"Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers' hands?"
Luke 12:24
"Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds!"
Luke 12:27
"Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these."
Luke 12:57
"And why do you not even on your own initiative judge what is right?"
Luke 14:31
"Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand?"
John 7:24
"Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."
The apostles Paul and Peter heartily uphold the Lord's admonition to "think":
Romans 8:6
For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,
Romans 12:2, 3
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.
Romans 14:5
One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind.
1 Corinthians 10:15
I speak as to wise men; you judge what I say.
1 Corinthians 13:11
When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.
1 Corinthians 14:20
Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.
Philippians 4:7, 8
And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.
2 Timothy 1:13
Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.
1 Peter 1:13
Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 4:7
The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.
2 Peter 3:1, 2
This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles.
:heartbeat:With lots of love for you ALL,
Your sister in Christ,
Willa
Wisdom from Above
13 Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.
17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.
18 And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
One particular word, "reasonable", really stood out to me in today's Bible text. Webster's defines the word 'reason' as 'to think/give consideration; to be fair; to have sound judgment'. 'To think fair-mindedly with sound judgment' sounds about right - and it's one of Christ Jesus' finest teachings. What a powerful teacher Jesus was and is! Even today as we read his words we're compelled from the heart and mind to listen closely and carefully consider his teachings that have the power to change minds and lives for the best of all possible results. "...he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures." (Luke 24:45)
Matthew 17:25
He said, "Yes." And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth collect customs or poll-tax, from their sons or from strangers?"
Matthew 18:12
"What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying?"
Matthew 21:28
"But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, 'Son, go work today in the vineyard.'
Matthew 22:42
"What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?" They said to Him, " The son of David."
Mark 8:33
But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's."
Mark 12:30
"AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.'
Luke 8:18
"So take care how you listen; for whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him."
Luke 10:36
"Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers' hands?"
Luke 12:24
"Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds!"
Luke 12:27
"Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these."
Luke 12:57
"And why do you not even on your own initiative judge what is right?"
Luke 14:31
"Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand?"
John 7:24
"Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."
The apostles Paul and Peter heartily uphold the Lord's admonition to "think":
Romans 8:6
For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,
Romans 12:2, 3
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.
Romans 14:5
One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind.
1 Corinthians 10:15
I speak as to wise men; you judge what I say.
1 Corinthians 13:11
When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.
1 Corinthians 14:20
Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.
Philippians 4:7, 8
And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.
2 Timothy 1:13
Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.
1 Peter 1:13
Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 4:7
The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.
2 Peter 3:1, 2
This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles.
:heartbeat:With lots of love for you ALL,
Your sister in Christ,
Willa