“Happy is the man who finds wisdom and gains understanding” (Proverbs 3:13). This verse is the conclusion of Proverbs Chapter 2. All happiness is based upon knowledge of and submission to the divine will, spoken here as wisdom, since it is an act of highest wisdom to be submissive to God, who is the source of all good.

Whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God above. Who created all heaven’s light? The Bible states, “Unlike them He never changes or casts shifting shadows” (James 1:17). The Bible often compares goodness with light and evil with darkness. Psalm 27:1 will tell us that “the LORD is my light and my salvation. So why should I be afraid? The LORD protects me from danger so why should I tremble?”

Analyzing the verses mentioned above conveys that we are surrounded by the fear of dark shadows that ultimately imprison us within ourselves. The fear that I am trying to point out is the fear of rejection, misunderstanding, uncertainty, sickness or even death. As Christians, we can always depend on our faith of the LORD to conquer fear by using bright liberating light of the LORD who brings salvation. Simply, if we want to drive away darkness in our lives, let us remember the LORD is our light and salvation.

“Feed the hungry and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as days” (Isaiah 58:10).

By using Psalm 27:1, “the Lord is my light and my salvation,” and Isaiah 58:10, “light will shine out from the dark,” I want to suggest that trusting the One who has sovereign power above all, the One who gives us assurance of salvation if we continue in Him and doing good deeds, will make everything around us bright as days.

The following are a Series of Questions which will determine the Source of wisdom by using the book of Job:

1. Is the fear of dark shadows is the source of wisdom?

NO.

2.  Can wisdom be bought?

NO. Even with the most expensive jewelry or gold. We can only seek wisdom. To seek wisdom is to seek understanding. Wisdom is a process of discovery. Wisdom gives us a great ability to be in touch with God; to be in touch with the spirit of Jesus Christ; to be in touch with all the forces of all creation; to help us find journey; to seek is to discover, which eventually leads us to understanding.

3.  Where can we find wisdom?

• “Mortals do not know the way to it, and it is not found in the land of the living” (Job 28:13).
• “The deep says, ‘it is not in me;’ and the sea says, ‘It’s not with me’” (Job 28:14).

4.  Where does the wisdom come from?

“It is hidden from the eyes of all the living; and concealed from the birds of the air” (Job 28:21).

5.  Where is the Place of Understanding?

• “God understand the way to it; and he knows the place” (Job 28:23).
• “For he looks to the ends of the earth, and sees everything under the heavens” (Job 28:24).
• “When He gave to the wind its weight, and apportioned out the waters by measure” (Job 28:25).
• “When he made a decree for the rain, and way for the thunderbolt” (Job 28:26).
• “Then he saw it and declared it; he established; and searches it out” (Job 28:27).
• “And He said to humankind, the TRUE WISDOM IS FEAR OF THE LORD and to depart from evil is real understanding” (Job 28:28) and (Proverbs 9:10).

The previous verses suggest that wisdom alone is from God, and that not even humans are not the source of wisdom, or else there would be no need to seek it. However, the concluding verse points to the true “source of wisdom,” which is God, and to rebuke evil is understanding. But what is the “fear of the LORD?” Fear of the LORD is the foundation of knowledge, to honor and respect God, and to obey His power. Faith in God should be the controlling principle for our understanding of the world, our attitudes, and our actions. And by trusting God in our lives, He will make us wise.

One thing is certain: we cannot seek wisdom and gain understanding if we cannot go beyond ourselves.

GOD, HELP US TO FIND WISDOM IN OUR DAILY LIVING. SHOW US THE RIGHT PATHWAY AND LET US BE HUMBLE. MAKE US GAIN UNDERSTANDING TO THE FULLEST. AMEN.

Bro.Danny Cosico

i was reading an article in Discipleship Journal that dealt with the many facets of God- the different faces He allows different people to see of himself, depending on how He wants to be revealed to that person. We each must be united to learn from each other more about who God is, because not one can really simply say that he/she knows everything about Him, NOT one. God reveals himself differently, aside from of course the obvious- Savior and Lord.

With the infinite dimensions of God, we cannot just pick and choose who God is for our own convenience. We cannot say He is a loving God and deny His hand that wields justice. We cannot claim He is a forgiving God without acknowledging His judgement. We cannot say He is only giving without knowing He can take away. God is God, and His reasons for being cannot be understood by finite minds, thinking we alone can encapsulate Him and challenge Him, saying that He is of contradicting nature.

In our lifestyle, coming into the life of Christianity, following Christ, we also cannot choose who Jesus is to us. He cannot be our savior without being Lord of our lives. We cannot dare to dance in His grace without also acknowledging His laws. I struggle myself with this: that I cannot keep living sinfully because I am covered by grace, and I cannot live legalistically because I am covered by grace.

Although I cannot attain heaven by my works, by being good, and keeping His laws, I know I cannot live a lifestyle that keeps on doing bad.

King David said in Psalms 18:21-22, “For I have kept the ways of the Lord; I have not turned from my God to follow evil. For all his laws are constantly before me; I have never abandoned his principles.”

When I was young, I always thought King David was a shady dude, because despite all his scheming and sinning, he was really known as a man after God’s heart, and was also described as a man that God genuinely “delighted” in (18:19)…But what I’ve learned through the years is that God doesn’t want your works as much as He wants your heart. Although King David had lists of offenses, he had a contrite heart, and had a heart that longed to really please God. Even though He knew God delighted in him, he lived to keep God’s laws.

One of the youth said to me, “you have to remind me why I shouldn’t do those things,” and I responded, “because God said so.” She honestly responded, “i need something more than that,” so here goes: Do good, not for the act of just doing so, but do good because you love Him. He’d rather want the work in your heart than the work of your hands. But the work in your heart is revealed through the work of your hands. See, God doesn’t want offerings and sacrifices when our hearts are far from him, but He also says, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.” (john 8:31). Works are useless without your heart, and your heart is revealed through your works. By grace, we are free indeed, but we abuse that grace when we see God and respond in denial to His laws.
Living with the title “Christian” is always difficult. We can’t see it as a life on a tightrope, and we also can’t see it as a perpetual field. We need to live a life that reflects that God is the God of grace and the God of laws.

i found this image very fitting: