Obedience & Wisdom

The Scriptures teach us that people who obey the Lord, who read His Word and do what it teaches, are learning to be wise. In the book of Proverbs, wisdom is discussed at length.

It is fitting and appropriate for each one of us to desire to gain wisdom. As always, let’s read the following Bible verses:

Respect and obey the Lord! This is the beginning of wisdom. To have understanding, you must know the Holy God. (Pro 9:10 CEV)

Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. (Mt 7:24 NLT)

Anyone who comes and listens to me and obeys me ⁴⁸is like someone who dug down deep and built a house on solid rock. When a flood came and the river rushed against the house, it was built so well that it didn’t even shake. (Lk 6:47-48 CEV)

You are my friends, if you do what I command you. (Joh 15:14 ISV)

From these passages, we learn that honoring the Lord and following His laws is the beginning of wisdom. Obedience to the Lord is compared to building a house upon a solid rock, which makes the house strong and stable. And the Lord says that we are His friends IF we do what He commands us to do.

For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding . . . (Pro 2:6 NKJV)

He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly . . . (Pro 2:7 NKJV)

The Book of Proverbs teaches us that the Lord gives the gift of wisdom, and that he actually stores it up for His righteous followers! Glory to God!

And don’t become confused, for it is not actions that make a person righteous, but a personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Redeemer. You are blessed!

Life Found and Lost, for Christ’s Sake

Our Savior and Lord taught us that we need to sacrifice our carnal, fleshly comfort and preferences in order to realize the eternal life that He has promised to His disciples and followers. In these Bible verses, the Lord is talking about a temporary form of life (the normal human lifespan) as compared to eternal life (never-ending).

In order to truly “lose” our lives, we must surrender our selfish desires and wants on a daily basis—not just once in some supreme act of surrender at the end of the Christian life. Here are some relevant Bible verses:

Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. (Mt 10:39 NIV)

. . . because whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and for the gospel will save it. (Mk 8:35 ISV)

Whoever strives to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will keep it. (Lk 17:33 NASB)

We must learn how to “die” to our carnal, human life in order to gain the gift of eternal life. We do this in obedience to Jesus, our Savior and Lord, who has called us to follow Him and to serve Him. We are called to bring glory to God and to the Kingdom of God.

We need to die to our carnal, human life because human beings are driven by pride and a selfish desire to acquire things for themselves. This is exactly the opposite of what the next Bible verse instructs us to do.

I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service of worship. (Rom 12:1 MEV, emphasis added)

Being a “living sacrifice” means dying constantly to the proud and selfish parts of our human nature. However, if we put our total trust in God and in His Word, we will receive everlasting life. Glory to God!

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Pay Much Closer Attention

The Scriptures teach believers and followers of Jesus Christ to pay much closer attention to the Word of God than is generally taught. There are multiple Bible verses that instruct us to:

Pay attention,
Listen to the Word,
Keep God’s Word before your eyes,
Keep Scriptures in your heart (memorize them),
Treasure God’s Word, and
Consider the Scriptures as the apple of our eye (a special treasure).

These Bible passages also inform us that God’s Word is wisdom, so it would benefit us enormously to heed these teachings.

My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. ²¹They are not to escape from your sight; keep them in the midst of your heart. (Pro 4:20-21 NASB)

Proverbs 4 urges us to ‘pay attention’ to God’s Word by listening to the Word, keeping them in front of our eyes, and keeping them in our heart. And that means DAILY and often throughout each day.

My son, do not lose sight of these— keep sound wisdom and discretion . . . (Pro 3:21 NIV)

My son, be attentive to my wisdom; incline your ear to my understanding . . . (Pro 5:1 NIV)

My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you; keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching as the apple of your eye . . . (Pro 7:1-2 NIV)

Don’t disdain or try to bypass the Word of God. Rather, we do well to study God’s Word, honor it, and obey it. God’s Word will bless us with wisdom and prudence. When we treat the Word of God as our treasure and the gift that brings us joy, insight and revelation, it will return to us blessings and contentment that can’t be foreseen! God bless you!

Be Trustworthy With Peoples’ Secrets

As followers of Jesus Christ and servants of the Kingdom of God, believers must be honorable and responsible with whatever they know about other people. The Bible has plenty to say about this, so let’s look at just a few Scriptures on our topic.

A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret. (Pro 11:13 NIV)

He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips. (Pro 20:19 NKJV)

Argue your case with your neighbor himself, and do not reveal another’s secret . . . (Pro 25:9 ESV)

A gossip is a Hebrew term for someone who shares hurtful information about others. Other ways of describing this type of person would be: blabbermouth, rumormonger, or ‘nosy-parker.’ These words all sound distasteful and grubby, don’t they?

Notice that a gossip reveals information of a negative nature, while a spiritually trustworthy person conceals the same type of knowledge! Which type of person would you prefer your friends to be? What kind of person do YOU wish to be?

The terrible truth about some gossips is that they spread FALSE information about other people. This is a truly loathsome practice. It is impossible to reverse the widespread damage that can be done to someone’s reputation through gossip.

“The idea conveyed by the word ‘trustworthy’ is one who supports, nurtures, and establishes another person. It is used as the term for the comfort and support a baby receives from the arms of its parent. Whether we initially realize it or not, when someone shares painful intimate details of their lives with us – we can either cradle them in our arms, providing love and support, or we can crush them and cause great pain. People share these painful things because they need the nurture and encouragement of someone who will love and conceal these things.” ~ Steve Morrison

You can determine, when other people share their secrets with you, to be a part of God’s healing presence and ministry in their lives. Open your heart with understanding, compassion, and prayer. Turn the person to Jesus and help them to know that He loves them and forgives them. Share some Bible verses with them. Pray about everything that you have been told, and keep the person in your prayers afterward, too. We are all called to follow the example of our Lord. Hallelujah!

Released from Law

As believers and followers of Jesus Christ, we have been released from the law. (See Rom 7:6 below.) What does this mean to us now?

First, let’s read some pertinent Scriptures:

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. (1 Cor 15:56 ESV)

The law of God forbids all transgression, and sentences those who commit it to temporal and eternal death. Sin has its controlling and binding power from the law. The law curses the transgressor, and provides no help for him; and if nothing else intervene, he must, through it, continue ever under the empire of death. (Clarke’s Commentary ~ Clarke, Adam. “Commentary on 1 Corinthians 15:56”. “The Adam Clarke Commentary”. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/acc/1-corinthians-15.html. 1832.) [Bold emphasis added]

God becomes angry when his Law is broken. But where there isn’t a law, it cannot be broken. (Rom 4:15 CEV)

This verse in Romans 4 is explaining to us that God’s laws, when not kept perfectly, bring God’s wrath upon us; and bring about our physical and spiritual destruction. But the only way to avoid breaking the law is for there to be NO LAW.

In other words, we live a life of slavery to our sinful desires, which are awakened by the restrictions of the law.

But now we have been released from the law, because we have died to what controlled us, so that we may serve in the new life of the Spirit and not under the old written code. (Rom 7:6 NET)

Another version of Romans 7:6 states it like this:

But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code. (Rom 7:6 ESV)

Once we accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we DIED TO SIN. (Rom 6:2; 1 Pet 2:24, emphasis added) Since we DIED TO SIN, we are dead to the thing that used to control us and condemn us.

By grace we have been saved through faith. (Eph 2:8) Glory to God! We now live by faith, and love should motivate everything that we do as believers.

Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. (Ro 13:10 NKJV) Serving the Lord and His Kingdom out of love, and having love for our fellow human beings will inspire us to do good deeds. God bless you.

Cling to the Lord

The Bible encourages all believers to cling to the Lord as One whom we love and rejoice in, trust and unburden our hearts to, and from whom we have great prospects. These are the basic and necessary conditions for a fitting relationship with the Lord.

The Bible says this:

You are to fear the Lord your God and serve him. Cling to him and swear by his name. (Deut 10:20 ISV)

You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him. (Deut 13:4 NKJV)

. . . so that you may live worthily of the Lord and please him in all respects—bearing fruit in every good deed, growing in the knowledge of God . . . (Col 1:10 NET)

These Bible passages teach us our duty to God and our duty to ourselves, as believers and followers of Jesus Christ.

Scriptures are given to us to bless us, teach us, and to benefit us. Through the Bible, the Lord is teaching us about Himself and about His ways. He is teaching and exhorting us to live holy lives that will bless not only our neighbors and our communities, but will also bring the blessings of God upon ourselves and our families.

The more that we pay attention to and obey God’s Word, the more blessed our lives and the lives of other people will be. Glory to God most High!

Avoid Undisciplined Believers

There are verses in the Bible that tell believers and followers of Jesus Christ to keep away from a brother or sister who lives an unruly life. This is especially talking about those believers who would NOT WORK in Thessalonica because they had decided to rebel against Paul’s teachings about work.

They were out-of-step with their brethren and defiant toward the apostle’s teachings. This is NEVER a good combination for a believer to adopt. It also meant that these lazy, idle people were living off of their hard-working brothers and sisters.

Apparently, another aspect of these out-of-step believers was that they were busybodies, going round spreading gossip and perhaps some false teachings, as well. Let’s look at some pertinent Bible passages.

If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. (Mt 18:17 NIV)

Brothers and sisters, we command you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to stay away from every brother or sister who lives an undisciplined life that is not in line with the traditions that you received from us. (2 Thes 3:6 CEB)

If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of him. Have nothing to do with him so that he will feel ashamed. Yet, don’t treat him like an enemy, but warn him like a brother. (2 Thes 3:14-15 ISV)

Biblical love seeks the highest good of the loved one, namely, that he or she might be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. If a believer is disobeying God’s written commandments, it’s not loving on the part of the brethren to let this person go on without correcting them.

If a believer doesn’t work when he or she is able-bodied, it’s a damaging witness to the unbelieving world, who notices such things.

In order to correct a brother or sister in Christ, the person or persons doing the correction must be living an upright life that is an example of godliness, and must also approach the task with a genuine spirit of humility and gentleness. When the apostle Paul traveled in order to share the Good News, he worked hard and supported himself so that he wouldn’t be a burden on anyone else. In this manner, he was an example of financial integrity; and therefore, he had a legitimate platform to encourage others to reach the same level of integrity. Have a blessed day!

Refuge in Christ

As believers in and followers of Jesus, we have a certain refuge in Christ. Praise the Lord most High!

The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned. (Ps 34:22 ESV)

The Lord liberates and rescues the life of His servants. None who run to Him will be rejected by Jesus Christ. What a gift!

[Who] saves your life from the pit, crowns you with faithful love and compassion . . . (Ps 103:4 CEB)

Jesus saves our eternal lives from the pit of hell by being our Savior and Redeemer. He honors us with His faithful love and His ongoing compassion every single day. These are absolute treasures.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³²He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? ³³Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. ³⁴Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. (Rom 8:31-34 NKJV)

In the above passage of Scripture, the author is summing up the riches of our salvation:

God is FOR US and no one can successfully oppose us.
God gives us ALL things generously because He has already sacrificed His greatest gift in sending Jesus as the propitiation for our sins.
No one can charge God’s chosen ones because Jesus, our Savior, has justified us by His blood.
Christ makes intercession for us in heaven, serving as our Advocate against the enemy of our souls.

Therefore, in light of these wonderful promises, when you’re in need or in distress, run to our Savior and Redeemer, our Healer and our High Tower. You won’t be disappointed because Jesus loves you.

Maturing in Christ

As servants and followers of the Lord Jesus, we are called to grow in grace and in faith. As we continue to obey the teachings of the Bible and the leading of the Holy Spirit, we will grow and mature in our relationship with the Savior.

Instead, by speaking the truth in love, we will grow up completely and become one with the head, that is, one with the Messiah . . . (Eph 4:15 ISV)

We are one with Jesus, the Messiah. As our obedience continues, and our faith matures, we will become seasoned soldiers of the cross.

Therefore, putting away lying, let every man speak truthfully with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. (Eph 4:25 MEV)

We are all members of one another—one body, so we need to be truthful and considerate of our neighbors and fellow believers.

Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— (1 Peter 2:2 NIV)

This is exactly what happens the longer that we pursue a deeper relationship with Jesus! We grow up into salvation. Hallelujah! We are blessed.

Love Light More Than Darkness

We, as believers and followers of Jesus Christ, are instructed to love light more than darkness! (Eccl 2:13 NIV)

One commentary on Ecclesiastes 2:13 says this:

. . . light sometimes signifies joy and prosperity, and darkness adversity; the one is used to express the light of grace, and the other the darkness of sin and ignorance; now as the natural light exceeds darkness, and prosperity exceeds adversity and calamities, and a state of grace exceeds a state of sin and wickedness, so wisdom exceeds folly.

(Source: Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ecclesiastes 2:13 – Bible Commentary (biblia.work))

Jesus referred to Himself as the “Light of the world” (Joh 8:12). In John 3:19-21, Jesus explains the meanings of “light” and “darkness” to Nicodemus, a Pharisee:

This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. ²⁰Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. ²¹But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. (Joh 3:19-21 NIV)

Jesus is the Light that has come into the world, and He also says about Himself:

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (Joh 14:6 ESV) Jesus also says clearly that He is the TRUTH! So as Christians, we should love the Light and the Truth that is Jesus Christ.

One reason for anyone to prefer the darkness to the light is to hide their own, evil deeds.

And this is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the Light; for their deeds were evil. (Joh 3:19 NASB)

We have to prefer God’s opinion of us and our actions, and the glory that God will one day bestow upon every believer, in order to follow diligent lifestyle of preferring the light over the darkness.

. . . for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God. (Joh 12:43 ESV)

God is light and has no darkness of any kind in Him. As we continue in relationship with Jesus Christ, living according to His teachings, He cleanses us daily and washes all our sins away. Glory to God!

Jesus told us God is light and doesn’t have any darkness in him. Now we are telling you. ⁶If we say we share in life with God and keep on living in the dark, we are lying and are not living by the truth. ⁷ But if we live in the light, as God does, we share in life with each other. And the blood of his Son Jesus washes all our sins away. (1 Joh 1:5-7 CEV)

The Light of Jesus indwells each and every believer, so shine forth your light each and every day! God bless you!

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