Why do we ask for spiritual wisdom and knowledge? Do we ask for it with wrong motives? I have being praying this daily in my walk that my eyes would be opened to His wisdom and understanding and the knowledge of Him.
" that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, "
(Eph 1:17)
"And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
(Col 1:9)"
I realized as I prayed this many times, I was missing the mark. I was praying with wrong motives...I was asking for the benefit for myself. It was slight and deceptive, I was confident that I was asking correctly...but in the end it was for selfish reasons.
But as I began to really look closely at the first few verses in Colossians, it changed for me.
And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
(Col 1:9)
why was Paul praying with this in mind? Lets look at the following verses:
"so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, in every bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. " (Col.1:10)
"May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy," (Col 1:11)
"giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. (Col. 1:12)
So we have:
1. walk in a worthy manner.
2. Pleasing Him.
3. Bearing fruit
4. Increasing in knowledge.
5. Strengthened.
6. Enduring
7. Patience...with joy.
8. Giving thanks.
Having spiritual wisdom and revelation is not for ourselves, its not for the purpose to be able to have some deep insight or an ability to write books, commentaries and teach others. Those things are fine and good, but the sole purpose is for the Lord. To know Him, to walk in Him. It points to Christ...it is consumed with Christ. It is not for our purpose, but for His. It should cause us to decrease so that He would be increased in our lives. Spiritual wisdom is to point us to Christ, to humble us; to reveal His Son in us.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Proverbs 2
1 My son, if you receive my words,
And treasure my commands within you,
2 So that you incline your ear to wisdom,
And apply your heart to understanding;
3 Yes, if you cry out for discernment,
And lift up your voice for understanding,
4 If you seek her as silver,
And search for her as for hidden treasures;
5 Then you will understand the fear of the LORD,
And find the knowledge of God.
6 For the LORD gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;
7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
He is a shield to those who walk uprightly;
8 He guards the paths of justice,
And preserves the way of His saints.
9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice,
Equity and every good path.
10 When wisdom enters your heart,
And knowledge is pleasant to your soul,
11 Discretion will preserve you;
Understanding will keep you,
12 To deliver you from the way of evil,
From the man who speaks perverse things,
13 From those who leave the paths of uprightness
To walk in the ways of darkness;
14 Who rejoice in doing evil,
And delight in the perversity of the wicked;
15 Whose ways are crooked,
And who are devious in their paths;
16 To deliver you from the immoral woman,
From the seductress who flatters with her words,
17 Who forsakes the companion of her youth,
And forgets the covenant of her God.
18 For her house leads down to death,
And her paths to the dead;
19 None who go to her return,
Nor do they regain the paths of life—
20 So you may walk in the way of goodness,
And keep to the paths of righteousness.
21 For the upright will dwell in the land,
And the blameless will remain in it;
22 But the wicked will be cut off from the earth,
And the unfaithful will be uprooted from it.
And treasure my commands within you,
2 So that you incline your ear to wisdom,
And apply your heart to understanding;
3 Yes, if you cry out for discernment,
And lift up your voice for understanding,
4 If you seek her as silver,
And search for her as for hidden treasures;
5 Then you will understand the fear of the LORD,
And find the knowledge of God.
6 For the LORD gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;
7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
He is a shield to those who walk uprightly;
8 He guards the paths of justice,
And preserves the way of His saints.
9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice,
Equity and every good path.
10 When wisdom enters your heart,
And knowledge is pleasant to your soul,
11 Discretion will preserve you;
Understanding will keep you,
12 To deliver you from the way of evil,
From the man who speaks perverse things,
13 From those who leave the paths of uprightness
To walk in the ways of darkness;
14 Who rejoice in doing evil,
And delight in the perversity of the wicked;
15 Whose ways are crooked,
And who are devious in their paths;
16 To deliver you from the immoral woman,
From the seductress who flatters with her words,
17 Who forsakes the companion of her youth,
And forgets the covenant of her God.
18 For her house leads down to death,
And her paths to the dead;
19 None who go to her return,
Nor do they regain the paths of life—
20 So you may walk in the way of goodness,
And keep to the paths of righteousness.
21 For the upright will dwell in the land,
And the blameless will remain in it;
22 But the wicked will be cut off from the earth,
And the unfaithful will be uprooted from it.