"How much better to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver." (Proverbs 16:16)
An eighteenth century shoemaker was once asked what he did for a living. He responded, "I serve the Lord Jesus Christ, and cobble shoes to pay the expenses."
Face it. Most people do not have the life philosophy of that shoemaker, and most certainly do not believe our text. To most of the world, there is nothing so desired, so sought after, so worked for as "gold" and "silver." Everyone wants more of it than they have. One of my uncles once said to me, "You know when I was making $4,000.oo a year, that wasn't enough. Then I made $8,000.00 a year, and that wasn't enough. Then I made $12,000.00 a year, and that wasn't enough. I'm beginning to think that it will never be enough." Do you know why the US Government is in such an embarrassing mode right now? No one in this country ever has enough. That is the reason the US debt just keeps growing and growing. I wonder if someday soon the words of our Lord Jesus Christ will come to pass in America, "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate."
Yet, in spite of all man's greed, in spite of so many people working hard at so many jobs and vocations over the centuries only to get more, "gold," and, "silver," the Word of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, declares, "How much better to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver." Without wisdom, man does not know what to do with gold. Take the kings and czars of history as examples. They spent all their gold on themselves and, as a result, lost their gold. Wisdom and understanding would have enabled them to realize that if you take care of people under your care, they will take care of you. 1920's America is another example of fools with gold. The Market crashed and so did many gold owners. Then there are the sad stories of people without wisdom and understanding who win the lottery. Many of them run through that money in a relatively short period of time.
The Bible places a premium on, "wisdom," and, "understanding." These qualities are rooted in Jesus, not in our colleges. Training the mind does not bring, "wisdom," and, "understanding." They are gifts from the Blessed Trinity, "released" into us in Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit and the "God-Breathed" Words.
Father, in Jesus' Name, "Remove falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches-- feed me with the food allotted to me...." Amen.
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FHMP Fall Mission: October 27-November 23, 2013
An eighteenth century shoemaker was once asked what he did for a living. He responded, "I serve the Lord Jesus Christ, and cobble shoes to pay the expenses."
Face it. Most people do not have the life philosophy of that shoemaker, and most certainly do not believe our text. To most of the world, there is nothing so desired, so sought after, so worked for as "gold" and "silver." Everyone wants more of it than they have. One of my uncles once said to me, "You know when I was making $4,000.oo a year, that wasn't enough. Then I made $8,000.00 a year, and that wasn't enough. Then I made $12,000.00 a year, and that wasn't enough. I'm beginning to think that it will never be enough." Do you know why the US Government is in such an embarrassing mode right now? No one in this country ever has enough. That is the reason the US debt just keeps growing and growing. I wonder if someday soon the words of our Lord Jesus Christ will come to pass in America, "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate."
Yet, in spite of all man's greed, in spite of so many people working hard at so many jobs and vocations over the centuries only to get more, "gold," and, "silver," the Word of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, declares, "How much better to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver." Without wisdom, man does not know what to do with gold. Take the kings and czars of history as examples. They spent all their gold on themselves and, as a result, lost their gold. Wisdom and understanding would have enabled them to realize that if you take care of people under your care, they will take care of you. 1920's America is another example of fools with gold. The Market crashed and so did many gold owners. Then there are the sad stories of people without wisdom and understanding who win the lottery. Many of them run through that money in a relatively short period of time.
The Bible places a premium on, "wisdom," and, "understanding." These qualities are rooted in Jesus, not in our colleges. Training the mind does not bring, "wisdom," and, "understanding." They are gifts from the Blessed Trinity, "released" into us in Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit and the "God-Breathed" Words.
Father, in Jesus' Name, "Remove falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches-- feed me with the food allotted to me...." Amen.
******************
FHMP Fall Mission: October 27-November 23, 2013
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
