Standing Firm

Good friend, take to heart what I'm telling you; collect my counsels and guard them with your life.  Tune your ears to the world of wisdom; set your heart on a life of understanding.  That's right––if you make insight your priority, and won't take no for an answer, searching for it like a prospector panning for gold, like an adventurer on a treasure hunt, believe me, before you know it Fear–of–God will be yours; you'll have come upon the Knowledge of God.  And here's why:  God gives out Wisdom free, is plainspoken in knowledge and understanding.  He's a rich mine of common sense for those who live well, a personal bodyguard to the candid and sincere.  He keeps his eye on all who live honestly, and pays special attention to his loyally committed ones.  –Proverbs 2:1-8 The Message

Set your heart on a life of understanding.  Knowledge is important, but it is not the same thing as wisdom or understanding.  Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.  Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.  I know many people who have a great deal of knowledge, but very little in the way of understanding.  The Bible is clear.  If one wants to understand something, he or she must first understand that wisdom is God's provenance.  He alone is omniscient, has all knowledge and wisdom, and therefore the only true path to understanding is through Him.  That is why when Yale University was founded one of the founding statements was "Cursed be all knowledge that is contrary to the cross of Christ!"  Our founding fathers understood that true understanding or wisdom must come from God.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. –Ephesians 6:10-17 NASB

Observation of our world reveals the amazing wisdom and power of God.  Out of a clutch of turtle eggs no two turtles will be identical.  Each one will be unique!  As it grows its markings will be different from all other turtles.  Similar, yes, but still unique to that turtle.  God is still involved in creation, even today, and we see His hand at work.  But there are those in our world who refuse to accept this truth and instead try to fill the gaps in their understanding with man-made philosophies and theories that fall far short of explaining what we can see clearly.  The devil is seeking to lead us astray, to take away our wonder at God's mighty hand in creation, to cloud our eyes with darkness!  But he is incapable of succeeding with those who stand firm.

The Lord is a shield to those who walk in integrity.  We can stand firm because He is before us.  My beloved children and grandchildren, I want you to understand that all power, wisdom, knowledge, and authority belongs to God alone.  If all of it is His, there's none for me apart from Him.  As I've grown in my understanding of this I've realized that without a real growing and intimate relationship with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I am incapable of grasping truth.  I can never have power or authority.  It is His.  Can I speak with power and authority?  Of course!  As long as I speak the words He puts in my mind and heart.  Can I act with power and authority, wisely and with knowledge?  If I act in obedience to His word, yes!  Set your heart on a life of understanding.  Stand firm with the full armor of God.  Set your mind on Him and your life will be filled with understanding.  I love you.