Wisdom or Foolishness
Many times when we think of a wise man, we picture a gray-headed sage peering over wire-rimmed spectacles, giving advice and making profound statements. We may think of a fool as an immature, simpering joker. But how does the Bible portray wise and foolish men?
First, I think we must consider the source of wisdom, which is God Almighty. The traits of God are not simply parts of His character, they are Who He is. Therefore, a wise man will stay close to the source of wisdom by walking with God. The first priority of a wise man will be his relationship with God. A foolish man walks in his own way, which leads to destruction. He may seek worldly wisdom, but he ignores the source of true wisdom.
The second point to contemplate is the strength of wisdom. This is one aspect of wisdom that God speaks of specifically to both men and women. When a man possesses wisdom, he has the strength to flee temptation. He has character, integrity, and a strong work ethic. The Proverbs thirty-one lady labors long hours at many tasks and strengthens her whole body. Conversely, the fool is lazy, flirts with and falls for temptation, and is content with average stamina.
Lastly, think of the spirit of wisdom. Wisdom goes much deeper than simply controlling one’s actions: wisdom governs the attitude of its possessor. A wise man’s spirit will be humble in accepting reproof, grateful for God’s blessings, and compassionate towards the lost. On the other hand, the spirit of a fool is haughty, unthankful, deceitful, and cold.
As we have seen, the fool ignores God’s offer of wisdom, enjoys living in weakness, and allows his spirit to be controlled by wickedness. God’s Word exemplifies a wise man as one who stays close to the source of wisdom, strives to have the strength of wisdom, and sustains a spirit of wisdom. May we continually shun foolishness and embrace wisdom by building character, having a right spirit, and, most importantly, by walking with God!
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Friday, February 1, 2008
English Composition
What My Salvation Means To Me
When I consider what my salvation means to me, many thoughts and feelings arise in my head and heart. I accepted Christ at a young age, and thus was saved from a life of drugs, alcohol, and immorality. Although I never experimented with gross sins, in God’s eyes I was just as wicked as any hardened criminal. Therefore, my salvation means much more to me than just a ticket to Heaven.
Salvation is the miracle that changed me from a servant of Satan to a child of God. Because of my salvation, I have unlimited access to Almighty God. Because I am His child, He pours out undeserved blessings and gives great and precious promises.
While all those things are priceless treasures, they are not what I treasure the most about my salvation. To me, salvation is Jesus. Since beginning college, He has been teaching me to look to Him for everything I need. When difficulties and discouragements come, my first thought is usually to call Dad or find a friend to talk to. However, God has recently been reminding me of His sufficiency. I do not need to look to finite humans for encouragement and fellowship when I have the privilege of talking with Him.
He is my Comforter. I never have to search for words to make Him understand what I am feeling, or why I feel the way I do. He understands my sorrow, because He Himself felt it long before He allowed it to reach me. He is my best and closest Friend. When nobody else understands, and I do not “fit in” with other people, He always accepts and loves me.
Intimate fellowship with Jesus on earth and the promise of His physical presence in Heaven are to me what salvation is all about!
When I consider what my salvation means to me, many thoughts and feelings arise in my head and heart. I accepted Christ at a young age, and thus was saved from a life of drugs, alcohol, and immorality. Although I never experimented with gross sins, in God’s eyes I was just as wicked as any hardened criminal. Therefore, my salvation means much more to me than just a ticket to Heaven.
Salvation is the miracle that changed me from a servant of Satan to a child of God. Because of my salvation, I have unlimited access to Almighty God. Because I am His child, He pours out undeserved blessings and gives great and precious promises.
While all those things are priceless treasures, they are not what I treasure the most about my salvation. To me, salvation is Jesus. Since beginning college, He has been teaching me to look to Him for everything I need. When difficulties and discouragements come, my first thought is usually to call Dad or find a friend to talk to. However, God has recently been reminding me of His sufficiency. I do not need to look to finite humans for encouragement and fellowship when I have the privilege of talking with Him.
He is my Comforter. I never have to search for words to make Him understand what I am feeling, or why I feel the way I do. He understands my sorrow, because He Himself felt it long before He allowed it to reach me. He is my best and closest Friend. When nobody else understands, and I do not “fit in” with other people, He always accepts and loves me.
Intimate fellowship with Jesus on earth and the promise of His physical presence in Heaven are to me what salvation is all about!
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Back Again!
Howdy from Arkansas! I got back to school on Sunday, after a great weekend with Caleb in Sherwood, AR. Mom and Dad and I went up there with him to see the church he's interning at. It was a blessing to stay with Pastor Mix and his family and be a part of Brockington Road Baptist Church for a weekend!
My class schedule this semester is FULL -
Monday, Wed, and Fri - Music Theory, Adolescent Psychology, New Testament Survey, English Composition, and Choir
Tues - Proverbs, Baptist History, and Chorale
Thurs - Methods of Mentoring, Methods of Teaching, and Chorale
Tuesday and Thursday are block class days. Today (Tuesday) was the first class day. I'm gonna LOVE Proverbs! Dr. Mitchell teaches it. Enough said.
It's been encouraging to see how God is giving me opportunities to build awesome friendships with some great girls here. "Iron sharpeneth iron" - and it is incredibly refreshing to be with people who have the same desires and ideas. I was just talking to a girl and she said something like, "I'm amazed right now at what God is doing in my heart and life, and I'm just enjoying being in love with Jesus and having a relationship with Him - I don't want to mess that up for anything!"
She was talking about being single, and I had to smile - because that is almost word-for-word what I think. It was encouraging to talk to someone who has surrendured to the Lord the "right" to marriage. There isn't an over-abundance of girls who have even considered the possibility that God's plan for them might not include marriage. I'm sure for the vast majority it will. And I don't think there's any normal girl who doesn't have a desire to be married and have a family. But I do believe that as we surrendur to the Lord our lives, we need to surrendur every area. We ought to be willing to follow the Lord's path for our life, even if it means He is our only Bridegroom.
Any you know, fellowship with Him really beats anything else.
There's my thoughts for the day!
My class schedule this semester is FULL -
Monday, Wed, and Fri - Music Theory, Adolescent Psychology, New Testament Survey, English Composition, and Choir
Tues - Proverbs, Baptist History, and Chorale
Thurs - Methods of Mentoring, Methods of Teaching, and Chorale
Tuesday and Thursday are block class days. Today (Tuesday) was the first class day. I'm gonna LOVE Proverbs! Dr. Mitchell teaches it. Enough said.
It's been encouraging to see how God is giving me opportunities to build awesome friendships with some great girls here. "Iron sharpeneth iron" - and it is incredibly refreshing to be with people who have the same desires and ideas. I was just talking to a girl and she said something like, "I'm amazed right now at what God is doing in my heart and life, and I'm just enjoying being in love with Jesus and having a relationship with Him - I don't want to mess that up for anything!"
She was talking about being single, and I had to smile - because that is almost word-for-word what I think. It was encouraging to talk to someone who has surrendured to the Lord the "right" to marriage. There isn't an over-abundance of girls who have even considered the possibility that God's plan for them might not include marriage. I'm sure for the vast majority it will. And I don't think there's any normal girl who doesn't have a desire to be married and have a family. But I do believe that as we surrendur to the Lord our lives, we need to surrendur every area. We ought to be willing to follow the Lord's path for our life, even if it means He is our only Bridegroom.
Any you know, fellowship with Him really beats anything else.
There's my thoughts for the day!
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Almost Finished
One day, two finals, a church service, a six hour drive and I'll be home! The thought brings me much joy. It's hard to believe that this semester is already over.
And it's also exciting to look ahead to next semester! I pre-registered yesterday. I'll be taking Music Theory, Adolescent Psychology, New Testament Survey, English Composition, Proverbs, Baptist History, Methods of Mentoring, Methods of Teaching, and of course, Choir and Chorale. That's a class every period of every day. It should be a little more exciting than last semester. :D
I'll have one class with Caleb, actually. Proverbs will probably be our only class together ever, but hey - at least we've got one!
I also switched my major from Music to Elementary Education. This will be more practical for living and working on the mission field someday. I'm sure I'll have the opportunity (and it may even be a necessity) to teach on the field, and this also will give me a means to work a good job here in the States if I ever need to.
I also applied for a work scholarship job (that's on campus, maintenance, kitchen, coffee shop, and whatever else they need) for next semester. There aren't any openings now, so please pray that something will open up. My first choice would naturally be the coffee shop, but I'd be happy with anything. :D
Well, I need to finish reviewing for Algebra and Personal Evangelism. I hope ya'll have a wonderful day!
And it's also exciting to look ahead to next semester! I pre-registered yesterday. I'll be taking Music Theory, Adolescent Psychology, New Testament Survey, English Composition, Proverbs, Baptist History, Methods of Mentoring, Methods of Teaching, and of course, Choir and Chorale. That's a class every period of every day. It should be a little more exciting than last semester. :D
I'll have one class with Caleb, actually. Proverbs will probably be our only class together ever, but hey - at least we've got one!
I also switched my major from Music to Elementary Education. This will be more practical for living and working on the mission field someday. I'm sure I'll have the opportunity (and it may even be a necessity) to teach on the field, and this also will give me a means to work a good job here in the States if I ever need to.
I also applied for a work scholarship job (that's on campus, maintenance, kitchen, coffee shop, and whatever else they need) for next semester. There aren't any openings now, so please pray that something will open up. My first choice would naturally be the coffee shop, but I'd be happy with anything. :D
Well, I need to finish reviewing for Algebra and Personal Evangelism. I hope ya'll have a wonderful day!
Thursday, December 6, 2007
A Great Week
Today has been quite eventful! Or maybe I should say, this week has been quite eventful!
Sunday evening the Champion Chorale went to Pine Bluff to sing in the new chapel. (Gospel Light has what's called a chapel ministry - where nearby churches who are struggling or dying and need help can call. Then, Champion assigns some college students to go to those places every weekend to sing, preach, teach, go soulwinning, and just build the church. Tennessee Temple had or has a ministry like this, and some of their chapels are today some of the strongest churches around Chattenooga.)
Anyways, singing was great! It was exciting to get to go somewhere and be a blessing to folks. Bro. Blunkall said today that he's working on getting more "meetings" (I dunno what you'd call it) set up for Chorale next semester. :D
This new chapel is an exciting opportunity. The church used to run four hundred, and now they're down to about fifteen. They've got great facilities (the building used to be a racquetball gym - and when they renovated they left one court set up to play on!), and all the folks are excited about Champion students coming. There were about thirty of us there last Sunday. And to top off a great service, we had a fellowship afterwards! And a Baptist fellowship always means good home-cooked food. Fried chicken, banana cream pie, chicken pot pie, cornbread, and all sorts of good stuff!
Well, after church on the way home I started feeling a little something in the back of my throat, but I didn't think much of it. Monday morning I woke up with strepp. :D Monday night I was in the ER with a 103 fever and a very sore, ulcered throat. I took a picture, but I figgered ya'll wouldn't want to see it, so I'm not gonna post it. :D
After two days of sleeping and taking Tylenol, a visit to the good Dr. Gardial, and half a bottle of numbing throat spray (not literally half a bottle - I'm exaggerating), I'm feeling much better. Praise the Lord - I did NOT want to be sick through all of finals!
Finals...it's amazing! I've finished with two classes, and have six or seven more to go. Please pray for all the college students - especially the guys who work crazy hours - especially Caleb.
I'm amazed at how fast this semester has gone. I'm thankful to God for all His blessings and protection this year.
My next entry will probably be from home...that thought brings me much joy.
Sunday evening the Champion Chorale went to Pine Bluff to sing in the new chapel. (Gospel Light has what's called a chapel ministry - where nearby churches who are struggling or dying and need help can call. Then, Champion assigns some college students to go to those places every weekend to sing, preach, teach, go soulwinning, and just build the church. Tennessee Temple had or has a ministry like this, and some of their chapels are today some of the strongest churches around Chattenooga.)
Anyways, singing was great! It was exciting to get to go somewhere and be a blessing to folks. Bro. Blunkall said today that he's working on getting more "meetings" (I dunno what you'd call it) set up for Chorale next semester. :D
This new chapel is an exciting opportunity. The church used to run four hundred, and now they're down to about fifteen. They've got great facilities (the building used to be a racquetball gym - and when they renovated they left one court set up to play on!), and all the folks are excited about Champion students coming. There were about thirty of us there last Sunday. And to top off a great service, we had a fellowship afterwards! And a Baptist fellowship always means good home-cooked food. Fried chicken, banana cream pie, chicken pot pie, cornbread, and all sorts of good stuff!
Well, after church on the way home I started feeling a little something in the back of my throat, but I didn't think much of it. Monday morning I woke up with strepp. :D Monday night I was in the ER with a 103 fever and a very sore, ulcered throat. I took a picture, but I figgered ya'll wouldn't want to see it, so I'm not gonna post it. :D
After two days of sleeping and taking Tylenol, a visit to the good Dr. Gardial, and half a bottle of numbing throat spray (not literally half a bottle - I'm exaggerating), I'm feeling much better. Praise the Lord - I did NOT want to be sick through all of finals!
Finals...it's amazing! I've finished with two classes, and have six or seven more to go. Please pray for all the college students - especially the guys who work crazy hours - especially Caleb.
I'm amazed at how fast this semester has gone. I'm thankful to God for all His blessings and protection this year.
My next entry will probably be from home...that thought brings me much joy.
Friday, November 16, 2007
This picture is the view from a mountaintop in Papua New Guinea. It grips me whenever I see it. See that farthest mountain in the center? Imagine hiking all the way to the top of that mountain - and guess what the view would be. It would be the same picture again. You could travel for months like that. Mountain, after mountain, after mountain, after mountain...each horizon, once reached, only reveals another. How many thousands of people are represented by those mountains? People who have never seen or heard anything outside the boundaries of their own culture, much less the Gospel. We've got alot of work to do.
Moving along...
Five days until I'm home!
The Champion Chorale sang in chapel today. We did "What Love." That song has got to be in my top 500 favorites.
We've had Spirit Days here today and yesterday. Yesterday was Sports Team Day, and I was able to borrow a Longhorns hoodie from a friend. Everywhere you looked you could see that beautiful burnt orange. We definitely had the majority, despite half the student body being from North Carolina. (Well, maybe not quite half, but it seems that way) I think Tar Heel Blue was probably second. It was nice to wear denim and tennis shoes!
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Counting Down
Seven days until I'll be home!!! Yes!
Chapel was good today. Bro. Damion DiMedio (an Australian missionary to China) preached about pride. His text was I Tim. 3:2, about a pastor not being a "novice, lest he be lifted up with pride and fall into the condemnation of the devil." Of all the reasons God could've given why not to make a novice a pastor, the one He pointed out was pride. It was a convicting message.
And yesterday in OTS, Bro. Blunkall got to preaching about David. I've always known he was a man after God's own heart, but I always thought that meant David's heart was like God's heart. How about this - David was AFTER God's heart. He wanted to get God's heart. That's what SO many Psalms are about - the longing David had and the time David spent seeking God. Think about that one for a while...
God is good - I am so blessed.
Chapel was good today. Bro. Damion DiMedio (an Australian missionary to China) preached about pride. His text was I Tim. 3:2, about a pastor not being a "novice, lest he be lifted up with pride and fall into the condemnation of the devil." Of all the reasons God could've given why not to make a novice a pastor, the one He pointed out was pride. It was a convicting message.
And yesterday in OTS, Bro. Blunkall got to preaching about David. I've always known he was a man after God's own heart, but I always thought that meant David's heart was like God's heart. How about this - David was AFTER God's heart. He wanted to get God's heart. That's what SO many Psalms are about - the longing David had and the time David spent seeking God. Think about that one for a while...
God is good - I am so blessed.
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