AT THE CROSSROADS OF WISDOM AND FOLLY. WHICH DOOR WILL YOU ENTER ?

CHOICES. Life is full of CHOICES ! I spent a significant amount of time this past year enrolled in a Business Leadership School class presented by GoStrategic and it’s Founder Dennis Peacocke. While centered on a Business curriculum, the class set it’s Foundation on a Biblical World View. How do we carry God and His Order, Patterns, and Ways into our areas of influence and energetic work in the Business World ? Interestingly, I found that every single thing I learned also applied Directly into my Personal Life ! Self, Family, Church, Friendships, Social Life, Relationships, and Career. GOD TOUCHES EVERYTHING AND EVERY PART OF OUR LIVES ! At our very core, WE ARE STEWARDS. Stewards of all God has given us. OUR IDENTITY. OUR GIFTS AND TALENTS. OUR PATH AND PURPOSE ! It comes not only with the focus of our role in God’s Kingdom and our Relationship with Him, but also HOW WE LIFT UP OTHERS IN RELATIONSHIP TO SEE AND EMBRACE THEIR CALLING AND PURPOSE ! If you are reading my blog, you probably have a belief and faith that God Exists, and that HE is our Creator and as His creation, He has a plan and a purpose for our existence and our lives. Many of us have spent time in God’s Word; spent time in a church of choice; forged some kind of relationship and communication with God. Worship, Meditation and Prayer are some great starting points. Biblical History lets us get a clear picture of how mankind has interacted with God over time. Often in the Old Testament, Christians see a God of Power and Wrath. A giver of rules and regulations, “The Law”, that seems So Difficult To Execute. Thank goodness for Jesus ushering in Grace and Love ! THE TRUTH IS THAT GOD HAS NEVER CHANGED ! The Creator in the Old Testament who established commandments for us to LIVE BY was full of Love, Grace, and Mercy ! When Jesus came to Earth to live among us, HE BROUGHT THE SAME ORDER, PATTERNS, AND COMMANDMENTS that were established in the Covenant Moses presented to the Israelites. All of God’s Covenants with MANKIND still function. Abraham had a Covenant of Faith. Noah a promise of New Beginning. Moses a Covenant of Law and Commandments. JESUS CAME TO FULFILL THEM…..Completely and Perfectly, because on our own, We Cannot. SIN will not allow Wholeness and Completion. WHEN WE GIVE OUR LIVES TO JESUS, HE TAKES ON OUR SIN AND WE ARE REBORN. A NEW CREATION. WASHED CLEAN. IN FULL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. BUT IT TAKES A CHOICE on our part.

KNOW THEREFORE THAT THE LORD YOUR GOD IS GOD; HE IS THE FAITHFUL GOD KEEPING HIS COVENANT OF LOVE TO A THOUSAND GENERATIONS OF THOSE WHO LOVE HIM AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. Deuteronomy 7:9

BUT FROM EVERLASTING TO EVERLASTING THE LORD’S LOVE IS WITH THOSE WHO FEAR HIM, AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS WITH THEIR CHILDREN’S CHILDREN- WITH THOSE WHO KEEP HIS COVENANT AND REMEMBER TO OBEY HIS PRECEPTS. Psalm 103: 17-18

FOR THIS REASON CHRIST IS THE MEDIATOR OF A NEW COVENANT, THAT THOSE WHO ARE CALLED MAY RECEIVE THE PROMISED ETERNAL INHERITANCE- NOW THAT HE HAS DIED AS A RANSOM TO SET THEM FREE FROM THE SINS COMMITTED UNDER THE FIRST COVENANT. Hebrews 9:15

So we stand at a CROSSROADS. This crossroads is not about Belief, or Faith. IT IS ABOUT OUR CHOICES AND ACTIONS. There is the distinction between Wisdom and Foolishness. Proverbs 1 tells us that Wisdom Begins with The Fear Of God. Wisdom is One Path. Foolishness is as well. PROVERBS 9 IS WHERE IT GETS “PERSONAL” !!! It puts us in a position to view Wisdom and Foolishness in the form of a Woman. Wisdom as a Woman is the builder of a House with Seven Pillars….a picture of Completion, Perfection, and Holiness. She prepares a “Feast” for the inexperienced, with an invitation to pursue the way of understanding. Gain knowledge of The Holy God and use teaching and rebuking in a proper manner, that you may gain WISDOM and your life may be full and long. Folly as a Woman is Rowdy ! She is Gullible and knows nothing, but Oh Is She SEDUCTIVE ! She calls to the inexperienced as well, offering the “sweetness” of Stolen Water to those who are inexperienced and lack “sense”. And the “bread” she offers to be eaten in “secret” is Oh So TASTY ! HMMM. Did she tell them that she lures them in to share space with those who are departed from life and are in the depths of ‘SHEOL”…the “realm” of the dead ??? NOT LIKELY. This is OUR CROSSROADS CHRISTIAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS ! How many times have I made Stupid and Foolish decisions ? A LOT ! It is a true struggle to embrace Wisdom on a daily basis, but it is something we all must STRIVE FOR. HOW ??? By Abiding in CHRIST, and asking HIM to ABIDE IN US ! It takes Intimate Relationship and a Heartfelt Desire To Be Like JESUS. It is not playing Church one day a week, or reading a Good book on a liturgy, history, or rules. IT IS GETTING REAL WITH JESUS AND BEING SET FREE ! It is Colossians 1:28 ! PROCLAIM HIM ! TEACHING AND ADMONISHING WITH ALL WISDOM TO BRING MATURITY. STRIVING IN HIS STRENGTH WHICH RUNS POWERFULLY THROUGH US :) How many times each day are YOU at these CROSSROADS ?

TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND DO NOT LEAN ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING. IN ALL YOUR WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM , AND HE WILL MAKE STRAIGHT YOUR PATHS. Proverbs 3:5-6

AND THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD SHALL REST UPON HIM, THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING, THE SPIRIT OF COUNSEL AND MIGHT, THE SPIRIT OF KNOWLEDGE AND FEAR OF THE LORD. Isaiah 11:2

JESUS SAID TO THEM, “I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE; WHOEVER COMES TO ME SHALL NOT HUNGER, AND WHOEVER BELIEVES IN ME SHALL NEVER THIRST. John 6:35

Do you Hunger ? Do you Thirst ? Are your ears attuned to Wisdom and Sense, or are you caught up in a descending spiral leading to DARKNESS ? Do you have Sin that hides in Secrecy ? WE ALL DO in some way or fashion. TIME TO PURGE IT ! Don’t be discouraged. It takes time and Grace, and JESUS HAS IT FOR YOU:) SEEK HIM AND ASK. BIND YOUR FOLLY. I ask Jesus for help every single day. The World shouts and Celebrates Folly and belittles All That Is Wise And What Makes Sense. TUNE THE WORLD OUT AND OPEN YOUR HEART TO GOD ! Learn and Live His Ways. IT IS TIME TO ENTER THE DOOR OF WISDOM AND BECOME A SON AND DAUGHTER OF THE MOST HIGH GOD ! Be Blessed:) BE WISE/JAA

DO NOT BE CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD, BUT BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWAL OF YOUR MIND, THAT BY TESTING YOU MAY DISCERN WHAT IS THE WILL OF GOD, WHAT IS GOOD, ACCEPTABLE, AND PERFECT. Romans 12:2