è We are in a War (Ephesians 6:10-18). We must always dress in our armor. We will face opposition and we need to know how, when, where to engage. Sometimes, we need to “stand still and see the salvation of the Lord” [2 Chronicles 20:15-20]. Other times, we are to engage in righteous confrontation. Prayer and worship and the Word are always essential, because those are our connectors to the Lord’s wisdom and ability to resolve!

è James 1:19, 20

è Wisdom reveals who, when, where, how to confront. (Proverbs 9:7,8; Proverbs 15:12)

• “Scoffer”: jeer, mock, disrespect

• If you engage with a scoffer, you will get rejection, pain

• “You can win an argument but lose a person.” It’s possible to win a battle and lose a war!

è Wisdom discerns “how much” to say! (remember James 1:19, 20)

• Proverbs 10:19 …. Too many words lead to sin. (See also Proverbs 17:27, 28)

è Wisdom discerns when to instruct, share and when someone is not able to receive! (Mark 4:35; 1 Corinthians 3:2) Instructing when someone is not ready/able to receive is wasted, even harmful energy, words!

• We must “stay in our lane”! If we keep getting in another’s lane, they will veer away from us. (Proverbs 26:17, 20)

• If you are in leadership, Proverbs 22:10 will ring true!

è We should not run from confrontation, but we should always approach with prayer, wisdom, self-control, and love!

è Forgiving our enemies is required. The Lord will enable us to do so. However, forgiveness doesn’t necessarily mean that we “join forces”. We do not need to affirm or endorse choices, behaviors that are out of order!

• Always ask the Lord to go before the confrontation and bring His presence and Grace to bear on the situation, and trust Him that He is at work.

Wisdom Clinic:

Receiving Godly Wisdom Through Prayer

February 14, 2021

Session 5

Review: Proverbs 4; James 1:5-7

Ephesians 1:15-23

Hope: A powerful spiritual force which reaches for a desired result. Don’t be afraid to Hope Again!!

Guard against “thieves of Hope”: Circumstances, voices, etc.

His Calling: follows His choosing you! A spiritual connection to relationships AND assignments.

The riches of the glory of His inheritance!

We, believers, are what He Received through Christ! Sons, daughters, heirs.

The exceeding greatness of His power!

Resurrection authority! None other!

His Name, His authority over ALL demonic personalities and powers.

Every name! Beware of trusting any person as savior! (See also Philippians 2:5-11)

The deception of misplaced security: (hero worship)

Our real spiritual enemies

Deception – pride – fear – shame – anger

Wisdom Clinic:

True Wisdom: God’s Perspective

February 07, 2021

Session 4

Review: Proverbs 4:5-7; Colossians 2:3; Proverbs 9:10

Wisdom and Perspective Are Inseparable

The ability to see things as God sees them.

Perspective: The ability to process issues and events from an overall Biblical viewpoint.

When Facing a Challenging, Confusing or even Overwhelming Situation: Start and continue to come back to What You Do Know!

I.E.: Ephesians 1; Philippians 4:13; 1 John 4:4; Hebrews 13:5

Remember and Rehearse Whose You Are:

1 Corinthians 6:19, 20; Colossians 3:1-3; Romans 14:8

We are not going to be judged for others’ choices.

Remember and Rehearse Who Is In Control!

Watch your Sources and Amount of Information (Proverbs 4:23)

Romans 8:28: What is Sovereignty? God’s ability to cause all things to conform to His ultimate (not always immediate) plan, and at the same time giving man the right to choose.

Remind yourself that what you see is not all that is going on!

(2 Corinthians 4:7-10; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18) We don’t know the whole story in the middle of the book!

Wisdom Clinic: The Person And The Power Of Wisdom

January 24, 2021

Session 3

1 Corinthians 1:18-25 – 1 Corinthians 2:1-16; Ephesians 3:10

Christ; the Personification of Wisdom; the True Gate to God’s Wisdom. (Colossians 2:3)

The Cross: God’s Wisdom and Power

To draw us back to Himself (2 Corinthians 5:18)

To “expunge our” sins from the record! (2 Corinthians 5:19)

To break sin and the flesh and the devil’s rights over us, His Church! (Romans 6:3-14)

Romans 5:10

How to Receive

Admit, Profess “I Was There” (Romans 6:3ff; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:1-3)

Ask for Greater Revelation of His representation of me/you! He Saw me; He Loved me; He Chose me; He Called me; He Represents me! (Ephesians 1:3-7; Colossians 3:1-3)

“We believe, therefore we speak” (2 Corinthians 4:13)

WISDOM CLINIC: DECISIONS THE BIBLE DOESN’T DIRECTLY ADDRESS

JANUARY 17, 2021

SESSION 2

è Review: Proverbs 4:5-10; Proverbs 4:23

è Romans 14:23 …. “Whatever is not of faith ….”

è God’s Word is Final Authority! But what about issues without direct revelation?

è May not be a “One size fits all” matter (Romans 14:7-10)

è Unchanging Principles

• I belong to the Lord! (1 Corinthians 6:19, 20; Romans 14:7, 8)

• I must invite the Word of God and the Spirit of God to direct me and submit to His direction.

• Ask, in faith (James 1:5-7)

• Listen; internally and externally (The Spirit’s words, impressions) to wise counsel; sovereign oversight of circumstances, etc.

• Diligently weigh Covenant – Covering – Counsel

• Does my decision harmfully influence others who are weaker? (Romans 14:21; 1 Corinthians 8:9,13

• Do not judge others who have a different choice on issues not specifically addressed in the Word. (Romans 14:9-13).”

• Colossians 3:15 – “Let the peace of Christ rule in your heart

è Recognize the Lord’s ownership/authority.

è Research the issue.

è Rest the matter: Stay resolved unless the Holy Spirit directs otherwise. (Take the “Next Right Step” until/unless the Lord overrules)

Wisdom Clinic: Learning To Think And Act Biblically

“Anger …. Productive Or Poisonous”

January 10, 2021

Session 1

Ephesians 1:17; Colossians 1:9

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom: Proverbs 9:10

(Ultimate Respect for and Submission to)

Christ is the Personification of True Wisdom (Colossians 2:3)

Wisdom is the God-given ability to “see thigs as God sees them.”

Wisdom has extremely high priority with God (Proverbs 4:5-7)

Wisdom is made available by God to those who pursue it! James 1:5; Proverbs 8:17; also, besides the spirit of wisdom, there is the word of wisdom. (1 Corinthians 12:8)

Wisdom has enormous benefits! (To be explored)

Godly wisdom is deposited in our reborn spirit by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:16)

Our soul can be compromised, poisoned, by different sources! One of the enemies of our internal order is unresolved, unmanaged, unrighteous Anger.

What is Anger: A powerful emotional force which triggers internal and external attitudes and actions. This “force” can “float”, lie dormant, or explode. It can manifest and retreat.

Is there Righteous Anger? (Yes)

Consider Hebrews 3:10-17; Mark 3:5

What about Ephesians 4:26, 27

[Motive, object, and duration are factors]

Righteous Anger can initiate, energize actions that can help, heal, be productive, protective …. But has to be yielded to the Righteous One (Lord)

Poisonous Anger: James 1:20; Ephesians 4:31; Colossians 3:8

Desires hurt, retribution

Release of anger to the Lord is required (Romans 12:19; Hebrews 10:30)

Sometimes we can get angry with God because He doesn’t execute the judgement we want, when we want it! Sometimes we have a problem wanting others to receive the same mercy we have received. (Jonah 4)

Mercy, however, is not enabling some to stay broken.

Unresolved anger creates disorder in our inner person.

Distorts true issues

Depletes energy

Deceives us as to real enemy (Ephesians 6:12)

Destroys our peace, sabotages our relationships.

Poisons our words and actions.

Resolution:

Recognize it’s there (easily irritated, aggravated; critical, obsessed with seeing “people pay”; repetitious replays

Stop the self-deception …. “__________ made me angry” **(We usually are angered by what we have no control over!!)

Repent: unresolved anger is a violation of the Lord

Release and Reset: as an act of our will, by faith, turn the people, situations, memories over to the Lord in prayer and proclamation. Record it! Reinforce it!

DECEMBER 13, 2020

SESSION 2

“Those who have sat in darkness …. Have seen a GREAT LIGHT”!

Isaiah 9:2; Matthew 4:16; Ephesians 5:8

è Review: Light …. God’s essential character; inherent in Who He Is and What He Does! (1 John 1:5-7)

è Resistance to Light! (John 3:19)

• Why? Lifestyle “has dark places”

• Comfort, complacency

• We “deceive ourselves” (James 1:22)

• When we walk in darkness, ignoring, refusing the Light, we are in the devil’s territory! May feel fine for a while. BUT, he will “put a hurt” on us! (John 10:10; John 8:44)

• Deceives us into thinking sin is okay (1 John 1:5, 6)

è The domain of darkness has been defeated!

• Outer darkness (Matthew 8:12; Matthew 22:13)

• Rulers of darkness (Ephesians 6:12)

• Domain of darkness (Colossians 1:13)

• Called out of darkness (1 Peter 2:9)

è The Incredible Power of His Light!

• John 1:4, 5

• The Light has greater power than darkness.

• The Light will outlast the darkness.

From the Archives of 2007

“Those who have sat in darkness …. Have seen a GREAT LIGHT”!

Isaiah 9:2; Matthew 4:16; Ephesians 5:8

è “Arise, shine, for your LIGHT is come, and the Glory of the Lord is risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1)

è Light – Essential for Life

• First created (Genesis1:3) – “Let there be Light”

• The essence of His Being! (1 John 1:5)

• The Hope of His Coming (Isaiah 9:2)

è Walking in the Light

1. Starts in our inner man (Proverbs 20:27; John 1:4-9)

• The Spirit is His Life/Light for us

• Where is our inner focus?

• Shift our focus: the Light is in the TRUTH: (1 John 1:8, 9; John 8:31, 32

Remind and Reinforce!

2. Discipline our soul

• See Psalm 42, 43

 Speak truth to mental/emotional darkness; Our identity/ability (Ephesians 1:3-7; Romans 8:37-39)

3. Address the natural, physical issues

• Natural light?

• Fatigue: Rest; change the atmosphere; diversion from ordinary

• Professional counsel, treatment?

“THE POWER OF GIVING THANKS”

NOVEMBER 22, 2020

Giving Thanks Attracts The Attention Of God

• Psalm 100:4 – Connects with His Presence

Giving Thanks Changes Our Perspective On Our Circumstances!

• James 1:2-4

Giving Thanks Changes Our Internal Atmosphere

• Breaks the poison of self-absorption

• Philippians 4:6, 7

Giving Thanks “Sets The Table” For Victory In Crisis – John 6:11

• 2 Chronicles 20:20-22

It is Faith’s Release Mechanism (Trigger)