Wisdom Matters

The first picture of the Holy Trinity is seen in Genesis 1. God had created the world and was pleased. Lastly, he chose to create man. Genesis 1:26 says, “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.’” 

John was called the “beloved disciple.” He knew Jesus as his dearest friend on earth. In his gospel, John introduced Jesus saying, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” He went on to say, “He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:2–3).

Most people think the life of Jesus “began” in a stable in Bethlehem. That belief can reduce Jesus to just a special kind of human being, when, in fact, there was never a moment of Jesus’ existence where he wasn’t fully God. The Holy Trinity is difficult to comprehend with our human limitations. But we need to know, believe, and teach others that the birth of Christ was the moment God Incarnate stepped out of heaven and into the world.

Jesus was and still is the “Word” who was with God and was God. As Genesis 1 reveals, Jesus was with God in the beginning and humankind was made in the image of the Holy Trinity: the Father, Son, and Spirit.

The author of Hebrews described Christ in this way: “The founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

Jesus chose to leave the glory of heaven to become an infant and grow to be a man. He needed to experience everything humans experienced so he could one day be the holy sacrifice for every sin committed by humankind. Jesus “endured” an earthly life so that all people could live eternally.

When asked about the meaning of Christmas, we need only quote John 3:16 with conviction. God loved us and sacrificed himself for us. Wisdom is understanding that the gift of Jesus is our treasure. Wisdom is treasuring the gift we have received.

This month most of the world will celebrate the Christmas season. Many will understand that the celebration is about the birth of a Savior, but the majority of our world will celebrate Christmas without celebrating Christ. 

The Christmas season is the perfect time to help people understand what Paul was saying to the Colossians. The world will notice the ways our celebrations are different from their own.

As Christians gather, we can be “knit together in love” and live with the “full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery.” Christmas is about Christ, “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

Wisdom is understanding that the gift of Jesus is our treasure. Christmas is about Christ, and we celebrate the birth of our Savior.

It’s been said that the entire message of the gospel is found in John 3:16. We celebrate Christmas because of God’s love and grace for this world. God gave us his Son, his own Self, so that anyone who believed in him could have eternal life.

The most important gift God’s children give each Christmas season is simply sharing the gift we have been given. Every family member deserves to live with the joy of eternal life. Every friend, coworker, and acquaintance can discover that the true joy of the season is found through personal faith in Christ. As believers we are called to share the gift of Jesus.

We will enjoy this holiday and all the celebrations, but we will enjoy it more if we live this season as a disciple of the Christ child we honor. Wisdom is understanding that the gift of Jesus is our treasure. Who might celebrate this Christmas with Christ because you wisely shared the faith you treasure with them?

How would you finish this sentence: “I will always be grateful for . . . ”?

We have spent the month of November learning the wisdom of leading a life filled with gratitude for God. As we look ahead to December, is there anything or anyone higher on our list than Jesus?

I will always be grateful to God for loving the world so much that he gave us his only Son.

I will always be grateful that Jesus, though despising the cross, accepted its shame so that God could accept ours.

I will always be grateful for the people who invested their knowledge of Jesus into a young, inexperienced pastor’s wife so that I could grow in wisdom and knowledge and in favor with God.

I will always be grateful for God’s calling in my life to share his word and help others know the love and grace of God through Christ Jesus.

I will always be grateful for God’s word that has carried me with the power of truth through some difficult days.

I will always be grateful to God for blessing my life with more than I would ever have asked for or imagined.

I will always be grateful to God for allowing me to finish my life with the assurance of my eternity in heaven.

Wisdom is offering our gratitude to God. Will you take some time on this last day of November and make your list? You can wisely lay it at the foot of the throne as your sacrificial offering of praise to the One who deserves all praise. Praise God from whom all blessings flow! 

I love getting on an elevator with someone who is wearing a clean, pleasant fragrance. The aroma almost seems to lighten everyone’s mood as they travel to their floor. With equal passion I can say that I hate getting on an elevator with someone who hasn’t showered, especially if they’ve used their perfume or aftershave lavishly, hoping it will cover their odor.

Some people are known for the fragrance they wear. My mom-in-law only wore a perfume called White Shoulders. When I hugged her, she left a hint of that fragrance on me. I had always heard the power of smell is one of our strongest senses. I was standing in the frozen foods aisle a few months after my mom-in-law died when a woman walked by wearing White Shoulders. Tears sprung instantly to my eyes, and I was surprised by the power of the emotions I felt.

I like to consider that when we walk closely with the Lord, his “fragrance” lingers on us and we are able to spread the knowledge of him to those around us. I like to think that the knowledge we spread can cause others to instantly respond to moments from their past as they remember a past experience with Jesus.

We should be grateful and honored to serve Jesus in this way. We can be that fragrance in a room that causes people to be glad we have joined them. We can also use our faith to mask the truth about our lives. People can tell, and people will respond accordingly.

Wisdom is offering our gratitude to God. Wisdom is walking so near to Christ that his fragrance lingers on us. We know him and recognize him by his fragrance. Others can know him as well when we wisely and gratefully share our knowledge of him with others.

For those who have been a Christian for many years, it’s easy to think of our faith as something that comes naturally. We can grow complacent and assume our Christian routines please God. Those assumptions are unwise and unbiblical. 

Our faith should be an effort. Our walk with God should be a continual choice throughout the day. We lull ourselves into believing that our faith comes naturally after all of these years. Our faith will usually be an unnatural choice in our lives. 

Forgiveness rarely comes naturally. Choosing to rejoice, even when life is difficult, is an unnatural decision. Giving gratitude to God when it doesn’t seem like God is responding to our prayers is a choice that is often a fight against our natural feelings.

Jesus was preaching his Sermon on the Mount when he reminded his listeners that what they valued as “treasure” indicated where their heart was. Put another way, when you choose what to value in this life, you choose what will motivate your choices. 

The very important calling for every Christian is to choose God as their King. That means we don’t have a good choice apart from obedience to his will and his word. The Sermon on the Mount is all about choosing God as our King. So often in the Christian culture, we are encouraged to make God a friend instead of our “treasure.”

Is the Creator God your treasure? Is your relationship with him more valuable than any other relationship you have? We don’t mean to elevate our loved ones to a throne, but we often do. You can know who sits on the throne of your heart if you contemplate what motivates your choices.

Be grateful that we are not responsible for our lives. Be cautious that we aren’t responsible for our choices. That is God’s position in our lives.

Wisdom is offering our gratitude to God. How grateful are you for God’s role in your life as your King? Does that knowledge cause you to cringe a bit, or does it cause you to praise him with gratitude? Examine your thoughts and consider why you are truly grateful to God. Wisdom is being grateful for your King.

Hebrews is a letter written by a Jewish Christian to Jewish Christians. Using the phrase “let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God” was natural for the author to use. In the Jewish mind, a sacrifice was offered up to God in obedience for the purpose of making one right with his God. We don’t often think of our words of praise as being a sacrifice, something that restores our relationship with our Lord.

The Jewish person was familiar with making a certain type of sacrifice for a certain reason or a specific sin. They would place their offering of grain or a small animal on the altar with the understanding that there was a “cost” for sins committed. For the sake of their souls, they were to sacrifice something of value for the sake of being made right with God.

The author of Hebrews told the first-century Jewish Christians that they should continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God. Their continual praise for God would keep them close to God. The sacrifice was not the usual grain or meat offering; instead, it was the “fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.” Their testimony about Christ was the sacrifice that God requested. 

Additionally, they were to lead a life that did good for others, sharing what they had with those in need. The author of Hebrews said that “such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”

We are called to live with sacrificial praise to God on our lips and good deeds that share our blessings with others. When those words describe our spiritual goals, we can know that our sacrifices have been pleasing to God.

Wisdom is offering our gratitude to God. Gaining wisdom so that we can be right with God is a sacrifice of our time and thoughts. Allowing our praise to become a continual, sacrificial offering to God is wisely living with his priorities. We can know that our sincere gratitude has been received and has pleased our Creator God.

Paul’s words to the Thessalonian church seem overly optimistic at first. Paul set a very high standard for those early believers when he said, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances.” Even more difficult to comprehend is knowing those words were given to the first-century church in Thessalonica.

Rome was quick to take control of the city because of its beautiful location. Situated on calm gulf waters where residents had a view of Mount Olympus on clear days, the city was one of the most important sites of that day. The warm thermal springs made it a favorite destination for the wealthy and powerful. 

Paul planted churches in key areas like this one for the sake of spreading the gospel to as many as possible. Those early first-century Christians often gave up a great deal in order to follow the Christian faith. Jewish families would disown a child for becoming a Christian. The Roman marketplace was angered by the Christians who refused to purchase the idols and meat sold there. The Roman families often viewed Christians as troublemakers or traitors to Caesar because they wouldn’t worship him as a god.

It was to these Christians Paul said, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances.” Paul knew what these Christians faced and wrote these words to them anyway. Paul wasn’t teaching a “Pollyanna” faith. The apostle wanted these early Christians to understand they had an important choice to make in every circumstance of their lives. They could choose God’s will in Christ Jesus, or they could choose to allow the will of others, or the will of the world, to control their joy.

Paul taught that God’s will for our lives is to choose joy regardless of our circumstances. God never wants us to step away from our ongoing walk and prayer conversation with God through his Holy Spirit. And Paul taught these early Christians to thank God for every circumstance, knowing that God can use and redeem anything for his glory.

That level of joy, prayer life, and grateful heart is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Wisdom is offering our gratitude to God. Wisdom is choosing to live God’s will rather than conform to the will of others. A life filled with gratitude is God’s will for you right now.

Paul was grateful for the Christians in Ephesus because word of their faith in Christ Jesus had spread throughout the area. Ephesus was a seaport city and one of the most beautiful cities in the Roman Empire. Roman leaders owned beautiful beach-front property in Ephesus. The entire world came to trade their goods, shop for goods, and be entertained in the coliseum there. 

Ephesus was known for many things, including the brothels and temples to all things ungodly. The “saints” in Ephesus would have stood out in the common culture of that day. The church in Ephesus is where the apostle John took Mary, the mother of Jesus, when they fled Jerusalem. The letter indicates that the church had a diverse membership, including some from the pagan practices of the city. The church understood what it meant to offer their love and their Christian faith to all people. Paul was grateful for these Christians and expressed that in the beginning of his letter to them.

Paul prayed for them and gave thanks to God for them. These Christian believers were impacting people’s lives and their culture, one salvation at a time. The letter to the Ephesians is a great encouragement to Christians today who want to do the same.

We, like Paul, can encourage others to share their faith and stand firm in biblical truth, even when that means standing against what the culture teaches. We can live as those early saints lived, sharing the love of Christ with those who will least expect that. Everyone needs to discover their salvation and redemption through the blood of Christ.

Wisdom is offering our gratitude to God. When we are fully grateful for our own salvation, we will want to share it with those who still need to realize they are greatly loved by their Creator. Who will hear of our wisdom and faith and offer gratitude to God for our service?

We are surrounded with friends and family this time of year. Undoubtedly, a few of them are studying our lives to understand our faith. The holidays provide opportunities to share our faith with people we care about, and we can walk into every holiday occasion ready to honor God.

Paul told the Colossian church, “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.” How will your holidays change if your purpose is to honor the name of the Lord Jesus by your words and actions? Jesus would love for you to walk closely with him, allowing him to be the author of all you say and do.

Our gratitude to the Lord can be expressed in the way we treat others and through our sincere words of thanksgiving. People will be expressing the many things in their lives for which they are thankful. We can express our gratitude for God the Father, the giver of “all things.”

The most effective witness for the Lord is found in the person who speaks words of gratitude for God and then lives with deeds that reflect their close, personal relationship with God, their King. 

Christians can enter a room with the goal of honoring God, and he will provide the opportunities for us. When we do “everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,” others will know he is our Lord. We will express our thanks in both word and deed.

Wisdom is offering our gratitude to God. How will you wisely and gratefully impact your circles this holiday season? Begin by offering your gratitude to God the Father in the name of Jesus. Your words and deeds will surely follow that praise.

When Jesus died on the cross, the veil that hung in front of the Holy of Holies was torn from top to bottom. That veil was as thick as a man’s fist. The tearing of that veil was a miracle because only God could have done it. 

The words of Psalm 100 provide a picture of how we are to approach the Holy of Holies today. Today, the Dome of the Rock is constructed where it is believed the Holy of Holies originally stood. It is the most sacred place in all of Israel, which is why the Muslim people constructed the Dome there. The Muslims believe it to be the rock where Muhammad prayed and where he later ascended to heaven. The Jewish people believe it to be the rock where God stood to create the world and where Abraham went to sacrifice Isaac. It is the rock that was at the center of the Holy of Holies when Solomon’s temple was built and, later, King Herod's.

It is likely that Psalm 100 was recited and sung by the Jewish pilgrims as they walked up to Jerusalem. The wall surrounding Jerusalem had several gates, and the psalmist taught the pilgrims to “enter his gates with thanksgiving.” The pilgrims would walk through the temple walls and into the courts that surrounded the Holy of Holies. The psalmist taught the pilgrims to praise God as they entered the temple grounds. 

Notice that there is no instruction in the psalm for entering the Holy of Holies. Only the High Priest on the Day of Atonement was allowed to enter the most sacred place on the mountain. That was God’s will until he miraculously tore the veil and invited those who would believe in Christ to enter his Presence. Hebrews 10:19–20 states, “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh.”

Christians can enter the gates with thanksgiving and the courts with praise. We can also enter into the holy Presence of God as we give thanks and bless the name of Jesus, whose death forever removed the veil from the Holy of Holies. 

Wisdom is offering our gratitude to God. We have been invited into God’s Presence to wisely offer him our sacrifice of praise. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, his courts with praise, and his Presence with confidence, if Jesus is your Lord and Savior.