what I learned this morning

I love the times when I pick up my Bible to read, and something stands out to me, as if for the first time.  I've had lots of questions rolling around in my head lately, about decisions to make, even about people around me.  I have a tendency to second-guess myself, so when I opened up to James this morning to read about taming my tongue, my eyes fell on another passage.

What I read was in James three, the same chapter, but a different subject.  It was about wisdom.

In James one, he tells us that wisdom is ours for the taking.  All we have to do is ask for it, then believe and not doubt that God has supplied us with it.

In chapter three, he talks of two kinds of wisdom~the kind that is from heaven and the kind that is not.  I don't know about you, but I don't want the kind that is not from Him~from heaven.  That kind of wisdom is earthly, unspiritual and of the devil.  I don't want to harbor bitter envy or selfish ambition in my heart.  I think we all can tend to be this way, too, so it's a struggle to work against that temptation.  (Social media is a good example of this~why, really, do I post what I post?  Is it for selfish ambition?  To make people like me more?  Lord, if it is, then please forgive me! This is thought-provoking stuff.)

I do want the kind of wisdom that is from the Lord~from heaven, the kind that is first of all pure (not self-seeking), then peace-loving (not quarrelsome, not turmoil-causing or loving), considerate (not selfish), submissive (not bossy, or that wants or needs to be right all the time), full of mercy and good fruit (not holding grudges, but showing plenty of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control), impartial and sincere (not put-on).

That is the kind that I asked for today.  After reading those verses, it was clear that I didn't have wisdom on some things because I wasn't asking for wisdom on those things.  After times like this morning, I feel like I had a coffee date with Jesus.  He might as well have been sitting right beside me at the kitchen table.  It was suddenly so clear that I just needed to pray.  If I spent even half the time in prayer that I spend thinking about things, mulling them over, getting opinions of other people, then there would not be this struggle I so often face.

I've written this before recently (I think), but I am once again reminded of the hymn that says, "Oh what peace we often forfeit, oh what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry, everything to the Lord in prayer."  That's from What A Friend We Have In Jesus.  Sometimes we just need a reminder to do that~to pray.

And here are the verses that I decided to commit to memory after reading them for the seemingly

thousandth time this morning.

They are from James 3: 13 through 18.

Who is wise and understanding among you?  Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 

Such wisdom does not come from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.

For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.  

Praise God that His word sets out to do what it accomplishes~it never returns to Him void.

Love to all.