Devotionals

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OK, so usually I write these things first, then edit them, then post them. We are going to see what happens when I post from the heart, "on the fly".

I have been gaining so much insight from God lately that it has been hard to contain, and after a huge dry spell it is kind of like Ezekiel's dry bones over here! But God has been teaching me some REALLY GREAT things and I wanted to share them with y'all but time is such a sweet premium right now....

Suffice to say it short and sweet and to the point....and as a writer I will probably make a short story LONG!! LOL

Between counseling and my own personal Bible reading and prayer, and the words of a couple of key "advisors" in my life, God has shown me that my view of Him is completely skewed. And...because that view is skewed, it also messes up my view of myself, and of others. (You would think that this was a bad thing!) Now, this in and of itself is not a HUGE REVELATION nor am I completely unique in this, because many people have the same problem. However, this is what I am currently trying to work through....

I am a very "mental" person (no, stop laughing, I don't mean "insane", I just mean that I think a lot!) The problem is that I have made my Christian life just another of my "mental" activities. I can think about how a Christian is supposed to act, I get great insights from thinking about the Word, and I can think about how to do better in living the Christian life both for myself and others. Unfortunately, there is a crucial 18" diifference between "knowledge" and "wisdom" and that is between the head and the heart...and therefore translated into LIFE. Which, in many instances, makes me a HYPOCRITE.

"What is the difference between knowledge and wisdom?" you might be asking. Good question! Well, first, there is the above mentioned difference between knowing something and acting on it. But secondly, the Bible says that knowledge "puffs up" (I Cor 8:1)--in other words, it brings PRIDE, showing off, a "look how much I know" attitude and a wanting to show it off. Wisdom comes from the LORD and brings about GODLY ACTION: "Only may the LORD give you wisdom and understanding, and give you charge concerning Israel, that you may keep the law of the LORD your God." (I Chronicles 22:12).

I want to be wise, but how? I could try, as I have been doing, to conquer the "symptoms", and try to live a "godly life" (and be a hypocrite because it is MENTAL and not ACTIVE!) This has not worked, so let's try another approach....

Transformation does come from the MIND; but it is NOT from ME. Romans 12:2 says that transformation comes from being RENEWED in the mind BY GOD, so that I can PROVE (test or live out) the PERFECT WILL OF GOD. True spiritual renewal will SHOW ITSELF in my actions, I will not have to point out how "smart" I am...my changed life will show for me.

Transformation also comes from the WORD of God. 2 Timothy 3:16 says that it is the Word that is profitable for all kinds of change: doctrine (getting a RIGHT view of God, myself and others), reproof (where am I going wrong and being a hypocrite?), correction (how do I get back to where God wants me to be?) and instruction (in WISDOM...acting out the Word of God.)

The first Bible verse that I memorized almost 17 years ago was 2 Corinthians 5:17, "If anyone is in Christ he is a NEW CREATION, old things have passed away, behold, ALL things have become new." This is one that, to this day, I have not CLAIMED as my own. I love it, I have it in my heart, I call it my "butterfly verse

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