I have first hand knowledge on being stubborn :).

Brad


At 06:21 PM 7/11/2007, you wrote:
>Well Brad,
>You did a good job and I wanted to say thanks for your time and effort. 
>Some of us are hard headed you know.
>
>Virgie and lady Hoshi
>doing business at
>
>www.vunderwood.ktostemtech.com
>----- Original Message ----- From: "Brad D" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Monday, July 09, 2007 2:53 PM
>Subject: Re: Wisdom Wisbanger
>
>
>>Virgie,
>>
>>Reading Proverbs 3 you'll see all I did was just be a Parrot with good 
>>hearing and a beak  that can repeat and form words ;:. Or in this case 
>>feet that can type. You can't go wrong quoting God's word :). Wisdom is 
>>such a wide and varied thing, no wonder we have 31 chapters dedicated to 
>>its quick reference. Lots to learn and with wisdom as the ammo, our lives 
>>are like a moving target.
>>
>>Brad
>>
>>At 11:01 AM 7/9/2007, you wrote:
>>>Hey Brad,
>>>You are on a roll!  Another awesome post, I appreciate the way you put 
>>>it all together.
>>>
>>>Virgie and lady Hoshi
>>>doing business at
>>>
>>>www.vunderwood.ktostemtech.com
>>>----- Original Message ----- From: "B Dunse" <[log in to unmask]>
>>>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>>Sent: Monday, July 09, 2007 9:58 AM
>>>Subject: Wisdom Wisbanger
>>>
>>>
>>>>Reading this morning I originally was drawn to the reward of sweet 
>>>>sleep and no fear of the enemy suddenly coming upon us and wanted to 
>>>>draw attention to that but so much more is offered. What then are the 
>>>>rewards of wisdom? As you know parts of God's word are metaphorical and 
>>>>others are literal. For instance when God talks about wisdom calling 
>>>>out in the streets and that she's waiting at the gate of the city and 
>>>>so forth, well there isn't  really a woman thousands of years old who 
>>>>goes by  the name of Wisdom standing at the city limits of every city 
>>>>in the world. So it is a metaphor showing God's wisdom is everywhere, 
>>>>in every situation, and we need only look and listen for it, and of 
>>>>course follow it. There are times however when God says things like do 
>>>>not reprove a scorner or you will receive disgrace. We know that is a 
>>>>literal statement. He gives us the ability to discern metaphor from 
>>>>literal if we only ask, I know this because His Word says so and 
>>>>personal experience has proven it to me. So knowing that information 
>>>>what then are the benefits of wisdom? And by wisdom, it is not intended 
>>>>to mean our own wisdom, that is our own thoughts grounded in our own 
>>>>devices and interests, but that of God's wisdom instilled in us and we 
>>>>then use it.  What then can we look with anticipation and graceful 
>>>>expectation to receive from finding, seeking and using God's wisdom?
>>>>
>>>>If you were to hear wisdom being advertised in an infomercial on TV 
>>>>today, it might sound something like this...
>>>>
>>>>"Today we're offering a special price on our Wisdom Whizbanger! We're 
>>>>really out doing ourselves this time folks, never before have we 
>>>>offered such a deal. If you order today here's what you will get!! 
>>>>Extended life! That's right folks we literally can extend your life by 
>>>>not only days but years! And what good would an extended life be if it 
>>>>was a life filled with fear and strife? So we're also tossing in a life 
>>>>of peace. That's right. Peace. Not only will you be able to live longer 
>>>>but you will live longer, with more peace as well. And that's not all. 
>>>>If you order today at this special offer you will also receive the 
>>>>ability to enjoy favor with God your creator as well as your fellow 
>>>>man! I know, I know many have asked us how we can afford to be so 
>>>>generous but we can't believe it either! We must be poor business 
>>>>people to be offering all of this. But. I want to tell you there's 
>>>>more! Yes more. If you call now while our operators are standing by we 
>>>>will toss in not one, not two, but three, yes three additional gifts 
>>>>for ordering today. Along with a long peaceable life of favor with god 
>>>>and man you will also receive wealth, riches and honor! We've 
>>>>really  gone over the edge this time folks, we can't believe it 
>>>>ourselves! Now if you... wait a minute. I'm getting a call from our 
>>>>CEO... please excuse me for just one second. 'Yes Charlie what can I do 
>>>>for you? You kidding! Are you serious! They are not going to believe 
>>>>this, are you sure about this? Well, OK then. Thanks I'll tell them'. 
>>>>Sorry for the interruption folks but you won't believe this, that was 
>>>>our CEO on the phone and, someone hit me so I know I'm not dreaming 
>>>>because not only are we offering a long peaceable life complete with 
>>>>favor of God and man along with wealth, riches and honor... I can't 
>>>>believe he's doing this... my CEO just instructed me that for 
>>>>those  who order right now you will receive a life of straight paths, 
>>>>correction by a loving Father and that's not all you also will receive..."
>>>>
>>>>OK, OK. Enough with the infomercial bit :) I think you get the hint. As 
>>>>cheesy as that staged infomercial was, it yet carries truth in what god 
>>>>will give us by seeking wisdom. One very important thing I didn't 
>>>>include in the bit was this...
>>>>
>>>>Keep sound wisdom and discretion, so they will be life to your soul and 
>>>>adornment to your neck. Then you will walk in your way securely and 
>>>>your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid; 
>>>>when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Do not be afraid of sudden 
>>>>fear nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes; For the LORD 
>>>>will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.
>>>>
>>>>So if God's Word can be taken literal we know that seeking and 
>>>>obtaining wisdom and understanding, we know then that we can be secure, 
>>>>confident and sleep a sweet sleep without fear and interruption. The 
>>>>gift of wisdom is salvation, it is there for the taking, we only need 
>>>>to decide to grasp on to what has already been given us and reap the 
>>>>rewards of the offer. One difference between salvation and wisdom is 
>>>>there are times in life when  we need to decide to apply wisdom. In 
>>>>salvation it is a gift in which we only choose to grasp on to and the 
>>>>Lord does the saving. With wisdom, we grasp on to the precepts in our 
>>>>given situations and yes God does the rewarding or sees to it that we 
>>>>do have favor with Himself and man that we do have riches, wealth, 
>>>>peace and all wisdom promises in His Word. But we do need to decide to 
>>>>use it, to grasp on, to apply it to our lives, to hold our 
>>>>situations  up to the light of God through His gift of wisdom, 
>>>>knowledge and understanding. Imagine if you told your son to run to the 
>>>>grocery store and get a loaf of bread. He then asks well how do I get 
>>>>there. So you give him some written instructions. He runs and gets the 
>>>>bread then runs off doing whatever. Then you ask him to run to the same 
>>>>store and get some milk. He asks again how to get there.  So you point 
>>>>out that you gave him written instructions. "Oh yeah, I forgot" he 
>>>>says.  Goes off, comes back with the milk and goes about his business. 
>>>>Later you ask him to get some eggs from the store, and again he asks 
>>>>how to get there. Soon it would get a bit irritating would it not?  We 
>>>>would wonder why isn't he using his knowledge of what I gave him 
>>>>instead of continually asking me over and over how to get there. Years 
>>>>ago I was being counseled by a wise man of God with some great insight 
>>>>and application of God's Word and I was just learning how to apply 
>>>>God's word to my life. He said seeking God  in prayer for things in 
>>>>life, for direction is of course needed but praying about whether 
>>>>to  put salad forks out with the meal is just irritating and not 
>>>>necessary. Obviously he was exaggerating to make the point that some 
>>>>things we have been given a brain, as well wisdom to use as a team 
>>>>towards our situations in life. I'll end with a precept which is kind 
>>>>of a joke at the same time. A pastor once gave this sermon and he did a 
>>>>wonderful job of it. Folks came to him after the service, shook his 
>>>>hand vigorously and said how wonderful it was and all that and he 
>>>>smiled calmly and said thank you. The following Sunday the pastor gave 
>>>>the same sermon. Folks cordially smiled, yawned  and nodded as he gave 
>>>>the sermon and when he was done they again said how nice it was, shook 
>>>>hands with a slightly looser grip this time,  and smiled with a bit of 
>>>>forced lips. The next Sunday the pastor gave the very same sermon. Well 
>>>>the elders began to wonder if there wasn't something wrong with the 
>>>>pastor. One more week went by and dang nabit if he didn't do it yet 
>>>>again. Well finally the elders took the pastor aside after the service 
>>>>and asked him, "Umm. Pastor? Umm. are you aware you've given the same 
>>>>exact sermon, uh, several weeks in a row now?"
>>>>
>>>>He replied. "Yes I know I have. And I'm going to keep giving it until 
>>>>you folks begin to actually do it".
>>>>
>>>>I read one of the articles  on a link Phil gave us to look at from 
>>>>George Muller I think was his name. I really recommend the article 
>>>>which talks about reading the Word of God and not so much man's books. 
>>>>That is  not to say teachings, encouragements and etc. are not helpful, 
>>>>but it is God's Word that can teach itself if you dig in and that ought 
>>>>be the stable of your instructional diet. Nothing replaces His Word.
>>>>
>>>>Brad