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
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