The time has come. I have another blog on blogspot, and I am in the process of moving those posts to Word press. This is post number one.
Re-writing an article about Proverbs 28:28 and the definition of wisdom got me thinking. Proverbs 28:28 reads: “When the wicked rise, men hide themselves: but when they perish, the righteous increase.” The article stirred my heart and got me thinking about my country and its rapid descent into wickedness. No longer is wickedness merely tolerated, it is accepted and excused. This ought not to be.
~♥~
Wisdom, defined from I Kings 3:4-11 b Solomon’s response to God’s request to give him anything he wanted, is this:
—->Acknowledging God’s mercy and kindness to those who walk in truth, righteousness and uprightness of heart with God. (v. 6)
—->Recognizing the nothingness of one’s knowledge, understanding, and abilities. (v. 7)
—->Recognizing that the task is impossible for mere man without God. (v. 8)
—->Asking God for an understanding heart, and the ability to discern between good and evil, along with recognizing it all comes from Him and Him alone. (v. 9)
~♥~
Seems simple doesn’t it? I can’t; God can; He is my source for everything; without Him I am nothing.
~♥~
Now back to Proverbs 28:28. When wickedness grows, the righteousness of the land wanes. Those who are righteous fear for their lives and hide from the wickedness around them. This, then, leaves the wicked open, with little opposition, and they continue to gobble up everyone they can in their path. Not only do they do wicked things, they glory (take pleasure) in those who do them, seek to have their wickedness accepted as normal, and hate anyone who tries to tell them otherwise. When the wicked abound, everyone has to fear for their lives and their property and much more because there is no restraint to keep people from harming themselves and others.
~♥~
On the other hand, “when they perish, the righteous increase.” Let’s word that this way: when the righteous increase, the wicked perish. That may be taking liberties, but stay with me. The wicked arise because God-fearing people are no longer wise.
~♥~
—->They become like the world through compromise.
—->They begin to believe their own understanding instead of seeking God’s understanding and God’s purpose.
—->They often have a form of worship, but lack depth and a real connection with the God they are supposedly serving.
—->They begin to laugh at things that would have shocked them at one time.
—->Their standards and morals begin to gradually slide away.
—->They hide their light under a bushel, not allowing it to shine out into and illuminate the wickedness of the world.
~♥~
The world wanders around in increasing darkness, seeking the ever illusive peace and happiness that satan has promised them through his counterfeit offerings. Where are the righteous? Many of those that exist have hidden their light for fear of their life or because they have begun to believe the world’s “truths”.
~♥~
What I believe this scripture is pointing out is that, in a time of wickedness, Christians need to seek God and His wisdom and stand tall and firm if they want to affect the nation (and the world). Instead of buying the “politically correct” notions and the understandings of the world, Christians need to get right and stand tall, letting their light shine out into the darkness. If death comes from this, then praise the Lord that you get to die for Him.
~♥~
If we want to turn our nation around, we must seek the kind of wisdom Solomon asked for and be a light to the world.
~♥~
Proverbs 28:28 serves as a warning to those of us seeking God’s wisdom and His righteousness to stand up and let our God shine from our lives for others to see. When the righteous act as a light in the darkness of wickedness, they draw the wicked to God. Wisdom realizes this and seeks to get the life aligned with God’s ways, eschewing complacency, political-correctness, compromise, and even legalism to stand out in a way that turns the tide from increasing wickedness to increasing righteousness. This then is wisdom.” (quote from my article) And this, then, is what God calls His followers to do today to turn around our country AND our churches.
~♥~
Bible study: Job 28:28 What is wisdom
Do you count yourself wise by this definition?
120408–George Hach’s Journal–Sunday | George Hach's Blog
Apr 08, 2012 @ 05:51:50
Carol Ann Hoel
Apr 08, 2012 @ 23:02:29
You have said it right, Angie. Thank you for taking time to reason it out. Blessings to you…
ansuyo
Apr 08, 2012 @ 23:14:40
Thank you very much, Carol 🙂
Wisdom’s Call and Protection in Darkness | Life of a Sinner
Apr 10, 2012 @ 15:07:58
Freedomborn
Apr 15, 2012 @ 02:51:08
Hi Angie, a powerful message and very True, we do indeed need to ask for God’s wisdom, we are not born with it, the link below is how God revealed His Truth to me in regards to wisdom and He also opened my eyes to see the need to put our flesh to death by The Spirit because we can’t walk as Jesus walked or be perfected in Love until we do, which means as you shared…. wickedness grows, and the righteousness of the land wanes they yes they have a form of Godliness but deny the Power.
Jesus has set us free from the slavery of the flesh so that we can choose not to sin and by the empowering of The Holy Spirit we will walk in the Fruit of The Spirit putting the flesh to death and being Born again of God’s seed so we no longer sin or choose to because we have the mind of Christ and we walk as He did, many Scriptures confirm these Truths as do those below.
John 8:34-36 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
1 John 3: 9 No one who is Born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been Born of God.
Colossians 3:4-6 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.
Blog Link – http://alifeofhopeandjoy.wordpress.com/category/woman-of-kingdom-wisdom/
Thank you Angie, I’m blessed that our lives touched.
Christian Love and blessings from both of us – Anne
ansuyo
Apr 15, 2012 @ 19:37:50
Thanks 🙂 I read your post and liked it. God offers wisdom to any who will but ask. First they need to realize their need of God’s wisdom, and that’s a problem for so many. I always ask for wisdom, but have recently started asking for greater discernment in exercising the wisdom He has given me. Thank you for your comment. God bless 🙂 Angie