Tag Archives: wisdom

Lost in Translation

My husband gave me a beautiful journal for Christmas. Every page has a different scripture verse at the bottom.

The other day the verse was, “If you want to know what God wants you to do, ask him , and he will gladly tell you.” (James 1:5.) That verse spoke to me. I did want to know what God wanted me to do. Funny, I didn’t remember having seen that verse in James before. I thought I’d check it out in my default version which is the NIV.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” That I recognised! I hadn’t realised that wisdom and knowing what God wants me to do are the same thing. I thought I’d check out other versions.

The Message: If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it.

ESV: If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

Amp. If any of you lacks wisdom [to guide him through a decision or circumstance] he is to ask of [our benevolent] God, who gives to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame and it will be given to him.

Philips: …if any of you does not know how to meet any particular problem, he has only to ask God – who gives generously to all men without making them feel foolish or guilty – and he may be quite sure that the necessary wisdom will be given him.

In the end I found the version my journal had used. It was the Living Bible. Through the whole process I felt my mind had been opened to that particular verse. I should try that exercise more often.

My Prayer

Thank you, Father, for the richness of Your Word. Please give me wisdom because I sure lack it. Thank You. Amen.

Wisdom

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“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. I will counsel you with my loving eye upon you.” (Psalm 32:8 NIV)

Wisdom is knowing how to live well. God promises to help us find wisdom.

Wisdom is not the same as knowledge. It has been said, “Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad.”

This post is part of One-Liner-Wednesday.

Lockdown Day 20 Good Advice

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This post is part of One-Liner Wednesday.

The All-Knowing Cell Phone

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My cell phone thinks it knows better than me. It uses its past experiences, its logic and inbuilt programming to decide what is right.

Recently I can across the story of Charles (Chuck) Templeton.

He became an evangelist in 1941. In 1945 he and Torrey Johnson of Chicago met youth leaders from around the United States. They formed a working group that would become Youth for Christ. Billy Graham was their first evangelist. Shortly thereafter, Graham and Templeton undertook an evangelistic tour of western Europe for YFC.

We all know something of Billy Graham’s subsequent ministry. Charles Templeton, however, after a long struggle with doubt, declared himself an agnostic in 1957. He wrote his book, “Farewell to God,” in 1995 where he outlined his reasons for leaving the Christian faith.

Yet, in an interview with Lee Strobel shortly before his death, Charles Templeton said of Jesus, “I miss Him.”

It’s a sad story, but in some ways it reminded me of my cell phone. Using his experiences, his logic and the programming of the world around him, he set himself up as the final authority of right and wrong, fairness and unfairness, even though God has so much more experience, knowledge and wisdom than him. Just like my cell phone that thinks it knows better than I do.

Great are the works of the Lord; they are pondered by all who delight in them. Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures forever. He has caused his wonders to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and compassionate. (Psalm 111 vs 2-4)

Considering how wise, powerful and loving God is, the best we can do is to trust Him and do what He says rather than what our limited intellect and experience deems right.