Wisdom Matters

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Welcome to Wisdom Matters, the chance to reflect on a Bible verse or two each day for the purpose of living and thinking biblically. Wisdom is a gift from God that enables us to know how to filter and use all we learn for God’s higher purpose. I hope you will join me for Wisdom Matters.

  1. 2 HRS AGO

    Is God’s wisdom your shield?

    We can be faithful to God because he is always faithful to us. From Genesis to the book of Revelation, we see God present in the lives of those who trusted in him. Even when the nation of Israel was taken into captivity, we saw the Lord’s faithfulness to Daniel and his friends. Even when King David sinned, we saw the Lord’s faithfulness to redeem his life.  Paul had likely caused the murder of innocent people before he became a Christian, but God was faithful to him and faithful to use his life after his salvation. God is always faithful to his children, especially when the Evil One, Satan, is attacking. Satan is real and so are his demons. We can see Satan at work in people’s lives who commit horrible crimes we cannot imagine doing ourselves. We must acknowledge Satan’s existence because Jesus and the disciples spoke of his reality. We are wrong to ignore Satan’s presence, but we are also wrong to give him too much power in our lives. The Apostle Paul said the Lord is faithful: “He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.” The next time darkness seems to be closing in, ask God for a hedge of angels to bring protection and light.  The next time your thoughts shift to the worst possibilities, ask the Lord to guard your thoughts and author his own. Hear him speak his promises to your heart and mind, then allow the Holy Spirit to remind you of God’s truth from Scripture. When you feel overwhelmed by a circumstance in your life, ask God for spiritual eyes to discern his angelic presence and hedge of protection. God has “established you” as a member of his eternal family; you are his child. He will guard you and help you defeat the work of the Evil One in your life. The Lord is faithful to guard our earthly lives until he can bring us safely and eternally to our heavenly homes. Yielding to God’s wisdom is spiritual strength. Allow him to guard your thoughts and your life against the Evil One.

    3 min

  2. 1D AGO

    Yielding to God’s wisdom means yielding our ideas to God’s.

    You have probably heard someone invite a person to church saying, “Your life will be so much better if you just get involved.” Maybe you’ve heard someone say something like, “God wants you to have the best life possible. You need to come to church with me.”  Truthfully, I’ve probably said things like that to people in the past. Sometimes our good intentions or personal experience stand against the truth of God’s promises. I often use John 16:33 to teach people that the actual promise of Scripture is that our earthly lives will have troubles—tribulation. Those words were spoken by Jesus to his disciples, and they are just as true for his disciples today. Sometimes our faith brings trouble to our earthly lives, with children, spouses, and friends. I’ve known people whose friends said, “I liked you better before the whole church thing.” There are two great truths of John 16:33 that are sometimes missed in the reading. Jesus taught his disciples some hard truth in the upper room. He told them he would die, but that a Helper would come. He told them one of them would be his betrayer, and he said many other things about what would happen to their lives after his death. Then he told them, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.”  John is the only Apostle believed to have lived a long life and to have died a natural death. His life was full and blessed, but it was also very difficult at times. When John authored the gospel that bears his name, he made certain we would have these important words from Christ. John knew the truth. Jesus came so that we could have peace in this world because we could live our lives “in Christ.” Jesus came to be the sacrifice for our sins so that we could live each day confident of our forgiveness. The Spirit of Christ came to indwell our lives so that we could know we had been saved; we are “in Christ.” John wanted us to know and have great hope, even during the trials of life. If we are in Christ, we have hope eternal because Jesus promised, “I have overcome the world.” We can offer people the great hope of eternal life if they are “in Christ.” We need to be cautious about offering them anything but “the peace that is ours in Christ” and the eternal hope that is ours when we leave this life.  The best earthly life is a blessed earthly life, whatever those blessings turn out to be. Our ideas and experience may not be someone else’s story. The most profound comfort is found in the truth of Christ’s words to his disciples in the upper room. Jesus said we would have troubles in our lives but that we can always trust the promise of our lives eternal.  Yielding to God’s wisdom is our spiritual strength. Yielding our words to God’s biblical wisdom will equip you to share his truth with others.

    4 min

  3. 2D AGO

    Will you yield the wait to God’s timing?

    One Sunday my husband, Jim, was preaching a sermon on patience and I was teaching my Sunday School lesson on the topic of grace. He and I laughed about that and decided we should both be calling in sick! Jim has a lot of grace, but neither of us is very good at waiting. In fact, few people are.  Waiting on the Lord is the most difficult wait of all. I’ve rarely known God to hurry things along. As I’ve often said, “Waiting is often the most important part of God’s answer.”  When you have been waiting on God for something you know would be his will to answer, be encouraged. One of the best ways to recognize the hand of God is at work is the wait. We need to become spiritually patient because that is a great strength in our lives. It shouts to the world, “I trust God’s plan and I’m willing to wait for it.” Waiting gives us the chance and the inclination to seek after God and his thoughts. The more we learn about God in his word, the more likely we are to trust his perfection. The psalmist could have said, “Enjoy the wait because you will grow stronger and your heart will be encouraged by all you learn during that time.” Even as I consider my own words, I realize explaining God’s word is much easier than following God’s word in my own life. We are human beings and we want what we want as soon as we want it. God often makes us wait until we are willing to want what he wants and wait for his work in our lives. Yielding to God is spiritual wisdom. Yielding to the wait of God’s perfect timing is wise. His solution is about our salvation, our eternal reward, and quite possibly about the eternal lives of others as well. Wanting his answers makes it well worth our wait.

    3 min

  4. 3D AGO

    Will you yield your fears to his promises?

    I decided to create Wisdom Matters because so many people I knew ended their day with the evening news and then struggled to fall asleep. There is increased anxiety and worry among God’s people and a sense that God’s family is moving in some wrong directions. Christians don’t need to worry, but we do need to seek God and his wisdom. Jesus told his disciples, “You will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately” (Matthew 24:6 NLT). When Jesus said “don’t panic,” his words were in the form of a command. In other words, panic is not our option.  Every generation has wars. Every generation has worries and concerns. Every network does its best to sensationalize the news these days because simply reporting the facts will send most of its viewers to a different network.  Wisdom Matters is intended to bring biblical truth that will transcend the thoughts and opinions created by the world’s news. In the end, we have the certainty of our salvation. We therefore live each day with the confidence that whatever our earthly lives hand us, we have nothing to fear. Jesus didn’t tell us to try to be brave. Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid.” The psalmist said, “The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid.” The most important word in that verse is the two-letter word my. A stronghold is a fort, providing walls of protection. The psalmist was saying, “If I run to God and take refuge in him, I will have nothing to fear.” God cannot be our refuge or stronghold until we run to him and give him that place in our lives.  If you have ever watched a toddler become frightened, you have watched them run as quickly as they can to the person they most trust to keep them safe. The parent, grandparent, or caregiver scoops them up and speaks quietly in their ear, “It’s okay. You are safe with me.” Compared to God, you and I aren’t even toddlers! The illustration is still true. Our Abba, Father, is present and ready to protect all who will run to him. We have been commanded, “Do not panic, do not be afraid.” The only way not to break those commands is to know and trust the One you can run to at any time.  Of whom are you afraid? Don’t be. Run to God and rest in his perfect, protective love. When God said not to panic, he wasn’t making a suggestion for your spiritual life; he was giving you a command. Yielding to God is spiritual wisdom. He is your stronghold, your fortress, and it is wise to live there.

    4 min

  5. 4D AGO

    Will you yield the fighting to God?

    Moses was teaching the Israelites how to go into battle whenever it became necessary. He taught the people not to fear, panic, or be in dread of their enemies. Moses taught them to allow the Lord to “go with them” and that God would fight for them and give them the victory. The most important lesson Christians can learn from Scripture about controversies, battles, warfare, and even the daily irritations we might find ourselves in is this: The battle is the Lord’s. We don’t know what to say or do until we ask God for his wisdom and direction.  Making Jesus our Savior was an easy choice. Allowing him to be the Lord of our lives is much more difficult. We can experience joyful peace when we remember that the battle is not ours to fight. The Lord has basically said, “Hop off my throne and allow me to handle this in a way that is best for everyone.” God always has a kingdom purpose as his goal. He doesn’t just want to fix the problem today; his plan likely includes the best fix for our eternal lives as well. Our battles are simply opportunities to step into his strength and surrender our own. There might be consequences to our earthly lives that are actually blessings for our eternal lives. The Bible teaches us that “iron sharpens iron” (Proverbs 27:17). God allows many of our struggles in life because they provide a way for us to strengthen and hone our faith and receive his favor and blessings as our reward.  God wants us to be strong and he wants to bless us for our choices. The greatest victories in our earthly lives will have heavenly rewards. Who or what do you need to surrender to the Lord and allow him to fight for you? Don’t panic, dread, or fear when an enemy comes against you. Just “tell God on them” and hear him say, “We’ve got this.” God has promised victory to those who allow him to own the fight. The best way to know God has fought the battle is that the outcome turns out to be a spiritual blessing for all involved.  We have a wise and powerful God. Yielding to God’s wisdom is spiritual strength. Allowing him to fight with us and for us is our hope of victory.

    3 min

  6. 5D AGO

    Do you stand firm in faithful service to your King?

    This verse always reminds me of the guards standing outside Buckingham Palace. They are known for their uniforms, those tall hats, and for remaining focused and immovable for their entire shift at their post. The tourists do some crazy things trying to draw their attention, to no avail. Those guards are an image for our Christian faith. Paul told the Corinthian believers to be “watchful.” Corinth was a rough, ungodly city in Roman culture. The first-century Christians were very different from most people in the city, and they were carefully and curiously watched. The church in Corinth became one of the most influential churches of the first century.  Paul closed his letter to the church in Corinth by telling the members to pay attention to their witness inside the church as well as out among the culture. Their job was to “stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”  Christians are supposed to be like those guards in front of Buckingham Palace. We aren’t supposed to look like the rest of the crowd, and we aren’t supposed to act like them either. We have a job to do because we are enlisted in the King’s service. We stand our post when we stand firm in our faith. There is no reason to waffle about because of different opinions. We don’t have to tolerate or accept what the Bible defines as sin. We don’t have to weaken our faith to make it acceptable to others. We are called to stand firm and serve our King. We are to be strong, steady, dependable, convinced, mature, and confident in our faith. That witness greatly impacted the decadent, sinful city of Corinth in the first century, and that same witness will impact our culture today. How would you describe your witness to others? Chances are, most people know you are a Christian and they know what Christians believe. We speak our loudest sermons sometimes by using no words. We simply take our post, stand firm, and remain focused on whom we are serving. The “tourists” can jump around and act crazy, but we are immovable, certain of the truth. Those guards at Buckingham Palace serve an earthly monarch. Christians serve a heavenly King. Yielding to God’s wisdom is spiritual strength. His strength and our dedication to serve will provide an influential witness to those who are watching. Are you willing to yield your life to faithful service of the King?

    4 min

  7. 6D AGO

    Are you desperate for the Lord’s strength?

    You have probably heard that “there are no atheists in foxholes.” Most of us can remember a circumstance when we prayed with passion and desperation. “Foxhole prayers” are important, and we can know that God hears every heartfelt word we utter. We can also know that God’s answers are not always what we wanted or asked him to give. Often in a crisis time, we look for verses from the Bible that will provide the answers we need. God gave us his word for a reason. He knew we would need to reach for his voice and hear it as we read. The author of Chronicles had a different solution. People didn’t have Bibles sitting on a shelf in their homes or accessible through technology. In the Old Testament, the Spirit was present but didn’t indwell a believer’s life. In 1 Chronicles 16:11, we are instructed to “seek the Lᴏʀᴅ and his strength; seek his presence continually.” The Hebrew word for seek meant to search for something of value or importance. Think of how you would look for a treasured object like a lost wedding ring or an important key. That is the way we have been told to seek the Lord and his strength.  Our search for God and his strength is not just because we have a casual appreciation for his companionship. We are taught to seek him because there is no other option or substitution for his presence in our lives. We desperately need God’s direction and power in our lives.  And we are to seek his presence continually. When the Apostle Paul taught us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:16), he was teaching the same truth found in the Old Testament truth of 1 Chronicles. God is faithful to be present in our lives when we seek him. He is our patient, holy Father and will most often wait to show his Presence until he is invited. If we don’t seek God's presence continually, we cannot yield each moment to his wisdom, and yielding to God’s wisdom is spiritual strength. Seek—chase after—the Lord and you will find his presence and his strength.

    3 min

  8. MAY 16

    Will you yield your temptations to God?

    The more we focus on God and live in his truth, the less we will struggle with the temptations of this world. Also true is that as long as we are in this world, we will never be able to live without the temptation to sin. The Apostle Paul wrote, “God is faithful and he will provide a way of escape,” but he also wrote in his letter to the Romans, “I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep doing” (Romans 7:18–19). If the Apostle Paul struggled with his sins, we should expect to struggle too. We want to be consistently faithful to God, but we can also know that consistency will always be difficult to achieve. Thankfully, we have a perfect, loving Father who, as Paul said, “is faithful” to us. God does not allow us to be tempted beyond our ability and always provides a way for us to stand strong in the temptation and escape the sin. Paul knew that God provided him with the spiritual strength he needed, even when he didn’t live with that strength as he should.  There are moments we are tempted to set aside our faith in order to fully enjoy a pleasure the world offers. Later, those moments have passed and we are left with words we wish we hadn’t spoken, people we wish we hadn’t hurt, and a witness we wish was more intact. We had a good time, for a moment, but we know that we “set aside our faith” for the sake of something less important. Why do those moments happen in the life of every Christian? Paul told us we had a way of escape and that we wouldn’t be tempted beyond what we could endure. Yet we were tempted, and we did not escape our own choices.  The Holy Spirit is a one-time addition to our lives, but being led by the Holy Spirit is a moment-to-moment choice. The Spirit of Christ is constantly speaking his thoughts into our day, but, as with any conversation, it is up to us to listen and then act on the words we hear. Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). We shouldn’t expect to live in this world temptation free. Even Jesus was tempted in every way. Jesus was the only sinless person who will ever exist. Our failures are inevitable, and God redeems those times by helping us find our way out of those weaknesses and giving us the strength to endure and overcome them the next time.  Our earthly spiritual lives are not about perfection; they are about growth. Our heavenly lives will be our perfect reward. Until then we remember: yielding to God’s wisdom is spiritual strength. Whenever we are tempted, we can choose to yield those moments to God and he will lead us through the temptation to a greater reward.

    4 min
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About

Welcome to Wisdom Matters, the chance to reflect on a Bible verse or two each day for the purpose of living and thinking biblically. Wisdom is a gift from God that enables us to know how to filter and use all we learn for God’s higher purpose. I hope you will join me for Wisdom Matters.

Information

  • Channel
    Denison Forum
  • Creator
    Foundations with Janet Denison
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    358
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Foundations
  • Show Website
    Wisdom Matters

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