Posts Tagged ‘Jesus’

We don’t Wrestle against Flesh and Blood

Posted: October 20, 2025 in God Perspective
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My nephew wrestled in high school and I remember him telling me how unique wrestling is from a team sport because it’s not like football or basketball… It is just sheer strength against sheer strength, cunning against cunning and may the best man win.

Wrestling is a sport where you are literally grappling with your opponent and using every ounce of strength you have to try and overcome someone who’s trying to do the same to you. Experience matters, like it does in life, but at the same time pure strength can be hard to overcome.

Why in the world am I talking about wrestling today? There is a verse in Ephesians that communicates to you and to me about a battle that we Christians find ourselves in. And this battle is unique because we can’t see our opponent. But I felt it very necessary to communicate something that you may or may not have thought of before.

I think it is pretty obvious and and frankly safer to fight a battle from a long way away. In the US military, snipers can fire at targets over a mile away and be successful. In most successful battles going back to the Civil War, soldiers would set up cannons and fire at the opponent so they could soften the front lines in order that their infantry could advance. After all of that preparation, it was the infantry who gained the physical ground and ultimately again, battled their opponent, man-to-man.

So today guys, I wanted to introduce you to the warfare that our enemy is executing on us… You and me. Depending upon which translation you read, Ephesians 6:12 tells us that “we are not wrestling against flesh and blood, but rather against the rulers, the authorities, and against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms”

What does that really mean? That means the enemy is not a mile away, he’s not next-door… He is right next to you, whispering in your ear. Telling you things that are not true in order so he can bump you off your path and get you going in a different direction… 

We are literally wrestling with the enemy as Paul says. We are not dancing. We are wrestling. It’s important that you recognize how close your enemy actually is or, how close he is to your family. It’s easy to go about our day and never really think about that battle going on. But I assure you, it is, and there is active strategy being put forth and executed to destroy you and everything you love. You, must think about it and be ready for each day.

Now that we know what we are up against, how do we fight?

This will probably surprise you but when your adversary is the devil, you don’t stand and fight, you resist. I say this again, if you try and fight, you will lose. Even Jesus, after spending 40 days in the wilderness, Satan came and met with Him with the sole reason to tempt Him (Matthew 4:1-11). You will notice that Jesus did not fight but rather He resisted and that is exactly what we are called to do, resist. Take a look at these 2 verses:

  • Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7
  • Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 1 Peter 5:9

Guys, if you only recognized the power you have right now that already exists within you as a believer, it would really change your mind about wrestling not against flesh and blood. Yes, you are a target, but not defenseless. The power within you comes from God’s Holy Spirit which is pure strength from Him to use when you are in a wrestling match. If you feel an evil presence of unseen forces, then call on His name. He will not abandon you. Most importantly remember the words of the Apostle John below which is always a gut check reminder for me-

Greater is He that is in you, than he who is in the world.  1 John 4:4

Until next time Guys-

God is Serious about Salvation…Are you?

Posted: October 7, 2025 in God Perspective
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I wrote a blog a few months back titled, By Not making a Choice, You have made a Choice, and I wanted to expand on that further after reading some very direct, and to-the-point scripture. You see, as I have learned by reading His word, God has a serious edge to Him. What I mean is, there is a STRONG reason why Fearing Him is a real thing and that point very rarely gets mentioned…Unless you read His word like below:

God ALWAYS speaks directly and He means what He says

I can’t communicate this any clearer than that. Secondly:

If you dont fear God, please rethink that. (I will unpack the Fear of God in an upcoming blog)

But please…read this verse below:

Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? 

For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”and again, “The Lord will judge his people.”

It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.  Hebrews 10:28-31

What in the world does this mean to you and me? It means that God takes His gift of salvation to all of humanity extremely seriously. He sacrificed His only Son, Jesus, so He could provide a free gift to everyone who would accept Him. However, if you make the conscious choice to reject His gift, the writer of Hebrews asks, How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot…? 

Here is a really important point to understand about this. You, me, everyone…is accountable, whether you believe in Him or not. And I wrote that blog about not making a choice…is actually making a choice, specifically so that you can’t or won’t plead ignorance when the time comes.

No excuses are accepted.

Remember the story about the wide gate and the narrow gate that Jesus talks about in Matthew? 

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it”. Matthew 7:13-14

Jesus tells us that many will enter the wide gate and few will enter the narrow one. And then, when judgment day comes and we try and remind Jesus that even though we actually entered the wide gate…because we chose NOT to make a decision for Him…His answer will be simple, “I never knew you”. No conversation. Just judgment.

THIS IS REALLY TOUGH TALK

I completely understand that but this blog serves zero purpose to you or anyone if I pull punches and not clarify what God really is asking of you. Remember that you, me, everyone are accountable for our own actions on this earth. My question is, did you make your choice and then follow through by living out that choice in front of God?

Every single person who has ever lived on Earth will face the same judgment, all having been made accountable for either accepting or rejecting the gift of salvation.

Guys, I cannot end this blog without pointing out the last couple of verses I shared earlier from Hebrews. God is absolutely serious when He tells us…

“It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”and again, “The Lord will judge his people.”

No one can live in denial after reading these verses. Yes, God is a faithful and loving God…but He is also a God of vengeance and judgment…and if you reject Him then all I can say is…

It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Until next time Guys-

Does Jesus know you?

Posted: July 22, 2025 in God Perspective
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One of the very last messages preached by John MacArthur before he passed was titled “Why most Christians will miss the Rapture”. Now if that doesn’t grab your attention, I am not sure what will. We have never spoken about the Rapture on this blog before and today, I am proceeding as if you know what this is…but to summarize, The Rapture is when God will evacuate Christian’s before the beginning of the Tribulation. You can imagine there is a whole lot more to this topic but not today.

Now…I will tell you there is a great deal of debate about the sequence of events for what I am telling you. But, I am not an expert and I don’t pretend to be one… but I can tell you, as a Christian, you don’t want to miss the Rapture.

That said, here is the critical point you need to understand that as a Christian, you cannot love both Jesus and the world. You cannot have your feet on both sides of the fence simultaneously. God is very clear in the Bible that he is a jealous God and someone trying to live in both worlds will fail. Read this verse below:

They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.  1 John 2:19

The second point to understand is that this world is NOT neutral and if you think it is, you are very mistaken. I can take this statement a step further and say that if the world feels like home to you then maybe Heaven won’t. This world has no intention of helping you be a better Christian. Read this verse:

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.  James 4:4

Simply put, rebellion against God are people with hearts that are married to the world. MacArthur said it this way, “Christians who have hearts that are captured by the temporary and not longing for the eternal”. 

The third major point for you to recognize is God is coming back for a people who have separated themselves from this world.  What does that mean for you and me? As the scripture says below, making every effort to be holy. You can never be perfect, but you can live your life trying. Read this verse:

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14

MacArthur says, “Holiness is a requirement and not optional”.

Finally, and really one of the most important points I can make today is that without repentance, there is no salvation. I understand that is a tough, hard statement to hear but that is the truth. That is a significant part of the point above about working to be holy. Read this below:

In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.  Acts 17:30 

It is important to recognize that God is not fooled by appearances. You can’t fake God into thinking you are someone different than you really are. God knows your heart so we are back to the statement I made before, that you can’t keep sinning and keep Christ too. That is not a suggestion.

I will close with this statement from John MacArthur when he said, “Christ finds lukewarm christians nauseating”. If you are not pursuing God, you are running from Him. Plain and Simple. You may make an excuse, but that is a fact.

Guys I firmly believe you can do this. It will take your attention away from other stuff in your life but frankly, that is the point. Read this verse below:

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age

Titus 2:11-12

I know this was a heavier topic but I can’t stress enough its importance and I have to ask this question one more time. 

Does Jesus know you?

Until next time guys-

Tribute to John MacArthur – 1935-2025

Posted: July 20, 2025 in Strength for Today
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Many of you may have heard the very sad news this past week about the passing of John MacArthur, the Teacher-Pastor at Grace Bible Church near Thousand Oaks, California. He had been there for over 56 years. He became even more renowned during the awful Covid season when he stood firm against the State of California and Governor Gavin Newsom and refused to shut down his church. 

He literally defied what the State of California told him, deferring only to God, and in the end, Grace Bible Church won and held services throughout that difficult time.

It is very possible that you may never have heard of this man until the news broke this week of his passing, but I assure you that if you have read this blog before, then you are familiar with him because his influence is all over my IronManStrength blog and will continue to be. I have read 15 of his books and many of them twice and I found they are even better the second time. 

One of my regrets is I never got to see him preach in person, but thanks to YouTube, his sermons live on. 

I am the guy who likes to listen to him preach via his podcasts while I walk the miles I walk and in my opinion, his ability to speak biblical truth is exactly what this world needed and continues to need. His series of books titled:

The Gospel according to God,

The Gospel according to Jesus

The Gospel according to The Apostles,

The Gospel according to Paul,

…are extremely relevant and written in a way whereby he explains the theology of the good news of the gospel in an easy to understand manner. 

I learned this week through the media that he was a teacher that used the Bible to prove the Bible. He didn’t unnecesarily use lots of stories or personal anecdotes to help justify or emphasize sermons. He just used what the Bible says and that was enough.

Because of his influence on myself and this blog, I wanted to take just a few words and tell you that we lost a very important man in the Kingdom of God this week. In my opinion, he was the kind of man that doesn’t come along very often and from where I sit, I don’t see anyone now who can or will replace him. Why is this important? Because Satan knew John MacArthur as his enemy and one of his biggest adversaries on earth. John MacArthur reached millions of people throughout his lifetime using various media channels that broadcast his sermons. 

Guys, we need someone right now that isn’t afraid to speak Gods truth to a world that doesn’t want anything to do with it. We need another adversary like him to continue battling with our collective enemy.

John MacArthur said reading the Bible is like a lion, just open it up and let it out and it will do what its intended to do because Gods Word never returns void and will accomplish its purposes. 

So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11

Guys, more than ever, we need more men to stand up and be committed to the truth of the Word of God. My commitment to you and the readers of this blog is that I will continue to bring you the truths of Gods Word wherever I find them and that will always include the very best of Pastor MacArthur.

We lost a great man of God this week and if you couldn’t tell, I am bummed.

But I will I leave you with some of his quotes from his books and sermons along the way.

Until next time guys-

  • We should not be entertained by the sins for which Christ died 
  • For some reason, we think of doubt and worry as “small” sins. But when a Christian displays unbelief…or an inability to cope with life, he is saying to the world, “My God cannot be trusted,” and that kind of disrespect makes one guilty of a fundamental error, the heinous sin of dishonoring God. That is no small sin.
  • The simplicity of the gospel gives what the complexity of human wisdom promises but never delivers.
  • There are basically only two kinds of religion in the world: those based on human achievement and those based on divine accomplishment. One says you can earn your way to heaven; the other says you must trust in Jesus Christ alone.
  • All sin results from failure to act in faith.
  • The more you focus on yourself, the more distracted you will be from the proper path. The more you know Him and commune with Him, the more the Spirit will make you like Him. The more you are like Him, the better you will understand His utter sufficiency for all of life’s difficulties. And that is the only way to know real satisfaction.

Pharoahs Hard Heart

Posted: July 6, 2025 in Biblical Wisdom
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Do you remember the famous biblical story in Exodus where the children of Israel, having been enslaved  in Egypt for over 400 years, then left in search of the promised land? Moses, one of the most famous figures in biblical history, was raised up by God to lead them out of not only Egypt, but into the desert where they instead experienced 40 years of their bad choices. But, I don’t want to get ahead of myself. Before they could leave Egypt they had to get through Pharaoh…and he had his mind made up.

What we learn as Moses and God discussed how this exodus would happen is that God specifically told them that He would harden Pharaohs heart…to start. What in the heck? Why would He do that? If God really wanted Pharaoh to release His people, then why would He harden his heart and make that process more difficult to happen? Read this below:

Then the Lord said to Moses, See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your Prophet. You are to say everything I command you, and your brother Aaron is to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his country. But I will harden pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt, he will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt with mighty acts of judgment, I will bring out my divisions, my people the Israelites. And the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of it. Exodus 7:1-5

As previously mentioned, why did God harden Pharaoh’s heart when it made more sense for it to be flexible, or at least easier for Moses to negotiate with him. This fact has always perplexed me. But as I looked further into it, I have come to realize that, as the Bible states clearly, when you or I make it clear over the course of our lives that we do not intend to serve God or repent, God will give us up to our own sinful desires. In other words, if we make the choice to choose the sin of unbelief, then He will let us/you ultimately have your way.

So let’s take that information and apply it to Pharaoh here… 

God hardened Pharaoh’s heart as a punishment because his heart was already hard and opposed to God. In adding to the hardness of Pharaohs heart, God was also acting on a divine principle that applies to all the unrepentant. 

As I said before, when a person persists in rebellion against God and His word, God will ordain that (he or she) heart be hardened (yours or mine). 

Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. Romans 9:18 – NIV

Simply put, this is God giving people up to their sinful desires and sending a delusion on those who refuse to love the truth of His word. As an example, you will notice that the judgments of the early plagues (in the Exodus story), softened Pharaohs heart just a little, however, when God removed each plague, his heart was hardened again. 

In other words, Pharaoh hardened his own heart whenever God showed mercy.

Like I said, Pharoahs mind was made up.

Guys, this is an incredible story but an even better lesson for all of us. 

The bottom line for you and me; God intends to show mercy to those who repent and believe In Jesus as their Lord and Savior while at the same time, hardening the hearts of those who refuse to repent and choose to continue in their sin and thereby rejecting the salvation in Christ. 

I know, that is a lot to unpack but you can do it. For you and me, we need to make good choices, stay focused on Gods word, and most of all,  remember to repent.

Until next time Guys-

It takes Real guts to say No

Posted: May 26, 2025 in Strength for Today
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Have you ever heard the expression “if you give them an inch they will take a mile”? I am sure you have and it happens to be the phrase that illustrates what I wanted to talk about today. 

You see, the very expression “give an inch” implies from the outset that you gave in or you gave up something. But, in actuality, what you did was compromise. 

Now, don’t get me wrong. Compromise in a relationship is critical for it to last but remember, we don’t agree with our spouse or even our friends all the time. I am sure you have even “agreed to disagree” and maintained the relationship from there. I think that good debate is healthy and promotes independent thinking which is one of the keys to long lasting friendships. 

However, its that compromise in important areas of our lives that I am focusing on today.

I remember reading a book a few years ago by Dr. David Jeremiah called, The Handwriting on the Wall which talked about Daniel, who, while being held captive in Babylon for 70 years, never compromised his faith in God no matter what his circumstances ended up to being and this included facing sure death in the lions den.

His consistency was astounding and a model for all of us to follow. However, Dr. Jeremiah made a point that I wanted to illustrate to you which was simply that it takes guts…real guts, to say no to a terrible situation, even with God on your side. 

Daniel was resolute in his faith while in Babylon. For you and I, no matter where we are in life, we do not “have to bend the rules to be blessed of God. Our success is NOT dependent upon our compromise”. Our job is to trust and believe that He will take care of us because he has told us so.

From the very beginning in the Bible, we see compromises with very poor results:

Adam: he fell right in line with Eve’s sin by compromising and eating the forbidden fruit. 

Sarah :(Abrahams wife) her lack of faith in God caused her to compromise and send her husband Abraham to Hagar, her servant, who then gave birth to Ishmael. Life in the Middle East will never be the same.

Do you remember Esau who compromised his birthright because he was hungry?

King David: he was the man after Gods own heart, BUT, he compromised Gods morality by sleeping with Bathsheba and then killing her husband Uriah. 

The list goes on and on with Solomon, Judas and Ahaz who all compromised something significant in their lives and it cost them. 

Guys, think about this…all they would have had to do was to say NO…and then take a stand on faith and on what God promised them. After that, God is in charge of the situation.

I want to finish this post with a story Dr. Jeremiah shared in his book about a verbal exchange in a high school class between some students and a professor who was an athiest.

The professor stood at the lectern and began his lecture by saying, “will all of you who believe the myths of the Bible please stand.” Several stood.

Then he added, “now this semester I am going to free you from this religious Bible nonsense. I have read the Bible, and it is certainly written by a bunch of mixed up men.”

One young Daniel stood up and said, “Sir, the Bible is God’s letter to Christians, and if you are confused it’s because you are reading someone else’s mail.”

Guys, I pray that all of us can stand firm in our faith and NOT compromise in the face any adversity against you. You already know this, but adversity will continue to come. That is the way life goes.

I can also tell you with certainty that you are going to be in circumstances where you will be asked to “give an inch”. And after this blog, now you know why an inch matters. As Christians, it’s the difference between a life spent with God in Eternity or the alternative…

It is that simple and you get to make the choice…

My advice to you, be like Daniel…don’t compromise…

Until next time Guys… 

Jeremiah, David. 2020. The Handwriting on the Wall: Secrets from the Prohecies of Daniel. Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Killing them with Kindness – Part 2

Posted: December 26, 2024 in Strength for Today
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OK Guys, so last time I posted a blog about kindness that talked about the “why” we should choose to respond with compassion versus the alternative. In my previous post, I promised you how to execute this kindness response proposition into real action. 

If you are like me, talking about a big topic like this without giving me practical ideas of how to apply is like sitting down at the dinner table with a HUGE meal and no utensils. I may ultimately figure out how to eat, but the process could have been far easier with a fork.

Take a look at these 4 bullet points below and see:

  • Listen More, Judge Less: This is SO hard to do because sometimes, people lash out because they feel unheard or misunderstood. Focus on trying to listen with understanding can help diffuse tension and show that you value what they are saying.
  • Respond, Don’t React: Again, take a deep breath; when you are confronted with negativity, take a moment to pause. Think first, then respond. A calm, kind response can completely change the tone of a conversation.
  • Be Generous in Small Ways: A smile,  a thoughtful comment, or a small gesture of help can brighten someone’s day—even if they don’t deserve it.
  • Lead by Example: Guys, this is where it should hit the mark for you. If you demonstrate that kindness is a strength and not a weakness, your actions will inspire those around you (even your kids) to act with compassion as well. This is our goal.

Why all of this Matters

Finally, I have written 25 posts in 2024, and most centered on being a better Father, or I tried to inspire you to be better dudes. Why? Because the world doesn’t need any more arguments, any more grudges, or any more division. It needs men and women who are willing to rise above all the clattering noise of this crazy world and choose kindness, even when it’s hard. Christ, right before He was crucified gave us this simple, life-changing verse that all of us should apply. He said, Love your neighbor as yourself. Matt 22:39

Again, not easy. I get that…But when have you ever backed down from a challenge? What I am asking will require effort which is my charge to you in this new year.

Focus your responses with a “killing them with kindness” mindset. Remember that you don’t just “win” at the moment— rather you are planting seeds of positivity that can grow far beyond what you see.

Guys…so the next time someone tries to bring you down, remember this: you don’t have to meet them on their level. Instead, rise above and respond with kindness. You might just change their day—or even their life.

Think of it this way, kindness isn’t just an action. It’s a superpower.

Until next time Guys-

I know who I am…Because I know who You are

Posted: November 10, 2024 in Strength for Today
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How you ever been pummeled with a lie and after a while you actually start to believe it? Whether in person or online you just begin to ask if that is really who you are? Is there a maximum amount of negative comments you can hear before you break the camel’s back? Will there come a time that you don’t recognize yourself anymore in the mirror? 

Finally and worse yet…Is there a tipping point where I might move backwards in how I feel about God or myself? How much is too much?

If any of that feels familiar let me say I was inspired by a song this week that reminded me about these exact questions because this issue is real. The world is a nasty place. I have told you before on this very blog about the activity of the enemy…especially now…

But this Megan Woods’ song hit me with exactly with what I needed it to… PURE TRUTH. In fact, the song is called The Truth and I highly encourage you to take a few minutes to listen to it and be inspired like I was. You can find it on Amazon.

Why do I share this with you today? I want you to listen to the words from her chorus so you know. Do you remember the question I asked you above? When you are faced with being told a lie about yourself over and over again, when do you start to believe it is true? Read these words below-

“The truth is I am my father’s child I make Him proud and I make Him smile

I was made in the image of a perfect king He looks at me and wouldn’t change a thing

The truth is I am truly loved by a God who’s good when I’m not good enough

I don’t belong to the lies I belong to you…and that’s the truth” (emphasis added)

PLEASE let that sink in for a moment…because it is exactly opposite of the message you will hear from this world. Everyday, the enemy tells you you’re not good enough. He whispers you’re a failure until one day, you think it may be true.

So today, I am drawing a line in the sand-

I wanted to give you an alternative opinion. I wanted to remind you instead that YOU are loved by a God that accepts you…just as you are…

He meets you right there…wherever you are with His grace…and not a body slam.

She closes this amazing song with what I titled this blog today and that is this message that I pray will resonate with you when you are finished reading and listening….

I know who I am…Because I know who You are

Remember – You are made in HIS image and therefore changed on the inside so you can be set free in knowing that you are a different person and that you make Him proud. I really want you to remember this fact the next time you look in the mirror…that reflection you see is pretty cool dude in God’s eyes.

Just in case you forgot…Because of HIM, now you know who you are…

Until next time Guys

  • The Truth, Megan Woods, Amazon Music, 2024

Why Solomon is the Original Superman

Posted: September 29, 2024 in Biblical Wisdom
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Most of us have read the Bible story of King Solomon whom God chose over David’s other sons to be the King of Israel. What separates Solomon from any other King, or anyone else for that matter, is the fact that when God came to Solomon before he became King and said “Ask for whatever you want Me to give you”…1 Kings 3:5…and Solomon responded very differently than most anyone would have.

In my mind, this would be the “genie in the bottle” moment multiplied by a million because this was the Creator of the universe asking a human man this question. What separated Solomon from everyone, however, was his response. Instead of requesting long life or riches, he said, “So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” 1 Kings 3:9

The rest of the segment of this story happened as you might imagine. God was extremely pleased with Solomon’s request and blessed him with what he didn’t ask for…long life and wealth beyond anyone’s imagination. But that is NOT what I wanted to focus on in today’s post. 

When God blessed Solomon, He also told him something I want you to consider because God has never said this before about any man. He said, “I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart so that there will never be anyone like you, nor will there ever be”. 1 Kings 3:12

God told Solomon there would never be anyone like him…ever in human history. To me…That makes Solomon – Superman. Now, understand me here. I am not saying Solomon had super-human strength and could fly around his palace. I am saying that there was never a question asked he could not answer. Taking it a step further, I think it is fair to say that Solomon was the smartest human being ever who lived.

Which leads me to my final point. Solomon is the only example we are given of a human being with that intellect ever existing. Moreover, a person who possessed the human knowledge that would give him the capability to have or do anything he wanted to do. It is one thing to be an heir and have wealth given to you; it is an entirely different thing to have wealth, knowledge, and wisdom yourself. 

Think about this: Solomon was ALWAYS the smartest person in the room.

So if you are Solomon, and possess everything I mentioned above, what do you do with all of that information, knowledge, power, and wealth? Let me put it another way, Solomon possessed everything this world has to offer us. Or…EVERYTHING that Satan can offer us here on earth.

To the question I asked above, Solomon gives us his answer at the end of his life and I think his response will surprise you. That is why this post is so important for us to understand. 

Solomon wrote and contributed to several books in the Bible but the one I want to call your attention to is Ecclesiastes, which translated, means preaching. In this book, Solomon explains in great detail what he did with his life which can be summed up in just two words, self-indulgence. Or maybe we can call it, The pursuit of happiness? 

Guys, he tells us in his own words when he says, “I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure.” Eccl. 2:10. 

So here you have a man who was absolutely brilliant, God-gifted, and who indulged in whatever he wanted. On the surface, that sounds pretty good, right? ANYTHING you want…anything you set your gaze upon, you can have it for yourself and experience it however you want…However, from Solomon’s own words, let’s see how things turned out

For a person may labor with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and then they must leave all they own to another who has not toiled for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune.

What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun?

All their days their work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest. This too is meaningless.

Eccl. 2:21-23

So this is painful to read. The smartest man who ever lived at the end of his life looking back and realizing nothing he did mattered. So I have to ask, what went wrong? If you have every possible “thing” this world can offer you how can you not be happy? Isn’t that what we see advertised everywhere?

Guys…here is my point. God already gave us the answers to the “Test of Life” by including this incredible story about Solomon in the Bible. We don’t have to waste our time pursuing every little thing this world shoves into our faces as being valuable. Because God gave us an actual real-world example of someone who pursued everything he could while he lived and ultimately found out in the end, it meant nothing…

LITERALLY NOTHING.

I urge you to consider Solomon’s story if you find yourself thinking there is more to life than what you have. Maybe you think the grass is greener on the other side and you don’t want to miss that. Let me remind you…God already gave you the answer, because Solomon already tried that…and in his exact words he told us, “It was meaningless”

So before we just end this post with all of the pain that Solomon figured out, let me leave you with Solomon’s final conclusion about his life. In other words, what he found meaningful.

A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? Eccl. 2:24-25

Now you know-

Until next time guys…

The Wisdom of the World

Posted: June 29, 2024 in God Perspective
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I thought a great deal about this title today because the idea of the “Wisdom of the World” continues to bother me. I am speaking directly about wisdom today and not knowledge…and before you ask me, here is the distinction between the two.

The primary difference between wisdom and knowledge is that wisdom involves a healthy dose of perspective and the ability to make sound judgments about a subject while knowledge is simply knowing. 

From my vantage point, wisdom comes from age and life experience, whereas knowledge…well, we have all encountered a REALLY smart person who has never done anything in their life. Maybe book smart versus street smart?

Why do I make this distinction? Because worldly wisdom puts a great deal of effort into ensuring you understand that you are in charge of yourself. And YOU, are the only one that can be, “all you can be” and to just work harder so YOU can achieve all YOU were meant to. You should be a self-starter, self-sufficient, self-driven, self-disciplined, and altogether 100% self-dependent on yourself. That is the Wisdom of the World.

Human self-sufficiency. Human self-indulgence.

Moreover, we are told that if we follow the blue-print above, we will achieve the apex of living which includes happiness and success. The irony for me is that the richest, certainly smartest, and most self-sufficient human being who ever lived on this earth, Solomon, said this about worldly wisdom.

I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my labor, and this was the reward for all my toil. 

Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun. Ecclesiastes 2:10-11

You see, when a wisdom that excludes God, and only emphasizes human self-sufficiency and makes humanity its highest authority…well, that wisdom God calls foolishness. Why? Because through the wisdom of the world, humans have failed to find the truth or come to know the Creator. 

It truly is meaningless.

Does any of this sound familiar? Who do you think is behind the Wisdom of the World? Who is the prince of this earth right now? Yes, Satan. That is why Worldly Wisdom makes no sense to believers and the message of the cross is difficult for unbelievers. The Apostle Paul said this:

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18

Guys, if you only hear one thing I say today, hear this; Worldly wisdom leads to YOUR softness, which leads to YOUR moral collapse which leads to YOUR spiritual decline. And that is exactly where the evil one wants you.

I encourage you to watch and listen. You will be able to discern which wisdom you are hearing.

Until next time Guys-

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