Genuine Wisdom

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.  But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.  Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.  For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.


But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.  Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

- James 3: 13-18

As God Requires of Us

He has showed you, O man, what is good.  And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with Your God.

- Micah 6:8

Three points to remember:
(1) To ACT JUSTLY
(2) To LOVE MERCY
(3) To WALK HUMBLY

[NIV Footnotes]
In your efforts to please God, examine these areas on a regular basis.

• Are you fair in your dealings with people?
• Do you show mercy to those who wrong you?
• Are you keeping humility?

God has made his wishes clear: He wants His people to be just, merciful, and to walk humbly with Him.

[PRAYER]
Father God, as I examine my heart, reveal to me areas that are not pleasing to You.  By Your grace, Oh Lord, will I be able to do what is right in Your sight.  Father, You love justice, mercy, and humility.  What You love I also want to love.

Increase my love for justice, mercy, and humility, oh God.  Teach me Your ways, Father. I acknowledge that I need polishing in these areas. Thank You for I am a work in progress.  I pray and I ask You, Father, to keep me genuine with my walk with You, and to also be genuine with my treatment with others.  Thank You, Father God, for Your unfailing love and for setting me free from the slavery of sin through Your Son, Jesus. This I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.


[Journal entry: October 27, 2011]

The Winning Attitude

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death -- even death on a cross!

- Philippians 2:5-8

An attitude that Jesus Christ Himself lived out for us to follow -- a servant's attitude.  Jesus Christ humbled Himself despite Him being God.  He gave up His rights in order to obey God and serve people. He did this out of love, and He did this for with God it is possible. Paul wrote this for us to follow what Jesus did: He is a leader by example.

[PRAYER]

Father God, I thanks You for sending Jesus to the world.  I thank You for saving mankind through Your Son, Jesus.  And I thank You that Jesus willingly gave up His rights and power in heaven to come down here in order to serve and to save.  Jesus is the perfect example of how we should live our lives.  He set His standards and established Your Kingdom on earth.

Thank You, Jesus, for showing us the kind of attitude we should have -- a servant's attitude.

Father God, I ask You that by Your grace, I may be able to follow what Jesus did, and that I would live out a humble life willing to serve You and others out of love.  Lord, I cannot do this on my own.  I need Your grace to be able to do this.  And Father God, let it be that I may become more and more like Jesus and that whatever I do would give back all the glory unto You.

This I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

[Journal entry: October 18, 2011]