Please Give Me Wisdom!

 

 

Quotation

          Rejection hurts! Right! During my seventy-year journey here on Earth, I have experienced the pain of rejection more times than I want to remember. Worldly wisdom tells us the pain of rejection and physical pain have the same effect on the brain, setting up a cascade of events to thwart it, or as Barney would say on The Andy Griffith Show, “Nip it, Nip it in the bud”.

 

Barry Denzil Haney, MD

 

Scripture

 

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

 

Philippians 4:8-9

 

Reflection

 

            Knowledge is the accumulation of facts. Wisdom is learning to use the facts you have accumulated. We accumulate facts by what we see! Unfortunately, many in today’s world accumulate false facts through the chaos they see on social media sites, twenty-four-hour news cycles, and in their neighborhoods. King David laments: “I will set nothing wicked before my eyes.” (Psalm 101:3) Unfortunately, in today’s secular world, where we are bombarded by Satan’s lies and deceptions. If we are not careful, we will become like the world instead of a child of God. 

 

            As a Christian, we should ask, “What would Jesus do?” We need to watch, read, and listen to what Jesus would do. The only way to know what Jesus would do is to read the Bible and to get to know Him better through daily prayer.

 

            We need to ask God for wisdom before we ask for anything else.

 

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

 

James 1:5

 

            

            Perry Stone says this about lack of wisdom, “you can speak without thinking, hear without listening, and listen without doing.” We need to seek wisdom. Wisdom will help us to know when to speak and when to be silent, how to listen, and what to do to further the kingdom of God.

 

A soft answer turneth away wrath: But grievous words stir up anger. The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: But the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.

 

Proverbs 15:1-2

 

            

            Through my study of the Word the Holy Spirit has provided me with Wisdom and revealed to me there is only one Ladder or Stairway to Heaven! God tells us in John 14:6, the following:

 

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

 

John 14:6

 

 

            Although this exclusivity is offensive to many, it is the absolute truth. Today’s world needs a Savior who satisfies justice more than ever. Jesus is that Savior, who alone has the power to forgive sin! He did so when He died on the cross at Calvary, meeting God’s demand for eternal justice for our sin. To God be the glory! Amen!

                                                                                                                                                            

Illustration

 

A man approached a speaker and said, “You Christians are all brainwashed.” The speaker replied, “I think we are all brainwashed to a degree. The important thing is that we Christians choose what we want to wash our brains with.”^[1](Green)

 

Prayer

 

Our Heavenly Father,

 

Thank you for giving us Your wisdom!

Help us to be stable and steadfast,

and know when to speak and when to be silent!

How to listen and how to act!

 

We know Jesus is the only way to the father!

This exclusivity does not deny anyone access

to the Father. All they need to do is receive 

the gift of grace through faith in Jesus!

 

In the precious name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior,

 

Amen!

 

 

Worship

 

Wisdom Song – Laura Woodley Osman

God Bless You,

Barry

 

Green, Michael P. 1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000. Print.

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^[1] Michael P. Green. 1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000. Print.

Why Am I Here Now!

 

 

Quotation

          We need to remember discouragement is Satan’s chief tool. Discouragement can do more damage than any other thing. You know even good folks can get discouraged. If you are not careful, even you could get discouraged. You need to remember; Satan is the kind of friend who would pat you on the head if you were in quicksand!

 

Barry Denzil Haney, MD

 

Scripture

 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

 

Ephesians 1:3-6

 

Reflection

 

            Have you ever wondered what God's will and plan for your life is? Why has God put you here at this moment in time?

 

            The Bible tells us God knew us before we knew Him. Very detailed, elaborate multigenerational histories have been lived out in each of our family trees before we came on the scene. We come into this world with parents we did not pick, with relatives we did not select, into a world with a climate, place, and culture we did not pick. We were born with no choice of gender, skin color or hair color. But God knew us and created each of us in His image with a plan for our life in His grand plan of salvation!

 

            Before he said, “Let there be light!”, He weaved the plan for our life. We arrive on this earth in the middle of a majestic, glorious story being written by God himself! We are given the honor and opportunity to expand the Kingdom of God! Every decision we make should bring honor and glory to the name of Jesus Christ. We need to think of everything in life as a God-moment. We are in a spiritual battle daily and need to be prepared to face Satan through preparation through daily reading of God’s Word and daily prayer.

 

            God made each of us extraordinary! But because of sin, Satan convinces us to put limits on what we could accomplish. But instead of listening to the great deceiver, we need to take responsibility for our life. We need to stop playing the blame game!

 

            We have control over three things in our life: the thoughts we think, the images we look at, the actions we take. We must not limit our potential by negative thoughts. Negative thoughts come from Satan. Each of us have a God-given purpose. But for us to do His will we must be fully surrendered to God. When we surrender our life to Him, we are giving Him permission to do what He wants to do with our life.

 

            For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)                                                                                                                                                                                             

Illustration

 

Dr. Harry Ironside told of a man who gave his testimony, telling how God had sought him and found him. How God had loved him, called him, saved him, delivered him, cleansed him, and healed him. It was a tremendous testimony to the glory of God.

 

After the meeting, one rather legalistic brother took him aside and said, “You know, I appreciate all that you said about what God did for you, but you didn’t mention anything about your part in it. Salvation is really part us and part God, and you should have mentioned something about your part.”

 

“Oh,” the man said, “I apologize. I’m sorry. I really should have mentioned that. My part was running away, and God’s part was running after me until he found me. (Green)

 

Prayer

 

Our Heavenly Father,

 

Thank you for a leader’s faith!

Help us to be stable and steadfast

no matter what adversity we might face,

remembering you will always come through!

 

Thank you for Your unchanging nature!

Thank you for the hope You provide us

that never changes. Thank you for Your 

gift of salvation, Your bountiful grace!

 

In the precious name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior,

 

Amen!

 

 

Worship

 

Chosen – Sidewalk Prophets

 God Bless You,

Barry

 

Green, Michael P. 1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000. Print.

 

Where Are Our Leaders!

 

 

Quotation

          Throughout history, God’s people have groaned and sighed waiting for the return of Jesus to rescue them from the perversity and wickedness of the age in which they live. The word Maranatha provides us the hope that He will return, rescue us from this chaotic world, and then takes us with Him to Heaven, to be the sons and daughters of God.

 

Barry Denzil Haney, MD

 

Scripture

 

Feed the flock of God, which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.

1 Peter 5:2-3

 

Reflection

 

 

Although most would agree, our world is in a moral crisis, the crisis is also largely one of leadership. When looking at the political landscape in this country, seen through a continuous 24/7 news cycle mantra, no one appears to have the integrity, character, or personality to take on the leadership role our world so desperately needs to unify people behind a set of common goals and strategies. Instead, the political feeding cycle frenzy is exacerbating the crisis of leadership, polarizing people, putting the nation and world into gridlock, where nothing is getting done.

 

This same leadership crisis is affecting our churches. Today culture appears to have a greater impact on the world around us than church does. The church appears to be losing its voice. For the church to make a difference, the church needs to create programs for leadership development that are forward thinking. The church must train leaders to be missional, principled, and visionary to face the pressures from the secular world.

 

We need leaders to rise to face the chaos all around us. All you need to do is turn on the news, something I don’t recommend, and see erupting chaos in the streets of our cities and around the world. But this chaos is not confined to our big cities, it is happening in our own back yards, our neighborhoods. Uncontrolled drug addiction, addictions of all kinds, child sex slave trafficking, child abuse, spouse abuse, domestic violence, all of these are happening daily on the streets of Georgetown.

 

Folks, people are hurting and crying out for help, looking for hope, but unfortunately for many looking for hope in the wrong places.

 

Not only is this seemingly, uncontrolled chaos threatening the stability of our nation, but there is tremendous pressure from the secular world to compromise the inerrant Word of God. We often seem to be out of step with the world… now, the world appears to be focused on how to define the word gender. 

 

We understand there are lost people throughout the world, including our own neighborhoods, and even our families.

 

The Gospel is veiled to billions throughout the world. The Great Deceiver has blinded the minds of unbelievers.

 

The pandemic has created an urgency for the unsaved who want hope and we have it in our testaments and our Jesus. Remember, Jesus is the subject!

 

Men of God, men of faith it is a privilege to handle the Word of God. We should never take for granted the honor and privilege of handling God’s Word. Let us be leaders and go out into the world and proclaim the good news of the Gospel. Through the work of Jesus, we can spend an eternity with our creator God in Heaven!

 

 

Illustration

 

Harry Truman once commented on the importance of polls to leadership, with the following insight: “I wonder how far Moses would have gone if he’d taken a poll in Egypt? What would Jesus Christ have preached if he’d taken a poll in Israel? Where would the Reformation have gone if Martin Luther had taken a poll? It isn’t the polls or public opinion of the moment that counts. It is right and wrong and leadership—men with fortitude, honesty, and a belief in the right—that makes epochs in the history of the world. (Green)

 

Prayer

 

Our Heavenly Father,

 

Thank you for a leader’s faith!

Help us to be stable and steadfast

no matter what adversity we might face,

remembering you will always come through!

 

Thank you for Your unchanging nature!

Thank you for the hope You provide us

that never changes. Thank you for Your 

gift of salvation, Your bountiful grace!

 

In the precious name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior,

 

Amen!

 

 

Worship

 

A Leader’s Faith

God Bless You,

Barry

 

Green, Michael P. 1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000. Print.