<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042867094302549566</id><updated>2012-02-16T01:01:39.589-06:00</updated><title type='text'>Hidden Treasures</title><subtitle type='html'>"If you seek her as silver,and search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will discern the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God."
Proverbs 2:4-5</subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://pursuinghiswisdom.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7042867094302549566/posts/default?max-results=100'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://pursuinghiswisdom.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><author><name>Mike</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/08239772266217596578</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>3</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>100</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042867094302549566.post-2550280100217998683</id><published>2009-12-23T05:18:00.007-06:00</published><updated>2009-12-26T07:43:28.741-06:00</updated><title type='text'>True Spiritual Wisdom</title><content type='html'>Why do we ask for spiritual wisdom and knowledge? Do we ask for it with wrong motives? I have being praying this daily in my walk that my eyes would be opened to His wisdom and understanding and the knowledge of Him.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;" that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, "&lt;br /&gt;(Eph 1:17)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,&lt;br /&gt;(Col 1:9)"&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I realized as I prayed this many times, I was missing the mark. I was praying with wrong motives...I was asking for the benefit for myself. It was slight and deceptive,  I was confident that I was asking correctly...but in the end it was for selfish reasons.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But as I began to really look closely at the first few verses in Colossians, it changed for me.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, &lt;span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"&gt;asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding&lt;/span&gt;,&lt;br /&gt;(Col 1:9)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;why was Paul praying with this in mind? Lets look at the following verses:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;so as&lt;/span&gt; to &lt;span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"&gt;walk in a manner worthy&lt;/span&gt; of the Lord, fully &lt;span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"&gt;pleasing &lt;/span&gt;to him,  in every &lt;span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"&gt;bearing fruit&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt; in every &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt; good work&lt;/span&gt; &lt;/span&gt;and &lt;span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"&gt;increasing in the knowledge of God&lt;/span&gt;. " (Col.1:10)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"May you be &lt;span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"&gt;strengthened&lt;/span&gt; with all power, according to his glorious might, for all &lt;span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"&gt;endurance and patience with joy&lt;/span&gt;," (Col 1:11)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"&lt;span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"&gt;giving thanks&lt;/span&gt; to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. (Col. 1:12)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So we have:&lt;br /&gt;1. walk in a worthy manner.&lt;br /&gt;2. Pleasing Him.&lt;br /&gt;3. Bearing fruit&lt;br /&gt;4. Increasing in knowledge.&lt;br /&gt;5. Strengthened.&lt;br /&gt;6. Enduring&lt;br /&gt;7. Patience...with joy.&lt;br /&gt;8. Giving thanks.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Having spiritual wisdom and revelation is not for ourselves, its not for the purpose to be able to have some deep insight  or an ability to write books, commentaries and teach others.  Those things are fine and good, but the sole purpose is for the Lord. To know Him, to walk in Him. It points to Christ...it is consumed with Christ. It is not for our purpose, but for His. It should cause us to decrease so that He would be increased in our lives. Spiritual wisdom is to point us to Christ, to humble us; to reveal His Son in us.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7042867094302549566-2550280100217998683?l=pursuinghiswisdom.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://pursuinghiswisdom.blogspot.com/feeds/2550280100217998683/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://pursuinghiswisdom.blogspot.com/2009/12/true-spiritual-wisdom.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7042867094302549566/posts/default/2550280100217998683'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7042867094302549566/posts/default/2550280100217998683'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://pursuinghiswisdom.blogspot.com/2009/12/true-spiritual-wisdom.html' title='True Spiritual Wisdom'/><author><name>Mike</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/08239772266217596578</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042867094302549566.post-5776736659007274708</id><published>2009-11-03T05:36:00.000-06:00</published><updated>2009-11-03T05:41:47.558-06:00</updated><title type='text'>Proverbs 2</title><content type='html'>&lt;sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-16435"&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;   My son, if you receive my words,&lt;br /&gt;      And treasure my commands within you,   &lt;br /&gt;       &lt;sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-16436"&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;  So that you incline your ear to wisdom,   &lt;br /&gt;      &lt;i&gt;And&lt;/i&gt; apply your heart to understanding; &lt;br /&gt;       &lt;sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-16437"&gt;3&lt;/sup&gt;  Yes, if you cry out for discernment,   &lt;br /&gt;      &lt;i&gt;And&lt;/i&gt; lift up your voice for understanding, &lt;br /&gt;       &lt;sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-16438"&gt;4&lt;/sup&gt;  If you seek her as silver,   &lt;br /&gt;      And search for her as &lt;i&gt;for&lt;/i&gt; hidden treasures; &lt;br /&gt;       &lt;sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-16439"&gt;5&lt;/sup&gt;  Then you will understand the fear of the LORD,   &lt;br /&gt;      And find the knowledge of God. &lt;br /&gt;       &lt;sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-16440"&gt;6&lt;/sup&gt;  For the LORD gives wisdom;   &lt;br /&gt;      From His mouth &lt;i&gt;come&lt;/i&gt; knowledge and understanding; &lt;br /&gt;       &lt;sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-16441"&gt;7&lt;/sup&gt; He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;&lt;br /&gt;      &lt;i&gt;He is&lt;/i&gt; a shield to those who walk uprightly;&lt;br /&gt;       &lt;sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-16442"&gt;8&lt;/sup&gt;  He guards the paths of justice,   &lt;br /&gt;      And preserves the way of His saints. &lt;br /&gt;       &lt;sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-16443"&gt;9&lt;/sup&gt;  Then you will understand righteousness and justice,   &lt;br /&gt;      Equity &lt;i&gt;and&lt;/i&gt; every good path. &lt;br /&gt;       &lt;sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-16444"&gt;10&lt;/sup&gt;  When wisdom enters your heart,   &lt;br /&gt;      And knowledge is pleasant to your soul, &lt;br /&gt;       &lt;sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-16445"&gt;11&lt;/sup&gt;   Discretion will preserve you;   &lt;br /&gt;      Understanding will keep you, &lt;br /&gt;       &lt;sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-16446"&gt;12&lt;/sup&gt;  To deliver you from the way of evil,   &lt;br /&gt;      From the man who speaks perverse things, &lt;br /&gt;       &lt;sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-16447"&gt;13&lt;/sup&gt;  From those who leave the paths of uprightness   &lt;br /&gt;      To walk in the ways of darkness; &lt;br /&gt;       &lt;sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-16448"&gt;14&lt;/sup&gt;  Who rejoice in doing evil,   &lt;br /&gt;      &lt;i&gt;And&lt;/i&gt; delight in the perversity of the wicked; &lt;br /&gt;       &lt;sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-16449"&gt;15&lt;/sup&gt;   Whose ways &lt;i&gt;are&lt;/i&gt; crooked,   &lt;br /&gt;      And &lt;i&gt;who are&lt;/i&gt; devious in their paths; &lt;br /&gt;       &lt;sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-16450"&gt;16&lt;/sup&gt;  To deliver you from the immoral woman,   &lt;br /&gt;      From the seductress &lt;i&gt;who&lt;/i&gt; flatters with her words, &lt;br /&gt;       &lt;sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-16451"&gt;17&lt;/sup&gt;  Who forsakes the companion of her youth,   &lt;br /&gt;      And forgets the covenant of her God. &lt;br /&gt;       &lt;sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-16452"&gt;18&lt;/sup&gt;  For her house leads down to death,   &lt;br /&gt;      And her paths to the dead; &lt;br /&gt;       &lt;sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-16453"&gt;19&lt;/sup&gt;  None who go to her return,   &lt;br /&gt;      Nor do they regain the paths of life— &lt;br /&gt;       &lt;sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-16454"&gt;20&lt;/sup&gt;  So you may walk in the way of goodness,   &lt;br /&gt;      And keep &lt;i&gt;to&lt;/i&gt; the paths of righteousness. &lt;br /&gt;       &lt;sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-16455"&gt;21&lt;/sup&gt;  For the upright will dwell in the land,   &lt;br /&gt;      And the blameless will remain in it; &lt;br /&gt;       &lt;sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-16456"&gt;22&lt;/sup&gt;  But the wicked will be cut off from the earth,   &lt;br /&gt;      And the unfaithful will be uprooted from it.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7042867094302549566-5776736659007274708?l=pursuinghiswisdom.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://pursuinghiswisdom.blogspot.com/feeds/5776736659007274708/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://pursuinghiswisdom.blogspot.com/2009/11/proverbs-2.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7042867094302549566/posts/default/5776736659007274708'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7042867094302549566/posts/default/5776736659007274708'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://pursuinghiswisdom.blogspot.com/2009/11/proverbs-2.html' title='Proverbs 2'/><author><name>Mike</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/08239772266217596578</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042867094302549566.post-1291966284124971584</id><published>2009-10-14T13:30:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2009-11-14T13:35:26.550-06:00</updated><title type='text'>About</title><content type='html'>About&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7042867094302549566-1291966284124971584?l=pursuinghiswisdom.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7042867094302549566/posts/default/1291966284124971584'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7042867094302549566/posts/default/1291966284124971584'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://pursuinghiswisdom.blogspot.com/2009/11/about.html' title='About'/><author><name>Mike</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/08239772266217596578</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author></entry></feed>
