Day 16 – A Friendly Revelation

Pastor Ira Towns

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
Ephesians 1:17 (NIV1984)

Who is your closest friend?  Now…how well do you know that person?  How often are you surprised by them?  How much time do you spend with that person just “hanging out?”  Isn’t it amazing that we can live in community with a person, spend tons of time with that person and still be surprised by what we don’t know about that person?  We are surprised by what they have kept hidden from us over the years.  So how much more difficult is it to really know God?

Paul hit on a huge key to knowing God when he penned this prayer.  Paul is asking for his friends to be empowered spiritually with wisdom and revelation for the purpose of knowing God…BETTER!  According to Thayer’s Lexicon Wisdom is “broad and full intelligence” and Revelation is “a disclosure of truth concerning divine things before unknown.”  Paul asks for God to give what we cannot manufacture, a spiritual gift to have a new and fresh look at our friend…so that we can know him better.

{Lord, thank you for knowing me, and still loving me. Please help me see you clearly. Reveal yourself to me, and make the unknown known in my life, so I may know you better. Amen.}

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Day 15 – Wisdom from Above

Crystal Tuxhorn

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. James 3:17 (NLT)

“God, give me wisdom.” How often do we find ourselves repeating that prayer over and over? If you are anything like me, you pray that almost every day. But recently while reading through a familiar passage in James, something new jumped out at me: I was praying for wisdom because I knew I should, I knew I needed it, but I didn’t know exactly what it was.

If I’m not asking for God to direct my actions, I generally need wisdom for my reactions, whether it is to certain situations or people. Fortunately, God has already told me what that reaction should be in James chapter three. Instead of an umbrella request for wisdom, I can ask specifically for what I need, whether it’s more mercy, a desire for peace, or an open mind.

{Holy Spirit, direct my thoughts and control my reactions today. Let me be a person marked by the wisdom from above, known for my pure heart, peaceable nature, and care for those around me. Help me glorify You today.  Amen.}

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