“Words of Wisdom”—a daily dose of “words to the wise”–Day 15

This blog entry is another in a series featuring a daily dose of “words to the wise,” poetically expressed from the Book of Proverbs.

Over the past couple of weeks I have been reading about and reflecting upon wisdom as revealed in the Book of Proverbs. Often I begin my day with such a period of meditation and reflection, which often results in a poetic expression that I incorporate into a blog entry for that day. In a number of the poems posted over the past two weeks there have been references, not just to “wisdom” per se, but to the “spirit of wisdom” which is a specific aspect of the “seven spirits of God,” spoken of in Isaiah 11:2 and elsewhere in the Bible.  Apostle Eric L. Warren’s most enlightening book The Seven Spirits of God: Learning to Walk in the Dominion and Authority of Christ provides an in-depth discussion of this vitally important and relevant concept.

One of the seven spirits mentioned in Isaiah 11:2 is the Spirit of Wisdom which has been mentioned in this series on wisdom.

The poem posted on Day 11 of the “Words of Wisdom” series examined “My True Identity,” a fundamental part of which relates to looking at myself spiritually in a new way, as I apply my heart unto wisdom, using the “Seven Spirits of God” in this manner:

The Seven Spirits of God: This Seven-fold Template

And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him,

the spirit of wisdom and understanding,

the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge

and of the fear of the LORD;

Isaiah 11:2

 

As my teacher, clearly show me how I relate

To the Seven Spirits of God revealed in Your Word,

As I place my life against this seven-fold template:

From dark chaos I call forth the Spirit of the Lord;

With creative insight from the Spirit of Wisdom

And the Spirit of Knowledge I am eager to learn

Of the unfolding fullness of the coming Kingdom;

Impart understanding that I might also discern,

As You enlighten my eyes and teach my hands to fight,

To win in spiritual warfare of the highest degree,

To be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might,

To walk in dominion, knowing Christ’s authority,

As the Spirit of Counsel offers advice, gives consent;

To know the fear of the Lord is ever to revere

And finish my course, my God-given assignment:

To abide in God’s awesome presence in meekness and fear.

 

“Words of Wisdom”—a daily dose of “words to the wise”–Day 15

As we pursue Godly wisdom, we are also encouraged to “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.”

In looking over a collection of poetry in which there is a reference to wisdom, I came across “As We Pray,” a poetic exhortation to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem.” I also thought of a particular day that is set aside for various groups to come together to pray for Jerusalem. One such occasion is the first Sunday in October, when hundreds of thousands gather across the globe to offer prayers to God on behalf of the Holy City. The exhortation to pray for Jerusalem is not confined to one specific day of prayer, but the indication is that such prayer should be ongoing.

Last year, I presented a series of blog entries entitled “Twelve for Twelve in 2012,” based on the 12 verses of Isaiah 62 which was the personal theme passage that I had adopted at the beginning of the year.  In one of the entries we find a reminder to call unto God “And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.” For a more detailed discussion of that verse check out “Seven for Twelve on 7-4-12.” I am simply suggesting that the reminder to pray for the peace of Jerusalem should be ongoing, particularly in light of the ever-escalating critical conditions in the Middle East.

Note the reference to pursuing wisdom which we have also discussed in previous “Words of Wisdom”:

As We Pray

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:

“May they prosper who love you.

Peace be within your walls,

Prosperity within your palaces.”

Psalm 122:6-7

 

This week as we pray, we focus on the Kingdom,

Established and grounded on a sure foundation.

As we diligently pursue Godly wisdom,

New paths of this Apostolic Reformation

Unfold as the sun rises on the horizon.

Even in turbulent times, we must stay the course.

Aware of consequences of each decision,

We look to God our Father, bountiful resource.

We are new wineskins, flexible, open to change.

With a “kingdom mindset” we now see with new eyes.

Beyond past narrow limits our view is long-range.

We number our days with each sunset and sunrise.

Observing the times and giving meaning to them,

We ever pray for “the peace of Jerusalem.”

 

Mariano Jose Jimenez offers a musical composition inspired by the exhortation to “Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem.”

“Words of Wisdom”—a daily dose of “words to the wise”–Day 14

This blog entry is another in a series featuring a daily dose of “words to the wise,” poetically expressed from the Book of Proverbs.

In thinking about wisdom this morning, I recognize that wisdom is not a static entity; it is not a trophy to be displayed with pride, but wisdom connotes action, it is something that must be applied. The Psalmist declares in Psalm 90:12, “So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom” and further states, “I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when will you come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart (Psalm 101:2).

In the Book of Proverbs we find two references to walking in wisdom or to walk as the wise:

Proverbs 13:20

He who walks with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

Proverbs 28:26

He that trusts in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walks wisely, he shall be delivered.

Two of the most enlightening scriptures regarding walking in wisdom occur in the New Testament:

Ephesians 5:15

See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

To walk circumspectly, means to walk carefully, accurately, “to be watchful on all sides.”

Colossians 4:5 instructs believers to

“Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.”

Walking in wisdom involves being intentional and making deliberate choices that determine the direction and ultimate fulfillment of one’s purpose in God.

The following poem composed a number of years ago refers to “walking in wisdom” in the context of renewing the mind and maturing in Christ.

A New Song: Changing the Way We Receive the Word

“Praise prepares us for worship.”

 Jimmy Mitchell

 

To change or remain the same is always a choice:

Either to conform to the world or be transformed,

To act to express our lives in the middle voice.

We face each new day, renewing our minds, reformed

To embrace a new way of receiving the Word.

To rise to another level demands a price:

To follow in the footsteps of Jesus, our Lord,

We must renew our minds and a make a sacrifice

And mature in Christ, as we walk forth in wisdom.

Our apostolic model will thrive and abound

To become a major influence for God’s Kingdom.

We bring forth fruit one hundredfold sown on good ground.

Sing a new song, for praise prepares us for worship:

The ultimate expression of our true sonship.

The accompanying video, while not the usual musical selection, shows the amount of time we have and urges us to “redeem the time” which is part of our walking in wisdom.

“Words of Wisdom”—a daily dose of “words to the wise”–Day 13

This blog entry is another in a series featuring a daily dose of “words to the wise,” poetically expressed from the Book of Proverbs.

As I began the day reflecting upon wisdom and looking over some of the poetry that I had written with references to wisdom, I came across a journal entry written over ten years ago where I discussed the term “apothecary” which is part of the name used for my blog. Here is an excerpt:

“[I am] reading Exodus 25: a discussion of the recipe given to Moses to prepare the holy anointing oil for the tabernacle, to be “compounded after the art of the apothecary.” I am moved to tears as I read the passage and think of the years I spent as a pharmacist; indeed, I was endeavoring to follow recipes “to compound after the art of the apothecary.” Only within the last three or four years have I come to realize the connection between the natural and the spiritual within the context of my “compounding after the art of the apothecary,” both in terms of my bi-vocational endeavors.  The phrase, of course, is also the title of a villanelle composed for the collection Stone upon Stone: Psalms of Remembrance.”

The poetic entry for today is “A New Anointing” with a reference to the anointing oil that I mention in the journal excerpt.

This verse provides the introduction to “A New Anointing.”

A New Anointing

But my horn you have exalted

like a wild ox; I have been

anointed with fresh oil.

Psalm 92:10

                                               

To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion,

to give unto them beauty for ashes,

the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise

for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called

trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord,

that he might be glorified.

 

Isaiah 61:3

 

I am still overwhelmed, utterly astounded

When I recall all that the Lord has done and stand

In this place of grace where sin had once abounded.

Yielded and still, I submit to all that He has planned.

Here I receive a new anointing compounded

Still after the art of the apothecary.

Fragrant  blessings caress all that  I do and say,

As I touch the realm of the extraordinary.

I must walk in wisdom and not be confounded

By devilish devices that distract and dismay.

I look to God who shall bless and refresh my soul,

As He pours this precious ointment upon my head

That I might be sanctified, preserved and made whole

And trade sorrow for the oil of gladness instead.

Trusting in God’s will is never disappointing,

As I receive from on high this new anointing.

 

David Baroni gives us a spirited rendition of “A New Anointing,” a perfect musical selection for today’s blog entry, more “Good Medicine” placed on the shelves of Dr. J’s Apothecary Shoppe.

 

“Words of Wisdom”—a daily dose of “words to the wise”–Day 12

This blog entry is another in a series featuring a daily dose of “words to the wise,” poetically expressed from the Book of Proverbs.

The number 12 represents governmental order, according to E.W. Bullinger, who speaks of 12 as “a perfect number, signifying perfection of government, or of governmental perfection.” On the 12^th day of this series of entries on wisdom, I recognized that lately I have been thinking about putting things in order, in that I have been undergoing a period of intense personal introspection. One of poems that relates to this topic also contains a reference to wisdom.

A number of years ago, Apostle Eric Warren of Equip U Ministries taught a series of messages on the rebuilding of the wall and the gates at Jerusalem during the time of Nehemiah. As I heard the messages and took notes, I was inspired to write a poem for each of the twelve gates. The last gate was the Miphkad Gate. The Hebrew word miphkad means “appointment, account, census, mustering,” as this gate is said to the place of numbering or census:

The last gate mentioned in Book of Nehemiah is the Miphkad Gate which is associated with inspection, gathering, and assessment.

Miphkad Gate: “I Ask Again That You Inspect Me”

Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Try me, and know my anxieties;

And see if there is any wicked way in me,

And lead me in the way everlasting.

 Psalm 139:23-24

 

 

The Lord, our God, one who has never slept nor slumbered,

The only wise God who sees all and always takes note,

Observing where the people gather to be numbered

And assessed, whether to cast aside or to promote

At the Miphkad Gate, place of accountability:

The gate repaired by ministers of the market place.

Here in this place I ask again that you “Inspect Me”,

Here where everyone must give an account, face to face,

And stand before God Almighty, who alone is good.

As I pass through this last gate, may I never forget

God’s mercy and grace but follow after Christ as I should

And fully transform my thoughts to a Kingdom mindset.

May I walk in truth, applying my heart unto wisdom

And by obedience reap benefits of the Kingdom.

 

Hillsong offers a moving rendition of “Search Me O God,” an appropriate musical accompaniment to this blog entry, another dose of “Good Medicine” from the shelves of Dr. J’s Apothecary Shoppe.

“Words of Wisdom”—a daily dose of “words to the wise”–Day 10

This blog entry is a variation in a series featuring a daily dose of “words to the wise,” poetically expressed from the Book of Proverbs, in that its inspiration is another source.

This morning I did not begin my day by reflecting on wisdom as revealed in the Book of Proverbs, but I was inspired to compose a poem based on remarks that I heard at the graduation ceremony for the Columbus, Ohio campus of National College where I serve as an adjunct professor. The former director, Joe DeLuca, who originally hired me, offered some remarks in presenting awards to students whose lives he had impacted as the first director of the College. He spoke of “Three C’s of Life.” Although I did not produce a poetic work directly based on wisdom from the Book of Proverbs, the following poem does fall into the category of “Words of Wisdom”—a daily dose of “words to the wise.” So what initially seemed like a digression from the series is not after all.  Here is the entry for Day 10:

Choices, Chances, and the Changes We Make

for Joe DeLuca, whose remarks inspired this poem

 

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed        

by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is        \

that good and acceptable and perfect will of God

Romans 12:2

 

As we journey life’s highway, we all must make a choice:

To follow the path that leads to life or the way of death.

The Lord says choose life, but we must give heed to His voice

And follow the path of life each day that we draw breath.

 

Each day we can remain where we are or take a chance

And open up to release what we have and to give,

As we determine whether we diminish or enhance.

Only when we give in love do we begin to live.

 

God’s Word encourages us to be transformed, to change.

As butterflies emerge in beauty, our lives unfold.

From death to life, beauty for ashes God will exchange.

For those who walk uprightly, nothing good will He withhold.

 

Life is the sum of choices and chances, risks that we take,

Not to be conformed but transformed by the changes we make.

The ultimate expression of change is the metamorphosis that takes place with butterflies, as alluded to in the poem. Earlier this spring the annual Blooms and Butterflies exhibit opened at the Franklin Park Conservatory in Columbus, and as Columbus Christian Spirituality Examiner, I posted an article which discussed metamorphosis and shared its spiritual application and showed a time-lapse video of the process. Here is the link to the article:

http://www.examiner.com/article/blooms-and-butterflies-exhibit-opens-a-spiritual-application

Today’s entry is a slight variation on the Words of Wisdom series but  “good medicine,” nonetheless.

“Words of Wisdom”—a daily dose of “words to the wise”–Day 9

This blog entry is another in a series featuring a daily dose of “words to the wise,” poetically expressed from the Book of Proverbs.

Despite the sweet savor of past victories that we desire to linger forever or the bitter aftertaste of former times of seeming defeat that we seek to forget, each day unfolds as a new beginning, an opportunity to make a fresh start. How do we begin? We go back to the beginning.  As we reflect upon wisdom, so brilliantly displayed in the Book of Proverbs, we find that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,” poetically expressed in this manner:        

The Beginning of Wisdom

The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever.

Psalm 19:9    

 

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom:

 and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.   

Proverbs 9:10

 

I begin and stand in absolute awe of You,

Thoroughly washed in the fountain of holiness.

The old has passed away—Behold, You make all things new:

Redeemed and justified by Christ, my righteousness.

As You search the earth, may I find grace in your sight.

I seek to be wise but never in my own eyes.

Here stands a perfect man, one destined to walk upright,

A beloved son, whose heart Your Word purifies.

I am filled with knowledge and wisdom from above

And bound by a covenant no one can sever,

For nothing can separate me from God’s love:

The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever.

I am renewed in strength and upheld by God’s Word,

As I pursue wisdom, growing in the fear of the Lord.

A perfect accompaniment of this poem is the worship song “We Choose the Fear of the Lord”  by the Maranatha Singers, another dose of “Good Medicine” from the shelves of Dr. J’s Apothecary Shoppe.