The Wisdom Of The World

 The Wisdom Of The World by Dr. D. James Kennedy

“Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?”

I Corinthians 1:20

Our world prides itself on nothing more than its vaunted wisdom. Having confused sophistication for wisdom and knowledge with understanding, our world looks down on those who believe in God and trust in His Word.

Yet the Bible says that God has made the wisdom of this world foolishness. Most, however, do not really believe that. Sadder still, even Christians are impressed and intimidated by the world’s apparent wisdom.

But let’s take a quick look at what the world’s wisdom has accomplished through the years.

Wisdom supposedly reached a pinnacle in the Golden Age of Greek philosophy. Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle brought to light vast stores of knowledge that the world had not hitherto known. Yet their writings have done little to regenerate humankind and alleviate humanity’s problems.

More recently (several hundred years ago), we ushered in the Age of Reason, supposedly a golden age of wisdom. But in truth, these were some of the bloodiest years ever seen. The guillotine, like some huge monster, consumed its victims in France until the streets of Paris ran with blood, and that Age of Reason became a very unreasonable, frightening, and terrible time.

Even in this modern age, we haven’t learned our lessons. We’ve accumulated great stores of knowledge, so much that we cannot even measure it. Yet have we really arrived at wisdom? The twentieth century has been history’s bloodiest era.

Do we really want to rely on the world’s “wisdom” if it has resulted in all this bloodshed? Let’s bank our lives on the wisdom of God, wisdom that resulted in a different type of bloodshed—the blood shed by Jesus as He hung on the cross to die for you and me.

God’s wisdom can do more to ennoble human life and alleviate the pain of human existence than anything conceived by the wisdom of this world.

Accusing Others of What They're Doing

 Accusing Others of What They're Doing by Bill Wilson

Imagine what would happen in the media if President Trump or a prominent conservative or Christian suggested that there be no presidential debate or that whatever the outcome of the presidential election, it would not be accepted.

Just the suggestion that President Trump would wait and see how the election vote unfolded has once again prompted the media to serve up images of Hitler, fascism and tyranny.

But remember in 2016 when Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton made a big deal of Trump potentially not accepting the results of the election, then when she lost, she sued to contest the election?

Accuse others of what you are thinking or doing—that’s the socialist doctrine. And it’s repeating.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) essentially got a pass from the media when she suggested there be no presidential debates. At an August 27 news conference, Pelosi said, "I don't think that there should be any debates. I wouldn't legitimize a conversation with him [Trump], nor a debate in terms of the presidency of the United States…So I think that he'll probably act in a way that is beneath the dignity of the presidency; he does that every day. But I think it will also belittle what the debates are supposed to be about. And they're not to be about skullduggery on the part of somebody who has no respect for the office he holds, much less the democratic process.”

This is in alignment with socialist doctrine of suppressing free speech if it doesn’t agree with you. Accuse others of what you are doing or thinking or doing.

On August 24, failed Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who accused Trump of intentions to not accept the results of the 2016 election if he lost, advised leftist Democratic Party presidential candidate Joe Biden not to concede the election.

Clinton speaking on Showtime’s “The Circus,” said, “Joe Biden should not concede under any circumstances. Because I think this is going to drag out, and eventually, I do believe he [Biden] will win, if we don't give an inch and if we are as focused and relentless as the other side is. "Clinton claimed that Trump was trying to use vote by mail to steal the election and vowed: "We've got to have a massive legal operation. And I know the Biden campaign is working on that."

Again, accuse others of what you are thinking or doing.

This hypocrisy goes largely unreported by the media because the media is in Biden's camp.

Instead of pointing out the intent to suppress free speech, the media just allows statements to stand about ending the traditional American political exercise of presidential debates.

Instead of demanding an explanation about usurping the Constitutionally-mandated transition of presidential power, the media allows to stand a veiled threat of government overthrow.

This is irresponsible. It is also the highest level of hypocrisy demonstrated by political leaders.

Romans 2:1 says, “Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.”

Of course, they may justify accusing others of what they are doing is “Biblical.”

They who call evil good and good evil.

And they do.

Today in History

Today in History 1972 Fischer Defeats Spassky

On September 1, 1972, in what’s billed as the “Match of the Century,” American chess grandmaster Bobby Fischer defeats Russian Boris Spassky during the World Chess Championship in Reykjavik, Iceland.

In the world’s most publicized title match ever played, Fischer, a 29-year-old Brooklynite, became the first American to win the competition since its inception in 1866. The victory also marked the first time a non-Russian had won the event in 24 years.

Fischer, who started playing chess professionally at age 8, won the U.S. Open Championship when he was 14 (he would go on to win it seven more times) and became the world’s youngest international grandmaster at age 15.

Fischer’s skills and age—and demanding, arrogant attitude—made him a pop culture phenomenon. He became the subject of books and movies and even inspired a song, “The Ballad of Bobby Fischer.”

Played during the Cold War, the Reykjavik match also carried political undertones. Fischer had already accused the Soviets of rigging the tournament system and didn’t mince words in his feelings about them, saying the match was “really the free world against the lying, cheating, hypocritical Russians … They always suggest that the world's leaders should fight it out hand to hand. And that is the kind of thing we are doing.”

Fischer missed the competition’s July 1 opening ceremony, after demanding more money, as well as a cut of TV and film rights. After a two-day delay—and a doubling of the prize purse by British millionaire Jim Slater—Fischer finally showed. A call from Henry Kissinger, national security assistant for President Nixon at the time, may have helped persuade him to compete, as well. “America wants you to go over there to beat the Russians,” he reportedly told Fischer.

“Fischer is known to be graceless, rude, possibly insane,” financier Slater once said. “I really don’t worry about that, because I didn’t do it for that reason. I did it because he was going to challenge the Russian supremacy, and it was good for chess.”

Spassky took the first game (Fischer blamed the TV cameras and ordered them to be removed). Fischer then forfeited the second game after some of his other demands weren’t met. Following much quarreling, the match resumed July 16 with a win by Fischer. Over 21 games, Fischer won seven, Spassky won three, and 11 were draws. Spassky resigned after 40 moves on the 21st game via telephone, with the final score set at 12.5 to 8.5

Fischer took home $156,250 in prize money for the feat, while the Soviet grandmaster Spassky, who was 35 and the reigning world champion, earned $93,750.

Fischer lost his world title by forfeit in 1975, when he refused to play against Soviet Anatoly Karpov in Manila after the competition’s governing body failed to meet all his demands.

Who Said That?

Who Said That? From: Today God Is First by Os Hillman September 01, 2020

"Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, 'Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down'" (Revelation 12:10-11).

Do you discern the voice that whispers in your ear during the course of your day? Whatever voice agrees with what God says about you is the voice of the Holy Spirit. However, if the voice disagrees with the nature of God and what He has said about your life, you can be sure it is Satan whispering in your ear, accusing you.

When you hear any voice in your ear ask "Who said that?" use the filter of the Holy Spirit to discern who is speaking to you. For instance, God would never say to you, "I do not love you. Or, your life is a failure, or you will never amount to anything." He would never communicate words of shame to you. You were made in the image of God.

Respond to the accuser with the audible Word of God, just as Jesus did when He was tempted. He told Satan the truth about Him and His purpose and His needs. James tells us to "resist the devil and he will flee from you." This requires action on your part to respond to the voice you hear.

Whenever another person tries to define your life that contradicts what God says about you, that person has become an idol in your life if you listen and believe their words. Only Jesus can define your life, or Satan can define it by listening to his voice.

Today, start asking, "Who said that?" Align your life with what God says about you.

Dying to Live

 Dying to Live by Kurt Selles

How would you define “the good life”?

What makes life rich and full?

Maybe you experience it in relationships, food, or spending time outdoors. Or maybe the good life feels just out of reach—if you had a bit more money, time, or could go back to pre-Covid “normalcy” then you’d experience happiness in life.

In the Bible, Jesus taught that real life—the good life that we all desire—is found in giving up our own selfish desires and attitudes so that God can grow his life in us. This is often called dying to self so that we can really live as God, our Creator, intends us to.

We hear this truth both in Jesus’ teachings and elsewhere. Jesus declared, “Whoever loses their life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:25). The apostle Paul echoes this in his powerful testimony: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).

Imagine beginning every day with a prayer like this: “Lord, show me how you are calling me to die today so that you can live more fully in and through me.”

Does that seem strange? It does go against our human nature stuck in sin, but in God’s strength we can give up that old way of life and take on a new life, rooted fully in Jesus Christ. Only then can we really live “the good life.”

Thoughts on Today's Verse

 I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. — Psalm 9:1

Thoughts on Today's Verse by Phil Ware

The words of Jessie Brown Pound's old hymn say it best: "If the light of his presence has brightened your way, O will you not tell it today?"

Prayerfully select someone who needs to know of the goodness and graciousness of God and share Jesus with that person. A heart filled with praise to God will not only praise him, but will lead others to do so as well!

My Prayer...

I do praise you from the bottom of my heart, O God, but bless me today as I seek to bring others to know and to praise you more fully. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Shame on Notre Dame!

 Shame on Notre Dame!

Shame on Notre Dame! The Roman Catholic Church has been a true leader in the fight for life over the years. When governments and human hearts have flinched and turned away from the horror of this vile procedure that brutalizes the unborn, the Catholic Church and its representatives have stood strong against this abominable stench in the nostrils of GOD.

That is why it is so sad to see the preeminent Catholic University in the world invite and honor former President Barack Hussein Obama to receive an honorary degree and to give the commencement address this Sunday.

It is fully understandable that the prestige of having someone of this stature give the commencement address is enticing, but for a Catholic school that stands for life to give a platform to the most pro-death President in this nation's history is a very sorrowful and upsetting an event.

It is heartening to see that a large number of students, as well as those affiliated with Notre Dame, and Catholics worldwide have expressed their outrage at this flagrant disdain of what this institution and the Catholic Church stand for.

For this institution to entertain the monster of abortion on their campus and allow it to give voice to the godless practice of butchering the unborn is repulsive.

May all who cherish life, Catholic and Protestants who hate abortion, pray to the Giver of Life that the protests to be held this weekend, touch the hearts of many and turn this nation from the cruel and godless destruction of the most helpless among us.

May all who call themselves Christian stand with those who stand for life. May all who value the sanctity of GOD'S priceless gift pray that the Lord richly bless their efforts.