Thurs., 5/11/17 Devotion (Jas. 3:17)

Today's encouragement comes from James 3:17, which says this:

"But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, will-ing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypo-crisy."

The world's "wisdom" is full of frenetic activity—trying to fill up space, and to keep one's mind off of the important things of life. We see a lot of this in to-day's religious expressions, especially in many inferior forms of Christianity. But God's wisdom is different. It starts in the heart, and gets established there, as the foundation of everything that will be expressed by that life: in word, or in action.

We can tell, whether we are operating on God's wisdom, or that of the world's. If it is of God, it will be very tranquil, and serene; and yet strong and pure. If it is the world's, it will simply wear us out, as we expend energy for no other purpose, but to seek to assuage our guilt.

[Puritan quote of the day: "I cannot but think that to make large confessions of sin, and yet with a senseless dead heart, is a high degree of taking the name of God in vain.” —Jeremiah Burroughs, in, "Gospel Remission"]