(Revelation 16:8-9) The fourth angel poured out his bowl upon the sun, and it was given to it to scorch men with fire. 9 Men were scorched with fierce heat; and they blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues, and they did not repent so as to give Him glory.
Today's takeaway: so, the people getting scorched because they are not following God - get angry at God! They get furious with the only One who can save them! They get furious at the One who really does want the best for all of us!
How silly is our sinful human nature which tends to get angry at the ones who are there to help? God, pastors, parents, teachers, police officers, judges... good friends who love us enough that they would rather risk the relationship and tell us something we NEED to hear, than telling us what we might want to hear. It will always be up to us to determine if we want to accept genuine help, as well as accept accountability.
I think there are two basic types of integrity-lacking people. Just thinking aloud here. There are those who want everything done for them so that they can blame someone else if and when anything goes wrong. And there are those who want to know everything and think they are completely self-sufficient so that when anything does go wrong they are ready to pass the blame onto someone else. I've been guilty of having both those attitudes from time to time - depending on the situation.
It requires integrity to graciously accept help and advice, and be thankful for it. It also requires integrity to take responsibility for one's own actions and to confess and apologize when needed. I once heard someone define knowledge and wisdom in this way: knowledge is simply knowing things; wisdom is knowing how to appropriately apply what you do know...
(Proverbs 1:1-7) The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:
2 To know wisdom and instruction, to discern the sayings of understanding,
3 To receive instruction in wise behavior, righteousness, justice and equity;
4 To give prudence to the naive, to the youth knowledge and discretion,
5 A wise man will hear and increase in learning, and a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel,
6 To understand a proverb and a figure, the words of the wise and their riddles.
3 To receive instruction in wise behavior, righteousness, justice and equity;
4 To give prudence to the naive, to the youth knowledge and discretion,
5 A wise man will hear and increase in learning, and a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel,
6 To understand a proverb and a figure, the words of the wise and their riddles.
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
(Proverbs 12:15) The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who listens to counsel.
(Proverbs 3:11-14) My son, do not reject the discipline of the Lord or loathe His reproof,
12 For whom the Lord loves He reproves, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.
12 For whom the Lord loves He reproves, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.
13 How blessed is the man who finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding.
14 For her profit is better than the profit of silver and her gain better than fine gold.
14 For her profit is better than the profit of silver and her gain better than fine gold.
(James 3:13-18) Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. 18 And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
(James 1:2-12) Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
9 But the brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position; 10 and the rich man is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with a scorching wind and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away.
12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
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