A Nugget from New Life Network
(by Dr. Larry Ollison)
Scripture for the Day March 14, 2019
Jeremiah 9:23-24 says, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,’ says the Lord.”
I’d like to take a few minutes to explore the powerful verse of Scripture above with you. Before we take a look at what this verse does say, let’s be clear about what it does not say. God tells the people who are wise, mighty, or wealthy not to glory in wisdom, might, or riches. The Word of God does not say that these things are bad or wrong. It simply says do not glory in them.
Some people think security comes from natural resources. Many spend a great deal of their lives seeking knowledge and education. Others spend hour after hour exercising and watching their diets, seeking to be healthy and strong. Still others exert themselves to extremes, seeking to be wealthy. I’m not only referring to people of the world, but many Christians are doing the same thing. Can you imagine what the body of Christ would be like today if people sought after the things of God the same way they seek after worldly wisdom, might, and wealth?
It is important for us to understand that these things are not wrong. They are not bad. God actually wants us to have wisdom, might, wealth, and more! But what this opening scripture is saying is that we should not glory in these things. We, as Christians, cannot take our security from them. We cannot judge ourselves by our level of earthly wisdom, might, or wealth. The only thing Christians can use to measure themselves is the Word of God.
God tells us that if we are going to glory in anything, then let us glory in our relationship with Him. The main thing that we should be secure in is our knowledge and understanding of God. Things can happen to our wisdom, our might, or wealth. Situations can sometimes change overnight, and all of these temporal things can be lost. But through our relationship with God, He restores us.
God wants you to know Him. Of course, He knows who you are. He knows all about you. But that’s not enough! He also wants you to know Him! He wants to be known by you!
The most important skill that anyone could ever develop is his or her ability to pray. Wisdom, might, and wealth all have their rightful place in our lives, but there is something more important. There are times when our ability to talk to God and our sensitivity to His voice is the only thing that is going to solve our problem. The highest goal any human could ever attain is to know God. Look at Moses and David. Moses talked with God face to face (Exodus 33:11). David was a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22). These men were able to accomplish great feats in their lifetime.
The truest measure of a person’s success is their level of intimacy with God. So, take a few moments out of your day today. Get alone with God. He wants to reveal Himself to you.
