And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. (Romans 5:9-11 NLT) The blood of Christ was shed, not just because he angered the Jewish leaders, but because our restoration into right relationship with our heavenly Father required a holy and pure sacrifice. What could never be accomplished by any other means was provided, once for all in his Son, Jesus Christ. Now, through faith, and not our own works, we are restored into right relationship with God. We might want to describe it as a 'friendship' with God, but we must never take this relationship for granted. The very thing that stood in the way of us enjoying a relationsh...
My advice is wholesome. There is nothing devious or crooked in it. My words are plain to anyone with understanding, clear to those with knowledge. Choose my instruction rather than silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold. For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing you desire can compare with it. (Proverbs 8:8-11 NLT) Nothing more to be desired - nothing more to be gained. Wisdom that comes from the heart of God is all we need or could ever desire. Whenever we choose his instruction as our guide, we are choosing to lay down our rebellious way of living and the wisdom our present world-system might tell us is important. We choose to listen to one voice rather than to a multitude of 'worldly counselors' and 'doomsday naysayers'. Wisdom that emanates from the throne of God is more valuable than any earthly knowledge we can amass, yet we seem to seek it after all our earthly wisdom has failed us. Why is it we rely so heavily on what might prese...