A Gracious Example

 I hope you can guess why we all love him! But if not...............

Why Coshepherding is So Hard

It's hard to get at my kids hearts almost ALL the time. They would much rather I address their behavior and they don't want to apologize for their motives just the actions. I find my children avoid the truth just as much as kids who never heard. In fact sometimes I think my kids go to extra lengths to avoid the truth, in church my kid will play super hero/villains with their fingers to avoid listening to the sermon. My kid would rather scream at the top of his/her lungs when they are hurt emotionally or physically instead of actually speaking to someone about the truth. My kid would rather ignore me and even go so far as to cover their ears to avoid hearing my words as I speak to them. All these realities I find SOO tough to deal with because my desires for them are so different than their desires for themselves.

James 5

1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. 2 Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days. 4 Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you.

7 Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. 10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

12 But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.

13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.

19 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

Fear God, Not Man

“Listen to me, you who know righteousness,

the people in whose heart is my law;

fear not the reproach of man,

nor be dismayed at their revilings.

Isaiah 51:7

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.  Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.  Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.  Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  So we can confidently say,

“The Lord is my helper;

I will not fear;

what can man do to me?”

Hebrews 13:2-6

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood.  Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured.  For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.  Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

Hebrews 13:12-16

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe. Proverbs 29:25

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling,  if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked.  For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight.  Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.  So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

2 corinthians 5:1-10

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose."

-Jim Elliot

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If I am afraid to speak the truth lest I lose affection, or lest the one concerned should say, "You do not understand", or because I fear to lose my reputation for kindness; if I put my own good name before the other's highest good, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

-Amy Carmichael

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There is no more blessed way of living, than the life of faith based upon a covenant-keeping God - to know that we have no care, for He cares for us; that we need have no fear, except to fear Him; that we need have no troubles, because we have cast our burdens upon the Lord, and are conscience that He will sustain us.

The good man has his enemies. He would not be like his Lord if he had not. If we were without enemies we might fear that we were not the friends of God, for the friendship of the world is enmity to God.

-Charles Spurgeon

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Temptations which accompany the working day will be conquered on the basis of the morning breakthrough to God. Decisions, demanded by work, become easier and simpler where they are made not in the fear of men, but only in the sight of God. He wants to give us today the power which we need for our work.-Bonhoeffer

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fear is faithlessness. -George MacDonald

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Many... would like glory, who have no wish for grace. They would [want to] have the wages, but not the work; the harvest, but not the labor; the reaping, but not the sowing; the reward, but not the battle. But it may not be.

-J.C. Ryle

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Christian, let God's distinguishing love to you be a motive to you to fear Him greatly. He has put His fear in your heart, and may not have given that blessing to your neighbor, perhaps not to your husband, your wife, your child, or your parent. Oh, what an obligation should this thought lay upon your heart to greatly fear the Lord! Remember also that this fear of the Lord is His treasure, a choice jewel, given only to favorites, and to those who are greatly beloved.

-John Bunyan

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Seeing that a pilot steers the ship in which we sail, who will never allow us to perish even in the midst of shipwrecks, there is no reason why our minds should be overwhelmed with fear and overcome with weariness.

-JOhn Calvin

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Therefore, if we give into the fear of man and do not allow wisdom to rule in our hearts and manifest fear of God bringing holiness to completion then we are denying the power of the cross and saying that He has not overcome the world. Christ Himself says "DO NOT FEAR THE WORLD, FOR I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD!" How much more certainty do we need that no matter what occurs in this present season, this fleshly time, we are still held in the power of the Master who knows the paths we will tread. There is no need to dread or fear what man can do, but there is much to fear from God if we do not attribute to Him the wonders and glories due not just to His name, but also to His character!

FEAR GOD! DO NOT FEAR MAN!

Our hearts have room for only one all embracing devotion and we can only cleve to one Lord. Every copetitor to that devotion must be hated. As Jesus says, there is no alternative--either we love God or we hate him. We are confronted by an "either--or": either we love God, or we love earthly goods. If we love God, we hate the world, and if we love the world, we hate God. It makes no difference whether that love be conscious and deliberate or not; in fact it is morally certain that it will be neither, and that our conscious and deliberate desire will be to serve two masters, to love God and the good things of life. We shall indignantly repudiate the suggestion that we hate God, and will be firmly convinced that we love him, whereas by tryng to combine love for him with love for the world, we are turning our love for him into hatred. And then we have lost the single eye, and our heart is no longer in fellowship with Jesus. Our deliberate intentions make no difference to the inevitable result; Ye cannot serve two masters, if ye be followers of Jesus Christ.

-Bonhoeffer "Cost of Discipleship"

** Seriously if you call yourself a Christian you MUST read this awesome book for yourself! You cannot but profit from the wisdom of this suffering saint who really knew what the fire was like! And what the COST really meant! For him it meant everything! As it also should for us!

My "BIG" Girl and Me

Some days I wonder how a little girl could be any sweeter and more of an encouragement to my heart! I Love her so deeply, especially when I understand why she does the things she does. She will spend a long time trying to wipe herself clean. Make me read the same books over and over to her and then insist on reading it back to me. Care for her babies daily in a very motherly way.  Loves ponies and religiously sleeps with her babies and her "my little pony" from her Auntie Jess. She is simply a HUGE reminder that the Lord is so very gracious to me! We have our spats and honestly she is hard to discipline because she is a toughy, but somehow this little female and I get along in a way I could never have imagined before having a girl! I constantly tell Will "these boys are yours you know, you can never deny them since they are so much like you!" yet I would never have understood the similarties within the gender roles until now. I hope that we are able to sustain this relationship through the years and see it grow and blossom in new and deeper ways, all that lead us more toward the cross. Maybe someday she will remind me more of me (which honestly she does not!) and less of my husband, but honestly he's my favorite person and so I am cool with having our daughter be more like him!

Some Musical Encouragement This Sunday

Mistaken...For Jesus...

Seriously, Fabulous song, ignore all the "artsy" shots and listen to the lyrics!


I am called to live in perfect relation to God so that my life produces a longing after God in others lives, not admiration for myself. -Oswald Chambers (dec 2 in My utmost for His Highest).

53 Years Ago Yesterday.....

Saw this on between two worlds so I watched both parts.






and then this video came up and I watch it too, well last night late and it was so very powerful to me! I hope you enjoy!!



I hope and pray you are no longer under the impression that you are simply to wicked for God to pardon! Or that God is to weak to change you!

Grant, O Lord....

Grant, O Lord my God that I might never fall away in sucess or in failure; that I may not be prideful in prosperity nor dejected in adversity. Let me rejoice only in what unites us and sorrow only in what separates us. May I strive to please no one or fear to displease anyone except Yourself. May I seek always the things that are eternal and never those that are only temporal. May I shun any joy that is without you and never seek any that is beside you. O Lord, may I delight in any work I do in you and tire from any rest that is apart from you. My God, Let me direct my heart toward you, and in my failings, always repent with a purpose of ammendment.

--St. Thomas Aquinas (Taken from Keep a Quiet Heart by Elizabeth Elliot)

The Gift At Christmas

My grandma sent me this in my email. You might think it is a bit goofy but I thought it was sweet and very true. Christ was the first gift of Christmas, given by a holy God for us wicked sinners for our redemption from our baseness! What a message of goodness and grace to send us this precious most special gift at such a time as we are in need, as we always are whether we admit it or not. I hope you enjoy this time of year as much as we do, because of the one who first brought us His grace in the Life, Death and Ressurection of His Son, our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. If you do not know and are not known by our God this season I hope you will click the two ways to live button to the right or email me or Will!



here's the link!

Your speakers must be on to hear it!

My Top Ten

At this time of Christmas celebrations and many other activities pertaining to the birth of our Great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, I began to think about my top ten things that encourage me to see more of Christ and less of self. I suppose they are my top ten Christ-isms. So here they are in no particular order.

1) Worship music--I am sure that many of you feel the same way, but I am not speaking of experience I am speaking of a true listening to the words that others are singing or that you are singing yourself. That makes me reminded more of the cross and more able and willing to view Christ the way He truly is.

2) Fellowship--Spending time with other believers always encourages me more toward Christ. Can you spend time with other believers and never speak the name of Christ or mention His working or moving in your life? Can you help but show your humanity in laughter, frustration, weeping, or serenity? I cannot. And it is always encouraging to my heart to be among Gods people, not many other things incline my heart more to my God then His people.

3) His Word--I am sure you are thinking okay, yeah yeah, Of course that is the pat answer. But honestly Lately, with His great humbling of me in my own eyes and my convictions growing about avoiding comparisons amongst others, I have truly seen many areas of scripture in a different way then ever before. For example-- I always thought that Solomon was more blessed then David because he was able to see God twice (even though in dreams). I always thought, "Oh Poor David! His sin was so great that He never got to see the Lord," But suddenly I thought in my heart and head--You know what? David didn't NEED to see the Lord. David Believed in God and had GREAT faith. No wonder God held him in such special regard- God never had to appear to David, because his heart was so tender toward the Lord. AMAZING! God didn't appear to David because he was more wicked, but because it wasn't necessary- not because of anything David did, because God was measuring our bountiful grace to David in many areas--Man David was a man after God's own heart and was a great man amongst God's people, I want to be like that! I hope that the reasons I mention His word makes more sense because He is more real and palatable to me then ever before within His word.

(now as an aside I may have missed God's appearing to David at some point, but as far as I remember from my reading of 1&2 Sam and 1&2 Chronicles and 1&2 Kings, God nor the angle of the Lord appears to David--correct me if I am wrong).

4) Reading--For those of you who don't read I am sorry I am mentioning this I do not do so to make you feel like you aren't doing something right, but I am very much aware how God changes my heart and ideas about Himself by reading things written by His people. So many books have changed and moulded my thinking about God in a way I never could have imagined. I highly recommend reading so many godly authors that are out there, from our current era and many past ones.

5) Preaching--I haven't been able to hear my husband's preaching a lot lately (my boys are kind of distracting to me at times so my intake is choppy.) but it always encourages me to see the Lord more clearly when hearing and feeling the conviction of the word. Also a lot of online sermons and messages are great and are a help.

6) Teaching--I have been visiting the various classes at our church of late and have just been so blessed by the teaching that goes on every Sunday in Sunday schools. I am so encouraged to think more on Christ and His cross through our Sunday school teachers and the material and reminded of the ways that He is moving and working in my heart and life. Teaching is so beneficial!

7) Service--Okay, so over the last year I have truly been able to glimpse the great outpouring of grace that marks not simply our God, but His people. While sick with Petra I was the beneficiary of great (although they may have seemed small to those doing them) acts of service, the Ladies of Midwestern Baptist Seminary are a wonder and have taught Will and I more about Christian community then any seminary class ever could. And have revealed the deep, deep love of Christ so clearly. Then when we moved to our new home and this Church revealed the same servants heart and willingness to serve. I once again saw the deep, deep love of Christ- and not just for us but for many others in the church. So please if someone asks to serve you, allow it watch and see that Your Lord is GOOD!

8) Serving--This may seem strange but it blesses my heart to be able to serve others. Now I know that often we don't allow people to do for us, it is simply against our nature of sin to do so, but every time someone allows me to serve them I am so blessed. I cannot explain it. I love seeing what happens when the Lord uses me.

9) Grace--Okay so maybe this one is first, but recognizing that the Lord is the one working and moving and changing and moulding and that I can do nothing. I have nothing to offer, it is so amazing! This has to be my most favorite! Just being able to embrace His work on the cross and know that it isn't different any day of my entire life! And it will be the same for eternity. Just wondrous!!! How can I explain it?

10) Liberty--Freedom in Christ is such a sweet blessing to my heart that drives me to the cross of Christ. Knowing that my personal holiness isn't an offering to God. I experience so much thankfulness and appreciation to Him who saves, sanctifies and glorifies. I cannot explain without several pages what freedom means to my heart, life, and mind. So much sweetness is contained here in. To know that I can have freedom in certain decisions and not fear. To know His sovereignty is incomprehensible. Just to recognize that it is for freedom He has set us free! Just listen to the great words of Galatians and marvel. Your works are nothing, His are everything.

Those doltish children!

(William Secker, "The Consistent Christian" 1660)

Sin is pleasant--but unprofitable.
Affliction is unpleasant--but profitable.

By affliction, the Lord separates the sin that He hates--from the soul that He loves. He sends affliction--to take the dirt of the world out of the hearts of His children! "Before I was afflicted I went astray--but now I keep Your word!" Psalm 119:67

As waters are purest, when they are in motion--so saints are generally holiest, when in affliction. Some Christians resemble those doltish children, who will learn their lessons--no longer than while the rod is on their backs! In the greatest affliction--the Lord has sealed the sweetest instruction, "It was good for me to be afflicted--so that I could learn Your statutes!" Psalm 119:71

Many Christians are not bettered by the judgments they see--when they have bettered by the judgments they have felt. The gold is refined--by being in the furnace! Likewise, with the Christian, "I have refined you in the furnace of suffering!" Isaiah 48:10

www.gracegems.org

In Spite of Me....

Father God,

Lately I am aware of all the areas that I fall short so often. When my sin creeps up and is so apparent and obvious to those around me and especially to myself. I see so clearly my immediate need of a Savior and cannot understand why I am so obtuse and inconsistent. I look at the roller-coaster ride that Motherhood often is and I see how much I have to grow. I see where I loose my temper and discipline in anger. I see how little I am accomplishing--my boys don't know their ABC's, my 20 month old isn't potty training, my baby isn't sleeping through the night. I think about how much I want to accomplish more then the laundry and dinner each day, how much I want to be doing crafts and park visits and even going to the grocery store. I know that my children aren't memorizing a new catechism yet after the last one, they haven't been adding any new memory verses, and I see where I am dropping so many balls because I am simply incapable.

Then I see how I am not able to save my children. I cannot be nor do I desire to be their Savior. Although that is how I am acting. Please forgive my unbelieving heart that doesn't trust in your justification alone. I am so bound by my personal standards of perfection that I loose sight of your glorious salvation. I forget that my boys will be saved because You show favor on them and You are pleased to redeem them out of the pit. It has nothing to do with how well I perform. It has to do with Your character, You will and do save in spite of me.

I believe that You will redeem my children because of Your goodness and mercy. I praise You that my salvation, nor the salvation of my children, is based on my performance as a mother. You will be gracious and sovereign in spite of me. I am so thankful that you are constantly standing in the gap, being the Savior I so desperately need every moment of the day, not only for me but for my children also! I pray, believing that, You will see fit to draw my four charges unto yourself and You will receive the glory and praise, because truly it will clearly be a work of grace done in spite of my weaknesses and sin. How glorious is your salvation that it has anticipated my desperate need throughout this calling of motherhood. It so often teaches me where my need for growth is, reveals sin and selfishness, and grows my love of these little people daily. I thank you for the mercy You have shown in making me a mother and in seeing my need and making me like Your son, it is all because of Christ.......Amen

confessions of a closet list maker...

I make lists. I suddenly realized that I was a serial list maker while doing some work on the bible study I joined in June. I make lists about everything:

Books I should read,Books I have read, Dinner menu lists, Prayer lists, Organizational lists, Chore lists, To-Do lists, Crafting lists, When we have the money lists.

You name it, I have written it out in list form!

I am certain many of you are laughing right now, since you probably never guessed that Larissa makes lists. Everytime I get a pad of paper or a day planner or a prayer journal I end up with lists inside. I like to have a chance to check stuff off, I love that sense of accomplishment that comes from knowing I have completed something. But where did it go terribly wrong? I took my passion for list making, not an error in and of itself and then morphed it into a tool for righteous living and personal holiness.

If my prayer life is lagging--make a prayer list and pray through it! If my personal study time isn't makeing the grade--make a list of books of the bible I should read to compensate. Wanting to be completely honest, I looked through a few of my journals and found a list of requirments for potential mate. Luckily I had a faithful friend who encouraged me to let God be God (Thanks Juju!). Lists have truly bound my spiritual life for many many years.

I am not saying that making lists is inherently wrong or sinful, but it certainly isn't a path toward holiness for me and cannot even slightly be confused with the spiritual disciplines. I am afraid that so often I equate accomplishement with godliness. Godliness can only be attributed to His work in my life, His justifying work, His holy and salvific nature. I quite frequently forget the facts that "by grace I have been saved..." and if it is by grace I have been saved then it is also by grace that I will be able to reflect His image, it is by grace that I grow in maturity, it is by grace that I persevere to the end. His work not mine, no matter how many lists I make and how many accomplishments I am able to check off.

How often am I personally reminded that I return to the law so quickly? Only to realize that of Him, to Him, through Him are ALL things, therefore to Him be all glory and honor and praise! I am so thankful that I am insufficient in every area because He is enough....grace is enough for me and for you, too!

Wisdom--Graciously Granted?

18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written,
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”

20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, [2] not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being [3] might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him [4] you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Lately I have been pondering many things associated with God's grace and human responsibility. So often we believe that if we just have enough wisdom then we will be holy. If we simply seek the wisdom of God diligently enough, He is ready and willing, even waiting expectantly to dole it out like a Heavenly ATM machine (If we only can remember the PIN number). Somehow this is sitting heavy on my heart and mind simply because I know that my nature is so desperately weak and unable to stand up to even this smallest of responsibilities. I have realized that no matter what we try and accomplish on our own strength it will never accomplish what the grace of God does.

God isn't sitting on his throne thinking "Oh, Why won't Larissa just ask me for wisdom?"

Trust me! I probably would never think of it if I was simply left to my own devices. Just as salvation is a work of sovereign grace so is our pursuit of anything that is of God. God gives wisdom, it isn't something that we have to ask for in order to receive, just like salvation. Even Solomon when he asked for wisdom didn't call God to appear before him. God had mercy on the king and appeared to him and asked Solomon what he desired. It was then that Solomon said, "I lack sufficient wisdom." And God was pleased. But would Solomon have realized his shortcomings if God had not been proactive in the relationship with the king He had chosen. Had Solomon shown amazing wisdom or a pursuit of it prior to God's appearing in grace and glory?

Unfortunately I think we often mistake our own responsibility for an actual outpouring of His grace supplying us continually. I do not believe that Solomon thought after the fact, "Wow, Go me! I impressed the Lord and I pleased Him with my wisdom in asking for wisdom! Ain't I somethin'?!" No, Solomon gave the credit and glory to the Lord and was driven instead to worship and humility in a much deeper knowledge of Him who saves and does not withold any good thing from those who love Him(obviously sin later chocked out much of his wisdom).

I absolutely believe that the heart that should be inside us was reflected in the relationship between the Lord and his king. He was amazed and changed by the appearing of the Lord and the Lord gave him wisdom. Do we ever embrace wisdom before salvation? Is wisdom separated in anyway from an intimate knowledge of Christ? Paul in His letter to the Corinthian believers says that Christ is in actuallity the incarnation of Wisdom (v. 24). Know Christ and you will know wisdom. Therefore gaining wisdom and discernment is absolutly contingent on Christ's working in our hearts and minds, changing and redeeming us by His everlasting grace.

He takes silly and foolish human beings like me and says "It pleases Me to make this warped vessel into a vessel of usefulness and wisdom." And do I then respond, "Wow! Good thing I believed and sought after Him! I show real wisdom in my actions and my pursuit!" Are you kidding me???!!! I am broken! Humbled! Mournful! And more then a little aware that I am nothing without His grace saving me out of the pit without even the smallest effort on my own part, left to my own devices I never would pursue the things of the Lord, much less His wisdom! First He had to change my heart and bring me into His salvation, then I was able to see what true wisdom was and able to not only desire it, but through a growing and deepening relationship with the Author of my salvation I was able thereby to grow in wisdom and discernment. May all the praise be His alone!

6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; Proverbs 2:6