50 Days of Wisdom
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Wisdom is a skill in living that begins with fearing God, then progresses to guarding your mind, choosing your companions, controlling your body, monitoring your words, pursuing your work, managing your money, and loving your neighbor. Very simple. But that’s it. And when you’ve done that, you’ve learned wisdom. It’s vital to be taught wisdom. For example, as a father, if I fail to teach my son to fear God, the devil will teach him to hate God. If I fail to teach my son to guard his mind, the devil will teach him to have an open mind. If I fail to teach my son to obey his parents, the devil will teach him to rebel and break his parents’ hearts. If I fail to teach my son to select his companions carefully, the devil will choose them for him. If I fail to teach my son to control his body, the devil will gladly teach him to give it completely over to his lusts. If I fail to teach my children to enjoy speech that is honorable to God, the devil will fill their mouths with filth. If I fail to teach my children to pursue their work, the devil will make them lazy. If I fail to teach them to manage their money, the devil will teach them to waste it on riotous living. If I fail to teach them to love their neighbor, the devil will gladly teach them to love only themselves. And the only reason I can pass any of this wisdom on to my children is because God has graciously made it all available in the Bible.
Seek and learn God's wisdom every day!
Day 655
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Seek the Lord Today
A parable is an illustration, that's all. It's not an allegory. You don't have to parallel it in all parts to some other reality. It's just a story, basically, and it has one purpose and one meaning. It's an illustration. And Jesus gave many. This one in Luke chapter 13 is simple and straightforward: "And He began telling this parable. A certain man had a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard. And he came looking for fruit on it and did not find any. And he said to the vineyard keeper, 'Behold, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree without finding any. Cut it down. Why should it even use up the ground?' And he answered and said to him, 'Let it alone sir, for this year, too, until I dig around it and put in fertilizer, and if it bears fruit next year, fine. But if not, cut it down.'" This story is clearly about borrowed time. The owner of the fig tree asks why the tree should be allowed to live another day if it's fruitless and useless. And the vineyard keeper requests more time before it's cut down. Well, His disciples got the message. Everyone has been given time by God, borrowed time. But only until you die, until Christ comes, or until God says, "It's over, I'm no longer available to you. You didn't want to come, so now you can't come. It's hidden." The points of this story are easy to understand. In fact, they're virtually unmistakable. The tree is solitary. It's a nation, in this case Israel, but it's also any individual. If you have no fruit, you will be cut down. You're living on borrowed time, and judgment is near. And there is nothing about you that earns that borrowed time, so it is purely at the merciful discretion of God that you live another day. And His patience is not permanent. And that's why the prophet Isaiah wrote in Isaiah 55:6, "Seek the Lord while He may be found. Call on Him while He is near." In other words, "You need to come while you have the time, while you have the opportunity. Because there will be a time when He won't be found." Listen to the words of Jesus in John 7 and 8. John 7:33, "A little while longer I'm with you," a little while longer, "then I go to Him who sent me. You shall seek me and shall not find me, and where I am you cannot come." What a statement. He repeats in John 8, verse 21: "I go away. You shall seek me and die in your sins. Where I am going, you cannot come." And He says it again in verse 24, "I said therefore to you, you shall die in your sins. Unless you believe that I am He, you shall die in your sins." Look, we all live on borrowed time. And I don't know how much time is left before Jesus comes, until you die, or until God withdraws. Yet, like the fig tree, God holds off cutting unbelievers down because of His temporary mercy. His everlasting mercy, however, is only reserved for those who worship and love Him. But those who bear no spiritual fruit through a relationship to God by means of Jesus Christ will eventually be cut down, and that judgment is forever. Therefore, seek the Lord today, while He may be found. Repent and believe! GTY.org (42-181) – Living on Borrowed Time
Today's Wisdom
Day: 978
July 23, 2026
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My name is Mark Paul from Wauchula, Florida, and like the Apostle Peter said in 2 Peter 1:14, "I know that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent." Consequently, my goal is to leave a legacy that will continue to advance the kingdom of God long after I have departed. In other words, bear fruit for eternity. And by simply reading and sharing my free eBooks, you too become contributors to the advancement of His kingdom. Thank you for partaking in this endeavor, and I look forward to greeting you on heaven's shore.
The Truth in Love,
Mark Paul - Servant of God
Now grant, O Lord, that when the souls who read these books cast their eyes upon these lines, their minds may be illuminated and their consciences convinced and awakened, that they may see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and be converted so that You may heal them. Amen
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