Wisdom from Above
Good morning, Immanuel. God has given us all we need for life and godliness in his word.
“And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:9-11).
Navigating life in a complex moral world is complicated. We want easy answers and clear direction as to what is right or wrong. But this is often hard to know, and it is even harder to know how our choices might affect others. We want to honor Jesus with our lives, but knowing how best to do that in every situation isn’t simple or straightforward. So often, it feels like we are trying to determine the lesser of multiple evils rather than choosing between right Jesus-honoring choices.
We feel this complexity in our finances and generosity. We feel it in our relationships. We feel it in our families. We feel it in our work and careers.
We want to be on the side of what is good and honorable and brings honor to Jesus. As Philippians 1:9-11 says we yearn that “our love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that [we] may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” So we need wisdom– clarity and skill only God can give to navigate life well. We need his perspective and his mind so we can discern how to navigate complex, difficult situations with grace.
And he has given us all we need for life and godliness in his word. Proverbs 2:6 tells us For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. So, we must approach the Bible with curiosity, hunger, and open hearts to receive his wisdom. And we plead with God to help us see him in all his glory so that we rightly fear him and submit to him, because “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” We seek to be students of God’s word and servants of it.
ON THE HORIZON…
MEN’S & WOMEN’S FELLOWSHIP: Starting September 9th, men's and women’s fellowship kicks off at Immanuel! Every Monday from 7 pm to 8:30 pm, the women, led by Amy Cox, will gather in the cafe, and the men, led by Tony Shepherd, will gather in the gymnasium. We hope to see you there!
MEN’S & WOMEN’S RETREAT: We’re excited to announce that registration is now open for our upcoming men’s and women’s retreats! This is a fantastic opportunity to build deeper relationships at Immanuel, whether you have been at the church for a week or a decade. We also have the wonderful privilege of hearing from Ray and Jani Ortlund as our respective speakers. Register for the women’s retreat here and the men’s retreat here.
WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY: Starting September 19, Heidi Faulks will kick off our Immanuel's Women's Bible Study. This study meets every Thursday morning from 10:00-11:30 AM. They will go through Abide, Jen Wilkin's study on 1, 2, and 3 John. Childcare will be provided. Register here!