Message summary: This day join me in seeking to know the Lord and His ways better! Hear and heed the words of Scripture, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–His good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2).

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"For it is written: 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate'" (1 Corinthians 1:19). “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God” (1 Corinthians 3:19).

The last several weeks the outrageous demonstrations on college campuses have been in the news and continue even as I overheard the latest news this morning while preparing today's message. The demonstrations started at our supposedly most elite institutions called the "Ivy League" including Harvard.

When Harvard was founded, its motto was Veritas Christo et Ecclesiae—“Truth for Christ and the Church.” Its crest showed three books, one face down to symbolize the limitation of human knowledge. But over time that book has been turned face up to represent the unlimited capacity of the human mind. And the motto has been changed to simply Veritas— “Truth.”  Now Harvard is a bastion of secularism, although there is still a small active group of Christian students seeking to live in the light.

Regardless of where we live, we encounter the secularized “foolishness” that prevails in our “postmodern” culture. This “foolishness” is now rampant in our culture and is even impacting many Christian colleges and churches who are forsaking the wisdom of God for the foolishness of this world. Sometimes my head spins as the rapid decline of our country becomes more visible on many fronts. The accumulative effect of living according to the ever-changing human philosophies of this world is changing the hearts and minds of those not firmly grounded in Christ.

We must heed the Scriptural warning, “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ” (Colossians 2:8).

The first daily verse is such a powerful expression: “For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate” (1 Corinthians 1:19). Paul is actually quoting Isaiah 29:14 in the Old Testament, thus the expression, "It is written". In this window of time the wisdom and intelligence of the world seems so prevailing, but God’s promise stands, and one day it will be destroyed.

“For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.” The Apostle Paul is saying that wisdom from a worldly standpoint is foolishness to God who is Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. Human-based wisdom does not form a bedrock foundation of genuine truth.

I want to know the ways of God, who is all-wise so that I can properly discern the foolishness of this world presented through academia, political, cultural, or even the entrenched religious circles that may be saying it’s wise. Consider this rather obscure statement from Daniel: “He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning” (Daniel 2:21). Amen, may God give us this wisdom and discernment today!

I want to continue to grow in my understanding of God’s ways. And that begins when I recognize that ultimately all wisdom apart from God is foolishness. This day join me in seeking to know the Lord and His ways better! Hear and heed the words of Scripture, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–His good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2).

Be encouraged today, Hebrews 3:13

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer:  Father, when I gave you my heart, I made the willful choice to no longer conform to the trends and philosophies of this world.  Instead I ask You to daily renew my mind so that I see this world and its philosophies through the eyes of Christ testing daily what is truth from what is error, for I want to know what Your will is for my life, Your good, pleasing and perfect will. May Scripture always be our reference point and Your Spirit be our Guide as we are exposed to countless philosophies based on human understanding and the basic principles of this world rather than Your eternal, foundational truths. Sharpen our discernment and grant us courage so that we readily know truth from error and are fearless in saying so. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

"May the Mind of Christ My Savior"  Watch on YouTube  Resound Worship