IT IS WRITTEN: READ IT FOR YOURSELF

2 Corinthians 2:9-12, 16

However, as it is written: "What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived"(Is 64:4) - the things God has prepared for those who love him— these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person's thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. for, "Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ. 2 Corinthians 2:9-12, 16

We often find this verse from Isaiah 64:4 used in reference to the wonders of heaven that await the believer. Certainly, there is truth in that application, but I believe, Paul quoted it here to refer to all the wisdom God has available for holievers here and now on planet earth. This verse tells us that

wisdom cannot be found by observation.

In other words, when you are deciding between living according to the wisdom of this world or living according to the wisdom of God, just know the wisdom of God is higher, greater, and more wonderful than anything your eye has seen, your ear has heard, or your heart has even imagined about what God has prepared for those who love Him. Doesn't that just make you want to live according to the wisdom of God and meditate on the word of God?

Focus all your attention on God, His ways, His thoughts, and His desires because you know His design for you is better than your heart can even imagine. What He has prepared for you is greater than what your eyes see, and your ears hear. Often, we quote this verse without the final phrase, "but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit." God desires to communicate with us, He wants to reveal to us His plans, and His purposes.

Paul is saying that because we have God's Spirit, we can know God's thoughts (verses 11-12) and, furthermore, we have the mind of Christ (verse 16). How awesome is that? Yet frequently we are quick to go along with human wisdom without first checking with God for His insight into a situation. In the previous verses, Paul has been explaining the difference between human wisdom and the Spirit's wisdom. God imparts His wisdom to us via His Spirit living within us. However, this requires us to be discerning.

Not every thought that pops into our heads or our hearts is from God's Spirit. We have to learn to distinguish God's thoughts from our own and one of the most important ways we do this is by reading God's Word. However more than just reading God's Word, we need to study it so that it impacts our lives.

By using a Bible reading method that includes journaling, we can commit to paper not only our observations but an application and a prayer that are personal. We allow God's Word to penetrate passed our minds into our hearts. We have a blessed hope in Christ, and God in His grace chose to give incredible detail about His message of redemption through His written Word of truth!!!

Father, thank You for this day and that in Your goodness and grace You chose to reveal Yourself and the wonderful message of redemption in Your Word and the amazing prophetic scriptures which reveal the end from the beginning. Lord, let your abundant blessings pour out over my friends and family today. Lord, we pray we would earnestly study to show ourselves approved unto God but keep us from hankering after a knowledge of things which You have chosen to keep hidden from our sight. Lord, thank You that our blessed hope is in You and the wonders of our eternal future are hidden in You. Lord, use my friends to love others like you love them today, unconditionally.

Father, we love You. Amen.