The Search

Since we live in a world inundated with information, it can sometimes cause us to believe that in the knowledge of the world we can find the answers to Life's questions. The world does not have the right answers to what those who are born-again are looking for, and it falls very short in answering the basic problems we face. So what do we do? We search out a better source for "wisdom" and not just knowledge. The best source for those answers is the Word of God. Jesus said the following Matthew 7: 7“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? ...

Jesus gives us the path to the true answers in life and then tells us His answers are pure and perfect, but we need to ask, seek, knock, and He will supply. This means our desire for God's word takes on a whole new priority in our thinking. It becomes our LIFE. One of the best things we will learn in God's Word is what Paul challenged the church in Phillipi to follow. Philippians 4: ⁸ And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. ⁹ Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

The last verse comes with an insight given by Paul about peace. Putting into practice what we learn from God's Word makes our life experience rich and rewarding, instead of being held back and prudish, as the world sometimes calls this type of life. We are "restrained" and in the restraining, there is a magnet that kicks in to follow God completely. Then we realize we need the Holy Spirit to show us the way to live as God's word fills our thoughts and our hearts with pure truth. Our enemy would try to convince us that the Word of God is too cryptic to understand, much less live by, but don't listen to the enemy. Seek harder and keep on knocking, and God will reveal Himself to whomever calls.

The writer of Proverbs tells us how all of this knowledge we are seeking comes to us in Proverbs 1:⁷ Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. A healthy fear of the Lord compels our will to want to follow His will, and His Word is where that is found. The writer also says that fools despise wisdom and discipline. If we want knowledge and true wisdom, we will find it "in the Word." James opened the path wide as he wrote this in James 1: ⁵ If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. This is your invitation to open your Bible and "study" it, and you are promised answers to the mysteries of God. Are you looking? Then the search is on, and God will generously answer the questions you have with His perfect Word.

The writer of Proverbs is all over this subject so read the following verses as an encouragement to get in the Word.

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

• Proverbs 18:15: "An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge."

• Proverbs 4:7: "Get wisdom; get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them."

The Pilgrimage Continues,

David Warren