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WISE MEN STILL SEEK HIM! Matthew 2:1-12 Our thought for today is, "do you have room for wisdom?" The Scripture lesson tells of some who certainly did. They were even called wise men. What makes them so special? Was it because they brought gifts, or because they traveled so far? I believe what sets them apart is wisdom. Something inside them drove them with a passion to seek the One whom this star pointed to, the King of the Jews. This wisdom I am talking about is the only true wisdom. We can gain knowledge in the world, but wisdom is what we need. Knowledge won’t get us close to God; in fact, many times it becomes a hindrance. Romans 1:22 says “Professing themselves wise, they became fools.” I am not knocking education, but we need true wisdom from God. When we talk of God’s wisdom, one name in the Bible stands out—Solomon. He knew where to get wisdom, and it was from God. That was what he asked for in 1 Kings 3:5. The Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at Gibeon, and said, "Ask for whatever you want." He wanted wisdom and God gave it to him, so much that he was known throughout the world for his wisdom. Kings and Queens came from afar just to ask him complicated questions. Solomon shared that wisdom with everyone, even us today. He left his Proverbs, and guess what, he even left us a recipe for getting wisdom. It can’t be found in some "Ivy League" university, some mountain top experience, or religious formula. In Proverbs 9:10 it tell us where to start, “fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." It starts there; any other starting place is bogus. It doesn’t come with age or experience. It comes from the fear of the Lord. What does that mean?—do we go around quaking in our boots all day? No, not at all, but we do weigh every decision with a fear of the Lord. In other words, would this thing I am about to do be what God wants me to do? How do we know what God wants us to do? Start by finishing verse 10, "and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." We come to know Him in His Word and on our knees. As we study the gospel, a light starts to shine, it grows brighter and brighter until we can’t stop till we find it, and the promise is to those who seek—they will find! Be wise—seek the Lord. The wise men did. Remember, they weren’t the only ones who knew about where this king was to be born. Herod called in the teachers and priests and asked if they knew anything about this king. Oh, they knew all about Him, but they didn’t seek Him. The teachers and priests didn’t have room in their busy lives to seek the King. Those who seek Him, find Him; so be wise and seek the Lord. ~ Jim Frantz
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