I am a.....graybeard......which essentially means that I am old....but in my case it means a little bit more. For about forty of my seventy-two years....I have mostly spent my free time....on sober-minded subjects. I read....incessantly....researching....pondering.....even pleading with God for discernment. I toss and turn for hours almost every night thinking about the calamities that we in America have brought about upon ourselves....while the church is sleeping....much of it taken in by a false prophet. I have not missed a day....(for years anyway)....without sitting down....extra-fine tip pen and highlighters in hand....reading God's Word....at times thinking for an extended period of time on a single verse....and researching great men of the past for their thoughts on that verse. No matter how serious our failures or God's judgments on us because of those failures....this sadness is always overcome by the joy of knowing that God is faithful....even though we are not....and He is merciful...and longsuffering....always giving ample warnings beforehand of impending judgment....which He has with us today....warning us of these judgments....a pandemic....no leaders....and love grown cold. Hardly a day ever goes by where I have not had either headphones on....or my mini-boom's volume way up.....while listening to....a sermon....hundreds by Spurgeon....and nowadays....every day....John Piper's....sermon of the day. All of this....and more....
and yet this effort....in itself....does not guarantee wisdom in any of my conclusions....or that I am in any way pleasing Him!
But....if one is not at least similarly dedicated....if one could not be described as....sober-minded....and if one's life is filled with hobbies and sports and pastimes....even family....every minute of which could have been spent in an effort at knowing our great God more intimately....
that does guarantee something! It guarantees that God will not have rewarded that person with any great amount of discernment or wisdom on the day and the age that we live in.....
for God will not be mocked. He will return wisdom and discernment....only in proportion to what we demonstrate to Him....as the true desires of our heart!
