The Tree of Wisdom

Good teachers will give you a cup of cold water, great teachers will lead you to the fountain. Good teachers will share the leaves and branches from the tree of wisdom, great teachers will give you its seed.

Beloved, is wisdom found in one cup? Is it contained in only one tree branch? Could you ever fill an ocean’s void with a drinking-glass? Could you ever transplant a great tree leaf by leaf? It is a strain. I am a great river flowing with knowledge. I am a good seed of wisdom.¹ I am Jesus, your Lord and Savior.

Learn of Me.² Know Me.³ Let Me be planted in you. Without My anointing, all will seem laborious and vain.⁴ I only am that good seed. You need not plant a multitude of seeds. I only will sprout up into a tree of wisdom. I will take care of all the leaves and branches, you need but My seed.⁵ In Me only is the hundred-fold increase that you desire.

Amen.

1. Proverbs 1:7
2. Matthew 11:28-30
3. Jeremiah 9:23-24
4. Psalm 127:1-2
5. John 15:4-5

As you may have noticed, I haven’t been making much visible progress with this blog, or on the mailing list either. I haven’t done any new videos in quite a while. The reason for this is because I’ve been directing all of my energies lately into formatting and preparing TFALG for print.

It’s still weeks or months off in the distance, but progress is being made. For now, I’ve uploaded the most current and edited version of TFALG in PDF form on the PDF File page. It should be a big improvement over the older version in terms of readability and convenience, plus it has the “Delve Deeper” section added to the end of each chapter, for Bible references.

I will post any additional developments on the actual print version of the book as they occur.

This morning I was doing some woodworking, and I noticed that some sawdust had fallen on a spiderweb. I thought how this must spoil things for the spider to an extent, as the transparent threads of the web were now almost opaque with dust.

And along this same vein, I compared this occurrence to what God can do in a person’s soul - illuminating the darkness and warning from unseen danger. Here are my thoughts:

“The Word of God is as the morning dew upon the spider’s web - God’s truth ruins and spoils the illusions spun by Satan and his angels.”

And in the Bible, it also says:

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” -Psalm 119:105

And so accordingly, when we start our morning in God’s Word, reading the Bible and allowing God’s Spirit to illuminate it to us, we start our morning with dew upon Satan’s lies and enticements to sin, and have the strength and vision to avoid them.

“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” -Matthew 16:24-25

A cross is not meant to be a weight, or merely an exercise in holiness.

A cross is for crucifixion, and he that is to bear his cross is to bear it with the intent to die to himself.

It is not meant to weigh down, but to free. It is not meant to enslave, but to liberate.

Why would you only carry your cross to make both your body and soul miserable - your body, because its lingering lusts still twitch in selfishness; your soul, because it cannot obtain the victory of resurrection that comes after crucifixion.

“For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” -Romans 6:5-6

You will feel better when you’re dead.

Think not that I speak of physical death, but of a death of your fleshly life, and its accompanying desires. A death of the lusts of the flesh, which make a continual warring against the Spirit.

“For he that is dead is freed from sin.” -Romans 6:7

“Where you have a misplace in trust, you will have a misstep in life.” (from Tears from a Lonely God - Chapter Fifteen: Armor of Light.)

As Christians, God will chastise us when we go astray so that we will learn to trust in Him. So if we begin to walk down a path that isn’t good, sooner or later, God will show us the error of our ways, and correct us. God is at His most loving and most merciful when He brings swift and timely correction: in this life rather than in the next.

But to the unbelievers, this isn’t always the case. Those that are walking in their own desires, and don’t even know God or His Son Jesus, their “correction” comes much too late: after death, when they are judged.

If they walk in a hurtful or wrong way in this life, God may punish them, but He also may not. What would they learn? They are as the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32, who has rebelled against his father, and lives in the excesses of his own lusts. Yet, though the ungodly appear unchecked and unrestrained, God surely has justice with such sinners: though it is at this time hidden from man’s eyes. For the unbelieving, judgment and justice is served after death:

“For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men. Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment. Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish. They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily. They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth. Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them. And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High? Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning. If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children. When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.” -Psalm 73:3-19

“I poured out My life unto death, even the death of the cross: all so that you would be delivered from the way of life that you now chose to live.” (from Tears from a Lonely God - Chapter Fifteen: Armor of Light.)

I believe that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was much more than just deliverance from hell. I believe it wasn’t just freedom from sin, but also, freedom from sins. That is, freedom from specific sins, and specific vices - whatever they may be in your life.

Jesus’ atonement for our sins wasn’t just fire insurance against hell, it was also the way for man to be reconciled to God, and thereby receive His Holy Spirit, and be empowered to live a holy life.

“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.” -Ezekiel 36:26-27

Was not mankind in need of a savior because we had fallen into sin? And if Jesus has paid this price with His very own blood, don’t you think we ought to further conduct our lives very soberly, realizing the great sacrifice that was required to pay for our sins? Don’t you think we ought to refrain, as much as we can, from any and all evils in our life, seeing that it has cost God so dearly to give us this marvelous grace in the first place?

“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” -Romans 6:1-4

Below is a poem that I wrote for the 4th of July almost exactly four years ago. I had been a bit angered a few weeks prior to Independence Day by some people who insisted that America’s greatness was due to simply courage alone, or bravery, or strength alone. I thought how nearly every country under the sun has claimed to be valiant and strong, and how were we any different? Were we just lucky?

What follows below is a poem of our country’s independence from a Christian perspective, and secondly, how we have sadly fallen away from our roots.

Independence Day (by Eric Meier)

I walked through the land, both fruitful and free,
And asked in my heart, “how came this lib’rty?”
Then said the Great King - and who will hear it?
“Not might, nor power, but by My Spirit.”

“But what of our strength?” before Him I said,
And visions of valor, danced in my head.
“Nay My son, just look to the heathen,”
“For all will defend, to each in his season.”

A search then was made,
And all creatures bade,
Whomever would come,
To find now the sum.

“My life for my cubs,” growled a great bear,
And all they agreed, through war and through wear.
And so it was found, from greatest to least,
A strength for the fight, from man down to beast.

I walked through the land, both fruitful and free,
Again in my heart, “how came this lib’rty?”
“Oh when will you see! - when will you hear it?”
“Not might, nor power, but by My Spirit.”

Of beasts most base,
Our demise to haste,
Had His Spirit not flown,
Had His trumpet not blown.

Had He not seen, from His judgment seat,
Our brave bodies broken: to ravens for meat.
And where had we been, this ‘perilous fight?’
Our blood and our bones, to dogs for delight.

As salt without savor,
As men without favor.
Yet, He wrought with His hand,
Said, “My counsel shall stand.”

Before Him we cried, from doors without locks,
Foes gathered outside, the battle now knocks.
Straightway He heard us, His words He did keep,
“I will not delay, no longer to sleep.”

His anger did seethe,
His sword to unsheathe,
He grinned wide His teeth,
Time full for His heat.

He bit with lion’s cheek,
And tore with eagle’s beak.
His arrows He did spend,
Their armies He did rend.
Upheld our setting sun,
Till His vict’ry we won.

A lesson we learn, taught by descendants,
A warning we hear, of our independence.
Vigilant in keeping, a garden so royal,
For seldom are ceasing, the serpents to spoil.

I saw among living, many were dead,
The land of the free, held captive with lead.
As strongholds of sin, heaped loss upon loss,
Yet none gave regard, our vict’ry the Cross.

Our silver to tin,
Store more and more sin.
Gold into rust,
In riches we trust.

I walked through the heavens, both fruitful and free,
And asked in my heart, “how came this lib’rty?”
“Oh when will you see! - when will you hear it?”
“Not might, nor power, but by My Spirit.”

To meet our Maker,
Our souls to anchor,
Heart’s cleansing soap,
To Jesus our hope.

I’ve completed another chapter in video format, this time the eighth chapter, “Unshade My Light.”

Also, as a supplement, you can find the text version, along with some accompanying Bible verses to read, here. Or, if you want to download the video file directly, click here.

“When you are lying in My arms, words become superfluous. I shall feel your very heart, and you shall feel Mine. When our hearts are beating as one, there is a language spoken that is sweeter than all words.” (from Tears from a Lonely God - Chapter Six: Come into My Arms.)

How could I possibly put into words what this love truly means? As it is implied, I’m unable to communicate the profound love of God in mere words. But rather, I attempt as if an archaeologist: beginning to border-out and dust off the outlines of an exquisite and grand prize.

So too do I hope to give the silhouette of God’s love, that others might be intrigued by its unsearchable and indescribable richness, and so be driven to press onward to unearth such a prize. And yet, it is not to be unearthed, but rather, unheavened. For it is the gift of God in Christ Jesus, from heaven:

“I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” -John 6:51

And so I pray, as did the Apostle Paul so long ago, that you would find and know God’s love:

“That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.” -Ephesians 3:17-19

“Why is it that you seek only to hear commands, even when your heart is neither prepared nor willing to perform them?” (from Tears from a Lonely God - Chapter One: Seek My Face.)

I believe that doing God’s true work, and fulfilling His divine will requires training. No, not the type of training that is thought of by the world - not in a classroom. The type of training that I’m thinking of is done in real life, and the teacher is God. It is spiritual, though almost all we can think of and see is visible and carnal.

It may be a course in trust, or patience, or love, or mercy, or wisdom; but most of the time, we are unwilling to wait around on God’s timing. Many times we want to rush on ahead, and do things in our own way, on our own time, and for our own glory. So long as it appears as though it is pleasing to God, and so long as we think that it is probably His will, we will be rewarded.

And yet, God has the opposite planned for us. He is seeking to mold and shape each of His children into able ministers to do His work, and to understand His true will. Many times this will require painful lessons, patience, and submission and trust in God’s wisdom.

“Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. …Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” -James 4:3, 8-10