Firstly, I acknowledge that I no longer depend upon my intellect to support my frugal earthly existence. I am indeed astounded for my intellect has vanished for all practical purposes. I seek wisdom to guide me in 2021 from thoughts shared by Saint Paul in his First Letter to the Church at Corinth.
I seek wisdom to guide me in 2021 from 1 Corinthians, Chapter 1, Verse 19:
“For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
I seek wisdom to guide me in 2021 from 1 Corinthians 1:19 which refers to Book of Isaiah, Chapter 29, Verse 14:
“Therefore once more I will astound these people
with wonder upon wonder;
the wisdom of the wise will perish,
the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish.”
I seek wisdom to guide me in 2021 from 1 Corinthians, Chapter 1, Verse 20:
“Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?”
I seek wisdom to guide me in 2021 from 1 Corinthians, Chapter 1, Verse 21:
“For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.”
I seek wisdom to guide me in 2021 from 1 Corinthians, Chapter 1, Verse 25:
“For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.”
I seek wisdom to guide me in 2021 from 1 Corinthians, Chapter 1, Verse 27:
“But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.”
I seek wisdom to guide me in 2021 from 1 Corinthians, Chapter 1, Verses 28 & 29:
“He (GOD) chose the lowly things of the world and the despised things – and the things that are not – to nullify the things that are.”
WISDOM FROM THE SPIRIT TO GUIDE ME IN 2021:
I seek Wisdom From the Spirit to Guide me in 2021, wisdom from 1 Corinthians, Chapter 2, Verses 4 and 5:
“My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.”
I seek Wisdom From the Spirit to Guide me in 2021, the wisdom from 1 Corinthians, Chapter 2, Verse 6:
“We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.”
Saint Paul graciously acknowledges the wisdom of the ‘mature’ but I recognize the role of natural aging process which invariably and inevitably compromises man’s mental faculties and impairs man’s intellectual functions. No man can truly boast before God about his intelligence or wisdom. Man merely enjoys intelligence or wisdom under the operating Principle called Divine Providence. No man can escape from the natural consequences of aging or maturing called ‘Senescence’. For man leads a perishable, conditioned, mortal existence, man needs Wisdom of LORD of GLORY, the LORD who conquered Death.
I seek Wisdom From the Spirit to Guide me in 2021, wisdom from 1 Corinthians, Chapter 2, Verse 9:
“However, as it is written:
‘No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love Him.”
This verse refers to wisdom from Isaiah, Chapter 64, Verse 4.
I seek Wisdom From the Spirit to Guide me in 2021, wisdom from Book of Isaiah, Chapter 64, Verse 4:
“Since ancient times no one has heard,
no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,
who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.”
I seek Wisdom From the Spirit to Guide me in 2021, wisdom from 1 Corinthians, Chapter 2, Verse 10:
“But God has revealed it to us by His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.”
I seek Wisdom From the Spirit to Guide me in 2021, wisdom from 1 Corinthians, Chapter 2, Verse 11:
“For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s Spirit within him?”
I am glad to note that Saint Paul made a clear distinction between man’s Mind, the Seat of Thoughts and man’s Spirit which I often describe as ‘The Knowing-Self’, the true or real ‘SELF’ that knows all the activities of man’s Body and Mind. This Mind-Spirit Dualism is important to gain full understanding of man.
I seek Wisdom From the Spirit to Guide me in 2021, wisdom from 1 Corinthians, Chapter 2, Verses 13 & 14:
“This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words( or Spirit interpreting spiritual truths to spiritual men). The man without Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
This statement of Saint Paul may give impression that man may live in this world without assistance of Vital, Animating Principle called Spirit or Soul. In my analysis, all men, and all living beings have Spirit or Soul as there is no existence in absence of Spirit or Soul. Man and all living entities need Divine Grace, Mercy, and Compassion often described as ‘PROVIDENCE’ to sustain, to support, and to maintain their fragile, transient existence in natural world. However, man can be foolish, man can be ignorant if he believes that he exists in physical world without assistance of Spirit or Soul. Man, very often fails to understand that he is connected, related, joined, associated, bonded, and is in partnership with God. Man receives Divine Providence because of Spirit or Soul that establishes this Unity between Man and God.
I seek Wisdom From the Spirit to Guide me in 2021, wisdom from 1 Corinthians, Chapter 2, Verses 15 & 16:
“The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment: ‘For who has known the mind of the Lord that He may instruct him?'”
This Verse refers to wisdom from Book of Isaiah, Chapter 40, Verse 13:
“Who has understood the mind of the Lord,
or instructed him as his counselor.”
Man cannot depend upon his own thoughts, mind, intellect, and wisdom to know God’s mind. It is the Spirit or Soul which is of the Lord that can counsel, guide, and instruct man to live according to God’s thoughts, mind, intellect, and wisdom.
I seek Wisdom From the Spirit to Guide me in 2021, wisdom from 1 Corinthians, Chapter 3, Verse 19:
“For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: ‘He catches the wise in their craftiness.'”
I seek Wisdom From the Spirit, wisdom from Book of Job, Chapter 5, Verse 13:
“He (LORD) catches the wise in their craftiness,
and the schemes of the wily are swept away.”
Man cannot discover God’s mind by inventing schemes or mental tricks, or by using cunningness or deception. Man has to submit to Will of God and learn about God with guidance, assistance, instruction, and counsel of the Spirit, the Spirit of the Lord.
I seek Wisdom From the Spirit to Guide me in 2021 wisdom from 1 Corinthians, Chapter 3, Verse 20:
“and again, ‘The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.'”
During 2021, I need wisdom to guide me to discover my purpose in my life. I cannot discover the purpose of my life without understanding God’s Plan for my life. I cannot discern God’s Plan for my life using my thoughts, human mind, human intellect, and human wisdom for they are all destined to be destroyed and are not comparable to God’s thoughts, God’s Mind, God’s Intelligence, and God’s Wisdom. However, I draw inspiration and hope from the teachings of Saint Paul which he shared with us in his First Letter to Corinthians.
MAN’S PURPOSE IN LIFE
Knowing my purpose in life primarily involves knowing God and understanding God for my mortal existence is not accounted by my physical or intellectual work. I have no existence in this physical world if I do not experience God’s Grace, Mercy, and Compassion. I have no choice other than that of praising the LORD if I am able to think and act in natural world. In words of Saint Paul’s First Letter to the Church in Corinth, I submit:
“Therefore as it is written,
‘Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.'” (1 CORINTHIANS 1:31)
Saint Paul was inspired by divine revelation of Prophet Jeremiah and his statement refers to Book of Jeremiah, Chapter 9, verses 23 and 24:
“This is what the LORD says:
‘Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom
or the strong man boast of his strength
or the rich man boast of his riches,
but let him who boasts boast about this:
that he understands and knows me,
that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth,
for in these I delight.'” declares the LORD.
Man has a purpose in life for certain things endure despite man’s mortal existence. These things are, 1. Man’s Faith in God, 2. Man’s Hope in God’s promise of Salvation, and 3. God’s Unconditioned Love.
Man has purpose in Life for God’s Unconditioned Love helps man to transcend barriers imposed by conditioned, physical existence which include challenges of illness, injury, and aging or senescence.
I wish all my readers a Very Happy New Year 2021. All said and done, a ‘Penny of God’s Foolishness is Greater than a Pound of man’s Wisdom’. For my thoughts and my words are futile, I ask you to seek Wisdom from God’s Power as revealed by the Spirit of God.
Rudra Narasimham Rebbapragada
SPECIAL FRONTIER FORCE-ESTABLISHMENT No. 22-VIKAS REGIMENT
The Rudolf-Rudi doctrine of Spiritualism 