From: Beverly French [frenchb@vcss.k12.ca.us]
Sent: Sunday, June 08, 2003 6:44 AM
To: Heritage
Subject: Greetings to All

"Who is wise?
 Let him understand these things.
 Who is prudent?
 Let him know them.
 For the ways of the Lord are right;
 The righteous walk in them,
 But transgressors stumble in them."  Hosea 14:9

With the media as it is, we are constantly bombarded with information of all kinds.  So much of it we can do very nicely without because it is so often skewed to the bias of the one giving it; it is truth as seen by the one giving it; or it is out and out false information.  As our Scripture says we need to be wise and understand; we need to be prudent and know.  Our Lord is the person of truth so to be wise and prudent is to Know Him!  And we have the Holy Spirit who will lead us into all truth!  He will reveal Christ to us.  So let us shut out the din of the world and  look to the Lord and the discernment of the Holy Spirit.

Webster's Dictionary defines:
Understand: perceive the meaning of; comprehend, apprehend clearly.
Prudent: wise in practical affairs, discreet, sober, circumspect, sagacious.
Circumspect: watchful and discreet, cautious, careful, guarded.
Sagacious: having or showing acute mental discernment and keen practical sense.

Let's look at some Scripture regarding understanding and prudence. Of understanding: The Psalmist tells us that understanding comes from God's words, "From Thy precepts I get understanding;
 Therefore I hate every false way."   Psalm 119:104

>From the writer of Proverbs we see:
"For the Lord gives wisdom;
 From His mouth come knowledge and understanding."  Proverbs 2:6

Wisdom is speaking here:
"I, Wisdom [from God], make prudence my dwelling, and I find out knowledge and discretion...I have counsel and sound knowledge. I have understanding. I have might and power."  Proverbs 8 12 - 14

"Good understand produces favor,
 But the way of the treacherous is hard."  Proverbs 13:15

"He who is slow to anger has great understanding..."  Proverbs 14:29

"He who restrains his words has knowledge,
 And he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding."  Proverbs 17:27

The Apostle Paul writing to Timothy (it is true for Believers today), "Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything."  2 Timothy 2:7

Of prudence:
The writer of Proverbs also gives us insight as to the prudent man (women included): He is reserve: "Every prudent man acts with knowledge,  But a fool displays folly."  Proverbs  13:16

He is cautious:
"The naive believes everything;
 But the prudent man considers his steps."  Proverbs 14:15

He is teachable:
"The mind of the prudent acquires knowledge,
 And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge."  Proverbs 18:15

He has foresight:
"The prudent sees the evil and hides himself;
 But the naive go on, and are punished for it."  Proverbs 22:3

And I think we can safely say, from our verse for today, that the prudent have spiritual insight, 'For the ways of the Lord are right and the righteous walk in them.'

True discernment comes to a seeking heart so let us pray as did the Psalmist, "Teach me good discernment and knowledge.
 For I believe in Thy commandments."   Psalm 119:66,
Amen and Amen!