Wisdom

Introduction to Living Wisdom - Biblically Based Wisdom for Real-life Concerns

"Be transformed by the renewing of your mind." (Romans 12:2)
(The renewing of your mind - not the removal of it through Christian cliches, glory words, psycho babble or mindless denial.)

David Riddell - Hierarchy of Beliefs - Living Wisdom
(A snapshot of the 2 week Living Wisdom School)

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction." (Proverbs 1:7).

"Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard." (Proverbs 13:15 KJV)

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” (Matthew 7:24-27)

Even if God did not exist (which is not the case - see Proof God Exists) it would be foolish and absurd to reject Him, because the wise principles in the Bible are true, and if you put them into practice you will be blessed, but if you forsake wisdom and live in delusion you are headed for tears. This is true whether you are a professed atheist, follow another religion, or even if you are a Christian.

I have found that the Wisdom taught through Living Wisdom counselling brings life because it is based on biblical principles. I highly recommend David Riddell as a counsellor. I also highly recommend Paul and Lynette Crawford who trained under David. Both of these ministries also offer Skype counselling sessions.

David Riddell's websites are www.livingwisdom.co.nz and www.truthcoaches.com.
Paul and Lynette's website is www.wisdomforlife.co.nz.

I encourage you to watch the video on the 12 Fundamentals of Mental / Emotional Health shown on the left (Click on the picture and it will take you to David Riddell's website page that has the actual video.)

The video clearly shows just what the Bible means when it says "the way of transgressors is hard". It does not mean that life as a Christian is easier than life without Christ or that all your problems will go away. But it does mean that following God and living a life that loves truth and wisdom puts us on the path that leads to inner freedom and blessing.

Summary of the 12 Fundamentals of Mental / Emotional Health (Copyright David Riddell)

Mental Health is…

ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY for the outcome of my own choices. Sick thinkers blame others…
The ABILITY TO ACCEPT CORRECTION from those who know better than I. Sick thinkers take offense rather than correction…
The willingness to accept SHORT-TERM PAIN FOR LONG-TERM GAIN. Sick thinkers reach for quick-fixes…
Characterised by REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS, both for myself and others, and the ability to check and adjust them when they are no longer helpful. Sick thinkers are either perfectionists or slackers…
ACCEPTING MY PAST, by attending to the damaged perspectives which result from historic abuse, trauma and regrets, wherever my misinterpretations & over-reactions indicate there’s a problem. Sick thinkers live amongst their baggage…
Balancing HEAD AND HEART (Subjective and objective) – neither purely analytical / intellectual, nor relying only on feelings, moods and emotions to interpret people and life. Sick thinkers do emotional reasoning, or become intellectually independent islands.
BALANCING MY NEEDS & WANTS WITH OTHERS. Sick thinkers are intrusive and coercive.
Characterised by WISE VULNERABILITY. Sick thinkers naïvely trust everyone, or trust no one.
Having WORTHY & ACHIEVABLE GOALS BY WHICH TO PROGRESS YOUR LIFE, which in turn enables a strong sense of hope for the future. Sick thinkers make no progress and waste their lives.
Having an internalised sense of BELONGING & SECURITY, rather than having to control all the people I need and the events of my life to keep me safe. Sick thinkers are control freaks…
Having an internalised sense of WORTH & VALUE, rather than relying on others to give it to me, knowing that if others give it, then others can take it away. Sick-thinkers are people-pleasers.
Properly CARING FOR OUR BODIES, which are the ‘overcoat’ to our souls and our right to live on earth.
Sick thinkers reduce the quality and length of their lives through addictive behaviour.

The Absurdity of Denial

Are you living in the truth or are you living in the absurdity of denial?

Check out the following link for more information and an important teaching by David Riddell on Denial. (Denial - D.E.N.I.A.L - Don't Even kNow I Am Lying!)

I've also written an article here called 'The Argument from Misbeliefs' that is relevant to the topic of wisdom, truth and denial.

David Riddell - Toxic Religion

Christianity is not toxic, but there are many toxic beliefs within the church, and if swallowed they can be very harmful.
(Note - David did not produce or post this video and neither I nor David publicly endorse the 'Never Not Here' website.)

Notes to go with above video:

Spiritual abdication. Baptised fatalism - accepting everything that happens to us as if it's God's will." The mind of a man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps." (Proverbs 16:9). Spiritual fatalism is more akin to Islamic "it is written" thinking. Let Jesus teach you how to drive rather than abdicating the driving to him - before you have a crash that results in a crisis of faith. If you delegate to God what he's delegated to you - tears are coming.
We don't need counselling - we will all be fixed when God zaps us in the revival. You need counselling for exactly the same reason you need to see a Dr sometimes. How do you know when your mind is going off line if you're the judge? Insane people don't realise they're doing sick thinking because they've got no idea what healthy thinking looks like. Trying to be your own supervisor is like putting the fox in charge of guarding the chickens. Every time you believe a lie you give the father of lies access into your life. Renounce the lies and become loyal to the truth.
Veneration of any man's teachings. Veneration means you accept everything a certain "man of God" says as being the truth from God. Cult leaders are nurtured by gullible people who will not call them to account.
Simply forget what lies behind. If you never take a look at your past hurts and deal with the baggage you're doomed to live amongst it. When Paul said "forget what lies behind" he was referring to his credentials in the past - it's not to be used to deny your past hurts. Sometimes you need to revisit revise and relinquish the hurts and stop living in denial. Don't use scripture to live in denial. If you won't even consider you've got it wrong, how will you ever be healed?
Religious concert or an encounter with the power of God? Is your church more focused on music than it is in encountering God? Jesus never even mentioned music.
Harmony is the top priority. Learn how to assert yourself - or you'll clam up or blow up. Speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). Be honest but do it with love. People who can't or won't be honest will talk behind other people's back to form a pressure group. Put harmony above truth and you'll begin to become cultic. If Paul had not have withstood and confronted Peter we wouldn't have the church today and would still be in Judaism. A cult always puts harmony above truth. In a cult if you point out a problem you will become the problem.
If it's in the Bible it must be prescriptive for life. Is the Bible prescriptive or descriptive? If you take the Bible too far as a being merely a manual for living you'll become a fundamentalist - harsh, dogmatic, simplistic and legalistic. If you don't grasp this you'll hurt others in the name of Jesus.
A Christian woman must not challenge or instruct a man. Female submission is not subjugation. Submission means mutual cooperation to achieve a common goal - the blessing of the marriage. Through negotiation skills you can have a balance of power.
God has a perfect blueprint for my life. Plan means purposes rather than blueprint. The guidance of God is less like a tightrope over shark infested waters and more like a playground (with a boundary fence). Doing anything that you'd be ashamed to be found doing when Christ returns is clearly outside the boundaries. Failure is not fatal or frightening in the love of God. God has a safe playground for us to enjoy. You can't live the abundant life on a tightrope.

Toxic Religion - Pastor Roger Spackman

Toxic Religion - Part 1; Toxic Religion - Part 2