Pursue the Spirit of Wisdom

In this day and age, it’s more important than ever to pursue the Spirit of Wisdom.

I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, the most glorious Father, would give you a wise spirit, along with revelation that comes through knowing the Messiah fully. (Eph 1:17 ISV)

Wisdom accomplishes many things in the life of a believer. Among its many blessings is revelation insight which is a result and a fruit of knowing the Savior entirely and fully. This is talking about an experiential knowledge of the Lord.

But the wisdom that comes from above leads us to be pure, friendly, gentle, sensible, kind, helpful, genuine, and sincere. ¹⁸When peacemakers plant seeds of peace, they will harvest justice. (Jas 3:17-18 CEV)

Familiarity with the Spirit of Wisdom leads us to acquire these precious character strengths named in James 3:17-18. We who serve the Prince of Peace plant seeds of peace—which in turn harvest JUSTICE! Praise the Lord!

Justice means integrity, righteousness, and honesty.

. . . for His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. (2 Pet 1:3 NASB)

Through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence (Jesus), we receive the blessings of EVERYTHING that we need for a safe and good life as well as for our spiritual blessing (godliness).

Study the Bible and read through the book of Proverbs regularly. Reading one Proverb per day will take you through the book of Proverbs every month. Add to that study, reading other Bible verses pertaining to wisdom throughout the Bible. This is how you may pursue the Spirit of Wisdom.

Add to that your prayers asking the Lord to teach you spiritual wisdom, and He will hear and answer your prayers. Glory to God!

Do You Want Wisdom?

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. (Hos 14:9)

To be wise, we must seek to understand God’s precepts and ways. Understand means to perceive the intended meaning of His Words and His ways. Another definition states that to understand means to apprehend clearly the character, nature, or subtleties of something.

Therefore, in order to be wise in God’s sight, we will clearly apprehend the character, nature, and subtleties of God’s Words and His ways—and His personality.

If you don’t feel that you’ve arrived just yet at that place, then study passages from the Bible every single day. Meditate upon what you’ve read. Ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten your understanding and to give you wisdom. He will answer your prayers.

He will open the eyes of your understanding and give you revelations into the Word of God and into God’s loving nature. Hallelujah!

Note: This is a reprint of our blog article dated 02/23/2017.

Taught by God

As followers of Jesus Christ, we can’t forget that Jesus came, in obedience to His Father, in order to save people and to reconcile them back to our Heavenly Father. God is constantly ready to forgive and to save all who believe in Jesus.

Today we’re concentrating on Scriptures that tell us that all of our children shall be taught by the Lord.

All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children. (Isa 54:13) We are drawn closer to the Lord by submitting to His teachings. Our relationship grows deeper and stronger the more we read, meditate upon, and study the teachings of the Bible.

It is written in the Prophets, and they will all be taught by God. Everyone who has listened to the Father and learned from Him comes to Me. (Joh 6:45 CEB) All who receive the internal, spiritual illumination concerning Jesus Christ, the Savior, is drawn to God and to the teaching that comes from God through His Word, His Spirit, and His ministers.

The Spirit will bring glory to me by taking my message and telling it to you. ¹⁵Everything that the Father has is mine. That is why I have said that the Spirit takes my message and tells it to you. (Joh 16:14-15 CEV) The Holy Spirit is our helper and our teacher. He gives us wisdom, insight, and illumination into the teachings of the Bible.

Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another . . . (1 Thes 4:9 ESV) This is a confirmation by the Scriptures that those who belong to the Lord are taught by the Lord and are influenced daily by what they have learned.

All those who are taught by God (those who accept and act upon what they learn) will always turn to Jesus and receive Him as their Savior and Lord. And once they have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior, they will continue serving Him and obeying His leading and guiding through His Word and through the Holy Spirit. We are not only the servants of God, but we are the children of God. All glory to God most High!

We Were Washed & Sanctified

God’s Word has given us great and precious promises which belong to every believer. We need to study and comprehend all of the priceless treasures that we have been given.

“On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.” (Zech 13:1 NIV)

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. (Ps 51:7 NKJV)

And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Cor 6:11 NKJV)

Jesus suffered at the hands of His enemies; shed His blood on Calvary; died a shame-filled death; and was resurrected on the third day and ascended into Heaven. By fulfilling His calling on this earth, He not only purchased salvation for every person who accepts Him as their Savior and Lord. He also is our source for continuous cleansing, washing, and sanctification.

Jesus is the living Word of God.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (Joh 1:1)

He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. (Rev 19:13)

Jesus is the fountain spoken of in Zechariah 13:1.

Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ (Joh 7:38 ESV)

Jesus cleanses us from unrighteousness.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 Joh 1:9)

Through Christ we are justified.

. . . and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Ac 13:39)

Through faith in Christ we are sanctified.

. . . to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me. (Ac 26:18)

Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. (Rom 3:28)

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ . . . (Rom 5:1)

Let us rejoice and praise the Lord for the benefits and blessings of our mighty salvation!

Reverence for the House of God

It pleases the Lord when we honor the place where He resides. Since the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, the “house of God” is any building or gathering place where two or more people assemble to study the Word of God, to teach others spiritual truths from the Bible, and to praise and worship the Lord.

‘You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary: I am the Lord.’ (Lev 19:30)

Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil. (Eccl 5:1)

And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ ” (Mt 21:13)

From these passages of Scripture we can recognize a number of truths.

The Lord tells us to reverence (respect; regard with awe) His sanctuary. A sanctuary is a refuge, safe haven, or place of safety. When we meet with fellow Christians to praise and worship God and to partake of His Word, we are in a place of safety and protection. Our collective attitude of honor and respect contribute to the free flowing of the Holy Spirit to minister in our midst.

It isn’t a building that is the church—it is the people and the gathering of God’s people together that forms “the church.” The sanctuary, the House of God, and the church are all synonymous terms. Any place or building where God’s people gather together to give Him honor and praise can be understood to be “the church”; whether it’s an event room at a bowling alley, a rented meeting room in a hotel, or a family room in a private home.

The Word also reminds us to behave wisely as we enter into the meeting of the body of Christ. How do we do that? We “draw near to hear” with a heart full of obedience and true worship.

Lastly, the Scriptures remind us that the church is a “house of prayer” and that its main purpose is a spiritual one and not a monetary one. God forbid that a body of believers would focus upon money instead of honoring God and His Holy Word.

It is very understandable that God would ask us to show honor and respect for any place where He meets with His people—all who call Him Savior and Lord. Remember that GOD IS PRESENT when His people come together in His Name. God bless you.

How Do You Value Your Soul?

When all is said and done—when we all reach the end of our lives—what value do we place upon our own soul? How can we each understand right now, in the present, what we will realize at the end of our life?

For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? (Mt 16:26 ESV)

But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ (Lk 12:20 NKJV)

For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? ³⁷Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? (Mk 8:36-37)

For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? (Lk 9:25)

As these Bible passages point out, what good is it to be wealthy, influential, highly educated or well-traveled if, after it’s all finished, we lose our own soul in eternity? If we think that’s okay, then we do NOT place any value whatsoever on our soul or upon our very self. God values human beings and we need to learn from Him to value ourselves very highly. Jesus Christ paid the ultimate price for each and every soul who accepts Him as Savior.

God created man in His own image! What great value God places upon each one of us. Another verse says that God gave mankind dominion or authority over all of the earth. (Gen 1:26-27) He put mankind in a place of authority over the planet.

God says that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. (Ps 139:14) God Himself forms each and every newborn baby. (Ps 139:13 ESV) Having a child is accurately thought to be a reward from God. (Ps 127:3)

God so loved and valued each one of us that He sent His only Son to redeem all of us. (Joh 3:16) This precious gift of redemption must be accepted and received, individually, to be able to take effect in our lives. The Lord warns us to be fearful of the one who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (Mt 10:28) The Lord is talking about the enemy of our souls, Satan.

The advice the Lord gives us concerning our souls is this:

The law of the Lord (God’s Word) refreshes the soul (Ps 19:7) – read, study, and meditate upon the Word of God, the Bible.
Pleasant words, like honey, gives sweetness to the soul and health to the bones. (Pro 16:24) Speak pleasant words to others and over your family and over yourself. These words will truly bless everyone.
The Holy Spirit inspired the Bible passage in 3 John 2: Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. (emphasis added) We need to pursue those habits that contribute to the prosperity of our immortal souls!

We should live our lives in close relationship with Jesus, and obey His Word in order to be blessed. We reveal that we value our souls very highly by this lifestyle, and God will bless each one of us for it. Praise God!

Put Away Anger & Envy

For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one. (Job 5:2 KJV)

Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools. (Eccl 7:9 NKJV)

“How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge? ²³If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you.” (Pro 1:22-23 ESV)

Don’t be silly or foolish (as described in the Bible verses above), but put away anger and envy. Anger gives a foothold to the devil in your life, so try to avoid it. Envy is another word for bitterness, jealousy, resentment or spite.

Allow the Holy Spirit to teach you how to control your emotions as you study God’s Word. The Lord wants to help you so that He may bless you.

The Bible tells us repeatedly not to envy other people. You may study this by looking at these passages: Proverbs 3:31; 23:17; 24:1, 19. The Bible lists envy among a list of vile things in Mark 7:21-23.

Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs. (Pro 19:11 NLT) When something happens that hurts or offends you, your first option is to ignore the aggression. In other words, take no notice of another person’s attack. Other people will respect you all the more when they see how you handle it. And the Lord will be pleased with your response.

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. (Eph 4:31 NIV) Sometimes, due to the nature of the wrongdoing against you, it can’t be overlooked. In that case, give yourself time to calm down and to gain control of your thoughts and feelings. Plan out what needs to be said, and what you’d like to see happen. Then take an objective, wise person along with you to speak with the person who offended you. Try to resolve the issue between you and to restore peace.

And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, ²⁷for anger gives a foothold to the devil. (Eph 4:26-27 NLT) Don’t allow your emotions to control you. You are in control of them because you have the Holy Spirit living within you. The Holy Spirit within you produces the fruit of self-control. (Eph 5:22-23 NLT)

Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city. (Pro 16:32 NLT) As this Scripture reminds us, it’s better to be patient than powerful! It’s far better to have self-control than to be in search of fame.

What Did You Want to See?

But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. (Mt 11:8)

When the messengers of John had departed, He began to speak to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? (Lk 7:24)

Jesus talked about a “reed shaken by the wind” because in Bible days, reeds grew similar to sugar cane. The reeds bowed nearly to the ground during the hot daytime. At night, thanks to the cool breeze of the Mediterranean, the reeds would stand up again. This singularity was a crowd-gathering event. Groups of people came out to see the reeds rise in the cool breezes of the night. Then they would return home, unchanged by what they had witnessed.

Jesus was telling the people that they did not follow John’s teachings, but that all they wanted was to see a spectacle (similar to the reeds). They were not willing to repent and to be baptized.

They were also coming out to listen to Jesus in the same way—without a willingness or interest in changing their lives. Jesus was showing them how empty and frivolous they were. They simply moved through the events of their lives without ever connecting with God or His power.

We must determine that in the course of our everyday lives, we must “see Jesus” and His power come alive in our own lives and in our own experiences. How do we do that? We study the Word of God and we allow it—INVITE IT—to cleanse us, transform us, and empower us to act.

We are Christ’s disciples and we are meant to carry the Gospel to the ends of the earth. We are called to support the spread of the Good News of Jesus Christ, and to work in our own neighborhoods to be an influence for good and a witness of Jesus Christ. God bless you.

Wisdom of this World

Is there any true wisdom in this world? Here’s what the Bible has to say about worldly wisdom:

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their own craftiness;” and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” (1 Cor 3:19-20)

Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? (1 Cor 1:20)

According to the Word, there is no true wisdom that exists in this world, apart from Godly wisdom. How do we, as believers and disciples of Jesus, obtain God’s wisdom?

Ask the Lord for it. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. (Jas 1:5)
Grow up into Christ—speak the truth in love. So that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ . . . (Eph 4:14-15)
Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Rom 12:2)
Study the wisdom from above. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. (Jas 3:17)
Understand and come to know the Lord—then boast in Him! Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.” (Jer 9:23-24)
Set your minds on things that are above. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. (Col 3:2) That means we need to think about heavenly, godly things. Meditate upon the Scriptures and the goodness of God.
Do not love the world or the things of the world. Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. (1 Joh 2:15-17)
Fear the Lord. By “fear,” I mean to respect and reverence the Lord. When we fear the Lord, we put His opinion about everything and His instruction to us in first place in our lives. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is (Pro 9:10) This fear of the Lord will establish us securely on the path to learning of and receiving the wisdom of God.

Getting Out of the Slump

What is a slump? It can be defined as: sluggishness; lethargy; boredom; or stagnation. Do you ever feel like you’ve gotten into a spiritual slump and have just been treading water? We’re going to consider how to extricate ourselves from just such a slump.

Let’s look at the Bible:

For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, ¹⁶that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, ¹⁷that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— ¹⁹to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. ²⁰Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, ²¹to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Eph 3:14-21)

I was taught that this passage makes an excellent basis for prayer for ourselves and loved ones. It’s also a great basis for prayer for spiritual disciples and spiritual children.

To get out of a slump, we need to pray this passage over ourselves. So what is it that we’re asking for? We’re asking God to give us:

Strength in our inner man through the Holy Spirit, (Ps 18:32)
Christ’s indwelling presence by faith, (1 Joh 4:13)
A foundation in His love, (1 Joh 4:8)
A deep comprehension of and experience of God’s perfect love, and
The fullness of God alive within us. (Eph 4:13; Col 2:9)

We receive everything from God by grace through faith. Grace is God’s part and faith is our part of the process. When we are born again (saved), Christ makes His home in us by the power of the Holy Spirit.

As we grow in our Christian walk, we study God’s word and obey it with joy and gladness. This kind of obedient life causes us to gradually come to know the love of God more fully and completely; and we become filled with the fullness of God. Love is the atmosphere in which God dwells, because GOD IS LOVE. (1 John 4:8)

He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him. (Joh 14:21)

As the verse above says, our obedience to God’s word demonstrates our love for God. And Jesus says that to such a person, He will manifest (reveal) Himself. This is what being filled with the fullness of God is all about. It will elevate you out of any slump anytime, and places you back in your seat in the heavenlies. (Eph 2:6) Blessings upon you!

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