Wisdom

What is wisdom? Our Heavenly Father says that His wisdom is incomparable (1 Corin.1:25). I used to think that God’s wisdom was just about being wise in tough decisions and a gift only pastors and mighty servants of God would have. BUT the Lord was gracious to show me the depth of His wisdom, though incomparable, can be received. In fact, it is the desire of His heart that we would all live by His wisdom.

King Solomon was the wisest of all man (1 Kings 3:12, 4:30). God gave him measureless wisdom and vast insight because He was pleased with what Solomon had asked for – a discerning heart to govern the people and to distinguish right from wrong (1 Kings 3:9). Proverbs 10:13 writes that wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning and King Solomon lived out this truth in his wise ruling (1 Kings 3:16-28, 9:15-23).

Apart from discernment, God’s wisdom brought peace to Solomon. The Lord put Solomon’s enemies under his feet blessed him with peaceful relations with King Hiram of Tyre (1 Kings 5:3-4, 12). Proverbs 16:7 says that God makes people around us live at peace with us, even our enemies, as long as all our ways and deeds are pleasing to Him.

Solomon had wisdom in prayer. His prayer of dedication to the Lord (1 Kings 8:22-53) demonstrated humility before the Lord God Almighty. He confessed the sins of the people and cried out to the Lord for forgiveness. The Lord heard Solomon’s prayer and answered him, assuring him that there would always be a man on the throne of Israel as long as he and his sons follow His commands and walk in His ways (1 Kings 9:2-9). Solomon’s prayer reminded me of the time David cried out to the Lord after he had committed adultery. David cried, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” (Ps. 51:17) Coming before the Lord in brokenness and defeat is not going to bring victory. It is reveling in God’s promises that will do that; we must approach God with confidence in His promises (Heb. 4:16).

God’s wisdom didn’t stop at Solomon’s ruling and governing, it extended to his judgment in the economy, in trading and even raising the value of silver (1 Kings 9:26, 10:21-23,27). It was recorded that silver was of little worth in those times. Economic wisdom is still prevalent today as God plants people in the economic and finance sectors to make sound judgment. God Himself controls the economy and knows every detail of the business cycle and the rise and fall of prices. However, like Solomon, this blessing doesn’t stand unless one live in God’s righteousness – walk to God’s ways (Prov. 10:22, 15:6).

1 Kings 11 reveals Solomon’s disobedience to God when it came to foreign women. Because he didn’t follow God completely, God’s wisdom in him was brought to naught. Proverbs 9:10 teaches us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Proverbs 26 writes that the Lord gives wisdom; knowledge and understanding comes from his mouth. And proverbs 8:13 says to fear the Lord is to hate evil. Solomon loved his foreign wives and did evil in the eyes of God by worshipping their foreign gods (1 Kings 11:6). His fear of the Lord diminished and this displeased the Lord. As he didn’t follow God completely (v6), the blessings of wisdom were no more – peace turned into disaster (11:9-43).  

Proverbs 10:27 writes “the fear of the Lord adds length to life, but the years of the wicked are cut short.” This was what happened to King Solomon (11:14,15), King Jeroboam, Rehoboam, Abijah, Nadab, Baasha, Zimri, Omri and King Ahab. They did evil in the eyes of the Lord and their years were cut short.  Conversely, Asa king of Judah feared the Lord (1 Kings 15:9-23). Because of that, he had the Lord’s wisdom and he lived in safety and at ease (Prov.1:33).

God’s wisdom is also about following instructions. In 1 Kings 17, about the widow at Zarephath, God’s wisdom was seen through Elijah as he followed God’s instructions to go to the widow’s house and he found favor with her (Prov. 8:32-36). God’s wisdom was also seen through the widow as she did what she was told. Though she said what she said in verse 18, she submitted and allowed Elijah to take her son. I believe that though she might not trust Elijah, she trusted in the Lord (Prov.16:20). 1 Kings 17:18 and 17:24 were trust issues with Elijah and not with God. Wisdom is about trusting in the Lord, not man, as we heed His instructions. This wisdom needs to be practiced. The widow, once wise, the next moment, allowed her emotions to take control, not heeding Elisha’s instructions. In 2 Kings 4:8-36, she insisted on following Gehazi though that wasn’t what Elisha instructed. And because it wasn’t God’s plan that she went along, her son remained dead. She must have realized the importance of heeding whatever Elisha instructed because the second time round, Elisha shut the door on them and she didn’t insist on staying with her child. Then, her son came to life again (Prov.19:20-22).  

King Ahab did evil in the eyes of the Lord (1 Kings 21:25). However, the fear of the Lord and the wisdom of the Lord came upon him and brought him to humble himself before God (v28). The fear of the Lord taught King Ahab humility before God – and this is wisdom (Prov.15:33).

“Better a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil.” (Prov.15:16) In 2 Kings 5:19-27, Gehazi, Elisha’s servant requested for a ‘love offering’ from Naaman, the commander of the army of the King of Aram, after Naaman was healed of leprosy through Elisha the prophet. He did this behind Elisha’s back and this ‘wealth with turmoil’ brought a curse on himself and his descendents – that Naaman’s leprosy will cling on to him and his descendents forever (v27). The fear of the Lord teaches wisdom, not greed.

“The faithless will be fully repaid for their ways, and the good man rewarded for his.” (Prov.14:14) In 2 Kings 7:1-2, Elisha prophesied that God will provide for the famine in Samaria but the officer offered a faithless reply. Indeed, he was fully repaid for being faithless, he saw the prophecy fulfill but he could not receive God’s providence as well because he died (v17-19). Wisdom produces faith; a good man is a man of faith and he is rewarded for without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb.11:6).

King Hezekiah was another King who feared the Lord (2 Kings 20:2-3, Prov.14:2, 16). Unlike the field commander and King of Assyria, King Hezekiah lived by God’s wisdom. They were foolish in mocking God’s power, while Hezekiah exalted God by turning to him in prayer (2 Kings 18:19-25, 20:2-3). Hezekiah turning to the wall and praying pleased God because he was upright and trusted in God (prov.15:8, James 5:16, Ps.40:4). Proverbs 14:3 says “A fool’s talk brings a rod to his back, but the lips of the wise protect them.” King Hezekiah feared the Lord, he found wisdom and knowledge and understanding of the God he trusted. God added years to his life in his illness as he turned to the wall and prayed to God. Hezekiah’s wisdom rewarded him while because the King of Assyria mocked God, his Kingdom fell (2 Kings 19, Prov.9:10-12). Wisdom is being upright in ALL our deeds (THIS INCLUDES SPEECH!).

In 2 Kings 22, it records that King Josiah feared the Lord too. He inquired of the Lord because the people of his time did not obey the commands of the Lord and he was deeply grieved – he tore his robe (v11). Because he tore his robe and wept in God’s presence, the Lord promised that he will be buried in peace with his fathers and he wouldn’t live to see the disaster that He will being upon the people. In 2 Kings 23:29-30, King Josiah died under the hands of Pharoah Neco of Egypt in Megiddo. I struggled to understand how peaceful that kind of death could be – to die in battle, in the hands of the enemy. How then was he buried in peace? As I was reading Revelations from heaven by Rev.Steven Francis Das, I learnt that Megiddo is a Hebrew word which means to cut off and slaughter and many of the wars at that time took place there. God showed me through Proverbs 1:33 and Psalm 23:4 that King Josiah truly died in peace, though in battle, and in that horrible place. Proverbs 1:33 writes that he will have no fear of harm, and not that he will not encounter harm. Psalm 23:4 writes that God’s rod and staff will comfort him as he goes through the valley of the shadow of death. Like the qualities of a shadow, death can do no harm to our promised eternal life. King Josiah was assured of this promise of eternal life in the end and he had no fear of facing Neco and death because God’s peace was upon Him. He found God’s wisdom and hence God’s peace (Prov.3:13, 17).

Proverbs 2 advocates that we must accept and store up God’s commands, and then He will give us wisdom which will help us understand the fear of the Lord, obedience in keeping His commands. From God’s wisdom come many promised blessings and benefits. Through the fear of the Lord, a man avoids evil (Prov.16:6). The Lord desires that we ask Him for wisdom simply because He loves us and wants the best for us. Living by God’s wisdom is wisdom. Asking Him for wisdom is wisdom. God’s wisdom is a gift anyone can receive. When you’ve received His wisdom, don’t be like the widow, rather exercise your wisdom. Above all, fear the Lord always for the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

Got it? Or, rather, done it?

My spiritual turning point

I used to be a lukewarm Christian. I would go to church on Sundays, receive God’s anointing and blessings and the minute it hit Monday, I went back to the life where God was secondary. It got better when I turned 17, and I found myself desiring more for God and His Word. Yet, things I wanted to do and the plans I had, kept my focus away from God. The time I entered the University in 2009, I knew at some point my spiritual life would change. It did, gradually. But what I am most thankful to God for is the point where God put a burning desire within me and my life changed drastically.

I attended my church healing rally on 25^th June 2011 not because I was unwell, physically or spiritually, or at least I did not think I was. But that night, God healed me. I was slain, for the first time, under the power of the anointing of God. When I hit the floor, my arms began to move, like I was dancing in the spirit – drunk. A burden and deep desire filled my heart and I was crying out to the Lord. I did not care about the people around me or what they would think of me; I was just overwhelmed by my God. In my vision, the Lion of Judah appeared to me and He was smiling at me. It was the first time I genuinely believed that God loves me. His smile was more than enough to fill my heart with this unfailing love. And I was caught humbled by His grace and tears fell from my eyes uncontrollably. God was healing my heart and restoring His joy and love. I broke out in holy laughter. I laughed and cried, and laughed and cried, and I simply couldn’t stop. Throughout the one hour I was on the floor, the Lion of Judah was beside me, so big, so glorious, and so real. Praise the Lord!

The next morning, in Sunday service, I felt satisfied with what I had encountered the night before. So, when I went forward to be prayed for I wasn’t expecting any huge encounter but just mere ‘Word from God’. God was gracious to me, and though I had not asked for anything, He set my heart free that afternoon – completely. I was again slain under the anointing of God and I was dancing in the spirit. Then I caught a glimpse of the throne of God, so bright and glorious and it filled the entire frame of my mind. Then like what was recorded in the Book of Revelation, the elders and creatures were bowing down before the throne to worship and they kept declaring, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is, to come!” The more I danced in the spirit, the more I got closer to the scene as if the entire vision enlarged in my mind. I felt a strange feeling in my mouth, like I had to release something. And when I opened it, the words “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is, to come” came out. The more I declared it, the louder it became and tears just flowed down from my eyes. I could not withstand His holy presence. It was too great and too powerful. And I broke out in holy laughter, my entire being consumed by the fire of God. I was enjoying the presence of the Lord but it did not last. Next thing I knew, I saw a dragon hovering over the sea, just like in Revelation 13:1. Fear gripped me. I was screaming at the top of my voice, the image of the dragon was so frightening that I had to cover my ears and my body cuddled up. I just wanted to escape from where I was. Then, the Lion of Judah appeared to me, and He roared with such might and authority at the dragon and it fled from my sight immediately. I was still trembling in fear until the Holy Spirit within me caused me to open my mouth and imitate the roar of the Lion. After several roars, I felt an immense peace. That dragon was associated with any past events I had gone through which deemed unholy, and it included temple-visiting in a school fieldtrip in February. Glory to God for setting me free completely!

I was extremely excited for the next Sunday service because I knew that it was the season of spiritual encounters with the Lord. Sunday service finally arrived and I rushed to the altar to ‘catch’ the anointing of God. And I was slain, for the third time. This experience brought me to understand God’s grace in my life. I saw myself dancing in the spirit and there an angel was playing the harp. But minutes later, the angel disappeared and my physical body became paralyzed, just as it was in my vision. And I cried out to God, and asked, “God, where are You? Why have You left me here?” Tears of fear and abandonment came and it did not get any better because the Lord was silent. But what I found several minutes later was God’s grace when the Lion of Judah walked towards me. I felt like there was a pressure pressing against my chest and physically my chest contracted. It hurt a lot. Then I saw the Lion’s paw on my chest, where my heart was, and I asked, “Jesus, what are You doing?” And He answered, “I am searching your heart.” I tear even more because I was afraid that He would find me unfaithful and unworthy. But the Lion said, “You are Enoch, you have been faithful. You have walked with me though you’ve been through a lot of things, and you will continue to walk with me.” I was overwhelmed by His grace. And I broke out in holy laughter – the third time. In my vision, my body was restored and I was dancing before the Lion and He was so delighted. I could see so clearly His smile. Unexpectedly, the Lion took me to a cliff and over the cliff there was a river of fire and lava and hands and heads were sticking out from the river. I remember very clearly that my dance moves were different from the “heaven-like” place to the “hell-like” place. It was like warfare dance. When we returned to the “heaven-like” place, He said, “Whenever you are dancing before me and for warfare, I will give you dance patterns so different and you will know which is for which.” The Lion of Judah roared at my face thrice, and there was such power in His roar. Then, He said, “Go!”

God’s grace caused my life to change from that day on. Every day God would put a new desire in my heart to pray and to worship and to seek Him. It brought me to a more intimate relationship with the Father. And I began to move in the Spirit to minister to people. God would show me things that He wanted me to tell them and He ministered to them. Today, I thank God that He is using me to fulfill my destiny, His calling for me, and to spread the fire of God.

“Give thanks to the Lord our God, for He is good. His love endures forever.” (Psalm 136:1)

Amen! Indeed, God is sounding the trumpet and gathering His army for battle. His love and grace will sustain us, and we must be careful to obey all that God has commanded. Are you ready for battle? You have to be. You must. Take up the sword and put on the armor of God.

Got it? Or, rather, done it?

Nothing stops the glory of God

A man once said, “I’ve forsaken the Lord. I have disobeyed the Almighty God. His glory will not come upon me.”

Scripture advocates that God is no respecter of persons. We will see how evident this is in examples taken from 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel.

1 Samuel 16:14 quotes that the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and in verse 18, the Lord was with David. Though Saul had forsaken the Lord’s ways and sinned against Him as mentioned in the earlier chapters, the glory of God did not leave him. Verse 22 says Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, ‘Allow David to remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.’ David was close to Saul, and because the Spirit of the Lord was with David, whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would take his harp and play and the evil spirit would leave Saul (1 Samuel 16:23). Saul’s sin could not stop the glory of God in this manner.

Saul knew that the Lord was with David (1 Samuel 18:12). Saul became jealous of David (V8 – 9) and attempted to kill David. David was anointed by the Lord, and since Saul plotted against David, he was going against the Almighty God. Man would think Saul didn’t deserve God’s glory but his actions did not stop God’s glory from manifesting. The Spirit of God came upon Saul and he began to prophesy too (1 Samuel 

19:23 – 24).

Twice David spared Saul’s life though the Lord delivered Saul into his hands. In 1 Samuel 24:5 – 7, David recognized that even though Saul had sinned against the Lord and was his enemy, he was still the Lord’s anointed and David could not lift a finger on Saul. There was such righteousness in David and the glory of God was shown in how he treated Saul his enemy, well though Saul treated him badly (1 Samuel 24:16 – 18). This brought about a conviction in Saul and he dropped the thought of taking David’s life. Again in chapter 26, the Lord delivered Saul into David’s hands. The Lord had put them into a deep sleep (v12). David could have killed Saul easily but he acknowledged that Saul was the Lord’s anointed (v11). If God hadn’t put Saul and his army into a deep sleep, upon seeing David and his men, Saul might have attacked him out of fear. And in defense, David might have disregarded the thought that Saul was the Lord’s anointed killed him. But God’s glory was not inhibited in that He put them into a deep sleep and kept David from sinning against the Lord.

Chapter 25 records a man Nabal, who offended David such that David wanted to kill him. Through Nabal’s wife, Abigail, God’s glory was manifested. God kept David from killing Nabal but avenged for David. He struck Nabal dead and vindicated David (v39). At that point, I believe David did not seek the Lord about killing Nabal and avenging because it is certainly not what God wanted to happen (v22). Otherwise, David should have known that he shouldn’t kill Nabal even before Abigail met with him. But this did not stop God from manifesting His glory by vindicating David and keeping him from sinning.

In 2 Samuel 6 – 8, God’s glory was manifested again and again despite certain decisions David made. In 2 Samuel 6: 9 – 11, though David didn’t take the ark of God with him, this didn’t stop God from blessing Obed-Edom and his household, where the ark of God was. And even though the ark of God was not with David, God’s glory was still upon David and He gave David victory wherever he went (2 Samuel 8: 6, 14). God cannot be restricted. Hence, nothing can stop the glory of God because He is omnipotent and omnipresent – all powerful and is everywhere.

God’s glory was also manifested in the smallest things. In 2 Samuel 2:9, though Saul treated David as an enemy and wanted to kill him, David was still merciful and gracious to Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan, son of Saul. He was lame in both legs yet was taken into good care in David’s house because of the oath David swore to Saul in 1 Samuel 24:22. God’s glory was manifested because His Spirit was with David and because God was merciful and gracious to David, He knew how to be merciful and gracious to his enemy as well.

God’s glory could not be stopped even when David committed a huge sin against the Lord. In 2 Samuel 11 – 12, David fell in love with Bathsheba, wife of Uriah the Hittite. He asked Joab to put Uriah in the frontline in the battle where fighting is fiercest. Uriah was killed in the battle and David successfully made Bathsheba his own and this displeased the Lord. Their first son had to die (2 Samuel 12:14). Despite David’s sin, Bathsheba gave birth to a second son, Solomon, but the Lord did not despise him. Conversely, the Lord loved him and gave him the name Jedidiah – loved by the Lord. God’s glory was shown in the name Jedidiah. Nothing could stop Him, not even David’s foolish act.

These examples are what the Lord highlighted to me when He commanded me to read 1 and 2 Samuel. Disobedience which results in forsaking the Lord’s commands and ways doesn’t stop God’s glory from being revealed. The Lord is able and still glorifies Himself in these situations because He is a God of incomparable power and strength, of incomparable wisdom and of incomparable person. He is BIG. Never put God in a box because He is BIGGER than that.

Got it? Or, rather, done it?

A response to 'FIve loaves and two fishes' and 'The power of praise changes things'

This is a testimony of God’s grace and love to me. I have decided to write after reading Grace’s article “Five loaves and two fishes” and “The power of praise changes things”.

I have always felt inferior to others and look upon myself as one with no accomplishes. I always feel that I can’t do much. I feel that everybody else can do more than me and can do better than me. To God, I feel as though I have nothing to give and I have no talents that I can use to serve Him. People I see around me have talents and have accomplishments and I envy. I always tell God that I am good at nothing and I can’t use anything to serve Him.

But God said to me that He will use my weakness to be my strength. 8 May was mother’s day; I was offered the job of planning and organizing this event in my church. I knew my strength was not on planning and organizing. I have not led big events before. I am not a front stage person, but with the encouragement of my leader, I took it up. I prayed and planned the event. There were many hiccups in the event and I started to feel incapable again. I felt small. I prayed and told God that I would give all I had for Him and His grace will see it through all, including my brothers- and-sisters-in-Christ who were involved.

Mother’s day came and we gave the performance and had a sumptuous lunch. I saw much laughter and smiles that day. I felt warmth in my church and I saw that many were touched. Mothers came to thank me. I know then, it was all by the grace of God. It was not my doing. I only gave Him all I had and He did the rest. I thank God for showing me that when I give Him every little that I have, He can use it for something greater. I also thank my sisters who have helped me in the planning and execution of various areas of the event. You all are mighty under the Hands of God!

Up till this stage, God has molded me a lot indeed. In the past 7 years, He molded me through many situations and lessons in life. I remembered in 2004, I prayed this prayer that God will teach me to love as Christ loves me. I could never imagine that this lesson took 7 years to be taught and in between were much tears and pains. There were many hard lessons and many things that I needed to put down.

The hardest lesson was from mid-2010 to the end of 2010. Many things happened in the 7 years including a cherished friendship of mine that had come to a stop. She was a close friend of mine, but because of many unhappy things and misunderstandings, abruptly she stopped contacting me in May 2010. Since then, I struggled to understand the situation I was in. I felt that as her friend, I did all I could to help, yet I was treated like that. She was overwhelmed with chagrin and felt that I could not do much more to help. I struggled with my emotions – guilt and anger. Few months later, I had a serious discussion with my mum and I ended up receiving hurtful words. I felt as though the burden and consequences of people’s actions and decision are on me and I had to carry it because no one else wanted to. It is as though the people closest to you broke a glass on the floor and you have to pick the shattered pieces slowly with your bare hands. No one was there to help you. Not even those who decided to break the glass.

I came to a point where I grew angry with God. I wanted to hate but God asked me to love. I wanted to give up but God asked me to come into His presence to rest. I wanted to be selfish and self seeking like others but God put in me unrest when I was disobedient to Him. I struggled.

Until one day, I gave up and told God, I surrender. He set three words in my heart and that was “pray”, “praise” and “thanksgiving”. He started to open my heart and eyes. Though, I was still struggling and everything that happened left a scar in my heart, I started to find rest in His presence as I praised and prayed as I found things to be thankful for each day. I started praising and I realized that I could worship God again. I started to praise and I found healing. I started to praise and I saw God holding me. I started to praise and I found joy which I l had lost a long time ago. It was not easy to start praising in all the pain, and when all my energy was drained. It was not easy to praise when ‘bad’ was all I see. But in the darkness, praise shines the light. Praise that comes from deep within, even in the darkest hour, It can be found.

Pray, praise and thanksgiving comes in order. Only when we pray and surrender, we find ourselves returning. Praise comes when we look to God even in the darkest hours. We see not, but our hearts are fixed onto Him. And when the light starts to shine peace and comfort, thanksgiving comes and we would want to pray more and praise more… beyond this, a cycle…

To Him who is able, be all glory!

Shadow of the cross

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UQrxAEYpVo

Testify to love

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dW9OZJpLYr8

Be encouraged!

God bless and with love,

Anonymous