Thursday, January 25, 2007

The Principle Thing


Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. (Pro 4:7)


Knowledge - is acquired through the learning process. knowledge is: "right knowing."

Wisdom - is the ability to apply this knowledge through experience, without having to think about what you are doing. Wisdom is: "right doing."

Understanding - is the knowledge of why to apply wisdom. Understanding is: "right reason."

Note: Every Peacher or Teacher of the Word of God must operate in these gifts to some degree if they are to teach truth. Because the Word of God is not learned it is revealed.

Knowledge - Answers the question of "What"

Wisdom - Answers the question of "When or How"

Understanding - Answers the question of "Why"

And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding. (Job 28:28)

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Thursday, January 18, 2007


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What's the meaning of life? After studying and analyzing life, Solomon, known as the wisest man who ever lived, wrote: “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12: 13). “Jesus said: I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).

How can I get the wisdom I need? Solomon said to go to the Source: “For the Lord gives wisdom and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2:6). James agrees: “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him” (James 1: 5).

Why do people fight with each other? “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet... You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures” (James 4:1-3).

Why is the world in such a mess? The great theologian and missionary Paul answers this question: “For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. They claimed to be wise, but they became fools” (Rom 1: 21-22). “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred... jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition...drunkenness, orgies, and the like” (Gal. 5: 19-21).

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Friday, January 12, 2007

Love – Bible Definition

1 Cor 13:4 - 7



Love suffereth long. Endures slights and wrongs patiently and long, and returns a kindly spirit. It is "slow to anger" (Psalm 103:8). Christ, "when he was reviled, reviled not again" (1 Peter 2:23). "The fruit of the Spirit is long-suffering"

Love envieth not. How miserable is that person which is made unhappy by the good fortune of another. Cain is an example.

Vaunteth not itself. Does not boast of superiority, nor is it inflated.

Does not behave itself unseemly. Discourteously and in a way to shock good manners or morals.

Seeketh not her own. Is unselfish and actively shares of what they have.

Is not provoked. Does not fly into a rage, but keeps the temper under control.

Thinketh no evil. The idea is that love does not keep a record of evil rendered so as to return it

Rejoiceth not in iniquity. Instead of rejoicing, is filled with sadness by wrong doing of any kind, but does Rejoice with the truth in its triumphs

Beareth all things. Bears up in spite of all things evil, and is not overcome.

Believeth all things. Is not distrustful and suspicious.

Hopeth all things. Is hopeful instead of despondent, and hopes for the best.

Endureth all things. Endures patiently persecution and suffering.

Love never faileth. It is eternal and imperishable.

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Sunday, January 07, 2007

I Am Friend Of God


What is a friend? Who is my friend?

We often group the people with whom we have a loose association and the people with whom we are endeared together as friends. But, Greek texts and some literal English translations of the Bible differentiate between the two: philo (friend); hetairos (comrade, associate, companion, partner).

Philos (which is translated friend) was originally an adjective denoting loved, dear, or friendly and later became used as a noun (Vines). A friend is one for whom we have affection (phile). We often express this type of friendly affection as "feeling" or "sentiment" - e.g., those for whom we have feelings. Therefore a friend (philos) is one whom we love (phile); hence, a friend is one whom we do good toward from an affectionate conviction.

Hours before His arrest, Jesus taught His apostles concerning love and friends. In John 15:13-15 Jesus said: "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. You are my friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you."

In respect to Jesus, He is my friend because He loved me and died for me. In this sense, Jesus is everyone's friend although many people have not reciprocated His friendship. So we learn here that friendship is not always a two-way street - we can be someone's friend without them reciprocating our friendship.

Jesus said to the apostles earlier in this discourse: "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (Jn. 14:15). Now He tells them that they are His friends if they do whatever He commands them (Jn. 15:14). Today, the people who love Jesus and are keeping His commands are His friends. These are the people who have reciprocated Jesus' friendship and are no longer servants (Jn. 14:15; Gal. 4:7).

Abraham serves as an example of God's friend. James said: "Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the alter? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, 'Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.' And he was called the friend of God" (Ja. 2:21-23).

You and I are either friends of God or friends of the world. We cannot be friends of both. James said: "Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God" (Ja. 4:4). We either love the world or God. We are either friends of the world or friends of God. Jesus said: "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon" (Matt. 6:24).

In the truest sense of the word, we must be careful as to whom we claim as friends. And we must teach our children to differentiate between true friends and those who are actually associates.

To be God's friend and Jesus' friend we must keep their commandments. Politicians are famous for litmus tests. Here is a Scriptural litmus test: Am I being a friend of God? And for other individuals whom I consider my friend I should ask: Are they a friend of God?

Now this question is worthy of your consideration: Are you a friend of God? If you are God's friend, an eternal home in heaven is waiting for you. But if you are not a friend of God, . . .

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