The Lord speaks directional wisdom to his people. His sends us down a clear path from season to season. This path leads us to works that we are called to do.
Ephesians 2:10 is clear about his. We are created in Christ to do good works which have been prepared in advance for us to do. We are called to work in him. Jesus and the Father work in us and among us to this very day.
"Jesus said to them,
'My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.'"
John 5:17
"Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and
the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it."
Mark 16:20
The Father works. Jesus works. We work. We work with the Lord as we go forth in his wisdom. Wisdom is clear direction. And that clear direction is accompanied by plans and strategies. In the last post we talked about Proverbs 8:12 in great detail.
"I
wisdom dwell together with
prudence; I posses
knowledge and
discretion."
Prov 8:12
We took a good hard look at three of the four. Now we need to do a deep-dive into
knowledge. As the Lord gives us clear direction with plans and strategies, as we are receiving wisdom and understanding from the Lord, there are certain bits of spiritual knowledge that need to accompany us along the way. These are things that will keep us steadfast in the work that the Lord has commanded us to do on his behalf. Knowledge blends in with clear direction with plans and strategies. It blends in and holds the other three steady.
One day in September of 2001 I was driving northbound on Hwy 820 in west Ft. Worth while taking our oldest son Kevin to school. I was passing Troy Aikman Ford right at the corner of Camp Bowie (Hwy 80) and Hwy 820 when all of the sudden, just as clear as day, I heard the Lord speak to me about various facets of this thing called "Knowledge." There are pieces of knowledge that accompany us as we go forward in warfare. There are things that need to be developed within our minds that keep us steady and stable in the fight. We are going to need to know, believe and abide in certain things if we are going to hold fast in Wisdom and Understanding on a continual basis. The following is my list of 8 pieces of spiritual knowledge. The first six I heard on that day in September, 2001. The last two have been added to the list since that day. The following is what I heard.
1) The time is short. We are a mist. Number your days.
"What I mean brothers is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in it's present form is passing away."
1 Corinthians 7:29-31
"Now listen, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.' Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.'"
James 4:13-15
"Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."
Psalm 90:12
2) Be Prepared. Make the most of every Opportunity. Be dressed, ready for service, and keep your lamps burning.
"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have."
1 Peter 3:15
"Make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."
Colossians 4:5,6
"Be dressed, ready for service and keep your lamps burning."
Luke 12:35
3) Be Quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.
My dear brothers, take not of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry."
James 1:19
4) Do not worry beforehand about what to say.
"But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you." Matthew 10:19,20
"...the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it."
John 12:49
5) Arm yourself with an attitude of suffering.
"Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God."
1 Peter 4:1,2
6) Trust in God's Financial Provision. It is Constant.
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds...." Matthew 6:25-34
"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."
2 Corinthians 9:8
"Be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'"
Hebrews 13:5
"Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, ....Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years."
Deut 8:2,4
"Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, ...."
Psalm 23:6
"He will be our guide even unto death."
Psalm 48:14
"You will guide me with your wisdom and counsel and afterwards receive me into the glories of heaven."
Psalm 73:24
"Trust in the Lord forever."
Isaiah 26:4
7) Don't Complain. God works in all things for our good. Give thanks in all circumstances.
"Do everything without complaining or arguing,..."
Philippians 2:14
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
Romans 8:28
"Give thanks in all circumstances..."
1 Thess 5:18
8) God will vindicate us.
"Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord."
Romans 12:19
We could sit down over coffee and tea and talk of these things for hours. But the scriptures that are quoted speak for themselves.
Brethren, time is short and we need to make use of the bit of time God has given us. We need to be wholeheartedly focused on hearing him and entering into his work. The time is short. Work while it is still day. Night is coming when no man works. I just turned 40 years old. I remember when I was a 17 year old kid throwing my own mother a surprise party for her 40th birthday. And now I'm 40. Twenty-three years went by just like that. Amazing. We are a mist and then we are gone. Live for the Lord!!!
Be prepared....at a moment's notice. I remember when I was about 8 years old. I was at soccer practice one day and while playing I heard my name being called. I turned around to see who it was. It was my dad standing on the side of the practice field. He called me over to him and told me to come with him. I didn't know where we were going and was a bit taken back as I was right in the middle of practice. He took me and walked me to another field at the soccer complex where another team of boys was practicing. I looked around at them. They were all bigger than I was. My dad took me and put me on another team where all of the players were two years older than myself. I had already mastered my age group. I received an unexpected promotion of sorts. Be ready brethren because your name could get called and you could get promoted to a higher level. Be ready, dressed for service and keep your lamp burning. Be ready!!!
Listen first. Listen to the words of others and listen to the Lord. Talk to the Lord and ask for words to speak. The Lord will speak with power through us. But we must first listen. Many years ago I worked as a valet in front of a very high profile hotel in downtown Dallas. While there I had been witnessing to another young man who wouldn't respond to my Christian witness. It really frustrated me at how hard-hearted this man was. One day while working we both happened to find ourselves standing outside the hotel while a very well-known "fallen" televangelist walked out of the hotel and got in his car. The young man looked at me and said, "See, it's guys like that that keep me from believing in God." Immediately God spoke through my mouth and said, "Yes, but you keep rooting for the Dallas Cowboys while many of their players are in trouble with the law." You would have thought I had punched him in the face. He was visibly disturbed for some time. God exposed his hypocrisy. Listen and pray first. Talk second.
Arm yourself for trials. The path is narrow and few take it. As we walk in his direction with plans and strategies we are at times going to find ourselves in financial, physical and social trials. It comes with the territory. Arm yourself for it. All who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. No servant is greater than his master. If they persecuted the Lord of Glory they will persecute us. No man escapes this. No one.
In spite of what we go through, God provides. He never stops providing for us according to his riches and glory. Spiritual, mental, emotional and physical support and deliverance are ours. In spite of the pain there is healing and growth. Embrace his provision and trust in it. It never ends. He provided for the Israelites for 40 years in the desert. If he needed to do it for 50, 60, whatever...He could have done it. He hasn't changed. Still to this day he moves mountains, brings water from the dry rock and manna from Heaven. He will be our guide even unto death. He guides us with his wisdom and counsel and afterwards receives us unto glory. Trust in his provision. It is a constant thing!
Don't complain. God will cause things to work on our behalf. Give thanks knowing that this is true. Remember, we are sheep. Sheep need a shepherd. We have a shepherd that manages not only the intimate details of our lives but also how our lives work in conjunction with everything in this world. All things were created by Christ and for Christ. And in Christ all things hold together.
(See Col 1:16,17). Everything exists and works for our benefit as we do his work to change the world. This is sometimes difficult to believe when the battle rages. Nevertheless, God's word holds true.
God has your back. He will vindicate the righteous. He will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. If you belong to Christ you are Abraham's seed and heirs of this promise
(Gal 3:29). He has your back. God slays the wicked in due season. The Psalmist says that the righteous will be glad and rejoice when they bathe their feet in the blood of the wicked
(Psalm 58:10). "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood
(Rev 6:9)? ...... The sins of some men trail behind them. Others go before them, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them.
(1 Tim 5:24). God will avenge the righteous, both in this life and in the life to come. You can count on it.
We have more to discuss brethren but I think we are at a saturation point for today. A sponge can only hold so much water. I hope this helps you on your journey. Find God's wisdom, prudence and discretion for your day. And know these things along the way. Knowledge of these principles holds us steady in the high-calling of God.
In Christ,
JEB
http://www.miraclesinmerida.blogspot.com/.
