These are just simply pointers I highlight from Hebrew 12. While reading the passages: It’s interesting to know that:
God’s presence surrounds us as a cloud of witness, so we can throw everything that hinders us and sin that so easily entangles us out. with perseverance the race marked for us to run we can fix our eyes on Jesus; the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.
His (Jesus) words of encouragement: 1) We can endure hardship as discipline, as God treats us as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? Everyone undergoes discipline (whether from our ways or by God). Then you are not legitimate, not the sons and daughters at all.
2) If human fathers discipline us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and Live!
They (Our parents) disciplined us for a little while they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his HOLInESS.
3) no discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. So, we can produce a harvest of righteousness and peace, when we have been trained by it.
4) God strengthens our feeble arms and weak knees. He makes level path for our feet, so the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. 5) we have the grace to live in peace with everyone and be holy as our heavenly father is.
6) we can fall short of the grace of God when bitterness or roots of it grows to cause trouble in us that may defile us.
7) Sexually immoral and Godless persons like Esau who for a single meal sold his inheritance exist.
I have come to God, the judge of all, to the spirit of righteousness made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant and to the sprinkled blood that speaks better than the blood of Abel over our lives.
We ought to see to it that we do not refute him/her who speaks. If they do not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?
Therefore, we receive a kingdom that cannot be shaken, so be thankful and worship God acceptably with Reverence and AWE, for our God is an All-Consuming FIRE.
Relief swept around me reading this chapter. How unchanging God is in his love towards us. Zechariah talks about ‘Talk about a Shepherd who was asked to Shepherd a group of flocks marked for slaughter by an Unknown Shepherd. There were those that bought these flocks marked for slaughter, who slaughtered them and go unpunished’. Those that sell them also say they are RICH! PRAISE THE LORD! So even their own shepherd do not spare them. God says to the deliverer of the flocks marked for slaughter or to be sold or to be bought that he will no longer have pity on the people of that land. So, this messenger shepherded flocks and in one month he got rid of 3 of the shepherds, who wanted to buy, slaughter and sell the flocks.
But the flocks detested him, and he grew weary of them and said to them ” I will not be your Shepherd. Let the dying die, and the perishing perish. Let those who are left eat one another’s FLESH. So, I took my staff called favor and brake it, revoking the covenant, I had made with the nations. It is revoked, so the oppressed of the flock who were watching knew IT WAS THE WORD OF THE LORD, GOD. I said to them, if you think it best, give me my pay, but if not keep it. So, they paid me thirty pieces of silver. THE LORD said to me, ‘Throw it to the potter – the ‘handsome price at which they valued me! So, I took the 30 pieces of silver and threw at them at the potters HOUSE OF THE LORD. Then, I took the second staff called Union, breaking the family bond between Judah and Israel. Take again, the foolish shepherd’s equipment, as the lord will raise up a Shepherd over the land who will not case for the lost, or seek the young or heal the injured, or feed the healthy but will eat the meat of the choice sheep tearing off their hooves. Woe to the worthless shepherd who deserts the FLOCK. John 10: 11 – 13.
Living out scriptures is hard, so with soberness of mind I write as Paul: Food is for the stomach and stomach for food, but God will destroy both. 1 Cor 6:13.
Paul writes as a servant of God who is entrusted in the mysteries of God being reveled to us. we have to be faithful to the lord Jesus. In here, faith is seen as it attributed to a person it becomes faithful. we often attribute faith to things we need to get but rarely to people because for one to work faithfully it requires in integrity. Paul says indeed if I don’t judge myself, my conscience is clear, but it doesn’t make me innocent.
Innocent means free from guilt, bearing no responsibility for wrongful act. Meaning one may be free from guilt because of the stance we take in Christ Jesus, but we may not be clueless. So, I’d like to think of innocent as simple mindedness of a child as result of low knowledge or without motives. As Christians, we have motives for Christ to preach the gospel, to stand on the side of truth, righteousness and justice. And I guess this is what gives us a clear conscience before God that because we are saved, we can abide in truth. Paul goes on to say it is God who judges him, so he has to bring to light what is hidden in darkness around him. While he does this, he prays that he as we are not puffed-up followers of Christ because ALL we have received comes from Christ.\
I personally love the interplay of his words here: it says, and I quote “Already you have all you want, and you have become rich! You have begun to reign – and without us! so, there were a selected group of people who became rich and reigned without Paul. He goes on to say “How I wish that you had really begun to reign, so that we (Paul inclusive) may reign with you! If you understand you know why this interjector was made. As this column was on NIV was titled “The nature of true apostleship”.
We are thought a noun is the name of a person, place or thing. Today, the Reverend drew my attention to the verse Ecclesiastes 10:19 which states that A feast is made for laughs and wine maketh merry; BUT Money AnSWEReth ALL Thing’s. With emphasis on Thing’s (according to https://www.wordnik.com/words/thing) things is an object or entity that is not or cannot be named specifically. OR an individual object, especially an inanimate object or a creature. As we seek to classify things into categories, let’s look at things, creature and entity.
so, things could be a creature. However, creatures are said to be mostly animals. As seen below.
we live in a day and time where people believe they are animals, so of course money can buy creatures. So, if you believe you are animal it’s only natural to answer to money (no pun) intended. according to the definition of things so the Revend is actually right (Money is the answereth all things).
Humans don’t exist as a discrete unit or a property but as beings, what kind of beings, humus. Human beings. Hence, Solomon is right, money answers all things mostly tangible. However, intangible things like someone (not all people just those who believe they are animals no pun intended), healing (a process of being made whole), happiness, love, salvation (free gift of God) cannot be classified as beings or things. So yes, money answereth ALL Thing’s with the emphasis on things.
You use money to buy things, so things answer to money when it calls. But people aren’t things emotions aren’t things. As concrete as things are is what money can buy. Life is not a thing. Yes, he is right if money answers all things and things satisfy you then you don’t really need God, do we but I’m glad the word Things is what king Solomon used. A wise king indeed. Good interplay of words. Aptly described to hold a feast one needs money; to buy wine one needs.
I hate to preach about legalism or law keeping in the church. But it has to be spoken about, by this time two years ago, I had visited another city in my country. so, I was seeking a church to worship, and I went to one nearby for financial reasons + I didn’t know anywhere (thank God for my adventurous spirit). what struck me about this church was their insistence on water baptism. now my church in the city where I came from preached about baptism by fire being the most needful, claiming repentance was of the heart and the baptism by water was only an indication of such. They presented a scriptural argument that to be born again and enter the kingdom of God one had to be baptized with water also, else why would the bible says so and why would Jesus and his disciples do so. So, I understood they had a point and got baptized but I always had the wariness that they could be legalistic or law keeping type of church spoken of in revelation. I squashed it off my mind. I return to this church recently, and I heard the pastor preaching about churches that humiliate other churches because they had money and saying such churches shouldn’t exist and again, I became alert. Later, when the service was to end, I decided to jot some scriptures that came to mind while I was in this church some usher (he) came to me asking me if I was a secretary; I was like no and he asked why I was writing a lot. and I’m like because it’s my thoughts. I didn’t want to interrupt my train of thought nor interrupt the service because of the rude man so I ignored him. The church ended and I saw familiar faces that remembered me from my last visit and what this usher would do is begin to report me that I was writing in church he left out the part that he was calling me a secretary rudely. I explain what happened that I’m just coming in in the last 2 years and I didn’t know writing was an issue, my friend explained that now the Reverend doesn’t want people writing because it distracted them from hearing and I’m like this could be a written law. Rather than someone interrupting the service to reprimand people such situation could escalate if the person is listening to the pastor and writing making the law futile. Plus, I just came in new is that how to approach someone who didn’t know the law. Again, the law. Part of the reason, the law or ten commandment was fulfilled in Christ was because man couldn’t keep it and man seldom forget the law and unintentionally sinned. So, the commands of love were given. So, we keep the law of God out of Love not out of self-will. Alot of churches in my country keep laws out of obligation or self will not out of love. This is why when churches in my country were asked to vote against gay at the deliberation point, they voted in favor for gay marriage. shocking right. As I arrived at the church today, my pastor started preaching about Naaman the Syrian in 2 Kings 5: 1 – 11. Basically, condemning Naman’s attitude, if Naaman was someone’s husband or wife, how he should not have been because of his attitude. In my mind, I’m like thank God is God. I now understand why David said I’d better fall under the hand of God than be at the mercy of men. Because he was saying all men had weaknesses and we should all be humble, and this is your judgement against Naaman. first, he questions Gods decision to heal Naaman, God says id have mercy on whom I would have mercy on how it is humbling when you a mere man questions Gods decision on who to heal and not to heal. God knows the future so he knew behavior would be so before he sent Elisha there; why question Gods reasoning to heal Naaman. there are many men I know in my country who say if they go to another country, they can’t do cleaning jobs or janitor and I’m like fine; if that’s what you want and believe, let it be so. Besides God called Naaman a great man with his master who had high favor because God had given him victory meaning God was with him. So, if he was discouraged and felt it was demeaning to enter the water to enter the water, so he quarreled why look upon his faults to condemn to not heal him but questioned him why condemn him. We all have a different way in mind of how our breakthrough will come or how our healing would come but it doesn’t come in the way we think. Gods says your ways are not my ways neither are my thought your thought. So, why condemn Naaman for the thinking wrong about the way his healing would come, haven’t we all in the past. The bible says love covers a multitude of sin, how much more faults. How many of us do not sin. Do we all keep the 10 commandments else why did Jesus come then if we could fulfill it. He goes on to say we should be humble because we all have weakness, but how is it our job to pick ad judge on the weakness of others. 2 Corinthians 12: 7 – 10 says lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelation, a thorn in the flesh was given to Paul, he pleaded with God 3 times to depart from him, but God said my grace is sufficient for thee and my strength is made perfect in our weakness. therefore, I boast all the more about my weakness, so Christ power will rest on me. Christ power in us means we do not have weakness that is why we can before God blameless; however, we do have weakness in our flesh because of the mortal body we dwell in, this is why we say it’s not by power or might but by the spirit saith the Lord. we work not after the flesh but after the spirit; hearing this man preach this brought fire to my soul I can’t begin to explain. not that we don’t weakness which causes us to sin from time to time but that it doesn’t reign over us or have dominion over us. Even Elisha said it, am I God to kill or make alive, he was under Gods authority to heal Naaman i.e., to make him alive so who are you declare Naaman unworthy. A weakness is given to us to keep us humble; not so we can belittle orders, or question God or judge other it is to glory in Christ power in us to overcome it and humble us. He went on to talk about a woman in the news who beat her maid because the girl ate with her children’s spoon. He basically condemns this woman for action towards the maid. now the bible says if you see any Christian overcome with fault restore such one – mercy. In this story the woman is the owner of the house and create the laws of her house just as Christ is the owner of the church and creates the laws in the church. So did the maid violate the laws of the house, yes, do we Christians fall short (I did I was ill and came late) yes, we all do. But was the method for dealing with the maid correct, no, she would have bought a spoon for the maid a placed it away from the main spoon area; it takes wisdom to deal with an underage child who is a maid who probably struggles from not being able to get the life she wanted. But do we judge the woman or sternly warn her by buffering a solution. I’d go with the latter. likewise, if the church finds a believer who is told to not sit in a specific place, one can gently correct them that go to the pulpit and condemn. If a church, sees someone coming late they can go the person and ask if there is a thing happening that makes you come late and if the person opens up you pray otherwise you still pray than going to the pulpit to shame people. If you invite someone into your church and the person stops coming because you reprimanded or judge them; why not pray to God to reveal where your preaching style is flawed and how you can handle people better. He was no different to the woman who flogged the girl because just as she had taken judgement into her own hands to flog the girl; he had taken judgement into his own hands to shame and condemn people. Jesus did not condemn the woman caught in adultery; he told her go and sin no more. This is why I love David the psalmist “He says in sin was I formed, in iniquity was I fashioned”. Legalism is the major reason people don’t come to church. if I had been sick and I came to church late he didn’t know, if my tire was down, he didn’t know. Do you know they don’t go to the church to get the presence of God; we go to fellowship with one another, share communion and pray for the sick to be healed and share burdens. it’s not a ritual or law else it will be in the commandments; it is written that we should (the word is shall not) not forsake the gathering of the brethren not that we mustn’t. it’s not law we use to measure things else why not join the mosaic Christians or the pharisees. it requires willingness of heart for one to fellowship with brethren. how you get from prayer to there is really between the head of the church and Christ our teacher. The bible says Psalm 32:8-9 Do not be like a horse or mule which has no understanding but MUST be controlled by a bit and bridle or they will not come to you. if you have a 4- or 3-year-old child who you tell to stop opening the tap several times and they keep doing it; you know they are foolish because they have no understanding that the water can lead to a flood in the whole house (the bible says foolishness is bound in the heart of a child). It’s foolishness because there is no knowledge in the child, the is why the bible says in proverbs you the rod to correct the child does not teach the child a lesson. Seldom times, we you the rod to teach children who is the boss (oppression) rather than correct. The purpose of beating them is for them to sober up and think, to come to an understanding of what they have done; instead of teaching them a lesson; in fact, teaching people a lesson is to set them free so they can learn on their own. what people preach in my country is not wrong, it is the way people preach it that leads people to more sin. Like this preacher went on self-proclaiming that a girl came into the church, and he was talking to her about sin but she up and left the church. I’m like Jesus talked with sinner he did not condemn them; he refuted the act does not attach the actions to the sinner rather than to the sin. the bible speaks about the deception of sin and how it entices us, but he clearly told the woman caught in adultery neither do I condemn you go and sin no more. if this is how the gospel was presented to you in the bible, would you have repented? The man went on to talk about a boy who came to ask him for recommendation and a preacher; he would not give the boy apparently; he spoke to one of the dickens. In my mind, I’m like so did he steal, kill someone or impregnate a girl? but you are judging him for his speaking, o righteous preacher who has never committed any sin and is spotless bravo. if your righteous exceed that of the pharisees let me know. not only are you bringing people in your church personal issues to the podium you are condemning them with it indirectly and giving room for gossip to thrive. some people could search out that matter by looking for the Dicken who the boy spoke to and condemn the boy further. And once one knows many know. How is that godly, when Jesus healed the leprous why didn’t he carries their story and say he was once leprous you know because of his sins, I overlooked and healed him. He told the man go to the temple and tell what God has done for you (this is evangelism in the purest form possible). He used the work he did to glorify God. A pastor is a shepherd of a sheep, why can’t he correct the boy and recommend him telling him not to do so again, it is wrathful in my eyes not to give him the recommendation as hearing this from an older person in the person of a pastor it brings shame that he boasts about this in the church. Lord of mercy. It is by the mercy of God we are kept not because we keep Gods law or because we are perfect. God is against fault finders. If you know a pastor applying to a church role about lying about not having a wife; the best is to confront him and see why he is making this decision. If he isn’t reasonable to repenting and taking back his wife, then you leave him out. However, you cannot just fire him or dispose him. God doesn’t want to use a bridle to control us, he wants us to come willingly to him. this is why people who suffer give up on God because we have no understanding of our suffering then we lose heart and backslide. the very least of us has disobeyed our parent even as little children seeing as we are all born in sin. why use a traction because I wasn’t caught, I’m better to judge another whose sin is open to you. If in all your knowing of issues in others life is to know and pass judgement than to restore than person, then I don’t blame the boy you didn’t give a recommendation for leaving the church. The church is no better than him. With all the wisdom none could show love. The bible saith in Romans 2: 4 do you presume on the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience to us ALL (not just to the rebeller you judge), not knowing that Gods kindness is meant to lead us to repentance. Where is the kindness and forbearance and patience in the church? Love is patient, Love is kind, it doesn’t envy or boast…. love always forbears. It is the love of God that leads us to repentance. if you have received kindness from God, love from God why can’t you show it to other or is it based on your 100% obedience to God that he gave you good. 2 Corinthians7:10 says Godly sorrow that is in accord with the will of God produces repentance without regret leading to salvation; but worldly sorrow [the hopeless sorrow of those who do not believe] produces death. this is why romans came before Corinthians we are supposed to see God’s love before we see Godly sorrow. Isn’t this the story of the prodigal son.
We preach against sin in love but as the day approaches fast, we begin to understand even the church isn’t a safe haven especially during trials only Jesus is. I am not big on churches in my country because most of them preach on religion, law, instruction, but the law as the scripture saith is inscribed on the doors of heart so before we sin, we know. The bible further states that the law produces more sin and leads to self-righteous behaviors. While I hate sin and call it wrong it’s to not mislead people where I stand on certain issues, but it’s not use it to judge another man after all I am what I am not by any power but by the grace of God. God is love and when we preach let us not forget that. By the way before the service ended in church (I am not mocking) just merely stating an observation two boys stood up and left. The church of Ephesus (Revelation 2:4-5).
The beast with 10 heads and 7 heads with 10 diadems on the horns was like a leopard. Its feet is like that of a bear and mouth like a lion’s mouth and a dragon gave it its power [dragon gave its power to 10 nations]. (combination of a lion, bear and a leopard forms this ten nation – lion’s mouth, a beers feet and a horn akin to a leopard and a dragon gave its power). Question1: The dragon is symbolic of the devil or China as a nation giving this 10 countries power. So these countries or beast worshipped itself and caused people to worship him. In this time frame people will be taken captive to captivity and people will be slain with a sword. A call for endurance by faith for the Saints is required [note in verses 10 the Saints are first mentioned]. In this timeline, another beast with 2 horns like a lamb but speaks like dragon will arise. Question 2: what nation is liken to a lamb and what nation speaks like a dragon. this beast exercises the authority of the first beast in its presence. it makes the inhabitants worship the first beast whose mortal wounds were healed.
Assumingly, China has been exercising its treat to dominate the world in the presence of the world whilst America was down economically. As the world system changes and the 10 nations which I presume to be UK[northern Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales], USA, Canada, Australia, new-Zealand because they have the mouth of a lion, Netherlands and probably Russia tussle for power. Steps have taken to subdue China. [China has nations in it] does this mean this nation would recover.
Deductions from the last verses.
When the mortal wounds of the first beast is healed and the second beast arise(s) the image of the beast will come to life and breathe will be given to it. then the mark of the beast will be given to it. [image of the beast coming to life means the anti-Christ]
Revelation 14 who are the 144,000 Saints. The previous chapter tells us what the saints had to endure in the last days. this scripture reveals or gives us some pictures of who the saints are: [Rev 14 : 3 – 5] 1) They had a song only they could sing to the lord most high. 2) they did not defile themselves with women , for they were virgins who follow the lamb wherever he went. [virgins are pure, does connotate the literal meaning of virginity or the symbolic meaning of purity]. 3) they are redeemed from mankind as the first fruit for God and the Lamb. 4) in their mouth no lie was found for they were blameless. 5) they would be in captivity and some slain [chapter 13 vs 8]
From whence can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my depths, you are also there, If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far of your right hand will hold me fast. If i say “Surely the darkness will hide me; and the light becomes night around me, even the darkness will not be dark to me.
Apparently, I can run from anywhere but not from thy presence, I can quit but not stop trusting in Hashem. Indeed, whence can i go from thy spirit. I have lost the world to gain him. I did like the psalmist so much that I called myself a man after Gods own heart who would do his will and keep his command without realizing what it meant. I forgot that the Psalmist had so much war on every side within his family and against nation during his lifetime; he had little or no rest. I finally understand Psalm 139 today.
Every learning point in my life has taught me sth. I grew up in a household where it was 100% wrong to question an adult. So, I can say a thing or two about the authority of a believer. In previous, study I prayed like no other to get a good grade, studied hard until it was unending. Infact the reason, I am writing is because well. I have learnt the hard way that blind obedience to authority is no way to live a godly life. To serve God, you will have to ruffle alot of feathers. I read yesterday in the scriptures in Proverbs 9:8 “Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.” the real question is who the fool between Jesus was and the Pharisees. Now, the pharisees were in a majority and when Jesus rebuked them in Luke 11:37-54, he also rebuked them for turning his father’s house into a den of thieves. Matt 21:12-13, Mark 8: 33 (But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”).
The reason, why I go through these verses was I seldom used to think if I just agreed enough twill be enough until my master’s program. I endured foolishness until became wise because I did not use my authority as a believer. In my master’s I seldom use to have friend who told me that I won’t get a job, I never countered it; because I believed it is just your own you are saying. I had a lecturer who said I was no good in writing after scoring 7.0 (though in my IELTS to get to the master’s program) a host of these things happened because I did not have my authority as a believer in play (I did not know how to use). I fasted, spoke words of faith and prayed but I had already allowed words that were not of life go ahead of me. Because I could not rebuke every high thing that exalted itself against the knowledge of God in my life; I had allowed it slide thinking it was nothing.
Words are spirit and they are life. whose report would you believe; we believe the report of the lord that says I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me; while I thought people close to me were just saying words not of life; I discovered it’s not what enters a man that destroys but what comes out of the man. It was then I realized that Jesus was right sometimes you have to tell the devil thou art an offense to me Satan, get thee behind me it’s not pride its rebuking wrong words spoken over one’s life that are not of life and are not true (Philippians 4:8).
Why am I saying this, we leave in an age of deception that you are carefully not to accept condemnation as conviction. These days condemnation is subtle, and conviction pull you to a sorry state not to condemnation. Addedly, I am writing this piece because I watched a video on YouTube where a channel was convicting people of pride and came from the angle of saying they did not want to receive correction when they were wrong.
Not to compare but even the teacher who was apparently correcting my work during my master’s program was corrected he couldn’t handle it, and took action of the student that corrected him, while it is the holy spirit that convicts, and we restore one with fault gently (correction) it is not our place to condemn.
We have the authority of a believer to refute and rebuke wrong words spoken over our life that is the authority of a believer.
I was once accused once of having wisdom but not love; I had nothing (most of these accusations come from church people I might add). So, they quoted 1 Corinthians 13: 2 for me stating “If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.” In fact, the people I have had the most brush with a religious/ moralist people not really liberal people. They see one way to solve a problem and think its the only way to follow. I have to say that knowledge builds on wisdom and understanding and most times from suffering. This is why people who suffer are looked down. (Ecclesiastes So I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” But the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are no longer heeded.). To get knowledge one may not have to suffer but to get understanding one has to suffer (Daniel 4: 34) “And at the end of the [a]time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most-High and praised and honored Him who lives forever:” He became a four-footed beast to get understanding and thus knowledge. This is why a 1st class graduate uses his knowledge to work for someone with business sense (understanding). I’m giving out free knowledge, wisdom from Gods word people may crouch on it and I’d still be called a Fool. So, I know knowledge puffs up, love builds up ( 1 Corinthian 8: 1) we also know that knowledge makes a man brutish. “Jeremiah 51:17-18″. Every man is brutish by his knowledge; every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.” It’s harder to question, a man that has suffered much this is why with all Jobs friends only one could question and he did so righteously wisely by God. [Job 5:12-14] craftiness is a form of knowledge, and it is built out of wisdom (sometimes positive or negative). James 3: 13-18 [Two Kinds of Wisdom 13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.]. Job reinstates it again in Job 16: 11 [ and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom has two sides. Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin.]. as knowledge has 2 sides the knowledge of good and evil. [Genesis 2:9], [ Genesis 3:22 Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”]. But understanding humbles man because it comes with suffering. One may steal knowledge but not understanding for understanding is built on principle of God. so, the scripture where God says my people perish for a lack of knowledge [Isaiah 5: 13, Hosea 4: 6] is built on understanding Gods wisdom. I once had a friend previously who had an uncanny ability to know what would happen to, she became grievous in high school. I understood what made her this way it was the knowledge that she knew what people would do to her. Indeed, it became a burden of wisdom. This is why some people know when they would depart the world and it weighs them down with sorrow as Jesus did before he died. Matthew 26:36-46 [36 Then Jesus *came with them to a place called [a]Gethsemane, and *told His disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 And He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with Him and began to be grieved and distressed. 38 Then He *said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me.”]. If Jesus who is God made flesh can be grieved and distressed, he was troubled in spirit due to betrayal he knew was coming to him (fore knowledge) [John 13:21], he was angered and distressed -i.e. grieving about the hardness of human heart [Mark 3: 5]. Then, we do have a high priest who empathizes with our weaknesses. And indeed, his love is greater than his wisdom that’s why he forgives the underserved. So yes, Godly love is greater than wisdom. I guess Ecclesiastes 1:18 says it all about wisdom [For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.]. So, I’d say as Job said in Job 13: 1 [ “My eyes have seen all this, my ears have heard and understood it.”] and in understanding there is a proper time and procedure for every matter even if one weighed down by misery. The greater wisdom is in God and his word, and it is built out love; so brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.” meekness is humility this is why true wisdom is humble [ James 3: 13] If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.
In my free time, I’d like to engage and ask people who their favorite bible character is? Most African women would say Deborah, some frequently said Esther. When I asked African men I’d hear Joseph mostly, some few cases Daniel, Moses and other Abraham because of his blessing and some SOLOMON.
I had a few non-African friends say Esther. People often say why do you ask this question, and I say nothing just out of curiosity. But for me, it was intriguing as Deborah was a judge and a warrior to save her people. As every Old Testament character is a shadow type of Jesus; it was more like people who relied on their strength or God’s to win battles. Addedly, she was judge (a righteous one). It’s funny that most African women would not rely on beauty to save them. Also, we war in prayer, so it’s no surprise actually this was most people choice.
