It Pays to THINK BIG

While thinking big is subject to interpretation, it is crucial to employ the faculties of the mind, soul and body that helps in doing just that.

Many times I have heard people use a similar phrase in describing a haughty person saying "He thinks big of himself".
"So for those who are ignorantly modest, they associate lack of achievement with humility, lack of significance with modesty and lack of relevance with superiority."
I have been educated on the need to think big, and it is more than closing your eyes, and thinking (for some, sleeping).
When you learn how to think big, everything you get involved with almost automatically gets a “big” approach.
In fact, when you step into a role temporarily, your outlook in the role exudes your big thinking.

In a Daily Telegraph advert with the same heading “It pays to think big”, Jimmy Hendrix, Barack Obama and Richard Branson all featured. The images are showing exclusively days of small beginnings for achievers in their generation.

In his book, "Think Big", Ben Carson expounds the siginificance of thinking big as the foundation of a successful life.
Ben was the younger of two brothers whose lives, as young boys were heading in the wrong direction. Their mother (with very little education) turned their lives around by limiting the hours they spend watching TV, encouraging them to read - 2 library books a week and writing reports about the books. It didn't take long before the fruits were evident to all.
Labelled as dumb before, within a year, Ben was on top of his class. He went on to become a world re-known neurosurgeon, and in 1987 made medical histroy with an operation to successfully separate a pair of siames twins.

So I leave you with the "THINKG BIG" concept as laid out by Benn Carson.

Talent: Our Creator has endowed all of us not just with the ability to sing, dance or throw a ball, but with intellectual talent. Start getting in touch with that part of you that is intellectual and develop that, and think of careers that will allow you to use that.
Honesty: If you lead a clean and honest life, you don't put skeletons in the closet. If you put skeletons in the closet, they definitely will come back just when you don't want to see them and ruin your life.
Insight: It comes from people who have already gone where you're trying to go. Learn from their triumphs and their mistakes.
Nice: If you're nice to people, then once they get over the suspicion of why you're being nice, they will be nice to you.
Knowledge: It makes you into a more valuable person. The more knowledge you have, the more people need you. It's an interesting phenomenon, but when people need you, they pay you, so you'll be okay in life.
Books: They are the mechanism for obtaining knowledge, as opposed to television.
In-Depth Learning: Learn for the sake of knowledge and understanding, rather than for the sake of impressing people or taking a test.
God: Never get too big for Him.

Divine Destiny – “Too Ordinary”

Divine Destiny – “Too Ordinary”

In the past posts of this series, I have tried to assure you that you are talented, encouraged you not to be afraid, and enlightened you or the dangers of being busy doing the wrong thing.

However, in this post “Too Ordinary”, excuse me if I say, this time around, you are right, and I am confirming how simple, common, general and undistinguished you probably are.

Look around you; are you surprised to see that you look like every other person?
One head, 2 eyes, 2 ears, 1 mouth, in school, at work, jobless, criticizing the money guzzling MPs in UK, concerned about the state of the economy, fearful of what the future holds and hustling through the remains of large scale redundancies.

Irrespective of your geographical location, you are one of billions of people that are driven by the domineering controls of pain, fear and greed.

I know you have heard of the uniqueness of your DNA, and although that in itself is meant to give you succour and assurance that you are somehow unique, but you quickly dismiss the idea because DNA seems to be more of a criminal discovery technique than an identity recovery technique.
The news is full of revelations on how crimes committed in the 19th and 20th centuries are being solved with the help of DNA.
In fact, to find positive uses of DNA in mainstream TV, Jeremy Kyle Show and Trisha Goddard Show seems to be the first points of call. You will hear about scandalous practises where paternity is constantly an issue.

In all, you have followed the crowd for so long, that you are lost in the crowd.
“I am just an ordinary guy” you say (or girl). The truth is, the people around you know as well.

I wish I can say that you are not ordinary, but you tell me, what becomes of you after you die?
If you are poisoned, will you not lose your life?
If you fall ill now, is there any hope for you, save the decision to remove ‘life support’.
Are you worth any more than the pipes, and inhaler stuck to your face? Tell me, are you?

Your usefulness is as far as your breadth can carry you. When you die, you become useless.

Isaiah 38:18 -19 (NIV)
For the dead cannot praise you; they cannot raise their voices in praise.
Those who go down to the grave can no longer hope in your faithfulness.Only the living can praise you as I do today. Each generation tells of your faithfulness to the next.

The bible even describes how ordinary life, your life can be:

1Peter 1:24 & Isaiah 40:6-8
For, "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall...”

I may not be able to capture the thoughts going through your mind now; however, I can add this one to it.

How about me? I mean myself, the writer of this post. Do you think I am ordinary too? Would you like to ask me? If you have just asked me that question, then my answer is:

NO!!!!! --------------- I am not ordinary, in fact, I am extraordinary.

If I am poisoned, I will not die. {Mark 16:18}
I should not fall ill. {Exodus 23:25 - 27}
If I eventually die, I am part of an elite group of people who are transformed to reign with God. {2 Timothy 2:12}
I live a different life. {Galatians 2:20}

Are you tired of being “Too ordinary”?
Fed up with the status quo and not content with letting every other thing take control your life?

Then allow me to introduce you to Jesus.
Knowing Jesus will bring peace into your life and a sense of belonging.
In time past, I was lost, hopeless and ordinary, but all that has changed:

1 Peter 2:9 (AMP)
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God's] own purchased, special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light. [emphasis mine]

1 Peter 2:10 (NLT)
Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people.
Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy

Living an extraordinary life is living above limitations, and I invite you to join me and many others who are already enjoying this life.

If you are reading this and you are already living that life, then pass this on to as many people as you can who need a change of Destiny.

If you are reading this and you have an idea of what I am talking about, but you have not surrendered your life to God. You are still trying to do things your way, find your own answers, and by your acts continue denying the existence of a great God.
It is time to stop, and acknowledge that it is only a matter of time before you steam runs out.

I grew up with my parents telling me how unique, special and one of a kind I am. They showed me in the bible that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. They believed I am unique and I believed it too. Generations before them also believed in that uniqueness, but alas, it took science this long to verify that we truly are unique.

Are you still basing your existence on scientific proof?
You may not live long enough for science to find out, but there is a short cut. All you need to know about yourself is in God’s word (The bible).

You don’t have to stay on the level of the ordinary; you can be transported to the horizon of the extra-ordinary. You are not just unique, you are special.

I would encourage you to let it all go [the hardship, the toil, the pains, the hurt, the fear and the ridicule] and let God fix your brokenness.

Say this prayer with sincerity, accept Jesus into your life and enter into divine rest.

“Jesus, I thank you for your love shown towards me in dying for me, resurrecting to give me hope and making me a candidate of a new life promised to all who believe. I believe in my heart and confess with my mouth that I accept you as my lord and saviour. Come into my life and refresh my existence. Amen”

If you have said that prayer, CONGRATULATIONS, you are BORN AGAIN. Your Spirit man is now awakened and this begins the process of the regeneration of your mindset so that the devil will no longer cheat you again.

Get in touch with a local bible believing church to share your experience and get support as you start to fulfil your God given “Divine Destiny”.

You can also message me on facebook, call me or text me on 07874156104 if you need any help as you grow in God.
God Bless you.

tobyMacLose My Soul

Music Video Codes By Music Jesus.com

Divine Destiny - Too Busy

"Divine Destiny - Too Busy"

In this fast paced world that we live in right now, being busy has almost become the norm for everyone. From school days to university days to office days to every other day, everyone seems to wish that the day is longer than 24 hours.

To be busy is to be actively or fully engaged or occupied. So when you are too busy, then you are ‘too’ all of the above.

We probably know some people who claim “they are too busy to eat” [I say and do that sometimes], but we also know that, lack of food is detrimental to the sustained functioning of the human body. Hence, being too busy to eat is not a good idea [fact].
In fact, if you are busy doing anything, a balanced diet should be one of them.

We have to be busy though; we have to be doing something.
Apart from the insanity that boredom and stagnancy can bring, you should be aware that the devil finds work for idle hands.
A step into making sure the devil is not using you is to be doing something [hoping that thing is not the devil’s work]

Jesus also said in Luke 19:13 “....occupy till I come” [more on that later]

The pressing question is what are you busy doing?
Are you too busy doing your 9 – 5 or 6 - 6 job that you ignore the things that really matter in life?
Are you too busy doing coursework and writing exams when you should be playing free kicks on the football pitch and restructuring your education around your football career?

Are you too busy on the phone, too busy sleeping, too busy playing, too busy talking, too busy partying or even too busy thinking, in expense of fulfilling your destiny?

Are you too busy doing the wrong things?

Scientifically, work is done when a force moves a body a certain distance.
If you carry a load weighing 10kg (100N) on your head, and you stand stationary, the amount of work done by you is zero.

Work done = force x distance moved (100N x 0 = 0)

To be a little bit lenient, let’s say your scalp compresses by 0.5mm (0.5 x 10-3m) under the influence of the load, then:

Work done = force x distance moved (100N x (0.5 x 10-3m) = 0.05J

If you now squat a distance of 1m and back up again with the load on your head, then your work done is approximately 200J.

Question!!!!!
Is there a reason for carrying that load on your head?
Do you know the purpose, because recognisable work is done when the force moves a certain distance and accomplishes a purpose or better put achieves the right result.

Are you covering the distance that leads to fulfilling your Divine Destiny?

Martha and Mary are busy individuals who engage in a lot of things.
In Luke 10, the bible tells the story of Jesus and these two sisters.
Martha was too busy making ready and putting all things together to be a good hostess that she couldn’t sit down with Jesus.
Almost in the same way, Mary was too busy sitting at Jesus’ feet, listening, that she couldn’t help Martha out with the preparations.

Martha voiced out her concern saying “Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

Jesus will not be fooled by this singular concern of ‘lack of help’ so He responded
“"Martha, Martha ...you are worried and upset about many things..."

Many things!!!!! I thought it was just one thing, but Jesus knew better and finally He said
"But only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

What are you busy doing?

Proverbs 22:29 (AMP)
Do you see a man diligent and skilful in HIS BUSINESS? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.

It is not about being diligent and skilful alone, it is also about “your business”. Are you doing your business or you are busy with someone else’s.

Luke 19:13 says “..... Do business till I come”. Another translation says “...occupy till I come” and when the master came, he asked of the servants according to each person’s business.

Have you ever wondered that the servant that didn’t do any business [who hid the mina] probably helped one of the successful ones, either by giving ideas, being a critic or just giving encouragement – not minding his own business!!!

We have to be occupied, not just because it is good, or it keeps the devil away, but because Jesus said we should.

In my last two posts:
‘Too untalented’ assures you that God has given you the required capabilities to fulfil your Divine Destiny.

‘Too afraid’ elaborates on the gigantic nature of God’s plan for your life and the importance of knowing that fear (cowardice or timidity) is not in your nature/being [2 Timothy 1:7]

In this post, the admonition is to keep busy “Doing the right thing”.

What is the right thing you may ask, what has God planned for me to do on this earth?

I am currently on that journey with a “Purpose Driven Life” course which will finish in 5 weeks. If you want me to share my experience, please let me know.

In conclusion, God is happy when you do His will, so why not say this prayer to Him:

“God, if you are there and you really care, please show me my purpose on earth, because I want to be busy doing the right thing.”

Divine Destiny - Too Afraid

Following on from my last post “Too Untalented”, I am hoping that you have been encouraged and motivated to begin the process of finding out and using your talent to glorify God.

Remember this series is about day to day hindrances to walking in Divine Destiny.

“Divine Destiny – Too Afraid”

http://www.robertamsterdam.com/prodi_scream.jpg


I am very tempted to start by saying “fear is the opposite of faith”... Ooops, did I just say it???...

Ok, let’s take it from here. Fear, acted out, is an emotional response of some sort to danger or possibly threat.

The concept of fear is broad and cuts across all disciplines as it is widely regarded as one of the innate emotions that we possess as humans.

However, for this series, I am concentrating on the fear that is responsible for you not achieving your Divine destiny.

This fear often expresses itself in anxiety [fear of something that is yet to happen, or anticipation of a future occurrence].

To be more direct, a very familiar phrase is “What if I fail”?
Some fearful positive thinkers say “What if I don’t succeed”? Claiming they don’t use the negative word “fail” – a ‘half full glass’ mantra.

Many successful men and women in the world today will tell you that “trying is the first step towards fulfilment”
If you do not try, then you do not have any probability to succeed. So we say the probability to succeed with a fear of trying is zero or better put, I say:

“To stop trying is to have failed.... because you can never succeed without trying... It’s like football... you cannot win a game by not scoring... you may not loose... but you will not win."

– Emmanuel Onitiju

Notice I did not say ‘to not try is to have failed’, rather ‘to stop trying...’
I know you have tried, are trying, and still trying, and until you breakthrough, then don’t give up.
During a Sunday sermon, my Pastor shared the story of Abraham Lincoln (learn from failure), and, what courage the 16th President of USA has to continue trying again and again without giving up.

A search through the word of God – ‘the Bible’, gives examples of people who were ‘too afraid’ when it came to fulfilling their Divine Destinies.
Sometimes this feeling of fear comes from our feeling of inadequacy, but have you seriously thought about it?
You will always feel inadequate because, God almighty, the creator of the universe wants to do something and he has chosen you.

It is high time you stopped feeling and start participating, stopped thinking and starting acting, stop fearing and start believing. – Emmanuel Onitiju

What excuses have you been giving, that is feeding your “too afraid” state of mind?
Moses said he is slow of speech
Noah was a drunk
Abraham was very old
Jacob was a trickster
Rahab was a harlot
Zaccheaus was too small and you may be too big
This is what the bible says:

2 Timothy 1:7
“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.

The Greek word translated timidity or fear is “Deilia” meaning cowardice and that is the only time the word occurred in the New Testament.
The person that you really are [a Spirit being] does not have cowardice in the makeup.
Do you know why these are given Spirits? Because God knows that in yourself [flesh] you are limited in what you can do, so you are expected to maintain a connection with the Spirit so that Love, Power and Sound Mind can become alive in your life.

I am now confident enough to say “fear [in context] is the opposite of faith”
Divine Destiny is the blueprint of God for your life.
God’s plan for your life is gigantic; so much so that it is only Him, working through you, can make it happen.
I am tempted therefore to say that because the plan is so big, it is natural for you to be afraid, but that is not true.

Fear (grk: Deilia) is not in your nature, therefore it is necessary that we walk in faith as we press towards the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Arise and step forward to be counted, you are taking what is yours, and nothing can stop you.
“Stop being too afraid... start being tuned in faith”

Divine Desitny - Too Untalented

In my church, the month of May is our month of “Divine Destiny” and I am posting a 4 Part series on the same topic, however, dealing with physical day to day limitations that inhibits our climb to achieving our God given destinies.

Check this American Untalented video and see talent - not singing....

TOO UNTALENTED

If any work/project is to be done, believe me, there must be resources available.

Simply put: lack of resources = abandoned projects.

When people say I’m too untalented [or good for nothing, useless, waste of space etc] the next question is to ask them, is that a fact or fiction?

WHY?

I believe there can be people who are untalented!!!!!!!!

Now before you stone me, accuse me of blasphemy or close your browser (as if it has been possessed), just give me a few minutes to explain the predicament of untalentedness, if anything can be called thus.

Matthew 25:14 – 30, tells the parable of the talent, describing what the “Kingdom of heaven is like”.

All the servants were given talents according to their abilities. To the first servant, he gave 5 talents, to another, 2 talents, and to one just 1 talent.

The talent(s) that you have are a reflection of your ability.

“Do you want to know how good you can be? Then, check how good you already are.”
- Emmanuel Onitiju

The first servant had 5 talents, traded with them and in return, made another 5.
The second servant had 2 talents, traded with them and made another 2
The third servant dug the ground, hid the Lord’s talent, and was bold enough to vehemently show his rejection of the task the master gave him.

Vs 28 “Therefore, take the talent from him......”

At a particular point in the life of the 3rd servant, he became untalented.
Initially, the servants never knew they had talents until the Lord of the house revealed it to them.
After the revelation, the servants assumed the role of taking care of, nurturing and growing the talent until the day of accountability. However, due to the 3rd servant’s handling of his talent, it was taken away from him... and he became untalented.

I hope by now, you are in deep reflection of the possibility of becoming untalented, but before you put yourself down, or jump for joy that your suspicion about you being untalented is now biblically proven, it is important that you understand the process of becoming untalented.


1.) Firstly, you have to have found your talent.

2.) Secondly you must have underperformed, been wasteful and not made “ANY” returns on your talent, and

3.) Thirdly the Lord of the house must have come back to make you account for the talent(s). Until these happen, you CANNOT be untalented.


You will be glad to know that if you are reading this, you are not dead yet, and if Jesus has not come, there is NO WAY you can be untalented.
It is true you may not have found it yet, but that you don’t have any talent is false.

Now that it is established that you are talented, and your talent is an indicator of your ability, then your ability is necessary to achieve a certain goal.

1 Peter 4:10 – 11
“As each of you has received a gift (a particular spiritual talent, a gracious divine endowment), minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ABILITY which GOD SUPPLIES, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever Amen

Your talent(s) and the corresponding abilities are for the glorification of God.

Matthew 5:16
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

And in John 15:8
“When you bear (produce) much fruit, My Father is honoured and glorified, and you show and prove yourselves to be true followers of Mine.

Jesus said, bearing fruit which glorifies the father makes us His (Jesus’) followers.
All through Jesus’ life, a constant theme that is at the forefront of his mission is to do the will of His Father, so that the father might be glorified in the Son.
In other words, Jesus’ endowment i.e. talents were all used to help him fulfil the will of God on earth.
In order to achieve His aim on earth, and accomplish the deeds of His “Divine Destiny”, Jesus applied his talents and corresponding abilities to fulfil the will of the father.

Jesus has called us to be his followers, and also made it clear that as we follow him, our purposes in life are different.

Mark 8:34
“When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me”

Your cross is your cross, hence the uniqueness of your talent(s) according to your ability.
There is a plan fashioned by God for your life, and He has given you the combination of resources that you would need to make it.
Using your talents bring glory to God as you apply them to the purpose for which they were given.

Divine Destiny is the blue print of your life made by God.

If you want to bring glory to God, you need to do His will, doing his will means walking in Divine Destiny.
Divine Destiny calls on the provision of your talents and the ability that God has given you.

All that will be thrown away if you “hala, shout, whisper, mutter or think that you are not talented.”

You are talented... and you need to use those talents to glorify God.

If you want to be untalented – simple – bury your talent and wait for Jesus to come back. ------------- Now I know you wouldn’t do that... right?

The word is “Let your light so shine....that they may glorify your Father”

IOU (Obedience)

Obedience

1 John 5:3, John 14:15, John 15:10, Genesis 35:1, 7

The main aim of this teaching is to alert you to the fact that ‘obedience’ is not a choice. I know this may sound very untrue and hard to grasp, but it is my aim that, to the best of my knowledge, I would be able to make things clear.

Concept 1: Free will
Free will is simply the ability for us, humans, to choose our actions. And it is a gift from God. God gave us the ability to choose what we want to do. Irrespective of situation or circumstance, however, there are other reasons why we don’t just choose things. In every human, free will is present and ultimate. Free will is above every other of our choices.

Concept 2: Choices
Apart form the influence of free will; we (humans) also have a lower level of decision making called - choices.
In this context, we choose without necessarily drawing from the power of free will.

It is this dimension of choice that I say obedience is not based on.
Obedience is not something you choose whether to do or not, obedience is part of the make up of life.

It will be clear in the course of this teaching that our perspective of obedience affects our disposition towards it.
As long as we think obedience is a choice, we put ourselves in a position to choose for or against it.

Example:
As an engineer, we design a lot of things, including lifts. For every lift designed, there is a maximum capacity (i.e. load it can carry). This is boldly written in the lift. This warning requires obedience, and you really do not have a choice on whether to obey or not. The limit is part of the design of the lift. (Obedience is part of the make up of life)
If you disobey, you will face the consequences, (i.e. lift being stuck or get broken, endangering lives). However, you should know that the consequences of disobedience were not designed with you in mind. You were not the reason for the stated punishment.
The punishment also was part of the design.

When God told Adam not to eat of the tree in the middle of the Garden of Eden, God was not trying to test Adam or put him in a risky situation. That instruction was just part of the design of the garden. And surely there were consequences for disobeying.

The laws of a nation are put in place not because they are looking for people to jail, but because that is the design for a peaceful nation for all the inhabitants.
In fact, if you obey, you are not doing anyone a favour; you are only doing your part in making the design work.
Your parent giving rules about certain things is their way of making your life better. It may not be right, but once you know obedience is not a choice, you can work your way backwards and find the ultimate design for that situation.

Concept 3 – Better than sacrifice

1 Samuel 15 vs. 22: “Obedience is better than sacrifice”. Adam disobeyed and the sacrifices of animals could not restore the relationship with God.
The sacrifice of Jesus brought us back to God – those who are willing.

When you acknowledge that God is the creator of the universe, then you will realise that whatever He tells you to do is part of the ultimate design.... and obedience becomes part of the package.
When can you disobey?

Ø When it is not part of the ultimate design.
Ø When it goes against God’s will.

In conclusion, obedience is a short cut to gaining other’s trust.

IOU (INTEGRITY)

INTEGRITY




Integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. (OALD)
Integrity is the basing of one's actions on an internally consistent framework of principles.

Integrity is a personal choice. However, as humans and as Christians, our integrity has to be based on God’s laws.
In simple terms, I will define integrity as

“Godly principles that we choose to live by individually and consistently”

Integrity makes people respect you.
One of the reasons (amongst many) that people are bullied either as adults or young adults is because they are too simple.
People will carry you the way you carry yourself.
If you present yourself as unserious, disrespectful and abusive, people will react to you just like that.
In short, without integrity, people will walk over you.

How can we obtain integrity?

Draw a Line, then draw a second line – Be conscious of your limits. The first line will tell you the things you would like to do or not do in other to become a man or woman of integrity. The second line on the inside will serve as a safety margin to help you stick to your principles .

Become aware of choices – Head or tail do not work, make conscious effort to choose right in accordance to the principles you want to live by.

Accountability – You can’t do it all alone. Find someone you can be reporting to, to help in the times of trouble. It will help you stay on track.

Indicators of Integrity

The golden rule: “Do unto others as you would like them to do to you” (Luke 6 vs. 31). Integrity requires you to understand the need for consistency in warfare (daily living). As written by an author, knowledge and imagination are required to work this rule. Firstly, you must know the effects of your actions, and secondly you must be able to put yourself in the position of the recipient and ask yourself “can I take what I have just given”

Size does not matter: Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. (Luke 16 vs. 10). Are your actions in small matters or small environments the same as those in bigger ones? When you are alone and no one is watching do you still do the things you proclaim as good? Or you are like a chameleon that changes to the colour of the environment.

YES = YES: Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. (Matthew 5 vs. 37). A confused soldier is on his/her way to defeat. Likewise, if you, as a soldier are giving false information or confusing the people around, then you are just whiskers away from defeat because very soon no one will believe whatever you have to say.

Living a life of integrity is a must for us believers, albeit it may be hard, but the battle is always on and more importantly, God’s grace is sufficient.

PEOPLE LOVER

PEOPLE LOVER

I have always been around the circle of individuals that think 'people' are very crucial.



If you pause to meditate on the statement above, you could conclude that I probably recently graduated from the animal kingdom to being human, because obviously we 'people' are crucial.

Without people the world would not have been what it is today. The built environment, the infrastructures that we see and use, the advancement in technology, the transports systems, all influenced and made by people.
I mean, without people, it is unimaginable what the cockroaches et al would have turned this world into.

People are crucial, is a statement that is indisputable.

Take iconic structures for example, say, Guantanamo Bay, designed by people, built by people, to be used by people, to help some other people, protect some people, and provide jobs for other people.
It is all with the people in mind, isn’t?

However, when I say people are crucial, I am not talking about people as a congregation of hate lovers, or love haters, but rather, I'm talking about you and your relationship with 'people'.

Are you a people lover or a Lone ranger?

Experience, some say is the best teacher, but I say, to be taught by experience can be brutal. You really don't want to start building a car or designing a television or inventing the fluorescent bulb all over again, some people have done it before, learn from them.

Is there a journey you want to take? Find someone that has taken such, and cut your journey time.

Is there something you want to start? Get help.



Alas, for you “I can do it myself” type, the lone ranger has a horse and (Tonto)...






Don't cherish isolation, even Guantanamo Bay, is being closed down.

You need people to get you to where you are going.

Be a people lover.

Obama needed a McCain to become America's first black president.
Freida Pinto and Dev Patel needed a Danny Boyle to become overnight Oscar Winners and thrown into the world of fame.

We all need a helping hand... Don't be like the man in the pit, hands in pocket and expecting to be pulled out.... That means he'll have to be pulled out by the neck - he may not make it.

If you are not a people lover you may end up biting the hand that is meant to feed you...
You don't want that do you?

Exactly!!!!

HOTN - NEWNESS

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Thank you for taking the time out to you all as I introduce to you the final part of the series HOTN.

It is my prayer that 2009 will be a year of accomplishment for you in Jesus Name.

In this “Thanksgiving” series, we have talked about “The Heritage Of The Nation” as our possession, when we thank God for those things that He is yet to do. (HOTN).
I wrote about Hospitality, Oracles, Teachings and today Newness.

Newness is walking in and believing that if God has said it, then He will surely perform it.

I know you are still thanking him for a child He is yet to give, but is your Moses’ basket ready?

Are you prepared for the things you are thanking him for?

It’s time you start believing and walking in your new found promise. Do something different that will glorify God.

Expectation is the door, preparation is the key. If you are thanking God for it, you must be expecting it, but be prepared also. God will not go back on His word.

The virgins in the parable of the 10 virgins all knew the master was coming (Matthew 25). They all probably praised their God for the possibility of going home with the groom.
When the groom came, he met and took only 5; the others were left behind because they were not prepared.

Don’t be like the foolish virgins.

Being a virgin is not enough; you have to be wise to make it.

HOTN - TEACHINGS

Quick question:
What has God promised you? Do you know them? What has he revealed unto you, do you remember them?

Consider how hard it could be to express thanksgiving for nothing or randomly.

“I just want to thank you.” Even the person you are talking to would ask, for what?

Communication is an integral part of any relationship, and God is constantly talking to each and every one of us.
The things He says to you form the basis for your expectation and thanksgiving.

Do you take notes?

Show me a Christian without a journal, and I'll show you a Christian that finds it hard to thank God (for what is yet to do).

Habakkuk 2:2
“write the vision, and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.”

God knows the importance of you remembering His promises which are in His words to you (Rhema & Logos), that's why He looked into new 'technology' to work it.

God Said
"…..I will take away a heart of stone, and give you a heart of flesh…..” "….I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts….” (Ezekiel 36:26, Jeremiah 31:33)

If you don't know the story of Jehoshaphat, please read the account in 2 chronicles 20.

He was an example of someone that was well taught and who took notes...
When the kings came to attack Judah, Jehoshaphat went to God and explained what he knew about the situation ----- from his notes:

2 Chronicles 20: 5 -17

Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the LORD in the front of the new courtyard and said:
"O LORD, God of our fathers, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you.
O our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? They have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying, 'If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.'
"But now here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not destroy them. See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance. O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you."
All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the LORD.

God was moved at such an informed conversation and God answered

'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.

Jehoshaphat was confident enough to put singers as his lead army because he knew what God has said.

Henceforth, make an effort; start keeping a journal of God's promises for you. It will dramatically enhance your disposition towards thanking him.
If you have forgotten some of them, then pray to God again to reveal them to you afresh.

Remember:

"Show me a Christian without a journal, and I'll show you a Christian that finds it hard to thank God (for what is yet to do)."

HOTN - ORACLES

ORACLES

In talking about oracles, I am talking about the unchangeable Word of God.

The Psalmist said (Psalm 138:2) "For You have magnified Your word above all Your name." and Isaiah reiterated the efficacy of this word, saying (Isaiah 55:11) – “it will not return void, without fulfilling the purpose for which it was sent”.

Without messing about with your intellectual head, this simple fact of ‘accomplishment’ assured me that Jesus would not have squandered His mission on earth, because He is the Word of God – the same word that must not return without fulfilling its mission.

Now, trying to live a life of ‘Thanksgiving’ requires that you know what the unchangeable Word says about thanksgiving.
There are many references to ‘Thanksgiving’ in the bible and I would implore you to be aware and responsive to these anytime you are studying the word of God, because only a few can be mentioned here.

I pray that the Holy Spirit will expound these words in your heart and grant you the grace to embrace a life immersed in ‘Thanksgiving’.

Through the whole of the bible, God’s children are advised, admonished, enjoined, beseeched etc to know, follow and do the will of God.
Jesus said
“For whoever does the will of God is my brother and my sister and mother.” (Mark 3:35)

However, the will of God varies from situation to situation, person to person, and in this age of the Holy Spirit, is very personal (but never contradictory to God’s Word).
God, through His word has revealed different parts of His will to us; nonetheless, we just tend to be ignorant of these.

1 Thessalonians 5:18
“In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”

Other similar ‘Will of God’ include – sanctification (1 Thessalonians 4:3), doing good (1 Peter 2:15) etc.

The word of God (oracle) says, ‘give thanks’.

In obeying the word of God:

“…….You shall make your way prosperous and have good success” (Joshua 1:8)

That brings to mind one of the famous lines of Jesus “Father I thank you”.

John 15:7
“If you abide in me and my words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” - So don’t be surprised when thanksgivers thank their way into their Heritage Of The Nations.

The last hint on this post is this – there is a time factor too…. How long do you want to be in your heritage for?

1 John 2:17 “And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”

Follow the ORACLES

“Thanksgiving is an act of obedience.” – DO IT

HOTN - HOSPITALITY

Thanking God for what He has done is an obligation (don’t you think?). If you do something for someone, courtesy demands that the person appreciates you. If they don’t, as humans, you know what you’ll be thinking - I will not do things for the person again. If we don’t thank God for what He has done for us, it is just sheer lack of cognisance and respect. Therefore in the whole of this series, ‘Thanksgiving’ is used regarding appreciating God for who He is and for the things he is yet to do for you, not for the things He has done.

HOSTPITALITY

While I am trying to keep this series short and concise, I want to take my time to explain why this is one of the foundations of Christian living.
What exactly is hospitality?

Simply defined, Hospitality is the quality or disposition of receiving and treating guests and strangers in a warm, friendly and generous way.

In relation to thanksgiving, being hospitable is saying “God, this is what you have given me, I am expecting more, but in my expectation, I am sharing and giving what I have.

If you are thanking God for what He is yet to do, then there is no better way to express your lack of faith (unbelief) than when your expectation is not followed through by a lifestyle of hospitality.

You are simply saying:
“God I am thanking you because I know you will do it, but I can’t let go of some of what you have given me because ......., well, you may not do it.

Folks, “If thanksgiving is an act of faith, Hospitality is the works behind it.”

Hospitality has nothing to do with whether you are rich or poor. Some may argue that being rich makes it easier to be hospitable, but hospitality is a mindset that shines through every ounce of our lives, irrespective of whether we have or have not.

Jesus said Mathew 25 31:44
“......for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.......”

The bible never mentioned whether or not they had more than enough to give – think about it.

In fact, when the widow of zarephath told Elijah “This meal is for me and my son to eat and then die”, Elijah said (paraphrased) If you want more, then show hospitality out of the little/lack that you have, cook for me first.
The widow obeyed – showed hospitality in the midst of lack, and abundance was given unto her. (1 kings 17: 8 - 16)

Abraham was praying to God for a child. One day, angels in the form of men were passing by on a mission to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah.
I would like to think they were equipped with spiritual weapons of mass destruction.
Abraham showed hospitality to them, and the angels took time out from the message of death and destruction to pronounce a blessing of life and multiplication to Abraham.

You may ask; does this really work?

Just a few hours later, Abraham’s nephew Lot, replicated the act of hospitality, and the angels ensured He was safe before they destroyed the city. We were never told whether or not Lot was asking anything from God, but through Hospitality, He was able to survive the destruction that he never knew was imminent. (Genesis 18 & 19)

I could talk about, Melchizedek the King of Salem, Rahab the harlot and David the king, who all made Hospitality their lifestyles.

If you want to live a life of thanksgiving, start showing hospitality. Again always remember:

“If thanksgiving is an act of faith, Hospitality is the works behind it.”

HOTN - Heritage Of The Nations (1)

Hello to you all and welcome to this new series on Thanksgiving.. I pray that as you take this journey, God will gracefully endow you with a heart of gratitude.
Doing God's will is our ultimate aim on earth, and brethren, this is God's will - Thanksgiving (1 Thessalonians 5 vs. 18)

HOSPITALITY

Hospitality should not be a ‘last card’ option, but rather, should be a daily living practice. When hospitality becomes a lifestyle, it shows a heart that is constantly thanking God. When we are warm, caring, accommodating and engage in sharing, it means we are thanking God for the things He has given us in expectation that He will do more. Hospitality was a lifestyle to Abraham’s family, and when his nephew Lot showed hospitality to the angels, God gave him more to thank Him for – surviving the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18 & 19)

to be continued...... (on monday)

Divine Wisdom (Head Service - Partiality)

Head Service (Partiality)

Simply put 'Head Service 'is running the show carnally and can be defined as
“When the agenda of man becomes the benchmark for a Godly cause”

'Head Service' in biblical terms means partiality.
As Eye Service is eating away the goodies of being a Christian, Head Service is the catalyst that encourages this obnoxious act.
Wanting to give bribe is not enough, there must be someone on the other side who would gladly or is willing to accept.
In essence, they go together, hand in hand... Head Service and Eye Service.

If the journey down wisdom lane is to go by, this is a very important reason to stay in the place of prayer until Divine wisdom is given.
Hear what the prophet said about Jesus - Isaiah 11 vs. 3 - 5
Vs 3 - "He would not judge by Head Service (paraphrased)" because the fullness of the spirit was upon him (including the Spirit of Wisdom).

If Eye Service is prominent in peer to peer and follower to leader relationships, Head Service is seen in peer to peer and leader to follower relationships.

Jesus our great shepherd was careful and equipped with enough to strike out the use and attached problems of head service.

John 8 vs. 28 – 29
“…. I do nothing of myself….The father has not left me alone, for I always do those things that please him.”

God our creator is an impartial God (Romans 2:11) who is no respecter of anyone (Acts 10:34).

Our nature as humans play a prominent role in our willingness to participate in ‘Head Service’, hence unlike some other misdoings, this requires a sober approach.
First, the bible says the Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41).

The bible also says to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace (Romans 8:6). And you would agree that to be carnal can be simply described as to be human…to be man…And there is a way that seems right to a man, but the end is destruction.
Folks, this is the destination of head service.

Why do we engage in ‘Head Service’?

1.) There is pressure on spiritual leaders to make decisions i.e. deliver....NOW, and that simply means leaders tend to act before they could hear God – be it leading a group or leading your personal life.

2.) We live in the era of grace, so the consequences of disobedience are not swiftly experienced as they probably were in the past. This probably accounts for why we don't know who is following God or their ‘Head’. Take Uzzah (2 Samuel 6: 6-7) and Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 4:32-5:10) as examples.

3.) People force the Spirit out. It is different to be under pressure not to hear God, but it is criminal when we consciously block out the Holy Spirit just so He does not convict us of the things we do.

4.) People not hearing right. Not every one is guilty of fraud, but many people are ignorant about the choices make.

5.) Lack of faith. Some people hear God, think it over, but probably because what God says does not make human sense, or seem hard to achieve, they choose the option that appeals to their nature.

As earlier mentioned, it takes a sober and conscious approach to side step the traps of head service. Yes, sometimes we may fall short, but God's grace is sufficient. Stay connected to the Holy Spirit and let Divine wisdom find expression in your life.

Divine wisdom is not partial and that is what we should strive to be - impartial in our involvements on earth.

Divine Wisdom (Hypocrisy)

James 3 vs. 17

The Wisdom from above is without partiality and hypocrisy.

The dangers of ‘head service’ and ‘eye service’

Don’t get lost yet, eye service, you probably have heard of but head service?…hmmm, probably not.

Eye service is in itself hypocrisy. Pretending to be what you are not, especially whilst performing a form of service. Be it at work, in church, at home etc.

This series has been about spirituality (i.e. Godly/Divine wisdom) and devoid of any particular reference to how we do church, but this time, we are going to pass by church.

Church has different meanings to different people (don’t be surprised). Some people say church is a place, and some people say church is the people. The truths is, both are correct, (and before you stone me), I mean, superficially – if I am speaking grammar, church becomes a building, if I am speaking kingdom, church is the people.
From the early days, hypocrisy had been a major problem for God’s people. At a point, God said through Prophet Isaiah “This people honour me with their mouth, but their heart is far from me”.
In Jesus’ days, the Pharisees were masters of ‘eye service’. Amongst many situations, this was seen when Jesus taught about fasting. Jesus said “When you fast, do not be like the hypocrites…”
At the start of the church movement after Jesus ascension, hypocrisy was still very much in existence. The bible tells the story of Ananias and Saphira, who sold their possessions for God, but took some back. The Holy Spirit made a swift and fatal appearance.

In our today world, ‘Service’ is being hailed as what gives competitive advantage and the church is not left out, more often than not, service in church has been a straight forward route for hypocrites to operate. Hypocrisy, though widely practised, has damaging repercussions – God knows those who are His.
If you are by chance or by choice a hypocrite, then you don’t have the wisdom of God in you – FACT. The wisdom from above is without hypocrisy. Let me bring this home, if you’ve decided to get involved just so you can show people that you can do it, there is no wisdom in that.

Before Jesus fed the 5000 men + women and children, He saw their hunger for God (wanting to know Him), and He was moved with compassion. After eating, these same people sought after Jesus early the next day, but their focus had changed. Jesus said, no, you are now looking for me because of the food I gave you. They were still searching, going to church, working in departments, preaching, singing, but Jesus saw beyond that, he saw their hearts which was far away from Him…… HYPOCRISY.

How about you?
Hypocrisy can creep into our lives when we don’t pay attention to our service to God. This post is not about condemning anyone, but that through this knowledge, we might ask God for wisdom. When you open the package of wisdom, folks, there is no hypocrisy in it… and that is exactly what we need.
Divine Wisdom

Divine Wisdom (Full of Mercy)

James 3: 17

The wisdom from above is full of mercy/compassion.

How many times have we as christians shown resentment and vengeance?

But when you have the wisdom of God, you get with it an empowerment to show compassion.

Your supernatural ability to resolve issues (divine wisdom) brings with it the innate responsibility of being moved to action (compassion).

Jesus showed compassion all through his life on earth. From healing the sick, feeding the 5 thousand and ultimately dying for you and me, and in the process praying for his killers - "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." - (Luke 23 vs. 34)

Question is, which one came first, the compassion or the wisdom?
Was Jesus naturally merciful, then wisdom added later? Or vice versa i.e. did he have wisdom, then learnt/shown to be merciful?

In Isaiah 11 vs. 1-2, the bible tells us of the 7 Spirits of God that will rest on Jesus. Included in this list is the Spirit of Wisdom, but the fullness of the Holy Spirit came after he was water baptised, so before then, did he lack wisdom... And hence compassion?

The bible tells us in Luke that the child grew in strength and wisdom. Whaoooo!!!!!!!!! (Luke 2 vs. 52)
Jesus, from an early age received the wisdom from above (the same wisdom that is full of mercy.)
From that age, he grew up being merciful. That same wisdom is available to you. James 1 vs. 5 says if any lack wisdom, let him ask.

If you want to know how to be merciful, then this wisdom is what you need because it is full of mercy. With this wisdom, that one sheep becomes important, you see the Zacchaeus on the tree, and you get a revived compassion for the lost souls.

Divine Wisdom (Willing to Yield)

The wisdom from above is... “Willing to yield”. James 3 vs. 17

Some other translations use words like “reasonable”, easily entreated”, “submissive”, “and sensible”.
At first encounter, I was confused to learn about divine wisdom that is submissive.
How can the ultimate solution to any problem be submissive and submissive to what exactly?

It is not imaginable that the divine wisdom we crave has a characteristic of “willing to yield”.
Still mesmerized by this revelation, I paused to think, who could possibly make divine wisdom surrender?

I took a stern look at the life of Jesus, described as the “wisdom and power” of God and who is “from above”, to see if I can phantom what it means for wisdom to be ‘submissive’.

On quite a number of occasions, this wisdom (Jesus) epitomised what it means to be submissive. Paul described him in Philippians “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant”.

In Luke 23, Pilate asked him “are you the king of the Jews”, Jesus answered “It is as you say”.

I am sure, if I am the one, I would have given Pilate a piece of my mind.... exactly the reason why I need the Jesus kind of wisdom.

But I still think it goes against the norm if the solution that I know is effective has to “yield” to any other thing. Exactly how am I suppose to live with that?

This however is exactly what divine wisdom is about – yielding to God the giver.

Can you be patient enough not to spill the beans before God sanctions it? Can you trust God to be accurate concerning the execution of the idea He gave you?

The wisdom from above is divine, yet submissive, i.e. is constantly waiting for orders from God. Jesus confirmed, “I can only do the things I see my father do”.

Well, submissive wisdom exemplified. So should yours be.

Divine Wisdom (Gentle)

Over the past few weeks, I have been posting about the attributes of divine wisdom as written in James 3 vs. 17.

“The wisdom from above is... gentle...”

Gentleness is not only packaged with wisdom, it is also a fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5 vs. 22). This tells us that as Spirit filled Christians, we have to be gentle.
Being gentle should not be associated with being slow or sloppy. To be gentle is to be careful, show kindness and pay attention to detail.

Ladies have a way of coining that phrase “he’s so gentle”... but I will be surprised if they are referring to Jesus.
Jesus said about Himself “..... I am gentle and humble in heart....” (Matthew 11:29)
The bible bears witness to a wisdom filled Jesus express gentleness as never experienced before.
On the night of Jesus’ arrest, after he had been betrayed by one of his disciples, and another disciple tried defending Him by cutting off the High Priest’s servants ear.
In the midst of the chaos, Jesus said “...No more of this” and he touched the servants ear and healed him.

We also have been anointed of the Holy One, we have the Spirit of God on the inside, and therefore we are gentle.
It does not matter what people have said about your character, tell yourself that was in the past. If you are born again you have the Spirit of God on the inside.... that means you are gentle on the inside and it high time you start expressing that gentleness on the outside.

Remember Divine Wisdom is gentle, if you can’t find gentleness in that solution... Please have a good look again... it might not be Divine.

“...Wisdom puts light in the eyes, And gives gentleness to words and manners...”
(Ecclesiastes 8:1) (The Message)

DIVINE WISDOM (PEACEABLE)

James 3 vs. 17
“The wisdom from above is ….. Peaceable….”… or peace loving….” ……or peaceful...”

Whenever we think about wisdom, one of the first things that come to mind is “resolution without conflict”, the ability to solve complex problems or make seemingly impossible decisions in a peaceful way.

Peace follows on the trail of wisdom and it is not surprising because the wisdom from above as in James 3 vs. 17 is peace loving. As mentioned in an earlier post (PURE), divine wisdom comes in the form of instructions or revelations from God concerning a matter. An evidence of hearing right is something termed the “Inner Peace”. There may be trouble around, or the situation may be chaotic, but Godly instructions (divine wisdom) releases peace into the heart.

In 2 chronicles 20, some nations colluded to fight against Judah. After the people sought the Lord, He responded:

2 chronicles 20 vs. 14 - 17
The Lord says this to you: Be not afraid or dismayed at this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.
16Tomorrow go down to them. Behold, they will come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the ravine before the Wilderness of Jeruel.
17You shall not need to fight in this battle; take your positions, stand still, and see the deliverance of the Lord [Who is] with you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Fear not nor be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.

King Jehoshaphat believed when God said “you will not need to fight in this battle”. An inner peace came into the heart of the people and this was evident when on the morning of the battle, they started singing praises unto God their deliverer.

Divine Wisdom does not just give peace on the inside. In the long term Divine wisdom also gives peace for all to see. Many a time, we wrongly assume that all God’s strategy will be in constant conflict with the physical world.
It is true that the bible says “God’s ways are different from our ways and His thought different from our thought”, but in the end, when we follow God’s leading, everything comes together in harmony. There will be an evidence of peaceful existence.

Wisdom says this about herself:

Proverbs 8 vs. 22 - 30
The Lord formed and brought me [Wisdom] forth at the beginning of His way, before His acts of old.
I [Wisdom] was inaugurated and ordained from everlasting, from the beginning, before ever the earth existed.
When there were no deeps, I was brought forth, when there were no fountains laden with water.
Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I was brought forth,
While as yet He had not made the land or the fields or the first of the dust of the earth.
When He prepared the heavens, I [Wisdom] was there; when He drew a circle upon the face of the deep and stretched out the firmament over it,
When He made firm the skies above, when He established the fountains of the deep,
When He gave to the sea its limit and His decree that the waters should not transgress [across the boundaries set by] His command, when He appointed the foundations of the earth--
Then I [Wisdom] was beside Him as a master and director of the work; and I was daily His delight, rejoicing before Him always,

Wisdom testifies to the peacefulness that reigns alongside her. The cosmos refers to a universe that is a complete, harmonious, and orderly system. . The physical world responds to the peace that divine wisdom brings as seen in creation.

In proverbs 16 vs. 7 the bible says

When a man's ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

A man whose ways please the lord is a man who walks uprightly with God…. And
….. No good thing will He (God) withhold from those who walk uprightly…..(Psalm 84 vs. 11)

Hence, if your ways please the lord, He will reveal things to you and give you divine wisdom which ensures peaceful living even among your enemies.

In 1 kings 3, King Solomon asked for wisdom, knowledge and understanding at the start of his reign and God gave him a wise and understanding heart.
This is an account of Solomon’s reign as king of Israel

1 kings 4 vs. 24 - 25
For he had dominion over all the region west of the [Euphrates] River, from Tiphsah to Gaza, over all the kings west of the River, and he had peace on all sides around him.
Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and fig tree, from Dan to Beersheba, all of Solomon's days.

The wisdom from above has a peaceful attribute. It not only gives an inner peace that enables us to trust and obey God, it also ensures an outward peace that provides evidence of our relationship with God even “our enemies will end up shaking our hand”.

DIVINE WISDOM (PURE)

James 3 vs 17

"But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy."
In the next few weeks, I will be blogging on divine wisdom. The core scriptural text is James 3 vs. 17.

It tells of the characteristics or attributes of divine wisdom and importantly how it differs from worldy wisdom.
Each of this attributes will be touched on, the need for us to use them as benchmarks for the wisdom we have conerning the obstacles we face and the things we need to do or not do for optimum results when implementint divine wisdom.
This post takes on the attribute of divine wisdom PURITY

PURE

The amplified bible says the wisdom from above is "undefiled".
On quite a number of grounds, we can confirm the truth in the purity of the wisdom from above. Because this wisdom is from above, it is from God, it is divine hence it is pure.
God will not give impure things. He is a Holy God.

"Be ye holy as I am holy” (1 Peter 1 vs. 16)

1John 3 vs. 1-3
Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.
Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

God who is holy and pure is the source and giver of divine wisdom (James 1 vs. 5). Divine wisdom comes from receiving instructions from God concerning a matter. A major avenue for receiving divine instructions is through the word of God, both the rhema (spoken) word and the logos (written) word.
The whole world was formed by the spoken word and in Timothy the written word is described thus:

(2 Timothy 3 vs. 15b - 17)
“and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
That the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.


The psalmist tells us something about this word in Psalm 12 vs. 6

"The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times."

In the opening scripture in James 3 vs. 17, the writer James gave us the attributes of the wisdom that is from above. This attributes are there to guide us in examining the kind of wisdom that we profess to possess.

Is the wisdom you claim to have concerning that matter pure?
Have you decided to get things done by hook or crook and intend to normalize it with a testimony at the end?
Or have you diluted the divine wisdom that God has given you?

The wisdom from above is pure, but can the same be said of the wisdom we implement.

Maintaining the purity of God’s instructions/revelation (i.e. Wisdom) from reception (from the time God gave us the instructions or showed us the revelation) to implementation (when we act based on what God has shown us) is our duty.

There are examples of people in the bible who through their actions contaminated the wisdom that God gave them.

Moses is a great man of God who had the privilege of speaking with God directly. At a point in the journey from Egypt to the promise land, the children of Israel started murmuring about their lack of water. As a leader, Moses was in a difficult position, and he prayed to God for help. God, the source of divine wisdom told Moses what he needed to do.

Numbers 20 vs 8
“Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals.”

As pure as this wisdom was at reception, things changed when it got to the implementation of the divine wisdom.

In verse 11
“Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank.”

Moses contaminated the wisdom with his anger. Instead of speaking to the rock as instructed, he struck the rock twice. Water still came out and the people drank, and to the people, Moses would have looked like a superhero, but God was not impressed. In fact, that action cost him entry into the promise land.

Verse 12
“Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”

How can we ensure the continued purity of God's wisdom?

Have a pure heart....
It will minimise our human tendencies to contaminate the pure wisdom from above.
Matthew 5 vs. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Pursue holiness….
Hebrew 12 vs. 14 Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
Divine wisdom is only possible when we have access to God and holiness becomes a prerequisite.
Don't settle for rough signals....
You may have started small in the business of hearing from God or knowing the mind of God but don't stay small.... Improve your reception. There is a possibility for us to not get the full picture of what God is showing us or saying to us. In the book of Jeremiah, God asked the prophet to look and the prophet described what he saw.... And God responded "you have seen well".... Meaning there was a chance for the prophet to have seen wrongly.

Be willing to obey…
Samuel told Saul “Obedience is better than sacrifice”. Sacrifice most of the time is a reactive measure to purify something that has been contaminated. We should strive to get to the place where God’s wisdom is kept pure so we wouldn’t have to resolve to sacrifices.