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Earn Understanding

Key Verse : "Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding ".(Proverbs 4:7) What should we understand? "having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever". (I Peter 1:23)The word of God is incorruptible which is living and eternal. ‘Living’ literally means it has life in it. If the ‘word of God’ is in you, it would do something as it has life. The ‘word of God’ doesn’t change; it is the same yesterday, today and forever. The ‘promise word’ you lean onto will keep doing what it is supposed to do. The ‘word of God’ is imperishable and it would never disappoint you. "He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions" (Psalms 107:20) Nobody can ever invalidate the ‘word of God’.“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in  the  thing for which I sent it". (Isaiah 55:10-11) If it is true that ‘word of God’ has life, it is incorruptible, eternal and it will do what it is exactly assigned for, why it is not materializing in our lives? Matthew chapter 13 tells about the different types of soil which include the seed sown along the pathway, among the rocks, thorns and in the good soil. These are soils in which the seed (‘word’) is sown. The people who represent the pathway soil listen to the ‘word’, but do not understand it. There is another set of people who don’t even listen to the ‘word’ ( Matthew 13:19) When we listen to the ‘word of God’ and do not understand it, the enemy takes out the ‘word’ from our hearts. If the ‘word’ is present in our hearts, it will definitely do what it is capable of and will do what it is assigned for. Now the question is, do we really have the ‘word’? If we just listen to the ‘word of God’ and do not understand it, it is of no use. We should ask for Holy Spirit’s help to understand the ‘word’."Is the seed still in the barn? As yet the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have not yielded fruit. But from this day I will bless you". (Haggai 2:19) We may have adverse situations around us, but if we have the ‘word’ in us, God will bless us from today itself. Hence it is critical that we should ask for Holy Spirit’s help to understand the ‘word of God’. "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power".(Ephesians 1:18-19)

I am With you

The promise that the Lord has given our church this month is from Jeremiah 1:19 "And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the Lord, to deliver thee".             God calls Gideon who was full of doubt and fear and says “The Lord  is  with you, you mighty man of valor!”(Judges 6:12). The Lord calls Jacob who was like a worm and tells him that he will thresh the mountains and beat them small and make the hills like chaff because The Lord will help him (Isaiah 41:14). He is a God who encourages us and comforts us daily saying "Fear not, for I am with you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand"(Isaiah 41:10). Do you feel surrounded by mountain like problems and opposition, which seem beyond your strength to bear? Do not be discouraged, for you have a God who raises the banner on your behalf as a mighty and terrible warrior! (Jer 20:11). The very reason he created us, was for His glory to be manifested through us.           The first secret for us to be victorious in our life is, to be focused on God who is always with us. We should fix our eyes on Him. Our focus should be on the truth that He is always with us. "They shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways"(Deut 28:7). Do not be afraid as soon as they come against you in one way.Be eager to see them flee before you in seven ways, because The Lord is with you!         Secondly, Focus on your victory. And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee. Come what may, even if they throw you into the furnace heated seven times higher, you will be prosperous through it all (Dan 6:28) The Lord tells Moses, “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel(Num 13:2) He sends them declaring their victory. Therefore celebrate your victory! Do not be afraid. This is a spiritual battle. So do not struggle with humans. "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand" (Eph 6:12‭-‬13).

The Word of God

Timothy 3:16,17"All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."The Word of God is very much essential for us to be equipped to fulfill the purpose of God in our lives and to overcome all the struggles that we face day-by-day .The Word of God is not so simple as the words of men. But it is powerful to revive our souls, trustworthy and perfect as it makes wise the simple (Psalms 19:7). Do you want to be thoroughly equipped and qualified to victoriously fulfill God's purpose? You need to spend time listening to what the LORD has to tell you. Make this your first-to-do everyday in your life. You will gain the heavenly strength needed to face the day (Psalms 17:15). Sometimes we feel we are so weak and dry to read and meditate the Word and more comfortable to read the Word when situations are favorable. But it is actually the other way round. “For there is hope for a tree, If it is cut down, that it will sprout again, And that its tender shoots will not cease. Though its root may grow old in the earth, And its stump may die in the ground, Yet at the scent of water it will bud And bring forth branches like a plant (Job 14:7-9) Although we may feel we are cut down from our element in life, the very Scent of the Word of God and the Holy spirit's presence (Water) is powerful to revive and restore us to fruitfulness. It is the sick who needs medicine and it is the weak who needs this uplifting strength that the Word of God has to offer. Psalmist David confesses that it is the Word of God which has been his comfort during the times of suffering (Ps 119:50). Another unique attribute of the word of God unlike any other books we may read, is that it is living and powerful, God- breathed, full of the Holy spirit (Hebrews 4:12,13).The Word of God, which is the eyes of God can penetrate into your spirit and evaluate and sense the thoughts and emotions you are feeling, the pain you go through, your expectations and the your areas of improvement needed in your life. That is why when we go expectantly to the Word of God, it can guide you far better than any other counsel you can receive from any book or human being. Sometimes, we may feel that we lose the word we receive, the promises spoken over our life. This is only because we do not believe that Jesus has paid the ransom for us to receive all that the Word of God promises us (John 5:38-40) Unless we claim and personalize that it is only because of Jesus's finished work on the Cross, we are qualified to receive the promises of God, we will know that it belongs to us and it can transform our lives. As we read it in Psalm 1:2,3, Blessed is the man who finds his delight in meditating the Word of God day and night. Let us encourage you all to have a prosperous and fruitful life, like that of a tree planted by streams of water when you go expectantly to the Word of God first everyday.

Resist your enemy

As believers, it is essential for us to be aware that we have battles that are spiritual. They are against the craftiness of the enemy, not his power (Eph 6:12). To stand against this craftiness of the enemy, God wants us to be armed with His whole armor (Eph 6:13). Apostle Paul expresses his fear over this craftiness while he writes to the believers in Corinth (2Cor 11:3). The craftiness of the enemy can be best understood from the event at the garden of Eden, where he took the form of a serpent to deceive Eve. When the serpent met Eve, he asked of her about the command which God gave Adam earlier (Gen 2:16,17). His cunning way of interrogation, caused Eve to confess a twisted statement of God’s command. God had earlier commanded Adam to “Freely” eat of every fruit of the garden (Gen 2:16), but the woman said that “We may eat” the fruit of every tree of the garden (Gen 3:2). As we look deep into it, we see that the woman missed the word “Freely” while talking to the serpent. This symbolises the omission of the Grace of God. The free gift or the liberty that God desires for man to enjoy. Along with the omission of Grace, the woman added up a command over the command for herself. While God spoke about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, He said that “You shall not eat of it” (Gen 2:17). But the woman added up along with that command, You shall not eat it, nor shall you “touch it” (Gen 3:3). We understand from these scriptures that the enemy used his craftiness to twist the word of God, causing to forget Grace. The enemy sometimes, also directly counters the word of God just as he did in Eden. While God said you shall “surely die” (Gen 2:17), the serpent said to the woman “you will not surely die” (Gen 3:4). Hence we need to discern it spiritually that whenever we hear voices from within or outside that counters the word of God, it is the voice of the enemy. The next thing the serpent did to man at this event was cutting off his dependency with God, convincing the woman that it is essential for man to know good and evil himself. Rather God wanted man to be dependent on Him concerning good and evil which is the heart of a good father. The enemy most importantly messed up the truth at Eden saying, when you eat of this fruit, you will be like God (Gen 3:5). But the truth is that man already is like God, created in His own image. The serpent therefore nullified this truth and made the woman believe that, they’re yet to become like God. These were the crafty acts of the enemy performed at the garden of Eden, resulting in the fall of Man. We right now live in a time where we enjoy the accomplishment of Jesus Christ to buyb us back what was lost to the enemy back in the garden of Eden. Yet we ought to be aware of the craftiness of the enemy which he still performs against the body of christ to deceive and deviate from the word of God. Just like how he twisted the word of God causing to forget the grace of God, countered the word of God, deceived to cut off dependence towards God and finally messed up the truth to agree to his lie, he still uses the same craftiness to make us fall from Grace. But we can resist this craftiness of the enemy with the power of God enabled through the bearing of His whole armour (Eph 6:13). Be equipped, stand your ground and win your battles.

Know your enemy

Spiritual warfare is something that is real and not a myth. Every believer needs to know that they got to face it (Eph 6:10-13). Yet, the truth is that we are conquerors in Christ. No believer in the kingdom of the loving Son can afford to escape this spiritual warfare. Certain chaos seem to get sorted out with ease in the natural realm. But if it doesn’t, it means that it needs to be looked from the spiritual perspective. The more we agree to the truth that we are called for warfare, much more we ought to agree to the truth that we are empowered for victory. The challenges that we believers face need not raise an aversion over victory or defeat. Victory is our destiny and the end result known. If we do not have the right discernment over these spiritual warfares, we might end up in defeat. The Bible says that we are called to stand the ground when the day of evil comes; not to waver (Eph 6:13). We have already received every spiritual blessing in Christ (Eph 1:3). The enemy is not powerful himself but crafty. Yet, craftiness is powerful enough to bring disaster. His craftiness works in a way to make us doubt in the finished work of Christ on the cross. Because he is a liar, he puts a lot of lies in our thoughts and his craftiness makes us buy and own those lies. Beware not to buy the lies of the enemy. Paul fears this craftiness that lead to diversion from the truth about Christ, when he writes to the believers in Corinth (2 Cor 11:3). As believers we need to refuse to believe those crafty lies. Standing your ground is but holding on to the truth that Christ has finished the work. When we stand our ground, we can see impossibilities in the natural, becoming possible in the spiritual leading to miracles.

The power of Godly wisdom

Wisdom is ought to be given the prime importance. Possessing wisdom is the wisest thing one can ever do (Prov 4:7). Wisdom requires a price to be paid to acquire it, since it is the most valuable possession. The 5th chapter in the book of Daniel records an incident that highlights the power of the spirit of wisdom that Daniel carried in him. He was sought to be a rescuer to King Belshazzar from his troubled thoughts. He was identified by spirit of wisdom that he carried. It was an excellent spirit with knowledge, understanding, ability to interpret dreams, to show enigmas and capabilities of loosing knots (Dan 5:12). This spirit of wisdom gains attention. He is the Holy Spirit that lives in us who can untie any difficult knot. Wisdom presents a beautiful crown of glory (Prov 4:9), while knowledge makes you heavy-headed. The Bible records about King Solomon who sought Wisdom, as the richest and the wisest king who ever lived on earth. Every king on earth who lived during his time sought his face, not because of his wealth but for his wisdom (2Chro 9:22,23). Though Solomon carried such a splendour and fame, Jesus Christ is indeed greater than him (Matt 12:42). He has got wisdom and knowledge as hidden treasures (Col 2:3). As we are in Christ, He himself has become our wisdom from God (1Cor 1:30). He is our head (brain) and we are his body. Thus we are complete in Him (Col 2:10). We have received the spirit of this Christ (Gal 4:6). Christ is our wisdom who can show us enigmas, interpret mysteries and untie knots. Be steadfast to receive and enjoy this spirit of wisdom without whom you’re missing out a beautiful and a successful life. Even the foolishness of God is wiser than the wisdom of this world (1Cor 1:25). We have received the spirit of this Super-wise God, from God himself (1Cor 2:12). This spirit is a promised gift to us (Gal 3:14), for which the price has been paid already. Hence don’t miss out on the blessings you are to receive through this spirit of wisdom. The spirit of the one who is indeed greater than Solomon.

Your way to Happiness

Happy living is undoubtedly every human being’s desire and goal. Everyone in the face of earth strives for it. The path to find happiness according to king Solomon is to find wisdom (Proverbs 3:13). Wisdom is not to be misunderstood with knowledge and prudence. Because the abundance of knowledge is a torment to the flesh. It does not fetch the happiness you crave for. Many a times in our lives we gather tons of knowledge in various areas, yet fail to make them into real-life experiences owing to lack of wisdom. Lack of wisdom also greatly impacts the word of God becoming flesh in our lives. We might have a great knowledge in the word of God, yet may fail to experience the truth becoming reality in our lives. To make this knowledge into an experience, truth become real, an external factor or a potential is much needed. That is the Godly wisdom. Even abundance of knowledge stays useless until it is put into action. Wisdom is the power that makes knowledge fruitful. It is the supernatural power that God gives us to put our faith into action leading to the fulfilment of His promises. A man of wisdom will be prudent because wisdom brings along prudence leading to good success (Prov 8:12). King Solomon who is known to be the richest man that ever lived on this earth says, wisdom is the most valuable possession one can ever desire for (Prov 3:15). When you have wisdom, you have everything needed for a good successful life (Prov 3:16). A contented mind is a threat to receive wisdom resisting this Godly power to experience a fruitful life (Prov 3:7). “I Know” is a deceptive attitude sown by the enemy into someone who will miss out the manifestation of wisdom in life. God is generous to those who seek him for this supernatural power (Jacob 1:5). He is indeed overwhelmed to supply His wisdom to those who desire to find it. It is the Holy Spirit, the supernatural power of God who is the source or supply of Godly wisdom (Isa 11:2, Eph 1:17). If you desire for a happy living, desire wisdom. If you desire wisdom, cling on to the real source of wisdom. The spirit of God that lives in you.

Designed for Destiny

Every promise in the Bible has been given to us believers as an inheritance. They are yes and amen to those who are in Christ Jesus. One such wonderful promise is found in Isaiah 43:1-3. It is a promise from God our creator to his chosen people, Israel. And we know that once we are born again in Christ, we become his people, Israel. The children of promise. The Passion Translation provides a beautiful expression of God’s promise in this verse.

It says, “Now, this is what Yahweh says: “Listen, Jacob, to the One who created you, Israel, to the one who shaped who you are. a Do not fear, for I, your Kinsman-Redeemer, will rescue you. I have called you by name, and you are mine. (Isa 43:1). We find three things God tells of us in this verse. He first created us, shaped us to become who we are and named us to be called by him for a purpose. It is obvious that God has a plan and a promise concerning us for which he owns us as His. There’s no need for a doubt if we have a purpose in life. But many of us who after receiving His mighty promise for us are halfway to the promised land, melting with fear over the challenges on the way. We are stuck and confused in the middle of the journey whether to proceed further or to decline. It is to those, God wants to remind of these three attributes He has in us to inherit the promise. He also says, When you pass through the deep, stormy sea, you can count on me to be there with you. When you pass through raging rivers, You will not drown. When you walk through persecution like fiery flames, you will not be burned; the flames will not harm you, for I am your Savior, Yahweh, your mighty God, the Holy One of Israel! (Isa 43:2,3).

God wants us to realise that we have been created, shaped and named by Him to rather face and overcome challenges and not to fear and give up. He says that He himself is with us to overcome them and reach the promised land. The 13th and 14th chapter of Numbers records the incident where Moses sends twelve spies on behalf of Israel to spy on the promised land. When they came back to report to Moses and the congregation on what they saw, except for Joshua and Caleb who carried a different spirit, the rest ten spies gave a negative report (seeing the giants) that caused the entire congregation to rebel against Moses and God. Whereas Joshua and Caleb said “The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, ‘a land which flows with milk and honey.’ Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them.” (Num 14:7-9).

This is the attitude that God wants us to have towards ourselves and towards our challenges that come our way. Because we are designed in such a manner and the Holy one of Israel is standing with us. Even the giants and the challenges that are resisting us to move forward are aware of who we are. “For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.” (Joshua 2:10-11). This was the view that the people in that promised land had towards the children of promise.

God wants us to change our view over us. He wants us to see ourselves the way He sees us. If you are stuck in middle of your way towards the promise land, change your perspective towards you and the giants you see. “For behold, I have made you this day A fortified city and an iron pillar, And bronze walls against the whole land— Against the kings of Judah, Against its princes, Against its priests, And against the people of the land. They will fight against you, But they shall not prevail against you. For I am with you,” says the Lord, “to deliver you.” (Jer 1:18-19).

His heart for us is to turn towards him, as we are created to experience His glory. “Bring me everyone who is called by my name, the ones I created to experience my glory. I myself formed them to be who they are and made them for my glory.” (Isa 43:7 TPT).

The Godly Measure

It is very common in this world and even among ourselves to value things according to what we physically see. We have a measure for ourselves which is based on facts and reality. Yet there is a measure that does not go hand-in-hand with ours. Most of the times it can even be in contradiction to ours. That is what you call as the God’s way of measure. It need not be in line with facts and reality. It is beyond our measure and an unbelievable intellect for human understanding.

When God called Gideon to be the rescuer of his nation from the hand of it’s enemies, He said, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!” (Judges 6:12). But the real state of Gideon was contradicting what the Lord told him. Israel was living in fear and suffering as the hand of the Midianites prevailed against them. “So it was, whenever Israel had sown, Midianites would come up; also Amalekites and the people of the East would come up against them. Then they would encamp against them and destroy the produce of the earth as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep nor ox nor donkey. For they would come up with their livestock and their tents, coming in as numerous as locusts; both they and their camels were without number; and they would enter the land to destroy it.” (Judges 6:3-5). Their enemies who surrounded them were as good as numerous locusts. In that state of being, Gideon was found threshing wheat in a winepress which was not meant for it. In order to hide it from the enemies so that he can save some food for himself. This shows the fearful state of Gideon. And it was in that state, God appoints Gideon to save Israel saying, “Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?” (Judges 6:14). Gideon was not able to take this to him at the moment he received his call. It was because he was fear-struck and also was scaling according to “his measure” of his own strength. “So he said to Him, “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.”” (Judges 6:15). But he did not realise that he was called and being scaled according to “God’s measure”.

“And the Lord said to him, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man.”” (Judges 6:16). This was the strength that God enabled Gideon with. Looking at him only after having strengthened him with His own might, He measured him as a “mighty man of valour!”. Gideon anchored his hope on this word from the Lord that made him a rescuer of his nation. Because an anchor is meant to be put on something which is immovable and unshakable. The word of God is the best place of choice to anchor our hopes. If our anchor of hope is on the unshakeable, we too are unshakeable with might and valor.

Identity

Identity is a very vital factor for any person living in this modern world. Everyone is recognised or identified by that one thing they carry which is special or outstanding. People often strive to withstand and guard their identity. Most of the times, we see among great people that their ladder to success is tied up with their identity. Jesus, our master is an everlasting role model to us for being strongly rooted in His Identity.

When Jesus was questioned about His identity by the high priest, He was bold enough to reply to him, saying that He is the Son of God. He did not give up on His identity even though He was put into traumatic situations like getting beaten up, spat on His face and struck. In another place, Jesus is seen boldly confessing that He is the King of the Jews before the Governor (Matthew 27:11). His conviction over His identity was not shaken by the situations around (Matthew 26:63-67). Because Jesus knew that the identity that He carried was established by God the father (John 13:3).

There’s an other beautiful aspect that when you know your God- given Identity and be rooted in it, it makes you or gives you the strength to humble yourself disregarding your own. “Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.”John 13:3-5. From this incident, we understand and learn that Jesus knew who He was and then did the humble act of washing the disciples’s feet. It is only when you are aware of your God- given identity, you will fearlessly humble yourself. If not the fear of losing your own identity might grip you to an extent, where you will not dare to humble yourself. So Humility is being aware of who you are in the sight of God, disregarding your own identity but realising your God- given identity.