Category Archives: Discernment

2022, Christianity, Discernment, Discipleship

Standing for Holiness Video Notes

Notes (Link to Video on YouTube)

  • In today’s culture, many do not have a Biblical view of God.
  • Romans 3:23
  • Isaiah 6:3
  • Do we truly recognize the holiness of God in the mainstream church today?
  • Some examples: (all these people we ought to be praying for because they are not saved)
    • Most recently and notably Carl Lentz of Hillsong – we recently have heard of his affair and not only that but has been at bars and nightclubs with other celebrities like Justin Beiber. But yet many young Christians will go to Hillsong conferences not because God is glorified but because their leaders talk and act like the rest of the world. I truly pray for these people’s Salvation. I don’t like having to mention names but many people in my generation have drunk the toxin of this Hillsong culture that is absolute trash.
      • While Hillsong has done an excellent job of attracting crowds of young people, they have not done it with a Biblical worldview. 
    • Jen Johnson of Bethel has described the Holy Spirit as “sneaky, and like the blue genie from Aladdin”.
      • I can say Bethel may have good songs, and there might be good preaching. But when one of your leaders gives zero reverence when describing the Holy Spirit that is treading on dangerous waters. 
      • Jesus described the Holy Spirit in John 14:16.
    • Why do I call them out by name?
      • Paul called out false teachers by name in 2 Timothy 4:10. 
      • When I see young people my age following these dangerous people if I do not say anything then blood is on my hands. 
  • Exodus 15:11
  • Revelation 1:8
  • Revelation 4:5-8
  • Romans 12:1
  • John 4:24
2021, BLogger, Christianity, Discernment

Worship Matters

How we worship God matters. Too often we do not give much thought to how we worship the King of Kings. This not only applies to the music we use during worship but our attitude during worship. We live in a society that has rapidly progressed towards more towards evil and all the devil’s narcotics and we need to be aware of the tactics of the devil. Given what we read in Ezekiel 28 we can conclude one of Satans roles before he fell was to led worship at the throne of God. One of Satan’s ways of reaching people is through music. You can’t really argue with that statement when you look at the average secular song. Furthermore, Satan has also infiltrated the arena of what is labeled as Christian music. 

When I was young in the faith I would just about listen to anything that had the label Christian on it. As I grew in faith and became more mature in the Word of God my eyes were opened to how Satan is deceiving people through what is considered popular Christian music. Too often many deem a good worship song based on how it makes us feel, just like we would a secular song. This is a very dangerous way to approach worship, and worship is something God takes very seriously. 

There is a very clear Biblical example of unauthorized worship in the Bible. We have the account of Nadab and Abihu, who brought strange incense before God and were burned to death with the fire of God. Leviticus 10:1-2 (ESV) says, “Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them.  And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord.”. 

Nadab and Abihu brought strange fire before God, they used incense He had not authorized to the altar. Nadab and Abihu brought their own innovation before the altar instead of bringing in what God had already ordained. How often has the church at large today brought in innovation that is not based in the Bible for the sake of increasing numbers? Far too often is the answer, just look at the seeker-friendly movement. 

Some people might argue, “well I don’t see the big deal that was in the Old Testament”. Hebrews 12:29 (AMP) tells us, “for our God is [indeed] a consuming fire.”. This is in a New Testament context, under the New Covenant. I am convicted that this is even more serious under the better covenant we are in. The God of the Old Testament is the same God of the New Testament, and that is something we need to set straight in the church. If we are under a better covenant then worship ought to be taken even more seriously than in the Old Testament. 

I see so many Christians who follow worship bands that might sound like they have good music but if you look at the people in these bands singing the music, their lifestyle and even what they believe about major issues do not line up with the Word of God. I don’t even need to mention names, because you do not have to look too far. I am not saying every one of them is bad, however, a large sum of what is popular today have fallen to worldly things and are approving of things that go against the Word of God. When we sing their songs, we are essentially endorsing them. I don’t want to go with worship songs just because they are trendy or make me feel good, I want to go with songs that glorify God according to His Word. 

Jesus told us in John 4:24 (ESV), “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”. Additionally, 1 Chronicles 16:29 (ESV) says, “Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him! Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness;”. We need to realize how Holy our God is and how righteous He is. At the same time, we need to realize how all of us are totally deprived and have fallen short to sin. The cross of Jesus Christ does not reveal to us how valuable we are to Him, but it reveals to us how wicked our original sin nature is that it took the death of God’s only Son to pay the price. That ought to make us serious about praising, worshiping, and glorifying His name. 

2020 Posts, Bible Study, Book of Acts Series 2019, Christianity, Discernment, Gifts of the Spirit

Today’s Christian Culture vs. The Early Church

In this blog post, I would like to talk about Acts chapter 23. Paul is right now before the Sanhedrin council and states that he has lived all his life in good conscience with God. However, we see that the high priest, Ananias, does not believe that and asks for people to stone Paul. Paul responds in verse three by rebuking the Ananias for trying to appear righteous outwardly but being corrupt inwardly. This reminds me of Jeremiah 5:31 (ESV) which says, “the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes?”. This was a problem in then and today. We got false prophets and teachers in the world today, and I would say it is far worse today with the impact of social media. We are warned that in the end days that there will be a great falling away, that has already started years ago even before the start of the century we are currently in, and it is only going to get worse. Yet people who profess to be Christians love what these false teachers say and do.

Modern Christian Culture and the Broad Way

I believe it is evident not just here, but in the many letters, Paul wrote that he was strong in the gift of discernment. He relied on the Holy Spirit to discern good from evil. Sadly, today many Christians do not take five seconds to even double-check what they are hearing from the pulpit or hear on ‘Christian’ radio. We live in such a digital world, that people’s credibility is determined by how many followers they have or how popular they are. Jesus warned us of this in Matthew 7:13-14 (ESV), “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”. I am 100-percent convinced that a good majority of what we see in main-stream Christianity will not lead one to the narrow gate. Why do I say that? Well, Jesus said, “those who find the narrow gate are few”. Just because its what you see at the Christian bookstore does not mean it will line up with Scripture. Am I saying every minister is going to be 100-percent perfect? Absolutely not, but we must learn where to draw the line at as Christians. Look at the world around us right now, we are getting so close to the second coming of Jesus Christ. Now is not the time to be messing with what is popular to the world with a dip of the Bible in it. We must be real and genuine believers; we are called to be different than the world.

Pharisee’s vs. Sadducee’s

After Paul calls out the high priest, he then states he is a son of a Pharisee and believes in the resurrection of the dead. There is a huge debate between Pharisees and Sadducees, we even see this in the four Gospels. After Paul said this the scribes of the Pharisees say they find no evil in Paul and to let Paul go and not fight against God. This led to tension between everyone, and the guards have Paul taken out and put in the castle. Just looking back on Paul’s life right now, he has had it very rough. He has suffered much physical and emotional harm from people, yet he never threw in the towel. Are you and I ready to give a defense for the Gospel? Or are we just going to back down? Romans 1:16 (ESV) tells us, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”. We are not to be ashamed of the Gospel.

Books of Acts Destroys the Modern Name it and Claim it Prosperity Gospel

As Paul is in the castle that evening, the Lord spoke to him. He told Paul that he will also bear witness of the Gospel in Rome, and to be of good cheer. God knew that Paul would face opposition and challenge. It was not in God’s plan for Paul to have his best life on this earth. Paul faced much persecution and eventually was beheaded. Yet in America, modern Christianity promises us our best life now with the name it and claim it saying, “I am a victor, not a victim”. How many of us are truly willing to be beheaded or take a bullet for the Gospel? Really be honest. Because in America I believe we have developed a form of lukewarm Christianity and would not be prepared at all for major persecution. The church in America has lacked Biblical boldness and has more of an ego than anything else. We have gotten too far from the place where we have let our culture influence how we look at the Bible, rather than letting the Bible influence our overall mindset.

Wake Up Church

I am not trying to be condemning here, I am trying to wake people up to the truth. Jesus will return one day, and He has eyes of fire that you do not want to mess with. Now is not the time to be playing games. We need to live with the mindset of truly not being ashamed of the Gospel. Paul did whatever it took to obey God by preaching the Gospel everywhere he went. Are we willing to do whatever it takes with what God has called you and me to do? We need to step it up. More people are fearful of a virus and following all the guidelines than they are fearful of God and following all that He commands of us.

A Conspiracy is Formed

Continuing with Acts chapter 23 we see that the following day over 40 people formed a conspiracy to take an oath to not eat anything until they killed Paul. Things begin to get even more serious; people are taking oaths to kill Paul. Paul’s nephew ends up going to the commander and telling him privately about this manner.   We see that the commander gathers up 200 men the take Paul safely to Governor Felix. The commander, Claudius Lysias lets the governor know, by a letter, about Paul’s accusations and that he was sending him over because he was a Roman. When Paul arrives at Caesarea, he is put in Herods Praetorium while they wait for his accusers to arrive.

Jesus is All We Need

 Again, as we look at the life of Paul, he did much traveling and he has been around the block when it comes to persecution. We must put ourselves in the shoes of those who do missionary work in hostile countries. I have great respect for anyone who goes to do missionary work in hostile countries. A couple years ago I went to a Voice of the Martyrs Conference in West Virginia and heard many missionaries speak on their experience with persecution. They all had one thing in common when they spoke, they were all filled with true joy. James 1:2-4 (ESV) tells us, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”.  We count trials joy because it produces steadfastness, it grows our faith in the Lord. Psalm 107:9 (NASB) tells us, “For He has satisfied the thirsty soul, And the hungry soul He has filled with what is good.”.  We need to come to a place that no matter what goes on in our life that Jesus is all satisfying. Because if we lack that as our mindset, we will lean towards the sinful means of this world to satisfy us.

2020 Posts, Baptism of Holy Spirit, Book of Acts Series 2019, Discernment, Gifts of the Spirit, Inspiration, Wisdom

Acts 19:21-41: Determining in Your Spirit

Introduction

In my previous blog post, we looked at Acts 19:1-20, so if you have not read that post yet be sure to check it out first! We previously saw some great revival take place in the first part of Acts chapter 19. We also looked at some great revelation regarding the gift of tongues and prophecy. We are also going to look at the importance of reasoning in the spirit. 

Acts 19:21-22

Acts 19:21-22 we see that after the great working of God that took place through Paul in the previous verses that Paul plans on going through Macedonia and Achaia to get to Jerusalem. He also plans that he will then go to Rome. However, he sends Timothy and Erastus ahead of him while he stays on the west side of Asia for a while longer.  

A Note Regarding the Word Spirit

Acts 19:21 (NKJV) says “When these things were accomplished, Paul purposed in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”. Paul purposed in his spirit what he would do. Some synonyms for the word purpose are to intend, aim, plan, and design. If we look in the Amplified Bible, it translates it as “Paul determined in his Spirit”. One important note regarding the many translations of the Bible that we have available today is that when they translate the word spirit, they often capitalize on the letter ‘s’ when it should be lowercase. When the ‘s’ is uppercase it signifies that it is referring to the Holy Spirit, however, when it is lowercase it is referring to the human spirit of an individual or even our human spirit when it is written in the context of instruction such as in Paul’s letters. In the case of Acts 19:21, it should be lowercase ‘s’ since it is referring to Paul’s spirit.  

Determining in Your Spirit

1 Thessalonians 5:23 (NKJV) tells us we are a three-part being, “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”. In my previous teaching, I wrote about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, which is necessary to walk in the fullness of what God has called you to do for His Kingdom. So is your spirit man of this world or is it of God? Too often many people have a dual spirit man, meaning it is not fully submitted to the Holy Spirit. Often people will make their decisions based on what logic tells them to do rather than reasoning in their spirit what they should do. If we truly reasoned in our spirit with total submission to the Holy Spirit our lives would be so much more different.

Acts 19:23-41

In the remaining verses, we see a commotion arises over the Gospel. Demetris a silversmith that made shrines of the other gods, tells his fellow workers that what Paul was teaching condoned their line of work. The city then was stirred up and they took Paul’s travel companions, Gaius and Aristarchus. When Paul arrived, they would not let him into the theater where they were gathered. While all these people were gathered Scripture tells us that the people of the assembly were confused. The people did not even know why they were there regarding this matter. This all resulted from just one person stirring the pot to condemn Christianity. We know that confusion does not come from God. 1 Corinthians 14:33 (NKJV) tells us, “For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.”. We see that the city clerk ends up dismissing the case that was being brought up against Paul’s travel companions. Demetrius was simply upset because Paul and his follower’s teachings upset their profit from the Diana cult. Today we have many people who get upset over true Christians who stand firm on Scripture regardless of what is politically correct. We must always remember to stand firm.

Final Thoughts

One of the most important keys to take away from this blog post is recognizing the correct capitalization of the word ‘spirit’ within the Bible. When you have this understanding as you read the Bible you will begin to get deeper revelations. It may even be worth it to make a notation in your Bible as you notice the incorrect capitalization for the word spirit. I also challenge you to apply what I taught on in this blog post which would be to focus on walking in the spirit man you are and to put away any duality.

2019, Baptism of Holy Spirit, Book of Acts Series 2019, Christianity, Discernment, Gifts of the Spirit, Inspiration

Being Led By the Spirit

In this post, I am going to talk about the importance of being led by the Holy Spirit. You should let Him lead you and not your flesh. Romans 8:14 (NKJV) tells us, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.”. If we want to truly be children of God, we not only need to be born again, we need to let the Holy Spirit lead us in everything we do!

What Are You Called To Do?

Starting with Acts 13:4-5 we see the start of Paul’s missions’ trips. Most importantly we see that he was sent out by the Holy Spirit. I am sure there are many believers out there today who have a divine call on their life but fail to answer that call. Paul was sent out by the Holy Spirit to go and minister to different regions. He could have resisted and stayed in his comfort zone, but he led by example and yielded to what the Holy Spirit called him to do. Just because you are not called to the five-fold ministry does not mean you are off the hook from serving God! Some people are called to help at their church, whether that as administrative, cleaning, or any other tasks. 1 Corinthians 12:28 distinguishes the office of helps.

Walk the Walk

We even see that Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit throughout His earthly ministry. Luke 4:1 (NKJV) tells us, “Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness”. When we live according to the Spirit we walk in it, Galatians 5:25 (AMP) tells us, “If we [claim to] live by the [Holy] Spirit, we must also walk by the Spirit [with personal integrity, godly character, and moral courage—our conduct empowered by the Holy Spirit].”. When we walk in the Spirit, we must have a godly character and be a light that shines in the name of Jesus! We also need to have the nine fruits of the Spirit evident in our lives. I wrote a book on the nine fruits of the Spirit, click here to check it out.

The Holy Spirit Empowers Us

Continuing Acts 13:6-13 We see that Paul has a confrontation with a sorcerer. In verse nine it specifically tells us that Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit when he confronted this sorcerer. Paul rebuked this sorcerer and a dark blinding mist fell upon him. When the proconsul saw this, they believed and was astonished at the teaching of the Lord. This sorcerer that Peter dealt with was trying to turn the proconsul away from the faith. This is often what false prophets do, they will turn people away from the truth of the Gospel. However, Paul was able to address this issue only because he was filled with the Holy Spirit. We all should seek God for the discerning of spirits! The gift of discernment is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit as mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10.

A Personal Challenge

I want to challenge you to something different this week when you read your Bible ask the Holy Spirit to open your spiritual eyes. Also, when you read your Bible, act like you never read it before each time. This is how you will get a fresh revelation. If you get fresh revelation please feel free to share it with me, I would love to hear your testimony.

2019, Discernment, Gifts of the Spirit, Wisdom, Word's of Wisdom

Under Attack

As I was praying in the spirit and reading my Bible this week, the Lord revealed certain things to me about spiritual warfare. He put some words on my heart as a word of knowledge for all believers as I was spending time with Him. Here is what was put on my heart:

There has been a war brewing in America and in the world for years!
This is the greatest and most lethal war in the history of all creation.
It is not a war of flesh and blood; it is a war between the principalities and powers of good and evil.

There is so much going on today in cultures and current events.
But we want to blame our leaders for the problems.
Don’t you know Gods Word says this war is not flesh and blood?
It is against the principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Sadly, many believers want to spend their time watching the news and voicing their opinions.
While as believers we need to voice our opinion for righteousness in this nation, but this war also needs to be fought.
But not many believers are willing to fully commit and put on the whole armor of God.

Sadly, many believers want to attempt to serve God, while still serving the devil full-time.
Jesus even told us that we cannot serve two masters. Make up your mind!
More believers follow witchcraft, mediums, and much more.
There are more witches out there today than ever before.

But why won’t His people put on the full armor of God, and do spiritual warfare?
Why aren’t we taking a stand in this war?
He called each believer to do more than just say the sinner’s prayer!

Believers are too scared to take a stance for the true Word of God.
We are too worried about offending someone or being politically correct.
God doesn’t care if His Word offends someone. His Word is a sharp two-edged sword!
He wants people who care about being Biblically correct.

He is sick of the carnality in the church today. Did you forget what Paul wrote in Corinthians?
Why aren’t more churches speaking the truth on marriage?
Why aren’t more churches condemning the war on gender?
Why are less and less ‘Christians’ not advocating for what He perfectly forms in the womb?
Why are you so scared? He doesn’t give believers a spirit of fear, but He gives us one of love, power, and a sound mind.

Why do many churches forget the power of the Helper He left us?
The Power of the Holy Spirit is what will equip us to do true spiritual warfare.
Put away your denominational eyes and read your Bible.
The only way we can do spiritual warfare is by praying the Holy Ghost.
The church today is dehydrated from the Holy Ghost!

If we want to fight this spiritual war, then we need to know and live Biblical truth.
If we want to fight this spiritual war, then we need to always be praying in the Holy Ghost!
Where is your personal time invested? In Him or the world?

2019, Book of Acts Series 2019, Discernment, Wisdom

A Word On Hinderances

In this blog post, I am going to wrap up Acts chapter 12. In my previous blog post, we saw an example of how powerful prayer can be. We saw that Peter was pulled out of prison by an angel because of a group of people who came together to pray for him. In this blog post, I am going to address the importance of removing hindrances from our lives.

Herod’s Anger

When Herod and the soldiers noticed Peter was missing from the prison, they searched for him and could not find him. Herod became angry and put to death the soldiers who were responsible for watching Peter. (Acts 12:18-19). In Acts 12:20-22 we see that Herod becomes angry with the people in Tyre and Sidon. The people came to him asking for peace. But Herod denied their request and wanted glory given to himself, rather than to God for the good things that have taken place.

The Death of Herod

In verses 23-24, we see that Herod was struck by an angel of the Lord, and then was eaten by worms. Herod was a hindrance to the spreading of the Gospel during the early years of the church. God sent an angel down to remove the hindrance. Before the angel even came down the people said in verse 22 “The voice of a god and not of a man!”. They were talking about Herod wanting praise from his people when the praise belonged to God. The people here recognized the hinderance. It is so important that we recognize hindrances in our own lives too and ask God to remove them.

Types of Hinderances

I want to talk a little bit more about hindrances because we will all deal with them. These hindrances can be distractions, sickness, financial constraints, and even other people in our lives. Now don’t get me wrong some of these hindrances can be self-inflicted, while at other times they can be the enemy trying to attack you. For example, distractions can be a result of one’s poor time management skills. We all are limited on our time, and we need to be sure we are using our time wisely and making time for the Lord. Maybe you have a financial constraint, it might be caused by poor circumstances that are out of your control, or it could be caused by one’s inability to make wise financial choices.

The Source of Hinderances

We must keep in mind that some of the hindrances in our lives might be the work of the enemy, but we must also be mindful of the fact that we can be our own worst enemy. Not only in our thoughts but in our actions. Dave Roberson once said that the Holy Spirit has one handicap and that is us. We can hinder the work of God in our own lives. Sometimes believers will want to blame everything that goes wrong in their life on the enemy when often it is us who is at fault.

Your Mindset

If you feel that you have a hindrance in your life, ask God to show you the source of the problem. Whether the source of your problem is your mindset, other people, or the work of the enemy. If the issue is your mindset, then you need to get in the Word more each day. Colossians 3:2 (NKJV) tells us, “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.”.

People Who Are Hinderances

If you have people in your life that are a hindrance to you, ask God to deal with them. God might remove all the contact you have with the person, or God might cause a change of heart on the person. I once was in a relationship with someone who was a hindrance to me in my walk with the Lord. After I got baptized in the Holy Spirit and started praying in tongues God quickly ended the relationship two weeks after I got baptized in the Holy Spirit!

The Enemy Can Hinder Us

Also, we must know that the enemy can hinder us. Paul even wrote about this in 1 Thessalonians 2:18 (NKJV), “Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us.”. When God has a calling on one’s life, the enemy will be scared as you step into that calling. The enemy will do everything he possibly can to stop you and distract you. We must know that the battle is already won with the enemy in the name of Jesus Christ.

Final Thoughts

I encourage you this week to ask God to reveal any hindrances in your life. If He reveals anything to you, ask Him to reveal the source and deal with it accordingly. This might include getting in the Word more, making changes in your schedule, or rebuking the works of the enemy. The more time we spend with God, the more we will be aware of His plans for us individually. Once we get to this place, we will see things in our life that are hindering Gods plans for us. So, I encourage you to spend more time with God, ask Him if you are on His path for your life or your self-made path. James 4:8 (NKJV) tells us, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”.

2019, Bible Study, Book of Acts Series 2019, Christianity, Discernment, Gifts of the Spirit

Peter Gives Great Revelation to the Jews (Acts 11:1-18)

The Jews Find Out What Happened

If you have not read my previous blog post, I encourage you to do so by clicking here. There is much information from chapter ten that plays a role in chapter eleven. In the previous chapter, we learned that the Gentiles received the message of the Gospel from Peter. Additionally, Peter had a vision from God that showed that the law of Gentile’s and Jew’s dealings being separated was no longer in effect. The news of Peter teaching the Gospel to the Gentiles eventually spread to the Jews, and they were not too pleased with it (Acts 11:1-3). The Jews felt that Peter was compromising what God’s Word says, however at this point in scripture they’re completely unaware of the revelation he had received from God in his vision.

Peters Defends His Ministry to the Gentiles

In Acts 11:4-17, Peter explains to them what took place in the previous chapter when he went to Caesarea. Peter also explains the vision he had from God, which he had three times. He then explains to the Jews that the vision God gave him was to show that the law of Jews and Gentiles having no dealings was no longer in effect. He also tells them the great testimony of the Gentiles receiving the Gospel message and accepting it. I would have loved to of been there to see the facial reaction of the Jews when Peter told them all of this! In Acts 11:18 (NKJV) we find out their reaction, “When they heard these things, they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.”. The Jews were first in silence because of the shocking revelation Peter taught them, then they glorified God. I think all of us who seek God daily can relate in a way to their reaction. Think about when you are reading your Bible, and then you suddenly get hit with revelation knowledge, you might first be in silence re-reading scripture, and then you become excited of what God just revealed to you.

Taking it a Step Further

Let’s look at Romans 10:12-13 (NKJV) which says, “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”. Paul is telling us that there is no longer a distinction between the Greek and Jews. He is also telling us that God gives the same blessings to all believers regardless of their ethnicity. This means the same gifts of the Spirit are available to Greek and Jewish believers.

Important Revelation in Galatians

Let’s take this a step further, look at Galatians 6:28-29 (NKJV) which says, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”. Paul again is confirming what he told us in Romans 10:12-13, but he is taking it a step further. He is not only saying that your background does not matter, but also your gender does not matter either. All believers regardless of where they come from or their gender have the same seed. This shows us that if we all have the same seed, then God can use anyone, in any way He wills. This also confirms that any true believer can be called into ministry, it does not matter their background or gender. Some people argue the fact of woman pastors because of what certain scripture says, I believe if you look at the Bible in its entirety a woman can be used in ministry just as much as a man can. Can there be women today in ministry who are false prophets? Absolutely, just like there are many men in ministry today who are false prophets. How do we know if someone is truly called to ministry? Well, Matthew 7:16 tells us “You will know them by their fruits…”. There are many men and women in ministry who are very fruitful, while at the same time there are many who are not fruitful. Therefore, I pray that God gives us all a discerning spirit.

God Can Use Anyone!

One last scripture I would like to point out is 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 (NKJV) which says, “For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.  For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many.”. Paul again is confirming that we are all one in the body of Christ, it does not matter your background. I would also like you to keep in mind that in this same chapter Paul also lists the gifts of the Spirit in verses 4-11 when you put this in context it again confirms that all the gifts of the Spirit are available to all true believers. If all the gifts of the Spirit are available to all true believers, then God can use anyone as He wills.

Final Thoughts

This was a rather short blog, post because this expands on revelation from chapter ten, in my next post I will wrap up chapter eleven in the Book of Acts. I encourage you to take some time before you begin reading your Bible and ask God to open your spiritual eyes and ask Him to reveal to you a fresh revelation. You will be amazed at what you will learn!

Important Announcement

I would also like to encourage you to check out my YouTube Channel! I will be starting a series soon on the Gospel of John, which is one of my favorite books of the Bible. This series on the Gospel of John will only be available on my YouTube Channel, so be sure to subscribe by clicking here!

2019, Christianity, Discernment, Old Testament, Wisdom

Why Seek Wisdom and Knowledge?

guy looking at sunrise near lake

I felt led to teach about seeking God for wisdom and knowledge. As followers of Christ, we need to constantly be seeking God for wisdom and knowledge in every part of our lives. We also need to seek God for wisdom and knowledge as we read His Word. When you ask God for wisdom and knowledge when reading His Word, the Holy Spirit will teach you all things, Jesus said in John 14:26 (ESV) “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”.

Defining Wisdom and Knowledge

So, what do wisdom and knowledge mean? Let’s look at knowledge first, The Webster’s Dictionary defines knowledge as facts, information, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education. Some synonyms for the word knowledge are understanding, comprehension, grasp, and mastery. Now let’s look at what the word wisdom means, The Webster’s Dictionary defines wisdom as the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment. Some synonyms for the word wisdom are intelligence, understanding, insight, perception, and discernment. Now let’s look at both wisdom and knowledge together. Knowledge is when one has a bunch of facts and data that has been learned or experienced. On the other hand, wisdom is the ability to discern from the knowledge you have gained to make good decisions.

King Solomon’s Request

So now that we understand the meaning of the words wisdom and knowledge let’s look at someone in the Bible who sought God for wisdom and knowledge. King Solomon became king after his father David passed away. God revealed Himself to Solomon one night and gave him the opportunity to ask for whatever he would like God to give him. 2 Chronicles 1:7 (NKJV) tells us, “On that night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, “Ask! What shall I give you?”. Right here Solomon can ask God for anything he desires. As we read on, we find out that Solomon asked for one of the best things, in my opinion, you could possibly ask from God. 2 Chronicles 1:8-10 (NKJV) continues and says, “And Solomon said to God: “You have shown great mercy to David my father and have made me king in his place.  Now, O Lord God, let Your promise to David my father be established, for You have made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude.  Now give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this great people of Yours?”.  Solomon could have asked God for riches and fame, but he simply asked God for wisdom and knowledge to perform his duties as King.

God’s Response to King Solomon

We will find out God’s response to Solomon’s request in 2 Chronicles 1:11-12 (NKJV), “Then God said to Solomon: “Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches or wealth or honor or the life of your enemies, nor have you asked long life—but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge My people over whom I have made you king—  wisdom and knowledge are granted to you; and I will give you riches and wealth and honor, such as none of the kings have had who were before you, nor shall any after you have the like.””.  God sees Solomon’s true heart in his request for wisdom and knowledge. We know that God will search our hearts and He will truly know our desires. Jeremiah 17:10 (ESV) tells us, “I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”. So as God sees the heart of Solomon from his request, He grants him wisdom and knowledge, but He also gives him riches and wealth that no king before him ever had received. This also serves as a reminder to us that God can go above and beyond what we expect when we go to Him with a need.

A Biblical Approach to Knowledge

So now that we have a Biblical example of someone who asked God for wisdom and knowledge, let’s see what the Bible tells us about knowledge. Proverbs 18:15 (AMP) tells us, “The mind of the prudent [always] acquires knowledge, And the ear of the wise [always] seeks knowledge.”. A wise person always seeks knowledge, if you want to be a wise person of God then you need to seek knowledge and spend time in the Word. Additionally Proverbs 1:7 (AMP) tells us, “The [reverent] fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] is the beginning and the preeminent part of knowledge [its starting point and its essence]; But arrogant fools despise [skillful and godly] wisdom and instruction and self-discipline.”. As believers we need to truly worship God, tell others of His greatness, seek the Holy Spirit for teaching, and spend time in the Word each day, this will give us knowledge and that will result into wisdom.

A Biblical Approach to Wisdom

So, what does the Bible say about the word wisdom? Proverbs 4:6 (AMP) tells us, “Do not turn away from her (Wisdom) and she will guard and protect you; Love her, and she will watch over you.”. We not only need wisdom as we go through our daily tasks, but we need spiritual wisdom.  People might have a hard time understanding what spiritual wisdom is because it is not natural, it is from God. Discernment and spiritual wisdom go hand in hand.  One of the synonyms for the word wisdom is discernment, The Webster’s Dictionary defines discernment as to the ability to judge well. Some synonyms for discernment are judgment, taste, enlightenment, and sensitivity. We are living in a period where there are many false minsters out in the world proclaiming the Word of God. There are many people who are demon possessed that we encounter daily. There are many people who might be oppressed by the enemy. The enemy is out there to kill, steal, and destroy, his objective is to get as many people to hell as he possibly can. Therefore, every Christian needs to seek God for discernment, because you may never know when the enemy is trying to get you to fall for one of his many traps without having discernment. Psalm 119:66 (AMP) tells us, “Teach me good judgment (discernment) and knowledge, For I have believed and trusted and relied on Your commandments.”. Also 1 John 4:1 instructs us, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit [speaking through a self-proclaimed prophet]; instead test the spirits to see whether they are from God because many false prophets and teachers have gone out into the world.”.

Final Thoughts and Reflection

I encourage you to take some time and ask God to open your spiritual eyes and give you a discerning spirit. Seek God for wisdom and knowledge in everything you do and ask Him for revelation knowledge as you read and study His word. Philippians 1:9-10 (NKJV) tells us, “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment,  that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,”. I also encourage you to spend more time than what you currently are spending in God’s Word. I feel God is wanting more people to invest more time in His Word, than in the things of this world. Hebrews 4:12 (NKJV) says, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”. Lastly, I would like to challenge you to a couple of questions:

1.    Do you make decisions off instinct or do you step back and seek God?

2.    Do you trust every piece of Christian literature and music just because it is labeled Christian, or do you discern what is really of God and what is of the devil?

3.    Are you letting any of the works of the enemy into your life? (secular music, secular talk shows, secular literature, witchcraft, Harry Potter, horoscopes, pornography, or any type of addiction)

As you seek God for a discerning spirit and stay in His Word, let Him reveal to you any open demonic doors in your life that the enemy could enter into or may have already entered into and deal with it accordingly in the name of Jesus.