The III Pillar of Wisdom that's needed to build our spiritual foundations on is: "Knowledge" Proverbs 10:14 tells us:
Verse 14: Wise men store up Knowledge.
And also in Proverbs 24:4,5 says:
Verse 4: And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
Verse 5: A wise man is strong, yea, a man of knowledge increases strength.
The Hebrew meaning for the word "Knowledge" is: Intelligence, discernment and implies discovery and to know.
This word comes from the Hebrew word "Yada" which means: To know by seeing and out of this word is where we get the word "Seer" or "Prophet".
Let's break up some of the words in verse 4 & 5 we just read so we can better understand what the Lord is telling us here. We will begin with verse 4.
1. The word "chambers" in this verse means: Innermost part, within or a private place.
2. And our next word is "precious" meaning: Brightness, clear and fat (due to storing up God's word in your spirit).
3. Our third word in verse 4 is "pleasant" and it means: Sweet, agreeable and to be a delight.
4. The our last words are: "increases strength" which is described as: The ability to expand, enlarge, increase and rise to a greater number, quality or degree, to be firm and having the capacity to produce, power and wealth. WOW!
So if we put this all together this is what the Lord is telling us in verses 4 & 5.
Verse 4: And by knowledge shall the innermost part, the private chamber of your heart( where the Holy Spirit dwells), be filled with all brightness and clarity (because it has stored up the word of God) that comes from Him and is sweet to the spirit and agreeable to your soul.
Verse 5: A wise man is strong, yea a man of knowledge has the ability to expand, enlarge, and rise above to the greatest quality and degree so they can increase in might, power and have the ability to overcome all obstacle's.
The IV Pillar of Wisdom that is needed to build our spiritual foundations on is: "Integrity" Proverbs 2:7 tells us: He (God) stores up wisdom for the upright, He is a shield to those who walk in integrity.
The Hebrew meaning for the word "integrity" is: Completeness, the quality of being whole or undivided, unimpaired moral principles and honesty.
This is interesting that the word "integrity" is the plural for the word Thummin which was one of the objects in the High Priests breast plate. This was an emblem that represented complete truth and perfection in determining the will of God. The other stone that was used was the Urim that ment: "light".
So by us producing the fruitful wisdom of integrity, we walk in an unimpaired state of honesty and purity. We produce the character of uncorrupted virtue, especially in relation to truth and fair dealings. We don't compromise, we avoid deception, we are loyal to the truth and we are teachable.
Beloved, I pray that you walk in the knowledge of knowing, through experience, that He loves you and cares for you so much more than you could ever comprehend. He wants to reveal unto you, even in the small things of life, that He cares and is concerned. God is walking with us on this journey called life and will prove to you that He is nearer to you than your very breath, because when you speak His name, the name of JESUS, all of heaven stands at attention. Every obstacle in our path is removed and made clear. Every mountain that has stood so tall before us and unpassable becomes His opportunity to reveal Himself in a mighty way. May you produce the fruit of integrity and know that you are complete in Him, through Him and because of Him. He is the wisdom and He is the light that will guide you through any and every trial that you may face. He is a faithful God and will continue to be faithful no matter what we go through or where He takes us. This journey has purpose and destiny that will be fulfilled.
Blessings,
Elma Garlock
Last week I talked about what I believe are the seven pillar that represent seven fruitful characteristic's that should be working in our lives in order for us to have Godly wisdom.
So let's begin with the first Pillar of Wisdom and that is:
I. The Fear of the Lord - Proverbs 9:10 tells us: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
The word "Fear" in this scripture means: A reverential or reverence for God and a positive feeling of awe.
Did you know that there are three different types of fears that we can have for God?
1. Superstitious: which is fear of the unknown or mysterious in connection with religion and ignorance.
This is the kind of fear I had for God as a child. I thought He was this big man with a white beard that just sat up in heaven pointing His finger at me in judgement and this caused me to fear Him, but in a negative way. I couldn't see that He was a loving, caring and giving God because of growing up with so much legalism in my home. My parents were Christians but our particular denomination taught that we couldn't go to the movies, wear make up, play cards or go to dances and as a teenager growing up I couldn't understand why? It was obeying and following the rules exactly or I would go to hell. It wasn't until years later would I realize just how legalistic I had grown up. But thank God, He set me free from all of that wrong thinking and the religious works that were unfruitful. Don't misunderstand me, I'm not saying I approve, but I was so bound with the fear of failing God, my parents and always strived to be religious and looking good in everyone's eyes that I became a slave to that fear. Thank you Jesus, that today I walk in freedom and not fear and my relationship with God is not just religious but realtionial because I understand who I am in Christ.
The second type of fear we can have for God is:
2. Servile: This fear is having the characteristics of a slave or servant and can have a negative aspect to it or a positive. I got to thinking about the difference between being a slave verses a servant and this is what I found out.
The word for slave in the Greek is "Doulos" and is one who is in a permanent relation of servitude to another, his will altogether consumed in the will of the other. The negative aspect would be someone who is unwillingly enslaved as a slave that is bound to not only someone but something. And the positive side would be someone who willingly is
submissive, yielding and obedient as a slave.
And the word servant in the Greek is "Diakonos" which means: A minister, servant, deacon, bishop or overseer and derives from "Dioko" to pursue, not servile, but voluntary serve.
I hear the voice of the Spirit and He is saying: Whom will you serve, your fears, your doubts, your unbelief? Why do you look to others for the answers while I am speak directly to you. I ask you, what have you enslaved yourself to and how far will you go? I am knocking at your hearts door and asking to come in, because there is a place in Me that is found in serving and a security in knowing that I am not a hard task master. For the call is at hand and who will answer it's call?
And the third type of fear we can have for God is:
3. Filial: It is relating or appropriate to a child's relationship with or feelings towards his or her patents. It is love and care not to offend God and to please Him in all things as his sons and daughters.
The second Pillar of Wisdom needed for a spiritual foundation is:
II. Understanding - Which is the ability to grasp a meaning, to perceive and explain the meaning or nature of somebody or something. It is being able to interpret a belief or opinion based on your understanding and have a sympathetic or tolerant recognition of someones situation.
In Proverbs 2:1-6, 9 & 11 instructs us:
Verse 1: My son, if you will receive my words and treasure up my commandments within you,
Verse 2: Making your ear attentive to skillful and Godly wisdom and inclining and directing your heart and mind to understanding (applying all your powers to the quest for it);
Verse 3: Yes, if you cry out for insight and raise your voice for understanding,
Verse 4: If you seek (wisdom) as for sliver and search for skillful and Godly wisdom as for hidden treasures,
Verse 5: Then you will understand the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of (or omniscient) God.
Verse 6: For the Lord gives skillful and Godly wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
Verse 9: Then you will understand righteousness, justice, and fair dealing (in every area and relation); yes, you will understand every good path.
Verse 11: Discretion (discernment) shall watch over you, understanding shall keep you.
This word "Discretion" in verse 11 is closely related to the idea of "Understanding" and means: Being able to distinguish between good and evil. The kind of understanding we need is not just accumulating information, but a superior knowledge and knowing how to apply it and use it wisely.
In Proverbs 24:3 it tells us: By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established.
So when understanding comes, it establishes us, instructs us and teaches us to: Stand firm in a fixed position, situation or condition permanently. We are prepared and set in order as first intended, we continue securely knowing that we can be all that God has called us to be because wisdom has built the house. Beloved, hear what the Spirit is saying. Study these scriptures, meditate on them and let the Lord reveal unto you more understanding of what the Lord wants to do in your life.
Blessings,
Elma Garlock
This week we will finish our teaching on Intimacy In Him and continue with our main scripture text found in Acts 17:28 that says: In Him we Live and Move and have our Being.
What does it means to Have Our Being in Him? If we look up the word "Have" in the dictionary this is the meaning it gives us: To catch a hold of, own, to be the possessor of a quality or character, to be in a specified personal relationship to, experience and be effected by something.
Now let's dig a little deeper and find out what the word "Being" means: The essential nature or character of a living thing, especially one conceived of as supernatural and is the existence and the substance or essence of a person or thing. (remember these words)
So how can we "Have our Being" in Him and what does that consist of? We have to possess a personal, intimate relationship with Him and contained within that relationship has to be the very substance and essence of Christ. Because that, that we have in Him is essential ( which means is necessary and is of the highest importance and of perfect form or embodiment of) our very existence spiritually.
A good example of this would be if you think of a single egg. We know an egg has a yoke and within this yoke lays the germ or what science calls a germ spot that's about the size of a pin head. The germ, which is within the egg yoke, if fertilized and if kept under suitable conditions develops into an embryo and that embryo totally relies on the yoke for nourishment to grow.
You see, that embryo is representative of our spirit man that relates to God and effects our relationship with Him. Just as the embryo in an egg depends on the yoke to grow and develop, so are we dependent on the Holy Spirit to draw us deeper into Him, to nourish and heal our mind, body, soul and heart and to reveal to us the revelation of God word. Our spiritual growth and our relationship with God will develop to its fullest potential and the intimacy with Him will be a normal natural experience once we allow the Holy Spirit to come in and do His work.
Without the Holy Spirit in our lives we cease to be full and alive in Christ, because He is the substance and the essence of God that has been deposited into our hearts through faith as Ephesians 3:17, 18 & 19 tell us:
Verse 17: May Christ through your faith (actually) dwell (settle) down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love.
Verse 18: That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints (God's devoted people, the experience of that love) what is the breadth and length and height and depth (0f it);
Verse 19: That you may really come to know (practically, through experience for yourselves) the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge (without experience); that you may be filled (through all your being) unto all the fullness of God (may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself)! If that's not Intimacy In Him then what is?
Earlier I mentioned that He is the Substance which is: The material of which a thing is made. And what is this in us? It is the fullness and the power of God that works in us by the power of the Holy Spirit.
And also He is the Essence which is: The most significant part of a persons nature. So what is the essence of God? HIS LOVE!
If a person doesn't have the Holy Spirit in their lives, they are only a shell of a person that is void, empty and lifeless.
In Colossians 2: 6,7 it says:
Verse 6: As you have therefore received Christ even Jesus the Lord, so walk, regulate your lives and conduct yourselves in union with and conformity to Him.
Verse 7: Have the roots of your being firmly and deeply planted (built up) in Him, fixed and founded in Him, becoming increasingly more confirmed and established in the faith, just as you were taught and abounding and overflowing in it with thanksgiving.
So if we have our "Being In Him" we are in "Union with Him" means: We are allowing the Holy Spirit to adjust us, lead us, manage our lives and we are in total unity to, harmony and agreement with God and with His word just as Christ is.
To sum it all up when we are "In Him" we learn to:
a. Dwell in Him
b. Rest in Him
c. Abide in His Love
d. We are united to Him as a branch is to a vine
And when we learn to "Live In Him" we live:
a. In the Spirit
b. We have Spiritual and Emotional Intimacy with Him and those we love
We learn to "Move In Him":
a. We move out of fear and we move into peace.
b. We move out of defeat and despair and we move into faith.
c. We move out of complaining and doubt so we can move into trust and rest in
God's promises.
And when we "Have our Being In Him":
a. We have our substance, which is the fullness, the power of God working in us by the Holy Spirit and the essence of Christ which is His love.
b. We have total unity, harmony and are in agreement with God and His word.
c. Our roots (foundations) are firmly and deeply planted and anchored in Him.
Beloved in closing, I want to encourage you to seek Him, so that you may know Him and to listen that you may hear Him.....because there is a sound that is coming from heaven that we haven't heard and a song that we haven't sang. It's the sound of Heaven calling you to go higher...to dig deeper..... and go wider and remove the restrains of the flesh and come away with Him. It's a sound of war that is bring peace....it's a sound of power that will bring strength...... and a sound of judgement that will bring an alignment to those who have fallen from grace. Lift up your heads for salvation comes from the Lord and this is the day for salvation that brings deliverance, healing, soundness, forgiveness, regeneration, sanctification, joy and peace to His people. He hasn't forgotten you nor has He abandoned you but has allowed you to go through this season for His purpose and for His plan...every man's way is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weights the hearts and this is a heart issue with God. He sees what's lacking and says He will supply.....and the longing in your heart will be satisfied with His love and peace.....and the grace will be there for the task that lies ahead.
Blessings,
Elma Garlock
