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1 Cor 1: 24, 30 .... Jesus Christ is our Wisdom, Power, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption

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Treasures of Wisdom

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Proverbs 1:1-4

Purpose of Proverbs
These are three-fold: knowing, receiving and giving [Prov. 1:2-4]

The act of knowing Wisdom
Prov 1:2 2To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;
To fully grasp a proverb in your spirit man, there is the knowing part, the receiving part and the giving path. All three are important. The knowing part is the easiest of the three, the receiving part is the next and the giving part is the hardest. If you master all three, it is spiritually very rewarding.

To “know” something means you are “familiar with” or “thoroughly acquainted with” something. It means you can “discern”. Knowing something is in the mind realm. It doesn’t mean it is a part of you yet. You may not be practicing what you know yet but this stage is important because you need to store the knowledge in your mind. The mind is the treasure house of knowledge so you need to know or store good things in it.

The act of receiving Wisdom
Prov. 1:3 3To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; To “receive” means to receive or “get” something. It also means to “accept” something. It is the Lord that gives us or we receive something from that is meaningful to our spirit man. When the word of God transcends the soul man into your spirit man, then you are operating in the realm of receiving. For example, we receive grace for our salvation from God. The grace is there as it is already given by God but except you accept it you cannot receive it and even if you have accepted it there are different measures that a man can walk in of the grace of God. God gave Solomon wisdom that was exceedingly much. It was beyond what the capacity of the human mind can hold, yet it was all locked up in the mind of Solomon. His mind was sharp.

The act of giving Wisdom
Prov. 1:4 4To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. The “giving” part is the operating aspect of knowing a proverb or proverbs. At this third stage, not only have you known it but it begins to direct you. You become guided by what you know. The word of God becomes your compass and directs your spirit man on what to do even when you are boxed in a tight corner which no other person thought you could get out from. You can ask God in prayer to expand the capacity of your mind to receive His word and let His word transcend into your spirit man in the name of Jesus.

CHRISTIAN PARENTING [PART II]

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CHRISTIAN PARENTING [PART II] Author: Pastor Godwin Okafor

Today, I continue my write up on Christian Parenting. I am not just writing about child upbringing in the world, which is mainly based on the psychology of children, but on Christian upbringing of their children in godly manners. Why has it been difficult for godly parents to “produce” godly children? This had bothered me for many years, especially after noticing that the “bad kids” come from the homes of ministers of God. I will be bringing excepts from my forthcoming major book, which centres on ministering prayers to children and babies, right from the womb. Prayer is spiritual forth-telling of what would become of something, situation, including a child being prayed for. Enjoy your reading of these pieces.

Matt 19:14: “… Let the little children come to me,
and do not hinder them,… “ said Jesus.

Ministering to children, especially babies, (including those in the womb), is a very challenging matter. It has become too complex, and is almost non-existent in many Christian circles, as the enemy of mankind becomes more subtle in his sinister dealings with earth men, as the last days approach. This is more so, because of the erroneous assumption that the child is innocent till he or she attains the so called “Age of Accountability”. Yet many things, too difficult to explain, happen to children before this age arrives, even while they are still in the wombs of their mothers. The bible affirms that even the unborn child is already tainted by sin, and that God requires that the unborn child should be taught wisdom, even from its mother’s womb.

Ps 51:5-6: “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.”

Yes, God is concerned about the unborn child, and had to send an angel to Samson’s mother before he was conceived, to watch what she ate and drank, because of Samson’s special mission to His people. The doctors still tell expectant mothers today to watch what they eat and drink in order to ensure they had a healthy baby.

Judges 13:3-5: “The angel of the LORD appeared to her and said, ‘You are sterile and childless, but you are going to conceive and have a son. Now see to it that you drink no wine or other fermented drink and that you do not eat anything unclean, because you will conceive and give birth to a son. No razor may be used on his head, because the boy is to be a Nazirite, set apart to God from birth, and he will begin the deliverance of Israel from the hands of the Philistines.’”

David, the psalmist, said that wickedness could start right from the womb when a child “does not know anything”, according to our estimation.

Psalm 58:3: “Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb they are wayward and speak lies.”

David seemed to have very deep insights beyond the ordinary person. I believe that was why he was said to be a man after God’s own heart, as the Almighty found him. David seemed to see what only God saw. Should it be a wonder then, if the spirit of an unborn child is initiated into witchcraft or any other evil cult before it is born? We need the Holy Spirit to help us, lest we perish in gross ignorance, wondering and bemused. God desires that unborn children be spoken to, or taught the truth while still in the womb. God is spirit, just as His word is spirit. While a child is unborn, it is more spirit than body; that spirit could learn spiritual truths or wisdom that no flesh could hardly comprehend or interpret. However, the wisdom taught or learned by the unborn child could be demonic and can easily be used against mankind in future. To counter this situation, Christian parents or ministers should learn and practice speaking positive spiritual truths to their unborn children.

Psalm 51:6: “Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.”

It is regrettable to note that the agents of the dark kingdom seem to know this more than the agents of the kingdom of light, and exploit it to contaminate the unborn children, whom they initiate into the dark kingdom while still in the womb, awaiting their birth into the earth’s atmosphere. The spirit of the unborn is older than its physical age, because God’s Spirit, which He breathed into man when he was created, and which gave man life (and which brought man’s spirit into being), is ageless.

Where is your Focus?

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Luke 11:34 The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.

2 Kings 2:10 And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.

Imagine while taking the kids to school as you go to work, other road users doing the exact same thing, dashing to get there on time. Drivers who are early risers and could not get a bite before leaving home would want to pop something in their mouths or sip coffee from their coffee mugs. Cars coming out from different directions, drivers discovering new and shorter routes, all for one purpose and that is, not to be late. As if driving in this condition are not chaotic enough, pedestrians dashing across the road unexpectedly, car horns blaring and cell phones beeping! All these could lead to accidents when one is not careful. Distractions here and there could lead to disaster. This is why the ‘Distracted driving law’ in where I reside is very welcome.

The spiritual atmosphere is not too different from the physical. People are busy with different activities. The physical activities intertwined with the spiritual activities, thereby choking the spiritual. One has to know where to draw the line and cut back on too many activities within a given period of time. This reminds me of a sweet little 6 year old girl where I teach Sunday school. She was asked why she could not recite her memory verse for the week when asked to do so. Her response; too many activities, mom took me for barley dance class, then swimming, clinic and then I got tired and did not have time, and I forgot all about it! At first it was funny; then I became empathetic and encouraged her that it was not all that bad. I told her she could learn it for the next week. From the bible passage above, when we are focussed, there is intense light, clarity and better vision.

Elisha’s story suggests that when something good is about to happen, there is bound to be distractions even from close pals. Elisha was one of the prophets and the sons of the prophets tried to dissuade him from having his life time promise fulfilled. He refused to be distracted. He stayed focussed. Using his own words in verse 5……..Hold your peace. This is like saying, don’t bother me, I know what I am doing! You have to watch out and remain focussed.

We pray that God would open our spiritual eyes and understanding as we focus on Jesus who is the author and finisher of our faith so that our spiritual lives would blossom and be robust to be like the ever green plant by the water side.

Prayer Points
1. Oh Lord, help me to remain quiet in my spirit to receive divine guidance from You in Jesus name.
2. Oh Lord, open my eyes to find your blueprints for my life in Jesus name.

Author: Esther Agbi

The Excellent Wisdom of Solomon

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Solomon was a very wise king. Of his wisdom Jesus commended that there was no king as wise as Solomon [Luke 11:31; Matt 6:28-30]. Divinely inspired, he wrote the book of Proverbs, a goldmine of wisdom nuggets, and later in life in what appears to be progressive repentance after living a life of unbriddled passions and the pursuit of vanities, he had enough inspiration to write the book of Ecclesiastes. Other kings from foreign lands came to seek the king’s counsel.

How did Solomon get this excellent wisdom? He asked God for it in visions of the night! In his quiet moment with God, he was given the choice to ask for anything. Solomon asked for one thing: wisdom and understanding to judge the people aright. God was so pleased with his singular choice that He also blessed Solomon with riches and honour in addition to his wisdom, promising Solomon a long life based on continued obedience [1 Kings 3:5-13].

29And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore. 30And Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. 31For he was wiser than all men;………… 32And he spake three thousand proverbs; and his songs were a thousand and five. 33And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes. 34And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom [1 Kings 4:29-34].

From the above Scriptures, you need wisdom and understanding from God to live and enjoy success spiritually and in other aspects of life. God enlarged Solomon’s heart and planted His wisdom into it, that is, there was nothing his heart could not fathom. That is the type of largeness of heart you and I need, not the one filled with stress accentuated by the vanities of life. He exceeded in wisdom than other kings around him and all other people. Solomon sought after wisdom with all his heart and got it. He chose the right thing and his request pleased God [1 Kings 3:5-14]. Recommending his wise choice to everyone, he wrote in Prov. 4:7, Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

Solomon advocated for his blessings, using the covenant God had with David to facilitate his plea. God had committed Himself to fulfilling the covenant He had with David and when He found that Solomon had the right heart, He included the blessings of prosperity and peace that Solomon did not ask for but nevertheless would make Solomon’s reign as king most comfortable.

Is the blessing of divine wisdom Solomon had superior to that you and I have from God today. No! Because Jesus is greater than Solomon in wisdom and in all respects as a member of the godhead and He is our advocate before God the Father in heaven. Through His shed blood on the cross, He made a covenant with the Father on our behalf. You and I have the singular opportunity to ask God for anything in the name of Jesus. Jesus said if you ask God for anything in His name God the Father will do it for you [John 14:12-14]. That requires faith, a necessary and sufficient condition to claim your blessings. Your faith is the spiritual catalyst which activates the word of God for you. If your faith is dormant, you will not receive anything from God. The blessings may have been released in the spiritual but your faith is required to call them into reality.

Note that only those things asked in the name of Jesus, that is, those things asked in line with the will of God, would be responded to by God. Otherwise your prayers will not be answered. The name of Jesus is the “master key” to God’s heart. Because Jesus is the Son of God whom He loved dearly and yet sent Him to die for us, God responds to the earnest prayer of anyone who comes to Him by faith. Solomon asked for wisdom to govern the people and that his heart would learn to distinguish and choose right from wrong. God filled Solomon’s heart with wisdom but ours in Christ is fuller in breadth, depth and height if we ask by faith, and the revelation of that knowledge was Paul’s prayer for the Ephesian Christians [Eph. chapter 1]. Ask for an influx of God’s wisdom into your heart through Christ today and you will have His excellent wisdom that is superior to Solomon’s. Isn’t that a superior priviledge!

Prayer Points
1. Lord, give me largeness of heart filled with your wisdom and understanding in the name of Jesus.

2. Oh Lord, saturate my heart with your Spirit of excellence; grant me understanding in all things in the name of Jesus.

3. Oh Lord, make me a blessing to my generation and the generations after in the name of Jesus.

CHRISTIAN PARENTING [PART I]

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CHRISTIAN PARENTING by PASTOR GODWIN OKAFOR
The other time, I responded to a father’s concern that his kids do not have any interests in the things of God. He had wanted to know how others whose kids seem to have greater interests in the things of God have achieved their successes.
By God’s grace, and as ministerial time permits, I intend to share some spiritual insights which the LORD has enabled me to gather from His word over the years I have been on the pilgrim’s journey and in ministry.
The task of bringing up godly kids is a huge one, and lack of knowledge of God’s mind on this has resulted in all sorts of spiritual mishaps in this venture. So many Christian homes with beautiful Christian couples have made complete shipwreck of parenting.
In this first write up on Parenting Tips, I wish to call the attention of Christian parents that ours is a spiritual walk, and anything we do, including parenting, must be guided by spiritual principles. And since the spiritual knowledge of the Christian comes from the word of God (John 6:63), we must turn often to it, to discover the foundation of raising godly kids.
However, the fundamental question we need to deal with, first and foremost, is: How many Christians are spiritual, or how many Christian parents raise their kids according to God’s mind on the issue? I hope I will not be misunderstood here. Knowledge of the Bible, “the letter” of it, does not suffice. The application of God’s word holds the key in making godly homes, and then raising godly kids in such godly homes. The formula could go like this: godly couples = to godly homes; godly homes = godly kids. And of course, godly kids = godly society, et cetera.
I have seen may Christian homes who started their journey with carnal considerations, thereby violating God’s rules of holiness in starting up godly families. One of these is the placing of emphasis on what a man has accumulated before proposing marriage to a Christian lady, and in fact, his capability to support the carnal needs after the marriage. What of the Christian man who looks for beautiful Christian sisters who work in banks or other such places, have cars, or who must be well educated and have rich parents.
Or the more sinful ones (in our sight), of those who want to ensure that the intending couples are “compatible” (whatever that means), before marriage. What of those who want to make sure that the lady would have children for the family after marriage? I have been told of ladies who would make sure that their future husbands could get them pregnant before they agree to marry them.
Let me ask us, would God’s favour rest in such homes later, when they face the challenge of unruly or ungodly kids? When the foundation of the home is destroyed from the onset, why hope to raise godly children? The “god” the couple served before marriage would certainly seek to dominate the home thereafter. (See Psalm 11:13). What can the righteous do? Repent, do restitution, and ask God for mercy, and ask Him to show you how to remedy the situation. Surely, such children would have encounters with Jehovah, if their parents seek the LORD in repentance.
I will continue from here in my next write up. I appreciate those who are concerned in this issue of Christian Parenting, especially Sister Emem, with that broad smile. Remain blessed all of you.

Forgotten Sacrifices II?

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Forgotten Sacrifices (II) ? Author: Esther Agbi
King David would not give to God anything that cost him nothing [2Sam 24:24]!
This is in line with giving something special. That is the right attitude. No little wonder
God testified that David was a man after His Heart!
Cornelius was another man whose offering stood out [Acts 10]….. “Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God”, an angel of God told him. This is very fascinating! His prayers and offerings were stored up for future blessings. God remembered Cornelius. He and his household were blessed.
There is a Lady I know of who loves offering sacrifices to God even when she does not have. As her story goes, a man of God called for the members to give sacrificially to foreign missions, assisting refugees. She had no money at the time to donate, but somehow, material goods were being accepted. She had this beautiful and costly attire with shoes and jewelry to match. She contemplated for a long time because she really loved the attire. Finally, she decided to give it up as a sacrifice for foreign missions. A prayer was said that day, according to her, she never thought that she would ever be in that situation in her life time because she was very comfortable at the time. The Man of God prayed that no one who has given towards the missions would ever become a refugee in a foreign land.
Somehow, after many years, this lady found herself as a refugee in a foreign land. She remembered that prayer, and I believe that God remembered that prayer too because she was set free from that situation and now a Citizen of that country. That prayer by the Man of God was stored up for a future blessing. God is the same yesterday, today and forevermore.
The Lord will remember you and me for greater blessings in Jesus Name.
It is good for us to give to the Lord because we care. Give because you love, give because God demonstrated it by giving his only SON Jesus to die for us. Give because God instructed us to do so [Luke 6:38] and there is a reward. God will remember someday. It may not be in your life time, maybe your children or generations down the line.
Sacrifice may not be monetary only. It could be just a smile, a nice compliment that is sincere, or a phone call to brighten someone else’s day, a quiet prayer for someone you know or don’t know. You could sacrifice your talent or your time even when it is not convenient. That is why it is called a sacrifice. If it were convenient, it would not have been called a sacrifice. When Jesus gave his life for us, it was not convenient. That is love.
Solomon gave a sacrifice, and God asked him what he wanted [1 Kings 3:5]. Has God ever testified of your offering/sacrifice? Has He asked you what you wanted after you gave your offering? The same questions I would ask myself.
It is good to ask from God, but it is better to be asked by God what we want. I believe that the Lord is working on us all and he will grant us wisdom to work in line with HIM in Jesus Name.
My prayer for you is that the Lord remember all your offerings in whatever form you have given to Him in support of His kingdom and that He fulfill all your heart desires in Jesus name [Psalm 20:3, 5], Amen.