New Testament church: Recognizing the wisdom that is from God
James 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
If the idea is costly, difficult, complicated ... then I know that idea is not the wisdom from God.
So I pray again about the issue.
If there is hypocrisy, pretense, something I would have to do or say that I did not really feel, then I know this is not the wisdom from God.
Many groups set up "prearranged" prayers. I hate these.
At our bridge club, they always asked this one man to pray. I watched him. He started the prayer with his head bowed, so the people bowed their heads. But I watched. After people weren't looking, he pulled out a list which he had made on a note card prior to the gathering. He began praying his list.
After seeing this one time, from that time forward, when I knew this man was going to pray, I would get up and go into the ladies room and stay there until he finished his prayer.
James 5:16 The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
For a prayer to be "effective", that prayer must be according to the will of God ... and for that prayer to be "fervent", it must be red-hot from the heart, not a cold dead set of words from a note card.
And prayers must be from "a righteous man".
We had a man at the church I attended, and when he prayed he got a happy look on his face and was sort of dreamy and his eyes glassed over.
Later I found out this same man was committing fornication with a woman from a bar which he frequented when it wasn't a church night.
He confirmed to me that he was having sex with this woman. To which I said, "You know the Bible as well as I do. I can't have any more to do with you."
Paul said: But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. (I Corinthians 5:11)
To which this man agreed. He didn't care if I was separated from him.
We should care very much if a godly person separates from us.
Concerning prayer: Jesus says
Matthew 6:5-7 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
Concerning prayer: Jesus says
Matthew 6:5-7 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
When I lived in Clovis, New Mexico (USA), across the street from my house lived a family who did home schooling. One day I looked out of my window and was horrified to see a group of adults and teen age young people standing in a circle in the front yard for all in the neighborhood to see them with their heads bowed, obviously praying.
A few days after this, I had taken my mother to see the movie "Pearl Harbor." My mother was in a wheelchair. I struggled to get that wheelchair in the place where the theater provided for handicapped. Then I noticed this family from across the street: father, mother, teen-aged son ... not one of the men got up and tried to help me place the wheelchair. This tells about their religion.
Pay attention to what they do for this is important information to keep us from being deceived by them.
Jesus says:
Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. (Matthew 24:4-5)
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I Kings 4:1-19 So king Solomon was king over all Israel. And these were the princes which he had; Azariah the son of Zadok the priest, Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder. And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the host: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests: And Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers: and Zabud the son of Nathan was principal officer, and the king's friend: And Ahishar was over the household: and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the tribute.
And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, which provided victuals for the king and his household: each man his month in a year made provision. And these are their names: The son of Hur, in mount Ephraim: The son of Dekar, in Makaz, and in Shaalbim, and Bethshemesh, and Elonbethhanan: The son of Hesed, in Aruboth; to him pertained Sochoh, and all the land of Hepher: The son of Abinadab, in all the region of Dor; which had Taphath the daughter of Solomon to wife: Baana the son of Ahilud; to him pertained Taanach and Megiddo, and all Bethshean, which is by Zartanah beneath Jezreel, from Bethshean to Abelmeholah, even unto the place that is beyond Jokneam: The son of Geber, in Ramothgilead; to him pertained the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; to him also pertained the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, threescore great cities with walls and brasen bars: Ahinadab the son of Iddo had Mahanaim: Ahimaaz was in Naphtali; he also took Basmath the daughter of Solomon to wife:
And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, which provided victuals for the king and his household: each man his month in a year made provision. And these are their names: The son of Hur, in mount Ephraim: The son of Dekar, in Makaz, and in Shaalbim, and Bethshemesh, and Elonbethhanan: The son of Hesed, in Aruboth; to him pertained Sochoh, and all the land of Hepher: The son of Abinadab, in all the region of Dor; which had Taphath the daughter of Solomon to wife: Baana the son of Ahilud; to him pertained Taanach and Megiddo, and all Bethshean, which is by Zartanah beneath Jezreel, from Bethshean to Abelmeholah, even unto the place that is beyond Jokneam: The son of Geber, in Ramothgilead; to him pertained the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; to him also pertained the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, threescore great cities with walls and brasen bars: Ahinadab the son of Iddo had Mahanaim: Ahimaaz was in Naphtali; he also took Basmath the daughter of Solomon to wife:
Baanah the son of Hushai was in Asher and in Aloth: Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar: Shimei the son of Elah, in Benjamin: Geber the son of Uri was in the country of Gilead, in the country of Sihon king of the Amorites, and of Og king of Bashan; and he was the only officer which was in the land.
(The Shimei in above scripture is not "the Shimei" who cursed David and was killed by the officer of Solomon. The above Shimei was the son of Elah. The Shimei who cursed David was the son of Gera. II Samuel 16:5)
With computers today, it is very easy to look up these names and to see the father of that person so we can see truth. Just as today there are many men with the name "John", during those days there were many "Jonahans". We can identify which is which if we search that name in our computer.
And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life.
And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal, Ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and an hundred sheep, beside harts, and roebucks, and fallowdeer, and fatted fowl.
For he had dominion over all the region on this side the river, from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on this side the river: and he had peace on all sides round about him.
And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.
And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.
And those officers provided victual for king Solomon, and for all that came unto king Solomon's table, every man in his month: they lacked nothing.
Barley also and straw for the horses and dromedaries brought they unto the place where the officers were, every man according to his charge.
And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.
And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.
For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about.
Remember:
God said to Solomon in the dream: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. (I Kings 3:12)
I Kings 4:32-34 And he (Solomon) spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.
And 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.
Romans 12:6-8 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
I Peter 4:10-11 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever.
(The Shimei in above scripture is not "the Shimei" who cursed David and was killed by the officer of Solomon. The above Shimei was the son of Elah. The Shimei who cursed David was the son of Gera. II Samuel 16:5)
With computers today, it is very easy to look up these names and to see the father of that person so we can see truth. Just as today there are many men with the name "John", during those days there were many "Jonahans". We can identify which is which if we search that name in our computer.
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I Kings 4:20-31 Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry.
And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal, Ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and an hundred sheep, beside harts, and roebucks, and fallowdeer, and fatted fowl.
For he had dominion over all the region on this side the river, from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on this side the river: and he had peace on all sides round about him.
And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.
And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.
And those officers provided victual for king Solomon, and for all that came unto king Solomon's table, every man in his month: they lacked nothing.
Barley also and straw for the horses and dromedaries brought they unto the place where the officers were, every man according to his charge.
And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.
For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about.
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Remember:
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I Kings 4:32-34 And he (Solomon) spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.
And 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.
And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.
Proverbs 18:16 A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.
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New Testament church: God gives spiritual gifts to the church for the edification of all
God gives many spiritual gifts for the church today.
Unfortunately in most church groups there is no opportunity given to share those gifts with the church.
For a few years, I attended Bible class and church service at Word of Faith church. I never heard pastor there give any opportunity for any person in the congregation to give a word from the Lord. It was closed as it is in most church groups.
But at the Bible class, our teacher always, without exception, would say: "Does anyone have a word from the Lord?" So if anyone did have such, he was free to present that spiritual gift.
One time, this teacher asked me to do the main presentation for this group. Always before the speaker, this teacher would lead us in singing. During the singing I would often receive two or three words of knowledge given to me by God which I would present to the group at the proper time.
That day, while the singing was in progress, I had a word of knowledge ... then another ... then another ... then another. I finally got a pencil and wrote these down because there were so many. As I recall there were 24 words of knowledge given that day.
Here are the spiritual gifts given by God for the church today:
I Corinthians 12:7-11 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as HE (God) will.
Paul said the following is that which is to happen when we come together as the church:
I Corinthians 14:26 How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
It is rarely possible for these spiritual gifts to surface in the gathering of the church for those in charge have structured the church to keep people from sharing the things they have been given by God. So basically the church service has become a manipulation of man. And not a lot that is of God happens in these settings. Things of God are often kept out of the church service.
That's just the way it is.
But once in awhile we can find a Bible class which is open to the Word of the Lord.
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