Knowledge

What is knowledge?  Let’s look at the actual definition:

[nol-ij]  Show IPA

noun

1. acquaintance with facts, truths, or principles, as from study or investigation; general erudition: knowledge of many things.

2. familiarity or conversance, as with a particular subject orbranch of learning: A knowledge of accounting was necessary for the job.

3. acquaintance or familiarity gained by sight, experience, or report: a knowledge of human nature.

4. the fact or state of knowing;  the perception of fact or truth; clear and certain mental apprehension.

5. awareness, as of a fact or circumstance: He had knowledge of her good fortune.

Now, people can be rather knowledgeable about different subjects.  For example, my big sister is extremely knowledgeable about working with high school students and counseling them.  She is the best I’ve ever seen, even better than my mom was, but don’t tell mom that. 😉  I don’t have that type of knowledge, would never even try to pretend to have it.  We aren’t made to know everything.  So, why would we pretend to know everything.

This evening, I came across the following verse:

Proverbs 1:7

7 Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

I’ve already defined fear, but here it is again:

fear

[feer]  Show IPA

noun

4. reverential awe, especially toward God: the fear of God. Synonyms: awe, respect, reverence, veneration.

So, this verse is expressing to us that a respect of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge.  This can be translated to meaning that if you have that reverential awe, that respect for God, you already have the basis, foundation, to obtain true knowledge.  But fools despise wisdom and discipline.

Wisdom is different than knowledge.  The definition of wisdom is:

wis·dom

  http://sp.dictionary.com/dictstatic/d/g/speaker.swf [wiz-duhm]  Show IPA

noun

1. the quality or state of being wise;  knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action; sagacity, discernment, or insight.

2. scholarly knowledge or learning: the wisdom of the schools.

3. wise  sayings or teachings; precepts.

4. a wise  act or saying.

5. ( initial capital letter ) Douay Bible . Wisdom of Solomon.

Discipline, a word that scares most kids.  Here is the definition, just to be clear:

dis·ci·pline

[dis-uh-plin]  Show IPA noun, verb, -plined, -plin·ing.

noun

1. training to act in accordance with rules; drill: military discipline.

2. activity, exercise, or a regimen that develops or improves a skill; training: A daily stint at the typewriter is excellentdiscipline for a writer.

3. punishment inflicted by way of correction and training.

4. the rigor or training effect of experience, adversity, etc.: the harsh discipline of poverty.

5. behavior in accord with rules of conduct; behavior and order maintained by training and control: good discipline in an army.

So, fools despise wisdom and discipline.  I won’t address the wisdom portion except to say that there are different levels of wisdom and I’ve met fools that are also wise.  Let’s look at the discipline portion though.  One of the things that I think about with discipline, is an Olympic athlete.  To be the best, you have to be disciplined.  You have to have control of what you are doing.  Without that discipline, you lose focus, and could lose at whatever endeavor you were working.  So, why would fools despise discipline?  Because they don’t want to give up their wrongdoing.  They are having too much fun doing what they want that they don’t see the prize at the end.  They aren’t keeping focus.  And they don’t care to keep focus because they are having too much fun doing what is wrong.

This is why we must focus, keep disciplined, and thereby, gain knowledge, which increases our wisdom.

Exhausted, and my wonderful kids

I haven’t been around much since I’ve been extremely exhausted. This past week I finished up the recipe book and sent it off to be printed and such.  And let me tell you, it took more than I thought it would.  I’m looking forward to the final copy.  We wound up with 169 recipes total.  Keep in mind, a few of those are probably not ones you want to actually try, but those recipes are absolutely adorable and hilarious and are from our younger kids at the school.  I should mention that the school only has a few more than 20 kids.  (something like 21, 22, or 23)  Anyway, between that, and work, and home, I’m just worn down.  I’ve been going to bed early and when I’m not, my mind just hasn’t been thinking clearly, so, I haven’t posted.

Oh, I know what I can talk about…

Last night, we had our quarterly parent meeting at the school.  I should probably go back to the week before and mention that at AWANA, I was showing my TREK kids different Gospel Tracts that they could use to break the ice and share their belief.  The kids loved it and I agreed to purchase some for them.  I did that and they came in yesterday.  I made goody bags for my TREK kids and showed my children what I had left over and they got so excited.  They insisted on bringing a bunch of them to the parent meeting and they passed several tracts to each person there.  It was great.  Granted, they were ‘preaching to the choir,’ so to speak, but they have to start somewhere, right?  The kids were so excited, they want to go out and pass the tracts out in other places.  I foresee another order from livingwaters.com coming soon.

God bless.

Food

I enjoy food.  As I’ve become mature, I’ve learned to appreciate it more and more.  I will admit, that as a child, is was horrible with food.  Very, very picky about what I ate.  There are still foods I have difficulty with eating, but I am getting better about it.  Today, I was reminded of 10 lessons about food.  It was a real refreshing reminder.  I got these from this website.

1. Food is a version of God’s love
2. Food is a gift from God
3. Food is not cheap (look at the work that goes into it, not the monetary side)
4. Food is for sharing and fellowship
5. Eating connects us to creation
6. Eating reminds us of our stewardship
7. Eating is a reminder of the Eucharist
8. Saying grace makes us mindful of God
9. The goal of all eating is to savor a taste of heaven
10. Food lets us commune with God

I’m going to add one thing to this list.  A dear friend of mine that I respect and admire, says “If God didn’t make it, don’t eat it.”  She’s right.  Bon appetit.

Judges

A little more than a year ago, the Thursday night Bible Study that I participate(d) in, did a study in the book of Judges.  I added the (d) in there because we are currently on hiatus due to life events for the leaders of the group.  I can’t wait to get back into it.  Back to Judges.  One of the comments that was made by our group was that every time the book talked about a new judge that was chosen by God, the chapter started with “… the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord.” Or something similar.

Tonight, my daily reading took me to the birth of Samson.  Samson was an interesting judge.  Here was a man that God chose before his mother became pregnant with him to be a judge and the parents knew this.  How?  Read about the birth:

Judges 13

The Birth of Samson

1 Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, so the Lord delivered them into the hands of the Philistines for forty years.

2 A certain man of Zorah, named Manoah, from the clan of the Danites, had a wife who was childless, unable to give birth.

3 The angel of the Lord appeared to her and said, “You are barren and childless, but you are going to become pregnant and give birth to a son.

4 Now see to it that you drink no wine or other fermented drink and that you do not eat anything unclean.

5 You will become pregnant and have a son whose head is never to be touched by a razor because the boy is to be a Nazirite, dedicated to God from the womb. He will take the lead in delivering Israel from the hands of the Philistines.”

Pretty clear there that the Messenger of God knew and gave them a heads up.  So, Samson’s parents did as the messenger said.  Samson, however, was a self-centered, whiny pain in the rear about it all.  As a Nazarite, there were certain things that he was not to do.  For example, Nazarite’s were not to touch a freshly dead animal.  However, he kills a lion with his bare hands and guts it.  Yeah, not a good thing.  He had an affinity towards prostitutes, which I think goes without saying that a man right with God should not have.  He was to never tell anyone what gave him his strength, he confessed it to Delilah.  So, why did God make this man a judge to save Israel?  There is a poem that has been going around the internet that starts with things like “Moses was a murderer, Samson was an adulterer…” and ends with “God doesn’t call the able, he makes able those he calls.”  Or something of that sort.  Samson, who was caught by the Philistines and his hair shaved off his head (the source of his strength) and blinded, was in no position to destroy the Philistines.  So what did he do?  He prayed.  He repented for his past actions, and he asked God to give him enough strength to destroy the Philistines so that the Israelites would be able to continue on and not be persecuted.  And God, hearing his prayer, restored enough of his strength to bring down the building that was housing the Philistines that were throwing a party to celebrate Samson being caught.

God made worthy the one he called.  The one he called was not worthy before that.    While none of us are worthy, he will use us the way he needs us.  He will give us the knowledge, strength, belief, power, whatever is needed, to bring him the glory.  That’s what it is all about folks.  So when you are called, don’t fight it, accept it, for he will bring you through it.

Disappearing

I mentioned in one of my previous posts that I was a bit insane and taking a class to learn Hebrew.  I started that class in January, and there were 11 students in the class.  It’s dwindled down to 2 and tonight, was just me.  Not complaining at all.  Just confused as to why you would pay a lot of money for a class and then just drop the class.  Oh well, such is life.  Off to study.

Grudges

Have you ever held a grudge?  I have.  I believe most of us have.  Hopefully, not for too long.  I’ve talked to my middle schoolers about this at AWANA.  When you hold grudges, you become bitter.  You become bitter and you start making yourself sick, and ‘ugly.’  Not physically, but emotionally and outwardly to what others see.

Today’s devotional discussed it a little:

Psalm 130:3-4

3 LORD, if you kept a record of our sins,
who, O Lord, could ever survive?

4 But you offer forgiveness,
that we might learn to fear you.

The comment after it is as follows:

Keeping a record of sins (or holding a grudge) is like building a wall between you and another person, and it is nearly impossible to talk openly while the wall is there. God doesn’t keep a record of our sins; when he forgives, he forgives completely, tearing down any wall between us and him. Therefore, we fear (revere) God, yet we can talk to him about anything. When you pray, realize that God is holding nothing against you. His lines of communication are completely open.

 We should learn from this example.  Why keep a record and build that wall?  It hurts not only you, but those around you.  It’s a difficult lesson for all of us.  And, admittedly, one that I fight with on a regular basis.  I do try to remember this and I do try to move forward.  Let me know when I don’t, please, so that I can correct that.

Song

Yesterday, the girls had chapel at school and the topic was song.  Today, by coincidence, my daily reading involved a Psalm.  Psalm, as many know, means Song.  Many of the Psalms were written by David.  Today’s reading specifically was Psalm 52.  I found it to be a rather interesting Psalm.

Psalm 52

Psalm 52

For the choir director: A psalm of David, regarding the time Doeg the Edomite said to Saul, “David has gone to see Ahimelech.”

1 Why do you boast about your crimes, great warrior?
Don’t you realize God’s justice continues forever?

Isn’t that a fantastic question?  Why would you boast about your crimes?  Well, it’s pretty much answered in the next question.  They, or you, don’t realize that God’s justice continues forever.  Those that boast about their crime either don’t believe in God, or they have created a God in their mind that they think is true.

2 All day long you plot destruction.
Your tongue cuts like a sharp razor;
you’re an expert at telling lies.

The psalmist goes on to state the obvious to Christians, though not so much with non-Christians.  Those that boast of their crimes are also plot destruction.  Who’s?  Depends on the crime, but honestly, in the end, their own destruction.  The tongue cuts like a razor and they are an expert at telling lies.  Who strives for that kind of expertise?  It saddens me.

3 You love evil more than good
and lies more than truth.
Interlude

This person loves evil more than good, and lies more than tells the truth.  Again, this saddens me.

4 You love to destroy others with your words,
you liar!

This person loves to destroy others with what they say.  They lie and say horrible things and destroy other people.  Saddening.

5 But God will strike you down once and for all.
He will pull you from your home
and uproot you from the land of the living.
Interlude

What these people forget, or choose to not realize is that God will strike them down, once and for all.  He will take everything away from these people.

6 The righteous will see it and be amazed.
They will laugh and say,

Those that are right with God will see this and be amazed.  According to the psalmist, they will laugh and say….  I disagree.  I don’t think I’ll laugh.  I think I’ll cry.  I’ll be saddened by this as it is never a good thing to see people make poor decisions.

7 “Look what happens to mighty warriors
who do not trust in God.
They trust their wealth instead
and grow more and more bold in their wickedness.”

The psalmist just reiterating that those who do not trust in God, but trust in themselves, and will grow more and more bold in their wickedness or evil.

8 But I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God.
I will always trust in God’s unfailing love.

Here, the psalmist is backing down to a more peaceful thought, and remembering that he will thrive in the house of God, and that he will always trust in God’s unfailing love.

9 I will praise you forever, O God,
for what you have done.
I will trust in your good name
in the presence of your faithful people.

He remembers that he will praise God forever, for what he’s done, what he’s always done, what he will always do.  That he will trust in God’s name.  Specifically, he states here in the presence of His faithful people.  However, God calls on us to trust in His name at all times, no matter who is around.

We need to remember that he is forever faithful and his love is unfailing.  What a wonderful thing to know that we are loved always, under all circumstances.  So why wouldn’t we want to return that great love?

God Bless.

Gifts, Part 2

I’ve talked about gifts before.  I’ve admitted that I have no idea what my gift is and I don’t expect that it will be obvious to me.  For all I know, it’s been presented to me, and I’m just oblivious to it.  Yesterday, I was reading a section in the bible and it discusses our spiritual gifts.  I’ll skip the first part of the chapter and summarize that part with the reminder that it is only through being filled with the Holy Spirit that we can fulfill our gifts and perform them.  That being said…

1 Corinthians 12:6-11

6 God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.

This is a reminder that God works in all of us, in different ways.  This means that not all of us have the same gift.

7 A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.

TADA!!!  Look at that. 😀  We’re all given a spiritual gift so that we can help each other.  Our gifts are not for us, but for others, to help others.

8 To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge.

Some are given wisdom, others a message of special knowledge.  Please realize that it may not be knowledge about everything, but a special kind of knowledge that is needed.

9 The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. 

Some are given great faith, and some are given the gift of healing.

10 He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages,t while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said.

Some have a power to perform miracles, others prophesy, others the ability to discern if a message is from the spirit of God or a different spirit, and others still the ability to speak in other languages, and still others are able to interpret.

11 It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.

Only the Holy Spirit distributes these gifts.  Remember, the Holy Spirit is part of the Trinity.  It is he alone that decides who has which gift.  You don’t get to choose, He chooses for you, and he chooses what will work best to bring the Glory to God and His grace.  As a reminder for me, and others, we need to be open to the gift he provides to us.

Keeping the law

Going through my Life Application Devotion, this past Saturday, it pushed us keeping the law.  I have been fascinated by this concept for several years.  it’s what got me interested in The Way of The Master through Living Waters (Ray Comfort’s) ministry.  I find it fascinating how they go about talking to people about God.  They aren’t necessarily trying to convert people.  That is not our job, that is God’s job.  It is our job to give the truth and plant the seeds.  I love that they go to the heart of the situation, the law.  So, when I read Psalm 119:1-8, it did get my attention.

Psalm 119

Aleph

1 Joyful are people of integrity,
who follow the instructions of the LORD.

in·teg·ri·ty

[in-teg-ri-tee]  Show IPA

noun

1. adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty.

2. the state of being whole, entire, or undiminished: to preserve the integrity of the empire.

3. a sound, unimpaired, or perfect condition: the integrity of a ship’s hull.

Joyful, happy, are people of integrity.  Want to know why?  They know that they are moral and ethical, they are honest.  But also because they follow the instructions of the Lord.

2 Joyful are those who obey his laws
and search for him with all their hearts.

Joyful, happy, are those that OBEY his laws, and search for him with all their hearts.

3 They do not compromise with evil,
and they walk only in his paths.

These people do not compromise with evil, instead, they walk in the Lord’s paths.

4 You have charged us
to keep your commandments carefully.

We are charged with, instructed, to keep His commandments carefully.  This is not an easy thing.  We all fail.

5 Oh, that my actions would consistently
reflect your decrees!

Oh, that my actions, our actions, would CONSISTENTLY reflect His decrees.  Consistently is the key word here.  It is also the most difficult to accomplish.

6 Then I will not be ashamed
when I compare my life with your commands.

It is then that I will not be ashamed when I compare my life to His commands.  I admit, I am not there yet.  I pray that I will get there, and I try every day.  It’s an ongoing process.

7 As I learn your righteous regulations,
I will thank you by living as I should!

As I learn, we learn, His righteous regulations, laws, I will, we should, thank Him by living as he expects us to live.  Living by the Word.

8 I will obey your decrees.
Please don’t give up on me!

I work, we should work, on obeying His decrees.  And the psalmist ends this section asking God to not give up on him.  Due to Jesus, the Christ, being sacrificed for our sins, we are assured that God will not give up on us.  He loves us all, and wants us to love him back.  Let’s not let him down.

 

The power of prayer

Most know that my husband has had one migraine for 7 months now.  Please note that that is not migraines, as in it comes and goes; one constant migraine for 7 months.  His good days, the pain is about a 6-7.  Most days, it’s an 8 or more.  He’s been to doctors, specialist, etc. Nothing has helped.  Because it’s been keeping him for church, he started going to the Men’s Bible Study at our church that meets very early in the morning, once a week.  It has helped his spirit, but obviously, not his migraine.  A few weeks ago, he started meeting with our pastor after the study and the breakfast that the men go to afterwards, to discuss the spiritual warfare he is under.  Last week, during one of these meetings, pastor asked my husband to come to church today to have the congregation pray over him.

Growing up, this was not something I was used to participating in.  But this is my new church and after attending this morning, I understood more of why pastor wanted to do this.  Pastor started out this morning, explaining that as a church, we have been praying for him individually.  He firmly believes that as a church, we need to be praying as the body of Christ, as a whole.  This isn’t about anyone there healing my husband, it’s about God healing him and the body of Christ asking for him to do so.  This is the same idea from the NT where the apostles healed in Jesus’ name.  I do believe that this will work.  Maybe not the first time, but by faith, I do believe that it will.

While our church family was coming up to us and praying over us, yes, on occasion, both of us were being prayed over, I couldn’t help the  emotion that was flowing out of me.  I was a blubbering mess.  I haven’t cried so much in a long time.  It was not a bad cry.  All these wonderful people were showing such love and care for us.  It was so touching.  I’m tearing up just thinking about it.   It was a very interesting experience, to say the least.

I am very thankful to all that were there, and especially thankful to those that felt the Lord speak to them to come lay hands on my husband and me, and extremely thankful to all that fought the snow today to do this, and didn’t even know it was going to happen.  I love all of you and you will always hold a special place in my heart.