Author: Nathaniel

Wisdom is one of the most valuable abilities we can acquire. What makes wisdom so valuable? The Bible makes it clear. This article explores wisdom and the Bible.

What is Wisdom?

Wisdom is the ability to reason and act by applying knowledge, experience, understanding, common sense, and insight. Therefore, it is safe to say that wisdom does not come overnight. It takes time to gather knowledge, experience, and understanding to the point of using it successfully.

Wisdom and the Bible

So, what does the Bible say about wisdom? There are 234 Scriptures that address wisdom in the King James translation. The word “wisdom” is first used in the King James Version in Ex 28:3 while God ministers to Moses.

3 And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office. KJV

So straight away, we see that wisdom comes from God. God gave the workers who produced Aaron’s garments wisdom to carry out their tasks. We all have unique skills, and God desires to fill us with His Spirit so that we will utilize those skills for his glory (1 Cor. 12:4-11, 1 Cor. 14:12).

The Bible also tells us how to get wisdom. James 1:5-7

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; NIV

Since wisdom comes from God, it makes sense that we should ask Him for it. We need wisdom to succeed over trials, and if we lack it, we should ask for it. Moreover, we must have faith and not doubt that it will be given when we ask. Otherwise, we will not receive it.

One of the most outstanding examples of God answering a prayer for wisdom is none other than that of King Solomon. To see this example, we look at 2 Chron. 1:7-12

7 That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

8 Solomon answered God, “You have shown great kindness to David my father and have made me king in his place. 9 Now, Lord God, let your promise to my father David be confirmed, for you have made me king over a people who are as numerous as the dust of the earth. 10 Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

11 God said to Solomon, “Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, riches or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, 12 therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, riches and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had, and none after you will have.” NIV

Notice in verse 11 that it was God that made Solomon king. Still today, God sets up and brings down kingdoms.

What we witness here shortly after becoming King of Israel, Solomon received a golden invitation from God: “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” What a blessing!

Of all the things Solomon could have asked for, he asked for wisdom. Solomon realized that he could not possibly lead the great nation of Israel successfully without, as the Scripture reads: “wisdom and knowledge.”
Wealth and riches would be useless if he were an inefficient king.

However, because Solomon’s heart was in the correct place and did not ask for “wealth, riches, and honor,” God bestowed them upon him even so. Solomon was the wisest king that ever lived before or after him.

Next, we look at the fulfillment of God’s promise to Solomon. 1 Kings 10:4-9

4 When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built, 5 the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the Lord, she was overwhelmed.

6 She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. 7 But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard. 8 How dhappy your men must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! 9 Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king, to maintain justice and righteousness.” NIV

Again, in verse 9, we have an acknowledgment that it was God who placed Solomon on the throne of Israel.

We also see that God keeps His promises, and His word is true and accurate. As seen earlier, if we lack wisdom, we must ask God for it, and He will grant it to us.

It is crucial to understand that there are two kinds of wisdom; the wisdom of God and the wisdom of the world. These two variations of wisdom are defined in Scripture.

James 3:13-18

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. NIV

In this passage, verse 13, we see that the one who is wise leads a good life, does good deeds, and has humility. This humility comes from the wisdom of God.

On the other hand, verses 14-16 describe a different form of wisdom; one that is “earthy” and “unspiritual” and
“from the devil.” one that manifests itself with “bitter envy and selfish ambition” in the heart.

Verse 17 returns to the wisdom from God with a further description.

First, it is “pure.” The Greek word hagnos (hag-nos’) means to be purified from fault and corruption; it means moral purity; to be wholly separated from impurity and wrong-doing and set apart unto God. It is not half-good and half evil but wholly pure and clean.

Purity is first in importance and God’s first thing to a man who seeks true wisdom. A wise teacher, minister, and layman alike is an individual that lives a pure life and teaches that we must be purified before God.

Next, true wisdom is “peace-loving,” which comes from the Greek word irenikos (i-ray-nee-kos’). The word means to bind together, to join, and weave together. It indicates that a wise individual is woven, bound, and joined together: with himself, his fellow man, and God.

Additionally, the wise individual does all he can to keep the peace and make peace where it is disrupted, whether between two individuals or two groups, a family, a community or a nation. A wise individual of true wisdom works to reunite individuals with God and each other.

True wisdom is “gentle.” The Greek word epieikes (ep-ee-i-kace’) is translated as gentleness, forbearance, reasonableness, consideration, agreeableness, courtesy, patience, and softness. It means that there is something superior to mere justice. It is a gracious gentleness. The wise person should be gentle and forbearing when interacting with other people.

True wisdom is “considerate and submissive.” The Greek word eupeithes (yoo-pi-thace’) means reasonable, willing to listen to reason and appeal, being ready to change when wrong. True wisdom is not stubborn or hard.

The wise individual listens to the voice and reasoning of God and other believers, and when he is wrong, he changes his behavior.

True wisdom is ‘full of mercy.” The Greek word eleos (el’-eh-os); means to have feelings of compassion, affection, pity, and kindness. It is a desire to support and caringly pull unto oneself and care for them. Two things are essential to having mercy: seeing a need and the ability to meet that need. God sees our needs and feels for us (Ephes. 2:1-3). Therefore, He acts, and He has mercy on us.

The true wisdom individuals extend themselves to aid those in need, no matter how low they are or how far they have fallen. The individual who lives and demonstrates true wisdom is moved with compassion. So much that he reaches out to help every human being who has a problem and need.

Next, true wisdom is full of good fruits. The Greek word karpos (kar-pos’) literally means plucked fruit representing results—in this case, good results. This means that the wise individual actually reaches out and helps those in trouble. He does not experience compassion and then pushes them out of his mind; he acts to meet needs.

True wisdom is impartial and sincere. The Greek words adiakritos (ad-ee-ak’-ree-tos) and anupokritos (an-oo-pok’-ree-tos) express this, respectively.

Therefore, the wise individual is impartial and shows no bias or discrimination to anyone. Also,

the wise individual is undivided in their convictions and judgments. Knowing the truth, precisely what God’s Word says, and they will not consider false ideas or teachings. There is no hypocrisy by being wholly committed and complete in following and teaching the Word of God.

This description in Scripture is what true wisdom is.

Bottom line: an individual who has the true wisdom from above (God) lives a clean and pure life.

How do we know if we have wisdom?

By now, we know that if we desire true wisdom, we can ask God for it. However, how do we know if we have it? Let’s look at Prov. 9:10

 10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Fear of the Lord in this Scripture does not mean that we must be afraid of Him. The Greek word translated as fear is yare’ (yaw-ray’), which means reverence. We must have honor and reverence for God. True wisdom comes from honoring God and knowing truth about Holy matters.

True wisdom begins with honoring and knowing God. He provides perception into living because He created life. To know God, we must not only know the facts about him; we must have a personal relationship with him. If we genuinely want to be wise, we must know God better and better. The more we know about Him, the wiser we become.

The Bible distinguishes Christ as the “wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:24; 2:1-7).

When we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior and honor God through Him, we receive the Holy Spirit, and knowledge and wisdom flows. The result is growth—spiritual growth. Please see the article, How to Grow in Christ on this website for more on spiritual growth.

Please feel free to leave any comments, questions, and concerns below. You will receive a response.

Blessings!

Patience is a virtue. But how many of us really have it? How important is it? A virtue is an attribute that represents good moral behavior. Therefore, it is deemed high on the list of Christian behavior. Therefore, there must be something about it in the Bible. This article takes a look at patience and the Bible.

What is Patience?

Patience is the ability to wait. Additionally, it is the ability to wait for an extended amount of time without getting irritated or bored. It can involve tenacity during times of delay, tolerance of aggravation while not responding in contempt or anger. Patience exercises tolerance when under strain and when confronted with long-term difficulties.

Patience and the Bible

As mentioned in the introduction, there must be something about patience in the Bible since it is an attribute of good moral behavior. So, what does the Bible
say about patience?

For starters, patience is not a natural attribute but is a gift given to us as the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Let us look at confirmation of this in Gal 5:22-23:

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. NIV

Patience is a gift from God, and it is only through His Holy Spirit we can exercise patience. In any event, it is vital in our Christian walk to have patience. Because of this fact, in the King James translation, patience is included in thirty-four Scriptures.

There are three areas in our Christian walk where we must use patience.

First, we must be patient with one another. Scripture says in Eph 4:2

2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. NIV

Patience in this context addresses the quality that allows us to deal with one another’s faults and failures and refuse to avenge wrongs. None of us is perfect in this world, so we as Christians must be patient with one another despite our faults. “Bearing with one another in love”
is putting patience in action. This action underscores the readiness to forgive and involves empathizing with the other individual. To demonstrate patience requires love, which should be the guiding principle for all Christians’ actions, even when natural differences and clashes occur. Bearing with one another presumes that, on occasion, loving others will be a burden. Christians must be willing to carry the load without expecting a reward, thanks, or return in the spirit of patience.

The second area in our Christian walk where we must exercise patience is with ourselves.
Scripture says in James 1:2-4

2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

The Scripture says that when we experience various trials and circumstances, we are to have joy. This concept is one of the remarkable paradoxes of Christianity. When we suffer, we should have joy? In our naturalness, joy is the last response during a time of difficulty. Those of us who trust in the Lord are to demonstrate a dramatically different, positive response to the difficult events of life. This requirement is why we need the Holy Spirit intervening in our lives.

This joy is not in anticipation of trials, but it is joy during trials. The source of this joy is assurance in the result of the trial (cf. Rom. 8:28). Additionally, it is the recognition that trials represent the opportunity for growth.

On the other hand, the majority are happy when they evade trials. However, the Scripture inspires us to consider it “pure joy” in the face of trials and difficulties. This Rejoicing is not mere happiness. Happiness is based on earthly circumstances. However, joy is Spirit-oriented instead of event-oriented since it is God-centered and acknowledges his presence in our experiences.

Exercising patience in this area of our lives can be most arduous because we face trials all through life. Therefore, we must realize that we cannot do this successfully on our own. We must remember that patience is a “fruit of the Spirit” and rely on the Holy Spirit to empower us.

Last but by absolutely no means least, the third area where we must exercise patience is with God. Boy is this ever where we need patience! Why?

There will always be times when we are required to make decisions, and we do not know what to do. If God gives us a signal in our spirit to wait, we should do so. However, most are unwilling to wait and want God to act on our timetable. However, the Scriptures instruct us differently in Prov. 3:5-7

5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.

We must remember that the Lord is omniscient and knows everything about us and our circumstances. If He requires us to wait, it is for the reason that He knows what is best for us.

God is a better judge of what we should do than we are. Therefore, we must trust him fully in every choice we make. This circumstance is where our faith comes in. This does not mean we should abandon thorough thinking or ignore our God-given ability to reason, but we should not trust our own ideas exclusively. We must not be wise in our “own eyes” but be willing to listen and be corrected by God’s Word and wise counselors. We must take our decisions to God in prayer (Philippians 4:6); use the Scriptures as our guide, and then follow God’s leading. He will direct our paths by both guiding and protecting us.

Let’s look a further Scriptural confirmation.

Phil 4:6-7 

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. NIV

Is it possible not to worry? Everybody has concerns and worries. Whether it is on the job, at home, or school, there is the temptation to worry. However, the Scripture advises us not to be anxious and change our worries into prayers. If we want to worry less, then we must pray more! Whenever we begin to worry, we must stop and pray.

Ps 27:14

14 Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. NIV

Waiting for God can be challenging, and it can seem that He is not hearing us and will not answer our prayers. That is why we are encouraged to “be strong and take heart.” God frequently uses periods of waiting to revive, recharge, and enlighten us. During times of waiting, it is good to discover what God may be trying to teach us in them.

Ps 40:1-2

1 I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.

2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.

David’s testimony here is that he cried out to the Lord and waited patiently,
and He heard his cry. The lesson here is that when we pray to God and wait on Him, He will hear our prayers, and He will answer. The key: wait patiently!

How do we live obediently and patiently?

While it is easy to say what we need to do, we also need to know how to do it. We must not only be hearers of the Word but doers (James 1:22).

Below are some pointers to consider achieving the goal.

We must have faith. This verb alluded to earlier is of utmost importance. In order to wait on God, we must have FAITH that He will keep the promises He has made to us. As shown in the earlier Scripture (Prov. 3:5-6), if we trust Him, He will direct us, He will answer our prayers. For more on faith, please read the article, What is Faith about, on this website.

Next, A willingness to be obedient. To follow the Spirit’s guidance, we must have a spirit of obedience that will allow us to obey God and wait patiently.

We must have respect for God’s Timing. When we make a request to God, we want immediate action. However, our timing can be off. God is omniscient and knows the best time to fulfill our request, if at all. Additionally, the Holy Spirit directs us concerning the appropriate timing for our requests, and if it is not God’s will for us at the time, He also gives us the grace to wait.

We must love God. Obedience to God is proof that we love Him, and because we love Him, we are willing to wait for as long as necessary. In contrast, God demonstrates His love for us by holding back from us what we selfishly desire because it is not what is best.

We must have courage. In some cases, it takes courage to obey God and exercise patience while waiting for Him to direct our paths. As time passes, we can begin to feel desperate, as if we are heading for a brick wall and on the verge of a collision. Nevertheless, we must remember that our omnipresent God is by our side at all times.

We must have a determination to wait. Part of exercising our faith is to have the determination and the resolve to wait on the Lord for answers and direction. This determination should be maintained throughout our Christian walk.

Conclusion

Patience is crucial to living a life of obedience to God. We are required to listen, obey Him, and at times give up our individual desires and opinions to pause for His direction.

When we exercise patience, we see God at work in our lives, and we witness that God’s way is best. We also have God’s favor when we have waited for His direction because He has what is best in store for us.

Therefore, let us pray for patience so that we can receive the full blessings of God as we wait for Him to bestow His best upon us.

Amen

Questions, comments, concerns, as well as experiences with patience, are welcomed below.

Blessings!

Money—we all have different opinions and feelings about it. However, no matter our feelings or opinions, money is an essential element of our lives. Therefore, it is no wonder that the Bible addresses money as much as it does.

Money and the Bible

There are approximately 2,000 Bible verses about money and possessions, and there are many more subtle variations concerning them. So, what is the relationship between money and the Bible? The purpose of this article is to illuminate that relationship.

What is Money?

Money is a medium of exchange that can be used to purchase, pay off a debt, and even be traded. It is a worldwide item, and its medium of exchange, its value, differs from country to country.

Money is a more convenient way to obtain goods and services than trading items. What would we trade when we visit the supermarket, drug store, beauty parlor, or barbershop?

The thing to remember about money is that it is amoral. It does not act on its own. Therefore, it can do no right or wrong, commit any crimes, or do good deeds. Money is only a tool that accomplishes what the possessor wishes.

It is too often said: “money is the root of all evil.” However, as the Scripture accurately states: “For the love of money is the root of all evil…” (1 Tim 6:10). More on this later.

What Does the Bible Say about Money?

The Bible records 38 Of Jesus’ parables; 16 nearly half address money and possessions. Close to 25% of Jesus’ words address stewardship. To sum up, there are approximately 2,000 Bible verses that address money and possessions.

The first and foremost thing to recognize concerning money and stewardship is that God owns everything.

Let’s look at what God said to the Israelites in Ex 19:5

5 “Now, therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:”

Hag 2:8

8 “The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty.” NIV

Therefore, it is vital to understand that we do not own anything. It is God who owns, and we are managers, stewards of what He blesses us with through His grace. While we are to manage the money we accumulate, we are not to love money and seek it with a burdensome desire.

1 Tim 6:9-10 says:

9 “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.  NIV

10 For the love of money
is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” NIV

When we seek to get rich, we open ourselves to temptations that will lead to our ruin.

Recognizing and accepting God’s ownership ship of all and our duty of stewardship is the heart of understanding Biblical stewardship.

The next thing to recognize regarding what the Bible says about money is that stewardship and discipleship go hand and hand. There is a link between faith and stewardship. Our faith, if it is genuine, will determine how we approach money and possessions.

Matt 6:24

24 “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. NIV

If we serve Christ and are his true disciples, we cannot allow ourselves to become influenced by the pull of money to pursue wealth and selfish pleasures; that would be serving money. Understand that we cannot serve both.

The choice is ours, and what we choose determines where our heart is as Jesus said in Luke 12:34: “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

Choosing riches can keep us from entering Heaven. Mark 10:23-25

23 And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!

24 And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!

25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

Being rich wasn’t this man’s problem; prioritizing his riches over God and His kingdom was his problem as it is for most of the rich. They choose money for their god.

As Disciples of Christ, we must keep our hearts in the right place. It is very easy to fall into the trap of placing our hope in money. This false hope is especially true for those individuals who have an excessive amount of it. Because they either forget or fail to acknowledge where wealth really originates. We are warned against this in the Scriptures.

Deut 8:17-18

17 “You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” 18 But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth”…NIV

As Disciples of Christ and good stewards, it is vital to keep these things in their proper progression; God is the source, and money is the resource. We must worship the creator and not the creation. For more on God as our resource, please read the article, God: the Source of all things, on this website.

The next point the Bible addresses regarding money is contentment.
In the world we live in, we are encouraged to always strive for more, for bigger and better: to have more money, a bigger house, a better car, etc. We are constantly inundated with advertising that entices us to pursue more and better material things. However, instead of making us feel better, it only leads to discontentment in the long run.

Discontentment is an insidious sin that leads us to covet more or something different, yet it leaves us unfulfilled and disappointed in the end. The Scripture reads in Eccl 5:10:

10 “Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless.” NIV

The wise King Solomon (the author) discerned that those who obsessively seek after money never find the happiness it assures. Excess riches attract slackers and thieves, as well as insomnia and anxiety, and ultimately end. It does not matter how much an individual may earn. If they attempt to find happiness by accumulating wealth, they will never have enough.

Living in discontentment can lead to unwise decisions and behaviors such as taking on unnecessary debt, being unfaithful to a spouse, or making rash decisions at work to get ahead.

In the verses prior to this passage, a rich young ruler asked Jesus what was required for him to inherit eternal life. Jesus told him to give his possessions to the poor, follow Him, and he would have treasure in Heaven. However, the rich young ruler left in a state of sadness. He chose his possessions over the kingdom, which led Jesus to utter this response.

Contentment, on the other hand, is learning to be completely satisfied in Christ regardless of whether we have a little or a lot of money.

Contentment is not an easy goal to attain, but we can be contented. It is something we have to strive for with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Contentment brings blessings as 1 Tim 6:6 reads:

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

Godliness is the reality and power of a real bond with God. Godliness does not come and go with the temporal nature of material wealth; godliness, with contentment, is
the wealth, regardless of an individual’s money and possessions. Contentment is peace. Godliness allows us to be satisfied with what we have materially and our relationship with God.

Paul expressed this beautifully in Phil 4:12-13

12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do everything through him, who gives me strength. NIV

It did not matter if Paul had abundance or not much; he was able to maintain life as usual because of contentment manifested through his relationship with God and Christ. This example carries an essential lesson for us as Christians to learn!

Trust in the Lord, be content, after all, as the Scripture tells us, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Phil 4:19

The next point the Bible addresses regarding money is greed. Greed is dangerous. Just as faith is the engine for Christianity and life, greed is the engine for sin and death.

We are so warned in the Scriptures about greed. Col 3:5 reads:

5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and
greed, which is idolatry. NIV

Greed is something we all have to deal with on some level. But the Scripture says, “put to death.” It is part of our sinful nature, and Christians must rid themselves of the things of the “earthly nature.”

At some point in our lives, we are not satisfied with how much money we make; we want to acquire more things, and we allow our desire for more money and possessions to choke out our interest in God? These actions represent idolatrous behavior.

The next money issue the Bible address is debt.
What does the Bible say about debt?

Rom 13:7-9 reads:

7 Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. NIV

While the Bible does not forbid being in debt, it does advise us to handle it with care, “leave no debt outstanding.”  That phrase means to pay our bills. The best way to accomplish this is not to take on more than we should. Too often, we take on debt out of greed and not of necessity.

There are other numerous Scriptures in the Bible concerning money; too many to place in this one article. However, the ones that are quoted here cover the basics.

Any questions, comments, concerns, or experiences with money can be left below.

Blessings!!

How is your prayer life? Have you been receiving responses to your prayers? Have your prayers been answered, or have your issues just eventually worked themselves out? Perhaps your prayers haven’t been answered at all. After you contemplate these questions, depending on the answers, perhaps your prayers are not effective at all. The purpose of this article is to share the elements for effective prayer that will enable your prayers to be answered.

Elements for Effective Prayer

The elements for effective prayer involve our actual prayers and our lives—our lifestyles, our thinking, and our motivations.

The first and foremost of the elements for effective prayer is to pray sincerely to the true God.

This element requires faith. Scripture confirms this by stating in Heb 11:6, But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

If we want to get answers from the true God, we must believe that He is the true God and seek Him diligently—attentively—conscientiously—thoroughly, and tirelessly. Faith pleases God, and He rewards us for it.

Therefore, we must pray to Him continually to give us the faith we need. We must learn to believe in the promises of God. Learn to believe that God is real and has perfect love, perfect wisdom, and perfect power. We must realize that He will keep all His promises!

The bottom line is, we simply cannot please God without real, genuine faith. The Bible makes it crystal clear that God will not hear and answer prayers unless He is approached in faith. James 1:6-7 reads, “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord.”

The true God is the Father of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. As Paul wrote in 1 Cor. 8:5-6

5 “For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), 6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.” NIV

We must honor and show our love to the true God by obeying Him as Jesus said in Matt 19:17

“There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.” NIV

This is how God rewards us, both in this life and the life after.

The next of the elements for effective prayer is to study the Scriptures.

If we truly believe in the true God, then we must believe what He says, and the only way to know what He says is to read His Word. But not just read it but study and meditate on it. This action goes beyond going to church and occasionally reading the Scriptures for inspiration and comfort.

The Scriptures themselves instruct us on how to approach the Word of God in 2 Tim 2:15, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” We must study in order to be approved by God and correctly explain the Word of truth to others.

To know and understand God; to believe in His promises, we must study His Word regularly and pay close attention to the examples of answered prayers. The Scripture must be studied slowly and carefully while paying attention to the promises and answered prayers. So when observing specific promises, we must ask God to fulfill them in our lives. When observing that Jesus and others asked for certain things, understand that these are examples to follow. In all
of our prayers, we must follow the example of Christ and the Apostles. May our prayers be the same as theirs as we face similar hardships and struggles.

Therefore, we must leave behind the memorized, often empty, prayers of conventional religion and begin to truly study the teachings and examples relating to prayer in our own Bibles. We must allow the inspired Word of God to teach us how
to pray and what to ask for. In addition, believe the teachings and the promises found within the pages of Scripture.

The next of the elements is to sincerely repent of sin.

This action is the fundamental step for having a relationship with God. Even though God answers the prayers of anyone who openly cries out to Him in time of need occasionally, He is not bound by His Word to do this. That is why individuals will ask, where was God when… However, the question to ask ourselves is, do I worship the true God? Am I diligently seeking Him? Am I
doing His will?

It is wise for us to be honest with ourselves on that question. It is very easy to devalue or reason around and philosophy this unambiguous scriptural doctrine about obeying God’s law. However, if we want real
answers to our prayers, we need to fully repent of breaking the Ten Commandments (the Law), defined as sin. 1 John 3:4 tells us, “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.”

This repentance is in addition to accepting  Jesus Christ as our personal Savior. Acts 2:38 reads:

38 “Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” NIV

When we accept Christ as Lord and Savior, acknowledge that we are sinners, and confess our sins, that is fine. But confession is only half of the equation because we must repent of them as well. Scripture says in Prov. 28:13, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”
Therefore, sin must be confessed and forsook (abandoned) to receive mercy, blessings, and answered prayers.

Then, in the course of the assistance of the promised Holy Spirit, we will need to surrender
more and more each day to allow Jesus Christ to live His obedient life in us. Remember what the Apostle Paul declared: ‘I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

Bonafide repentance entails a total surrender of our minds, hearts, and wills to God the Creator and requires the acceptance of the death of His Son in payment for sin. For sin demands death. That is why Christ had to “pay” the death penalty on our behalf. As the Apostle Paul wrote: “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

May we not allow Christ’s death to be in vain. As we “grow
in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
“(2 Peter 3:18), He will live His life in us more and more fully throughout our Christian lives.

By walking with Christ in this manner, we can be assured of having more powerful answers to our prayers.

The next of the elements for effective prayer is forgiveness..

Forgiveness is another vital key to answered prayer; our willingness to genuinely forgive others. The fact is our loving Father in heaven simply does not hear those who come to Him with a spirit of bitterness, hatred, or revenge in their hearts. Immediately after giving us the “Lord’s Prayer”—the prayer describing the basic pattern for praying to God, Jesus went on to instruct His followers: “If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses”
(Matthew 6:14–15).

Therefore, we must draw near to God in a humble, repentant, and forgiving

attitude. If not, as Jesus said, God will not forgive us! A spirit of humility and mercy is a crucial element in whether or not God will hear us as we pray. His inspired Word tells us in Isaiah 66:2: “But on this one will I look: on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word.”

The next of the elements for effective prayer is to seek God’s will.

Another key to successful prayer is to be as sure as possible to align our
requests with God’s will.

Let’s look at how important this is in Matt 7:21

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. NIV

Our very entrance into heaven hangs on doing the will of the Father. Jesus said that only those who do the will of His Father in heaven are only those who will enter the kingdom of heaven.

Doing God’s will implies a relationship with God — the ability to communicate with him, know his will, and perform it. Such “fruit” reveals one who will enter the kingdom of heaven.

Further, 1 John 5:14-15 says,

14 “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us — whatever we ask — we know that we have what we asked of him.” NIV

We can have the assurance that God hears our prayers if we ask according to His will. God has made known His will to us in His Word. His will for us includes all the great things of life, including answered prayer.
We must nourish our minds on God’s Word by saturating them and our hearts with it, persistently reading and studying with an open mind, contemplating on and honestly seeking God’s will as illuminated in His inspired Scripture. Subsequently, we will learn how to walk with God, pray to God, and fellowship with God.

The lesson is that if we genuinely desire to do the will of the great God who created us and gives us life and breath, we should vigorously “seek” Him with all our hearts.

Finally, the lesson is that if we genuinely want to do the will of the great God who created us and who gives us life and breath, we should vigorously “seek” Him with all our hearts, mind, and strength.

Ultimately, we must act on His will and “walk with God,” as did Abraham, David, Jesus, and the many others whom God sets for us as examples in inspired Scriptures.

The next element for effective prayer is to be persistent.

Before God intervenes supernaturally, He desires to know that we sincerely want whatever we ask for and that we will respect and worship Him for answering our prayer.

To put it another way, God uses our need or desire as a means to pull us closer to Him spiritually, to cause us to focus on His will and on what is actually best for us and for anyone else who might be involved. What would it signify if we carelessly requested something and then, in effect, forget that we ever did? That might indicate to God that we are not very interested in His doing what we ask! On the other hand, it could be that all of our desires are shallow, possibly constantly changing and that we would not feel a profound sense of appreciation and worship even if He always answered such shallow prayers! God desires praise and the Scriptures encourage it. Ps.  107:8 says, “Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!” God deserves praises for His overall goodness and mercy.

We show our sincerity by being persistent and knowing, through faith, that He is going to answer them.

God desires for us to be persistent. He wants us to talk with Him, walk with Him, and connect with Him continually day after day in this age and ultimately throughout eternity! As the Apostle Paul instructs, “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

The next element for effective prayer is to pray with fervor.

James 5:16 reads:

16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

The Christian’s most powerful resource is communication with God through prayer. However, it helps significantly to pray with fervor—with great intensity of feeling. One of the reasons we may not receive answers to our prayers is we do not put our hearts into our prayers. God knows when this condition is present, and He does not hear these prayers.

Look at what He said in Hos. 7:14

They do not cry out to me from their hearts but wail upon their beds. They gather together for grain and new wine but turn away from me. NIV

God looked upon the prayers of the Israelites with disdain because they were not praying from their hearts.

Therefore, let us put our hearts into our prayers. Let us be fervent. Let us be passionate as we pour out our hearts to the awesome God who loves us dearly.

The next and final element for effective prayer is to pray in the name of Jesus.

In the Old Testament, only the high priest was permitted to enter the Most Holy Place of the tabernacle or temple—, which was entering into the very presence of God. In addition, he was commanded to go there only once a year, which was on the Day of Atonement (cf. Leviticus 16). Outside of this one single day, any individual entering this sacred room would be immediately put to death by God Himself! In the same way, mankind, as a whole, has been removed from direct contact with God.

However, with the arrival, death, and resurrection of Jesus came the advent of a New Testament. Because Jesus died for our sins, true and faithful Christians have direct access to God the Father (Hebrews 9:12-15). Instead of fearing death for going before God, we are instructed: “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need”! (Hebrews 4:16).

By the name, the office, and authority of Jesus Christ, we can approach God directly in prayer and worship. We no longer require any human priest as an intercessor. Because we already have the most excellent
High Priest—Jesus Christ (v. 14). As He taught His faithful followers: “Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:23–24).

We have the assurance that God hears our prayers if we are in Him, that is, in Christ. We can approach God in Christ and Christ alone. Christ alone is the righteous One, the only perfect Person; therefore, He single-handedly has the right to stand before God. Any person who desires to draw near to God must do so in the name of Jesus Christ. An individual must have faith in the name of the Son of God and approach God in His name. The name of Jesus Christ is the only acceptable name to God, the only name that can receive anything from God.

Lastly, for our own good, we should study and review all of these vital keys! They are the ingredients for powerful prayers and will increase our prayer power.

We must constantly pray to God (1 Thess. 5:17), connecting and walking

with Him. Subsequently, as the end of this age approaches and the extraordinary trials
and tests of the whole Christian life come upon us, as they surely will, we will know precisely what to do and how to do it.

Amen

Questions, comments, and concerns are fully welcomed below. You will receive a response.

Blessings!

The gospel of Jesus Christ; just how strong is this gospel? Is it really for real? There is an account in the Scriptures that answers this question. This article sheds light on the unstoppable gospel.

What is the Gospel?

The gospel is known as the good news. The Greek word translated as gospel is euaggelion (you-ang-ghel’-ee-on) which means good message. It is the blissful good news of salvation in Jesus Christ.

The gospel is not a separate plan of salvation, but the fulfillment of God’s original plan of salvation which began with  Israel, was “finished” in Jesus Christ (John 19:30), and is made known through the church.

The gospel is the saving work of God through His Son Jesus Christ and a call to have faith in Him (Rom 1:16-17). Jesus is much more than a messenger of the gospel; He is the gospel. The good news of God was at hand in His life, teaching, and atoning death. For that reason, the gospel is both a historical event and a personal relationship.

How did the Gospel Spread?

The gospel was spread initially by the twelve apostles. However, it was not an easy task as they faced much resistance.

Case in point, Peter preached his first sermon at Pentecost (Acts 2:14-41), healed a lame man on another occasion as he entered the temple (Acts 3:1-11), and then preached his second sermon (Acts 3:12-26).

While Peter was preaching his second sermon, he, along with John, was taken into custody by the priests and the Sadducees for preaching about the resurrection of the dead through Jesus (Acts 4:1-2). The Sadducees did not accept as true the bodily resurrection of the dead.

At this point, five thousand had believed and accepted Christ (vs. 3).

In the subsequent verses, the next day, they were bought before the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin, also known as the council, was the highest ruling body and court of justice among the Jewish people during the time of Jesus. The Sanhedrin was given partial authority over a selection of religious, civil, and criminal matters. The Sanhedrin was applying this limited power when it charged Jesus with blasphemy but had to send him to Pilate, the Roman official, for an official trial and sentencing.

The council wanted to know by what power or name had the apostles performed the miracle of healing the lame man. Peter took advantage of this audience and preached Christ to the Sanhedrin. Afterward, the apostles were sent out, and the council conferred with one another.

They realized that they couldn’t deny the miracle, but in an effort for them not to spread the word any further, they were commanded to not speak or teach in the name of Jesus.

They refused, saying in verses Acts 4:19-22, “But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. 20 For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” 21 “After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. 22 For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.” NIV

The apostles continued to perform “many signs and wonders.” Multitudes of people from many cities went to Jerusalem to be healed. But again, the apostles were arrested and imprisoned. However, and an angel of the Lord showed up, released them, and told them to speak in the temple about the new life in Christ (Acts 5:19-20).

Is there a pattern shaping up here?

The apostles obeyed the angel, and when the high priest and other officials heard of what was happening, they went to the temple and arrested them. Again, they preached Christ to the council (Acts5:29-32). At this point, the council was a wit’s end, and they began to confer about slaying the apostles.

Enter Gamaliel

In verse 34, one of the councils named Gamaliel rose up and requested the apostles be removed from the room.

For a bit of background, Gamaliel was a first-century Jewish rabbi and a leader in the Jewish Sanhedrin. Gamaliel is mentioned in Scripture one or two times as a prominent and well-respected teacher.

Gamaliel was a Pharisee and a grandson of the well-known Rabbi Hillel. Like his grandfather, Gamaliel was known for taking a somewhat moderate view of the Old Testament law in contrast to his contemporary Rabbi Shammai, who held onto a more stern understanding of Jewish traditions. Josephus, the historian, portrays Gamaliel as coming from a well-heeled family, which meant he had a more significant influence with the assemblies of the Jewish leaders

The apostle Paul studied under him and ultimately penned the majority of the New Testament. It was under the sponsorship of Rabbi Gamaliel that Paul attained an expert knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures. Paul’s educational and professional qualifications allowed him to preach in the synagogues wherever he traveled (Acts 17:2). His understanding of Old Testament history and law helped his presentation of Jesus Christ as the One who had fulfilled the Law (Matthew 5:17).

Gamaliel’s Gospel

Ultimately, Gamaliel had a substantial effect on the early church. Let’s look at what he had to say. Acts 5:34-39:

34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. 35 Then he addressed them: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. 36 Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. 37 After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. 38 Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” NIV

For starters, Gamaliel referenced previous groups whose leaders were put away, and their movements faded out.

Theudas – was a Jewish rebel of the 1st century AD. He convinced many people, about four hundred, to take their belongings and follow him to the Jordan River. Because he told them he was a prophet and that he would, by his command, divide the river and provide them an easy passage over it. Unfortunately, many were deceived by his words.

On the other hand, Fadus, the governor, did not allow them to take advantage of this wild scheme. Instead, he sent a troop of horsemen out against them who slewed many of them and took many alive including Theudas who was beheaded, and his head was carried to Jerusalem.

The movement was scattered and was never heard of again.

Judas the Galilean – was responsible for a widespread revolt against the Romans when the first census was taken in Judea for tax purposes. He perished in this revolt, and his followers were scattered.

Gamaliel surmised that the apostles’ actions could possibly be the same as these other movements and would experience the same fate. However, he also understood that their actions could have been “from God,” and any actions taken against them would ultimately be actions against God. Let us continue.

The next part of Gamaliel’s gospel was a warning: “Leave these men alone! Let them go! (vs. 38). NIV These words and the subsequent brief discord that followed convinced the council to let the apostles go.

He went on to say, “For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail.” Gamaliel’s thinking was correct. Any movement that is not of God is ultimately condemned.  Isn’t it interesting that all of the movements of Jesus’ time arrived and dispersed when their leaders were killed?  Any movement that is of human origin is subject to human demise. What is not of God will come to naught.

True is the Scripture, Ps 127:1 that reads, “unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.” NIV

Gamaliel concluded, “But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” What is of God cannot be overthrown. Whoever tries to overthrow what is of God is futilely fighting against God. Moreover, we are witnesses today, some two-thousand plus years later, that the gospel of Jesus Christ is still alive and well!

God can use any human, good or bad, for His purpose and He used Gamaliel to protect the apostles. At the same time, Gamaliel unwittingly prophesied the future of the gospel. This prophecy is being accomplished before our very eyes! God used Gamaliel to save the gospel.Furthermore, this gospel will continue until He returns. Jesus’ return has been prophesied as well and will be fulfilled.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is the unstoppable gospel!

Amen!

Questions, comments, and concerns regarding the gospel are welcomed below.

Blessings!