Showing posts with label foolish. Show all posts
Showing posts with label foolish. Show all posts

Sunday, April 12, 2026

Choosing Humility Will Produce Astonishment in Others


 Humility was expressed in Jesus : Matthew 13:54-58… NKJV 54 & when He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished & said, "Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55 Is this not the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary? & His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? 56 & His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?" 57 So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country & in his own house." 58 Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief. 

As unbelief, not trusting in God causes us to not hear. Harboring anger, resentment, jealousy and un-forgiveness causes the fruit to develop deafness or the hardness of our hearts. A spirit of deafness, an insensitivity,  is one of hardness and refuses to comply to the Word of God. (from Preparing to Hear)           

     **The people of his hometown knew him so well, being puzzled by His wisdom and His works done in God……they were going to hold Him in their own eyes as they knew Him, the carpenter’s son and in….that they rather cling to ignorance. The people in which He knew as neighbors, had no real need for healing or anything else.  They did not recognize Who He was & they held NO VALUE FOR HIM!

 

·         In His wisdom: Jesus spoke in Matthew 7:24-29….24 "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, & does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 & the rain descended, the floods came, & the winds blew & beat on that house; & it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 Now everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, & does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 & the rain descended, the floods came, & the winds blew & beat on that house; & it fell. & great was its fall." 28 & so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, 29 for He taught them as one having authority, & not as the scribes.  NKJV  the scribes were echoing what they had heard …possibly boring and without power, but Jesus spoke with intensity, passion and power. He had authority in the situation

 

·         Christ’s works (3913) John 10:25-30…… 25 Jesus answered them, "I told you, & you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father's name, they bear witness of Me. 26 But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. 27 My sheep hear My voice, & I know them, & they follow Me. 28 & I give them eternal life, & they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; & no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. 30 I & My Father are one." NKJV

Bearing witness of Me..Jesus was bearing a good report of the Father God…..

Jesus held not as an echo but a TRUE VOICE!


James 3:9-18 Amplified Bible…………….9 With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men who were made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come forth blessing and cursing. These things, my brethren, ought not to be so. 11 Does a fountain send forth [simultaneously] from the same opening fresh water and bitter?

12 Can a fig tree, my brethren bear olives or a grapevine figs? Neither can a salt spring furnish fresh water. 13 Who is there among you who is wise & intelligent? Then let him by his noble living show forth his [good] works with the [un-obstrusive] humility [which is the proper attribute] of true wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy (envy) and contention (rivalry) selfish ambition in your hearts, do not pride yourselves on it & thus be in defiance of and false to the Truth.

A person with the heart intent of envy, rivalry, that selfishness will be found in pride with lies. Everything he touches will be the “FALSE”, THE PHONEY, THE FAKE... WILL NOT BE REAL.

15 This [superficial] wisdom is not such as comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual (animal, even devilish (demonical). 16 For wherever there is jealousy (envy) & contention (rivalry & selfish ambition) there will also be confusion (unrest, disharmony, rebellion) & all sorts of evil and vile practices. 17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure (undefiled) then it is peace-loving, courteous (considerate, gentle). [It is willing to] yield to reason, full of compassion & good fruits: it is wholehearted & straightforward, impartial & unfeigned (free from doubts, wavering & insincerity).  It is God’s Word that propels us into TRUTH…..

18 And the harvest of righteousness (of conformity to God’s will in thought and deed) is [the fruit of the seed] sown in peace by those who work for and make peace [in themselves and in others, that peace which means concord, agreement and harmony between individuals with un-disturbedness in a peaceful mind free from fears and agitating passions & moral conflicts.

C - 1: εἰρηνικός  James 3:17..is peace…without this peace….of God you will have no wisdom of
God.
                 

When Jesus prayed, and met with people, lives were changing. In Jesus’ time and as in today’s culture, the world sees the “wise man” as one who will live for the moment, always living by sight, and is devoted to self.   For Jesus, His own neighbors rejected Him. They saw interruption in their lifestyle, in their own thinking, but chose to carry on in their unbelief. The Sadducees’ did as did the Pharisees! Ego will kill you! Some people just want to be right all the time. But we cannot be that way ….we must have God guiding us with His eye. Certainly those who were astonished also became those who were ready to kill Him. They wanted Jesus gone however they had to do it. But truth ruled Jesus’ life. The truth of God carried Him to the Cross and then to the right hand of God in Heaven.

In closing: His prayer time brought power, looked like grace, and caused reactions. In His teaching  the EXTREME was heard, His prayer was for ADVANCEMENT OF THE KINGDOM!

Jesus’ Prayer: John 17:3….(3)& this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, & Jesus Christ whom You have sent. Advancement of the kingdom.                                                                                                                                   

John 17:6  .(6) "I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.

John 17:11…(11) Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, & I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.

John 17:26 ...(26) And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them."  NKJV

THE IMPORTANCE in this prayer was that   Jesus spoke what He spent His ministry revealing to us about God His Father. It is in this, that He keeps us through His name, both by our trusting in what it means & by the evidence revealed by living this life in obedience!  This obedience to fellowship, communion, God’s Word in teaching & prayer gives us VOICE! 

In John 17 & verses 6 & 26….the Greek word for Name is onoma. When Jesus spoke this: He was speaking God’s  authority, His character, His  very majesty, & the power of His excellence which belongs to God HIMSELF. Jesus was expanding & advancing God’s name on the earth & in the earth.

When we can see with our eyes & understand in our hearts that being united with the Father presents to us the opportunity to participate with the Son as the Son did with the Father, how much more should we expect to see the astonishment in the faces of those God is touching by His presence in us? Before we go to participate out there, we should have the intimate time to know our Father’s heart.

Father, like Jesus spoke in John 17, I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Jesus through this word given. That they all may be one as You, Father are in Jesus & in me, that the world may believe You sent Jesus. The glory which You gave Jesus I have given  them, that they may be one just as We are one.(John 17:20-23)   Father, thank you for bringing health & healing revealed in Your peace & truth. Captives have been set free to pray.  Thank You for salvation!  For all Your goodness & prosperity You provide, may it be to YOU God a name of joy, praise & an honor before all nations of the earth who hear all the good that You do to them. May they fear & tremble before You in humility knowing that hypocrisy is far & away from You. May we be that voice to carry Your glory forward.

For those who abide in You will have the voice of joy, & the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom & the voice of the Bride, the voice of those who will say:"Praise the LORD of hosts, For the LORD is good, For His mercy endures forever"- Oh holy Father, at this juncture of choosing to pray, may we be truly be those who will not find excuse to put off prayer. For those who EMBRACE  the relationship with YOU will know THE VOICE of truth. They will walk TOWARD HOLINESS finding power in prayer! Oh it is in Jesus’ Name we prayer……………… Amen.

 

    Teaching at: Voice of Prayer 

Visit my You Tube channel Voice of Prayer for more teaching 


Visit Life Giving Wells You Tube Channel for more teaching


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Monday, February 9, 2026

The Great Divide


 In my lifetime, I always wondered from the Scripture how God would divide the tares from the wheat! I am seeing the answer today. And it is still a "wonder" how many people jump to separate from Him who gives life to all willing to receive Him! But those who leave Him cling to the world indeed!

Psalm 37:37-39 Amplified Bible  37 Mark the blameless man [who is spiritually complete], and behold the upright [who walks in moral integrity]; there is a [good] future for the man of peace [because a life of honor blesses one's descendants]. 38 As for transgressors, they will be completely destroyed; the future of the wicked will be cut off. 39 But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their refuge and stronghold in the time of trouble.

Jesus is that one we know truly to be blameless, yet He took our sin to save us from hell. He the spiritually complete, He who walked in moral integrity, and took the blows of sin to prevail on Calvary. The only thing man-made in heaven is the scars Jesus bore from that day onward.

In the book of James, the perfect man is someone who demonstrates spiritual maturity. He is able to control his tongue---a real feat that signals comprehensive self-mastery. 

 From James 3:16….[For where envying and strife is]  has the meaning of an inflammatory passion, and contention-altercations about the different points of the law, of no use for edification; such as those mentioned in Titus 3:9.

READING Titus 3:8-11  NKJV  8 This a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.  9 But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. 10 Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, 11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.

The Jews were the most intolerant of all mankind; it was a maxim with them to kill those who would not conform to their law; and their salvation they believed to be impossible.

 From Titus 3:9 But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions and striving about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless.                                                                                                       Laws are in place for a reason. One is safety for you and yours. 

 Influence of the Unkind: From James 3:15 good conduct done in wisdom…15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. ( it is of the flesh)

1.      But some operated out of the bitter envy: they are fierce, with the contemptuous spirit, while attempting or pretending to defend true religion but in truth have no religion.

2.      They profess by lying against the truth.

3.      God is not the author of worldly wisdom!  The world’s wisdom is bitter-not meek. They live for the moment……….that which is sensual!

4.      So their influence is demonically inspired, and maintained by the influence of the demons.

5.      That is the reason they call it demonic! It is self-seeking, confused and evil and they bring other evil with them!

6.      This is ultimately the devilish source indicating human cooperation.

 

NO Opinions: No Pushing the Envelope to Get our Way

1.      Will not be overbearing in conversation: Proverbs 14:16  NKJV A wise man fears and departs from evil, but a fool rages and is self-confident.

2.       Proverbs 21:24 NKJV A proud and haughty man---“Scoffer is his name; He acts with arrogant pride.

When a person says that they have no fear of evil in them; they do not care about living godly lives. There are no RULES! Many today claim to live as Christians but they do not fear God. They will give no honor or reverence to Him. But we are told to depart from evil!

From the word we find the "perfected"! Hebrews 26-28 For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, un-defiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens, 27 who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people's for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever.

He the perfected Sacrifice, for He brought a salvation lacking nothing! This was established by God. He sent His Word to earth. His name Jesus. Psalm 138:8 The LORD will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O LORD, endures forever; do not forsake the works of Your Hands.

The Lord desires to perfect which which concerns you and me. In the perfect world He created, sin came on the earth to be marred. But He send Jesus His Perfect Son to redeem us and set us back on the path of perfection God desires for our lives.

God sets right lives that are marred by sin. He specializes in perfecting broken lives; God specializes in perfecting the flawed. He did not come to all people, but He states to the sick. He came to restore the broken. Like Abraham, we too, can live by faith in the Lord. We must speak what He speaks!

In John 4, we read of a woman living in shame. She had five previous husbands and was living with another man not her husband. She was in a scandalous nature. She avoided the public humiliation. She sought no public as she fetched water at the well at noon. But one day, Jesus appeared. He was waiting to give her the word of life. She knew Him as no ordinary person in His speech to her. He read her "mail"!  She saw Him as the gentle and kind. Receiving His words of life, the wisdom of God, He saw her transform as she left to bring many others to hear Him speak. Jesus perfected that which concerned her life.

Perfecting our lives come from God. It is the words of life that dispel the darkness bringing light to destroy scandal.   Regardless of what areas your life might cause you to struggle with, know and not be ashamed, it is God's desire to perfect that which concerns you too!

James 3:2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, He is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.

WE live in a time when many companies are down-sizing. They are the fast food industry like Red Robbin or Wendy's. We also see Amazon laying off another 666 in California. Our economy is changing before our eyes. The nightmare has only begun as you notice from the grocery store to the gas station. Hey, Mister President our gas is till over $4 a gallon. Justice is turned upside down and people speak with loose lips to get their agenda done. We have a Blood Moon appearing next month. They are often associated with war. It is to appear on March 3 which is a Tuesday. It is to be seen  or visible by 31% of the world's population. About 2.5 billion people across this world's populated area will be North American, Australia, New Zealand, East Asia and the Pacific. This can be enjoyed with no special glasses but only your naked eye. 

What is ahead? Another war, another rioting in the streets where words sound more like whines instead of the strength of the Lord! Will we see another illegal driving a semi who does not know the English language. Will another family member have to die according the wiles of the devil and his co-horts. Yes, the mountains are shaking, for a great divide is manifesting. People are choosing sides with that which will appear as anti-Christ. Be vigilant and speak as Jesus would speak. Know in whom you believe and stand in His power, might and strength.

When your spirit is weak, stand in the Spirit of God, for your hope is in His shield. He is your song in the night. He has been mine for a very long time. Forever I will stand with My Savior holding my hand. Stand with me, Please!


   Teaching at: Voice of Prayer 

Visit my You Tube channel Voice of Prayer for more teaching 


Visit Life Giving Wells You Tube Channel for more teaching


Now Posting to Rumble 
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And
Life Giving Wells
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Wednesday, February 4, 2026

Isolation

 


Heard a really good teaching Sunday. In it, the pastor noted we should know where God is. We should know Him in our hearts. In requesting Him to hear us, this pastor noted that most people use God as their Genie in the bottle. Rub it three times for your wish and automatically you have your wish. For most they do not see His Word first. They seek their flesh comfort. A desire to those great nails with decorations or maybe that Snap Benefit when you should work first to be paid. This pastor had silence in the room of said believers. You could hear a pin drop in that big room filled with a captive audience. 

People felt isolated during the Covid-19 disease. And today there is  something else causing the division. Isolating oneself is not separating from the problem. It goes with you everywhere you go. In this we should see that it is about having faith in God or about having faith in something else. Is it a benefit to stand opposite God and make a demand about something you think you might need? 

God is in Light. He reveals light and if any darkness in us is found, He waits on us to move to His place.

When Matthew is Called: Luke 5:27-32 NKJV After these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” 28 So he left all, rose up and followed Him. 29 Then Levi gave Him a great feast in his own house. And there were a great number of tax collectors and others who sat down with them. 30 And their scribes and the Pharisees complained against His disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners? 31 Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

1.   In this passage Levi is the given name of Matthew, but God changed his name to Matthew.

2.   The sinner and the tax collectors were not to be taught the word of God;  where the unclean before the boundary lines of the Jews

3.  Jesus was not going to bars to look for sinners….He was invited to fancy meat bearing meals..


Matthew 9:9-13 As  Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And he said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose & followed Him. 10 Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

1.   This passage reveals Jesus did not go find the tax collectors or sinners. They came to where He was. He asked Matthew to follow Him…

2.   He was in a house, seated! ….and they came to Him

Matthew 9:12 When Jesus heard that, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13  “But go and learn what this means: “I desire mercy and not sacrifice.” For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.’

This Matthew was held in an isolation. He was the tax collector. He was kept in a place where he could and would implement the tax law for Rome. Many of us today are bunched together and maybe in an unclean place to hear the rants of angry people and know the fruit is not good for anything! Huddling with others as to snap benefits can produce a group of lazy people. Making demands on others and you are not a child that represents a really foolish people. 

But Jesus came along. : Follow Me. And then Matthew followed Him. What is interesting is the truth that sinners came, looking and were found with Jesus. He came to lead people into repentance of sins!

Jesus had called Matthew to be acquainted with tax collectors and reveal to the religious sect that they were included in the kingdom of God!

1.   As Matthew had invited Jesus to eat at his house, others would come as well. And surely some would follow Christ. I was thinking today after hearing a Michael Jackson Movie has been made and of the nephew who made it. In reflecting on that family, most certainly Michael Jackson had the talent! Enough said for now, please!

2.   The true grace will not eat its morsels alone but will always invite others! Our grace from God is probably running out. In this the 250 year celebration for this nation: that is seven 50 year Jubilees we read in the Bible. We have been a people more about things than about God Himself. Will something catastrophic happen this summer? We shall see!

3.   Matthew the tax collector invited the fishermen who were follower’s of Jesus and the publicans as well….that those requiring the Healer would find the proper place where aid is given. They would find healing in Jesus/

4.   For where Jesus is: aid is given not to those in health but those needing

Mercy….the beauty of grace in the place of misery and pain.

5.    “I came not to call the righteous ...] No human beings are by nature righteous, Ps 14:3; Rom 1:18-32; 3:10-18. The Pharisees, however, "pretended" to be righteous

6.   Christ Jesus affirmed that his proper and only business was to call to repentance such people as he was now with. He came to seek and save such, and it was his "proper business," therefore, to associate with them.

We see isolation today. People would come to our house. They would be fed something and they would hear God's word. Many want free stuff but would not in anyway receive in any way wisdom to help them get out of the "ditch" and please do not tell them what to do! I nor my husband would not tell you what to do. If you are an adult, you have choice. It is found every time you follow your fellow peeps in vaccines, any plague issues, any consequence of world affairs are benefits you have not worked for in any form. Many today are just "strong-willed" people. They can be found in a world of hurt! And they are still making their demands even though their hearts lack any kind of love toward any! ( have you heard of the new plague in India)

Revelation 21:5-8 NKJV then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold I make all things new." And said to me, "Write for these words are true and faithful." 6 And He said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.  " I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. 7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. " 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."

Unbelief is faithlessness! Cowardly acting is he who lacks courage! Philippians 4:6 tell you and I to not "Be anxious for nothing." To have fear, worry, anxiety, or forebodings question God's goodness and His loving care. Rather to giving in to "fear" we are to choose and action to believe God and His love. If we believe in the depth of the love of God ( John 17:23) and Christ ( John 15:13) have for us, believing those words, faith in that perfect love will cast out fear we see in 1 John 4:18.

Doubting that God can feed you or find you a new position in this time period only proves you are the faithless. It is our doubting Gods love for us that is at the core of the sin of faithlessness. This was seen in the characteristics of our ancestors, ancient Israel.

People of those early days of Israel proved their faithlessness when asking  Moses, "is the Lord going to take care of us or not?" (Exodus 17:7) It is sobering to consider the fate of the fearful and unbelieving and the rank they are given in the list we have above in Revelation 21:8. Return to Him in fellowship. Return to Him in knowing Him intimately. Faith in Him is light and life. We are encouraged to choose life and not the handout. (choose life: Deuteronomy 30:19.

Isolation Jesus saw at the beginning of His ministry. Holy Spirit took Him out to be tested by the devil. And He came through as we saw recently in Luke 4. Many will be tested in this hour and will we choose life in God? Will we choose faithful trust in Him? For we should remember He can cast both  body and soul into hell. God is good and He is the faithful one.  Pay attention to His words of life in the Bible. To fix your eyes on the daily T.V. news is keeping sick plots of men before you. Be rich in the Lord and in the power of His might. Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

“Love for God is obedience; love for God is holiness. To love God and to love man is to be conformed to the image of Christ, and this is salvation.”
― 
Charles H. Spurgeon

 “It is not great faith, but true faith, that saves; and the salvation lies not in the faith, but in the Christ in whom faith trusts...It is not the measure of faith, but the sincerity of faith, which is the point to be considered.”
― 
Charles H. Spurgeon

“I would do many things to please my friends, but to go to hell to please them is more than I would venture. It may be very well to do this and that for good fellowship, but it will never do to lose the friendship of God in order to keep on good terms with men.”

― Charles H. Spurgeon

Without our heart being washed by the word of God, we never meet the standards to operate in godly integrity. . God, with our cooperation through faith, is ultimately the Creator of a pure heart in us, but it is a protracted process achieved by imparting a holy nature by His Spirit. This unites us with a holy Christ, with whom we fellowship, washing us in the blood of the Lamb so that with His aid we can mortify the flesh and live toward God, giving Him first priority in everything.

Purity of desires, motives, and intents should characterize the child of God. We need to examine ourselves, searching diligently whether we have freed ourselves from the dominion of hypocrisy or are we still isolated from God?



   Teaching at: Voice of Prayer 

Visit my You Tube channel Voice of Prayer for more teaching 


Visit Life Giving Wells You Tube Channel for more teaching


Now Posting to Rumble 
Voice of Prayer
And
Life Giving Wells
    Life Giving Wells now on Spotify Podcast!

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Tuesday, December 2, 2025

Painful Thorns

 What a difference 50 years makes in one's life! 

What was held in disgust years ago, people do it so willingly today. Was seeing a teaching on what the swimsuits looked like in the twenties and thirties of the 20th century. Everyone had on clothes, but was meant for swimming. Each dressed, the man in his slacks and the woman in a two piece suit covering from the neck to passed the knees. Today it is anything goes. You have a display of nudity in all forms on the beaches today. Sad to say, many have fallen into the culture theme of being free in sin. I remember the Rockettes of yesteryear. Those dancers in NYC were in the Macy's parade over Thanksgiving. What appeared were very thin women. What once looked like healthy dancers, with an amount of muscle on the legs and arms, today they are skin and bone ....Was wondering if it had to do with people losing weight just to be thin. What would Jesus think today?

Jesus was the “meek” man. He humbled Himself before the Father to walk in His steps regarding His image and the foundation of the work to be set forever in His word.

In God's perspective, people who humble themselves, are these people who are strong, while from a human perspective, it depends on whom they want to impress. You can see that in the story of those who impressed David’s son instead of staying alongside David as the King! ( of Ahithophel’s advice to the King seen in 2 Samuel 16, 17, and what occurs in 18) Ahithophel commits suicide out of bitterness in 2 Samuel 17:23.

At the point of Grace, we choose whom we will serve. We are told over and over to forgive those who have done something against us. Yes, and that can occur daily in this world we live in today!

But Humility is so important that God gave Paul some help to make sure that he would stay humble: 2 Corinthians 12:6-10 NKJV 6 For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to or hears from me. 7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Yet, this “thorn” in the flesh is a person. We know this because we see it in the Old Testament: Ezekiel 28:22- 24 NKJV “Behold, I am against you, O Sidon; I will be glorified in your midst; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I executed judgments in her and am hallowed in her. For I will send pestilence upon her and blood in her streets; the wounded shall be judge in her midst by the sword against her on every side; then they shall know that I am the LORD. 24 “And there shall not longer be a pricking brier or a “painful thorn for the house of Israel from among all who around them, who despise them. Then they shall know that I am the LORD GOD.”

From this verse 24, we see that insults of the nations are compared to prickly briers and painful thorns. Numbers 33:55 ‘But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall be that those whom you let remain shall be irritants in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land where you dwell. 56 Moreover it shall be that I will do to you as I thought to do to them.’”

 In this year, we certainly have the irritants of painful thorns. You expect truth and get that which relates to honoring the evil and to destroy the good!

From the time of Jesus, His walk was about the persistent heart giving the kingdom of God that had come: the Gospel! Jesus was effective in that He laid down His life and could take it up again because He spoke it into being. Paul saw the power of Jesus’ walk and proved to be an effective servant of God.

So humility has a dominant thrust in it where appears a willingness to submit to God, to what is His truth and remain in it to give to others. These two willingly submit to giving their whole life into God’s glory. So what would be the level of our humble hearts? Ephesians 4:3 …endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Unity with each begins in the unity each of us has with God. And it is within that unity with God you can keep unity with others.

So in returning to Ahithophel we find a most fascinating character. In 2 Samuel 15: 12 Ahithophel was a trusted counselor to King David. He was also a member of his cabinet. The King relied on Ahithophel’s advise as if he spoke from God himself seen 2 Samuel 16:23.

Ah yes, but things changed for the “bad”. It was David’s son Absalom that led a rebellion against him. and in this rebellion Ahithophel betrayed David by joining with rebellious Abasalom. AND we can know the king’s heart on this matter when David recounts those painful laments of heart when a trusted Ahithophel betrayed him in Psalm 41:8-9 and Psalm 55:12-15.

Psalm 55:12-16 NKJV For it is not an enemy who reproaches me; then I could bear it. Nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me; then I could hide from him. 13 but it was you, a man my equal, My companion and my acquaintance. 14 We took sweet counsel together and walked to the house of God in the throng. 15 Let death seize them; let them do down alive into hell, for wickedness is in their dwellings and among them. 16 As for me, I will call upon God, and the LORD shall save me.

AHITHOPHEL: whose name means “foolishness” certainly proved to be the foolish man and it was indicated in his first meeting with Absalom in 2 Samuel 15:12. Yes the rebellion was on! And some parts of historical record give a light on what occurred to make Ahithophel do what he did to the king! In historic background, Ahithophel was the father Eliam found in 1 Chronicles 3:5. And then the grandfather of Bathsheba, so this was a personal ordeal for the man who knew the king and had worked side by side with him. Yes, David as the king with loose morals at this time defiled another man’s wife. Instead of being on the front lines in battle with his men, David stayed in the palace and then had his eye on the lovely Bathsheba bathing.  So in this corrupted action on David’s part, Ahithophel’s sense of wrong crowded his thinking.

Yes, David was king but was to be the honorable and here he slipped terribly in the acts of murder of Bathsheba's husband Uriah the Hittite. What Ahithophel proposed in his pursuit of David is given in 2 Samuel 17:1…… Ahithophel gives Absalom advice: “Now let me choose twelve thousand men and I will arise and pursue David tonight. 2 I will come upon him while he is weary and weak and make him afraid. And all the people who are with him will flee and I will strike the king.

It was a personal hostility that Ahithophel held for David. 1 Corinthians 1:20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world. 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Through the Gospel, revelation of truth is power. And in the operation of God’s power through this gospel is victory over sin and death. But to the Jews, this very message of Christ crucified signaled weakness and proved Jesus the false Messiah. The Jews looked for signs instead of in Messiah’s power ( Isaiah 35; 61)  The Jews stumbled in this truth. And of course to the Gentile mind-set, they held no messianic expectations. No, they held only what a deity should be like, so the message of Christ crucified was foolishness to them.

Yes, David did try to hide his corrupted acts. He treated this young woman terribly and her husband even worse. He wanted her to sleep with her own husband to hide his dilemma her creating a child within her womb. But the honorable Uriah would not do that while the men he fought with would not have the same thing available to them. David proceeds with another act of betrayal to place Uriah on the front line of the battle. Yes, death would occur to this young man.

Ahithophel most likely burned in his thinking that became a hate with a force behind it! So Absalom set to take David’s throne, and he, Ahithophel, must have thought some kind of good must have turned towards him in favor, but David prayed in 2 Samuel 15:31 “O LORD I pray, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!”  Remember David had already prayed in Psalm 55!

In Ahithophel’s  counsel to Absalom to immediately attack David before he can regroup, a change occurs in a dramatic way.  A loyal friend to David, Hushai pretends to have turned to Absalom’s side and urges him to delay an attack. It was God causing Absalom to heed Husahi’s advice and Ahithophel realizes a fatal mistake. In bitterness, he knows that God will not punish David now. No, because David repented and prayed for God’s hand on the outcome of his own stupid behavior.

In despair it was Ahithophel who would die:  “He put his house in order and then hanged himself (2 Sam 17:23). In prayer, David displayed anguish. He wrote of betrayal in Psalm 55:13-14.  A seemingly spiritual companion betrayed David in verse 13: “ but it was you, a man my equal, my companion and my acquaintance”.

2 Samuel 15:31 Then someone told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, “O LORD I pray, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.

Humility goes hand in hand with meekness. Jesus the meek had a restraint being held in the “kind, the gentle, and the sensitive to others’ needs. This is done in truth, with no lying and stealing. They are those who will agree with that which is God’s word. They will not argue God’s word, neither will they insist on their own way in it. People could approach Jesus! They could speak with Him and He would return that which was life to them. He was and is the meek but He is not the “weak”! Like Jesus we are to be the firm and the uncompromising regarding following truth. And what is revealed to us is that Jesus did not overwhelm others who were aligned against Him.

God’s grace has been poured out to us! People who know their Lord and God are the blessed and it shows! We too can enjoy this abundance of grace. We should let people go and give them over to God.

Matthew 6:14-15 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” 15 “But if you do not forgive me their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Jesus hung on a Cross at Calvary and forgave the one who hung there with Him. Jesus told the man that he would be with Him in Paradise. The other went his way into hell. It was one who held onto Jesus the Son of God, the Savior of the world. Painful thorns indeed appear in our walk. But we keep our eyes on Jesus! You can see insanity in the world, but peace is found in the Lord alone!


    Teaching at: Voice of Prayer 

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