Two Types of Wisdom: Do You Know The Difference?

 

James 3:13-18   

Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, free of hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Did you know that, biblically, there are two types of wisdom? One "comes down from above" and the other is "earthly, natural, demonic."

Allow me to ask, how have you trained yourself and your family to discern between the two? What process do you have in place to patiently determine which one is which? Many people flippantly assume that Holy Spirit will; just magically lead them to perfect truth. While I'm sure not discounting Holy Spirit's ability, it's you and I that I'm concerned about.

We must slow down and filter all matters of life through the wisdom criteria of the Word. The words of the Most High are our best counsel. This is why Messiah quoted the Torah and the Prophets when He was tempted by haSatan. This is why the righteous men of old live set apart, holy lives. The Torah of YHWH is perfect, friends. perfect. (Some of you may need to let that really sink in.)

And I'd caution us to not get lost in minute details either. I don't believe that this is about a lifestyle of "Father, should I choose 'Door A' or 'Door B' issue."

How do we govern our lives according to the overreaching counsel of heavenly wisdom? Let us not think too highly of ourselves and presume that we always know the difference. Choose well today!

* For more on this topic, tune into the new video series, "Prayers & Petitions: When YHWH Grants A Request, but Brings Leanness of Soul."

Walking Our Own Way, and Then Blaming The Most High

 

Proverbs 19:2&3 Zeal without knowledge is not good, or to act hastily and miss the way. One who hurries his footsteps errs.  The foolishness of a man ruins his way, and his heart rages against YHWH.

In our upcoming video series, one thing we'll discuss is how to properly apply wisdom to our prayer lives. One key facet, if we truly want to find Father's will, is that we slow down.

In today's text, we see useful counsel towards this principle. When we move too quickly and act in haste, we risk missing the way that we should go. As I present in the upcoming videos, I found it interesting that when a fool acts in such a way, his response is that "his heart rages against YHWH."

Properly understood, the impatient fool moves on his own accord and then becomes angry with YHWH when the results of *his own actions* cause a bad outcome. We've all, of course, been guilty of this at some point in our lives.

Be sure to tune into the upcoming 2-part video series as we look to biblical records to help us reverse the pattern of foolish behavior and grumbling impatience.

HalleluYah!: The Praise of a Set Apart People

 HalleluYah!
How good it is to sing praises to our Elohim.
How pleasant and fitting is praise.   YHWH builds up Jerusalem.
He gathers together the exiles of Israel He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.

Psalm 147:1-3

Verses such as these surely come alive in a new way, when you understand identity and covenant. A covenant people sing praises to the One Name above all names - Yahweh. This is why we proclaim "HalleluYah!" "Praise be to Yahweh!" and to no other.

And what does He do? He builds up a city. He gathers who? The exiles of Israel! The scattered, covenantal People who walk in His wonderful ways. The sojourning ones, in the likeness of Abraham and Master Yeshua.

And there, He heals our hearts and bandages our wounds. Friend, be sure today that you understand the biblical account of joining yourself with Father's covenantal and familial work. I want us all to be able to declare, "HalleluYah!" Do you know of these promises?

The Torah... In the Future Age?

Micah 4:2 Then many nations will go and say:
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of YHWH,
    to the House of the Elohim of Jacob!
Then He will direct us in His ways,
    and we will walk in His paths.”
For Torah will go forth from Zion,
and the word of YHWH from Jerusalem.

 Isaiah 35:8 A highway will be there - a roadway.
It will be called the Way of Holiness.
The unclean will not travel on it.
It is for the one who walks the way.
Fools will not go astray.

 

Sadly, many people are unaware of the prophesied, future age and, specifically, the role of the Torah of the Creator within it. It would do us all well to shake off the inherited belief ideology that has errantly told us that it's merely a "legalistic law code 'for the Jews,' that no man could ever keep anyway."

It is perfect, friend. It revives the soul. It is a lamp. It is a light. Man could obey it and chose not to. To say otherwise disagrees with the very words of the Most High. (Deut. 30) And It will be the government of the future kingdom, where the Great High Priest Yeshua will rule and reign forever. If you're counting on New Jerusalem being your future abode, please be sure that you're not a part of "choosing grace OR Torah" today, friend. It has never been an "either/or" issue.

I want us all to be a part of the ones who "walks the way." I choose to agree with, and reiterate, the words of John. "Loved ones, I am not writing a new commandment for you, but an old commandment - one you had from the beginning. This old commandment is the word you have heard." (1 John 2:7) Selah.

Testing Men. Testing Messiah.

 

Deuteronomy Chapter 13 

 

If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder,  and the sign or the wonder comes true, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let’s follow other gods (whom you have not known) and let’s serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer of dreams; for the Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.  You shall follow the Lord your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him.  But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has spoken falsely against the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, to drive you from the way in which the Lord your God commanded you to walk. So you shall eliminate the evil from among you.

 

Do you have a process in place of testing men who claim to speak on the behalf of the Creator? Do you have a biblical template that establishes the filter of the Scriptures in order to know what is trustworthy counsel?

Even more so, have you ever taken the time to be absolutely sure that the Jesus that you follow is actually the prophesied, covenantal Messiah of the Bible? Time and time again the Bible warns us of false prophets. They are throughout every generation. And they all have one primary attribute: they lead men away from the Father's commandments and into lawlessness.

It is of utmost importance that we have the taken the proper time to examine who we follow. In regards to men and, most importantly, the one that we look to, to be our Messiah. Don't let this cause offense. Push through the questioning and pursue biblical, foundational criteria to be absolutely sure.

* For much more on this presentation, check out our latest video series titled, "The Nehushtan Principle: Is Today's New Religion Jesus the Messiah or is He an Idol?"