This article is invaluable for
believers that desire to amount to something and fulfill God's purpose for
their lives.
"Sanctify them through thy
truth: thy word is truth." John 17:17.
Feel free to copy and distribute
free to bless other believers.
Praying For
Patience!!!
The joke goes like this: a man goes to his
pastor and asks tells him how much he needs more patience and asks that the
pastor pray for him in this matter. The pastor agrees and suggests they
have prayer right there. As he prays, he prays that this man would have
trials come into his life and have many struggles. Right in the middle of
the prayer, the man stops his pastor. “That’s not what I asked
for.”
“Sure
it is,” his pastor replied, “the way to patience is through just such
trials. Paul himself told us that tribulations work patience.”
If
that’s the case,” the man answered, “I’ll be glad to wait a little longer to
get it.”
1. Facts Everyone
Should know About; That are based only on the Bible!
Every person longs for inner peace, but many are unable to find
it. There is only one way to find
it. Search the Word of God, the Bible.
The question is, Who is God? In Genesis 1: 1 we read, "In the
beginning God created the Heaven and the earth." In the original Hebrew text the word God is
in the plural, Elohim and not EL, the singular.
The plural form of God is used over two thousand times in the Old
Testament. In Genesis 1: 2 it says,
"The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." And in Genesis 2: 4 it says, "These are
the generations of the Heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the
day that the Lord (Jehovah) God made the earth and the Heavens". This tells us that God is triune: God the
Father, the Lord (Jehovah), and the Holy Spirit.
Who is the Lord (Jehovah)? His
Hebrew Name is YHVH. The Lord (Jehovah)
is the Creator. "For in six days
the Lord (Jehovah) made Heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and
rested the seventh day…"Exodus 20: 11, and also Isaiah
45: 8. He is also called the
Saviour. "I, even, I, am the Lord
(Jehovah); and beside Me there is no saviour."
Isaiah 43: 11. His Name is also
Son. "Serve the Lord (Jehovah) with
fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss
the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way…
“Psalms2: 11, 12.
In the first three verses of Psalm 2 the heathen and the kings of the
earth take council together against the Lord (Jehovah) and in verse four we
read, "He that sitteth in the Heavens shall laugh: the Lord (Adonai) shall have them in derision". The word Adonai
always refers to God, and in verses five to twelve God is the One who
speaks. In verse six He says, "Yet
have I set My King upon My holy hill of Zion." The literal translation of verse seven is as
follows: I will declare of the statute of Jehovah, He said to me: My Son; you
are, I today have begotten you. This
agrees with verse eleven and twelve. It
is God who speaks and not Jehovah.
This is verified by Acts 13: 33: "God hath fulfilled the same unto
us their children in that He hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written
in the second Psalm, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee". This has reference to the resurrection of
Jesus Christ from the dead. This is
positive proof that Jehovah is Jesus Christ.
God has only one Son. "I am
the Lord (Jehovah) and there is none else". Isaiah 45: 6, also 21 and Isaiah 44: 6, 8.
Jesus is called God, Emmanuel… God with us". Matthew 1: 23. "In the beginning was the Word and the
Word was with God and the Word was God".
John 1: 1. Verse fourteen proves
that the Word is Jesus. Also "and
we are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal
life". 1 John 5: 20. Jesus is also called the Creator. "All things were made by Him; and
without Him was not any thing made that was made." John 1: 3.
See also 1 Corinthians 8: 6; Colossians 1: 15; Hebrews 1: 10.
Why did Jesus Christ have to die on the cross? "For all have sinned and come short of
the glory of God". Romans 3:
23. "If we say that we have no sin,
we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us". 1 John 1: 8.
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord".
Romans 6: 23. "For God so
loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in
Him shall not perish but have everlasting life." John 3: 16.
Confess your sin, "For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the
Lord shall be saved." Romans 10:
13.
When one really believes in Jesus, "The Spirit itself beareth
witness with our spirit that we are the children of God." Romans 8: 16.
To be a victorious Christian one has to be obedient to the Word of God,
read it daily and pray.
"Thanks be to God, which giveth us the
victory through our Lord Jesus Christ ".
1 Corinthians 15: 57.
2. The Seven
Myths of Education
INTRODUCTION: Modern society
universally acclaims the benefits of education. We all know that “a mind
is a terrible thing to waste.” And we know that you waste that mind by not
giving it a college education. We encourage our children to get all the
education they can and stress the importance of finishing their degrees.
“Whatever you do, get a good education.”
Many
think that scripture places the same importance on education as we do
today. Yet, the Bible sees two sides of the picture. God’s people
are told to get knowledge, understanding and wisdom in large quantities.
“Wisdom is the principle thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting
get understanding” (Prov.4:7). But the knowledge and wisdom God desires
is founded on the “fear of the LORD” (Prov.1:7; 9:10).
The
Bible teaches the existence of two kinds of wisdom. The wisdom God’s
wants is “the wisdom that is from above” (Jas.3:17). According to James, this
wisdom is pure, peaceable, gentle and full of mercy and good fruits. Yet,
He also warns of the second kind of wisdom. It descends “not from above,
but is earthly, sensual, and devilish” (Jas.3:15).
The
importance God gave to His wisdom has been transferred to all knowledge.
So we now have college classes where the students study and practice their
skill at writing pornographic stories. We have public schools that spend
their greatest energies molding the students into their concept of the perfect
citizen of the world. We have an education system that does not educate.
How
did this happen? It happened because we bowed at the feet of the goddess
called “Education.” We decided that all learning, of any kind, was
equally good. We accepted seven myths of education of which we were
warned (many centuries ago) in the Bible. Here are those seven myths.
1. That Education
Can Be Bought With Money
Parents
spend thousands of dollars so their children can get an education. I have
seen numerous people who did not mind spending the money for a degree but had
to get it quick and easy or else. (Degree mills are fed by those who want
the piece of paper without giving the personal effort.) But a true
education cannot be purchased with money. God says it best:
“Wherefore
is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart
to it?” – Proverbs 17:16
True
learning requires a person to give their heart to it. It does not come
because you attend class, or cram and pass a test or even because you receive a
degree. You gain wisdom and learning by diligent application of the heart
and mind to the subject at hand. Proverbs 18:1 describes the process of
true learning:
“Through
desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all
wisdom.”
Notice
the four steps to wisdom as taught by this verse:
Desire: You must have a desire to
learn. Without this, you are wasting your time. Learning is hard
work. Without the desire, you will not do the work.
Separation: Learning requires
separation: separation from other people and separation from other
duties. You must be prepared to spend time alone if you would be
wise. We try to make learning a social experience. And, of course,
you can learn much in classrooms or in conversation with others. However,
wisdom cannot be gained by social learning alone. At some point, you have
to separate and learn with no one else around. Wisdom is given to the man
who is alone with his thoughts, his books and his God.
Seeking: Wisdom must be sought
before it can be found. You cannot catch it as you would the flu.
You do not find it by looking for something else. You must seek it.
You must be earnest in your search. You must seek it until you find it.
God says this about Himself:
“And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall
search for me with all your heart.” – Jeremiah 29:13
Saturation: The one who would
be wise must intermeddle with all wisdom (Prov.18:1). In other words, you
must intermingle your very being and mind with God’s wisdom in order to attain
unto it. It must become a part of who you are. In godly wisdom, you
learn to think the thoughts of God. You “let the word of Christ dwell in
you in all wisdom” (Col.3:16). In other learning, you do the same.
You intermeddle with it until it becomes you.
Education
cannot be purchased with dollars and cents. It must be purchased with
determination, time and application.
2.
That
Education Leads to Self-Understanding
Many
go to school for self-discovery. They want to know who they really
are. This helps to explain the popularity of self-analysis tests and
self-help books. As a society, we are obsessed with finding out who we are. We want to understand our feelings, our
needs, our desires, our personality. Yet this
longing did not begin with our generation. Three thousand years ago,
Solomon proclaimed:
“A
fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.”
– Proverbs 18:2
Folk-wisdom
has it that most who major is psychology in college do
so in order to find out what is wrong with themselves. I wonder how close
that is to absolute truth. Yet God tells us that we will not discover
ourselves in the halls of education. We will more likely lose
ourselves. God wants us to be little concerned about discovering
ourselves (a disappointment if ever there was one) and to be much concerned
about discovering Him. To know God is the heart of true wisdom. To
know self is the errand of fools.
3.
That Education Can Be Finished
Many
think that they are going to get their education and then spend the rest of
their life using it. But experience demonstrates and the Bible teaches
that our learning never reaches a stage of completion. There is always
more to learn. Solomon told us this:
“And
further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end;
and much study is a weariness of the flesh.” – Ecclesiastes 12:12
In
the time known as the Renaissance (14th-16th century
Europe), when books were still scarce and knowledge was just beginning to open
up, some men attempted to master all known truth. They were called
Renaissance men. But soon they learned that no man could be master of
every field. Of the making of books there would be no end.
If
you would be wise, your education is not completed when you receive a
degree. If your education was adequate, you will have received the
foundational truths of your field and will have the means by which you may
continue to learn. However, you will not be master, even of your chosen
field, much less of all truth. True seekers of wisdom never cease to
learn. They know that they are on a journey that never ends and that
never reaches its destination.
4.
That Education Leads to Happiness
By
God’s own testimony, Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived. As such,
he determined to know all wisdom. He declared, “I gave my heart to seek
and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven”
(Eccl.1:13). The greatest mind gave years of his life in pursuing the
greatest height of knowledge and wisdom. Yet, in the end, Solomon came to
a solemn conclusion:
“And
I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that
this also is vexation of spirit. For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth
sorrow.” – Ecclesiastes 1:17-18
Do
you believe that if only you had a better education you could be truly
happy? If you do, you are wrong. Increased knowledge and wisdom is
more likely to leave a happy man depressed than give a sad man peace.
Education reveals the futility of man and his schemes to make the world any
better. Education removes hope and replaces it with a scoffer’s heart; it
removes faith and replaces it with a skeptic’s insecurity.
At
this point, I must remind you that God is not anti-intellectual or against
learning. Study the book of Proverbs. You will see that He greatly
exalts godly learning. However, He does speak against the empty wisdom of
this world (1Cor.1:20-21). Education that is not founded on the fear of
the Lord brings emptiness and sorrow. Make sure that you seek the wisdom
of God.
5.
That Education Leads to Goodness
Much
of the socialism of Europe and America has been based on the
myth that education automatically creates good citizens. An educated
person does not harm his neighbor, does not steal from his employer, does not deal in drugs. And, though time and
experience has proven this myth false, scripture spoke of the danger of
education centuries ago.
“For
thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None
seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast
said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me.” – Isaiah 47:10
People
can actually be perverted by knowledge and wisdom. Instead of making them
good, it can lead them astray. We see this today in the perverting
influence of our public schools and colleges. Many young people are taken
away from God and goodness by their education. Although the right kind of
education will be a great blessing, all forms of education are not the same.
6.
That Education Leads to Humility
This
myth is more prevalent among scholars themselves than it is among common
people. However, there is a myth that increased knowledge brings greater
humility. The reasoning goes like this. One who has learned many
things knows better how much there is to know and
therefore understands his ignorance more than those less knowledgeable.
This learning humbles him.
As
with many lies, this myth has a little truth in it. Increased knowledge
does reveal better the vastness of truth and brings certain awe to the
scholar. However, it does not keep him from comparing himself with others
less knowledgeable and feeling superior to them. Read what the Apostle
Paul said:
“Now
as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge.
Knowledge
puffeth up, but charity edifieth.”
– 1Corinthians 8:1
Knowledge
puffs up its possessor with pride. “How could they be so dumb! That’s such an easy thing to know.” Again,
the correction is to base all knowledge on the fear of the Lord. Our fear
of God keeps us humble, not our knowledge.
7.
That Education Leads to God’s Truth
A
popular saying among evangelicals is that all truth is God’s truth.
This statement is true as far as it goes. But, for some, it leads to
false conclusions. If this concept means that you judge all other truth
by the revelation of truth in God’s word, then your conclusions will be
correct. However, if you use this maxim to force man’s ideas on God, you
will be led down the wrong path.
The
crux of the matter is in your authority for truth. If your authority is
man’s scientific or philosophical reasoning and you use this maxim to correct the
Bible, then you are wrong. If you accept God’s word as absolute, then all
other truth will be subservient to it.
Universal
education in England and America was established so that
all people could read the Bible for themselves. But education long ago
left its original foundations. It does not lead to God’s truth but is now
designed to lead people away from God. Paul spoke of those who were ever
“learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of
the truth” (2Tim.3:7).
We
deal with this today. Many are continually learning but are not coming
any closer to the truth. The god of education leads men astray and makes
them faithful servants of the god of this world.
CONCLUSION: The solutions to the dangers
of education have already been answered in the body of this article. Fear the Lord first. Then base
all knowledge on this recognition of His preeminence. Bring desire and
determination to your search for wisdom. Submit all truth to the truth of
God’s word. Take hold of this kind of wisdom with all your might.
Use the truth God gives you to exalt and serve Him. By this, God will be
pleased and will grant you greater wisdom.
Education
does not cure all ills or change man for the better. Only God can do
that. Education, like music, is a tool. It can be founded on
biblical truths and used for God’s glory. Or, it can be used to pervert
God’s truth and excuse the sins of men. Make sure you keep your education
in submission to God and His word. Never fall for the myths of education.
3.Faith and Our Suffering
Why?
Let’s address perhaps the most universal question in the Christian
faith, "Why, God?" She
points to life events that can rock the faith of even the most devoted among us.
And in every case, the answer is the same. Our response to God must be to trust
Him. Not for a specific answer that we are sure would be perfect for us, but
because He loves us and is always working in us and for us. His answer is to
trust Him because He is trustworthy and He knows the big picture. Anne says,
"When the pain is sharp and the doubt is deep and it's impossible to see
the sense of it all, the only response that will carry you through is to trust
God."
Personal Experience
