I am looking into the Wisdom and Knowledge of GOD and I have reached the place where we are given Gifts from GOD of Understanding.For some this may sound a might odd as there are many in the world of grossest darkness that would fight you tooth and nail in saying other wise. For they all have been force feed to understand otherwise, just as they do not consider that GOD has a tool chest of tools at HIS Divine disposal. Now for Pastor Hoekstra and his writing on Grace and Truth which restored to receivers of Christ's Spirit within them. Then for the targeted subject for today with the LORD's help and if He should give more light then I will break in and add it without giving it a second thought.
"Bondage versus Liberty"
"Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech — unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away." (2Corinthians 3:12-13)
"Living under the old covenant of Law requires a "performance based life," which depends upon man's sufficiency. This produces spiritual bondage of gross darkness. Living within the New Covenant of Grace provides a "Relationship based Life," which depends upon GOD's Sufficiency. This results in mans spiritual liberty.
Moses was a great servant of the LORD. He is a wonderful example to us in many ways. However, in our present verses, we see him living by His own sufficiency, thereby exemplifying life under the Law, as a slave to the Law. As Moses met with the LORD for the giving of the Law, his face would shine. For the benefit of the people, he would place a veil over this shining Glory: "Moses, who put a veil over his face." When this Glory began to fade away (as it was designed to do), Moses kept the veil on "so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away." In this, Moses was caught in the bondage of secrecy. He did not want others to see this Glory to fade from his face. He wanted others to think that his face was still aglow. (look at Matthew 17:1-9)
All of us are tempted at times to hide behind a veil of secrecy. This is particularly the case when we are trusting in our own sufficiency. When drawing upon our insufficient resources, we generally sense that we are not doing as well as we should be: "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves" (2Corinthians 3:5). So, we try to hide it. We want others to think that our spiritual walk is more glorious than it actually is. So we put on veils of pretense, self-righteousness, or self-justification. The remedy for this bondage of secrecy is living within the New Covenant Grace.
We are New Covenant creatures: "GOD, Who also made us sufficient as ministers [i.e., servants of men] in the New Covenant" (2Corinthians 3:5-6). GOD alone makes us sufficient by sharing His fully adequate resources with us. "Our sufficiency is from GOD!" (2Corinthians 3:5). This is our effective hope for avoiding the bondage of secrecy that overtook Moses. "Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech — unlike Moses." Those who live in the Grace of GOD have such great hope. Their expectations are anchored in the LORD, not in self. Thus, they can be bold, open, and candid. If they fail, they humbly confess their insufficiency. If they succeed, they openly credit His Abundant Adequacy."
GOD's Tool-chest:
Foolish Things, Weak Things,
1Corinthians 1:25-27 "The foolishness of GOD is wiser than men, and the weakness of GOD is stronger than men. For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But GOD chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; GOD chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;
Base Things, Despised Things, Non-existent Things,
1Corinthians 1:28-2:5 "GOD chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of GOD. And because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, Who became to us Wisdom from GOD, Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption, so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the LORD." And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of GOD with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified (notice the arrangement of Jesus' title, earthy flesh before the spiritual anointed one). And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of GOD."
Gifts from GOD:
Of Understanding,
Job 32:6-10 "Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said: "I am young in years, and you are aged; therefore I was timid and afraid to declare my opinion to You. I said, 'Let days speak, and many years teach wisdom.' But it is the spirit in man, the breath of the Almighty, that makes him understand. It is not the old who are wise, nor the aged who understand what is right. Therefore I say, 'Listen to me; let me also declare my opinion.'"
According to the Character of Men,
Ecclesiastes 2:24-26 "There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of GOD, for apart from Him who can eat or who can have enjoyment? For to the one who pleases Him, GOD has given Wisdom and Knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He has given the business of gathering and collecting, only to give to one who pleases GOD. This also is vanity and a striving after wind."
Ability for Comforting Speech,
Isaiah 50:4-11 "The LORD GOD has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning He awakens; He awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught. The LORD GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious; I turned not backward. I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting. But the LORD GOD helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame. He who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who is my adversary? Let him come near to me. Behold, the LORD GOD helps me; who will declare me guilty? Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up. Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the voice of his servant? Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the LORD and rely on His GOD. Behold, all you who kindle a fire, who equip yourselves with burning torches! Walk by the light of your fire, and by the torches that you have kindled! This you have from My hand: you shall lie down in torment."
Diversity of,
Matthew 25:14-18 (Jesus is speaking) "For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money."
To those who Ask Aright,
Luke 11:9-13 (Jesus is speaking) "I tell you, Ask, and it will be given to you; Seek, and you will find; Knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who Asks receives, and the one who Seeks finds, and to the one who Knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who Ask Him!"
He the only Source of,
John 3:25-30 "A discussion arose between some of John's disciples and a Jew over purification. And they came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to Whom you bore witness—look, He is baptizing, and all are going to Him." John answered, "A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, 'I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before Him.' The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease."
Forbids Pride,
1Corinthians 4:6-7 "I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another. For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?"
Includes Wisdom,
James 1:5-8 "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him Ask GOD, Who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him Ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the LORD; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."
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