Two types of spirits

"We are from God; whoever recognizes God listens to us; anyone who is not from God refuses to listen to us. This is how we can distinguish the spirit of truth from the spirit of falsehood." (1 John 4: 6)

Jesus says: "My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. " (John 10: 27)

There are two types of spirits – spirit of truth who dwells in the children of God and the spirit of falsehood who dwells in those who have rejected Jesus.

God stamped his DNA in every person created in His image and likeness. But only those who are born again are children of God. The children of God listen to the voice of their shepherd and recognize it. They follow the Lamb wherever He goes. Those who are not children of God do not have the spirit of truth living in them.

 

Test the spirits

"Beloved, do not trust every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they belong to God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

This is how you can know the Spirit of God: every spirit that acknowledges Jesus Christ come in the flesh be longs to God,

and every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus does not belong to God. This is the spirit of the antichrist that, as you heard, is to come, but in fact is already in the world." (1 John 4: 1-3)

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves.

By their fruits you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit.

A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit.

Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

So by their fruits you will know them." (Matthew 7: 15-20)

"The way we may be sure that we know him is to keep his commandments.

Whoever says, "I know him," but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him. This is the way we may know that we are in union with him:

whoever claims to abide in him ought to live (just) as he lived." (1 John 2: 3-6)

 

 

I love your law

"The law of your mouth is to me more precious than thousands of gold and silver pieces."

"(Psalm 119: 72).

How do we know for certain that God's word is more precious than silver and gold? God's word transforms ordinary humans into extraordinary beings. There are abundant proofs from the lives of many people. Their heroic lives had been recognized and many of them canonized as saints. The proof also comes from the lives of dedicated Christians living among us. These individuals have the courage to test the life-changing principles in the Bible and confirm that they work. Their highly successful lives and achievements bear testimony to the power of God's word. God's word contains many promises each of which is may be worth more than silver and gold, depending on our needs.

To discover the gold and silver in the word of God, read it as a personal letter. Read the word in order to act on its principles and so obtain what it promises.

How Apply the Word of God to your Problem:

• Define the problem.
  
• . State two or more key words that are contained in your problem.
  
• Get a Bible Concordance and list all the references to your keywords.
  
• Take your Bible and write out all the references that bear directly on the problem.
  
• Focus on a number of texts that apply directly to you.
  
• Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how to apply the scripture.
  

The last step is critical: Understand what the scripture is saying to your actual situation. If you are not satisfied with the answer that you are getting, keep working on it until you are enlightened.

Believe the Bible text that God has revealed as answer to your problem. Belief may not come automatically. Like Peter, you can say again and again: "Lord I believe; increase my faith."

When you get a clear idea on concrete steps to take to solve your problem, act without hesitation. If you are not sure, wait until you get this clear signal. This is the most important step. "Faith that is firm is also patient." (Isaiah 28:16)

• I believe in prayer
  
• I believe in the word of God
  
• I believe in miracles
  
• I leave the rest to God
  

Wisdom will bestow a graceful garland on your head

"The first principle of wisdom is: acquire wisdom; at the cost of all you have, acquire understanding! Hold her close, and she will make you great; embrace her, and she will be your pride; she will provide a graceful garland for your head, bestow a crown of honor on you." (Proverbs 4: 7-9)

My pursuit of wisdom took me to self-development literature, philosophy, theology and history. After many years of seeking wisdom from second-hand sources, I was pointed to the fountain of wisdom: the Bible.

Roger Crawford in his book, How High Can You Bounce? , writes: "Resilient people realize that it's impossible to see the full value of adversity until it is behind us. Understanding and wisdom come after an event, not before." Wisdom can come during an event if one feeds himself with a daily portion of the word of God.

Wisdom and the Cross

St Francis de Sales writes: "The everlasting God has in His wisdom foreseen from eternity, the cross He now presents to you from His innermost heart. This cross He now sends you He has considered with His all-knowing eyes, understood with His divine mind, tested with His wise justice, warmed with loving arms and weighed with His own hands to see that it is not one ounce too heavy for you. He has blessed it with His Holy Name, anointed it with His grace, perfumed it with His consolation, and taken one last glance at you and your courage - has sent it to you from heaven, a special greeting from God to you, an alms of the all merciful love of God."

More Scriptures on Wisdom

• "Blessed are those who have discovered wisdom, those who have acquired understanding! Gaining her is more rewarding than silver, her yield is more valuable than gold. She is beyond the price of pearls, nothing you could covet is her equal. In her right hand is length of days; in her left hand, riches and honor. Her ways are filled with delight, her paths all lead to contentment. She is a tree of life for those who hold her fast, those who cling to her live happy lives." (Proverbs 3: 13-18)
  
• "Teach me wisdom and knowledge, for in your commands I trust. (Psalm 119:66)
  
• "And now my children listen to me. Happy are those who keep my ways. Listen to instruction and become wise, do not reject it. Blessed, whoever listens to me, who day after day keep watch at my portals. For whoever finds me finds life, and obtains the favor of Yahweh; but whoever misses me harms himself, all who hate me are in love with death." (Proverbs 9: 32-36)
  
• "The blessing of Yahweh is what brings riches, to this, hard toil has nothing to add." (Proverbs 11: 22)
  
• "For want of leadership a people perishes, safety lies in many advisers" (Proverbs 11: 14)
  
• "A sudden fortune will dwindle away, accumulation little by little is the way to riches." (Proverbs 13: 11)
  
• "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, desire fulfilled is a tree of life." (Proverbs 13:12)
  
• "In the fear of Yahweh is powerful security; for his children he is a refuge." (Proverbs 14:26)
  
• "Better to have a little and with it fear of Yahweh than immense wealth and with it anxiety." (Proverbs 15:16)
  
• "Two things I beg of you, do not grudge me them before I die: keep falsehood and lies far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches, grant me only my share of food, for fear that, surrounded by plenty, I should fall away and say, 'Yahweh - who is Yahweh?' or else, in destitution, take to stealing and profane the name of my God."(Proverbs 30: 7-9)
  
• "For Yahweh himself is giver of wisdom, from his mouth issue knowledge and understanding. He reserves his advice for the honest, a shield to those whose ways are sound; he stands guard over the path of equity."(Proverbs 2: 6-8)
  
• "Trust wholeheartedly in Yahweh, put no faith in your own perception; acknowledge him in every course you take, and he will see that your paths are smooth."(Proverbs 3:5-6)
  
• "My child do not scorn correction from Yahweh, do not resent his reproof; for Yahweh reproves those he love, as a father the child whom he loves."(Proverbs 3: 11-120