The Gifts Part 2
Words of Wisdom and Words of Knowledge
There are few things in this world that complement each other as readily or as beautifully as do the gift of word of wisdom and that of word of knowledge. Some have even said that the gift of the word of wisdom and the gift of word of knowledge are like twin siblings who grow side by side, work hand in hand, encouraging each other in righteousness and virtue.
No, neither the gift of word of wisdom or that of word of knowledge for that matter are as bombastic as the working of miracles, prophecy, or the gift of healing, but just as every gift of the Holy Spirit has its place within the Body of Christ, just as every gift of the Holy Spirit has a time and place where its use is mandatory and necessary within the church, words of knowledge and wisdom likewise have their place.
Perhaps it’s the need to be wowed, perhaps it’s the need to see the bombastic and extraordinary that makes many dismiss the beauty of the gift of the word of wisdom, and the beauty of the gift of words of knowledge. Life isn’t always about fireworks, life isn’t always about pyrotechnics, life isn’t always about excitement and adrenaline coursing through our veins, in fact most often, the most sublime and memorable moments of our lives are those moments of quiet introspection, those moments when the sun hits a sunflower at dusk just the right way, or when you inhale clean mountain air for the first time after many days of being in a smoggy city, or when you wake up next to the one you love and just watch them sleep for a breath.
Both the gift of the word of wisdom and that of word of knowledge are subtle gifts, the fly under the radar as the saying goes, but they are extraordinary gifts in their own right, and deserve our knowledge of them, as well as desire for them. When speaking of these two gifts in particular, we are not speaking of their natural counterparts, human wisdom, or human knowledge, but the supernatural gifts of words of wisdom and words of knowledge that come from the Holy Spirit. There is a distinct difference between the wisdom of this world, and the wisdom of God, as there is a difference between the knowledge of the things of this world and the knowledge of the mysteries of God. The first can come from diligent study, reading of books, higher education, courses and workshops, but the wisdom of God and the knowledge of the mysteries of God can only come from the source of sovereign wisdom and knowledge, God Himself.
Throughout our discussion of both the gift of word of wisdom and word of knowledge, we will be focusing on their supernatural aspects, and not on the natural ones, perceiving them as what they rightly are, gifts of the Holy Spirit for the edification and wellbeing of the Body of Christ.
Throughout this introduction I have emphasized the fact that the gifts which we will be discussing today are those of the word of wisdom, and the word of knowledge, because neither of these gifts entails the fullness of the knowledge of God, or the fullness of the wisdom of God. When one possess the gift of the word of wisdom, or the gift of the word of knowledge, they are given a glimpse into the wisdom and knowledge of God, a certain truth is breathed into them via the Holy Spirit, it is not as some say the fullness of God’s wisdom and knowledge residing in one individual.
The human mind is too frail and fragile a thing to contain all the wisdom of God, it is too frail and fragile a thing to contain all the knowledge of God, and as such we are given words of wisdom, and words of knowledge, glimpses and fragments that aid us in our understanding of the mysteries of the heavenly Father, and help us draw closer to Him in righteousness and true holiness.
Since most everyone has a pre-established notion of what they believe the gift of the word of wisdom and the gift of the word of knowledge are I want to begin by dispelling some long held misconceptions, and discuss what these gifts are not.
Why would it be important to know what these gifts are not?
Simply put, knowing the truth will keep us from being deceived, and knowing what the gifts of the Holy Spirit are and are not, will allow us to walk boldly in the calling to which we have been called.
When we are uncertain concerning spiritual matters, there is always a certain timidity, a certain reluctance concerning stepping out in faith, and allowing God to use us to the fullest. When we are certain however of what the gifts of the Holy Spirit entail, what it is that we have access to in God, then there is no timidity, there is no reluctance, there is no fear, because we know the truth of the matter and nothing will be able to shake us from the truth.
We have one truth to stand on, and that is the word of God. It is not men’s suppositions, it is not men’s opinions, it is not men’s conclusions that ought to be the foundation of our faith, it is the Word of God, and nothing else. Opinions fail, suppositions turn out to be wrong, but the word of God will remain true in perpetuity. We cannot place our trust in temporal things, because temporal things are fleeting, and often times they abandon us when we need them most. When we place our trust in God however, when we place our trust in His word, there is permanence there, there is continuity there, and there is no shadow of turning as there is in men.
With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Sunday, November 6, 2011
The Holy Spirit: Power Presence and Purpose Part 96
The Gifts Part 1
It is a natural progression of sorts that from the advent of the Holy Spirit we would continue on to the individual gifts of the Holy Spirit. If the Lord wills it, and I feel led to continue this journey, after we discuss the individual gifts of the Holy Spirit it is possible that we will backtrack and do an exegetical study on the twelfth and fourteenth chapter of Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthians, but that particular crossroad is a ways off, and for the next few weeks at least we will be busy with our discussion of the gifts.
Having spent countless hours amassing all the scriptures concerning the Holy Spirit, the work of the Holy Spirit, the power of the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, having been able to track the presence of the Holy Spirit throughout the Word from mankind’s creation onward, one thought that continually pops into my head, is why would God allow so much to be written on the person of the Holy Spirit, having possessed the foreknowledge that at some point it would all be included into what we have now come to know as the Bible, if His presence was to be a brief interlude in the symphony of human history?
We know that God is not the author of confusion, and we likewise know that He does not desire for His children to be ignorant of all that they have access to in Him. If we were no longer given to have the Holy Spirit, or the gifts of the Holy Spirit, why would so many scripture passages be dedicated to these two topics, and why would the Bible encourage us to desire spiritual gifts?
Seeing as Paul outlined the gifts in his first epistle to the Corinthians, tomorrow we will begin the journey of discovering these gifts of the Holy Spirit, discussing them in the order they are presented in the Word.
1 Corinthians 12:4-11, “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.”
Since the word of wisdom is first on the list of the gifts Paul lists, it is with the gift of the word of wisdom that we will begin.
With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.
It is a natural progression of sorts that from the advent of the Holy Spirit we would continue on to the individual gifts of the Holy Spirit. If the Lord wills it, and I feel led to continue this journey, after we discuss the individual gifts of the Holy Spirit it is possible that we will backtrack and do an exegetical study on the twelfth and fourteenth chapter of Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthians, but that particular crossroad is a ways off, and for the next few weeks at least we will be busy with our discussion of the gifts.
Having spent countless hours amassing all the scriptures concerning the Holy Spirit, the work of the Holy Spirit, the power of the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, having been able to track the presence of the Holy Spirit throughout the Word from mankind’s creation onward, one thought that continually pops into my head, is why would God allow so much to be written on the person of the Holy Spirit, having possessed the foreknowledge that at some point it would all be included into what we have now come to know as the Bible, if His presence was to be a brief interlude in the symphony of human history?
We know that God is not the author of confusion, and we likewise know that He does not desire for His children to be ignorant of all that they have access to in Him. If we were no longer given to have the Holy Spirit, or the gifts of the Holy Spirit, why would so many scripture passages be dedicated to these two topics, and why would the Bible encourage us to desire spiritual gifts?
Seeing as Paul outlined the gifts in his first epistle to the Corinthians, tomorrow we will begin the journey of discovering these gifts of the Holy Spirit, discussing them in the order they are presented in the Word.
1 Corinthians 12:4-11, “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.”
Since the word of wisdom is first on the list of the gifts Paul lists, it is with the gift of the word of wisdom that we will begin.
With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
The Holy Spirit: Power Presence and Purpose Part 95
The Advent Part 87
Besides the four principal pillars upon which the Congregation of God rested in its infancy, namely the apostles’ doctrine, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer, we see that the praising of God was also added to the list shortly after its inception. They did not do these things infrequently, they did not do these things once in a while, they did these things daily. Since we covered the four pillars in previous posts, today I wanted to focus on the praise of God and see what it entails, and why it is that we must daily praise God with all our hearts with all our minds and with all our souls.
Praise of God is a holy sacrifice, one that God receives with joy from the lips and hearts of those who are truly His.
Hebrews 13:15, “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.”
It is by Christ, the ‘Him’ which this passage in Hebrews is referring to, that we can offer the sacrifice of praise to God, and we must do this continually. The continual praise of God and the sacrifice thereof is something established by the Holy Spirit, and just as the Holy Spirit has not ceased from among us, the need to continually offer up the fruit of our lips and the sacrifice of praise to God has not ceased.
The atmosphere of heaven is one of unceasing praise and worship to God, and knowing that our spiritual state is likewise heavenly we must continually be in His presence offering our worship and our praise to Him who is worthy.
Revelation 5:11-14, “Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: ‘worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!’ And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: ‘Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!’ Then the four living creatures said, ‘Amen!’ And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.”
If we were raised up together and made to sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, then our praise and worship of God must ring forth just as the praise and worship of those in heaven rings forth.
Worshiping God is not a chore, praising God is not a chore, and these are not things that are reserved only for a particular church service, or for once a week as has become customary in many a believers’ lives. We worship and praise God continually, for He is worthy, we worship and praise the Lamb continually for He is worthy, and a state of worship and praise is the natural environment of a regenerate and born again soul.
It is impossible to miss the simplicity, originality, hunger and passion with which the primary church pursued God, and I fear it is these things that are missing in today’s modern church. Sure we have big beautiful building, sure we have political influence, sure we have programs and courses and workshops, but we are missing the passion and the hunger for the things of God, we are missing the simplicity of worship and praise that was the staple of the primary church.
When someone came to God, they took their place in the Congregation of God. Nobody had to fill out a membership form, nobody had to direct deposit ten percent of their income into the church account, there were no denominations there were no hidden agendas, and Christ united them all and made them one in Him.
There was only the Congregation of God where He was present, where He revealed Himself, where He did signs and wonders, and where He led. There was no system that was formed by the will, judgment or opinion of man, there was only God and the worship and praise of Him.
There is no place in the Bible where we are commanded to be members of a certain denomination, or to belong to a certain group. Every true believer is a member of the congregation of God, a member of the Body of Christ, and one can only be a member of one body. Just as my arm could not be the member of another body, a true believer can only be a member of the Body of Christ. When we place our denomination above Jesus, when we circumvent His teachings in lieu of the teachings of our church or our pastor, then we are not members of the Body of Christ, but members of that church.
Wherever man sits upon the throne, wherever a man is the head of a body and not Christ, wherever a man is the leading authority the spirit of dominance and religious politics is protected and even lauded. The authority of man makes a servant of someone that has no gift or calling from Christ, while at the same time one who has a gift and calling on their life cannot serve unless the man in charge gives his blessing or otherwise approves. This however is a dishonor to the name of Jesus, and to that which He birthed through His death, burial, resurrection and the sending of the Holy Spirit among us.
In every denomination, whether great or small, in every religious system, the authority of men is acknowledged and recognized, and men are constantly seeking the approval of other men. We however are servants called of God and approved of God, not through man, but through Jesus Christ and the Father who raised Him from the dead, for the true definition of a servant is one who obeys and serves his Master.
With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.
Besides the four principal pillars upon which the Congregation of God rested in its infancy, namely the apostles’ doctrine, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer, we see that the praising of God was also added to the list shortly after its inception. They did not do these things infrequently, they did not do these things once in a while, they did these things daily. Since we covered the four pillars in previous posts, today I wanted to focus on the praise of God and see what it entails, and why it is that we must daily praise God with all our hearts with all our minds and with all our souls.
Praise of God is a holy sacrifice, one that God receives with joy from the lips and hearts of those who are truly His.
Hebrews 13:15, “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.”
It is by Christ, the ‘Him’ which this passage in Hebrews is referring to, that we can offer the sacrifice of praise to God, and we must do this continually. The continual praise of God and the sacrifice thereof is something established by the Holy Spirit, and just as the Holy Spirit has not ceased from among us, the need to continually offer up the fruit of our lips and the sacrifice of praise to God has not ceased.
The atmosphere of heaven is one of unceasing praise and worship to God, and knowing that our spiritual state is likewise heavenly we must continually be in His presence offering our worship and our praise to Him who is worthy.
Revelation 5:11-14, “Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: ‘worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!’ And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: ‘Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!’ Then the four living creatures said, ‘Amen!’ And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.”
If we were raised up together and made to sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, then our praise and worship of God must ring forth just as the praise and worship of those in heaven rings forth.
Worshiping God is not a chore, praising God is not a chore, and these are not things that are reserved only for a particular church service, or for once a week as has become customary in many a believers’ lives. We worship and praise God continually, for He is worthy, we worship and praise the Lamb continually for He is worthy, and a state of worship and praise is the natural environment of a regenerate and born again soul.
It is impossible to miss the simplicity, originality, hunger and passion with which the primary church pursued God, and I fear it is these things that are missing in today’s modern church. Sure we have big beautiful building, sure we have political influence, sure we have programs and courses and workshops, but we are missing the passion and the hunger for the things of God, we are missing the simplicity of worship and praise that was the staple of the primary church.
When someone came to God, they took their place in the Congregation of God. Nobody had to fill out a membership form, nobody had to direct deposit ten percent of their income into the church account, there were no denominations there were no hidden agendas, and Christ united them all and made them one in Him.
There was only the Congregation of God where He was present, where He revealed Himself, where He did signs and wonders, and where He led. There was no system that was formed by the will, judgment or opinion of man, there was only God and the worship and praise of Him.
There is no place in the Bible where we are commanded to be members of a certain denomination, or to belong to a certain group. Every true believer is a member of the congregation of God, a member of the Body of Christ, and one can only be a member of one body. Just as my arm could not be the member of another body, a true believer can only be a member of the Body of Christ. When we place our denomination above Jesus, when we circumvent His teachings in lieu of the teachings of our church or our pastor, then we are not members of the Body of Christ, but members of that church.
Wherever man sits upon the throne, wherever a man is the head of a body and not Christ, wherever a man is the leading authority the spirit of dominance and religious politics is protected and even lauded. The authority of man makes a servant of someone that has no gift or calling from Christ, while at the same time one who has a gift and calling on their life cannot serve unless the man in charge gives his blessing or otherwise approves. This however is a dishonor to the name of Jesus, and to that which He birthed through His death, burial, resurrection and the sending of the Holy Spirit among us.
In every denomination, whether great or small, in every religious system, the authority of men is acknowledged and recognized, and men are constantly seeking the approval of other men. We however are servants called of God and approved of God, not through man, but through Jesus Christ and the Father who raised Him from the dead, for the true definition of a servant is one who obeys and serves his Master.
With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.
Friday, November 4, 2011
The Holy Spirit: Power Presence and Purpose Part 94
The Advent Part 86
Acts 2:46-47, “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God had having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”
With these two verses we come to the end of a long and arduous journey, one that revealed to us not only the advent of the Holy Spirit, but also the birth of the Congregation of God, the Ecclesia, or the Church. The Acts of the Apostles, from a historical standpoint, presents the Church at its inception, and the gospels and epistles are written to the Church for instruction, edification, rebuke and even correction.
Although throughout history men have attempted to insert themselves, their traditions and their ceremonies, the Congregation of God knows that the Word of God, the name of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit are sufficient for the salvation of man, for his sanctification, and for the life of the Body of Christ here on earth. We either doubt the divinity of Scripture, and the completeness thereof, or we acknowledge that Scripture is enough for the wellbeing of the church. We either believe the Word of God and submit to its authority, or as rebellious children attempt to find loopholes and justifications where none exist, in the hope that we might ease our burdened consciences.
In the beginning, the church was still tethered to the temple, and so they continued daily with one accord in the temple. Slowly but surely the Holy Spirit was maturing the first believers, growing them in knowledge, until the light of the New Covenant overwhelmed those practices which had been ingrained into their daily lives. What we must understand is that we must keep the teachings of the apostles, and not the practices of the apostles, thinking that only by going to temple will we see the presence and power of God.
The temple in Jerusalem was the harvest field of souls for the primary Church of Christ, not the place where they rejoiced and had fellowship. Here, in the temple the Disciples of Christ did not pray, nor sing, nor break bread, they did none of the things that constituted intimacy with God and with Jesus; they simply preached the gospel to those who were unsaved.
Acts 5:42, “And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.”
The temple was a work of the Old Covenant, a shadow of the living Temple of the New Covenant, and those who were born again creatures of the New Covenant went to the temple teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.
It took a while for the new believers to understand the truth of the New Covenant, to understand that they were now living stones, they now made up the temple of God rather than a building of brick and mortar, and beginning with Paul’s epistle to the Hebrews, then to the Galatians, the Romans, and the Colossians we see how the Christians of the day came to understand the truth about the living House of God.
Hebrews 9:11, “But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.”
Hebrews 10:19-22, “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which he consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”
1 Corinthians 3:16-17, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.”
The House of God of the New Covenant, the temple of God in which the Spirit of God dwells is no longer something made with hands, or of this creation, but rather your heart and my heart and the hearts of all those who worship the Christ have been made living temples, holy and undefiled unto Him.
Just as the first Christians continued daily with one accord in the temple, we must also daily continue in the temple of truth and love that is Christ Jesus. It is the Christ who opened the door to the Holy of Holies that we might be in the presence of Him who is and was and is to come in perpetuity.
When we are in His presence daily, when He is our delight, then all that we do we do with gladness, and simplicity of heart. Whether it is breaking bread, being a comfort to a brother or a sister, preaching the gospel, or extending a helping hand to someone in need, we do it with gladness and without any hidden agenda or ulterior motive.
Sadly too few today do unto God with gladness, and fewer still do what they do with simplicity of heart, having no other purpose in that which they do than obedience to the Father, and submission to His will.
The ‘what’s in it for me’ mentality has seeped within the house of God, and unless we get some sort of accolade, unless we get a plaque on the wall, or a mention from the pulpit, a special thank you applause, or some sort of recognition we drag our feet, and are slow to do our part in the house of God. May you be known for doing all things with gladness, and with simplicity of heart, knowing that the Father sees that which you have done in secret, and He will be faithful to repay you at the appointed time.
With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.
Acts 2:46-47, “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God had having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”
With these two verses we come to the end of a long and arduous journey, one that revealed to us not only the advent of the Holy Spirit, but also the birth of the Congregation of God, the Ecclesia, or the Church. The Acts of the Apostles, from a historical standpoint, presents the Church at its inception, and the gospels and epistles are written to the Church for instruction, edification, rebuke and even correction.
Although throughout history men have attempted to insert themselves, their traditions and their ceremonies, the Congregation of God knows that the Word of God, the name of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit are sufficient for the salvation of man, for his sanctification, and for the life of the Body of Christ here on earth. We either doubt the divinity of Scripture, and the completeness thereof, or we acknowledge that Scripture is enough for the wellbeing of the church. We either believe the Word of God and submit to its authority, or as rebellious children attempt to find loopholes and justifications where none exist, in the hope that we might ease our burdened consciences.
In the beginning, the church was still tethered to the temple, and so they continued daily with one accord in the temple. Slowly but surely the Holy Spirit was maturing the first believers, growing them in knowledge, until the light of the New Covenant overwhelmed those practices which had been ingrained into their daily lives. What we must understand is that we must keep the teachings of the apostles, and not the practices of the apostles, thinking that only by going to temple will we see the presence and power of God.
The temple in Jerusalem was the harvest field of souls for the primary Church of Christ, not the place where they rejoiced and had fellowship. Here, in the temple the Disciples of Christ did not pray, nor sing, nor break bread, they did none of the things that constituted intimacy with God and with Jesus; they simply preached the gospel to those who were unsaved.
Acts 5:42, “And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.”
The temple was a work of the Old Covenant, a shadow of the living Temple of the New Covenant, and those who were born again creatures of the New Covenant went to the temple teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.
It took a while for the new believers to understand the truth of the New Covenant, to understand that they were now living stones, they now made up the temple of God rather than a building of brick and mortar, and beginning with Paul’s epistle to the Hebrews, then to the Galatians, the Romans, and the Colossians we see how the Christians of the day came to understand the truth about the living House of God.
Hebrews 9:11, “But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.”
Hebrews 10:19-22, “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which he consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”
1 Corinthians 3:16-17, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.”
The House of God of the New Covenant, the temple of God in which the Spirit of God dwells is no longer something made with hands, or of this creation, but rather your heart and my heart and the hearts of all those who worship the Christ have been made living temples, holy and undefiled unto Him.
Just as the first Christians continued daily with one accord in the temple, we must also daily continue in the temple of truth and love that is Christ Jesus. It is the Christ who opened the door to the Holy of Holies that we might be in the presence of Him who is and was and is to come in perpetuity.
When we are in His presence daily, when He is our delight, then all that we do we do with gladness, and simplicity of heart. Whether it is breaking bread, being a comfort to a brother or a sister, preaching the gospel, or extending a helping hand to someone in need, we do it with gladness and without any hidden agenda or ulterior motive.
Sadly too few today do unto God with gladness, and fewer still do what they do with simplicity of heart, having no other purpose in that which they do than obedience to the Father, and submission to His will.
The ‘what’s in it for me’ mentality has seeped within the house of God, and unless we get some sort of accolade, unless we get a plaque on the wall, or a mention from the pulpit, a special thank you applause, or some sort of recognition we drag our feet, and are slow to do our part in the house of God. May you be known for doing all things with gladness, and with simplicity of heart, knowing that the Father sees that which you have done in secret, and He will be faithful to repay you at the appointed time.
With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
The Holy Spirit: Power Presence and Purpose Part 93
The Advent Part 85
Acts 2:44-45, “Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.”
Unity of faith makes possible, and brings about unity of souls. Those who believed were also together, but the unity they experienced far transcended the fact that they were physically in the same place. The physical presence of a group of individuals is of no value if they are not spiritually united, as one, together both in body and in spirit. When the word speaks of the children of God being made one, and of gathering together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad, it is referring to the spiritual aspect of our lives, and not necessarily the physical.
John 17:20-23, “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You have sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one; I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.”
True faith translates the soul to the place where Christ is. True faith snatches us from the kingdom of darkness and transmutes us into the Kingdom of light; it lifts us from the land of hatred to the heaven of love; from the world that is under the sway of the wicked one into the kingdom of the Son of His love.
Colossians 1:13-14, “He has delivered us form the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, and forgiveness of sins.”
The real, ongoing and constant battle is not keeping a group of believers together physically, but keeping them in Christ, in His life of holiness, righteousness, humility, meekness, and light both in word and in deed. All the denominational scuffles we are witness to on a daily basis would cease to be if those who call themselves Christians would understand that if we are born again we are in Christ in the heavenly places.
We see the prototype of the primary church, the first to carry the name of the Congregation of God, and there are certain things in their conduct, as well as in their experiences that leap out and deserve further introspection.
We’ve already discussed the fact that the primary church walked in the power and authority of the Holy Spirit and that many signs and wonders were done through them, and now we see their utter selflessness and the complete untethering of their hearts from the material. All who believed were together, and had all things in common, and if anyone had need the need was provided for.
So is the answer establishing a commune and extracting ourselves from the world as we know it? No, this is not the lesson we should take away from the practices of the primary church, rather the lesson we should take away is one of having enough love for the brethren to know their need and if it is within our ability, to provide for that need, and second to view the things of this world as what they truly are, not what they have been made out to be.
Even within the church the idea that material possession is the end all and be all of existence is rampant and far reaching. Many a preacher circumvent discussions on heaven, on eternity, on the home that Jesus went to prepare for the faithful and instead focus on the here and now, promising wealth, health, and success if per chance we would be willing to make a small investment into the furthering of their ministry, preferably on credit or debit cards since those could be charged each month.
Seeing as we have shifted the focus from the things of heaven and the things of the Kingdom of God to the things of this earth, perhaps it would be wise to reacquaint ourselves with the practices of the primary church, and realize that one of the reasons they had such an impact on the world was their singular desire to lift high the name of Jesus, and not their own individual names. The primary church had one goal, it had one purpose, and that was the will of God for their lives. The men and women that made up that first Congregation of God were unconcerned with fame, fortune, adulation or acceptance, they weren’t there just to put in their twenty five years and collect a nice retirement check, they labored tirelessly, giving of themselves, pouring themselves out daily so that all who beheld them knew that there was something different and unique about them.
The fact that the primary church had all things in common, although noble and loving, was not a commandment of Christ, it was not something that Jesus had commanded. It was faith which works through love that compelled them to share their resources with those in need, and it was their desire to see the gospel of Christ preached throughout that brought them to the decision of selling their possessions and goods.
Galatians 5:6, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision of uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.”
So what does this mean? Simply put, living on a commune will not make you holier, giving away everything you possess will not make you holier, it is faith working through love that God desires to see in us, and if in our hearts faith is working through love, then we will be kind, and generous, and give to those in need just as the primary church did.
With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.
Acts 2:44-45, “Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.”
Unity of faith makes possible, and brings about unity of souls. Those who believed were also together, but the unity they experienced far transcended the fact that they were physically in the same place. The physical presence of a group of individuals is of no value if they are not spiritually united, as one, together both in body and in spirit. When the word speaks of the children of God being made one, and of gathering together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad, it is referring to the spiritual aspect of our lives, and not necessarily the physical.
John 17:20-23, “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You have sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one; I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.”
True faith translates the soul to the place where Christ is. True faith snatches us from the kingdom of darkness and transmutes us into the Kingdom of light; it lifts us from the land of hatred to the heaven of love; from the world that is under the sway of the wicked one into the kingdom of the Son of His love.
Colossians 1:13-14, “He has delivered us form the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, and forgiveness of sins.”
The real, ongoing and constant battle is not keeping a group of believers together physically, but keeping them in Christ, in His life of holiness, righteousness, humility, meekness, and light both in word and in deed. All the denominational scuffles we are witness to on a daily basis would cease to be if those who call themselves Christians would understand that if we are born again we are in Christ in the heavenly places.
We see the prototype of the primary church, the first to carry the name of the Congregation of God, and there are certain things in their conduct, as well as in their experiences that leap out and deserve further introspection.
We’ve already discussed the fact that the primary church walked in the power and authority of the Holy Spirit and that many signs and wonders were done through them, and now we see their utter selflessness and the complete untethering of their hearts from the material. All who believed were together, and had all things in common, and if anyone had need the need was provided for.
So is the answer establishing a commune and extracting ourselves from the world as we know it? No, this is not the lesson we should take away from the practices of the primary church, rather the lesson we should take away is one of having enough love for the brethren to know their need and if it is within our ability, to provide for that need, and second to view the things of this world as what they truly are, not what they have been made out to be.
Even within the church the idea that material possession is the end all and be all of existence is rampant and far reaching. Many a preacher circumvent discussions on heaven, on eternity, on the home that Jesus went to prepare for the faithful and instead focus on the here and now, promising wealth, health, and success if per chance we would be willing to make a small investment into the furthering of their ministry, preferably on credit or debit cards since those could be charged each month.
Seeing as we have shifted the focus from the things of heaven and the things of the Kingdom of God to the things of this earth, perhaps it would be wise to reacquaint ourselves with the practices of the primary church, and realize that one of the reasons they had such an impact on the world was their singular desire to lift high the name of Jesus, and not their own individual names. The primary church had one goal, it had one purpose, and that was the will of God for their lives. The men and women that made up that first Congregation of God were unconcerned with fame, fortune, adulation or acceptance, they weren’t there just to put in their twenty five years and collect a nice retirement check, they labored tirelessly, giving of themselves, pouring themselves out daily so that all who beheld them knew that there was something different and unique about them.
The fact that the primary church had all things in common, although noble and loving, was not a commandment of Christ, it was not something that Jesus had commanded. It was faith which works through love that compelled them to share their resources with those in need, and it was their desire to see the gospel of Christ preached throughout that brought them to the decision of selling their possessions and goods.
Galatians 5:6, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision of uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.”
So what does this mean? Simply put, living on a commune will not make you holier, giving away everything you possess will not make you holier, it is faith working through love that God desires to see in us, and if in our hearts faith is working through love, then we will be kind, and generous, and give to those in need just as the primary church did.
With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
The Holy Spirit: Power Presence and Purpose Part 92
The Advent Part 84
Acts 2:43, “Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.”
Holy fear or the fear of the Lord in a believer’s life is as necessary as love is. Although we have strayed in recent years from the teachings concerning the fear of the Lord, taking one verse, misapplying it and running with it until we could run no more, the word of God has much to say concerning the fear of the Lord.
Yes, the Bible does say in the fourth chapter of the first epistle of John that perfect love casts out fear, but it does not say that perfect love casts out the fear of the Lord. Perfect love does cast out fear for tomorrow, it does cast out fear of the unknown, it does cast out fear of being bold for Jesus, but it does not cast out the fear of the Lord, because the fear of the Lord is a good thing, and something every believer ought to possess.
Rather than attempt to make the case as to why we must possess the fear of the Lord myself, and with my limited vocabulary, I will defer to scripture and allow the word of God to do it for me.
Proverbs 1:7, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
Proverbs 8:13, “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate.”
Proverbs 9:10, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
Proverbs 10:27, “The fear of the Lord prolongs days, but the years of the wicked will be shortened.”
Proverbs 14:27, “The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to avoid the snares of death.”
Proverbs 15:33, “The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom, and before honor is humility.”
Proverbs 16:6, “In mercy and truth atonement is provided for iniquity; and by the fear of the Lord one departs from evil.”
Proverbs 19:23, “The fear of the Lord leads to life, and he who has it will abide in satisfaction; he will not be visited with evil.”
Proverbs 22:4, “By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life.”
To sum up what the word of God says concerning the fear of the Lord, it is the beginning of knowledge, the beginning of wisdom, it prolongs days, it is a fountain of life, the instruction of wisdom, it leads to life, and by the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life.
The fear of the Lord is simply defined as to hate evil, and the word also tells that by the fear of the Lord one departs from evil.
The fear of the Lord is not being scared of God, as some misinterpret it, but rather it is to love what God loves, and to abhor what God abhors.
Although I realize we got a bit scripture heavy in this post, there is still one other scripture that I want to point out, and it has to do with One who found His delight in the fear of the Lord, and the One of whom I speak is none other than Christ Jesus the Son of God.
Isaiah 11:1-5, “There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom, and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. His delight is in the fear of the Lord, and He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, nor decide by the hearing of His ears; but with righteousness He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, and faithfulness the belt of His waist.”
Not only would the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord rest upon this Rod that would come forth from the stem of Jesse, but His delight would be in the fear of the Lord.
Seeing all the benefits of the fear of the Lord, seeing that the Christ delights in the fear of the Lord, why is today’s modern church so averse to the mere mention of it?
A more cynical soul than I would perhaps conclude that the reason the modern day church is so averse to the fear of the Lord is because it refuses to hate evil, as the fear of the Lord demands, and it likewise refuses to depart from evil. It is by the fear of the Lord that one departs from evil, it is by possessing the fear of the Lord that one automatically hates evil, yet many who call themselves Christians today have no problem or aversion with becoming assimilated with the world. Countless souls see nothing wrong or amiss with doing what the world does, loving what the world loves, speaking as the world speaks, and living as the world lives. I submit to you that the only way someone calling themselves a child of God can reconcile the notion being in the church and living like the world is to be void of the fear of the Lord.
The apostles were holy vessels which the Holy Spirit used to further the work of the Gospel as they were needed. If prophecy was needed, then the Holy Spirit would give the gift of prophecy, if miracles were needed, then the Holy Spirit would give the gift of miracles. Signs and wonders have always been among the Congregation of God, and this is why the gifts of the Holy Spirit are among us to this day that the Body of Christ might be built up strong and upright in the fear of the Lord.
With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.
Acts 2:43, “Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.”
Holy fear or the fear of the Lord in a believer’s life is as necessary as love is. Although we have strayed in recent years from the teachings concerning the fear of the Lord, taking one verse, misapplying it and running with it until we could run no more, the word of God has much to say concerning the fear of the Lord.
Yes, the Bible does say in the fourth chapter of the first epistle of John that perfect love casts out fear, but it does not say that perfect love casts out the fear of the Lord. Perfect love does cast out fear for tomorrow, it does cast out fear of the unknown, it does cast out fear of being bold for Jesus, but it does not cast out the fear of the Lord, because the fear of the Lord is a good thing, and something every believer ought to possess.
Rather than attempt to make the case as to why we must possess the fear of the Lord myself, and with my limited vocabulary, I will defer to scripture and allow the word of God to do it for me.
Proverbs 1:7, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
Proverbs 8:13, “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate.”
Proverbs 9:10, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
Proverbs 10:27, “The fear of the Lord prolongs days, but the years of the wicked will be shortened.”
Proverbs 14:27, “The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to avoid the snares of death.”
Proverbs 15:33, “The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom, and before honor is humility.”
Proverbs 16:6, “In mercy and truth atonement is provided for iniquity; and by the fear of the Lord one departs from evil.”
Proverbs 19:23, “The fear of the Lord leads to life, and he who has it will abide in satisfaction; he will not be visited with evil.”
Proverbs 22:4, “By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life.”
To sum up what the word of God says concerning the fear of the Lord, it is the beginning of knowledge, the beginning of wisdom, it prolongs days, it is a fountain of life, the instruction of wisdom, it leads to life, and by the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life.
The fear of the Lord is simply defined as to hate evil, and the word also tells that by the fear of the Lord one departs from evil.
The fear of the Lord is not being scared of God, as some misinterpret it, but rather it is to love what God loves, and to abhor what God abhors.
Although I realize we got a bit scripture heavy in this post, there is still one other scripture that I want to point out, and it has to do with One who found His delight in the fear of the Lord, and the One of whom I speak is none other than Christ Jesus the Son of God.
Isaiah 11:1-5, “There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom, and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. His delight is in the fear of the Lord, and He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, nor decide by the hearing of His ears; but with righteousness He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, and faithfulness the belt of His waist.”
Not only would the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord rest upon this Rod that would come forth from the stem of Jesse, but His delight would be in the fear of the Lord.
Seeing all the benefits of the fear of the Lord, seeing that the Christ delights in the fear of the Lord, why is today’s modern church so averse to the mere mention of it?
A more cynical soul than I would perhaps conclude that the reason the modern day church is so averse to the fear of the Lord is because it refuses to hate evil, as the fear of the Lord demands, and it likewise refuses to depart from evil. It is by the fear of the Lord that one departs from evil, it is by possessing the fear of the Lord that one automatically hates evil, yet many who call themselves Christians today have no problem or aversion with becoming assimilated with the world. Countless souls see nothing wrong or amiss with doing what the world does, loving what the world loves, speaking as the world speaks, and living as the world lives. I submit to you that the only way someone calling themselves a child of God can reconcile the notion being in the church and living like the world is to be void of the fear of the Lord.
The apostles were holy vessels which the Holy Spirit used to further the work of the Gospel as they were needed. If prophecy was needed, then the Holy Spirit would give the gift of prophecy, if miracles were needed, then the Holy Spirit would give the gift of miracles. Signs and wonders have always been among the Congregation of God, and this is why the gifts of the Holy Spirit are among us to this day that the Body of Christ might be built up strong and upright in the fear of the Lord.
With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
The Holy Spirit: Power Presence and Purpose Part 91
The Advent Part 83
There are certain requirements that the Scriptures have for true prayer, the kind of prayer that goes beyond the ceiling, all the way to the throne room of God, and today, if only briefly I would like to cover some of those requirements.
It is sad, even tragic, that few know the keys to true prayer nowadays, and rather than pray as the Bible tells us to pray many prayers are simply a mini sermon of sorts, or a string of worn out and tired clichés. There is untold power in prayer when it is done right, and only in the light of Scripture can we know how it is that we ought to pray.
The first requirement of true prayer is unity. Whatever it is that we are praying for, whatever it is that we are bringing before God, it must be done in unity, and as one.
Matthew 18:19-20, “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”
When we meditate on this scripture passage, we realize the enormity of Christ’s promise to us. If we are united in our prayers, if two agree concerning anything they ask, it will be done for them by the Father. Not only will our prayers be answered when we approach the throne room of God in unity, but when we are gathered in His name, He is present and in our midst.
The second requirement of true prayer is to believe for that which we are praying for. Prayer is not a wish list of things we want or need, when we pray we must believe that we will receive from the hand of God that which we have believed for.
Matthew 21:21-22, “So Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Assuredly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. And all things whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.’”
Shortly before His soliloquy on having faith and believing for that which we pray for, Jesus had cursed a fig tree, which had immediately withered before the marveled eyes of the disciples that walked with Him. Jesus didn’t just speak of faith as some abstract notion; He possessed it, and proved that He possessed it to His disciples.
Now Jesus says something truly wondrous to His disciples, and by extension to us, namely that if we have faith and do not doubt, not only will we be able to do what was done to the fig tree, but say to a mountain be moved and cast into the sea, and it will be done.
The third requirement of true prayer, and this has more to do with seeing our prayers answered, than it does with how it is that we ought to pray, is persistence. Yes, we must be persistent in our prayers, and knock on the door of heaven until He opens and answers our plea.
Luke 11:5-9, “And He said to them, ‘Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs. And I say to 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 he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.’”
Some of us give up too quickly when we pray, and when we entreat God, not realizing that He honors our persistence, and if we keep asking it will be given to us, if we keep seeking, we will find that which we seek, and if we keep knocking, it will be opened for us.
The fourth requirement of true prayer is that we seek the will of God in our prayers. If Jesus submitted to the will of the Father, if Jesus prayed that it would not be His will that would be done but the Father’s, then it is our duty and responsibility to likewise pray and entreat God.
Luke 22:41-42, “And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, ‘Father, if it is Your will, remove this cup from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”
God knows what’s best for His children, He sees beyond the now, beyond today, and though we might not see the good fruit that a certain trial or hardship might produce in our lives, He does, and as such we must pray that His will be done in us and through us at all times.
I am certain that Paul’s thorn in the flesh was uncomfortable, and even debilitating to him. Having suffered all that he had suffered for the cause of Christ, having been shipwrecked, endured hunger, whippings and all manner of violence to his person, the thorn of which he inquired of God, and asked that God remove must have been painful to say the least. Pray as he might however, with faith and persistence, God’s answer was simply that His grace was sufficient for Paul. Having received his answer from God, Paul accepted it as His will, and neither demanded nor tried to convince God that it would be better if the thorn were removed. Paul acquiesced to the will of God, and he accepted it without murmur.
With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.
There are certain requirements that the Scriptures have for true prayer, the kind of prayer that goes beyond the ceiling, all the way to the throne room of God, and today, if only briefly I would like to cover some of those requirements.
It is sad, even tragic, that few know the keys to true prayer nowadays, and rather than pray as the Bible tells us to pray many prayers are simply a mini sermon of sorts, or a string of worn out and tired clichés. There is untold power in prayer when it is done right, and only in the light of Scripture can we know how it is that we ought to pray.
The first requirement of true prayer is unity. Whatever it is that we are praying for, whatever it is that we are bringing before God, it must be done in unity, and as one.
Matthew 18:19-20, “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”
When we meditate on this scripture passage, we realize the enormity of Christ’s promise to us. If we are united in our prayers, if two agree concerning anything they ask, it will be done for them by the Father. Not only will our prayers be answered when we approach the throne room of God in unity, but when we are gathered in His name, He is present and in our midst.
The second requirement of true prayer is to believe for that which we are praying for. Prayer is not a wish list of things we want or need, when we pray we must believe that we will receive from the hand of God that which we have believed for.
Matthew 21:21-22, “So Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Assuredly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. And all things whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.’”
Shortly before His soliloquy on having faith and believing for that which we pray for, Jesus had cursed a fig tree, which had immediately withered before the marveled eyes of the disciples that walked with Him. Jesus didn’t just speak of faith as some abstract notion; He possessed it, and proved that He possessed it to His disciples.
Now Jesus says something truly wondrous to His disciples, and by extension to us, namely that if we have faith and do not doubt, not only will we be able to do what was done to the fig tree, but say to a mountain be moved and cast into the sea, and it will be done.
The third requirement of true prayer, and this has more to do with seeing our prayers answered, than it does with how it is that we ought to pray, is persistence. Yes, we must be persistent in our prayers, and knock on the door of heaven until He opens and answers our plea.
Luke 11:5-9, “And He said to them, ‘Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs. And I say to 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 he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.’”
Some of us give up too quickly when we pray, and when we entreat God, not realizing that He honors our persistence, and if we keep asking it will be given to us, if we keep seeking, we will find that which we seek, and if we keep knocking, it will be opened for us.
The fourth requirement of true prayer is that we seek the will of God in our prayers. If Jesus submitted to the will of the Father, if Jesus prayed that it would not be His will that would be done but the Father’s, then it is our duty and responsibility to likewise pray and entreat God.
Luke 22:41-42, “And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, ‘Father, if it is Your will, remove this cup from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”
God knows what’s best for His children, He sees beyond the now, beyond today, and though we might not see the good fruit that a certain trial or hardship might produce in our lives, He does, and as such we must pray that His will be done in us and through us at all times.
I am certain that Paul’s thorn in the flesh was uncomfortable, and even debilitating to him. Having suffered all that he had suffered for the cause of Christ, having been shipwrecked, endured hunger, whippings and all manner of violence to his person, the thorn of which he inquired of God, and asked that God remove must have been painful to say the least. Pray as he might however, with faith and persistence, God’s answer was simply that His grace was sufficient for Paul. Having received his answer from God, Paul accepted it as His will, and neither demanded nor tried to convince God that it would be better if the thorn were removed. Paul acquiesced to the will of God, and he accepted it without murmur.
With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.
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