Unveiling Spiritual Growth From Proverbs and Ecclesiastes
Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, Bible & Bible Studies, Christianity, Christian Life
| Author: | Kayode Crown | ISBN: | 9781524254001 |
| Publisher: | Kayode Crown | Publication: | April 15, 2016 |
| Imprint: | Language: | English |
| Author: | Kayode Crown |
| ISBN: | 9781524254001 |
| Publisher: | Kayode Crown |
| Publication: | April 15, 2016 |
| Imprint: | |
| Language: | English |
This is part of a series of books in which particular verses are picked from books of the bible, and the issues of Spiritual Growth are explored, in the light of the mind of God for us.
In this book, we explore eight topics, from different verses in the books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. They are: Increasing in learning; Wisdom’s gate; Between love and hatred; The path of honour; God’s refining process; The body as slave; Line of thought; and If the clouds are full…
Excerpts:
Increasing in learning
“The three and a half years that the apostle spent with Jesus, they were learning from him, but at the end of his years, he still complained that after being with them for these years, they did not fully understand who he was (John 14:8-9). He however said things would be different with the Holy Spirit in them, whom he said would teach us all things. Therefore in our search to increase in learning, the Holy Spirit is set to be your helper (John 14:26).”
Wisdom’s gate
“Waiting is a heart posture. It is that sense of neediness, that hunger and thirst for righteousness that will be filled (Matthew 5:6). To wait means not taking any step, except it is dictated by the one you are waiting on. Therefore waiting on Wisdom means no action is taken except dictated by wisdom, with the realisation that wisdom is the way to the best result possible. The man in a hurry, thinking of alternatives, cannot access wisdom because then you will not have the patience to wait to be guided.”
Between love and hatred
“In the focus verse, there was a man who was described as hating those who reprove him but not those who tell him lies. He will not go to the wise. He has an I-know-it-all attitude. That is his undoing. But the readiness to learn is a mark of the wise, it a driving force. Isaiah said that God wakes him up every morning to hear as the learned (Isaiah 50:4-5).”
The path of honour
“For the church in Laodicea, the path of honour is fellowship with God. Jesus wrote to them that he is knocking at the door and if any hears his voice and opens the door, he would enjoy unalloyed interaction, fellowship with him. You cannot neglect fellowship with God and yet be on the path of honour. You have to give fellowship with God everything it takes, not allowing yourself to derail from it.”
God’s refining process
“There is usually need for fire in the refining process. Fire stands for the presence of the Holy Spirit and also for affliction (Isaiah 48:10-11). Job going through the most difficult stage of his life said of God: After he has tried me, then I will come out as gold (Job 23:10). That is the intention of God; to turn you into a gold standard.”
The body as slave
“Writing to the church in Galatia (Galatians 5:14-26), Paul describes the difference between the life of the flesh and that of the spirit. There are the works of the flesh while there is the fruit of the spirit; we are supposed to walk in the spirit so that we would not fulfil the lust of the flesh, which is expressed through the soul that is disconnected from the life of God, but enslaved to the senses. The fruit of the spirit is the principle of the soul that is connected to the spirit.
“One leads to life (because it is of the life of God, which it expresses as the source of its code), while the other produces death, because that is what it expresses and the source of its code.”
Line of thought
“Thinking of the help we have received from God, and the future help we will receive should fill us with overflowing gladness (Psalm 20). David wrote that God has put gladness in his heart more than what increase in material things does for others (Psalm 4:7).”
This is part of a series of books in which particular verses are picked from books of the bible, and the issues of Spiritual Growth are explored, in the light of the mind of God for us.
In this book, we explore eight topics, from different verses in the books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. They are: Increasing in learning; Wisdom’s gate; Between love and hatred; The path of honour; God’s refining process; The body as slave; Line of thought; and If the clouds are full…
Excerpts:
Increasing in learning
“The three and a half years that the apostle spent with Jesus, they were learning from him, but at the end of his years, he still complained that after being with them for these years, they did not fully understand who he was (John 14:8-9). He however said things would be different with the Holy Spirit in them, whom he said would teach us all things. Therefore in our search to increase in learning, the Holy Spirit is set to be your helper (John 14:26).”
Wisdom’s gate
“Waiting is a heart posture. It is that sense of neediness, that hunger and thirst for righteousness that will be filled (Matthew 5:6). To wait means not taking any step, except it is dictated by the one you are waiting on. Therefore waiting on Wisdom means no action is taken except dictated by wisdom, with the realisation that wisdom is the way to the best result possible. The man in a hurry, thinking of alternatives, cannot access wisdom because then you will not have the patience to wait to be guided.”
Between love and hatred
“In the focus verse, there was a man who was described as hating those who reprove him but not those who tell him lies. He will not go to the wise. He has an I-know-it-all attitude. That is his undoing. But the readiness to learn is a mark of the wise, it a driving force. Isaiah said that God wakes him up every morning to hear as the learned (Isaiah 50:4-5).”
The path of honour
“For the church in Laodicea, the path of honour is fellowship with God. Jesus wrote to them that he is knocking at the door and if any hears his voice and opens the door, he would enjoy unalloyed interaction, fellowship with him. You cannot neglect fellowship with God and yet be on the path of honour. You have to give fellowship with God everything it takes, not allowing yourself to derail from it.”
God’s refining process
“There is usually need for fire in the refining process. Fire stands for the presence of the Holy Spirit and also for affliction (Isaiah 48:10-11). Job going through the most difficult stage of his life said of God: After he has tried me, then I will come out as gold (Job 23:10). That is the intention of God; to turn you into a gold standard.”
The body as slave
“Writing to the church in Galatia (Galatians 5:14-26), Paul describes the difference between the life of the flesh and that of the spirit. There are the works of the flesh while there is the fruit of the spirit; we are supposed to walk in the spirit so that we would not fulfil the lust of the flesh, which is expressed through the soul that is disconnected from the life of God, but enslaved to the senses. The fruit of the spirit is the principle of the soul that is connected to the spirit.
“One leads to life (because it is of the life of God, which it expresses as the source of its code), while the other produces death, because that is what it expresses and the source of its code.”
Line of thought
“Thinking of the help we have received from God, and the future help we will receive should fill us with overflowing gladness (Psalm 20). David wrote that God has put gladness in his heart more than what increase in material things does for others (Psalm 4:7).”
