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SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD
 Bible study is very important-the most important of all studies to enlighten the mind and give skill to the understanding in all other spheres of study YHWH God is the Creator of the heavens and the earth; He has created man upon it for His glory. YHWH therefore is the source and originator of all knowledge, wisdom and as it relates to humans he fills the heart with understanding, in knowledge and in all manner of workmanship all for His glory and for the preservation and development of man. A study of the writing of Moses testifies of this great fact. God educated the children of Israel about the preservation of the right to life through health laws which lead to medical science and the treatment of diseases. He educated them concerning the Rights and freedoms of man or civil behavior. He also gave them the principles of good governance or political science. Agricultural science, business studies, and fashion design, architectural drawing, counselling to deal with the mind, Mathematics, measurement; the source of all these knowledge is YHWH. Many believe to have success in these areas they must set aside their duty to God and give themselves over to these studies, putting God on the back burner. But to have success in any field we are given the formula, “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” Joshua I: 8. The servant or child of God must continue to witness of God as they keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus Christ, even in a period where his knowledge has to be tested at an academic level. Many have thought that putting aside the meditation or studying of the word of God for the study of secular knowledge is the grounds for success but according to YHWH that is not the formula for success. You see, YHWH is the source of scientific knowledge and spiritual knowledge and from scripture we understand that He is the one who imparts scientific knowledge to man. Exodus 35:30-31 tells us of the account where YHWH chose Bezaleel and filled him with the spirit of God in wisdom, in understanding, and in all manner of workmanship. “ And Moses said unto the children of Israel, See, the Lord hath called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship.” (You can read down to verse 35) Also YHWH blessed Solomon with wisdom and understanding, “And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore” so that he can govern the nation properly-1 Kings 4:29. He opened up the understanding of Daniel so he can learn Prophetic History and certainly He has opened your and my understanding of the words of faith for our salvation. There is no doubt that when you put YHWH first you will have success. Daniel and the three Hebrew boys were students in Babylon; they were chosen as being among those “Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.” Daniel 1:4 Brilliant students were they all, but Daniel and the three Hebrew boys were highly exalted by the king Nebuchadnezzar because of their obedience and loyalty to YHWH. They exalted YHWH’s standard in the courts of Babylon while as students and so did YHWH exalt them. We are told, “As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.” Daniel 1:17 God blessed His servants and caused them to excel above all the other students in their class. “And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king. And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.” Daniel 1:19, 20 YWHW the giver of wisdom and understanding caused His faithful servants to excel, as they were faithful in their duties towards him, He caused them to have quick understanding all for His glory. As David said,” I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.” Psalms 119:99. Our duty to God- the acquiring of faith is our first duty. This is so because without faith it impossible to please God. The just shall live by faith. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart, to exalt YHWH God alone as God. Shrink not from your duty to God to acquire the things of this world. For although you attain them they cannot give you salvation. They are not the pass to enter into the Kingdom of God. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33 Amen. Sis. Karima Parris
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 "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you..." Ezekiel 36:25 THE CHANGE OF JUSTIFICATION
IN order to be saved one must be justified this is a putting off of the old man and putting on of the new man who is renewed in all things. Ephesians 4:22-24: "22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.. The question now rises in my heart is this, how is this done? We are told in Ezekiel 36:25-27, verse 25, "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you." What we are seeing here teaches us the way of JUSTIFICATION- the putting off of the old man. Note that it is firstly a work of God. He is doing the action he is doing the sprinkling of the clean water (God action direction). The clean water is the doctrine of Christ, the plan of Salvation, the word of God. John 15:3, "Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you." Also Ephesians 5:26, "That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word." The word is being used to cleanse. Thereby we are sure the water spoken of is indeed the word of God. The sprinkling of it is a washing taking place in the heart /mind of man and this takes away all idols and filthiness which we can identify as sin in the heart. The work is not yet completed. God then must give to us a new heart which we can identify as the putting on of the new man. Ezekiel 36:26, "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh." This is the imputation of God's own Righteousness or God himself which given into us, causes a real change in the man- MAN's TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE. This is the work of true justification and the experience which is sinfreeness in the man. We are then able to live in faith and thus we are not only justified but we are sanctified by God's own truth, the Spirit of Truth that continues sanctifying us as we continue in a sinfree experience. Ezekiel 36:27 "And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them." Grace and peace! By Sis. Ashaki Johnson |
AuthorArticles are written and or submitted by members of the Thusia Seventh Day Adventist Church globally. Archives
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