侬好 (nóng hō) almond tree! Learn from others without copying them, value the ideas GOD is giving you: do your part. GOD is doing something new with you! You'll see those who have criticized, slandered and scorned your ideas, copy them, and offer you collaborations. Without rancor and with your best smile, bless their day and go on your way. The place they could have occupied either no longer exists, or is no longer available. JEHOVAH, your FATHER, will keep you from all evil; He will guard your soul, your going and your coming, From this time forth and forevermore (Psalm 121:8).
In the beginning the fear of the LORD
Truth, wisdom, instruction, and understanding
To acquire and not to sell
To be healthy and prosperous in every way
Proverbs 9:10, French Rabbinate 2014: The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the LORD, and the knowledge of the Most Holy, that is sound reason (intelligence, discernment).
Proverbs 23:23, NKJV : Buy the truth, and do not sell it, Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.
Proverbs 23:23, Common French Bible : Learn to be truthful, wise, disciplined, and intelligent, and don't waste these qualities.
3 John 1: 2 -3, NKJV : Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth.
Luc 2:52, NKJV: And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
1. In the beginning the fear of the LORD
In the biblical sense, to fear the LORD is to honor Him, to revere Him in one's heart by being willing to obey Him on the one hand, and to live away from sin on the other. It is not to be afraid of him, nor to be frightened in his presence, nor to live in fear of his judgment. To fear GOD is not to think well of him. He who fears GOD keeps himself away from sin, and makes good use of grace. He who thinks well of GOD, thinks well of GOD without obeying him or keeping himself away from sin, he despises grace. To be well-disposed is to have the will, the right intentions, reasons and motivations. To love GOD is to obey him (John 14:23-24). So he who fears GOD is at the beginning of wisdom. He who loves him, who walks in his fear, is wise and prosperous (Psalms 128:1-2).
2. Truth, wisdom, instruction, and understanding
Truth is:
GOD's general thoughts on a subject (general will, laws, recommendations),
His specific thoughts for each person in time and circumstances,
Fair and honest knowledge or information about a subject or situation,
The factual or faithful description of reality (fact, event, word, action).
A truthful person is one who speaks the truth, who says what is in accordance with the truth, with no intention of deceiving, distorting judgment, or misleading others. From truth derive wisdom, instruction, understanding, discernment, intelligence, and character (discipline, humility, benevolence, patience, contentment, etc.).
🙂 Let's stop for a moment, open our Bibles and read chapter 8 of the book of Proverbs. In this chapter, wisdom says she teaches what is right, proclaims the truth, dwells in discernment, and possesses the science of reflection, counsel, success, intelligence, and success. In the same chapter, she says that she gives goods to those who love her. The goods she gives are not material. They are intelligence, instruction, science, discernment, counsel, success, and strength. The sum of these goods leads to righteousness, glory, wealth, and material possessions. In the same chapter, wisdom says it has existed since the beginning, and adds, whoever finds it has found life 🙂 Hmm doesn't that remind you of someone? Who is wisdom? I think of JESUS, who said "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the FATHER except through me." (John 14:6). In summary, in this chapter, wisdom tells us that:
Its beginning is GOD (truth, discernment).
Its outcome is GOD (justice, life).
Its means are reflection, intelligence, and counsel.
Its fruits are success, material goods and strength.Son commencement est DIEU (vérité, discernement).
Wisdom is the ability to act and decide on the basis of information. Wisdom begins with knowledge, followed by understanding and righteousness. Understanding is the ability to translate the meaning of facts, drawings, signs, gestures, sentences and words. It is the ability to know the meaning of information. It's knowing what to do with knowledge (truths). Righteousness is what is good and just. Discernment is the ability to distinguish truth from falsehood or good from bad. It is also the ability to appreciate things, times, and seasons in a healthy way. To instruct oneself is to acquire useful knowledge by understanding its value, its utility, and how to combine it. We learn by training, reading, listening, and observing. To be disciplined is to be educated, trained, consistent, and compliant (law, regulations, ethics). In another sense, it means to be an expert or to have completed high-quality training. For Christians, good character reflects the fruit of the SPIRIT mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23 (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control). Character is acquired through social learning (family role models, friendships, culture), cognitive learning (teachings, experiences, history) and beliefs (faith and ideals). Intelligence is the ability to understand, reflect, know, design and adapt.
3. To acquire and not to sell
🙂 The first recommendation is: Acquire / learn to be / become / grow into / be strengthened.
Acquiring an asset (tangible or intangible) means becoming its owner. Acquisition can be by purchase (cash, deferred payment or in installments), exchange, inheritance, transmission, gift, discovery (fruit of research), training, apprenticeship (know-how), or experience (expertise, discernment).
Truth, wisdom, instruction, and intelligence cannot be bought with money. We buy every time we make a good choice, pray to make good choices, and help someone make good choices. We buy every time we choose JESUS. Every time we take the time to read the Word, meditate on the Word, obey the Word, pray (for ourselves and others), read books, do good to our neighbors, and give. Every time we keep peace in our hearts, every time we forgive, every time we move forward, persevere. Every time we rejoice for others, every time we think before we speak. Every time we choose integrity, patience, courage, repentance, contentment, and humility. Every time we choose a good company. Those with Kingdom values, right motivations, character, faith, knowledge, experience, and expertise. We buy every time we give thanks. Every time we witness for CHRIST. Every time we give GOD our attention, our reputation, our fears, our time, our resources. Every time we refuse to give up. Every time we pick ourselves up.
You buy every time you choose to learn from your mistakes. You buy every time you dare. You buy every time you try to manage your time well, to keep priorities in their place. You buy every time you rest when you need to. The mistake we often make is to think that wisdom can only be acquired for its own sake and through the accumulation of knowledge. Yet in many verses of the Bible, it is written and demonstrated that wisdom is also acquired through obedience to GOD and respect for his recommendations. That's why we must not neglect his commands. Wisdom keeps us away from useless discourse and pointless battles. Wisdom allows us to save time. Wisdom gives us good, solid foundations. Wisdom enables us to pass on what we have.
🙂 The second recommendation is: Don't sell / Don't waste / Put to good use.
To sell is to exchange the qualities of the first recommendation for that which is contrary to the will of GOD, premature, ill-intentioned, which exalts pride, covetousness, and the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-23). To waste is to neglect one's qualities, to act without discernment, to put one's qualities at the service of that which is useless, which does not edify, or which will not bear good fruit. It also means acting indiscriminately, and unnecessarily. To make good use of is to use for good purposes, to improve, to protect, to multiply, to put one's qualities at the service of those who need and value them (invest).
The person who advises us not to sell says so because he knows we'll receive offers. For example:
Laziness and procrastination.
Spending your day watching TV or playing video games.
Useless discussions
Promoting firearms
Listening to the opinions of those who do nothing and aspire to nothing.
Giving money to start a business to someone who has no plans.
etc.
4. To be healthy and prosperous in every way
3 John 1: 2 -3, NKJV : Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth.
Luc 2:52, NKJV: And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
Nous ne pourront pas être prospères à tous égards si nous ne marchons pas dans la vérité. Nous ne pouvons pas marcher dans la vérité si la vérité est en nous. Il y a 5 types de prospérité.
Spiritual prosperity : receiving and recognizing JESUS as SAVIOR and LORD, being born again, having a real relationship with GOD, knowing him, walking in his will (general and specific), loving him with all your heart, exercising your spiritual gifts (primarily in the service of the body). In other words, it means being born, dwelling, walking (growing), and dying in CHRIST. Spiritual prosperity includes the discernment of times and spirits, and the readiness to give glory and thanks to GOD in all circumstances.
Mental prosperity: beyond good mental health, it's thinking like JESUS. It means overturning false reasoning, rejecting the devil's thoughts, and thinking what is right, pure, virtuous, and praiseworthy (Joshua 1:8, 2 Corinthians 2:10, Philippians 4:8, Proverbs 23:7, 3 John 1:2). It's having GOD's faith (in addition to faith in GOD) and GOD's esteem (beyond self-esteem). It's the ability to persevere, without being discouraged, intimidated, or distracted. It's also the ability to learn, grow, challenge oneself, innovate, undertake, expect the best, edify, and help others. This implies loving yourself, loving your neighbor, forgiving yourself, forgiving your neighbor, and healing the wounds of your soul.
Physical health : taking care of your body and your environment. Taking care of your body means being intentional about the way you nourish (eating and drinking), protect and maintain yourself (hygiene, physical exercise, rest, medication, pollution, specific equipment). Taking care of our environment means being intentional in the way we use and maintain it.
Financial prosperity : Having enough financial resources available when you need them. Being financially prosperous is more than being financially stable or wealthy. To be financially stable is to have a regular income that allows you to satisfy your basic needs. To be financially wealthy is to have more than the average and beyond one's needs, a lot of money or very valuable material goods. To be financially prosperous is to generate income that maintains and increases your wealth.
Relational prosperity (family, friendships, neighborhoods, professional, commercial, political, diplomatic relationships, etc.): the grace of being well surrounded, the wisdom, humility, and benevolence to maintain and improve relationships, the discernment to recognize good company and distance yourself from bad company, the wisdom to manage conflicts and negotiations, the grace to be appreciated and honored by others. Bad company is not necessarily bad people. They are people whose attitudes, habits, and words can influence you negatively: doing what's wrong, going against your values, contrary to a divine law or GOD's specific will for you in this season (Proverbs 13:20, 1 Corinthians 15:33).
🙂 Stop for a moment and reread each of the points on prosperity. I insist, stop for a moment and read over each of these points. Ask the HOLY SPIRIT to show you, how specifically in your life and specifically in this season, these 5 types of prosperity influence each other in your life. For example, how does your spiritual health influence your mental, physical, financial, and relational health, and vice versa? What is the positive contribution of your project, your association, your research, your creativity, or your company (products, advertising, industrial waste management) on your environment, and others?
🙂 Are you acquiring wisdom or selling it? Are you growing up? Are you the next Dr Bennet Omalu, the next Dr Ben Carson or the inventor of the next biological (bacteriological) weapon?
** 侬好 (nóng hō) = Good morning in wu (china)
Suggestions for further progress (non-exhaustive list)
Sit, Walk, Stand: The Process of Christian Maturity, Watchman Nee
Abattre les forteresses, Derek Prince
Kingdom Principles: Preparing for Kingdom Experience and Expansion, Myles Munroe
Vivre intentionnellement, John C. Maxwell
Devenir Millionnaire à la façon de DIEU, Dr. C. Thomas Anderson
Anointed for Business, Ed Silvoso
Délivrance du Péché de la Paresse, Zacharias Tanee Fomum
Delayed Gratification, Bishop T.D. Jakes
The Peace that GOD gives - Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa
7 principes bibliques pour épargner et investir votre argent, Chris Cagle
Uncommon Opportunities [What To Do With An Opportunity], Dr. Cindy Trimm
Community Bible Study || Joy || Pastor Dipo Apanisile || 17 Apr2023
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