Solomon spoke about the fear of the Lord in Proverbs chapters one and nine. In chapter one, he said that fools despise wisdom and instruction. He spoke about the fear of the Lord again in chapter nine and concluded on the importance of the knowledge of God. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight” (Proverbs 9:10). The fear which Solomon spoke of is not dread or terror which leads to anxiety. The fear that Solomon spoke about is a reverential fear based on the understanding and knowledge of who God is. I believe that many people make errors of judgement due to ignorance about the things of God.

For example, the knowledge of God and his word, makes us aware of spiritual laws. These include sowing and reaping and the power in the spoken word. So many people speak constantly out of turn and don’t seem to make the connection with the outcomes. “The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences” (Proverbs 18:21). Solomon is pointing out that an untamed tongue leads to destruction. We are the same ones who complain when we experience misfortune. Howbeit that many people have exactly what they say.

You speak words daily over your body, health, finances, children, marriage and relationships and then you grieve when you experience what you say. Are we not wise enough to make the connection and why do we allow the devil to keep us slaves to deception? “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap”(Galatians 6:7). You reap the fruits of your words and actions because God’s word cannot lie. He honours his word above his name. God is not out to get you and he is not waiting to punish you. There are spiritual laws that govern the universe and are set in motion by our words and actions.

Some words and behaviours give the devil legal rights to afflict you. Read the word of God, pay attention and try your best to walk in the will of the Lord. Don’t blame God when your actions reap the consequences. It is important to gain wisdom with understanding and show reverence to the things of God. Bitterness, anger, resentment, jealousy, covetousness, back-biting, slander and gossip are all seeds. If you sow seeds to the flesh then you will of the flesh reap corruption, but those who sow to the spirit will reap eternal life (Galatians 6:8).

A.P.-Y.

Perception relates to how we regard, interpret or understand the things around us. This is because two people can look at the same image for example, and see different things. What this means is that perception is subjective to the individual. Each person’s perception is shaped by their experiences, beliefs, values and personality. Our personal choices can also affect what we see in the world around us and what we see in other people. This is why it is important to see the world through the eyes of faith. This requires us to look beyond our physical senses.

Let us look at a story in the New Testament, where Jesus laid his hands on a blind man at Bethsaida. “Taking the blind man by the hand, He led him out of the village; and after spitting on his eyes and laying His hands on him, He asked him, “Do you see anything”” (Mark 8:23)? The blind man’s response was that he could see people, but that they all looked like trees. Jesus touched the man again and this time around, he saw everything clearly. I wonder why this man’s healing seemed like a two staged approach? In other scriptures, Jesus touched people and they were healed instantaneously.

The lepers were healed as they went on their way to show themselves to the Priests (Luke 17:14). Either way, in the previous passage, it was not enough for the man to see people walking like trees. Jesus was committed to restoring his sight completely. Like the blind man, many people see a partial picture of what exists and what is possible. “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known” (1 Corinthians 13:12). What Paul was saying in the verse is that concerning the things of God, we only see a glimpse of what is to come. Our sight is often limited by our spiritual capacity and spiritual growth increases the level of our vision and insight. Here on earth, we see and know a partial picture of what will be revealed in eternity.

I pray that God will touch our eyes so that we will see clearly, the things which are necessary for our success and for us to have spiritual insight. Our earthly senses are limited to what is in our sphere of influence. God can reveal deep and hidden things to us if our eyes are trained to see the things of the spirit. We have to also pray against spiritual blindness, so that the god of this world will not blind our eyes to the things of God. We also have to guard our eyes as they are a gateway to our souls. We have to protect our eye sight from things that will not edify us or bring glory to God.

A.P.-Y.

Jesus spoke to his disciples about fruits as a reference, to the behaviours and attitudes of the people around us. The context was in relation to false prophets who outwardly present as sheep. Jesus said that on the inside they are like ravenous wolves. A ravenous wolf would suggest a wild animal with an extreme appetite for prey. What Jesus was saying is that, there are religious leaders who present as prophets. If you observe them, they can seem like leaders and their appetites are for lost souls. This hunger for souls is not to point them towards God or the things of God.

Rather, their appetite and desires lead people towards hell and draw people further away from God. It was in this same chapter that Jesus dealt with the matter of judgement. ““Judge not, that you be not judged” (Matthew 7:1). On the one hand, Jesus was saying that we should not judge others, and on the other hand, he cautions us to be aware of false prophets. Jesus does not contradict himself in this teaching. Judgment in this case is casting aspersions against someone without a just cause. Knowing someone by their fruits is observing whether or not they demonstrate Christ likeness. This relates to the matter of discernment.

John further expounded on this matter later on in the New Testament. “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). This testing the spirit relates to discernment. It would be unwise to ignore the inner prompting of the Holy Spirit, which says that someone is not of God. Just because someone has the title of minister, does not mean that they have been sent by God. We have a duty to test the spirits and to observe the fruits. Remember that grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes or figs from thistles.

What Jesus was saying is that a prophet will demonstrate the image and likeness of God. Ministers and leaders should lead people to God and their lives should be an example of godliness. Similarly, all born again Christians should demonstrate Christlikeness and our lives should point people towards God. The outcome of your life or the fruits which spring from it, are the results of your roots. Bitterness, resentment, strife and envy does not produce good fruits. Examine the fruits of your life to determine what is at your root system. There are some things that are in our root system which needs to be uprooted in order to produce good fruits.

“He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up” (Matthew 15:13).

A.P.-Y.

Sin consciousness relates to the awareness of our sin nature and our propensity to sin. “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). All of us have sinned, but not all of us are sinners. When we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and saviour, we become the righteousness of God. This is not a human righteousness, as we cannot attain righteousness on our own. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Grace is unmerited favour, which we did not deserve, but was given to us as a free gift. Jesus’s death on the cross paid the price for our sins and made us righteous before God. All that is required is for us to confess our sins, as God is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9-10). We are then saints who have been saved by the grace of God. Sin consciousness is the devil’s attempt to keep us in bondage. The devil wants us to remain enslaved by sin. “and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness” (Romans 6:18).

I felt enslaved by sin, when I felt like it was up to me not to mess up. I was worried that I needed to remain righteous and remain clean before God. I felt tremendous freedom when I learnt that, it is God who keeps me from falling and presents me faultless before his throne of grace (Jude 24). Learning what this scripture means, helped me to walk in a newer sense of freedom. I recognised that once I surrendered to God, that the Holy Spirit would enable me to live free from sin. “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36).

We do not have the power to keep ourselves from sin. We can practice spiritual disciplines such as prayer, reading the word, fasting and worship to remain connected. We have to guard against a works based lifestyle which focuses on trying to earn our salvation. Salvation and the gift of righteousness is free, when we surrender to God and accept his grace. God knows that we are not perfect but his strength is made perfect in our weakness. Salvation is accepting that we need a saviour and that we cannot make it without the help and grace of God.

A.P.-Y.

Paul spoke to the Galatian church about the freedom which comes with serving God. Paul’s ministry was to the Gentiles and he did not think that it was necessary to burden them with matters such as circumcision. Despite Paul’s efforts, other religious groups were putting pressure on the Gentiles to become circumcised. Paul was very frustrated about the attempt to put the people in religious bondage. “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1).

Paul likened their acceptance of any amount of false teaching, as being dangerous enough to corrupt their entire faith. “A little leaven leavens the whole lump” (Galatians 5:9). Paul wanted them to continue to live in freedom. His only caution was that they would not use, their freedom as an excuse to commit sin. The main admonition that Paul had for the church was to love and serve one another. Paul later stated that if they bite and devour one another, then they should watch that they are not consumed by one another. Paul was saying that it was important for the church to remain in unity.

The biting and devouring which Paul spoke about related to back biting, criticising and ongoing conflicts. One of the main features of this is slander and gossip. “Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: So where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth” (Proverbs 26:20). Similar to Paul’s exaltation, Solomon was saying that talebearing increases strife. Not everything needs to be said and before we have some conversations and divulge information, we have to consider the consequences. Will your conversation paint someone in a negative light?

Are you encouraging bitterness, resentment and animosity? One of the best ways to settle a disagreement is to talk to the person whose behaviour we find offensive. Praying for the person is also a good way to start. Don’t use the excuse of, ‘wanting to pray for someone,’ as an reason to gossip about them. If you do then you are operating under the spirit of deception. If you are serious about wanting to help someone, you will pray before discussing the matter with anyone else. These small nuances can act as a stumbling block towards spiritual growth.

“Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards, for our vineyards are in blossom” (Song of Solomon 2:15).

A.P.-Y.