Blessed be the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Welcome as we study the Word of God together. Proverbs 2:10–11 (ESV) “For wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you.” There are four essential qualities that every believer should desire and cultivate in their walk with God: Wisdom – the God-given ability to make sound judgments and discern right from wrong. Knowledge – the understanding of divine truth and practical information rooted in God’s Word. Understanding – the deep comprehension of spiritual matters and the ability to apply them appropriately. Discernment (Discretion) – the foresight to recognize danger, avoid temptation, and choose the path of righteousness (cf. Proverbs 27:12, “The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty” NIV). These four virtues do not originate from human intelligence or education but come from God alone: Proverbs 2:6 (NIV) “For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” Let us now consider three significant spiritual benefits of receiving wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and discernment. 1. Deliverance from the Path of Evil The first benefit is spiritual protection from wickedness and corrupt influences. Proverbs 2:12–15 (ESV) “Delivering you from the way of evil, from men of perverted speech,who forsake the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness,who rejoice in doing evil and delight in the perverseness of evil,men whose paths are crooked, and who are devious in their ways.” Evil paths are those that lead people into sin and rebellion against God. These include the moral and spiritual corruptions listed in Galatians 5:19–21: “…sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these…” (ESV) Such behaviors result from a lack of divine wisdom and spiritual discernment. The Holy Spirit, through God’s Word, equips the believer to resist these temptations and remain on the path of righteousness. 2. Protection from Sexual Immorality Another benefit is deliverance from the snare of sexual sin, which is one of the most common and destructive traps. Proverbs 2:16–19 (NIV) “Wisdom will save you also from the adulterous woman, from the wayward woman with her seductive words,who has left the partner of her youth and ignored the covenant she made before God.Surely her house leads down to death and her paths to the spirits of the dead.None who go to her return or attain the paths of life.” In biblical terms, the “adulterous woman” represents anyone—male or female—who engages in sexual immorality. This includes adultery, fornication, and any sexual behavior outside the bounds of biblical marriage. Consider Joseph in Genesis 39. When Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce him, Joseph fled, saying: “How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9, ESV) Joseph’s response was the fruit of godly wisdom and fear of the Lord. Had he lacked discernment and understanding, he could have easily fallen into sin, jeopardizing both his calling and his relationship with God. Proverbs 6:32 (ESV) affirms this: “He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself.” Wisdom and the fear of the Lord are safeguards against moral failure. 3. Guidance Toward the Path of the Righteous God’s wisdom not only protects us from sin but also guides us into a life of righteousness among godly people. Proverbs 2:20–22 (ESV) “So you will walk in the way of the good and keep to the paths of the righteous.For the upright will inhabit the land, and those with integrity will remain in it,but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the treacherous will be rooted out of it.” The path of the righteous is distinct and intentional. It is not found by accident, but by divine guidance. The Holy Spirit uses wisdom and understanding to lead us into fellowship with those who live godly lives and to keep us rooted in the truth of God’s Word. Psalm 1 paints a similar picture: “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked… but his delight is in the law of the Lord” (Psalm 1:1–2, ESV). To find and stay on this path, we need the kind of wisdom that only comes from God. How Then Can One Receive Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, and Discernment? The answer is found in Job 28:20–28, where Job contemplates the value and source of wisdom: Job 28:28 (ESV) “And he said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’” Wisdom is not merely intellectual—it is spiritual. It begins with the fear of the Lord, which is reverent awe, submission, and obedience to God’s will. Turning away from evil is the practical expression of true understanding. If you desire to grow in wisdom: Study the Word of God diligently Fellowship with other believers Commit to prayer, worship, and evangelism Practice obedience to God’s commands These spiritual disciplines position you to receive the fullness of God’s wisdom. Maranatha!Come, Lord Jesus!Let us continue to walk in the light of His truth.
Grace and peace to you in the mighty name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I warmly welcome you to reflect on the life-giving Word of God today. Let us consider the nature of spiritual courage—a kind of bravery that does not depend on human experience, training, or status. Too often, we assume that only the experienced or the learned can be used mightily by God. But Scripture shows us a different reality. A Nation in Crisis In 2 Kings 6, the people of Israel faced an unimaginable crisis. The city of Samaria was under siege by the Aramean army (also known as the Syrians), and the siege caused a severe famine. The situation became so dire that people resorted to eating unclean things—even resorting to cannibalism (2 Kings 6:28–29). Dove dung was sold at a premium as food. The most trained warriors, overwhelmed by fear and hopelessness, stayed hidden within the city walls, unwilling to act. Yet at this lowest point, God spoke through His prophet Elisha, declaring a sudden and supernatural breakthrough: “Hear the word of the Lord. This is what the Lord says: About this time tomorrow, a seah of the finest flour will sell for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria.”—2 Kings 7:1 (NIV) This prophecy was shocking. The king’s officer scoffed, saying, “Even if the Lord opened the floodgates of the heavens, could this happen?” (v. 2). His doubt reflected a common human error: judging divine possibilities by human limitations. But Elisha replied with sobering certainty: “You will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of it.” The Leprous Outsiders Enter the most unlikely heroes: four lepers—outcasts, weak, rejected by society, and positioned outside the city gate. According to the Law of Moses (Leviticus 13), lepers were to be quarantined to prevent defiling the camp. These men were sick, starving, and alone. Yet in their desperation, they made a decision that would change the fate of a nation. “Why stay here until we die? If we go into the city, the famine is there, and we will die. If we stay here, we will die. So let’s go over to the camp of the Arameans and surrender. If they spare us, we live; if they kill us, then we die.”—2 Kings 7:3–4 (NIV) This was not only a practical decision—it was a step of faith. With no strength, weapons, or social value, they moved forward. And heaven moved with them. God’s Power Behind the Scenes As the lepers approached the Aramean camp at dawn, they found it deserted. Unknown to them, the Lord had caused the enemy to hear a supernatural sound: “For the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots and horses and a great army, so that they said to one another, ‘Look, the king of Israel has hired the Hittite and Egyptian kings to attack us!’ So they got up and fled in the dusk and abandoned their tents and their horses and donkeys. They left the camp as it was and ran for their lives.”—2 Kings 7:6–7 (NIV) The miracle was not in the strength of the lepers, but in the power of God who fought Israel’s battle. These four lepers—despised and broken—were used by God as vessels of deliverance. They gathered food, silver, and gold, and eventually reported the good news to the city (vv. 8–10). Because of their obedience, the prophecy was fulfilled exactly as God had said. What Can We Learn? God’s power is perfected in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). He often uses the unlikely, the unqualified, and the broken to accomplish His divine purposes. Spiritual courage is not rooted in personal ability but in trusting God. The lepers had no credentials—only the willingness to move forward in faith. Fear paralyzes, but faith acts. While trained soldiers remained inactive, these outcasts stepped out. Faith in action brings breakthrough. Don’t wait to feel “ready” before you serve God. Whether you got saved today or decades ago, the Holy Spirit empowers you. Just as God used David—a shepherd boy with no military experience—to defeat Goliath (1 Samuel 17), He can use you, too. The Gospel must be shared. After experiencing God’s provision, the lepers said, “We’re not doing right. This is a day of good news and we are keeping it to ourselves” (2 Kings 7:9). Likewise, we must share the good news of salvation with a world in crisis. Final Encouragement You may feel unqualified, inexperienced, or too broken to serve. But remember: in the spiritual realm, God sees your faith, not your résumé. Your step of faith can shake the enemy’s camp. You may look like just one person—but in God’s eyes, you may be the answer to someone’s deliverance. So rise up. Use the gifts God has given you. Speak the truth. Share the gospel. Serve boldly. Don’t underestimate what God can do through you. When you move in faith, heaven moves with you—and the enemy flees. “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,” says the Lord Almighty.—Zechariah 4:6 (NIV) God bless you. Shalom.
Welcome to today’s Bible study. Today, we’re going to explore a practice that was taking place in the Temple of God—one that was displeasing to the Lord and that He decisively rebuked. Let’s read: Mark 11:15–16 (ESV)“And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons.And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple.” This passage is well-known as the account where Jesus drove out those who were buying and selling in the Temple. But often overlooked is verse 16—Jesus also prohibited anyone from carrying any kind of object or vessel through the Temple courts. What does this mean? The “vessels” mentioned here were not sacred items belonging to the Temple. People were not stealing or moving Temple equipment. Rather, they were using the Temple grounds as a shortcut, carrying baskets, containers, tools—ordinary items used in daily life or trade. Historically, the Temple in Jerusalem was constructed between two strategic areas: On one side was Bethesda, a major sheep market. On the other side was the Upper City, where many people lived and worked. To save time, people began using the Temple courtyards as a pass-through route, going from the Upper City to the markets in Bethesda. In doing so, they treated the holy space like a public street. They carried merchandise, food, furniture, and even gambling tables through the Temple—completely disregarding its sanctity. Over time, the Temple became polluted with all kinds of traffic: Merchants looking for a faster path to market. Thieves blending in with the crowds. Gossipers and idlers using the Temple as a hangout. People with impure motives walking through on their way to schemes. This kind of irreverent activity deeply offended the Lord. Jesus didn’t just rebuke the merchants; He also shut down the flow of people misusing the Temple space. He stood guard at the entrances and stopped anyone from carrying vessels through the Temple. In the same way, today we often see churches treated without reverence: People walk in and out aimlessly, without focus or intention to worship. Vendors sometimes set up near the sanctuary, selling snacks, shoes, or other products. Children turn the worship space into a playground. Some enter the church not to meet God, but to conduct business, make social connections, or promote personal agendas. The House of God must be treated as holy ground. Malachi 1:6 (ESV) says,“‘A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear?’ says the Lord of hosts to you…” Just as we protect and honor our own homes—ensuring guests behave respectfully—how much more should we treat the Lord’s house with reverence? But the Temple of God is not just a building. Scripture also tells us that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit: 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 (ESV)“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” This means that our bodies are not to be used for anything unholy. They are not vessels for sin, impurity, or casual indulgence. Just as Jesus cleansed the physical Temple, He desires to cleanse our inner temples—our hearts, minds, and bodies—from all that is profane. 1 Corinthians 6:15–18 (ESV) adds:“Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never!Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, ‘The two will become one flesh.’But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.” So just as Jesus would not allow the Temple to be treated as a mere passageway or place for unclean activity, we must not allow our bodies, which are temples of the Holy Spirit, to become pathways for sin. We must honor God both in His house and in ourselves. Let us be vigilant in maintaining the sanctity of the physical places of worship—and even more, the holiness of our own lives. Respect the house of God. Respect your body, the temple of the Spirit. May the Lord bless you and keep you.Amen.