“I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me. With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity. My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver. I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice, bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full.” – Proverbs 8:17-21

The above passage is wisdom crying out to us. Did you know that “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” (Proverbs 1:7)? This is why you can see men and women who are successful by the world’s standard fall into the temptation of drugs, illicit sex, and a host of other destructive behaviors.

Talent and intelligence are no substitute for God. Do a Google search on suicide rates, and you will see that Physicians have a higher suicide rate than the general population. Although it’s hard to validate the statistics, Psychiatrists in America are believed to be the highest of all. What good is it to have money but no happiness?

“The wages of the righteous bring them life, but the income of the wicked brings them punishment.” – Proverbs 10:17

It’s a simple formula, No God = No Wisdom.

There are some who will read this post and receive it at once, and there are others who will write a flaming comment. This, too, is in the Bible. “Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult; whoever rebukes a wicked man incurs abuse.” – Proverbs 9:7

If you want to add to your wisdom, read a chapter from Proverbs every day. To get even more out of it, read it out loud. “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.” – Romans 10:17

I encourage you, if you hear the Word, share the Word.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…

—Hosea 4:6

It’s an inaccurate cliché—ignorance is bliss. Hosea specifically states that a lack of knowledge can actually destroy you. Ignorance is a blessing blocker. And even though they are often used interchangeably, ignorance and stupidity are not synonyms. Stupidity means lacking in intelligence, foolish or idiotic. In contrast, ignorance is the state of being uninformed, uneducated or unaware—without knowledge. It’s like the difference between a restroom and a bathroom. They have some similar traits, but they are not the same. A person can actually act in ignorance and stupidity simultaneously. The trust be told, most stupid people aren’t ignorant at all (that’s another article). But what you don’t know can hurt you, leave you in financial ruins and cause you to miss out on God’s best for your life.

If you’ve been walking in a state of ignorance, you are vulnerable. A lack of knowledge causes you to be easily led astray. And, ignorance doesn’t give you a free pass. Let me give you an example. Being ignorant of the law is no excuse for breaking it. If you are pulled over and given a citation for driving 40 mph in a 30 mph zone, you can’t use the excuse that you didn’t know what the speed limit was to evade the ticket. It’s similar to saying, “Lord I didn’t know I was supposed to tithe. Can’t you just bless my finances anyway?” No. Your ignorance had placed you under the curse.

The first place a Christian should go for knowledge is the Word of God. Solomon wrote in Proverbs 1:7, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” According to this verse, it’s the foolish (or stupid) person who despises wisdom, not the ignorant. Jesus said that the truth would set us free. And, Paul told Timothy, “Study to show thyself approved unto God….” Paul also started phrases this way on more than one occasion, “Brothers, I would not have you ignorant….” Our greatest weapon against the enemy is the Word of God in our mouths. We can not be ignorant where it is concerned. Jesus overcame the enemy with the Word (Matthew 4:3-12) and we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony (Revelation 12:11). But how can we, if we are ignorant of it?

Examples from the Word

I want to share some occasions in the Bible where people were ignorant of the Word. They were being blocked from receiving the blessings of God. Notice how they reacted, how they corrected it and the results of their actions.

Josiah was just a young boy when he became king (2 Kings 22). He had begun to make some repairs on the temple when the Book of the Law was found and read to him. When he became aware of all the ways they were not obeying God, he was immediately distraught.

When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes. He gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Acbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king’s attendant: “Go and inquire of the LORD for me and for the people and for all Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the LORD’s anger that burns against us because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us.”

—2 Kings 22:11-13

The previous generation had been led astray, and now the people were walking in ignorance. Yes they were also being disobedient, but remember the traffic ticket example. Once Josiah inquired of the Lord, the report came to him that his life would be spared, and he would be buried in peace.

Nehemiah had a similar experience after rebuilding the wall in Jerusalem (Nehemiah 8). When the people heard the words from the Book of the Law, they wept. Their hearts and minds were being enlightened by the Word of God. They had been operating in ignorance, and it grieved them.

Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is sacred to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” The Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for this is a sacred day. Do not grieve.”

—Nehemiah 8:9-11

After the celebration, the people repented and rededicated themselves to the Lord. Study the final chapters of Nehemiah. It is a great example of what should be done when someone comes out of ignorance into knowledge.

And finally, the prison guard in Acts 16. I love this story! Paul and Silas were in chains in prison praying and praising God! They weren’t in the today’s version of the United States Federal Penetintury either. This was a scene I’m sure none of us would want to find ourselves in—and they were praising God! As a result (and because of the Blessing of the Lord on their lives), the entire prison was shaken and everyone’s shackles were loosed! Hallelujah!

And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

—Acts 16:27-30

This ignorant prison guard came into the knowledge of the Living God. What did he do next? Read the rest of the account. He gathered his entire household to be saved and baptized. He cleaned the wombs of Paul and Silas, fed them and rejoiced in God! If the man was stupid, after being freed from ignorance he would have completed his suicide or attempted to recapture the prisoners. There’s the difference.

Notice in each example the reactions of the people when they realized they were ignorant. They wept and repented. They chose God’s way and simultaneously chose His Blessing. You will never rise above the level of your knowledge. What you don’t know can block the Blessing of God from your life and destroy you. Don’t be ignorant and don’t be destroyed—get in the Word and get some knowledge today!

Be blessed friends, and have the perfect day everyday!

—Shontta

Psalm 138:8

Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant. – Psalm 35:27 (King James Version)

You’ve probably heard it said that money is the root of all evil. That is a lie. Even if your preacher was the one who said it, it is simply not supported by scripture. Look closely at what the scripture this erroneous teaching is rooted really says:

For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. – 1 Timothy 6:10 (King James Version)

Notice that this passage says the LOVE OF MONEY. This is a heart condition not a financial condition.

A poor person can love money just as much as a rich person.

Money, by itself, is neutral. It is neither good or evil. However, it is a powerful instrument. Whether the instrument is used as a weapon of destruction or a channel for blessing is strictly dependent upon the POSSESSOR of it. If it’s in your heart to do good, then money in your hands will be used to help people. If it’s in your heart to do evil, your money will be used for your own selfish pleasures.

PROSERITY THROUGH OBEDIENCE

With money, comes responsibility. When you have money, you have the ability to change your world and the world of others. This ability is not limited to money; however, money, in a very practical way, makes things possible that simply can’t be achieved without it. As an example, how will missionaries be sent to China or Africa or anywhere else without a plane ticket? How will you buy a ticket without money?

There is a right way to prosper and a wrong way. The right way is submitting to God’s plan, purpose, and will for your life. If you do this, then, you have can experience wealth without the problems:

The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. – Proverbs 10:22 (King James Version)

One of the first things that you need to do after being saved is to get into financial covenant with God. How do you do this? Through the tithe. The tithe is sometimes a controversial subject because it hits people right where it matters — in the heart. Do you love God more than you love money? What hold first place in your life?
8Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

9Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

10Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

- Malachi 3:8-10 (King James Version)

There are some people, even preachers, who will say that the tithe is not for today. However, this doesn’t make sense. The principle of giving first fruits was demonstrated since the beginning of man. Even Adam was asked to not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

16And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:

17But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

- Genesis 2:16,17

Adam’s sons brought offerings to God. Notice that Abel’s offering included the first-born of his flock, and it was accepted. Cain brought fruit of the ground, but not the first, and it was not accepted.

3And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.

4And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

5But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

6And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?

7If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

- Genesis 4:3-7

These examples, as well as that of Abraham and others, were before the Law was ever given to Moses. To give you further confirmation that the tithe is just as relevant today as ever, consider the following passage:

18And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.

19And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:

20And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

- Genesis 14:18-20

As great as Abram (later God changed his name to Abraham) was, he gave a tenth of all the plunder to Melchizedek, priest of the most high God. We see in the passage below that Jesus’ priesthood is in the order of Melchizedek. There are only two situations where Melchizedek is mentioned in the Bible. First, he is mentioned in relationship to Abraham giving him the tithe. Second, he is mentioned in relationship to Jesus, who is our high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.

where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. – Hebrews 6:20

If you really want to understand this priesthood, and how it relates to Aaron’s priesthood, read Hebrews chapter seven. This chapter is very clear on the tithe, and giving it to Jesus, the one declared to be living. If you are not currently tithing, start immediately. Don’t let religion, selfishness, or greed rob you of Abraham’s Covenant Blessing.

If you’ve been feeling like your prayer life is stagnate or that your prayers are not being heard, this article is for you. Perhaps your spiritual ears are dull. Maybe you feel like the Holy Spirit hasn’t been guiding you in decision-making. In short, you need a spiritual tune up. We all face times when we feel like we’ve hit the wall so to speak in our prayer lives. But not to worry, I’ve got the answer for you. The following are three simple steps you can take to tune up your spirit any time you feel you’re at an unproductive point in your Christian walk or your prayer life:

Step One: Pray the Word of God

The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.—James 5:16 NIV

One thing that almost always hinders our prayer lives is improper forms of prayer. According to this scripture there is a form of prayer that is effective; so, there must also be forms of prayer that are ineffective. The best way to avoid this and know that you’ve succeeded in prayer is to rehearse God’s word back to Him. Two great places to start are Psalms and Proverbs for daily confessions. I suggest reading a Proverb a day; whatever the date is read that Proverb aloud. Some faith-building Psalms to start with are 1, 23, 34, 91, 103, 112,121 and 138. As you grow in this, begin to inject your favorite passages from all over the Bible into your daily confessions. For example, before I teach a fitness class of any kind, I recite Psalm 121. I also attach several other scriptures regarding the tongue. I ask the Lord to guide me with His eye (Psalm 32:8). These are Word-based prayers and I can have full confidence in their effectiveness. To me, praying the Word is the equivalent of taking the purest form of an anecdote. Uncut is the strongest form possible. When you begin to pray this way, your prayers will almost always be aloud. Remember in Mark 11:23 Jesus said that you will have whatever you say.

Step Two: Pray in the Holy Spirit

But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.—Jude 1:20 NIV

The gift of the Spirit with evidence of speaking in other tongues is your secret weapon; it is your sixth sense. Paul said that the one who prays in the Spirit edifies or builds himself up (2 Corinthians 14:4). When you need a spiritual tune up, this is exactly what could be hindering you—your spirit is not built up. Again in my profession as a fitness instructor, I am constantly in contact with people who are strong and well built in their physical bodies. In their spirits and minds however, they are fragile and weak. People are confused and doubtful about their lives—not sure who or what to believe. But Jesus said, “But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will not speak His own message [on His own authority]; but He will tell whatever He hears [from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him], and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come [that will happen in the future] (John 16:13 AMP).” When we use our prayer language our spiritual sense becomes heightened, we are more aware of people and situations around us and God’s presence is more tangible in our daily lives. By praying in the Spirit, Romans 8 becomes real to you because you are then led by the Spirit.

Step Three: Hear the Word of God

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.—Romans 10:17

The concept is simple, the more you hear (and obey) the Word of God the more you hear God. Your ability to hear the voice of God is directly related to the amount of His word you hear. Jesus told us to be careful how we listen because to the one who has spiritual knowledge would more be given (Luke 8:18 AMP). Here are three ways to hear the Word. One, through your own mouth (see step one). Next, go to a Word-based church at least twice a week and hear the Word preached. And finally, use technology—listen to cds, watch television or internet broadcasts and load up that mp3 player with the Word so you can listen to it while you’re working out or in your car. The difference in your awareness will be amazing. It’s the same concept as tuning up your car so it performs better. You too will perform better by taking these steps to tune up your spirit. And in hearing the Word, remember what James told us. He said in James 1:22 do not just listen to the word and deceive yourself, do what it says.

In these times it is imperative that you as a child of God know, hear and follow His voice. Jesus said in John 10:4-5, “And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.” This is how you live above the circumstances and experience plenty in a time of famine. Tune up your spirit—pray the Word, pray in the Spirit and hear the Word of God!

Be blessed friends and have the perfect day everyday!

Psalm 138:8

—Shontta

Strife is defined as a bitter and sometimes violent conflict or dissension; it is an act of contention: fight or struggle. A synonym of strife is discord. Often, people make the mistake of diagnosing strife as anger. Anger can lead to strife and strife can lead to anger; however, they are not the same. Proverbs 29:22 says that an angry man stirs up strife. The Bible clearly makes a distinction between the two. So, the angry man has an Antagonistic Negative Guilt-laying Emotional Reaction (ANGER) to something thereby injecting a Stifling Tangible Recurring Influence that Frustrates Emotions (STRIFE).

A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.—Proverbs 15:18

Strife is stifling because it creates an immediate barrier between the parties involved; nothing positive is flowing through and neither side is able to hear the other. Obviously it is tangible because it can be felt and recurring because it keeps on coming. Strife negatively influences your decision making and frustrates your emotions. Recall a situation in which you are currently dealing or have dealt with strife and you will find that the acronym is an accurate portrayal.

If you have been married for any length of time, honeymooners included, you have had opportunities to get into strife. I used marriage, but this applies to all interpersonal relationships. The Blessing of the Lord (Genesis 12:2-3; Deuteronomy 28:1-14) requires us to live strife-free lives. Strife can limit or even bring to a standstill the flow of the Blessing.

And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdmen of Lot’s cattle….—Genesis 13:7

Here we see an example of strife infiltrating what had been a prosperous business venture for Lot. Originally Abram wasn’t supposed to bring any family members along with him (Genesis 12:2). But since Lot was with his uncle Abram, he prospered. If you study this passage in Genesis 13, you will notice that it is a turning point for both Abram and Lot. Abram took the high road and allowed Lot to choose which way he wanted to go.

And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left. —Genesis 13:8-9

Abram employed a key principle here to avoid and eradicate strife. He immediately found the source and severed the relationship. Thus, he continued to walk in the Blessing and Lot didn’t. When we find ourselves in this situation, we should go out of our way to avoid strife. I understand that there may be longtime friendships, business relationships or even relatives involved.  Apply Romans 8:28 to the situation, and make the tough call required to walk in the Blessing.

“But Shontta, I’m in strife with my spouse and children,” you might say. “Am I to sever those relationships?”  If there are no threats to your life or physical safety, you should seek out the source strife, expose it and work through it. Otherwise, seek professional help immediately. Once again, I’d like to show you how these blessing blockers affect your physical body.

Marital conflict can boost proinflammatory cytokines in the bloodstream and slow wound healing. These results add to the growing evidence that marital strife can impair both mental and physical health. While many studies have demonstrated the benefits of marriage in terms of promoting physical and mental health, what happens to couples who engage in verbal spats and power plays for years, maybe decades? One study, for example, found that unhappily married subjects were 25 times more likely to experience a major depressive disorder than were happily married ones. Another found that among women with coronary heart disease, marital stress worsened their prognosis threefold. And now a new study, published in the December 2005 Archives of General Psychiatry, has found that marital bickering can raise, in the bloodstream, levels of proinflammatory cytokines—that is, the kind of cytokines that sabotages healing instead of promoting it. *

STRIFE is tangible and it is obvious here that it penetrates and negatively works against your mind and your physical body. Don’t lose your life (John 10:10). Confront STRIFE with the Word and, if necessary, professional help. Keep the Blessing flowing. I am totally out of space. I trust you were enlightened and are now hungry to learn more on this topic.

Be blessed friends, and have the perfect day everyday!

—Shontta

*Marital Strife May Keep Wounds from Healing by Joan Arehart-Treichel http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/41/3/22