Integrity- People of God

Wisdom is called the principal thing we should go after and in getting this wisdom we are to get an understanding of truth. The Bible says fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, which is to be in awe of Godand to have a reverential respect for Him.  We are also told to have knowledge of the Holy One, Jesus Christ, whom God has sent and with an accurate knowledge of Jesus we will have an understanding of the truth of God. 

With this true knowledge we are able to make right and just judgementsin our actions and we are able to grasp the true nature and understanding of a matter. The Bible says Jesus is the truth then knowing Jesus, the Holy Son of God, is to have wisdom and understanding of truth. Thus, wisdom is having respect for God and the ability to discern truth through an accurate understanding of Jesus. So only way to have wisdom and an understanding of God is to know the life of Jesus. 

Proverbs 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. KJV 

Proverb 9:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. NIV

Many people are without respect for God because they do not have atrue knowledge of Him which is seen in the life and character of Jesus. They may have an intellectual knowledge, but this is information they have been taught, and some people may even let their own intellect rise above God’s truth. Many people have allowed their culture to define their purpose, their opinions and their perception of truth so much that when they hear God’s truth they are unable to discern or recognize it. 

Wisdom is respecting God and having respect for the truth of His written word above all else even when it goes against the grain of our intellect and culture.  We will obtain a great respect for God and understanding of who He is as we see the love of God displayed in the life of Jesus. Again, knowledge of the Holy One, Jesus, is the understanding of truth and this truth is the way to obtain wisdom. 

Many people are intellectuals, academics, scholars or philosophers but all this has to do with learnt information. They are taught by people withculture and historical biases that have influenced their train of thought and their teaching. People can develop and amplify the amount of information they have with training and education but it is not necessarily true, accurate or honest information.  Failing to understand that there is a difference between wisdom and intellect has caused many people to be deceived and misled. They tend to follow those who are highly intellectual in the area of academics but may not have anyknowledge of truth of God’s word and lack His wisdom.

Wisdom is recognizing God as The Preeminent and Sovereign King and understanding is knowing His love and the heart of God as it is seen inthe life of Jesus. Jesus said He came to show us the Father and to give us a new life in the kingdom of God. All humanity has been trained in this fallen world system that has incorporated bias, preference, likes and dislikes into a standard of life that is convenient and benefits themselves and their way of living. 

John 17: 25-26 O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. 26 And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the lovewith which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” NKJV

God has given everyone uniqueness and individuality as to who they were created to be, as an expression of His Image.  We bring glory to God in the expression of who He made us to be, through our individuality, which is our very being, that is our soul, our principles, our ethnicity and our very humanity and we this done in the life of Jesus. Jesus came to show us the Father and how to live a life pleasing to Him.  The behavior we display we should see in Jesus and if we donot see it in Jesus’ life, then we should not see it in ours. We Honor God and show reverence to Him in the expression of our worship and life devotion that mirrors Jesus. When we use our God given talents, skills and values as individuals to express our love and adoration to God and those He created, then is God glorified. 

In the fall, all humanity lost their true identity and culture as God’s highest creation living in His kingdom. Then mankind began to cultivate a self-centered identity through this fallen world system and a culturethat gloried self rather than God. They lost their God given culture and the position as the crowning glory of God’s creation, when they chose to believe the lie of Satan, rather than the truth of God. This was the beginning of humanity living a self-focused, narcissistic life. Self and self-interest became supreme and humanity developed cultures and societies to navigate their new way of thinking and self-interest. Mankind began to elevate and magnify self rather than honoring the God who created all of creation. It is the same today for those whochoose to live a life of self-gratification without the knowledge of God’s truth and they lack a true understanding of the operation of God’s kingdom here on earth. 

John 18:37 Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?”  Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” NKJV

Jesus is the Sovereign King over God’s kingdom on earth which is now ruled by the truth of God’s word as Jesus Himself displayed. All humanity fell for the lie Satan presented in the beginning and they lost their ability to identify and understand God’s truth.  Jesus came to the earth to bear witness to the truth of God’s word but not everyone willreceive this truth because they are blinded by their own indulgences and the lie of the enemy. Humanity had been in darkness so long that whenJesus, The Truth and The Light, came into the world people did not recognize Him. They had been in darkness and they did not comprehend Jesus was The Light of the world.

Some people say Jesus was a myth created to keep oppressed people enslaved and others say Jesus was one of many good prophets. Still others will venture to say Jesus was a good teacher but they all refuse to see Him as the Son of God, The Lord of all and their Risen King.  We must let Jesus and His word define who He is and His purpose.

Luke 4:18-19 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;  To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

Jesus said He came to speak the good news of God, the plan of recovery, redemption and restoration to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captive, to give sight to the blind and set the oppressed free. Jesus came not only to save our souls but transform us back into the image of God and to reveal the truth of God’s word. Many people have heard about Jesus and yet they fail to comprehend and graspwho Jesus really is as the Son of God. It is the knowledge and understanding of Jesus as the only true and living way back to God that gives us the ability to see Him as our Sovereign King. Then we can know God as our Abba-Father and understand His great love for us and all humanity who are created in His image.

John 18:37b …Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world,that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truthhears My voice.” NKJV