This corner here is not for debates and contentions but for edification and strengthening of fellow Christians. I would like to solicit the support of other Christians here in this forum to please support this corner by posting messages that edify fellow believers. Anytime you have been blessed by your reading of the Scriptures in your personal devotions……please feel free to post it here and share your spiritual blessings to us.

If ever you find something posted in this corner that you disagree……please just keep it to yourself but just find and look for things that edify in the post and appropriate it to yourself.

“…………………, Let all things be done for edification.” [1 Corinthians 14:26]

Although the immediate context of that verse is about worship service in the Church….I believe that that goes to all other aspects in our lives.

As much as possible keep your postings short and concise.

I appeal to my brothers and sisters here to please support this corner….anyway this is for our edification. Fellow Christians this is our ministry to our fellow Christians.

Let me start:

Pr 1:7 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge…………………, ”

Psalms 111:10 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom………………………”


Let us understand first three important things in these texts:

1) What is the fear of the Lord?
2) What is knowledge referred to here?
3) And what is wisdom referred to here?


I. Definition of terms

1) What is the fear of the Lord? The fear of the Lord is the reverential fear from sinning against God. It is hating what God hates and loving what God loves.


2)What is knowledge referred to here? Knowledge here does not refer to any kind of secular knowledge but knowledge about God’s will.

3)What is wisdom referred to here? Wisdom is the application of knowledge. It is applied knowledge in short.

Our text could be combined as: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom”


II. Why is the fear of the Lord the beginning of knowledge and wisdom?

Because once a person fears sinning against God and wants to do His will….that person wants to know about what God hates and what God loves…, He wants to have KNOWLEDGE of God’s will. And when he gets hold of that knowledge…, he would then apply it to daily life [WISDOM].


Knowledge is knowing that there is a sign post on the side of the road that says: “NO LEFT TURN”. Wisdom is heeding that sign post.

That’s why if you continue the verse [psalms 111:10] it reads:

Ps 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.


III. Practical application

A good deal of us have some measure of knowledge of what God’s will is. But we just don’t apply it [I’m often guilty of this to my shame]. We have knowledge yes, but we are often times unwise by not applying it.

Prayer: I pray that God will increase our fear of Him that we may do His will and not just read it in His word.

I have heard of a story in the U.S. wherein authorities raided a house. They raided it because the inhabitants of the house where growing marijuana’s right inside cabinets. And that without using soil. I also heard of crew members growing vegetables right inside a submarine without using soil. A professor of this technology tried to sell tomatoes [grown from this technology] to McDonald’s, but McDonald’s refused because the tomatoes were just too big for their hamburgers!!!

Yup, maybe some of you may have guessed what I’m talking about. HYDROPHONICS. The technology wherein it allows you to grow almost any kind of plant without using soil. However, in my observation, I realized that plants in whatever kind of technology you grow them are basically the same. Whether you plant them traditionally or hydrophonically, they need the same basic elements in order for them to grow strong and healthy. The formula remains the same. Put a plant in a right climate and provide it with the right kind of diet you will get a strong healthy plant.

Right climate + Right diet = a strong and healthy plant. In my reading, I noticed the same formula indicated in the Bible for the spiritual growth of a Christian.

RIGHT SPIRITUAL CLIMATE + RIGHT SPIRITUAL DIET = A STRONG HEALTHY CHRISTIAN.

In Psalms 1:1-3, the same basic formula is indicated:


Right Spiritual Climate verse 1:

Ps 1:1 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

Right Spiritual Diet verse 2:

Ps 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.

Equals a strong and healthy Christian verse 3:

Ps 1:3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.

Here read it again:

Ps 1:1 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.

3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.

There’s the formula. It’s up to you to apply it.

Have you ever experienced having doubts about the Bible? Have you ever felt that God somehow seemed distant from you? Have you felt in your prayer life like God has put the receiver off the hook?And thoughts race through your mind that: “hey maybe I’m not a Christian or maybe I’m not that mature of a Christian…, [or something like that].” Or you wonder if mature Christians ever felt like you do. Well you’re in good company brother or sister. God knows how you feel. His saints have experienced it.

Doubts about the Bible? Your Galatian brethren went through it. They doubted the authority of one of the writers of the Bible, the apostle Paul himself. The book of Galatians was written by Paul to quell wrong and heretical teaching being embraced by our Galatian brethren.

Ga 1:6 “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel,”

This was because false teachers have somehow succeeded in convincing the Galatian brethren [to some extent] that Paul was a false apostle of Christ, that Paul was only appointed by unscrupulous men but not Christ our Lord. Yup, they doubted Paul’s apostleship and authority. That’s why in the very beginning of the letter you will see:

Ga 1:1 Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead),

And now in our times, Satan could very easily inject doubts in your mind to doubt Paul, Peter, James, Isaiah and the Bible as a whole by attacking the integrity of the Bible, it's accuracy and it's inspiration through anti-Bible books, through shows on T.V. or etc.

God seemed distant and somehow seems that He doesn’t hear your prayers?

Ps 10:1 Why do You stand afar off, O LORD? Why do You hide in times of trouble?

Ps 13:1 How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?


Or Habakkuk’s:

Hab. 1:2 “O LORD, how long shall I cry, And You will not hear? Even cry out to You, "Violence!" And You will not save.



Yup, giant saints have experienced it too. And God knows it. He put it in His Scriptures. He knows how you feel.

So what do you do in times like these come?

1) Continue on reading the Bible [if you have doubts about it]. Faith increases every time you keep on hearing God’s Word. What did Paul do when the Galatian brethren had their doubts? He wrote them a letter for them to read. Keep on reading it till the scale of faith and doubt tips off in favor of faith.

2) If God seem distant and seemed to not hear prayer. What do you do? Let God know about it. Be honest about it to God. Tell Him about it [reverently of course]. That’s what David, Habakkuk and etc. did right?

Here's what to do:

a) Trust.

b) Rejoice in His salvation.

c) sing songs of worship to the Lord

d) remember His past answers and faithfulness.

That’s what David did when he experienced it. You were reading Psalms 13:1 right? Now continue reading it to verse 5 down. Here it is:

Ps 13:1 How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?

Then David says in verse 5 of the same chapter:

“But I have trusted in Your mercy, ”

and “My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.”

And verse 6: “I will sing to the LORD

and: “Because He has dealt bountifully with me.” [‘has’ indicates he looked to the past when God was bountiful with David].

Past blessings are signs that He will bless you again [especially if you are faithful].

I have seen the commercial of basketball superstar Dwayne Wade. D. Wade oftentimes falls hard on the floor in a game but gets up again each time. And so the words in the commercial:

"Dwayne Wade, falls seven times. stands up eight"


When i read of that i recalled the words in Proverbs 24:16: ", For the righteous falleth seven times, and riseth up again;"


What an encouragement those words were for me in my spiritual walk. Times are many wherein i fall and falter in my walk in the faith. Sometimes i get discouraged but those words beckoned me to stand up again and fight the good fight of faith.

Through those words i knew that the difference between a truly saved person and a fake is reseliency and perseverance. The mark of a truly saved sinner is that when he falls down he always gets up again unlike the counterfeit Christian. He falls and stays contented down there.


I hope these will be true in me:


"Ironside, falls seven times. stands up eight.

Have you not noticed: Spiritual giants have always been men who have spent some time in seclusion and meditation.

Here are some personages in the Bible:

1) Moses before he went back to Egypt spent years in the backside of the desert.

2) David before he came into the public scene of Israel [to “shepherd” Israel so to speak] spent sometime alone with God tending sheep in the hillsides of Judea.

3) John the Baptist before his ministry spent some time in the desert alone with God.

4) Paul before he turned public in his ministry spent some time alone in Arabia with God.

5) The Lord Jesus Himself before the start of His 3 year ministry spent 40 days in the desert.


Why does the Church now in these latter days lack spiritual giants? Because most of us spent most of our time devouring T.V. shows than eating soul food, than meditating on God’s Word. Lovers of visual pleasure than lovers of God’s Word. Most of us are willing slaves to the tube [T.V.]

I am not against T.V. of course. Watching T.V. per se is not sin or unlawful. It has served Christianity since its invention by being a tool in spreading the gospel.

No doubt if Paul were still alive today he would have used it to spread God’s Word. But what I am against is when T.V. is given more time than the personal meditation of God's Word, when T.V. is not helpful anymore to the edification of our souls. When T.V. has become an enslaving object.

1Co 6:12 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.


Spend some time meditating on God’s word brother or sister…………………, that’s how the giants became giants.

The secret to Christlikeness

", Christ in you, the hope of glory." Colossians 1:27



How could a Christian live a Christ-like life in this fallen world?

Where a triumvirate of enemies dog his steps. There's the a) seductions of the world, b) the temptations of Satan and c) the inward pull of our remaining corruption, the sinful nature in us.

With all these, how could it be possible to live the Christ-like life required by God to us Christians? Does He know that the battle is overwhelming and seems like an up-hill climb for us?

The answer to all those questions are found in that verse my friend. The God who requires Christlikeness in us is also the same God who does these very thing in us.

He knows that you are weak, He knows that you are no match against the world, Satan and the sinful nature in you. That 's why He came and indwelt you. What you need to do is to let Him live His life in you.

The reason why you fail and stumble and falter in the Christian life, the reason why you burn out spiritually is because you have been trying to live your life on your own strength and resources. Oblivious to the fact that there is a PERSON INDWELLING YOU ready to take over anytime you give Him the controls of your life.

JUST LET HIM LIVE HIS LIFE IN YOU.

How to do it?

In the front page of my Bible i wrote these words i have read in one of my readings. I wrote it down, first, to remind myself of it everytime i open my Bible and secondly, because it is an eloquent and clear statement of how to let the Lord Christ live His life in you:


"Relate every thing, moment by moment as it arises, to the adequacy of what He is in you, and assume that His adequacy will be operative."

The more often you do this the more often you will be Christlike. When this will become your habit, the higher you are in the sanctification ladder my friend.

TRY EVANGELIZING WITHOUT SPEAKING A SINGLE WORD…… MAYBE IT’LL WORK

You have a best friend or a relative [members of your family] or officemate or classmate whom you have shared the gospel for quite some time now. You have prayed for his or her salvation yet he/she remains an unbeliever. Why don’t you try another approach.

TRY EVANGELIZING WITHOUT SPEAKING A SINGLE WORD


How is it done?

1Pe 3:1 “Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey [or believe, italics mine] the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives,
2 when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear.

The verse may primarily apply to wives who have unbelieving husbands but the principle is applicable also to all Christians who have unbelieving classmates, officemates, relatives and etc. The principle is: actions often times speak clearly than words. Godly living talks.

You cannot convince someone to accept Christ as Savior and Lord, if they see in your life a life void of Christ. I believe it was the 18th century preacher Harry Drummond who said in effect: “Many sinners are kept outside the Kingdom of God because of the lives of those who profess to be inside the Kingdom of God.”

Walk the talk so that you will have credibility when you speak the Word. Here’s a poem I read somewhere:

You are writing a gospel, a chapter each day,

By deeds that you do, by words that you say.

Men read what you write, whether faithless or true.

Say, what is the gospel according to you.

  A Girl made of Steel


Let me share to you a true story recounted by Bible teacher Churck Swindoll, a story he read from Korean evangelist Billy Kim during the persecutions of Christianity in Korea.

"After the war, the communists swept down into South Korea from the North. One of the first things they did was to gather a group of Christians into their church building, where they demanded that the leaders deny their Lord.

They backed up their demands with torture and threats to the lives of their prisoners. One by one the leaders succumbed. When their torturers handed them the Bible and told them to spit upon it, they did so.

Until the Communists came to one little girl.


Fearlessly, she looked at them for moments and said: "YOU CAN HAMMER ME INTO A PULP. YOU CAN BEAT ME INTO EXTINCTION, BUT I WILL NEVER DENY MY LORD."

Then she began to sing, after turning to the leaders who had fallen to say:
"MAY GOD HAVE MERCY ON YOUR SOULS." What was the result? The crowd with her in the church joined her in singing. She turned the tide of denial that had been begun by the leaders.

What did the communists do? They executed the leaders who had denied Christ and set free the girl whose courage had been so clearly communicated."



Oh may God give us the courage, even just to confess that we are Christians to other people. Some of us even are ashamed to carry Bibles in public. Some are ashamed to give out gospel tracts in public. Some don't even witness Christ to other people for fear of being ridiculed.

here's a story from RAy Stedman about the faithfulness of God. The God of grace. The God who loves us soooooo much. May His name be praised forever and ever.

The True Story:

"A poor widow in one of the congregations in Guatemala was down to her last twenty cents and without food. She began to pray about her problem. As she was praying, she felt a deep conviction that God was telling her to go to the large supermarket in town the next day and fill up several carts with groceries and take them to checkout stand #7 for check out. This was not just a vague feeling on her part but a deep, Spirit-born conviction. She went to the supermarket the next morning, loaded enough groceries into carts to last two or three months, and took them to checkout stand #7.

Just as she got there the cashier closed the stand to go out to lunch. She suggested that the woman take her groceries to another stand, but the woman said, "No, I cannot. My Father told me to take these through checkout stand #7." So she waited while the clerk went to lunch and came back again. The clerk was surprised to see the woman still there, and started to check out her groceries. Just then an announcement came over the loudspeaker: "This is our seventh year of business and we are pleased to announce that whoever is checking out at checkout stand #7 gets free groceries."


Pastor Ray:

"Now I am not telling you to do what this woman did. What I am saying is that we are to believe that God cares for us, that he is a loving Heavenly Father, and he has a thousand and one ways of meeting our needs, but he hardly ever does the same thing twice! The unchangeable fact is that God loves us. We belong to him."



Ps 37:25 I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread.

Praise God!!!!!!!!

Isa 42:3 A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench,



There are Christians who expect soo much from other fellow Christians that when their fellow Christians fail and fall, they would be swift to condemn and judge, looking only to what negative things they could see in them.

I am glad that our Lord is one who will not break a bruised reed nor quench a smoking flax.

I can see a Christian failing and faltering before the Lord as he tries to obey, over and over again he fails,  and many a time he just sinks his head in the pillow and get discouraged. Thinking that the Lord may have folded up his arms and looked away sighing in disappointment.

but the Word said: A bruised reed He will not break, a smoking flax, He will not quench.

I can somehow picture Him as a camper trying to start a fire for the night. He keeps blowing and blowing until He sees a spark. at that point He will not stumped the spark out in disgust and resignation seeing only a little spark. No. I can see His face lit up and His heart leaping for joy as He all the more blows that little spark so that it wil turn into a flame and then into a huge bon-fire.

I am glad He doesn't give up on us imperfect saints. Yes, He sees our weaknesses but He also sees our potentials and works on it.

Isa 62:6 I ‘have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; They shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the LORD, do not keep silent,

7 And give Him no rest till He establishes And till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.’


These verses pertain to Israel when God will finally restore Israel in the land of promise during the Millennium when the Lord returns. He will rule all over the earth with peace, prosperity and righteousness for a thousand years with Israel as the top nation.

The statement ‘I have set watchmen on your WALLS, O Jerusalem’ imply that Jerusalem or Israel has been laid desolate but not forever. The time will come when God will once again show favor to Israel [after the Church is completed Romans 11:25-26] and fulfill all His promises made to them.

God sets up watchmen or intercessors to remind Him always [day and night] of His promises He made to Israel and their fathers [Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David and etc]. It doesn’t mean of course that God has a propensity to forget cognitively His promises like we sinful creatures do. God wants them to keep anticipating the fulfillment of His promises or to ‘wait on the Lord.’ God is delighted and glorified when believers hang on His promises and anticipate the fulfillment of His Word. It’s worshipping Him.

Practical Application:

Though this promise is made to Israel only, this does not mean that we [Church Age people, Christians] cannot benefit from it. By studying it we can somehow get a glimpse of the character of God, of who God is. God is a God who wants to be reminded of His promises always. Remind God of His promises He made to you. Do it always in prayer. He is not irked by it. He delights in it.

Tips about promises in the Bible

1) Know of whom the promise is made. Is it for a particular person? Is it made to a specific group of people [Israel]? Is it made to Church Age people [Christians]?
2) Know the time frame [if there is] of when the promise will have fulfillment.
3) Know if the promise has conditions in order to have fulfillment.


P.S. Rightly divide the Word of truth. Do not claim promises not made to you [member of the Church]. There are promises made to the Church and there are promises made to Israel. Mostly, promises made to the Church are spiritual while promises made to Israel are both spiritual and temporal and material. There are preachers who cite Deuteronomy verses as their basis that God wants them to be rich and wealthy when they will obey Him. But Deuteronomy verses are God’s promises to Israel, the people of whom He made the Old Covenant. These verses [Deuteronomy verses referring to the Palestinian covenant Deut. 30] would ultimately have fulfillment during the Millennium not during the Church Age.

In 20 years what will you wish you had done today?

DO IT NOW


I read that somewhere in one of my readings. When I brooded over that question, mine is reading the Bible, the Word of God. What terrible loss would I incur if I fail to read the most wonderful book in history [me who is a lover of books] twenty years from now thinking about what could I’ve done today.

It is a mine of true wisdom and knowledge, the one and only book which taught the way back to God [the greatest treasure anyone could possess]. Why don’t you spend some time reading the Bible. A lot of us read books about the Bible but never read the Bible itself.



Col 3:16 ‘Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly……………………’

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quote]Originally posted by faithful967:
why in the 1st place god create heaven n hell
and why there should be earth
isnt that better if there is only 1 place, namely heaven[quote][/quote]


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



As to why God created heaven and earth---we can only speculate. But rest assured that what ever God does, it always done for His glory.

But Man fell!!!! Is that for His glory?

Glory means manifested attributes. It is not glory when His attributes are obscured and hidden for glory means MANIFESTED ATTRIBUTTES.

When Adam fell--His other attributes of justice, love and grace where manifested all throughout the ages till now.

Sin came in--- God's perfect and excellent justice came in and man says: WAW!!!! GOD'S JUSTICE IS SO PERFECT!!! [ALL THIS WILL BE FULLY MANISFESTED IN JUDGEMENT DAY]

Sin came in--- And God's grace and love in Christ Jesus was manifested.
We who have experientially seen His love and grace at Calvary say: PRAISE GOD!!!! FOR HIS AMAZING GRACE AND LOVE. WAW!!! JUST WAW!!!

When He created the heavens and the earth---His attributes of omipotence and other perfections was MANIFESTED that the angels in heaven rejoiced.


REst assured that it is all for His glory.

About Hell:

Mt 25:41 "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:


twas created for Satan and his angels not primarily for man. But if man persists and refuse to repent and trust in Christ for salvation, he will be thrown there also.

What about His glory?

Don't worry, His attribute of perfect justice will be FULLY MANIFESTED IN THAT PLACE.

WAW!!! GOD'S JUSTICE IS SOO AWESOME. I think we will say somewhat like that.

And all throughout the succeding ages [eternity] man [saved man] will continue to know God as God will continue to unveil His attributes to them. Never ending OOOHS AND AHHS AND WAWS AND PRAISE GOD AND AWESOME WILL COME OUT OF OUR LIPS AS HE MANIFESTS HIMSELF ALL THROUGOUT ETERNITY.

WHY ETERNITY? BECAUSE IT TAKES ETERNITY TO KNOW GOD FULLY.

What should our reaction be in times of trials?

Jas 1:2  My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,

3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.




1) An attitude of Joy

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,” [James 1:2]


Joy is our attitude to it instead of sulking, grumbling and complaining. We Christians are to live above circumstances not crumble under it.

We are commanded to rejoice ALWAYS: “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!”

Paul was in prison when he wrote Philippians. He was there unjustly accused, with his arraignment delayed for about two years [justice delayed is justice denied], he was innocent yet he was there incarcerated. Yet inspite of it all, he is still beaming with joy himself that under inspiration he was able to write to those who are in Philippi to REJOICE ALWAYS.

The words “count it all joy” is in the imperative mood just like the words “REJOICE ALWAYS” Imperatives are directed to the will. This tells us a lot about true joy.

a) True joy is a choice.
b) True joy is always done in the sphere of the Lord. True joy is always found in Him.
c) True joy can be had all of the time, if we choose to rejoice walking in the Spirit.

There are many reasons for a Christian to rejoice in the midst of trials:

a) He has salvation in spite of the trials. Knowledge of that truth is enough to make the heart sing.

b) Ac 5:41 So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.

c) Ro 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. [this verse was written to the Romans under the situational context of suffering]

d) there are many other reasons too many to mention but the one given here by James why they should rejoice is this:

Jas 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,

3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

Why this is an echo of Paul’s words:

Ro 5:1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;


God is at work molding and conforming us to the image of Christ. We grow more into His image under sufferings and trials. It takes the dross [unholy things] out from us. God’s agenda for us is NOT to make us comfortable, but to make us more conformed to His Son, Christ Jesus. God is doing this so that we can have spiritual stamina [patience and perseverance] in the fight of faith. Just like the rigorous training of athletes. The training is arduous and strenuous, it causes discomfort to the athlete but it is needful.

Somebody said: “The stronger the winds, the deeper the roots, the deeper the roots the stronger the tree.”

With that goal in God’s mind for us, we are indeed to count it all joy to fall into various trials: Trials produce patience or perseverance [spiritual stamina]


2) We are to be praying for wisdom

Too many of us do not know how to handle trials and so we need to be in our knees and ask for wisdom about how to handle it and spiritually profit from the trials we face that it may truly accomplish what it was sent for: to make us complete and lacking nothing in the fight of faith.


5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

Ac 26:24 Now as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, "Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!


Paul obviously got His learning from revelation direct [God directly speaking to him] and revelation written [Old Testament Scriptures].

I have heard of people here in my place warning other people not to read the Bible [God's revelation] becuase the Bible can make one go insane and mad. I find that an echo of what Festus said here.

Paul have been telling Festus about the death and resurrection of the Lord when Festus cut in and impetously called Paul crazy.

Well, what can i say, i am glad that Paul got "crazy", if he didn't, he would not have stopped persecuting and murdering those Chrstians. He would have still been enslaved by the power of sin. If Paul did not go "crazy" he would have been in hell right now.

Paul was wise when he became a "fool" for Christ.

I remember a true story of a Western man visiting an island where tribal aborigines dwell. As he was having a walk, he noticed a native aborigine reading a Bible and discouraged the native from reading it. He said: "What, do you believe in that book?, Why, that book is a book of fables and myths"

The native look up and said: "If it weren't for this book, you would have been our lunch by now."

Php 2:13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

Good thing the verse does not say: “for it is God who works in you TO FEEL, to will and to do for His good pleasure.” Otherwise I would seriously doubt if God is really at work in me, sanctifying me. Because times are many when dry spells visit me. When the cheer of feelings cannot be heard. Wherein feelings run counter to what I must do.

I do not always feel like doing God’s will. I do not always feel like praying, reading God’s Word and ministering to a brother in need. Rather many a time I do those things on the basis of my WILLING not my FEELING. Had I anchored my obeying the Word of God solely on the spur and spark of my feelings I would not have obeyed God most of the time if not all the time.

Have you experienced purposely doing God’s will even though your feelings hollered: “No. I don’t feel like it!!!!!!!!!!!!”? You did it even though you did not feel like doing it. You know what. That’s God working in you. Your spiritual muscles get stronger every time you do that. It requires a lot of faith to do that. Our spiritual muscles do not really get that worked up if we are aided by the shove of our feelings.

Time will come when you will be put in a situation where you must choose what you must do as opposed to what you feel. Time will come when you will be placed in a situation where you must sacrifice your “Isaac” than follow what your feelings dictates. When you do that. That’s God working in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

Don’t miss to take advantage of those situations wherein feelings oppose what you must do by obeying what God wants in that particular situation. They train you for the big event.