While information increases and floods our ears and consciousness, intelligence is something quite different. Intelligence is the ability to think and learn, which is far more than simply hearing endless words. With our absolute insane predilection for knowledge, it takes the Lord of Life to decipher what we hear to make us intelligent.
Predilection for Knowledge and Its Fruit
We have a predilection toward the fruits of knowledge. They are tasty to our palates. And regardless of the inevitable consequence, when presented with the choice to eat from the tree of knowledge, we usually bite. Knowing this, man with their agenda-driven knowledge is just like Judas, the betrayer, with an appetite to control. This knowledge sells us out while attempting to make us an army to serve their plight. This is why I called it the Judas kiss of death in my last post.
Martha said in the CD series Surrender All, “Intelligence comes from responsibility!” Notice it is not amassing information and facts that makes us intelligent; it’s taking responsibility that makes us intelligent. She heard this from the Lord and I think it is brilliant. It is like “to him who has, more will be given.” When we are responsible listeners, surrendering it first to the Lord before sucking it down like slop, then the Lord gives us intelligence. He bequeaths to us the ability to learn and think with His mind about our situations. Just fascinating!
Predilection for Knowledge – The Tree
The tree of knowledge was both of good and evil, and we were never created to decipher and weigh which one is presented to us in the information we receive. The fruit of the Tree of Good and Evil is death, always death. Our lust to know doesn’t justify ingesting without inquiring. And while we might be tempted with the influx of information at hand, if we wish to live in Life, we have to listen to Him not to the gargantuous chatter.
His Voice leads us in what we hear. It is impossible to isolate our hearing while living in the world. As I said, if you turn every electronic thing off, someone you know will come running up and tell you anyway. So it isn’t a matter of informational abstinence; it is a point of dependent listening. Voices are motivated with agendas. If we speak, we speak with a desire to influence. Even God has an agenda behind His words. Our Shepherd is motivated for the Kingdom, while any other is motivated to build their own kingdom.
We proclaim Him, warning and instructing everyone in all wisdom [that is, with comprehensive insight into the word and purposes of God], so that we may present every person complete in Christ [mature, fully trained, and perfect in Him—the Anointed].
Colossians 1:28 AMP
*As quoted I highly recommend the CD series Surrender All by Martha Kilpatrick. Living surrendered is the receiving of everything. Get it today for 30% off by using the coupon code SURRENDER.
The temptation with knowledge is to do for ourselves, from ourselves. It then becomes about MY kingdom. The thing that attracts our eye has our ear. What resonates with our heart, the kingdom of God or MY kingdom?
It is all about independence isn’t it Bruce?! Though knowledge has increased, our motivation to gain it and handling of it has not progressed since the Garden. It is all the same struggle. Thanks for commenting Bruce and we’re still praying we can see you in August at the conference. Bless you!