Responsibility of Wisdom

Anne Bradshaw • February 23, 2024

Numbers 36

Dear Reader,

The world system sees the talents, gifts, and inheritances of the people of God and wants it for themselves. They want to make themselves greater and they do not care about what belongs to God and His people. So, we must take care.

Let’s consider the people of Israel in Numbers 36. Remember the blog about the 5 daughters who had no husband, father, or brother to inherit the land that should rightfully be theirs Numbers 27? Moses brought the matter before the Lord and the Lord said they should receive a share of the land/inheritance and then the Lord declared for future generations that women, if left alone without husband, brother or father should receive an equal share.

Some within the clans of Israel saw a loophole. What if the women who receive the inheritance marry someone from another clan? What happens to the inheritance? Does it go with them and add to the other clan? That was what was brought before Moses for a ruling. The loophole gave an advantage whereas another clan can appropriate the land and inheritance of another just by wooing and marrying a woman from that other clan making themselves greater and the clan from which the woman came from, lesser.

But God put the responsibility upon the people involved, in this case the woman, to be wise and marry within her own community if the inheritance was important to her and she desired not to make her clan less than it should be.

Today, we have laws regarding inheritance, wills and such dealing with legacies and things passed tangibly from one generation to the next. But we have to be wise and prepare ahead of time (make a will) so that whatever we desire to stay within the family, stays within the family. It is our responsibility to be wise regarding spiritual things as well.

2 Corinthians 6:14 mentions being unequally yoked.

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

The NASB translates it this way:

Do not be mismatched with unbelievers; for what do righteousness and lawlessness share together, or what does light have in common with darkness?

The loophole for believers regarding the stealing of inheritance or being taken advantage of is being unequally yoked. Core values about faith, life and what it means to be married, future and so on, can be the same while incidental things like food preferences and hobby interests, work and education are different. It would be boring to have every aspect of life be the same. In an equally yoked relationship, be it friend of spouse, the surface differences can be worked out if the core values are the same. The same is not true if the core values are different.

Amo 3:3 (NASB20) says: Do two people walk together unless they have agreed to meet?

Relationships can rise above the issues if the core values are the same because the people involved are dancing to the same tune and will eventually finish the dance (conversation, goal, project) together harmoniously (even if a toe or two gets stepped on unintentionally). Without the same values would be like two people trying to dance together to different beats. One dances a waltz while the partner is dancing the salsa. Someone is going to get hurt.

The core values of a believer in the marketplace leads to wonderful work ethics and talents because they are Spirit led and stable. This is attractive to those who are surrounded by the unpredictability of the world system. Advancement in relationships and responsibility naturally follows. Favor is upon the believer because of the gifts that they offer. It is a bit of a quandary for the unbeliever to know the boundaries.

Christianity as I have experienced it, teaches us to be “nice” like Jesus was “nice.” We are to be forgiving and loving. But not many teachers of the Christian faith teach how to be wise as serpents while being harmless as doves. Not many teachers instruct on having a backbone, being strong in the Lord as David was strong before the giant Goliath, destroying the works of the devil with the authority of Christ that is within us by the power of the Holy Spirit. David was also strong in faith as he respected order and placement while maintaining his integrity regarding Saul. And what about the time David and Jonathan took out the Philistine camp? King David was not a doormat. He knew what belonged to him, who he was and to Whom he belonged. He made incredible blunders, yes. His unequal union with Bathsheba ended in death of a child and separation from God. The spiritual life and closeness with God suffered. His agenda strayed to the temptations around him. But he also knew the forgiveness of God and embraced the relationship he had with Him. However, forgiveness did not obliterate the consequences of bad decisions. The responsibility to be wise was up to David to choose that which led to life.

Doormats tend to get stepped on, smeared with whatever is stepped on, and eventually thrown away. Make no mistake, the world will take all they can from you as long as it is permitted. It is up to the believer in Christ to be wise and set the boundary, this far and no more, keeping the inheritance, talents, and gifts, intact for the next generation of believers to build upon. Believers must keep in focus where their provision and protection come from.

This is a kingdom attitude. It takes kingdom faith that does not look to man for sustenance or provision, but rather seeks first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness first. THEN all those things will be added unto you. Matthew 6:19-34 has SO MUCH TO SAY about living in the world but not of it. God’s opinion regarding our stewardship of the gifts, talents, and inheritance we receive from Him is clear throughout scripture. We need only to search it out. No one is going to do that for you.

2Timothy 2:15 says: Study and do your best to present yourself to God approved, a workman [tested by trial] who has no reason to be ashamed, accurately handling and skillfully teaching the word of truth. (AMP)

May the wisdom of Christ saturate your circumstances today. May supernatural direction be clear in every situation. May you find the boundaries fall in pleasant places as you may prosper and grow in your faith. May the revelation of “Seeking the Kingdom and His Righteousness” become clear and presently applicable to the questions you have regarding relationships of all kinds, work, provision, and responsibilities.

It is God who promotes,

It is God who provides.

It is God who protects and gives the increase.

We were not created to strive. Through the power of the Holy Spirit within, we were created to thrive.

Grace and peace,

Anne

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Get Ready

By Anne Bradshaw • May 29, 2025

Hear His voice, and Go

He Invites Our Participation

By Anne Bradshaw • May 8, 2025

Dear Reader, It has been on my mind this morning the incredible gift we have in Christ to be members of the Family of God, the Church Jesus is building, citizens of the Kingdom, joint heirs with Christ. We are in His Good Care, always. I’m sure you have also had moments when the appreciation for this gift seems to eclipse the momentary business of daily life. I’m sure you would have your insights as well to add. It is from this place that I am sharing today. My husband and I take time each morning to pray together for family, the Church and the nation. Today when we were praying for our nation and for the people of God, we prayed for those who hear His voice that they would choose obedience above the temptations and the insecurities that they may experience. We prayed for Congress, especially, to be focused on good stewardship of the office they are holding and accomplish the pressing needs of the nation rather than simply the “easy” stuff they can agree on. Our prayers were for those who are not being good stewards of the power and influence they have been given, would now make choices according to the Law of the Spirit of Life or be removed from their places of power and influence until they can fulfill their oath of office responsibly and faithfully. It occurred to me amidst the prayer time, that God really doesn’t need our approval to accomplish His plan. He doesn’t need anyone to be obedient. He invites it. He designed the covenantal relationship with us to not be dependent upon us because He is somehow lacking in something we have, rather He includes us because it is His good pleasure. When I say he doesn’t need us, I mean that He is God all by Himself. He doesn’t need anything from us in order to maintain His sovereignty and Grace and accomplish His plan for humanity that is already in the works. When I was young, I used to think that if I stopped believing in God He would simply vanish. It was quite a revelation to realize I was not that powerful and that whether I believed or not, approved or not, was happy, sad, faithful or disobedient, God was still God. He is faithful to His covenant regardless of my momentary lapses or victories. He loved me and wanted me to have the abundant life promised. Then I learned an even greater truth. It’s not about me. Never was. There is no personal plan of God for my life. It isn’t all planned out. He just knows what is in store and prepares me in advance with all the skills and ability I need to enjoy, endure or receive all that is ahead of me. He’s in my corner, but not for my sake… It’s for everyone. It’s for His kingdom, His righteousness working through me so ALL can have an abundant life promised. I just have a small corner in a much bigger purpose in which to work and follow His leading. It’s not about me... I find that incredibly freeing. I can’t make a mistake that messes up His plan. I’m not that powerful. I am free to choose. I am offered leadership and favor according to His good will for me, for all. If the consequences of sin are experienced, it is because sin carries its own punishment. And sometimes that punishment spills over to others. A drunk driver could have an accident and kill other people. The other people didn’t do anything wrong; the evil of alcohol abuse is at fault. But God still cares and is not defined by the accident. He takes care of His people, but that doesn’t mean we don’t experience the fall out of evil in our world. He promises to walk with us through it. He promises His justice. Evil wears out because it “eats its own” just as a wasting disease will “eat” the host until there is nothing left to survive, then the disease also dies with the host it destroyed. This is evil. God never designed our bodies to host wasting diseases. He didn’t design us to sin. We were meant for more. Evil things have been happening behind the scenes of our government for years. It is now being revealed. Pray with us that the evil will not only be brought to light, but that it will also receive the just judgment of God and His righteousness through His people who are even now, building impenetrable cases to process. We pray for them. We must keep the courts in our prayers that the just judgments of God would be able to work successfully. We must not be discouraged when judges make rulings that are prejudiced, excessive, biased and unfair. Why? Because our hope is in the Lord who is above all and sees all and is faithful to His Covenant with those who believe. God always wins. Those who confront the evil of death, doubt and despair, are not forgotten. The mothers and fathers who lost children to fentanyl, brought in and distributed illegally in our nation, are not forgotten. The people struggling to pay debts, to provide for family and be good stewards are not forgotten. What is needed is for the Church Jesus is building to realize the power of her voice among the nations to make a difference; speak forth the will of God, His one Will, His Just Judgments. What we have currently is a church that is praying in a dozen or more different directions. Because God has Chosen to work through us, is it not important that we steward that responsibility corporately with accuracy rather than personally? Is it a surprise that personal agendas are most likely not God’s agenda? If it is the Church’s mandate to push back darkness and administrate the principles of the Kingdom of God upon the earth, is it any wonder evil has gotten a foothold when we are so busy looking after “me, myself, and I” our own local church food banks and Sunday morning services rather than speaking as one with the whole church against the evil that is even making the food banks necessary? Here's a thought: Maybe those who run the food banks (for example) wonder what purpose they would have if the food banks were not necessary? (just a thought) Would they pray to end the need for something in which they are finding fulfillment? Could the concern for fulfillment, validation, and significance apply to any other Church-run organization made necessary because of the works of evil? I wonder, how many have read Matthew 23 lately? Maybe it isn't that. Maybe the sincere concern for others cannot see past the momentary need to the corporate power of the Faith of God and the one Church Jesus is building to confront the evil source and heal the root of the need. Something to think about, anyway... Grace and peace, my friends. Anne