MEDITATION: KNOWLEDGE

My meditation presentation Tuesday AM for teachers: KNOWLEDGE.

Proverbs 1:7 says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Hosea 4:6 says that God’s people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

The Greek word in both verses is daath (Strong’s 1847) and means awareness, not being ignorant. In Indonesian it is translated as the word which means to know someone, have a relationship with.

In nearly every language in the world (except English) there are at least two words for knowledge - one is this having relationship with, awareness of meaning, and the other is information stored. As teachers, the focus is on giving the second - information about subjects. But the greater job of the teacher is to make sure that a good foundation is laid for use of that information, and this begins with knowing the Living God. Without knowledge of God, head knowledge is worthless in serving him.

Bringing students into a closer relationship with the Living God, Jesus Christ, is a foundational function of teachers in our school.

UNEXPECTED TREASURE - DIAMONDS IN THE DIRT

Hugh and Liana with Pastors and Church leaders in Central Java

THE STORY OF J

My coordinator in Jakarta, Liana, has been Indonesia national secretary for Haggai Institute for several years. Some time ago, J., attended Haggai in Maui. She had contact with Liana for all the arrangements, but had never met her. Last December, J. rode a bus 4 hours to come to our seminar for pastors in a town near Solo, Central Java. I did not notice her until after the meeting when we were praying for people. I could see the power of the Holy Spirit on her, and indeed that power became manifest when I prayed for her.

Afterward (I still did not know who she was, or why she was there), she came again and asked for prayer. I told her I thought she had got what she needed already, and she said "no, I want you to prophesy over me, tell me what I should be doing." As I prayed for her, I first saw her running, then I saw her as’hinds’ feet on high places,’ her feet touching the tops of mountains. Specifically, I saw three giant strides, a foot hitting the top of each of three mountains as she ran. Then I saw the same giant strides and mountains, and as her foot hit a mountain, it lit up and became sparkly.

As I saw these visions, I told her what I was seeing. Then I told her my conclusion: that her ministry was to mountain people, that she would raise up leaders, powerful lights in darkness. She would be finding, cleaning, and enabling diamonds to reflect the brilliance of Jesus’ light. She squealed with delight.

It was only several days later that I found out that she has a ministry to mountain pastors, gathering them, encouraging them, equipping and helping them, in three areas. Liana was excited as she sent me a text message when she found out in a phone call with J. J. had invited us to minister to her groups - three mountain areas where Liana has long desired to go - mountains in the north coast of Java - but no doors had ever opened. Liana’s text: This is a lifelong dream come true - you really are a Dream Maker!