{"id":18829,"date":"2026-04-15T19:39:42","date_gmt":"2026-04-15T18:39:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.42ndgenerationfoundation.com\/achieversfaithdigest\/?p=18829"},"modified":"2026-04-28T19:40:14","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T18:40:14","slug":"earnestly-desire-the-principal-thing-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.42ndgenerationfoundation.com\/achieversfaithdigest\/earnestly-desire-the-principal-thing-2\/","title":{"rendered":"EARNESTLY DESIRE THE PRINCIPAL THING\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

EARNESTLY DESIRE THE PRINCIPAL THING – [WISDOM] – IN YOUR PASSION: THAT’S THE PATH TO GRACIOUSNESS AND GRACEFULNESS!\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

“Brethren, my heart\u2019s desire and\u00a0prayer\u00a0to God for Israel is, that they might be SAVED. 2 For I bear them RECORD that they have a ZEAL of God, but not ACCORDING to KNOWLEDGE. 3 For they\u00a0being\u00a0IGNORANT of God\u2019s righteousness, and going about to ESTABLISH their OWN righteousness, have NOT SUBMITTED themselves unto the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to\u00a0every one\u00a0that believeth”\u00a0<\/i>Romans 10:1-4.<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To have ZEAL, being zealous, otherwise called PASSION is good, but if without KNOWLEDGE,\u00a0it’s\u00a0dangerous and deadly –\u00a0it’s\u00a0full of foolishness, frustration and equally\u00a0erroneous\u00a0too\u00a0[Romans 10:1-4].<\/b>\u00a0A mere zealous or zealousness or just being passionate can create mistaken atmosphere due to pure ignorance especially in context of matters except there’s knowledge in the passion of which Jesus rebuked the Sadducees of their\u00a0erroneous\u00a0and mistaken acts to the context of resurrection as an example.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“. . . 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, YE DO ERR [DO ERRONEOUSLY, MISTAKENLY], NOT KNOWING the scriptures, nor the power of God . . .”\u00a0<\/i>Matthew 22:29 [23-33].<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And KNOWLEDGE is good,\u00a0but\u00a0without\u00a0UNDERSTANDING, it breeds arrogance,\u00a0pride\u00a0and rudeness. The place of knowledge cannot be taken lightly in every phase of doing life and living GODLY in Christ Jesus stead. Knowledge emancipates and delivers from all forms of stupidity,\u00a0ignorance,\u00a0and foolishness.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have KNOWLEDGE. KNOWLEDGE PUFFETH UP, but charity\u00a0edifieth”<\/i>\u00a01 Corinthians 8:1.<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But where ZEAL (passion) and KNOWLEDGE and UNDERSTANDING are together,\u00a0therein\u00a0is the WISDOM to do life and much more. The\u00a0WISDOM to be\u00a0accomplished\u00a0and fulfilled in\u00a0life\u00a0will always show up.\u00a0Proverbs 4:5-7.<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

SCRIPTURAL THOUGHTS WORTH PONDERING IN CONTEXT:\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

“Get WISDOM, get UNDERSTANDING: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.\u00a06 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.\u00a07\u00a0WISDOM\u00a0is the principal thing;\u00a0therefore\u00a0get WISDOM: and with all thy\u00a0getting get\u00a0UNDERSTANDING”\u00a0<\/i>Proverbs 4:5-7.<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Brethren, my heart\u2019s desire and\u00a0prayer\u00a0to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. 2 For I bear them record that they have a ZEAL of God, but not according to KNOWLEDGE. 3 For they\u00a0being\u00a0ignorant of God\u2019s righteousness, and going about to\u00a0establish\u00a0their own righteousness, have not\u00a0submitted\u00a0themselves unto the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to\u00a0every one\u00a0that believeth”\u00a0<\/i>Romans 10:1-4.<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have KNOWLEDGE. KNOWLEDGE PUFFETH UP, but charity\u00a0edifieth”\u00a0<\/i>1 Corinthians 8:1.<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“GOOD UNDERSTANDING GIVETH FAVOUR: but the WAY of TRANSGRESSORS is HARD [DIFFICULT, UNPRODUCTIVE]”<\/i>\u00a0Proverbs 13:15\/Emphasis Mine.<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Good UNDERSTANDING wins FAVOR, but the WAY of the TRANSGRESSOR is hard [like the BARREN, DRY soil or the IMPASSABLE swamp]”<\/i>\u00a0<\/i><\/b>Proverbs 13:15\/AMP Classic Edition.<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“The man that WANDERETH OUT OF THE WAY of UNDERSTANDING shall REMAIN in the CONGREGATION of the DEAD”<\/i>\u00a0Proverbs 21:16.<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“A man who WANDERS from the WAY of UNDERSTANDING (GODLY WISDOM) will REMAIN in the ASSEMBLY of the DEAD”<\/i>\u00a0Proverbs 21:16.<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Further\u00a0Scriptural\u00a0Reading:\u00a0Proverbs 16:16; 4:5; James 1:5.<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

SUMMARY:<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The message\u00a0emphasises\u00a0the importance of combining zeal (passion) with knowledge and understanding to achieve wisdom, which is the principal thing. Having zeal without knowledge is dangerous and can lead to foolishness, frustration, and error, as seen in the example of the Sadducees\u00a0(Matthew 22:23-33, Romans 10:1-4).<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Key points:<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n