Lord, give us the Spirit of understanding

Psalms 49:20 Lord, give us the Spirit of understanding
People say that humans are different from animals. It does not mean only because humans have different body from the body of animals. Humans have human mind, human soul and human heart. And animals have animal mind and animal heart. That's why we tell that humans are different from animals.
If a man has no human mind, people say, "That man is like animals." It a man understands like animals, he will live his life like animals. If a man understands like humans, he will live his life like humans. And if a man understands like the children of God, he will live his life like the children of God. But if a man understands like the devil, he will live his life like the devil, and he will perish like the devil. Therefore today's scripture says, "A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish." (Psalms 49:20)
The difference between Christians and non-Christians is understanding. Unbelievers understand that humans have evolved from the amoeba and the ape. But believers understand that humans were created by God. Unbelievers understand that Jesus is a kind of philosopher or a kind of the founder of a religious sect. But believers understand that Jesus is the Savior, the Son of God.
If someone understands Jesus and the bible in a wrong way, and tells about Jesus and the bible in a wrong way, he is a heretic. Wrong understanding makes people wrong. And right understanding makes people right. Some of the people commit sins very boldly because they do not understand their deeds are sins. That's why people say, "Ignorance makes people bold."
2000 years ago, the Jews crucified Jesus because they misunderstood Jesus as a heretic. And some others like Hitler brought tragedies to the humans, for they were captured by the wrong understanding. Therefore Jesus says, "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."(John 8:32)
If a man understands the grace of his parent, he will be a filial son. But if he does not understands, the grace of his parent, he will be a unfilial son. Likewise if we understand the grace of God, we will be the good children of God. But if we do not understand it, we will hurt the heart of God like the Israelites who always complained against God in the desert.
Therefore God said to them, "The ox knows his master, the donkey his owner's manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand."(Isaiah 1:3) "You will be ever hearing but never understanding ; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving."(Acts 28:26) "There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God."(Rom 3:11)
My beloved, we can be thankful to God when we understand the grace of God. And we can trust God when we understand the power of God. And we can do the works of God when we understand the will of God. Therefore the bible puts emphasis on understanding, especially understanding of guilty conscience.(Heb 10:22)
Let's look at the people of the age of Noah. God warned them of the flood. But they neither understanded nor repented their sins. Therefore the bible says, "They know nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man."(Matt 24:39) And the bible also says, "A people without understanding will come to ruin."(Hosea 4:14) "A man who has riches without and understanding is like the beasts that perish."(Psalms 49:20)
Let's look at Samson. He was the great man who killed a thousand Philistines with a donkey's jawbone. But after he failed in marriage, he fell into the sexual sin with Delilah. But he did not understand that it was a sinful act. And he did not realized that a big danger would capture him.
As for this, the bible says, "He woke from his sleep and thought, 'I'll go out as before and shake myself free.' But he did not know that the Lord had left him."(Judges 16:20) As a result, his eyes were gouged out, his feet were shackled, and he had to grind in the prison with contempt.
My beloved, why we hear the words of God ? Why we pray to God ? It's because we want to understand the will of God, isn't it ? If we do not understand it, many services are vain and meaningless. Therefore Jesus taught people the parable of the sower. "The one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."(Matt 13:23)
But many do not understand the words, so Jesus said, "Do you still not understand ?"(Mark 8:21) "Why is my language not clear to you ? Because you are unable to hear what I say."(John 8:43)
Brothers and sisters, without understanding we cannot be good students, good parents and good Christians. Therefore we have to pray, "Lord, give us the Spirit of understanding." The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of understanding. Holy Spirit let us understand what is wrong and what is right.
Bible says, "When the Holy Spirit comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgement."(John 16:8) "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, when the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."(John 14:26) "I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own ; he will speak only what he bears, and he will tell you what is yet to come."(John 16:12-13)
The Holy Spirit let us understand, so that we may know that Jesus died for me, God is my Father, and then we can be the faithful and good servants of God. But if we are captured by the spirit of the devil, we misunderstand and go astray. Our future depends on how we understand. If we understand by the Holy Spirit, we will be rewarded in the future. But if we understand by the spirit of the devil, we will reap the bitter fruits. Therefore if you want the better future, pray like this, "Lord, give us the Spirit of understanding"
Bible says, "Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand it fully."(Pro 28:5) "The way of the wicked is like deep darkness ; they do not know what makes them stumble."(Pro 4:19) "Non of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand."(Dan 12:10) "The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned."(1 Cor 2:14)
Brothers and sisters, don't you think it is hard to understand the will of God by human wisdom ? Don't you think it is hard for us to be good and faithful servants by human power ? I mean we need the help of the Holy Spirit of understanding for peace and harmony in our family and our church. Therefor let"s pray, "Lord, give us the Spirit of understanding !"