Talent + Knowledge + Understanding + Wisdom + Inspiration

Common Sense Commentary: Growing in grace is a progression from inborn talent to the Spirit filled life.  The Lord gifted and called Bezaleel, a talented, knowledgeable, perceptive, wise and Spirit filled
man to build God's Holy Tabernacle with all its intricate, message filled meanings.  There God would dwell among His people.  "I have filled him (Bezaleel) with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship (talent). Ex.31:3

Talent:
Talent is an inborn gift from our Creator.  It comes in many and varied types and degrees; it usually makes itself known in childhood.  It is one of the thousands of differences in our genes and DNA.  It first shows up in trivial, childish expression of a talent with language, art, music, design, construction, agility, memory or playing nurse or doctor.  Every single person on earth has at least one talent, including handicapped people.  But the same talent will vary with each person who has it and will be expressed in some unique way.  Talent must be cultivated, trained, educated and used or it will wither away and be lost.  But if used, it must be used for good not evil or it will be worse than useless,  it will be an offence to God who gave it.  Matt.25:14-30 ( Talents ... valuable gifts given to individuals by the Master to invest). 

Knowledge:
The earth is full and overflowing with knowledge, free to be enjoyed, learned and used for the good of humanity and the service of God.  It may be studied and understood or not studied and not understood ...
but it is there ... in your face ... to be absorbed by willing minds and hearts.  All true knowledge is the LORD's as all truth is the LORD's truth.  It is neutral as truth is neutral.  It is what it is and always shall be what it is, recorded in the everlasting record books of God.  "... The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD ...."  Isa.11:9

Understanding:
Understanding the facts or information contained in knowledge is an inborn talent (IQ) given by our Creator as are music, art, language, teaching,  analytical and medical aptitudes to be cultivated and used  in all human endeavour and the service of God.  Understanding is the gift of comprehension which is often called instinct but is a higher level of perception.  It is individual and unique to those who have it in varying degrees.  These gifts are shared in some measure with all of humanity so they are not "the gifts of the Spirit" which are for Spirit filled Christians 0nly as outlined in 1Cor.12:4-9.

Wisdom:
Wisdom is also a gift of God but not inborn.  Its divine purpose is in the correct use of knowledge and understanding in conforming to reality and basic truths.  Wisdom is God's gift to all who sincerely want it for spiritual purposes.  "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth .... and it shall be given him."  James1:5.  Wisdom separates truth from error, and friend from foe.  Wisdom is rational and at peace with nature, reality, his neighbor and with God.  Wisdom is perceptive of simple basic truth.  It is of rarer and higher quality than knowledge or understanding.  A genius of particular knowledge may be grossly unwise.  A teacher of knowledge  who understands her subject may also be without an ounce of wisdom.

Inspiration:
Inspiration is a wholly holy different thing.  The word "inspire" means "In the Spirit" in similarity to your
lungs "inhaling air", your spirit inhales the Spirit of God.  True inspiration therefore, is limited to the true children of God whose "bodies are the temple of God". "What? know ye not that your bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own." 1Cor.6:19.
All true Christians have the Spirit of God. "... If any man (human) have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." Rom.8:9.  So true Christians have all there is of the person and presence of God's Spirit but most often, He does not have all there is of us.  That is the problem... NOT  having "more of God" but Him having more of us.  God's Spirit is not vapor, liquid or weight that may be given in measured amounts.  He is a person. He either lives in you or He doesn't.  It is we Christians who do not yield every crack and crevice of our lives to God.  That is the problem. "God giveth not the Spirit by measure ..." Jn.3:34. The words "to him" are in italics which means they were not in the original manuscripts but were added by the translators.  If God had wanted extra words in His pronouncement He surely would have said them. So true  "inspiration" is only experienced by those in whom the Spirit of God resides.  Inspiration is the highest level of thought, feeling, and accomplishment because it is God's guidance in our lives.  The world is crying out of desperation for true, honest and wise leadership.  Who will go for God ?

Pass it on. RB