Applied Understanding - The Men Of Issachar

All these men understood the signs of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take.

1 Chronicles 12:32

Every four years, candidates of all political persuasions say and do everything they can to convince us that they best understand our post-9/11 world and know how to keep our nation safe.

Whom do you picture as a person who understands our times? You probably think of a leader with a firm grasp of our culture, someone who knows what kind of leadership we need in order to deal with the forces currently affecting us.

The Bible tells us that the men of Issachar (one of the original twelve tribes of Israel) not only understood the times in which they lived, but also knew what should be done. That is a rare and valuable gift.

The men of Issachar fought for King David and helped him form effective strategies for defending Israel from all threats. They were the brains of David’s military and used their God-given wisdom to decipher what was best for the kingdom.

The men of Issachar had the all-important trait of applied understanding that we all need. They understood what was going on, and more importantly, they had the wisdom to form practical strategies that would meet the needs of the kingdom.

Like Israel during David’s reign, we live in perilous times. We need men who understand the times and who know what to do. If you believe in Christ, then you can be one of those men. If the Spirit of Christ dwells within you (as he lives in the heart of every genuine believer), you have all the resources you need to be a man of applied understanding. The world has never needed you more.

You don’t have to be a political or military leader to be a man of applied understanding. God calls you to understand your own times, and he will give you the wisdom and insight to know what to do, what to say, and what to pray. As a man of God, a husband, a father, a boss, or an employee, you have the opportunity to make a real difference.