Re: [Awake4HisReturn] THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD
God is always right and we are always wrong. All we have to do is share the good news.
"It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me." Daniel 4:2
THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD
"Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God." Romans 11:33
Daniel 12:4 says that in the last days "knowledge shall be increased." In the early 1990s, it was reported that knowledge was doubling at the rate of every two years. Futurist John Nesbitt predicted that by the year 2020, knowledge would double every 35 days! Thanks to the Internet, an abundance of information is now available at the click of a mouse. Unfortunately, this presents a greater temptation to waste time studying subjects that have little or no eternal value. How many of you would admit to spending countless hours on Wikipedia? (Yes, my hand is raised too.)
By the time I committed my life to the Lord in 1998, I was studying various self-help materials. Soon I became frustrated and eventually realized that true success comes from studying and obeying God's word. Joshua 1:8 tells us, "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success."
Hosea 4:6 says, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." This refutes the old adage "ignorance is bliss." Ecclesiastes 7:12 specifically mentions "the excellence of knowledge." Job 15:2 talks about "empty knowledge." Therefore, we need to be selective in what types of knowledge to absorb. Many people today know more about the personal problems of Hollywood celebrities than the word of God. This is also a fulfillment of Bible prophecy. 2 Timothy 3:6-7 says that in the last days there will be "gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." Without the Lord, the pursuit of knowledge can lead people to sin.
The Fall of Man resulted from Adam and Eve disobeying God by eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The serpent deceived Eve into thinking that partaking of the tree's fruit would make her "like God, knowing good and evil." (Genesis 3:5) In contrast, Daniel and his friends refused to defile themselves with King Nebuchadnezzar's delicacies. As a result, "God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams." (Daniel 1:17)
Six times in the Bible you will find knowledge and the fear of the Lord
connected…· "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction." – Proverbs 1:7
· "Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD, they would have none of my counsel and despised my every rebuke." – Proverbs 1:29-30
· "Then you will understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God." - Proverbs 2:5
· "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." - Proverbs 9:10
· "The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD." - Isaiah 11:2
· "Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times, and the
strength of salvation; The fear of the LORD is His treasure." - Isaiah 33:6.Webster's 1828 Dictionary defines wisdom as "the right use or exercise of knowledge." There are "intellectual junkies" out there who think that learning all kinds of information and earning various degrees will make them something special. Yet Galatians 6:3 says, "If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself." Just knowing a bunch of data won't result in a successful life. We all need divine guidance in putting knowledge to good use.
God wants us to ask Him for wisdom (see James 1:5). Solomon prayed, "Now, O LORD God, let Your promise to David my father be established, for You have made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude. Now give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this great people of Yours?" (2 Chronicles 1:9-10) The next verse shows that because Solomon sought wisdom and knowledge above riches, wealth, and honor, God gave the king all of the above.
We need a proper balance of spiritual and natural knowledge that will be useful to our everyday lives. Occasionally I go to bookstores where I can sit down with a cup of coffee and browse through various books and magazines. In addition to Christian materials, I like to read about computers for my business purposes.
If God has called you to run a business to help finance the advancement of the gospel, then it would be advantageous to learn new things related to your field of endeavor. As long as you keep Jesus first place in your life, you can expect "downloads from heaven." Exodus 31:2-4 says, "See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze." The Holy Spirit can give us the supernatural ability to do natural things.
"Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies." - 1 Corinthians 8:1
Most Christians have particular subjects in the Bible they like to study more than others. Perhaps yours may be the love of God, the gifts of the Spirit, healing, prosperity, or prophecy. I pray that as God pours out His Spirit in these last days, He will bring all Bible-believing Christians closer together as we grow in knowledge and revelation of His word. Our purpose for learning new information (spiritual or natural) should be to become better servants for the Lord and not be a "know-it-all."
Over the years I've met believers who veered off into promoting doctrines that don't edify the Body of Christ but actually cause division. These self-acclaimed theologians need to meditate on Proverbs 17:27; "He who has knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding is of a calm spirit."
Recently I attended a prayer meeting led by a Messianic believer who was a strong proponent of a "post-tribulation rapture." Because I disagreed with her point of view, she became very aggressive in trying to teach me her beliefs. I had to leave because Romans 16:17 urges us to "note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them." Two days later, this woman (through a mutual friend) sent me an email trying to push her doctrine again. I sent a reply advising both of them to focus more on winning the lost. As Proverbs 11:30 says, "He who wins souls is wise."
Just last month as I was in the process of getting a motel room, I witnessed to a young man standing in line behind me who said he was "hoping" to go to heaven. As I started sharing the plan on salvation with him, this man rattled off Scriptures about water baptism and the need for doing good works. Despite this man's knowledge of the Bible, the devil was trying to use him to rob my time and question my salvation. Finally I handed this man a tract and walked away. Romans 10:2-3 says, "For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God."
The Apostle Paul himself was a very educated man who was told by Festus, "Much learning is driving you mad!" (Acts 26:24) Still Paul wrote in Philippians 3:8 (after detailing all his credentials), "Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ." Paul also wrote in 1 Corinthians 13:2, "And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing." You could be a "walking Bible" and still be unprofitable for the Master's use. Our motive for sharing the word of God with people must be because we love them, not to prove that we are right and they are wrong. 1 Corinthians 13:8 goes on to say that knowledge "…will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth]." (Amplified translation)
"For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." – 1 Timothy 2:3-4
The Bible says that after Felix heard Paul's testimony "…having more accurate knowledge of the Way, he adjourned the proceedings and said, `When Lysias the commander comes down, I will make a decision on your case'…and after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, `Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.'" (Acts 24:22, 24-26) Felix heard the gospel many times but kept delaying to receive salvation.
This happens a lot when I'm out evangelizing. People often say, "I've heard this before" and still won't acknowledge their need to repent. One man I witnessed to over the Internet sent me an email that read, "When I choose a belief system, I want all the facts." Do people choose to get into a car only until after they knew everything about how it worked mechanically? No. They had simple child-like faith in that car to get them wherever they needed to go. Romans 8:7 says that "…the carnal mind is enmity against God."
How about you? If you died right now, where would you spend eternity? Romans 3:20 says, "Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin." Good works will not get you into heaven. All of us have violated God's commandments. The only cure for sin is the blood of Jesus. You become "born again" by confessing with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believing in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead (Romans 10:9). So if you have never done that, then I invite you to say a prayer like this one out loud…
"God in Heaven, I know I'm a sinner and I need Your help. I believe in my heart that Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins and rose again from the dead. Jesus, come into my heart, make Yourself real to me, fill me with the Holy Spirit, keep me away from sin, make me a soul winner, be my Lord and Savior. Amen."
Congratulations! You have just reserved a place in heaven by making Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior. God has an awesome plan and purpose for your life that will manifest if you take the time to build a relationship with Him.He who has ears to hear let him hear.
Remember
Only one life, will soon be past,
Only what is done, for Christ will last.The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen. (2 Corinthians 13:14)
Love & Prayers,
Michael J. Knight.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/A-C-T-S/
What we are is God's gift to us. What we become is our gift to God.
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