Proverbs 2; John 5:39; Proverbs 6:22-23; Colossians 3:16; Jeremiah 33:3; Psalms 62
We are walking in today: Good Things Come From Wisdom--The Value Of Wisdom.
Thank
You Lord God Almighty for sending Your servant to teach on wisdom this
morning. We pray that You would use Pastor Wagner in a mighty way, that
her flesh would sit down and yield totally to the Holy Spirit! Have
Your way and move on this line, we cry out to Abba! Thank You for
meeting us early in the morning in the cool of the day with this on time
word! Amen!
PROVERBS 2 (NKJV)
1 MY SON, IF YOU RECEIVE MY WORDS,
AND TREASURE MY COMMANDS WITHIN YOU,
2 SO THAT YOU INCLINE YOUR EAR TO WISDOM,
AND APPLY YOUR HEART TO UNDERSTANDING;
3 YES, IF YOU CRY OUT FOR DISCERNMENT,
AND LIFT UP YOUR VOICE FOR UNDERSTANDING,
4 IF YOU SEEK HER AS SILVER,
AND SEARCH FOR HER AS FOR HIDDEN TREASURES;
5 THEN YOU WILL UNDERSTAND THE FEAR OF THE LORD,
AND FIND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.
6 FOR THE LORD GIVES WISDOM;
FROM HIS MOUTH COME KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING;
7 HE STORES UP SOUND WISDOM FOR THE UPRIGHT;
HE IS A SHIELD TO THOSE WHO WALK UPRIGHTLY;
8 HE GUARDS THE PATHS OF JUSTICE,
AND PRESERVES THE WAY OF HIS SAINTS.
9 THEN YOU WILL UNDERSTAND RIGHTEOUSNESS AND JUSTICE,
EQUITY AND EVERY GOOD PATH.
10 WHEN WISDOM ENTERS YOUR HEART,
AND KNOWLEDGE IS PLEASANT TO YOUR SOUL,
11 DISCRETION WILL PRESERVE YOU;
UNDERSTANDING WILL KEEP YOU,
12 TO DELIVER YOU FROM THE WAY OF EVIL,
FROM THE MAN WHO SPEAKS PERVERSE THINGS,
13 FROM THOSE WHO LEAVE THE PATHS OF UPRIGHTNESS
TO WALK IN THE WAYS OF DARKNESS;
14 WHO REJOICE IN DOING EVIL,
AND DELIGHT IN THE PERVERSITY OF THE WICKED;
15 WHOSE WAYS ARE CROOKED,
AND WHO ARE DEVIOUS IN THEIR PATHS;
16 TO DELIVER YOU FROM THE IMMORAL WOMAN,
FROM THE SEDUCTRESS WHO FLATTERS WITH HER WORDS,
17 WHO FORSAKES THE COMPANION OF HER YOUTH,
AND FORGETS THE COVENANT OF HER GOD.
18 FOR HER HOUSE LEADS DOWN TO DEATH,
AND HER PATHS TO THE DEAD;
19 NONE WHO GO TO HER RETURN,
NOR DO THEY REGAIN THE PATHS OF LIFE—
20 SO YOU MAY WALK IN THE WAY OF GOODNESS,
AND KEEP TO THE PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.
21 FOR THE UPRIGHT WILL DWELL IN THE LAND,
AND THE BLAMELESS WILL REMAIN IN IT;
22 BUT THE WICKED WILL BE CUT OFF FROM THE EARTH,
AND THE UNFAITHFUL WILL BE UPROOTED FROM IT.
ARE YOU? ARE YOU GROWING IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD? WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO KNOW GOD? WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO INCREASE IN THAT KNOWLEDGE AND IN THAT WALK WITH GOD? DO YOU FEEL SOMETIMES THAT GOD IS FAR FROM YOU? DO YOU LACK HIS PRESENCE AND HIS COMFORT?
IT IS OUR GREAT CALLING, AS CHILDREN OF GOD, TO KNOW HIM AND TO PRESS EVER MORE UNTO THAT KNOWLEDGE WHICH IS ABOVE ALL THINGS MOST PRECIOUS, THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUE AND LIVING GOD.
BUT WE MAY BE MORE SPECIFIC. GOD HAS GIVEN CERTAIN MEANS WHEREBY WE GAIN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. SOME OF THOSE MEANS ARE THE FOLLOWING.
FIRST OF ALL, AND CENTRAL, ARE THE SCRIPTURES. THE SCRIPTURES ARE GIVEN TO US AS THE WAY WHEREBY WE COME, BY HIS GRACE, TO A KNOWLEDGE OF THE LIVING GOD. IN JOHN 5:39, JESUS SAYS TO THE UNBELIEVING JEWS, "SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES; FOR IN THEM YE THINK YE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE: AND THEY ARE THEY WHICH TESTIFY OF ME." IN PROVERBS 6:22, SOLOMON DESCRIBES THE HOLY SCRIPTURES IN A VERY BEAUTIFUL WAY. HE SAYS CONCERNING THE SCRIPTURES: "WHEN THOU GOEST, IT SHALL LEAD THEE; WHEN THOU SLEEPEST, IT SHALL KEEP THEE; AND WHEN THOU AWAKEST, IT SHALL TALK WITH THEE."
PROVERBS 6:22 & 23 (NIV)
22 WHEN YOU WALK, THEY WILL GUIDE YOU;
WHEN YOU SLEEP, THEY WILL WATCH OVER YOU;
WHEN YOU AWAKE, THEY WILL SPEAK TO YOU.
23 FOR THIS COMMAND IS A LAMP,
THIS TEACHING IS A LIGHT,
AND CORRECTION AND INSTRUCTION
ARE THE WAY TO LIFE,
THE SCRIPTURES, FIVEAM FAMILY ARE THE TALKING BOOK--THEY SPEAK TO OUR HEARTS, THEY GIVE TO US THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.
NOW, YOU CERTAINLY HAVE TIME FOR WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU. IS THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD IMPORTANT TO YOU? DO YOU THIRST AFTER THAT KNOWLEDGE OF GOD? THEN YOU ARE CALLED BY GOD TO SPEND MUCH TIME IN THE STUDY OF HIS WORD. IN THE BIBLE WE HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD THROUGHOUT TEACHING US, COMFORTING US, CORRECTING US, LIFTING US UP TO KNOW HIM AS THE TRUE GOD. SURELY IT IS NOT A LIGHT THING FOR ME TO ASK YOU TODAY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH YOUR BIBLE? TELL ME WHAT YOU ARE DOING WITH YOUR BIBLE AND YOU HAVE TOLD ME MORE ABOUT YOU AND WHERE YOU ARE THAN ANYTHING ELSE. WHAT IS THE BIBLE TO YOU?
AS BELIEVING CHILDREN OF GOD WE CONDEMN THOSE WHO IN SUBTLE WAYS DENY THAT THE BIBLE IS WORD-FOR-WORD THE WORD OF GOD. ALWAYS THERE ARE THOSE WHO INSINUATE THAT THE BIBLE IS, AFTER ALL, A MARRED BOOK, FILLED WITH ERRORS. WE BELIEVE THAT THE BIBLE IS WORD-FOR-WORD GOD'S WORD. WE QUOTE FROM TIMOTHY: "ALL SCRIPTURE IS GIVEN BY INSPIRATION OF GOD." IT IS ALL GOD-BREATHED. BUT WHILE WE CONDEMN THOSE WHO DENY THAT THE BIBLE IS GOD'S WORD, WHAT ARE YOU AND I, AS BELIEVERS, DOING WITH THAT WORD OF GOD? THE DEVIL IS AS PLEASED WHEN WE DO NOT READ THE BIBLE AS HE IS WHEN MEN STAND IN THE CHURCH AND DENY THAT IT IS GOD'S WORD. THE DEVIL DOES NOT CARE IF WE, ON THE ONE HAND, STRONGLY DISAPPROVE OF THE FACT THAT MEN SAY THE BIBLE IS NOT GOD'S WORD AND, ON THE OTHER HAND, WE OURSELVES DO NOT READ IT. HE IS EQUALLY PLEASED.
LIBERALISM, THAT IS, THE DENIAL THAT THE BIBLE IS WORD-FOR-WORD THE WORD OF GOD, LEADS THE CHURCH ON THE PATH OF DESTRUCTION. BUT SO DOES DEAD ORTHODOXY: A MERE NODDING AND OUTWARD ASSENT TO THE TRUTH BUT NO REALITY OF THAT TRUTH IN OUR OWN LIVES.
IF YOU DO NOT READ THE BIBLE AT ALL, I CANNOT SPEAK TO YOU OF PEACE AND I CANNOT SPEAK TO YOU OF HEAVEN. I CAN ONLY BRING THE WORD OF GOD TO YOU AND YOU SHOULD ALSO BRING IT TO ME: READ! READ, THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. READ THE HOLY SCRIPTURES WITH REVERENCE. READ THE HOLY SCRIPTURES WITH A THIRSTING HEART. COLOSSIANS 3:16, "LET THE WORD OF CHRIST DWELL IN YOU RICHLY IN ALL WISDOM; TEACHING AND ADMONISHING ONE ANOTHER IN PSALMS AND HYMNS AND SPIRITUAL SONGS, SINGING WITH GRACE IN YOUR HEARTS TO THE LORD."
HOW DO WE GROW IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD? WE GROW IN THAT KNOWLEDGE THROUGH THE HOLY SCRIPTURES.
BUT MORE. WE GROW IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD THROUGH PRAYER. WE READ IN JEREMIAH 33:3, "CALL UNTO ME, AND I WILL ANSWER THEE, AND SHEW THEE GREAT AND MIGHTY THINGS, WHICH THOU KNOWEST NOT." THAT IS THE WORD OF GOD TO JEREMIAH HIS PROPHET WHO HAS BEEN CAST INTO A PIT BECAUSE OF HIS FAITHFULNESS TO GOD. IN THAT PIT GOD SAYS TO JEREMIAH: CALL UNTO ME, PRAY, AND I WILL ANSWER. I WILL DO MORE THAN JUST ANSWER. I WILL SHOW YOU THINGS THAT YOU DO NOT YET KNOW, GREAT AND MIGHTY THINGS, THINGS CONCERNING MYSELF.
PRAYER IS ESSENTIAL IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. WE ARE INVITED BY THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, WE ARE ASKED BY GOD TO COME TO HIM, TO TALK TO HIM - REVERENTLY, FOR SURE. WE ARE CALLED TO PRAY. THROUGH THAT PRAYER WE GAIN AND GROW IN KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.
****AS YOU PRAY, DO NOT LOOK AT YOURSELF. DO NOT ASK WHETHER OR NOT YOUR WORDS ARE ADEQUATE. DO NOT CONCENTRATE UPON YOUR OWN WORTHINESS OR UPON YOUR WORDS OF THEMSELVES. PRAY FROM YOUR HEART. POUR OUT YOUR HEART BEFORE HIM, SAYS PSALM 62.
HOW CAN WE KNOW GOD WITHOUT PRAYER? PRAYER BECOMES THE POWER FOR HOLINESS. PRAYER AND SIN CANNOT EXIST AT THE SAME MOMENT IN THE HEART. PRAYER STRENGTHENS US BY DRAWING US CLOSER TO GOD SO THAT WE LIVE BEFORE HIS FACE. PRAYER GIVES TO US CONFIDENCE IN GOD, CONTENTMENT IN GOD, AND THE PEACE THAT IS FOUND AT GOD'S RIGHT HAND.
The only thing that is keeping you from being able to receive this unlimited and abundant source of knowledge from God is yourself. WHAT verses from Scriptures are trying to tell US – IS THAT there is only one way to get God to release His knowledge to you, and this involves three very easy and simple steps:
First – you have to really want and really desire the knowledge of God for you and your life. Scripture says that you have to “desire truth” in your inward parts, that you have to be willing to “cry out” for it and “apply your heart” to understand it. All of these key phrases are describing someone who has a major desire for this knowledge.
Second – you then get the ball rolling with God by starting out by asking Him to start to release His knowledge to you. Tell God that He now has a full and solid green light from you to release His knowledge whenever, however, and through whoever He wants to release it through. Tell God that you really want His knowledge released into your life, that you cannot live without it, and that you need it in order to be able to grow in the way that He wants you to grow in Him.
Third – and this step is what will make or break you in this realm – you now have to be willing to start to seek after the knowledge of God for your life. Once you put the request on His altar that you now want Him to release His knowledge to you – God will sit back and watch what you will do next. The Bible makes it very clear. It says you have to seek – and then you will find. It says you have to knock – and then the doors will opened for you. Two of the above verses state that you have to seek after the knowledge of God as one who would seek after silver and as one who would search for hidden treasures. These two key phrases are again showing someone who not only has a maximum desire for this knowledge – but someone who is willing to go into a maximum seeking mode to get it!
As I said, if there is one major secret I have personally learned from the Lord to get Him to release more of His knowledge into your life – is that you have to be willing to go into some kind of seeking mode with Him to get it.
At first, your actual desire may just be one of initial curiosity. You may wonder – will God really start to communicate and transmit His knowledge to me if I start to press in after it? If you are willing to give God just a few baby steps on your end to start to press in and seek after His knowledge, then God will be more than willing to meet you halfway. He will start to communicate and transmit His knowledge to you. And once this process starts, your hunger and desire for it will start to increase.
You will start to find that God does want to get personally involved in every area of your life – and that there is nothing that He cannot give you His knowledge on to help you be better at something, or to help increase your knowledge and understanding on a particular subject or issue you may be dealing with.
To show God that you really mean serious business with Him on this seeking mode – here are a few suggestions that you should attempt to seek into to get God to want to release His knowledge to you on a wide variety of matters and issues in your life:
You first have to show God you mean serious business with Him by getting into His Word – the Bible itself. If you are not willing to spend some kind of regular quality time in His Word – then chances are, God is not going to have much of desire to want to release His knowledge to you. The reason for this is the Bible is the only Book that we have down here that will give us direct knowledge about the Lord and all of His ways. If you are not willing to show God that you have a major desire to want to know more about Him, His Son, and His Spirit by reading from the only source that can give you this type of direct knowledge about the Three of Them – then God may not have much of a desire to want to release any of His knowledge your way.
A second good source of God knowledge that you can tap into besides the Bible are other good Christian books written by anointed teachers from His Word. God has anointed many to be able to teach from His Word and you can learn a lot from their writings and experiences. Many of the Christian outlets and bookstores are loaded with good, quality reading material that will help you grow in the knowledge and ways of God. You can also ask the Holy Spirit to help guide you as to which books you should read at your present level of development with Him. You will then find certain books jumping off the shelf at you as to what He would really like for you to read next. What I have found is that God will sometimes alternate between having you read from the Bible and reading from other good, Christian books.
Another good source to learn more about God and all of His ways are the radio and TV. Again, God has anointed many of His teachers to be able to preach and teach from the podium. Many of these teachers have their own radio and/or television ministries that you can listen to or watch from.
Another good source that God will use to teach you things is just from the normal circumstances in your everyday life. This will be another whole article in itself, but there are many different ways God will use to transmit His knowledge to you if you are sharp enough and observant enough to pick it up. God will talk to you though other people and different sets of circumstances. Once you start to enter into this knowledge journey with the Lord – you really have to keep your radars up each and every day as you never know when, how, or through whom God will speak to you next.
And last, but certainly not least, you will start to pick up knowledge direct from the Holy Spirit Himself. You will start getting “inner knowings” as to what certain things may mean. The Holy Spirit can also give you “inner visions” or “mental pictures” in your mind’s eyes when He is trying to communicate knowledge to you on something specific. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. The Holy Spirit loves to communicate knowledge by way of these visions or mental pictures in your mind’s eyes. He will also help you in interpreting what these pictures mean. Again, your job is to keep your radars up each and every day and jump on anything that God will start to transmit and pass your way.
If you are willing to show God that you mean serious business with Him by starting to seek after His knowledge through some of the above avenues, then God will start to supernaturally show Himself to you in this realm, and will start to communicate and transmit His knowledge and wisdom to you covering every area of your life that you are open to receiving His help and knowledge on!
With knowledge comes power! Knowledge will help you grow in the Lord! The knowledge of God will help change and alter the course of your life if you are willing to seek after this knowledge and work with the specific truths that will be contained in this knowledge. The knowledge of God can help set and make you free in this life. And you do not have to wait until you get to heaven before you can start to receive this kind of knowledge from God. God can start to educate you right where you are at right now if you are open to receiving it from Him.
I will leave you with one last thought. Look how far God the Father was willing to take King Solomon. If God was willing to take King Solomon this far in the realm of His knowledge – how far will God personally take you if you are willing to press in and start seeking after Him and all of His knowledge?
1 MY SON, IF YOU RECEIVE MY WORDS,
AND TREASURE MY COMMANDS WITHIN YOU,
2 SO THAT YOU INCLINE YOUR EAR TO WISDOM,
AND APPLY YOUR HEART TO UNDERSTANDING;
3 YES, IF YOU CRY OUT FOR DISCERNMENT,
AND LIFT UP YOUR VOICE FOR UNDERSTANDING,
4 IF YOU SEEK HER AS SILVER,
AND SEARCH FOR HER AS FOR HIDDEN TREASURES;
5 THEN YOU WILL UNDERSTAND THE FEAR OF THE LORD,
AND FIND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.
6 FOR THE LORD GIVES WISDOM;
FROM HIS MOUTH COME KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING;
7 HE STORES UP SOUND WISDOM FOR THE UPRIGHT;
HE IS A SHIELD TO THOSE WHO WALK UPRIGHTLY;
8 HE GUARDS THE PATHS OF JUSTICE,
AND PRESERVES THE WAY OF HIS SAINTS.
9 THEN YOU WILL UNDERSTAND RIGHTEOUSNESS AND JUSTICE,
EQUITY AND EVERY GOOD PATH.
10 WHEN WISDOM ENTERS YOUR HEART,
AND KNOWLEDGE IS PLEASANT TO YOUR SOUL,
11 DISCRETION WILL PRESERVE YOU;
UNDERSTANDING WILL KEEP YOU,
12 TO DELIVER YOU FROM THE WAY OF EVIL,
FROM THE MAN WHO SPEAKS PERVERSE THINGS,
13 FROM THOSE WHO LEAVE THE PATHS OF UPRIGHTNESS
TO WALK IN THE WAYS OF DARKNESS;
14 WHO REJOICE IN DOING EVIL,
AND DELIGHT IN THE PERVERSITY OF THE WICKED;
15 WHOSE WAYS ARE CROOKED,
AND WHO ARE DEVIOUS IN THEIR PATHS;
16 TO DELIVER YOU FROM THE IMMORAL WOMAN,
FROM THE SEDUCTRESS WHO FLATTERS WITH HER WORDS,
17 WHO FORSAKES THE COMPANION OF HER YOUTH,
AND FORGETS THE COVENANT OF HER GOD.
18 FOR HER HOUSE LEADS DOWN TO DEATH,
AND HER PATHS TO THE DEAD;
19 NONE WHO GO TO HER RETURN,
NOR DO THEY REGAIN THE PATHS OF LIFE—
20 SO YOU MAY WALK IN THE WAY OF GOODNESS,
AND KEEP TO THE PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.
21 FOR THE UPRIGHT WILL DWELL IN THE LAND,
AND THE BLAMELESS WILL REMAIN IN IT;
22 BUT THE WICKED WILL BE CUT OFF FROM THE EARTH,
AND THE UNFAITHFUL WILL BE UPROOTED FROM IT.
ARE YOU? ARE YOU GROWING IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD? WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO KNOW GOD? WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO INCREASE IN THAT KNOWLEDGE AND IN THAT WALK WITH GOD? DO YOU FEEL SOMETIMES THAT GOD IS FAR FROM YOU? DO YOU LACK HIS PRESENCE AND HIS COMFORT?
IT IS OUR GREAT CALLING, AS CHILDREN OF GOD, TO KNOW HIM AND TO PRESS EVER MORE UNTO THAT KNOWLEDGE WHICH IS ABOVE ALL THINGS MOST PRECIOUS, THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUE AND LIVING GOD.
BUT WE MAY BE MORE SPECIFIC. GOD HAS GIVEN CERTAIN MEANS WHEREBY WE GAIN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. SOME OF THOSE MEANS ARE THE FOLLOWING.
FIRST OF ALL, AND CENTRAL, ARE THE SCRIPTURES. THE SCRIPTURES ARE GIVEN TO US AS THE WAY WHEREBY WE COME, BY HIS GRACE, TO A KNOWLEDGE OF THE LIVING GOD. IN JOHN 5:39, JESUS SAYS TO THE UNBELIEVING JEWS, "SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES; FOR IN THEM YE THINK YE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE: AND THEY ARE THEY WHICH TESTIFY OF ME." IN PROVERBS 6:22, SOLOMON DESCRIBES THE HOLY SCRIPTURES IN A VERY BEAUTIFUL WAY. HE SAYS CONCERNING THE SCRIPTURES: "WHEN THOU GOEST, IT SHALL LEAD THEE; WHEN THOU SLEEPEST, IT SHALL KEEP THEE; AND WHEN THOU AWAKEST, IT SHALL TALK WITH THEE."
PROVERBS 6:22 & 23 (NIV)
22 WHEN YOU WALK, THEY WILL GUIDE YOU;
WHEN YOU SLEEP, THEY WILL WATCH OVER YOU;
WHEN YOU AWAKE, THEY WILL SPEAK TO YOU.
23 FOR THIS COMMAND IS A LAMP,
THIS TEACHING IS A LIGHT,
AND CORRECTION AND INSTRUCTION
ARE THE WAY TO LIFE,
THE SCRIPTURES, FIVEAM FAMILY ARE THE TALKING BOOK--THEY SPEAK TO OUR HEARTS, THEY GIVE TO US THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.
NOW, YOU CERTAINLY HAVE TIME FOR WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU. IS THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD IMPORTANT TO YOU? DO YOU THIRST AFTER THAT KNOWLEDGE OF GOD? THEN YOU ARE CALLED BY GOD TO SPEND MUCH TIME IN THE STUDY OF HIS WORD. IN THE BIBLE WE HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD THROUGHOUT TEACHING US, COMFORTING US, CORRECTING US, LIFTING US UP TO KNOW HIM AS THE TRUE GOD. SURELY IT IS NOT A LIGHT THING FOR ME TO ASK YOU TODAY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH YOUR BIBLE? TELL ME WHAT YOU ARE DOING WITH YOUR BIBLE AND YOU HAVE TOLD ME MORE ABOUT YOU AND WHERE YOU ARE THAN ANYTHING ELSE. WHAT IS THE BIBLE TO YOU?
AS BELIEVING CHILDREN OF GOD WE CONDEMN THOSE WHO IN SUBTLE WAYS DENY THAT THE BIBLE IS WORD-FOR-WORD THE WORD OF GOD. ALWAYS THERE ARE THOSE WHO INSINUATE THAT THE BIBLE IS, AFTER ALL, A MARRED BOOK, FILLED WITH ERRORS. WE BELIEVE THAT THE BIBLE IS WORD-FOR-WORD GOD'S WORD. WE QUOTE FROM TIMOTHY: "ALL SCRIPTURE IS GIVEN BY INSPIRATION OF GOD." IT IS ALL GOD-BREATHED. BUT WHILE WE CONDEMN THOSE WHO DENY THAT THE BIBLE IS GOD'S WORD, WHAT ARE YOU AND I, AS BELIEVERS, DOING WITH THAT WORD OF GOD? THE DEVIL IS AS PLEASED WHEN WE DO NOT READ THE BIBLE AS HE IS WHEN MEN STAND IN THE CHURCH AND DENY THAT IT IS GOD'S WORD. THE DEVIL DOES NOT CARE IF WE, ON THE ONE HAND, STRONGLY DISAPPROVE OF THE FACT THAT MEN SAY THE BIBLE IS NOT GOD'S WORD AND, ON THE OTHER HAND, WE OURSELVES DO NOT READ IT. HE IS EQUALLY PLEASED.
LIBERALISM, THAT IS, THE DENIAL THAT THE BIBLE IS WORD-FOR-WORD THE WORD OF GOD, LEADS THE CHURCH ON THE PATH OF DESTRUCTION. BUT SO DOES DEAD ORTHODOXY: A MERE NODDING AND OUTWARD ASSENT TO THE TRUTH BUT NO REALITY OF THAT TRUTH IN OUR OWN LIVES.
IF YOU DO NOT READ THE BIBLE AT ALL, I CANNOT SPEAK TO YOU OF PEACE AND I CANNOT SPEAK TO YOU OF HEAVEN. I CAN ONLY BRING THE WORD OF GOD TO YOU AND YOU SHOULD ALSO BRING IT TO ME: READ! READ, THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. READ THE HOLY SCRIPTURES WITH REVERENCE. READ THE HOLY SCRIPTURES WITH A THIRSTING HEART. COLOSSIANS 3:16, "LET THE WORD OF CHRIST DWELL IN YOU RICHLY IN ALL WISDOM; TEACHING AND ADMONISHING ONE ANOTHER IN PSALMS AND HYMNS AND SPIRITUAL SONGS, SINGING WITH GRACE IN YOUR HEARTS TO THE LORD."
HOW DO WE GROW IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD? WE GROW IN THAT KNOWLEDGE THROUGH THE HOLY SCRIPTURES.
BUT MORE. WE GROW IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD THROUGH PRAYER. WE READ IN JEREMIAH 33:3, "CALL UNTO ME, AND I WILL ANSWER THEE, AND SHEW THEE GREAT AND MIGHTY THINGS, WHICH THOU KNOWEST NOT." THAT IS THE WORD OF GOD TO JEREMIAH HIS PROPHET WHO HAS BEEN CAST INTO A PIT BECAUSE OF HIS FAITHFULNESS TO GOD. IN THAT PIT GOD SAYS TO JEREMIAH: CALL UNTO ME, PRAY, AND I WILL ANSWER. I WILL DO MORE THAN JUST ANSWER. I WILL SHOW YOU THINGS THAT YOU DO NOT YET KNOW, GREAT AND MIGHTY THINGS, THINGS CONCERNING MYSELF.
PRAYER IS ESSENTIAL IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. WE ARE INVITED BY THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, WE ARE ASKED BY GOD TO COME TO HIM, TO TALK TO HIM - REVERENTLY, FOR SURE. WE ARE CALLED TO PRAY. THROUGH THAT PRAYER WE GAIN AND GROW IN KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.
****AS YOU PRAY, DO NOT LOOK AT YOURSELF. DO NOT ASK WHETHER OR NOT YOUR WORDS ARE ADEQUATE. DO NOT CONCENTRATE UPON YOUR OWN WORTHINESS OR UPON YOUR WORDS OF THEMSELVES. PRAY FROM YOUR HEART. POUR OUT YOUR HEART BEFORE HIM, SAYS PSALM 62.
HOW CAN WE KNOW GOD WITHOUT PRAYER? PRAYER BECOMES THE POWER FOR HOLINESS. PRAYER AND SIN CANNOT EXIST AT THE SAME MOMENT IN THE HEART. PRAYER STRENGTHENS US BY DRAWING US CLOSER TO GOD SO THAT WE LIVE BEFORE HIS FACE. PRAYER GIVES TO US CONFIDENCE IN GOD, CONTENTMENT IN GOD, AND THE PEACE THAT IS FOUND AT GOD'S RIGHT HAND.
The only thing that is keeping you from being able to receive this unlimited and abundant source of knowledge from God is yourself. WHAT verses from Scriptures are trying to tell US – IS THAT there is only one way to get God to release His knowledge to you, and this involves three very easy and simple steps:
First – you have to really want and really desire the knowledge of God for you and your life. Scripture says that you have to “desire truth” in your inward parts, that you have to be willing to “cry out” for it and “apply your heart” to understand it. All of these key phrases are describing someone who has a major desire for this knowledge.
Second – you then get the ball rolling with God by starting out by asking Him to start to release His knowledge to you. Tell God that He now has a full and solid green light from you to release His knowledge whenever, however, and through whoever He wants to release it through. Tell God that you really want His knowledge released into your life, that you cannot live without it, and that you need it in order to be able to grow in the way that He wants you to grow in Him.
Third – and this step is what will make or break you in this realm – you now have to be willing to start to seek after the knowledge of God for your life. Once you put the request on His altar that you now want Him to release His knowledge to you – God will sit back and watch what you will do next. The Bible makes it very clear. It says you have to seek – and then you will find. It says you have to knock – and then the doors will opened for you. Two of the above verses state that you have to seek after the knowledge of God as one who would seek after silver and as one who would search for hidden treasures. These two key phrases are again showing someone who not only has a maximum desire for this knowledge – but someone who is willing to go into a maximum seeking mode to get it!
As I said, if there is one major secret I have personally learned from the Lord to get Him to release more of His knowledge into your life – is that you have to be willing to go into some kind of seeking mode with Him to get it.
At first, your actual desire may just be one of initial curiosity. You may wonder – will God really start to communicate and transmit His knowledge to me if I start to press in after it? If you are willing to give God just a few baby steps on your end to start to press in and seek after His knowledge, then God will be more than willing to meet you halfway. He will start to communicate and transmit His knowledge to you. And once this process starts, your hunger and desire for it will start to increase.
You will start to find that God does want to get personally involved in every area of your life – and that there is nothing that He cannot give you His knowledge on to help you be better at something, or to help increase your knowledge and understanding on a particular subject or issue you may be dealing with.
To show God that you really mean serious business with Him on this seeking mode – here are a few suggestions that you should attempt to seek into to get God to want to release His knowledge to you on a wide variety of matters and issues in your life:
You first have to show God you mean serious business with Him by getting into His Word – the Bible itself. If you are not willing to spend some kind of regular quality time in His Word – then chances are, God is not going to have much of desire to want to release His knowledge to you. The reason for this is the Bible is the only Book that we have down here that will give us direct knowledge about the Lord and all of His ways. If you are not willing to show God that you have a major desire to want to know more about Him, His Son, and His Spirit by reading from the only source that can give you this type of direct knowledge about the Three of Them – then God may not have much of a desire to want to release any of His knowledge your way.
A second good source of God knowledge that you can tap into besides the Bible are other good Christian books written by anointed teachers from His Word. God has anointed many to be able to teach from His Word and you can learn a lot from their writings and experiences. Many of the Christian outlets and bookstores are loaded with good, quality reading material that will help you grow in the knowledge and ways of God. You can also ask the Holy Spirit to help guide you as to which books you should read at your present level of development with Him. You will then find certain books jumping off the shelf at you as to what He would really like for you to read next. What I have found is that God will sometimes alternate between having you read from the Bible and reading from other good, Christian books.
Another good source to learn more about God and all of His ways are the radio and TV. Again, God has anointed many of His teachers to be able to preach and teach from the podium. Many of these teachers have their own radio and/or television ministries that you can listen to or watch from.
Another good source that God will use to teach you things is just from the normal circumstances in your everyday life. This will be another whole article in itself, but there are many different ways God will use to transmit His knowledge to you if you are sharp enough and observant enough to pick it up. God will talk to you though other people and different sets of circumstances. Once you start to enter into this knowledge journey with the Lord – you really have to keep your radars up each and every day as you never know when, how, or through whom God will speak to you next.
And last, but certainly not least, you will start to pick up knowledge direct from the Holy Spirit Himself. You will start getting “inner knowings” as to what certain things may mean. The Holy Spirit can also give you “inner visions” or “mental pictures” in your mind’s eyes when He is trying to communicate knowledge to you on something specific. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. The Holy Spirit loves to communicate knowledge by way of these visions or mental pictures in your mind’s eyes. He will also help you in interpreting what these pictures mean. Again, your job is to keep your radars up each and every day and jump on anything that God will start to transmit and pass your way.
If you are willing to show God that you mean serious business with Him by starting to seek after His knowledge through some of the above avenues, then God will start to supernaturally show Himself to you in this realm, and will start to communicate and transmit His knowledge and wisdom to you covering every area of your life that you are open to receiving His help and knowledge on!
With knowledge comes power! Knowledge will help you grow in the Lord! The knowledge of God will help change and alter the course of your life if you are willing to seek after this knowledge and work with the specific truths that will be contained in this knowledge. The knowledge of God can help set and make you free in this life. And you do not have to wait until you get to heaven before you can start to receive this kind of knowledge from God. God can start to educate you right where you are at right now if you are open to receiving it from Him.
I will leave you with one last thought. Look how far God the Father was willing to take King Solomon. If God was willing to take King Solomon this far in the realm of His knowledge – how far will God personally take you if you are willing to press in and start seeking after Him and all of His knowledge?
We seal this prayer in the precious blood of Jesus of Nazareth, the only Begotten of the Heavenly Father and by the Holy Spirit: Let us press into, Abba in our search for His knowledge and wisdom for our lives! What better source than the Creator of all things to lead, guide and direct us, in the ways that He alone chooses! Amen!
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