Knowlege can work for us or against us depending on what we do with it. We agree that all knowledge is not good, but knowledge that is God's truth is.
The Pharisees had much knowledge; they knew the law well and even knew how to interpret it for application. Jesus had knowledge, too; He also knew the law well, afterall He wrote it with His Father in heaven, but that is beside the point. Jesus also knew how to interpret the law for application. But there was one difference between Jesus and the Pharisees. Jesus knew how to turn knowlege into wisdom.
If we turn knowledge into wisdom by walking in its truth and making that truth evident by our actions, then knowledge works for us.
But if we are not careful, education and knowlege damages us by puffing us up and puffing us out. It can simply be knowledge that lays dormant in our pride and causes that pride to infect and spoil our character, for the Bible says that "...knowledge becomes arrogant..." (1 Corinthians 8:1) and that arrogance brings a person low, humbling them until they can reach the wisdom that directs them to God's righteouness. Being humbled by the Lord is not a fun process, just ask Nebuchadnezzar. (Daniel 3-4)
Knowledge in our minds that is not turned into wisdom by our actions is a virus in our processors. It becomes a worthless element that pervades and fills our minds, clogging it; it cannot be utilized; therefore it becomes a stench in the soul, wreaking with the smell of sin, smelling much like the Pharisees. They were a stagnant pool that diseased themselves and those in their company. But Jesus was and is a pool that gives refreshment, a water that gives life to the soul. He was the proof of wisdom in the actions He produced, not just because of Who He was but because of What He did.
So the question lies, what are we doing with the knowledge of God's truth? Is it a stagnant pool infecting us and those in our presence, because it is not producing actions that vindicate it? Or is it wisdom that is justified by our actions and refreshing by its existence seen in our lives? The truth of the matter is this: Knowlege is only power when its transformed into wisdom.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Identity Theft
Identity theft is the crime of someone acquiring your personal identity and using it for their own personal reasons, in others words they commit fraud.
Spiritually, we have an identity theif, but he does not want to be our identity, he does not want to use our identity, no, this thief wants to steal, kill and destroy our identity by attacking who we are in relationship with God and the ministry God calls us to.
Who is this theif? Satan.
Before Jesus started His ministry in Matthew 4, He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, fasted for forty days and nights, and became hungry. It was in His state of weakness that Satan attacked. This is so like Satan to attack when a person is down, weak, and stricken. And where is the first place that Satan attacked Jesus? And where does he attack us when we are in this state? Our identity.
Just before Jesus was led to the wilderness by the Spirit of God, He was baptized by John and concluding this baptism, the Spirit of God descended as a dove and came upon Jesus; God's voice from heaven said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:16-17) Publically, God announced that Jesus is His Son, His beloved Son; "beloved" refers to Jesus' mission and takes us back to Psalm 2:7, informing us that this word "beloved" is in reference to Jesus' resurrection from the dead. The baptism was in reference to His death and His burial, but God's claim that Jesus was His "beloved" referred to His resurrection. God claimed the identity of Christ and declared His mission.
Clearly stating the identiy of Jesus, Jesus was taken into the wilderness. Concluding the forty days of fasting, and entering a state of human weakness-hunger, what does Satan say to Jesus at the point of His weakness? "If You are the Son of God..." (Matthew 4:3) and immediately after the first temptation failed, Satan comes back at Him again in verse 6, "If You are the Son of God..." Both instances, Satan attacks His identity. Then failing yet again, Satan attacks Jesus' mission, by attempting to entice Him with the lust of the eyes and the riches of the world - all He said could be His if Jesus would fall down and worship Satan. (Matthew 4:9) If Jesus had fallen and worshiped Satan, Jesus' mission would have been halted and mankind would not experience what Jesus promised "...that mankind would have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10)
We can have the same baptismal and wilderness experience; we can have that wonderful quiet time in the morning; God lifts us up and encourages us as His child and directs us into His purpose, and then the struggles of the day come. We have a choice, just as Jesus had a choice: to easily fall into the pit of a stolen identity or fight Satan's tactic with the truth of God's word.
Protecting yoruself from the crime of identity theft takes time and effort. It takes delibertate actions to prevent the crime from happening to you. It takes inquiring and acquiring information that will help protect you. Just like taking these necessary steps to protect yourself from the identity theives of our culture, we must take the time to immerse ourselves in God's Word so that we are armed and ready to fight the spriitual identity theif - Satan. We must protect the truth of Who God says we are and the mission He has set before us. It truly is a matter of protection, life and death.
Spiritually, we have an identity theif, but he does not want to be our identity, he does not want to use our identity, no, this thief wants to steal, kill and destroy our identity by attacking who we are in relationship with God and the ministry God calls us to.
Who is this theif? Satan.
Before Jesus started His ministry in Matthew 4, He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, fasted for forty days and nights, and became hungry. It was in His state of weakness that Satan attacked. This is so like Satan to attack when a person is down, weak, and stricken. And where is the first place that Satan attacked Jesus? And where does he attack us when we are in this state? Our identity.
Just before Jesus was led to the wilderness by the Spirit of God, He was baptized by John and concluding this baptism, the Spirit of God descended as a dove and came upon Jesus; God's voice from heaven said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:16-17) Publically, God announced that Jesus is His Son, His beloved Son; "beloved" refers to Jesus' mission and takes us back to Psalm 2:7, informing us that this word "beloved" is in reference to Jesus' resurrection from the dead. The baptism was in reference to His death and His burial, but God's claim that Jesus was His "beloved" referred to His resurrection. God claimed the identity of Christ and declared His mission.
Clearly stating the identiy of Jesus, Jesus was taken into the wilderness. Concluding the forty days of fasting, and entering a state of human weakness-hunger, what does Satan say to Jesus at the point of His weakness? "If You are the Son of God..." (Matthew 4:3) and immediately after the first temptation failed, Satan comes back at Him again in verse 6, "If You are the Son of God..." Both instances, Satan attacks His identity. Then failing yet again, Satan attacks Jesus' mission, by attempting to entice Him with the lust of the eyes and the riches of the world - all He said could be His if Jesus would fall down and worship Satan. (Matthew 4:9) If Jesus had fallen and worshiped Satan, Jesus' mission would have been halted and mankind would not experience what Jesus promised "...that mankind would have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10)
We can have the same baptismal and wilderness experience; we can have that wonderful quiet time in the morning; God lifts us up and encourages us as His child and directs us into His purpose, and then the struggles of the day come. We have a choice, just as Jesus had a choice: to easily fall into the pit of a stolen identity or fight Satan's tactic with the truth of God's word.
Protecting yoruself from the crime of identity theft takes time and effort. It takes delibertate actions to prevent the crime from happening to you. It takes inquiring and acquiring information that will help protect you. Just like taking these necessary steps to protect yourself from the identity theives of our culture, we must take the time to immerse ourselves in God's Word so that we are armed and ready to fight the spriitual identity theif - Satan. We must protect the truth of Who God says we are and the mission He has set before us. It truly is a matter of protection, life and death.
Monday, February 1, 2010
He Never Returns Empty
Well, here I sit with a new toy - a blog site! A place where God can write through me and with this writing I hope to point people to God.
Some days, I am full of God's truth so much so that it is very hard to keep in. I feel compelled to share what God places on my heart. His message becomes this burning desire to go forth, to acoomplish, to comfort, to teach, and to guide others to Him.
I'm confident that when I write, using God's Word, He will accomplish exactly what He desires in whomever is reading these blogs.
How can I be so confident? Isaiah 55:11 promises this, "So shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it."
I trust that the "matter" God uses, such as a blog site, will be a conduit in which He can speak, bless and encourage every reader that visits.
I invite you on this journey of faith with me as we embark together on new adventures and new discoveries. I trust that we will become great spiritual friends in the process.
So, let's come to the water and drink...shall we?
Some days, I am full of God's truth so much so that it is very hard to keep in. I feel compelled to share what God places on my heart. His message becomes this burning desire to go forth, to acoomplish, to comfort, to teach, and to guide others to Him.
I'm confident that when I write, using God's Word, He will accomplish exactly what He desires in whomever is reading these blogs.
How can I be so confident? Isaiah 55:11 promises this, "So shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it."
I trust that the "matter" God uses, such as a blog site, will be a conduit in which He can speak, bless and encourage every reader that visits.
I invite you on this journey of faith with me as we embark together on new adventures and new discoveries. I trust that we will become great spiritual friends in the process.
So, let's come to the water and drink...shall we?
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