I Know

I Know

“For I know

that my redeemer liveth,

and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:”

Job 19:25, KJV

Supposedly, an eleven-year-old science prodigy, a college graduate, has discovered a theory that proves God does exist. To listen to him talk, I realize I know very little when it comes to science.

I may not be able to offer logical proof of God’s existence, but my lack of scientific knowledge does not change what I know about God—nor did Job’s lack of scientific knowledge, or his friends abusive words, change what Job knew. What Job knew we all can know.

Believing God to be the creator of all things, including science, I know science cannot disprove God’s existence. The revelation of God for Job, for me, and most comes through the written word of God, the living Word of God, and the revelation of the Holy Spirit.

For I know …

“ye have known him that is from the beginning … 

for by him were all things created,

that are in heaven, and that are in earth,

visible and invisible,

whether they  be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers:

all things were created by him, and for him …

 Because that which may be known of God

is manifest in them;

for God hath shewed it unto them.

For the invisible things of him

from the creation of the world are clearly seen,

being understood by the things that are made,

even his eternal power and Godhead;

so that they are without excuse.”

(1 John 2:13b;Colossians 1:16; Romans 1:20, KJV)

The science of creation testifies to the power and wisdom of God. Look around and see the beauty of God mirrored the soft gentle beauty of a flower, the power of God revealed in a volcano’s eruption, a hurricanes wrath, or at the makeup of a person and see the image of our triune God.

For I know …

“And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us …

‘For God so loved the world,

that he gave his only begotten Son,

that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,

but have everlasting life …

But God commendeth his love toward us,

in that, while we were yet sinners,

Christ died for us.”

John 3:16;Romans 5:8,

For I know …

“Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us,

because he hath given us of his Spirit.

And we have seen and do testify

that the Father sent the Son

to be the Saviour of the world.

Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God.

God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

God is love;

and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God,

and God in him.”

1John 4:13-16, KJV

For I know …

• Our God is one God in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
• Our God is from before the beginning and created the beginning
• Our God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent
• Our God is love and loves us with an everlasting love
• Our God gave his Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins, so we could dwell with him.

For I know …

• “that the Son of God is come,
• And hath given us an understanding, that
• We may know him that is true,
• And we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ.

This is the true God, and eternal life.

Job knew his redeemer lives. We will look at that more next time. What do you know?

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The Treasure in a Writer’s Heart

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The Writer’s Heart:

“The good man out of the good treasure of his heart

brings forth what is good;

and the evil man out of the evil treasure

brings forth what is evil;

for his mouth speaks

from that which fills his heart.”

Luke 6:45, NASB

A pen and a computer are the shape of the writer’s mouth rather than the tongue. The shapes differ but the origin of the words remain the same—the heart, the treasure chest of who we are and what we share with others.

Our readers need to know our words will add something good to their lives. Through our words we build a relationship with our audience—a relationship they can trust as they come to know us through our characters and how they handle life. As an author, our words speak of the real treasure in our hearts, and as we share that treasure our readers are given knowledge to receive it for themselves.

The Treasure We Share:

“For God who said,

‘Light shall shine out of darkness,’

is the One who has shone in our hearts

to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God

in the face of Christ.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels,

that the surpassing greatness of the power

may be of God and not from ourselves;”

2 Corinthians 4:6,7; NASB

The treasure is the knowledge of Jesus Christ. We have this knowledge because He lives in us, empowering us to share Him through the words we choose. For God has—

“willed to make known what is the riches

of the glory of his mystery among the Gentiles,

which is Christ in you,

the hope of glory.

And we proclaim Him …”

Colossians 1:27, 28a; NASB

For Thought:  The stories and insights we share as writers will influence others for their good—that which is eternal; or for their bad—things that may make this life more enjoyable but are only temporary. What treasure do you hope to leave your readers with?

Don’t You Know?

1 Corinthians 6: Don’t You Know?

“I thank my God always concerning you,

for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus,

that in everything you were enriched in Him,

in all speech and all knowledge …”

1 Corinthians 1:4,5

When studying chapter 6, a key repeated phrase came to my attention, “do you not know”. An idea popped into my mind-this usually scares most people. I am one who enjoys games and having fun. So, I made up a game for any who would like to participate called, “Don’t You Know”. Below are several statements and questions from 1 Corinthians built around what Paul thinks we as believers should know. Each statement has at least one blank for you to fill in. I used the KJV for the scriptures. I did give references and word choices at the end, but before using those see what you know.

Paul says in the first chapter we are enriched in Christ in all knowledge. This should be easy, right? Here we go.

1. Do ye not know that ___ ______ shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge ­______? how much more things that pertain to this life?
2. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save ______ ______, and him _________.
3. Know ye not that ye are the ______ __ ___, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
4. Know ye not that the _________ shall not inherit the kingdom of God?
5. Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little __________  ____________ the whole lump?
6. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your______ is not in vain in the Lord.
7. Know ye not that your _______ are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one ______? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.
8. What? know ye not that your body is the ________ __ ___ ____ ______ which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
9. Do ye not know that they which ________ about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?
10. Know ye not that they which ____ in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may ______.

11. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the _______ that are freely given to us of God.

WORD LIST: Temple of the Holy Ghost; bodies; the saints; things; unrighteous; labor; body; run; angels; minister; Jesus Christ; obtain; temple of God; leaven; crucified; leaveneth

So, how did you do? Knowing facts is good. But they can lead to a proud attitude apart from understanding the things freely given to us by God, what they mean in our relationship to him, and how we are to live. Facts in our minds alone make our heads grow but not our hearts.

For Thought: Which “Don’t you know” would you like to understand better? Which one means the most to you?

Today’s Reading: 1John 5:10-13; Do you know you have eternal life? This is the most important “Do you know” question of all.

Our Prayer: Father, you have given us all we need to share in godliness. You have made us your own through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, your Son who died to pay for our sin. May we learn all the things you have given us and walk in that knowledge to your glory. May we forever praise your name.

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SCRIPTURE REFERENCES: All in 1 Corinthians – 6:2,3; 2:2; 3:16; 5:6; 15:58; 6:15-16; 6:19; 9:13; 9:24; 2:12

Knowledge and Fear

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom:

and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.”

Proverbs 9:10

Did Jesus fear the Lord God? Think about it. If He did, shouldn’t we? Isaiah tells us Jesus, the righteous branch of Jesse (King David’s father), walked the earth in the fullness of the Spirit of the Lord. We’ve explored the Spirit through Isaiah’s writings in this month’s posts. Isaiah mentions the last characteristics of the anointed Branch in chapter 11:2.

“And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him…

the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;”

Without the spirit of knowledge of the holy, there is no understanding of the holy. Without understanding the holy, there is no fear of the Lord.

When the Israelites heard the voice of the Lord on Mt. Sinai, they gained first-hand knowledge of the holy. Their knowledge revealed their unholiness. They feared God and trembled. They saw Him as one waiting to strike them down(Deuteronomy 5:22-33). They saw only one side of the fear of the Lord.

Knowledge of the holy should instill fear in the unclean – a fear that seeks to be made clean.

“knowledge of the holy”

“And one cried unto another, and said,

Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts:

the whole earth is full of his glory…

Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone;

because I am a man of unclean lips…”

Isaiah 6:3,5

Isaiah feared to be in the presence of the Holy until his sin was purged (vs. 7) The knowledge of the holy reveals first our own sinful heart – the spirit we were born with. Once we grasp the knowledge of the Holy and believe it to be, we are in a place to receive his favor – his grace. The unclean sinful spirit should fear a holy God. For His holiness demands a new spirit born of the Holy Spirit of Christ. Without this new birth, we will die in our sin.

“For the wages of sin is death…” Romans 6:23.

This speaks not only of the physical death all face but of the spiritual death that lives throughout eternity. This death separates us from God and all that is holy and good forever. Knowledge of the Holy tells us He has a holy wrath. It falls on all who refuse His gift of holiness through the redemption found in Jesus Christ – the only name that can save us from God’s wrath and bring us into his grace. For He, being holy, is the only one worthy to take God’s wrath for us.

“But God commendeth his love toward us,

in that, while we were yet sinners,

Christ died for us.

Much more then, being now justified by his blood,

we shall be saved from wrath through him.”

Romans 5:8,9

Did Jesus fear God’s wrath? You decide. On the night of his death he walked to the Mt. of Olives with his disciples.

“And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation. And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying,

Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me;

nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven,

strengthening him.

And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly;

and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood

falling down to the ground.”

Luke 22:40-44

King David and Isaiah describe the wrath poured out on our Lord at his death. I’ve included excerpts from both Psalm 22 and Isaiah 52:14 and chapter 53.

• “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
• why art thou so far from helping me,
• and from the words of my roaring…
• I am poured out like water,
• and all my bones are out of joint:
• my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.
• My strength is dried up…
• my tongue cleaveth to my jaws:
• and thou hast brought me into the dust of death…
• they pierced my hands and my feet…”

“his visage was so marred more than any man,

and his form more than the sons of men;

• he was despised, and we esteemed him not…
• he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows;
• yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted…
• he was wounded for our transgressions,
• he was bruised for our iniquities…
• the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all…
• He was cut off out of the land of the living;
• for the transgression of my people was he stricken…
• he hath poured out his soul unto death…
• and bare the sin of many…”

The knowledge of the holy demands sin’s payment. This is his wrath poured out on His Son for us. If we do not receive his gracious gift, we will face his wrath. Do you fear God’s wrath? Jesus paid the price to free us from that fear. The choice is yours. Tremble at his presence or worship at his feet. The Israelites trembled. Moses worshipped. What is your decision?

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In my next post I hope to look at another side of fear.