YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT Part 3 KNOWLEDGE

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT Part 3: KNOWLEDGE

“Rhythm of Life” Series

CONNECT There is an old saying that goes something like this, "It's not what you know, but Who you know that makes all the difference!"

TENSION All of our lives have been affected by the things we do not know.  Ignorance is not bliss! We can't be like Sgt. Schultz from the old TV show, Hogan's Heroes, who went around saying "I know nothing; I know nothing" just to stay out of trouble. Many times, Paul warns us against ignorance.

Israel went into captivity because of ignorance of God's commands. 

Isaiah 5:13 (NKJV) Therefore, my people have gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge; Their honorable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst.

Hosea 4:6 (NKJV) My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.

SOLUTION God wants us to know Him more than anything.

Hosea 6:6 (NKJV) For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

INSTRUCTION TEXT 2 Peter 1:5 (NKJV) But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,

What is knowledge in the Bible? A general and deeper understanding of God and His ways. Israel knew God’s acts, but Moses knew His ways.  We are encouraged to grow in our knowledge of God and about God.

2 Peter 3:18 (NKJV) but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

How do we grow in knowledge?

Tools: Here are some things you can use to grow in knowledge.

Bible: Read it, memorize it, meditate on it,

Bible handbook: gives us clues to the context and culture of a passage or book.  Remember that the Bible was written for us but not written to us.

Concordance: used to look up specific words in the Bible; like a search engine.

Dictionaries: used to look up the meaning of words. 

Commentaries: see what other people have said about a passage.

Cross references: look up other verses that relate to the passage.

Software: Now everything can be done now on our phones, tablets, and computers; and a lot of it is free!

The Holy Spirit: the most valuable tool we have.  He can speak to us the meaning of every verse and apply it to our lives!

Let me share the process I go through when I am studying the Bible and preparing a message or talk.

First, I will read the passage in several different translations. I will also look up cross references and read other passages that relate to my current study.  The best interpreter of the Bible is the Bible!

Next, since I have not studied Greek and Hebrew, I will look up the key words of the passage in a Greek or Hebrew dictionary or a Bible dictionary.

Then, I will consult various Bible handbooks, Bible encyclopedias, and archeology works to look for cultural information to help me understand the passage.

Next, I will begin to read several commentaries to see how different men have interpreted the passage.  I will also look for books in my library that relate to the passage or topic.

Then, I ask the Lord what He wants to say to you in a particular passage.  He guides my thoughts to what the message will be that week.

Finally, I will develop the message using the things I have gleaned from my study.

Now, I am not saying you have to do all that for your use but spending time on a particular verse or passage can open our hearts (notice I didn't say our minds) to what God wants to speak to us personally.  I have already taught you how to read the Bible devotionally in your quiet time.  This is in addition to that.

One warning: head knowledge can be a dangerous thing.  Paul wrote:

1 Corinthians 8:1–2 (NKJV) Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. ² And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know.

1 Corinthians 13:2 (NKJV) 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.

I have known people know who the Word, but they are just downright mean! Knowledge for them becomes a hammer to beat someone down!  They are proud because they won an argument, but if the person does not accept Christ, then what has been gained!  The goal of knowledge is to minister to people, to help them come to a saving knowledge of Jesus.

As we get more knowledge it should humble us, not exalt us.  Head knowledge alone does not really help us. It is good as a tool, but we need to know God, not just know about God.  Listen to Paul:

Philippians 3:7–8 (NKJV) But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. ⁸ 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

The emphasis is relationship. The picture is the intimate relationship within a marriage. God wants us to know Him personally and intimately, not a cold sterile impersonal knowledge. It is very possible to know much about a person but not know him/her personally!

Illustration: My experiences with Richard Nixon...

Here is another warning: It is possible to know about God, even do Godly things, and still not have an intimate relationship with God.

Matthew 7:21–23 (NKJV) “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. ²² Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ ²³ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Matthew 25:1–13 (NKJV) “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. ² Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. ³ Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, ⁴ but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. ⁵ But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. ⁶ “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ ⁷ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ ⁹ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ ¹⁰ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. ¹¹ “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ ¹² But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ ¹³ “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

Illustration: Years of ministry before I got saved; I have known many like me.

APPLICATION

How do we determine is we really ‘know God’?

Let's look at what some Scriptures say.

Proverbs 1:29–30 (NKJV) Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord, ³⁰ They would have none of my counsel and despised my every rebuke.

Romans 1:28-32 (NKJV) And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

Galatians 4:8 (NKJV) But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods.

1 Thessalonians 4:5 (NKJV) not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God;

1 John 4:7–8 (NKJV) Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. ⁸ He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

How do we develop that intimate knowledge of God?

How do you develop a relationship with any one?  God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are persons; we can know them personally.  Remember when you were courting your spouse?  What did you do?  You spent time with them, you talked to them, you treated them like they were the most important thing in your life!  Do you do that with God?  Paul cried out to God this way:

Philippians 3:10 (NKJV) that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,

Let me give you some steps to intimacy with God...

1.  Spend time alone with God.

2.  Enjoy His presence as you linger there.

3.  Read His love letters to you.

4.  Tell God your desires, longings, ambitions, dreams.

5.  Tell Him about your weaknesses, failures, and struggles.

6.  Minister to Him.

We seldom think about ministering to God; we want God to minister to us!  God doesn't have needs like we do, but He enjoys our ministry to Him.

Ezekiel 44:15 (NKJV) “But the priests, the Levites, the sons of Zadok, who kept charge of My sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from Me, they shall come near Me to minister to Me; and they shall stand before Me to offer to Me the fat and the blood,” says the Lord God.

Many years ago, the Lord gave me a song from this passage...

You the priests who keep charge of My sanctuary

Come near and minister to Me

You shall stand before Me; you shall come near My table

You will enter and minister to Me

We the priests who keep charge of Your sanctuary

Come near and minister to You

We shall stand before You; we shall come near Your table

We will enter and minister to You

We are all priests of God and have the blessed privilege of entering His Presence and ministering to Him.  How? Praise, worship, thanksgiving, waiting... The Hebrew word 'minister' has all these connotations.  There is one more: serving.

Matthew 25:40 (NKJV) And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

INSPIRATION What happens when we get to know God intimately?

Daniel 11:32 (NKJV) Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong and carry out great exploits.