As you learn more about His character, His promises and His plan for salvation of mankind, you will grow in your spiritual maturity. Look at verse 29. If this sounds familiar, it could mean that you have the gift of a word of knowledge waiting to be released, stretching out the tent of Gods Kingdom. 1. Hello, my name is Kenny Gatlin. Also, just as Christians can ask God for wisdom, they can also ask Him to guide them to books, sermons, podcasts, etc., that can boost their growth in spiritual knowledge. John Spurgeon was the father of the famous Charles. The benefits of reading the Bible. What a glorious promise of results in our work! 1:3). While this is similar to the one above, it is distinctly different. Those with understanding can extract the meaning out of informationseeing the what, how, and whyenabling a person to produce life principles. To enjoy the amazing benefit from having wisdom and knowledge, once you have acquired them, you need to do the following: Wisdom is God, and He desires for you to know and understand Him. The proper . Fearing the Lord is not a fear of fright but a reverence to God. Human intellect needs to be redeemed so believers will have the mind of Christ and have their thoughts transformed (1 Corinthians 2:16; Romans 12:2). Knowledge is neither ethically nor morally neutral. And it is these things that not only cause us to grow spiritually, but also allows us to truly enjoy the blessings that God has for us. Here are a few benefits of reading the Bible that I keep close to my heart and serve as reminders for me to stay in the Word daily. Millions of people know about Him who do not really know Him. It is important that we listen to God and His words. In fact, given the choice between wisdom and material wealth, they opted for wisdom, hands down. Also, she had the equivalent of a contest, where we had to find all 120 words in print, cut the sentences out (this was before the copy machine was invented! Knowledgeable in employment law. That is the way God has decreed that we will know Himonly through the Word of God and what the Word of God says. Spiritual gifts are often complemented by other gifts. If it had not been for the famous Charles Spurgeon, no one would have ever heard of John Spurgeon. There are some things that we are to develop in in our Christian walk that helps us to grow strong in faith and to be pleasing unto the Lord. Delight yourself in theLord,and he willgive you the desires of your heart.. No doubt His growth in wisdom as a child was based on the spiritual training He had at home (Luke 2:52). We cant do that if our minds and hearts arent full of knowledge and wisdom from reading His Word often enough. Peter later talks about growing to know Christ more deeply (2 Pet. The Lord, however, grants knowledge to those who have an honest relationship with him. Solomon and the wise men of Israel regarded wisdom, understanding, and knowledge as worthy pursuits in life. As a young busy mom, I grew in the Lord via Chuck's radio ministry. What biblical criteria are there? Jesus reminds us inJohn 17:17that it is Gods word is truth. Blind and short-sighted are used somewhat synonymously. Diligence means to get after something quickly and not hesitate. And Moses blessed them. If you've been wondering why your experiences haven't been as . WE SHALL BE BUILT UP Verse 23 tells us this. Believers hold to the Lords teachings so they can live in the truth (John 8:31-32). Wisdom is gained from God's Word. The context of that verse is Christians who had knowledge about the problem of food sacrificed to idolsmaking it ceremoniously uncleanbut new believers didnt have that knowledge yet. (. 2. But to say that those in verse 9 are not truly saved, you must say that they were never really purified from their former sins; they only claimed to be purified, perhaps through baptism. Psa 103:2. But, does Peter mean that if you are diligent to practice these qualities you will never sin? You cant find that anywhere but by reading scripture. Without keeping the cross in view, you will drift into ungodly living and will waste your life in light of eternity. Can a true Christian fall away from the faith permanently? We know from Scripture that knowledge is a gift from God. Lets look at a few scriptures that confirm that fact: Proverbs 2:6 says, For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.. In Hosea, God harshly admonished and punished the Israelites for not paying any attention to Him and forgetting His law. However, the reason so many Christians are weak is because they have not pursued diligently the knowledge of God and His Word. Your faith will hold you and sustain you. Wisdom has the advantage of giving success. False teachers come up with their wrong doctrine to justify their immoral lifestyles. ", Key Verse: Submit to God and be at peace with Him; in this way prosperity will come to you. (Job 22:21). Seek wisdom, understanding, and knowledge by searching the Bible. But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered. As a deer pants for flowing streams,so pants my soul for you, O God., Howsweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!. We believe that there is one God, our creator, manifested into three persons God the Father, Jesus the Son, our Savior and the Holy Spirit, the very Spirit of God, who provides spiritual power for daily living and Godly service. Be the Daniel 11:32 kind! Our burdens become lifted when we read of our God delivered others, throughout history, from defeat, hunger, death and more. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.. As 1 John 2:3 says, By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. And, you take none of the credit for your salvation. Gold or glass cannot equal it,Nor can it be exchanged for articles of fine gold. How we should act or react in situations. Will God forgive me for losing hope and the will to live? There are also many more benefits when you do. Second, how do you know that your repentance and faith were genuine? Solomon said, Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body; but that doesnt mean education is useless. Coral and crystal are not to be mentioned; And the acquisition of wisdom is above that of pearls. Seek counsel from God-fearing people that already possess Gods wisdom. Also, the word blind seems to fit the unbelieving, but not true believers. (10:21), Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it,But the discipline of fools is folly. Learn how your comment data is processed. When we understand more about who God is and what He desires for our lives, we can develop a deeper relationship with Him. Verse Concepts. In light of these great benefits, be diligent to grow in godliness. To me, this has become one of the most important benefits of reading the Bible. For them, clear thinking held the key to success Pure gold cannot be given in exchange for it,Nor can silver be weighed as its price. You will never experience any victories without also facing battles. God placeda tree of the knowledge of good and evil in Eden, and commanded Adam and Eve not to eat of the tree. As a pastor, its easy to fall into the trap of thinking that fruitfulness is measured in terms of numbers: If I can pastor a large, growing church, write best-selling books, and travel all over the world to influence thousands of other Christian leaders, I will be fruitful. Ministering to large numbers may indicate success in human terms, but we need to measure fruitfulness by Gods criteria. I help to develop spiritual champions for end-time living. They had become virtually blind to what Christ had done for them in cleansing them from their sins. Visit the about page for more info! It can become a point of pride or arrogance (1 Corinthians 8:1b). The literal translation is, they are blind, being short-sighted. These people were so focused on their present circumstances that they were not growing in the qualities mentioned in verses 5-7. She knew that motivation is a key to learning and she was a master motivator! There is no need to be a weak, anaemic Christian. As a Christians knowledge grows, love and understanding are needed toward those who may not have as much training. 5. May the Yet, he and thousands of others like him were godly, fruitful servants of the Lord. You see, only a fool thinks ignorance is bliss! Instead, it started with everything the Serpent saidthat Eve decided to believe., The battle of people choosing between good and bad knowledge continues throughout Scripture and to our present day. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:23 Gods word is truth. Reflected in OT wisdom is the Verse 23 tells us this. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. Therefore in some cases, we shall refer to all the three and in other instances only two, or one of them depending on the scripture reference. When something in the Bible doesnt make sense, Christians can test statements and arguments, and hold fast to what is good knowledge and biblical practice. And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver. Like every spiritual gift, the word of knowledge is imparted to . Matthew 4:4reminds us that physical food isnt all we need, but we also need Gods words to survive. Then begin to ACT. Our Humor pageinvites you take an exit ramp from the rat race, relax a little, and get a good dose of the best medicine: laughter! He insisted that people cannot enter it without living in a godly way.. Briefly, wisdom has three basic componentsknowledge, understanding and application: 1. If not, how can you gain this motivation. And all desirable things cannot compare with her. It was as if the Lord was saying to me, You focus on being as faithful and godly as John Spurgeon and leave it to Me as to whether you become as influential as Charles Spurgeon! Peter is telling us, Focus on growing in godliness and you will be fruitful in your Christian life., When Peter says, in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, is he talking about growing to know Christ more deeply as you grow in godliness, or is he talking about coming to know Christ at the point of conversion as the basis for growing in godliness? If youre not applying all diligence to grow in godliness, you need to examine yourself. Christ-followers desperately need solid biblical teaching in the church and through personal Bible study. They had continual, active ignorance to the law of God. The wisdom of the OT, however, is quite distinct from other ancient world views. When we read the Bible and see so many of the promises of God, we are comforted to know how very much He loves us and will see us through. 6) The Bible as the Word of God touches on every dimension of human experience. And knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. You may hear the voice of God. Benefits of cold therapy & positive mindset (beginners start with 15 seconds cold shower after hot daily and increase the time up to 2-3 min daily. With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor. The Biblical Benefits of Adding Knowledge In Your Life. It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir,In precious onyx, or sapphire. There are at least five reasons why knowledge and understanding are important for Christ-followers. As they practice these things, it will safeguard them from stumbling in the sense of falling away from the faith. As you learn what He has taught and how to conduct yourself and your business and daily affairs and as you see How to conduct your business in an ethical, God-ordained manner, you will become more successful. Promise to never leave or forsake us. For wisdom is better than jewels;And all desirable things cannot compare with her. Verse 23 tells us this. Christians are instructed to grow in knowledge of Jesus (2 Peter 3:18); and they will find that godly knowledge will be pleasant to their soul (Proverbs 2:10). Praying with and over scripture is incredibly effective and sometimes gives us the words when our own mind and heart fail us. John Calvin observes (Calvins Commentaries [Baker], on 2 Peter 1:8, p. 374), For the knowledge of Christ is an efficacious thing and a living root, which brings forth fruit. In other words, if God has opened your eyes to the glory of the gospel of Christ (2 Cor. As believers learn to fear God, the knowledge of the Holy One brings understanding (Proverbs 9:10). In Hosea, God harshly admonished and punished the Israelites for not paying any attention to Him and forgetting His law. How can I use the time, talents, and treasure that God has entrusted to me so that one day I will hear, Well done, good and faithful servant? So Peter brings us back to motivation. The Hebrew term for understanding is tebuna, which denotes intelligence or discernment. Years later, in my thirties, I went over to her house and thanked her for being such a great teacher. Mans thoughts need to be filled with the knowledge of his will (Colossians 1:9). If you are a true believer, you are an heir of God and a co-heir with Christ (Romans 8:16-17). It includes things like a teachable spirit, a willingness to listen, a desire to discover what is really there. This is one example of how our perspective about life changes as wegrow in the Lord. Lori Stith, from Stoic Matchmaker, a platform with a unique method to help other Christians apply the Bible to their lives. Reading the news too much? How Daniels Prophecy of 70 Weeks Connects to the End Times.
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