Powerful Knowledge

[0:00] A pastor's reflections. Powerful knowledge. John 4.22. You worship, you know not what. We know what we worship.! For salvation is of the Jews.

[0:13] Psalm 115.5. They have mouths, but they speak not. John 17.3. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

[0:27] 1.5. Knowledge is power, or so they say. But knowledge is power only if that powerful knowledge is properly applied to my life.

[0:39] For example, it would not do me any good to have a knowledge of nutrition, but to then eat only donuts. My behavior shows that I have never applied my knowledge of nutrition to my life.

[0:52] James 1.22. But be you doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. How deceptive unapplied knowledge is.

[1:04] To believe that what I know is somehow effective in my life simply because there is the knowledge of it. Knowledge must lead to practice to be effective.

[1:15] Knowledge unacted upon is simply wasted potential masquerading as wisdom. Psalm 107.43.

[1:27] Whoso is wise and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord. In Psalm 107.43, the idea behind the word observe is for one to watch over and guard what has been shown to him of God's workings in the psalm.

[1:47] It is not just to see these things, know these things, and then pass on from these things. But to see, know, and then respond by acting upon what has been seen and known.

[2:00] Having observed the works of God, how will I now respond to those works? Will I shrug my shoulders and simply pass on with the false belief that I am so much the wiser for what I have observed?

[2:16] Wisdom is found in the application of knowledge. If I simply take in knowledge without ever applying that knowledge to my life, I am not wise. I am a fool.

[2:27] If this principle of knowledge is true in areas such as nutrition and the ordinary events of life, how much more so is it in my relationship with God?

[2:39] How can I claim to have knowledge of God, but then never act upon that knowledge? How can I claim to have a relationship with God, but never act upon getting to know God? The most powerful knowledge in the world, the knowledge of God's love for me, is stripped of all its power and value.

[2:59] If I so unwisely never choose to respond to that love, act upon that love, or receive that love. Yes, knowledge is power, but only when power is applied in wisdom.

[3:15] Father, thank you for giving me the ability to respond to the knowledge of your love for me. Help me today to make the wise decision to act upon that knowledge.

[3:27] Thank you that Jesus not only has full knowledge of me, but chooses to also act upon that knowledge on my behalf. Amen.

[3:38] Amen.