Swindoll's Living Insights Bible Commentaries. The Hebrew term for knowledge is based on the verb yada, to know. This is understanding with insight. To learn more about my story and my walk with God, check out my story, ESVScripture quotations are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Christ-followers are instructed to examine and meditate on the Word of God, because the knowledge God wants us to know is from Him. As a young busy mom, I grew in the Lord via Chuck's radio ministry. In 1 Corinthians 12, the apostle Paul lists nine gifts of the Spirit. Your faith will hold you and sustain you. It is important that we listen to God and His words. The more we receive (hear, obey, live out) His Word, the more we shall know Him. D.L. Then begin to ACT. Look at verse 28. Please contact us or click here to learn more about how to enable JavaScript on your browser. While this is similar to the one above, it is distinctly different. She could only worship God. From Living the Proverbs by Charles R. Swindoll, copyright 2012. Most verses in the Bible will bundle up wisdom, knowledge, and understanding because they work together. The same applies to the gifts of the Spirit; they work together for His glory and to build up His Kingdom. So she came to Jerusalem to test Solomon with hard questions. And you will be seeking to make your life useful and fruitful to the Master who shed His blood to redeem you. Human knowledge can cause pride and grief (1 Corinthians 8:1b; Ecclesiastes 1:18), and worldly knowledge is often opposed to biblical truth (1 Timothy 6:20-21). (2 Peter 3:15). Dont waste it living for selfish pursuits or for things that will perish. So I said, Wisdom is better than strength. But the wisdom of the poor man is despised and his words are not heeded. If you find it, then there will be a future. This virtue represents a manner of thinking and an attitude that result in prudent, sensible living. God says to love Him with our whole being, including the mind. But, your tent may refer not only to the body but to the home and the business. As promised, here is a suggested prayer for you to begin a relationship with Jesus Christ and obtain everlasting life: I acknowledge that I am a sinner. The word of knowledge is a revelatory gift and often works in unison with other gifts of the Spirit. . Life is a vapor (James 4:14)! I think I could score 100 on a test on those words today, almost fifty years later! Jude, which parallels 2 Peter 2, ends his short letter (Jude 24), Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy. The means that God uses to help us persevere in the faith is to motivate us to grow in godliness. One of the spiritual disciplines and a sign of spiritual maturity is daily time reading and studying Gods Word. You can gain knowledge by reading a book on becoming a better homemaker or how to cook the best apple pie, but when you read the Bible, you gain wisdom that will strengthen you, give you peace, give you joy and equip you to face lifes difficulties. . The abundant entrance into the eternal kingdom (this is the only time eternal is used with kingdom) may have behind it the picture of a returning war hero who is welcomed into the city with great fanfare. Thomas Schreiner explains (ibid., p. 306, italics his), Peter was not concerned here about rewards but whether people will enter the kingdom at all. If we claim to follow Christ, then its important for us not only know the character of God but also how He has worked His plan through history. 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). The measure in which we know God is determined by the measure we receive from Him. To grow in godliness requires applying all diligence, because you wont grow effortlessly. And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver. If youre cruising on spiritual autopilot, then take heed to Peters exhortation to be all the more diligent to make certain about Gods calling and choosing you. In Proverbs 1:27-29, God warned His people that in times of calamity, they would call out to Him, but He would not answer, because they hated knowledge and did not fear Him. Reprinted by permission of Worthy Inspired., an imprint of Hachette Book Group, Inc. In Patavodah, you will find articles and resources to help you live a satisfying life in Jesus Christ. How to deal with those who have hurt you. One of the benefits of reading scripture is that we mature as we grow in fellowship with Him and learn His commands. The answer is, God changed your heart so that now you desire to grow in godliness so that you will grow to know Him better. Sign up to receive Chuck Swindoll's Daily Devotional in your inbox seven days a week. 2. God placeda tree of the knowledge of good and evil in Eden, and commanded Adam and Eve not to eat of the tree. For one thing, she would use the words in a humorous way, so that you had to know the meaning of the word to understand the joke. Even so, they recognized the limits of human thinking: Trust in the LORD with all your heartAnd do not lean on your own understanding.In all your ways acknowledge Him,And He will make your paths straight.Do not be wise in your own eyes;Fear the LORD and turn away from evil. He who keeps understanding will find good. 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.. You Dont Know What You Dont Know: Knowledge, Understanding, and Wisdom. Knowledge forever pursues the truth. Wisdom, understanding, and knowledge are Spirits. If not, why not? It's also the ability to speak wisely and knowingly about a situation with truth from the Bible. in a secular home. Psa 103:2. Jesus says, I am the way, the truth, and the life. This gift can manifest as a vision, dream, thought, voice, or feeling. Verse 27 tells us this. First, we must understand that the Holy Spirit is our Counselor, distributing His gifts into our lives. A poor yet wise lad is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive instruction. Required fields are marked *. DILIGENCE = to search out; enquire; to seek after; to investigate; to crave. In many contexts, it denotes the ability to discern, based on past experience, the difference between two things (Genesis Also, we begin to find a new desire for the things which give Him pleasure look up Psalm 37:4. Knowledge is neither ethically nor morally neutral. My youngest, now in college, also is amazed at the nuggets of truth gained in such a short time listening. Christians today can learn from the mistakes and victories of people in both testaments. If we really know God and are working according to His gracious will, none of our work will be lost look up Mark 14:8-9; 1 Corinthians 15:58; and Galatians 6:9. False teachers come up with their wrong doctrine to justify their immoral lifestyles. Education has been an important factor in church history. He communicates with us many ways, especially in scripture. How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! That leads me to ask, why would anyone want to spend significant time and effort in this New Year to read and study Gods Word? Job shared that, as well as David in the Psalms. Jesus modeled this for us. Queen Sheba, like many others, had heard of the fame of Solomon. Most Christians are not diligent about anything in their Christian walk, which explains why things often turn out the way they do in their lives. And fear of the Lord (reverence for Him) is the beginning of all wisdom. Delight yourself in theLord,and he willgive you the desires of your heart.. 2. The Hebrew root yada [ [;d"y ],translated "know"/"knowledge, " appears almost 950 times in the Hebrew Bible. We cant do that if our minds and hearts arent full of knowledge and wisdom from reading His Word often enough. Believers can ask God for more knowledge (Psalm 119:66). Fearing the Lord is not a fear of fright but a reverence to God. I still know the meaning of sesquipedalian (a person who uses long words), erudite (scholarly), osculate (to kiss), pensive (thoughtful), and many more. Our bodies are the temples (tabernacles) of God (1 Corinthians 6:19), and when and as we really know God we shall share His hatred of sin and we shall deal with it look up 2 Corinthians 7:1. One cannot understand the fight against slavery, the women's suffrage movement, or the Civil Rights movement without knowledge of the Bible. This forgetful and willful blindness, due to their temporal focus, quenched their motivation to be diligent to grow in godliness. Its easy to be busy in the Lords work, but I dont want to be just busyI want to be useful and fruitful. Wisdom strengthens a wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city. I also find that writing scripture helps me to memorize more of the Bible and draws me to Him in a deeper way. The Lord, however, grants knowledge to those who have an honest relationship with him. Rabbi Curt Landry | Why He Shares Gods Heart for the Orphan, One New Man The Church and the Jewish roots of Her faith, Reaching the Nations with the Message of Yeshua, Spiritual Protection for Your Health and Wealth, Intercessory Prayer: 30 Days of Focused Prayer. A look at each book of the Bible, its author and overall themes. In light of these great benefits, be diligent to grow in godliness. Please note, our website requires JavaScript to be supported. It will give us assurance of salvation. Solomon and the wise men of Israel prized wisdom, understanding, and knowledge as crucial to living prosperously, safely, and effectively. We believe that honor is a force and we treat each person with a level of value and respect that allows us to take the role of a servant in the relationship. What happens when people are ignorant of the knowledge of God, and why is knowledge important for Christ-followers? Moses looked over all the work, and indeed they had done it as God had commanded. (16:22). Learning to walk in the Spirityielding to His controlwill also enable growth in knowledge and understanding, because the Holy Spirit is the Christians greatest teacher. Discipline and correct your children so that they too can get wisdom. Proverbs 1:7 states, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge," while Psalm 111:10 declares that "the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom" (emphasis added throughout). Digging deeper into the Word and comparing Scripture with Scripturebeing careful not to take passages out of contextoften reveals truth that is missed with casual reading. Have you returned to God by receiving Christ as your own personal Saviour? For more in-depth reading on the benefits of reading the Bible, consider these recommended books: Top 10 Reasons to Read the Bible Today: The Life-Changing Benefits of Daily Bible Reading by Wayne Davies, Living By the Book: The Art and Science of Reading the BibleHoward G. Hendricks. 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! 5. New American Standard Bible Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. A word of knowledge is when God supernaturally imparts comprehension of a current or past situation to you that you would not otherwise know. The benefits of reading the Bible. Knowledge and understanding are part of spiritual character building (2 Peter 1:5-9). The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it,Nor can it be valued in pure gold. Verse Concepts For wisdom is protection just as money is protection, But the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the lives of its possessors. It will keep us from stumbling and falling away from the Lord. 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. Gods Instructions for Life Are Housed in His Word. The benefits of reading the Bible include this incredible joy that we receive only from Him. Also, I plan to spend far more than I earn so that I will run up huge debts. No one plans to be useless and unfruitful! Copyright, Steven J. Cole, 2010, All Rights Reserved. Verse 28 tells us this: and light will shine on your ways. Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning. The Biblical Benefits of Adding Knowledge In Your Life Most Christians are not diligent about anything in their Christian walk, which explains why things often turn out the way they do in their lives. With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor,But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, Updated Edition The Lockman Foundation, Related Topics: Spiritual Life, Sanctification, Steve served as the pastor of Flagstaff Christian Fellowship from May, 1992 through his retirement in December, 2018. As we get to know God, our delight increases in His gifts, His service, His house, but most of all, in Himself! Just as in biblical days, there is a crisis of the Word of God in homes, communities, and places of worship today. The Bible teaches that creation reveals the knowledge of God (Psalm 19:1-2), which is infinite. The One New Man Network acts as a voice to the Nations, walking out the instructions of Mark 16:15, Go into all the world and preach and publish openly the good news (the Gospel) to every creature. With the vision to preach and to publish openly the good news, The One New Man Network brings a message of salvation that can be heard throughout the Nations of the World! All believers are to diligently study the Word. Promises to save us. Whats in it for us?