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Knowledge Is Powerful - Your Daily Forward Devotional
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Knowledge Is Powerful
August 6
Read Colossians 1:9-10 (ESV)
And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God…
Reflect
What role did Paul pray wisdom and knowledge would play in the lives of the Colossians?
“When am I ever going to use this information?” If you’ve ever been to school, this thought has probably crossed your mind. Most of us acknowledge that if we aren’t going to put what we’ve learned to practical use, the pursuit of knowledge is empty. In Paul’s day and culture, acquiring knowledge was highly valued. But Paul knew that all knowledge is not created equal and that knowledge in and of itself is empty.
In today’s verse, we read that from the day Paul heard from Epaphras about the church at Colossae, he did not stop praying for them. But he didn’t pray that God would protect them from persecution. He didn’t pray that they would be blessed financially. He prayed that they would be filled with “the knowledge of His will.” He prayed for them to be filled with “spiritual wisdom and understanding.” Spiritual wisdom refers to wisdom that comes from God by the Holy Spirit.
Remember, Paul’s purposes for writing the letter to the Colossians were to refute a heresy that had crept into the church and to encourage the believers to grow towards spiritual maturity. Many false teachers were offering knowledge and wisdom. But the “secret knowledge” that the heretics were promoting was effectively useless. It didn’t have the power to change lives.
But according to Paul in today’s passage, spiritual wisdom and understanding guide us so that we are able to live lives that are pleasing to Him. The true knowledge of God informs us of how to “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord” and because this knowledge is from the Spirit, our Helper, it enables us to fully please Him.
Are you ready for even more good news? Not only does the knowledge of God have the power to change your life, this knowledge is not exclusive. It is available to you for free. And unlike a college education, you don’t have to go into debt pursuing it either. But you do have to seek it. Thankfully, God has told us where to look—the Bible.
Friends, God has revealed Himself to us through His Word. We can know Him personally! We have access to practical, not merely theoretical, wisdom that shows us how to live godly lives for His glory. But we are never done learning. We can spend our whole lives learning about Him and never know everything there is to know about God. So, seek spiritual wisdom and pursue the knowledge of God. Digging into His Word is like an endless treasure hunt that is guaranteed to be a success. “...you will seek the LORD your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deuteronomy 4:29). And what you find will change your life.
Pray
Lord, I want to be filled with a knowledge of Your will. I want Your wisdom to change my life and show me how to walk in a manner that pleases and glorifies You. I am seeking hard after You, Lord. Amen.
~ Pastor Nat Crawford
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thank you
Lord Jesus, I do not want to be spiritually anaeroxic nor spiritually obese. Lord I want to be in good shape spiritually and with Your help, I know I can do a lot better than I'm doing. Having learned of You, help me to be ready to show and tell of the good news that Jesus Christ saves.
I shall continue to show in my daily life that I am a Christian to all who I come across. I shall ask God to provide opportunities for me to share the Gospel and the difference He has made to my life
I am so thankful to Him for the complete transformation that has occurred in my life, I will show and share my faith with exuberance
I am so thankful to Him for the complete transformation that has occurred in my life, I will show and share my faith with exuberance
I am going to bear fruit by showing patience, kindness and mercy to everyone that I come in contact with. But especially those who are hard to show it to. I met a man who was walking with a cane at the bus stop and he started talking to me. He told me he was homeless and just moved into a boarding house style building. Said he was drinking and gets drunk but never bothers anybody. Other things he told me. so instead of walking away from him, I sat and listened to him and held a conversation with him. Most people want to avoid homeless people, especially when it is obvious that they have been drinking. But he needed someone to listen to him at this point in his life, instead of someone preaching to him. He told me many things about himself that led up to him becoming homeless and eventually ending up in a boarding house building. I could tell that he was authentic in his story. But what he didn't realize is that I knew the place where he relocated to. It was a boarding building, but was renovated into a nice place for people who are trying to get a new start in their lives. I actually know the new owner of the building. But I didn't tell him that because this was a listening moment, not a talking moment. I will see him again, and when the time is right, I can share the gospel with him. That has been happening with me a lot this year. I meet someone and am led to just listen and be a smile and show care and concern. Then later on another day, I always see the same person again, and they may be frustrated about something and tell me. Then I am able to share my story with them and as a result, share the gospel with them. That is a wonderful way to produce fruit for the Kingdom of God. Listen, share, and set an example of the care that Jesus has for us.
I am fighting cancer. I know that medically it is a losing battle. Unless God steps in. I have prayed that He gives me another 15 years like he did Hezekiah. But my prayer goes on to say that I don't waste those years as Hezekiah did. If God does decide to call me home I want my remaining time to reflect God's goodness to me and the grace and mercy he has shown me. I want people to remember me as one who loved God to the very end. I don't know what God has in mind for me? If he calls me home I am OK with that. If he gives me more time, then I am OK with that as well. We serve a good, good Father and for that I am grateful. I am, we all are, in God's hands.