K, Day 4

K, Day 4


Knowledge
The truth or facts of life that a person acquires either through experience or thought.


2 Peter 1:5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge.


Knowledge is power, the more knowledge you have, the more likely you will make good decisions that will lead you to success then to failure. It's not what you know, but how you apply what you know that will aide you in a fulfilling life. The greatest truth that a person can possess with the mind or learn through experience is truth about God.


John 8:31-32 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."


Knowledge sounds like something I want to posses. What it takes to obtain it, not really something I find desirable. In order to obtain knowledge I must first experience. Yuck! So I have to go through things and learn hard lessons in order to have knowledge. Well it makes sense. Here is a good example. When I was a little girl, someone might have explained to me how to ride a bike. I could have passed every oral test on how to do it, but I did not know HOW to ride my bike without first actually experiencing it. Same goes with parenting. I knew what it took to be a good parent, but boy howdy, I am learning what it TAKES to be a good parent. It is all about perspective.

Romans 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgements and His ways past finding out!


Knowledge is acquired only as God shows Himself to people- in nature and conscience


Romans 1:19-20 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,


You must add to that a history or providence


Daniel 2:21 And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding.

The Bible is the best place to start to obtain knowledge. History, life, examples. But we must also experience it. Learning is a big part of knowledge, probably the biggest part. I couldn't have learned to ride my bike if I did not know the basics before getting on. It is a process.

Please read all of Psalm 119 (it is really long for me to type out, sorry)

Psalm 119:66 I believe in your commands; now teach me good judgement and knowledge.

We can believe in God, but until we actually experience Him, we are separated from Him.

Mental knowledge by itself is inadequate; it produces pride. We must couple knowledge with love. What a different experience it would have been if I had not learned to ride my bike with love or learned to parent with love.

1 Corinthians 8:1 Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.


1 Corinthians 13:2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.


Moral knowledge affects a person's will.


Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.


Knowledge incorporates the heart, not the mind alone. The Book of Proverbs deals primarily with this kind of knowledge. Experiential knowledge is that gained through one's experience. Wisdom is something to be sought after, something to pursue. If knowledge is not gained, Wisdom is not obtained.


John 4:7-8 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

The apostle Paul's wish for the church at Colosse was that they might increase in the "knowledge of God"


Colossians 1:10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God


If you have knowledge, let others light their candles at it. Margaret Fuller


Proverbs 24:5- A wise man is strong, yes, a man of knowledge increases strength.

So to obtain knowledge, we should be willing to experience life and understand that knowledge holds a responsibility to love others. We must be willing to learn by experiencing. One great way to do this is through joining and participating in a small group. When you relate to a small group of people and share experiences with each other and hear different perspectives, you will in a way be experiencing it with them, not alone. I encourage you to join a small group that has fellowship and education mixed with relationship and experience. I speak only from experience here. This devotional serves in part as a small group, if you participate, but the physical, human contact, eye to eye and the experiences we can go through with others in unmatched here. I have lead my own small group, been in a small group and been lead by a small group. I would suggest that you be fed by those with more wisdom than you and in turn, feed those who need to learn. Small groups are great for that.

Dear Lord, Yikes, I have turned this into a month long study. I hope that there were tidbits of information that others can take away from this devotional today. I mostly pray that you will be satisfied with the devotional this week. I am tired, I have learned a lot and I have done my very best. I guess I can call this an experience that I will gain knowledge from. Thank you for teaching me as I teach others, it is fulfilling. You are amazing and I pray that we spend more time on our knees, being kind to others and experiencing life to obtain knowledge and wisdom. Give us the strength to run the race. Amen.

Please pray for Courtney D. this week.

Please pray for Linda W. and her dad who is going to have open heart surgery and a triple bypass.

Angela has given us a link to the post on Kindness that she wrote for her church. visit http://canvasfellowship.blogspot.com/