The more we know, the better off we'll be. Right?
After all, the scriptures say that God's people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge.
But then in 1 Corinthians 8, the Apostle Paul explains how knowledge isn't the goal. It does not strengthen the church; love does.
He even points out that those who claim to know a lot actually know very little.
So, what was Hosea talking about when he prophesied that we are destroyed for a lack of knowledge?
Not the kind of knowledge that we elevate. It had nothing to do with research and gathering facts.
Here's what Hosea was actually saying: We are destroyed because we don't know God.
The Holy Spirit is expressed in 7 different ways. Two of those are called The Spirit of Knowledge and Fear of the Lord.
It's only through the Holy Spirit that we can know God intimately and pair it perfectly with the fear of the Lord.
If you are interested in more on this subject, read my book, 7 Spirits of God.
Apparently, we are not to evaluate each other from a human point of view.
In 2 Corinthians 5:16, the Apostle Paul explains how he stopped grading people from a fleshly perspective.
He changed his focus from the flesh to the spirit because he knew that all who belong to Christ become brand-new creations.
The old life is gone. A new life has begun. We were fully reconciled to God, as a gift, through Jesus Christ.
This reconciliation happened not because we stopped sinning, but because God stopped counting our sins against us.
And once we are reconciled through Christ, God breaks the power of sin over our lives so we can be one with Him.
This is the Good News! The work of reconciliation has already been done. You just have to receive the gift by believing in Jesus Christ.
Oh, and do yourself a favor: shift your focus from what people are doing wrong to who they are in Christ. Then, you can help draw them into who they really are.
God's love cannot be described in one word. That's why we get a descriptive list in 1 Corinthians 13.
Even so, there are things in the list that we gloss over.
For example, "Love hopes all things."
This gives us the picture of patiently waiting for someone to become who they were meant to be.
And we’re not waiting with our arms crossed, full of criticism.
We are waiting with joy, full of confidence that they will make it, and giving them the gift of trust every step of the way.
We are in the last days. And Jesus warned us that we are at risk of our love growing cold.
That's why I wrote Love Hijacked. It's a short book that digs into the 1 Cor 13 list, so you don't miss a thing.
Return to your first love, before it's too late.
This thing that is ultra-valuable to God, we treat as if it doesn't really matter.
It's all over the Bible, so it's not like it's easy to miss. We just find many ways to excuse ourselves from it.
Jesus introduced it as a new commandment, summing up all the Old Testament commandments into one.
And then, in His final prayer for us recorded in John 17, Jesus mentions it not once, but twice.
You'll find it in every New Testament book. It is described as the one thing that lets the world know we are His disciples.
And although important, it is not our love for the lost. It's our love for each other.
That is what is most valuable to God. He wants us united in a covenant partnership with each other and Him.
That's why, when challenges come, we work through them together. When disagreements arise, we approach resolve with a gentle, humble spirit.
We make every effort to stay united in the faith. Because our unity not only gives us access to the Kingdom of God, but it also gets the attention of the lost so they, too, can be saved.
Do you want to see what God sees?
A careful study of 1 John reveals how we can live in the same light God does.
God is never confused. He never misreads situations. He always knows exactly what is going on and what to do about it.
And He invites us to live in His light, to see things the way He does.
We just have to follow the directions to His light. He revealed how to get there in 1 John, and it's probably not what you'd expect.
All you have to do is remain in fellowship with all believers.
A simple yet challenging instruction. Because you have to learn the agape way of handling conflict and disagreements.
As soon as we step away from any aspect of the love described in 1 Corinthians 13, we step outside of the light.
Without the light, we make bad judgments that lead to bad decisions. We never know the full picture without God's light.
And God's light requires that we remain in fellowship with each other.
Biblical fellowship is not a potluck. It's a covenant partnership where you commit to stand with each other no matter what comes.
If one has a problem, we work it out together. If one has a victory, we rejoice together.
God's love doesn't bail when things get tough. It shines for all to see and be amazed at something that makes no sense to this world.
Are you facing opposition in your walk with the Lord?
This tends to catch us off guard because we expect trouble-free progress as we pursue God.
Psalm 23 clears it up for us when it says, "You prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies."
Your enemy's presence does not prevent you from enjoying closeness with the Lord.
So often, we put off victory until there is no opposition.
But victory is not the absence of opposition. Victory is peace and joy in the face of opposition.
Never be surprised by trouble, opposition, or persecution. Don't let it hinder or hold you back.
Simply smile and enjoy the banquet of righteousness, peace, and joy that God has already prepared for you, right in the face of your enemies.
