Month: November 2015

We need to ask ourselves: …What do I intend to do with my knowledge about God, once I have it? …If we pursue theological knowledge for its own sake, it is bound to go bad on us. It will make us proud and conceited…. There can be no spiritual health without doctrinal knowledge; but it is equally true that there can be no spiritual health with it, if it is sought for the wrong purpose and valued by the wrong standard.
–J. I. Packer

Knowledge about God is a good and helpful thing. God has revealed Himself to us so that we can know about Him. However, if we are not using that knowledge to help us become more holy and more like Jesus, then we are using it in the wrong way. Many ungodly men have much knowledge of the Bible. Satan himself, the most ungodly being in all of creation, knows so very much about the Bible.

Knowing the Bible and knowing about God does not help us if we do not know God and have a relationship with Him. I pray that God will help me use the knowledge I have about Him to lead me into a deeper relationship with Him. Also, I hope that I will not allow the knowledge I have about God to increase my pride nor make me conceited. Rather I hope that the knowledge I have about His holiness and love for me in my sinfulness will lead me into greater humility and love for Him and others.

What do you love?
You will certainly become what you love.
Do you love holiness? Then you will become holy.
Do you love the Word of God? Then you will become like Christ, the living Word.
Do you love the name of Jesus? Then your life will manifest His name before all men.
–Stephen Arterburn & Fred Stoeker

Jesus help me to love holiness to become more holy.
Jesus help me to love the Bible and live out its principles and precepts.
Jesus help me to love Your Name and honor You before all men.

And Jesus, help me to love You and become more like You, imitating You in all I do.

…”Take up your cross and follow me,” Jesus said, in the least manipulative invitation that has ever been given.
–Philip Yancey

I have always disliked manipulative invitations… the ones where someone plays hard on peoples’ emotions to get some type of response.

But we can’t call Jesus’ invitation manipulative. In fact, it does not play well on the emotions at all to tell someone that responding to the invitation means death – as in dying to self. And yet, because we realize that to do so is the only way to find true life, true joy, true fulfillment, millions continue to choose to follow Him.

Following Jesus comes at a great cost. But following Jesus provides the greatest return – eternal abundant life.