Why Knowledge?

Have you ever wondered why some people find it so easy to "change" what they believe?  This propensity to change beliefs with every "new" idea that comes along has resulted in an instability among many Christians.  Many people will try to build their lives around making money, being important and popular, or going to church just for the sake of going without creating a real stability in their lives.  The only foundation that will offer true stability is one that is built on faith in God and in His Word.  But we can't have faith in something we don't know.  God's Word is the source of truth and knowledge and it is vital for you and I to understand and know His Word.  I want to share with you why it is important as a believer to have the proper knowledge of God's Word.

1.  WE ARE TO STUDY AND KNOW THE TRUTH

Paul instructed Timothy to "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15).  Knowing the "truth" enables you to better use the "truth."  It is very difficult, if not impossible, to use something you don't know and understand!  When you are studying God's Word here are a few tips to help you get the most out of your study so that you may "rightly divide the word of truth":

• The Bible is a "spiritual" book; therefore as you read it, you must accompany it with prayer and a sensitivity to the Spirit.
• Read slowly and carefully.  It's better to read less in order to meditate and comprehend more.
  
• Study and read each passage within the context of which it is written. Review background of the text. As someone once said, "A text without a context is a pretext for a proof-text!"
• Read it with the hope and expectation that it will change you.  Scripture should be received "personally."

Don't always rely on what others tell you.  They can be a great source of information, but they may also have "biases" that can lead you astray.  Study for yourself to learn the truth of God's Word.

2.  WE ARE TO DEFEND THE TRUTH

Do you know why you believe what you believe? Are you able to articulate what you believe to someone who asks?  It is important for you to know what you believe and to be able to "be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear." (1 Peter 3:15).  If you believe the Bible is true, that salvation is true, and the promises of God are true, then you need to have a Biblical knowledge of that truth in order to defend it.  When you're confident about the truth you know, you are better able to defend it and do it with confidence, gentleness, and a quite reverence.  

3.  BIBLE TRUTH ACQUAINTS US WITH GOD

According to Proverbs 2:2-5, we become acquainted with God and have a knowledge of Him when we "incline our ear to wisdom" and our "heart to understanding."  When we seek wisdom and understanding as silver and search for them like a hidden treasure, we become acquainted with God.  You can't have a relationship with God based on what you "think" He may be.  Your relationship must be based on what the "truth" of His Word says about who He is.

4.  BIBLE KNOWLEDGE IS AN ESSENTIAL FOUNDATION

Everyone builds their lives on a foundation that guides the decisions they make and the directions they take.  But the only foundation strong enough to build upon is the Word of God.  Ignorance of God's Word is incredibly dangerous.  A sound understanding of God's Word is necessary for a good foundation of faith.

5.  BIBLE TRUTH FEEDS YOU

Liquids may be enough for a baby to start to grow, but for an adult, we must eat "solid food." Eating solid food is a sign of maturity.  Without solid food, we will remain babies.  This is true in our physical life and it is true in our spiritual life as well.  If you stop feeding on God's Word your spiritual life will weaken. Read Hebrews 5:12-14 for more on this topic.

6.  KNOWING TRUTH PROTECTS YOU AGAINST ERROR

Once you are rooted in the truth of God's Word it becomes very difficult for anyone to lead you astray with false doctrine.  The best way to protect yourself against error of any kind is to simply know "the truth."  When you know the truth, you will recognize a lie immediately.

Knowledge is vital.  But not just any knowledge.  It is the knowledge of God's Word that will set you free, give you life, and give you a firm foundation on which to stand.  Don't allow yourself to be tossed back and forth with every wind of doctrine.  Stand firm on the truth of God's Word and you will be secure!

Pastor Temple

A Godly Father

Most people are aware of the important role fathers play in the lives of their children.  But it's not just enough for men to know the characteristics of a godly father, they must also DO what is required to BE a godly father.  Real fathers are there for their children to help them grow spiritually, emotionally, and physically.

Godly fathers accept the responsibility God has given them and don't try to shift it to someone else.  They know that every decision they make will affect each member of the family.  Therefore they need to have the mind of Christ so they can make wise and godly decisions for their family.  In this post, I want to share with you four assignments that a godly father fulfills for their children.

1.  Provide A Spiritual Covering

Godly fathers are the spiritual leaders of their homes and children of godly fathers know that they will always be there for them and will love them know matter what.  The godly father has the same love for his children as the Heavenly Father does for each of us.  The godly father also provides the resources necessary for their children's spiritual growth.

2.  Provide Guidance By Example

Nothing is more powerful in guiding your children than a good or unfortunately a bad example. As

fathers we must model the behavior we desire out of our children.  We have 18 to 20 years at the most to train and teach our children to make wise decisions when they get out on their own.  One of the important behaviors we should desire for our children is the practice of prayer.  To teach them the value of prayer, be sure to turn to prayer for every situation you deal with as a family.

3.  Provide Guidance By Counseling

Let your children know that no topic is "off limits."  Allow them to express themselves no matter what they think.  Don't allow them to be "disrespectful" but do allow them to be themselves.  If you want to provide guidance for you children then you must spend time with them.  One person said children spell "love" T-I-M-E!  Children need our time.  If you aren't spending quality time guiding and counseling with your children, then they will conclude "if you don't have time for me, then you must not care about me."  That may not be the case, but that is how a child will perceive it.

4.  Stop Generational Cycles

This is critical for your children to be successful.  There may be generational cycles at work in your life.  These could include poverty, lust, anger, divorce, sexual abuse, etc.  As a father you must recognize it, call it what it is, renounce it and repent from it, seek God's help for deliverance, and then walk in liberty!  It is your responsibility as the father to break these generational cycles so they don't keep your children in bondage.

Father's have a tremendous responsibility.  None of us had perfect fathers as an example to follow.  Nor are any of us perfect.  Where you have made mistakes, ask your children to forgive you.  Do it with sincerity and humility and God will honor it.  Then start over and be the godly father God desires you to be.

Pastor Temple

The Law Of Confession (Part 4)

God's will for your life is for you to speak life giving words.  The words you confess, publicly and privately, are so powerful they have an affect on every aspect of your life, and the lives of those around you.  Because your words are so powerful, it is important that you not confess one thing one day and the opposite the next.  When you do this, you are nullifying the confession of your faith because your words are always a confession of your faith.  In this post I want to share with you the power of your words and how you can let the Word of God work in you.

The Power of Your Words

The Word of God is full of instructions on how to use the power of your words.  I am going to share with you several passages and how they instruct us to use the power of our words.

• Psalm 119:130 -- We are to begin the process of training our spirit with the Word of God.
• Revelation 12:11 -- This passage informs us that we will overcome by the word of our mouth.  You are going to be an over-comer by the word of your testimony.  By what you say.
• Proverbs 6:2 -- Your words will snare you and make you the devil's prey or they will deliver you.
• Hebrews 3:1 -- This means that all Jesus has to confess to the Father about your situation is what you confess.  Make sure you confess what you want the Father to hear.
  
• Proverbs 10:11 -- You will find that when you begin to say what God says in His Word, it’s just as though God said it to you right then.
• Proverbs 12:6 -- Deliverance is as close as your mouth!
• Proverbs 12:14 -- The fruit of his mouth would be what his mouth produces.
• Proverbs 15:4 -- Wrong words create a tear in your spirit.  This is how the devil gets in.
• Proverbs 15:23 -- Your words have the ability to make you joyous or happy.
• Proverbs 16:23 -- Your heart (spirit) is programmed by the Word of God so it can teach your mouth how to speak.

Remember, words are like containers.  They carry faith, or fear, and they produce fruit after their kind.

Let The Word of God Work In You

You must realize that good habits and bad habits never happen easily, they have to be cultivated.  Give God something to work with.  Don’t give the devil words to work with, give God words to work with.  Hosea 14:2 says, “Take with you Words and turn to the Lord.”  What are you going to take when you go to the Lord?  You've got to take words.

Here's how it works.  You can take any appropriate scripture, personalize it, and say about yourself what the scripture says.  For instance Psalm 1 says: 

"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish."

So you would begin to say about yourself "I am blessed because I don't walk in the counsel of the ungodly nor do I stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of the scornful.  But my delight is in the law of the Lord..."

You get the picture?  And you can do this with any number of scriptures that are an encouragement to you and a promise from God.  And if you will do this for the next 365 days, you’ll be a different person.  Don’t be telling people all your troubles.  Tell them what God says!  Every faith principle, every spiritual law that God set forth in His Word was for your benefit.  It was designed to put you over in life.

If you would like to download a "Scriptural Promises" e-book (pdf format) you can do so for FREE.  

The Law of Confession (Part 3)

Your words say so much about you!  The words you speak will either deliver you or hold you captive.  It's important to realize that your words have the power to dominate your life.  The words you speak will literally create heaven or hell in your life, home, family, church, job, etc.

In this post, I want share with you five facts about how words affect our lives and identify who we are.  Proverbs 18:21 -- "Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it, shall eat the fruit thereof."

1.  Faith Is Expressed In Words
Through what you say, you have the power to bring good things or bad things into your life.  For years faith has been taught in the church, but there is more to faith than just believing.  A function of faith is also "speaking words of faith" or "saying what you believe" and acting on what you say.

Let me give you an example.  You are not "saved" just because you believe in salvation.  Roman 10:9-10 states: "If that wilt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto

righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."  It is with the mouth that we confess our faith and are saved.  Do you see the importance of faith being expressed in our words?

2.  Words Identify You
The words you speak will identify you as a person of faith, or a person of unbelief.  Your words will identify you as a person of life and peace or of death and fear.  It all depends on what you are saying.  An example of this would be the twelve spies from Israel who went over into the Promised Land to see what was there (Numbers 13 & 14). These men were identified by their confession.  Ten were men of fear because the came back and reported what "couldn't" be done, and two (Joshua and Caleb) were men of faith because they confessed what could be done based on God's promise.  Be careful how your words identify you to others.

3.  Words Affect Your Thinking
Proverbs 23:7 states - "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he..."  A man thinks the way he talks and talks the way he thinks.  If you continually speak words of negativity, then you will begin to think negative.  On the other hand if you speak words of encouragement and hopefulness, you will begin to think along those lines.

4.  Words Affect Others Around You
When you read the story of the spies who went into the Promised Land you can see how the ten spies who confess what couldn't be done influenced the entire nation of Israel. People tend to follow the negative, especially if it's a majority!  Your words are affecting your life, children, and all those around you.  Be sure to use them for the good.

5.  Your Words Determine Your Future
The words of Jesus in Mark 11:23 inform us that we will receive what we ask for when we believe what we say.  Even the woman with the issue of blood (Mark 5:25-34) received what she said. In verse 28 she stated: "..if I may touch but his clothes I will be made whole."  That was her confession!  What is your confession, especially as it relates to your future?

Don't let your negative words determine your future.  Speak the Word of God and know that He has good for you!