Do you consider yourself to be knowledgeable? I do. What is the major source of knowledge in your life? Does your knowledge bring you hope? Why does knowledge bring hope? Let me share with you what I learned about how knowledge brings hope.
I have asked myself, “is all knowledge helpful to me?” and I am not sure that it is. I am unsure that it would be helpful for me to know what is going to happen tomorrow or the next day or the next week or the next month or the next year. I think if I knew all those things, I would possibly forget about praying to God. I feel like I would become complacent and just let things happen.
I have learned many things in my life, math, science, history, the English language, management, marketing, how to build things, how to paint, how to rewire an electrical outlet, how to cook, and a bunch of practical things. In truth none of these things have brought me hope. They may have brought me satisfaction but not hope because none of them had any long-term effects on the future.
The kind of knowledge I find hope in, is the knowledge of God and His plans for me. The Bible talks about knowledge, its source, and its importance. I have learned the source of knowledge from Proverbs 1:7a. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge”(ESV) Proverbs 2:6 also helps me to understand the source of knowledge. “For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;” (ESV) I have learned the importance of heart knowledge. “An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.” Proverbs 18:15 (ESV) Hosea 4:6 says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.” (ESV) It talks not only about the importance of knowledge but also the consequences of the lack of knowledge or the rejection of knowledge.
Pastor Troy Dobbs, Grace Church Eden Prairie gave an excellent sermon on December 3, 2023, about Mary the mother of Jesus and her knowledge that gave her hope. Luke 1:46-56. As I listened and read, I was amazed at the knowledge and understanding this teenager had about God and the hope she had instead of the anxiety that I would have head at her age under her circumstances. It was actual her message and Mary’s song that inspired me to write this message.
I pray you that you will join me in gaining more knowledge of God and all that He has promised and done for us. Knowing also as we gain in knowledge of God, we will see Him and His magnificent plan for our lives that culminates in our eternal life. The first step of knowing God is for you to seek Jesus for He is the only opportunity there is to have a relationship with God for all eternity. This is to me the greatest source of hope. In doing so, I believe we will have hope and joy in our everyday lives. Understanding how Jesus Christ grants us access to eternal life, allows us to live in hope. “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” John 17:3 (ESV) At the same time understanding you will live eternally knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ will also bring you the greatest hope. Because of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, all of our sins were satisfied and the penalty for them was paid. His payment satisfies all my sins from the past, the present and in the future. My penalty and yours was satisfied on the cross by the death of Jesus, God’s greatest act of love and wrath, who became sin for me and you. It was also God’s greatest act of faithfulness because “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (ESV) Because holiness shows us, we need to believe in Jesus. I hope that you join me in helping others to choose Jesus.
If you have not read my previous blogs, you can find them here. You can watch a book trailer about my book. You can find my book, Hope Amid Hopelessness: Our Abba Father Provides a Way Through Mental Illness here. eBook or Audiobook versions can be found at Westbow Press or Christianbook.com at Amazon or Google.
I mentioned that I was going through a difficult time right now. If you are interested in what I am going through, you can read about it here.
