What You Do Not Know Can Kill You
When I was coming up there was a saying that said “what you don’t know won’t hurt
you”, this will probably date me, but that saying is furthest from the truth. The Bible
says in Hosea 4:6a, and this is God speaking “My people are destroyed for lack of
knowledge”. The Bible also tells us that God doesn’t want any to perish (II Peter 3:9)
“ the Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness, but is
longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to
repentance”; and (I Timothy 2:4) “God who will have all men to be saved, and to come
to the knowledge of the truth”.
Jesus tells us in John 14:6, as He answers Thomas “I am the way, the truth, and the
life, no man comes to the Father but by Me”. Again in John 8:31-32 the Bible says
“then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him. If you continue in My word,
then are you My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall
make you free”; and He was talking to them that believed.
The Bible says in Proverbs 1:7 “the fear (reverence) of the Lord Yahweh is the
beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction”. The reverence
that shows utmost knowledge and respect of who God is, and what He wants you to
accomplish with your knowledge. Paul prayed for the Ephesians church “that the God
of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and
revelation in the knowledge of Him. The eyes of our understanding being
enlightened, that you may know what is he hope of His calling, and what the riches of
the glory of His inheritance in the saints. And what is the exceeding greatness of His
power to us ward, who believe, according to the working of His mighty power”
(Ephesians 1:17-19). This prayer is one in which we can pray for others as well as for
ourselves.
We are told to study to show ourselves approved to God, a workman that needs not
to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth”. We are told to renew our minds to
the word of God. Paul writes in Romans 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren,
by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this
world, but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what
is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God”, and he was talking to
believers. you see before we were born again, we were in this world and a part of this
world, acting and thinking like this world’s system, but we have been “delivered us
from the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son”
(Colossians 1:13) and (I Peter 2:9) says “but you are a chosen generation , a royal
priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, that you should show forth the praises
of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light”.
Jesus prayed for God not to take us out of this world, but we are told to live in this
world, but not to be of this world (John 17:14-16) “I have given them, Your word and
the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the
world. I pray not that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep
them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world”. We
have to remember that we are the light of the world and as we let our light shine,
people are drawn to the light (Matthew 5:14-16) “you are the light of the world, a city
that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a
bushel, but on a candlestick and it gives light to all that are in the house. Let you light
so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father
which is in heaven”.
Paul warns us “not to be ignorant” (I Corinthians 12:1) “now concerning spiritual gifts,
brethren, I would not have you ignorant”; and (II Corinthians 2:11) “less satan should
get an advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his devices”. We are told to “put
on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles (schemes)
of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities,
against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual
wickedness in high places”. One of the devil’s biggest trap is to get people in strife
with each other and into unforgiveness, because God’s principal is to forgive
(Matthew 6:14-15) “for if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will
also forgive you. But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will you Father
forgive your trespasses”.
The devil accuses God of making people sick, so He can teach them something, but
Jesus says in John 10:10 “the thief comes not but to steal and to kill, and to destroy,
but I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly”.
James says “do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift
is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no
variableness, neither shadow of turning”. We have to know the nature of God
(Psalms 145:17-18) says “the Lord Yahweh is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all
His works. The Lord Yahweh is near to all them that call upon Him, to all that call
upon Him in truth”.
Jesus is our example of what God the Father does and does not do (John 8:26,29) “I
have many things to say and to judge you, but He that sent Me is true and I speak to
the world, those things which I have herd of Him. And He that sent Me is with Me, the
Father has not left Me alone, for I do always those things that please Him”. As we
look at Acts 10:38 we see what Jesus did “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with
the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good, and healing all that were
oppressed of the devil, for God was with Him”.
We have to have knowledge of “who we are in Christ”, and that the devil is a defeated
foe (Colossians 2:15). Jesus defeated the devil for us, and all we have to do is resist
the devil (James 4:7) “submit yourselves therefore to God, resist the devil, and he will
flee from you”. Resisting the devil is like it says in II Corinthians 10:4-5 “for the
weapons of our warfare is not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of
strong holds. Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself
against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the
obedience of Christ”. Just like Jesus spoke the word contrary to what the devil was
trying to tempt Him with, and the devil fled (Matthew 4:11) “then the devil leaves Him,
and behold, angels came and ministered to Him”. Revelations 12:11 says “we
overcome the devil by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony, and
loved not our life to the death”.
We get knowledge by the word of God, the more word you have in you the more
knowledge is available to you. So let’s continue to read the word.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: July 25, 2008
When I was coming up there was a saying that said “what you don’t know won’t hurt
you”, this will probably date me, but that saying is furthest from the truth. The Bible
says in Hosea 4:6a, and this is God speaking “My people are destroyed for lack of
knowledge”. The Bible also tells us that God doesn’t want any to perish (II Peter 3:9)
“ the Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness, but is
longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to
repentance”; and (I Timothy 2:4) “God who will have all men to be saved, and to come
to the knowledge of the truth”.
Jesus tells us in John 14:6, as He answers Thomas “I am the way, the truth, and the
life, no man comes to the Father but by Me”. Again in John 8:31-32 the Bible says
“then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him. If you continue in My word,
then are you My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall
make you free”; and He was talking to them that believed.
The Bible says in Proverbs 1:7 “the fear (reverence) of the Lord Yahweh is the
beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction”. The reverence
that shows utmost knowledge and respect of who God is, and what He wants you to
accomplish with your knowledge. Paul prayed for the Ephesians church “that the God
of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and
revelation in the knowledge of Him. The eyes of our understanding being
enlightened, that you may know what is he hope of His calling, and what the riches of
the glory of His inheritance in the saints. And what is the exceeding greatness of His
power to us ward, who believe, according to the working of His mighty power”
(Ephesians 1:17-19). This prayer is one in which we can pray for others as well as for
ourselves.
We are told to study to show ourselves approved to God, a workman that needs not
to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth”. We are told to renew our minds to
the word of God. Paul writes in Romans 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren,
by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this
world, but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what
is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God”, and he was talking to
believers. you see before we were born again, we were in this world and a part of this
world, acting and thinking like this world’s system, but we have been “delivered us
from the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son”
(Colossians 1:13) and (I Peter 2:9) says “but you are a chosen generation , a royal
priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, that you should show forth the praises
of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light”.
Jesus prayed for God not to take us out of this world, but we are told to live in this
world, but not to be of this world (John 17:14-16) “I have given them, Your word and
the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the
world. I pray not that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep
them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world”. We
have to remember that we are the light of the world and as we let our light shine,
people are drawn to the light (Matthew 5:14-16) “you are the light of the world, a city
that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a
bushel, but on a candlestick and it gives light to all that are in the house. Let you light
so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father
which is in heaven”.
Paul warns us “not to be ignorant” (I Corinthians 12:1) “now concerning spiritual gifts,
brethren, I would not have you ignorant”; and (II Corinthians 2:11) “less satan should
get an advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his devices”. We are told to “put
on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles (schemes)
of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities,
against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual
wickedness in high places”. One of the devil’s biggest trap is to get people in strife
with each other and into unforgiveness, because God’s principal is to forgive
(Matthew 6:14-15) “for if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will
also forgive you. But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will you Father
forgive your trespasses”.
The devil accuses God of making people sick, so He can teach them something, but
Jesus says in John 10:10 “the thief comes not but to steal and to kill, and to destroy,
but I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly”.
James says “do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift
is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no
variableness, neither shadow of turning”. We have to know the nature of God
(Psalms 145:17-18) says “the Lord Yahweh is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all
His works. The Lord Yahweh is near to all them that call upon Him, to all that call
upon Him in truth”.
Jesus is our example of what God the Father does and does not do (John 8:26,29) “I
have many things to say and to judge you, but He that sent Me is true and I speak to
the world, those things which I have herd of Him. And He that sent Me is with Me, the
Father has not left Me alone, for I do always those things that please Him”. As we
look at Acts 10:38 we see what Jesus did “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with
the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good, and healing all that were
oppressed of the devil, for God was with Him”.
We have to have knowledge of “who we are in Christ”, and that the devil is a defeated
foe (Colossians 2:15). Jesus defeated the devil for us, and all we have to do is resist
the devil (James 4:7) “submit yourselves therefore to God, resist the devil, and he will
flee from you”. Resisting the devil is like it says in II Corinthians 10:4-5 “for the
weapons of our warfare is not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of
strong holds. Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself
against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the
obedience of Christ”. Just like Jesus spoke the word contrary to what the devil was
trying to tempt Him with, and the devil fled (Matthew 4:11) “then the devil leaves Him,
and behold, angels came and ministered to Him”. Revelations 12:11 says “we
overcome the devil by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony, and
loved not our life to the death”.
We get knowledge by the word of God, the more word you have in you the more
knowledge is available to you. So let’s continue to read the word.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: July 25, 2008
