Teach us to Pray, part 61: The Word of Knowledge

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?" (Luke 11:13 NASB)

But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit... 1 Corinthians 12:7,8 NASB

For the last few days, we have been studying the gift of the Holy Spirit and His manifestation in the lives of believers. In the previous post, we studied the word of wisdom, which is the ability to understand and skillfully interpret the Word and will of God both in your own life and in teaching to other believers.  

Today, we consider the "word of knowledge". The word translated as "knowledge" is gnōsis, and indicates intelligence and understanding. According to Thayer, this is the "deeper, more perfect and enlarged knowledge" of the Christian faith. This is a "revelatory" gift, much as Paul received the knowledge he conveyed in his epistles. 

MacArthur makes a distinction between the two gifts. "Knowledge majors on grasping the meaning of the truth; wisdom emphasizes the practical conviction and conduct that applies." Knowledge is an understanding with insight that comes only from the revelation of God. 

When I read that the word of knowledge indicates "intelligence and understanding", it is tempting to think that understanding God's word is only for the smartest, most educated believers, but that is not necessarily true. Both intelligence and understanding are gifts from God, but neither are dependent upon advanced degrees, seminary training, or excellent scores on standardized testing.

A hunger for truth that leads to life-long seeking, life-long learning is requisite for one who has the gift of the word of knowledge. That hunger leads not to a surface knowledge of information, but to a deep understanding of information and all it implies. Advanced degrees do not convey this kind of hunger for knowledge, although they may well be the result of one's search for knowledge and understanding. 

Is that clear at all? I hope so. As I see it, the ones with the manifestation of the word of wisdom understand Scripture and God's Word in a way that allows them to live it out in their daily lives and to communicate it to others. The ones with the manifestation of the word of knowledge hunger for a deeper understanding. They might study the Christian classics, the lives of the saints, Greek and Hebrew, all to gain deeper understanding of their faith and the Word of God. 

The manifestation of the word of knowledge allows a disciple of Christ to understand God's truth in a deeper, richer way because of their study, and it results in a life that is lived in even greater obedience to God's commands. At its best, the one with the word of knowledge is able to take that deep understanding and communicate in ways that others, even without the same hunger for truth, can comprehend and apply. 

Let us not overlook the fact that the manifestation of the word of knowledge (just as the other manifestations of the Holy Spirit) is not given so that the one receiving it can gain advanced degrees or an impressive title or position. The manifestation of the word of knowledge is given "for the common good." The point of all that knowledge is to help bring the body of Christ into a deeper, more vibrant walk with our Lord, and not to simply accumulate information. The one with the manifestation of word of knowledge, like the one with word of wisdom, must be actively involved in communicating the knowledge and wisdom to the body of Christ in a way that can be understood and incorporated into daily living.

Is this the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in your life? If so, it is given to you for the common good and requires that you be actively involved in working for the common good of the body of Christ. If this is not the way the Holy Spirit manifests in your life, take heart. We will consider all the manifestations over the next few days. The fact we must all remember is that the Holy Spirit manifests in every believer, including you and me, and we are all to be working for the common good of the body of Christ, helping each other along our journey as we strive to live the Christian life. 

As we continue this study, let us daily pray for understanding of God's word, for wisdom to apply it in our lives, and for faithfulness as we live the truth we know in ways that make Christ visible to those around us. 

The Journey, part 26: the blessing

Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed them, and broke them, and kept giving them to the disciples to set before the people. And they all ate and were satisfied; and the broken pieces which they had left over were picked up, twelve baskets full. (Luke 9:16-17 NASB)

The people were seated in groups of fifty, and the available loaves and fish had been delivered to Jesus. The disciples stood by, waiting to see what Jesus would do next. What He did was the most natural, sensible thing He could have done. He took what they had, held it before heaven and looked to His Father for blessing. That divine blessing miraculously changed what was just enough for a young boy into what was more than enough for a multitude. 

Jesus began breaking the bread and fish into pieces and giving it to the disciples to distribute. He kept breaking the food into pieces and giving it to the disciples to distribute. The disciples kept distributing the food to the people. Every person there ate fish and bread that day, and everyone ate enough to be satisfied, every single one. In fact, there was plenty of food left over. With twelve baskets of food remaining, He had not only provided enough for everyone there. Jesus had also provided a basket of food apiece for every one of the disciples. There was enough for those who did the work of ministry as well as those who received that ministry. 

It was an incredible miracle that began in the most common way imaginable. A mother packed a lunch for her young son. She didn't expect to be a part of something divine that day. She was just providing for her son the way she always did. That boy likely didn't expect to be a part of a miracle that day, either. He had been taught to share and, when he heard Jesus was looking for food, he gave all he had. Jesus took the gifts from that little family and did something amazing, and we don't even know that mother's name. You can be sure God knows, though. 

As that mother found when her son returned home with the news of what Jesus had done with the lunch she had prepared, there is no telling what God can do with our simple acts of faithfulness, especially when they are offered as a gift to our Lord. Scripture tell us, "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might;" (Ecclesiastes 9:10a NASB) The miracle of the multitude shows us once again how important that mighty working can be. 

What has God given you to do today? Give your best effort to the task. You never know when God will take your small effort and use it to create a miracle people with be retelling for generations to come. 

Lessons from the Battlefield, part 13: faithfulness

2 Chronicles 30:9 “If you return to the Lord, your brothers and your sons will find compassion before those who led them captive, and will return to this land.  For the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate, and will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him.”  

 

The temple doors were closed.  The utensils had been offered to idols.  There were no sacrifices and no worship.  The result was that the wrath of God had come against them.  The fathers had fallen by the sword, and the sons, daughters, and wives had been taken into captivity.  

God’s prescription for this mess was that the ones who were still in the land should repent and restore their own fellowship with the Lord.  The result would be that God’s Face of blessings would be turned toward them, and their loved ones in captivity would not only find compassion but be brought home.

​It’s hard to believe that our faithfulness can impact captives who are miles away, but it can.  Not only can it lighten their burden, but also our faithfulness can be instrumental in their deliverance.  Simply doing what we are supposed to do can change the world.  Nothing special or unusual is required, just faithful obedience.

We will have ample opportunity this week to draw close the Lord and we must choose whether to increase our faithfulness or continue in the status quo.  Some of the people we will encounter are struggling with their hurts, their sin, their pasts, and the grief of their hearts.  They are desperate for deliverance. Your faithful obedience and close relationship to Jesus can impact and help to bring about their deliverance. Your obedience may be a vital part of their deliverance.  How willing are you to sacrifice for the welfare of those people God brings your way?  

Lessons from the battlefield, part 3:The Easy Prey King

2 Chronicles 24:1 – 27 (Focus Scripture 24:15 -   24)

 

Joash became king when he was seven years old, and he did right all the days of Jehoida, the priest. As soon as Jehoida died, the officials of Judah saw their chance, and they took it. They came and bowed down to the young king, and he listened to their lies. He abandoned Jehovah and began to serve the Asherim and idols. As a result, the wrath of God came upon Judah and Jerusalem.

When Zechariah, Jehoida's son, confronted the king and his ungodly officials, he was stoned to death in the temple court. The wrath of God burned hotter and, just a few months later, God used the small band of Arameans to defeat Joash's army and avenge Zechariah. 

Joash was a good king and did right only as long as he had the influence of Jehoida. It was the strength of Jehoida's faith that directed the young king, but what he sadly lacked was faith of his own. When Jehoida was gone, Joash lacked the faith to seek God's wisdom and direction. As a result, he was like a rudderless ship, easily cast about by every wave that came. He was an easy prey for ungodly advisors, and, in the end, his faithlessness brought destruction to those for whom he was responsible. 

There are important lessons to be learned from Joash. First, it is critical that we and our children possess our own faith. We cannot be content to rely on the faith of our parents or grandparents. We must have faith of our own to sustain us when hard times come. 

Joash was indiscriminate in the counselors he allowed to direct him. As a result, he made ungodly decisions that only brought destruction. It is vital that we be confident of our trusted advisors and certain that their counsel is godly. No matter how convincing, all counsel must be weighed against Scripture. If it contradicts God's Word, we must beware. Whether that counsel come from the words of a trusted friend or the latest best seller, it is God's Word that must serve as our plumb line. 

When leaders sin, everyone suffers. Whether they sin because of their own wicked choices or by following bad counsel, they are still accountable, and when they sin, everyone for whom they are responsible ultimately suffers. We cannot be deceived about the consequences. God will avenge those who are harmed by the evil of those in authority, and He will bring judgement against the faithless.  

It is, therefore, our responsibility to be careful of the decisions we make and the leadership we give to the ones who look to us. For those who are in leadership over us and over our loved ones, our job is equally as important. We must pray. We must pray for truth-speakers who will speak with clarity and confidence in our troubled times, and that we will be able to hear and recognize that truth in the midst of the babel of a fallen world. 

The king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever He wishes. (Proverbs 21:1 NASB)