In the competition for Miss Teen USA, Miss South Carolina attempted to answer a question and in doing so she demonstrated that at times, "what you know" really does matter. Her reply has had more than 43 million views and she has been condemned and judged by many as lacking vital knowledge. It is not known how many viewers would have been able to answer the same question that was given to her. On the other hand, we also have words of Jesus to consider emphasizing the importance of "who you know" Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name ? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works ? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7:21-23) Jesus describes religious people who never really knew Him as is evidenced by the Lord's statement that He never knew them. A theoretical or mere intellectual knowledge of God and Christ will never transform the character of the one who does not have a practical experience in the application of Bible principles for daily living. If God is good all the time, why not have a preference for Him all the time ? In other words, why do we not choose to allow the principles of His word to govern our choice of leisure, recreation and relationship activities. Why is He not the center of our joy and living ?
Many people know a lot of things and some people hardly know anything but very few people know much about the most important things in life. Very few really know God as it is our privilege to know Him. The more satisfied anyone is with himself and his present knowledge, the less earnestly and humbly will he or she seek to be guided into all truth. Truly knowing God is an educational relationship process which involves more than seeking intellectual stimulation or emotional ecstasy. As one comes to know God more, the inclination to sin is lessened and the desire to do right is increased and this is manifested in words and actions.
While worldly education prepares one to help build the national economy, true education embraces not merely a training of the intellect, but is a symmetrical development of all the powers--physical, mental, and moral. It is the inculcation of those ideas which will impress the mind and heart with the knowledge of God the Creator and Jesus Christ the Redeemer.
A student may go through all the grades of the schools and colleges of today. He may devote all his powers to acquiring knowledge. But unless he has a knowledge of God, unless he obeys the laws that govern his being, he will destroy himself. The so called "higher" education of the world in no way inspires obedience to the laws of God or the development of a Christlike character.
The educational curriculum that lays great stress on memorizing, produces a class of conservative people who are more inclined to trust society's institutions rather than the simple words of God. Such are more easily led by human authority and scholarship than by the wisdom of God. Indeed, any knowledge upon any subject that references from inspirational sources will be typically viewed with skepticism while that which is chiefly a product of the highest human reasoning is readily accepted.
Notice, the type of reasoning that God encourages - Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD (Isaiah 1:18)
The highest education will be that which will teach our children and youth, our teachers and educators, the science of Christianity, that will give them an experimental knowledge of God's ways, and impart to them the lessons which Christ gave to his disciples of the paternal character of God. Obtaining an experimental knowledge of God comes by wearing the yoke of Christ.
There is no education to be gained higher than that given to the early disciples, and which is revealed to us through the word of God. To gain the higher education means to follow this word implicitly; it means to walk in the footsteps of Christ, to practice His virtues. It means to give up selfishness and to devote the life to the service of God. Higher education calls for something greater, something more divine, than the knowledge to be obtained merely from books. It means a personal, experimental knowledge of Christ; it means emancipation from ideas, from habits and practices, that have been gained in the school of the prince of darkness, and which are opposed to loyalty to God. It means to overcome stubbornness, pride, selfishness, worldly ambition, and unbelief. It is the message of deliverance from sin. It may be wisely interwoven with any other study or discipline by the Christian teacher.
In this post we continue learning the principles which inspire and make possible the victory over sin and selfishness.
PRINCIPLES THAT ASSIST IN OBTAINING THE VICTORY
PRINCIPLES THAT STIMULATE OR INSPIRE A DESIRE FOR VICTORY
#2 SEEKING TO KNOW GOD AND CHRIST
a) The less we meditate upon Christ and His matchless love and the less we are assimilated to His image, the better will we appear in our own eyes, and the more self-confidence and self-complacency will we possess.
b) The one who talks most familiarly with his divine Leader has the most exalted conception of His greatness and is the most obedient to His commands.
c) The experimental knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ whom He has sent, transforms man into the image of God. It gives to man the mastery of himself, bringing every impulse and passion of the lower nature under the control of the higher powers of the mind.
d) It is essential to our eternal well-being to know more of God; for love to God depends on a conception of His goodness. His excellence, and a knowledge of His will.
e) It is necessary to know God in order to be attracted to him.
f) When the transgressor becomes acquainted with GOD, and experiences HIS love, it produces in his heart a hatred for sin and a love for holiness.
g) The more we know of God, the higher will be our ideal of character and the more earnest our longing to reflect His likeness.
2 Peter 1:2,3:18/Proverbs 9:10, 16:22, 19:27/John 17:3, 15:10/2 Timothy 3:7,16/Genesis 2:17/ Job 22:21/1 John 2:3,4, 3:6,24, 5:2/Jeremiah 9:23,24/Isaiah 1:17,46:8/Matthew 11:29, 7:13,26 /Hosea 4:1,2 /Romans 1:28/Philippians 3:8/Colossians 2:8/Mark 7:9/2 Corinthians 3:18/Revelation 2:5,3:3/Luke 8:21/James 1:22,23/Exodus 23:2/
© 2010 Tyrone Keels
www.issues-of-life.com
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