Volume No. 2010 Issue No. 18 Date: May 23, 2010
Publication of the BIBLE BAPTIST MINISTRY, 48 Alexie Rd, Hanover Township, PA 18706
Phone: 570.829.5216 pdmikBBM@aol.com pastormiklas@aol.com
It would be prudent to say that nobody has all the answers to life's complex problems. Even as believers we do not have all the answers to the complexities of life, even though sometimes we give that impression. The Bible says there are some things we don't know about. For example,
In Matthew 24:42 Jesus said, "Watch, therefore; for ye KNOW NOT what hour your Lord doth come."
In Roman 8:26, Paul wrote, "For we KNOW NOT what we should pray for as we ought." That's why we need the aid of the Holy Spirit when we pray.
On the other hand, there is so much that we as believers in Christ CAN KNOW. Some of the most important information in Scripture is flagged by the word “KNOW” which occurs over a thousand times in the Bible; and on 137 occasions, the apostle Paul used the word in his letters. He didn't say maybe, perhaps, think, or suppose. He used the word “KNOW.” He told the Corinthians in I Corinthians 2:12, “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might KNOW the things that are freely given to us of God.” In Romans 8:28 he wrote, "And we KNOW that all things work together for good to them that love God… who are called according to His purpose."
The apostle John was similarly attached to this word. Notice the last chapter of 1 John 5:11-21, “that ye may KNOW that ye have eternal life… And if we KNOW that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we KNOW that we have the petitions that we desired of him…We KNOW that whosoever is born of God sinneth not… And we KNOW that we are of God… And we KNOW that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may KNOW him that is true.”
Bible verses are little slices of certainty that stabilize the soul in uncertain times. They are small doses of assurance when we need a firm foundation. When we're tempted to doubt, we have to remind ourselves of the truth. When we are tempted to sin, we have to remind ourselves of His commands. When we are prone to fear, we have to claim His promises. When we don't know what to do, we have to focus on the things we KNOW. In this letter, we can't trace all one- thousand ‘knows’ of the Bible, but here are some particularly important ones:
Job 19:25-26, “For I KNOW that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: (26) And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:” These verses are particularly powerful because it was spoken by Job in the midst of anguish and loss. Job didn't know the reasons for his problems. He couldn't discern the outcome of his story. But he knew his Redeemer lived and that one day he would see his Lord face-to-face. That knowledge sustained him. When we verbalize our faith in desperate times, as Job did, our souls are buoyed and we escape the tentacles of discouragement.
Psalm 135:5-6, “For I KNOW that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. (6) Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.” These verses were especially written for Christian workers who grew weary in the earthly service of the Kingdom, verse 2, “Ye that stand in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God.” When, in Christian employment, we feel deflated and wonder if we're doing any good, we have only to remember that God is the Great King above all gods who has the power and authority to do whatever He pleases. We can press faithfully onward, saying, "Thy will be done!"
Philippians 1:19, “For I KNOW that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,” This verse is similar to Romans 8:28, which says that we know that all things work together for the good of those who love the Lord. Here in Philippians, Paul made it personal to himself. Speaking of his imprisonment, he reassured himself that his burdens would work in his favor and turn out for his deliverance through the prayers of his friends and the supply of the Holy Spirit.
II Timothy 1:12, “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I KNOW whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” The story is told of an aged Christian woman whose memory began failing. Last to go were the many Bible verses she had memorized during her lifetime. Eventually only 2 Timothy 1: 12 stayed with her, but that too began to fade. By and by, she could only remember, one word: “Him.” She had forgotten the whole Bible except for that one word, yet in that one word she had the entire Bible.
As you read the Bible each day, notice the commands to KNOW. As you come across that word in Scripture, circle or underline it. The holy writers penned their words with confidence, boldness, and knowledge.
We are not infinite, and we are not infallible. But the things that we can know and do know are profound! In every condition, we know that our Redeemer lives, we know that He is a great God above all gods, we know that all things will turn out for our deliverance, and we know He is able to keep what we have committed unto Him against that day. There is nothing in this world that is more important than to have the answers to these questions.
This week the Lord bless you as you prayerfully read and meditate on the attached Weekly SERMON, “The Church of One Accord”.
In His Amazing Grace,
PS: In order to access the Weekly SERMON, please click the link to Weekly Sermon Library, where you will be able to choose: Plain Text (TXT), Microsoft Word document (DOC), Rich Text (RTF), Web Page (HTML) or PDF (Portable Document Format), any of the format(s) you desire. After you decide on the appropriate format(s) you may then print a copy of the Weekly SERMON, save it to a file on your computer, or download it and save it to a disk for future use. Your use of this material is meant to be flexible.