We Are A Sign!

This morning I was reading from Paul's letter to the church in Philippi, and saw something that got me thinking.  Here are the verses - Philippians 3:1-6 NIV:

[1] "Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. [2] Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. [3] For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh--- [4] though I myself have reasons for such confidence. 

If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: [5] circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; [6] as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.:"

Verse three is the verses that caught my attention this morning, and I know I have read to multiple times, this morning it just stood out to me, maybe because I have been reflecting on Pau's letter to the Galatians, where is talking about the circumcision party.  Regardless of why, I find it interesting that Paul describes us gentile believers as "the circumcision".  I don't think I have ever heard the Church described as "The Circumcision" before!  

Immediately I started wondering, "Why Circumcision?"  I know it was instituted as a sign of God's covenant with Abraham and his offspring (See Gen. 17:11), but that doesn't answer the why question.  I came across and interesting article on this very topic - ( https://www.christianitytoday.com/behemoth/2016/issue-47-april-28-2016/why-did-god-choose-circumcision.html ) and will summarize it as indicating a willingness to die to our flesh that we might live for God forever.  It is the sign of being a covenant people.  There is clearly much more to this covenant and sign than I just summarized, but I think it quite astounding that Paul says we, the New Covenant believer, are "The Circumcision"!  

In thinking more about this, it is not our willingness to die to ourselves that qualifies us to be a covenant people.  Our physical sign, is Jesus, and His willingness to die for us all, and it is His actual death and resurrection that qualifies us as partakers of this new covenant!  This effectively replaces the Abrahamic covenant, which was before the covenant of the Law, and this time the one who is righteous is Jesus, the one who lays down His life!  

One wonders if the Apostles understood, at the Last Supper, what Jesus was really saying when He instituted the sharing of His Body and Blood?  He gave them a new covenant (see Luke 22:19-20) and then a new commandment (John 13:34), and while not quite as spectacular as on Mount Sinai covered with smoke and lightning and thunder, here we have the very Son of God, present and laying down His life, offering Himself for us all!  This was of a far greater significance, and Paul is right to defend this new covenant! 

Going back to the phrase "For it is we who are the circumcision" Paul is saying our identity is as a sign of God's covenant, the visible sign of His Promise being fulfilled, and it is proved by the Holy Spirit.  We are supposed to be a sign, and I am reminded of Jesus' comments right after giving the new commandment, John 13:35 NIV:  "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”  Our Love for one another, our walking in the power of the Holy Spirit, our being sent to all nations are all the fulfillment of this new Covenant, initiated by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  We are right to boast in Him, for He personally has made a way for us all to be "the circumcision".  

Lord, I know I have only scratched the surface on this truth.  Help me to better understand all that this entails, and what it means for me.  I know we are supposed to be a sign!

Amen!

Guarding Against Deceiving Spirits

This morning I woke up from a dream that was about a friends church that had come through a trying time where certain individuals were pressing hard for a "gospel+", looking down on others who weren't seeing things the way they thought, and presenting themselves as holier than others.  Such an approach is almost always the result of a religious spirit.  

As I sat down to pray this morning I felt led to read from 1 Timothy, chapter 4.  Although I know scripture and have read it all several times, I still don't know where certain things are dealt with, what chapter and what verse, so I am almost always a little surprised by what I read when I first open it up as directed.  Anyway today here is what I read - 1 Timothy 4:1-10 NIV:

[1] "The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. [2] Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. [3] They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. [4] For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, [5] because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer. 

[6] If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed. [7] Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. [8] For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. [9] This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. [10] That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe."

I love how direct Paul is in his writings.  While it is clear that the Holy Spirit is giving guidance towards the future, I am quite sure that Paul was confronting the same deceiving spirits in his day. There were many heretical and gnostic teachers even early in the church, as the enemy was clearly trying to stop the Church from growing and deception, diversion and division are three tactics he uses.  Paul had already had to deal with the circumcision group, those that were saying that following certain parts of the Law somehow made you a better Christians.  In the same way, there are many that hold up a "gospel+" that is other than the Gospel of the Kingdom, and we must guard ourselves, and labor accordingly. 

I have seen these spirits at work, and they are destructive to congregations and people's faith.  Often they show up when the Holy Spirit is moving and the people who are being influenced seem like virtuous, and zealous believers, and in most cases they are.  However, they have become somehow deceived, and come to believe their way, their thinking, their pursuit of God is better and that should be our first red flag, for spiritual pride is almost always the result.  Paul describes two common attacks, relationship guidance and purity laws, especially concerning diet.  He continues on the next paragraph listing old wives tales, and godless myths as other sources of deception. 

Paul's description of such people is that they have abandoned their faith, and it should be noted that it never looks like that, in fact it looks like and is presented as having a "super" faith.  However, if we get to the core, they have abandoned their faith in Jesus, in His saving work and redemption, and consider it somehow lacking.  They have replaced God on His throne with their own ideas, and judgments!  They have judged God's perfect plans and somehow found them lacking, and in need of some extra special stuff!  

Most such people are well meaning and believe they are pursuing God to the best of their ability.  The problem with being deceived is that you can't tell you are being deceived, which is the nature of deception.  A person who receives a counterfeit bill for payment is unaware they are being deceived, and if they suspected it was fake they would reject it.  It is important in our confronting such people that we remember they truly think they are following God, and we must treat them with mercy, and remember the source is spiritual and demonic.

The good news is that this situation can be reversed, as Paul clearly tells Timothy to point out such things in the hopes that they will repent, and return to the Lord, and put their faith in Him once again!  We must earnestly pray for ourselves and our brothers and sisters that we might be saved from such deception, and have our eyes opened to any such beliefs we presently agree with in our lives.

Oh Lord, help us!  Oh Lord, show us Your truth, that we might recognize the counterfeit and deception.

Amen and Amen!

Sin, Action or Attitude?

This morning I was reflecting on recent prayer times and conversations I have been having with the Lord, and the topic of sin came to mind once again.  I should say the topic of the definition of sin, for that is something I have been pondering over the last couple of years.  As I was thinking back over this , the following question came up.  Is sin action or attitude?  I was immediately reminded of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, found in Matt 5-7, and thought I would read some of those specific passages.  Here are the two most glaring examples - Matthew 5:21-22,27-28 NIV:

[21] “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' [22] But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, 'Raca,' is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell." 

[27] “You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' [28] But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

Clearly, Jesus is speaking about heart attitudes, judgments and ideas, more than actions.  He somewhat equates murder with being angry with a brother, and expands that to just calling them a fool.  Jesus says that even the mere lustful glance is the equivalent of adultery!  Yikes!

Jesus was speaking to a group that had gone to great lengths to define what was sinful, expanding the original law to 600+ very specific statements about what was sin and what wasn't.  None of the definitions Jesus spoke about was on their list, yet He made it very clear these were equally "sinful".  

I think the point He is making here is that sin comes from a place of decision, and is primarily the result of us having a wrong attitude or wrong thinking.  James gives a great example of this in James 1:13-15 NIV:  "When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; [14] but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. [15] Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death."

Now, after reading these verses from James, one would think that the sin that is birthed is action, but Jesus clearly says it can be as simple as a word or even a look.  Both of these situations (from the quotes above), if we break them down, indicate that in the individual's mind they have made decisions, judgments if you will, that are not in line with the Will of the Lord!  If we go back to the two greatest commandments, as described by Jesus (see Matt 22:37-40)  We are commanded to Love God, and Love our neighbors, and in both these examples the second commandment is clearly being broken, and one could argue, the first as well.

Lately, I have been thinking about the story of Adam and Eve in Genesis and I was thinking that the first sin, was not the eating of the apple, but rather believing the lie and agreeing with the judgment about God.  Eve, in the midst of her conversation with the serpent, came to a point where she believed they couldn't trust God to provide the best for her, and that He was lying, or hiding the truth.  She clearly came to a point of agreement and decided to act, and my conjecture is that was actually the first sin, not the eating but the decision and thought that got her to the point of the actual act.  She chose to break the trust in that relationship because of what she agreed with in her mind.

In the cases described by Jesus, we find similar situations and examples.  In the murder and anger discussion, there is clearly a judgment that is made by one person against the other.  There might be a  reason for the anger, but the point is apparently that this type of judgment, is every bit as heinous in terms of the second great commandment.  Secondly, the decision to judge our fellow man, and either acting on it, or at least speaking it, is us taking the Lord's rightful place as judge.  He is the only one who can judge correctly, and our doing so ourselves is basically us saying we should be in His seat, for we can't trust Him to be just! (sounds similar to Eve).  

In the same way the lustful look is not in line with loving our neighbor as ourselves, nor as Jesus loves, but instead is wholly selfish, and indicates a willingness to take what one wants!  This attitude indicates that one has elevated their own appetites and judgments above the Lord, and is in many cases a form of idolatry!  These type of thoughts are based on decisions that we have made in our mind and heart, and Jesus clearly is indicating they are every bit as sinful.  Again, placing our appetites above all else, is clearly breaking the first Greatest commandment.  In the story of Eve's fall, she saw the fruit "was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom" (Gen 3:6) and chose to fulfill her appetite in spite of what God had said, clearly choosing the fruit over relationship with God.  

I could continue on, but I think I have grasped more fully how attitudes and judgments are just as sinful as the actual actions that are the result.  Again, in these cases the sins are almost always in the relationship realm, and affect our relationships with God and others.  As I have written before, in my reading of many of the saints lives, it is surprising to see how their understanding and awareness of their own sinfulness grows, as they become more and more like Jesus.  These people aren't acting in sinful ways, but what they are seeing is how far their thoughts and attitudes are from How the Lord would act and think.  They  are recognising that they are falling short (see Romans 3:23).

Finally, I am encouraged this morning to take a more sober view of my own thoughts and attitudes, recognizing that so often my heart and mindset are falling short!  In my love of God and desire to be like Him, I definitely have tons of room to grow and do better!  Thank You Lord for helping me to see more clearly, and opening my eyes to my own state.  Thank You for Your amazing grace, and mercy, and forgiveness!

Amen!

Love Covers Over A Multitude of Sins

This morning I am reflecting on the same verses I was looking at yesterday.  I love how the Lord can emphasize different things from the same sentences.  Yesterday, my reflection, which I didn't post, was more of a look at where we are in time and how we should act accordingly.  Today my focus is on the effect of love for one another.  The verses come from 1 Peter 4:7-11 NIV:

[7] "The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. [8] Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. [9] Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. [10] Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. [11] If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

This morning verse eight grabbed my attention, especially the phrase "love covers over a multitude of sins."  The questions that popped into my mind when I read that phrase were "how?" and "why?".  Sometimes I just feel like a little kid, trying to understand how everything works, and I think that is a good thing.  I could just nod my head and say "Amen!" but to do so does not allow me to really own the truth captured here.  That said, it is time to mine this phrase so that I might understand what is really being said here.

As always, anytime I read about sin, I am reminded to go back to the actual Greek, which is the word hamartia and which is described well by the following excerpt from ( https://biblehub.com/greek/266.htm ): "266 hamartía (a feminine noun derived from 1 /A "not" and 3313 /méros, "a part, share of") – properly, no-share ("no part of"); loss (forfeiture) because not hitting the target; sin (missing the mark). 266 hamartía (a feminine noun derived from 1 /A "not" and 3313 /méros, "a part, share of") – properly, no-share ("no part of"); loss (forfeiture) because not hitting the target; sin (missing the mark)."

As I journaled a few weeks back  (See https://amomentwithgod-srh.blogspot.com/2023/06/why-is-it-sin.html ), this missing the mark, or 'having no part of' seems to me to be aimed at the two most important Commandments, Loving God and Loving one another.  In other words, our relationships with God and others.  Put in this context, I think it is easier to understand how Love covers over a multitude or plethora of sins.  If our sins are primarily anchored in the relational realm, relational embrace and focus seems to be the right area to try and make things right.

I was reminded of Paul's famous verses defining love, and I think it would be helpful to this meditation, for Peter is clearly referring to our loving of one another as most important characteristic in our "last days".  Here are Paul's words found in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8,13 NIV:

[4] "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. [5] It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. [6] Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. [7] It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. [8] Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 

[13] And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

I don't think I need to add much to this lovely definition.  If we imagine that Peter meant all of this where He wrote love each other deeply, I think we understand more of the richness of this encouragement.  This is not an encouragement to look at one another with a loving emotion, but one that presses deeply into our identity and embrace selflessness.

I thought I should look at the definition of the Greek word that is translated here "deeply".  Here is the word helps from ( https://biblehub.com/greek/1618.htm ): 

HELPS Word-studies

1618 ektenḗs (an adjective, derived from 1537 /ek, "wholly out" which intensifies teinō, "to stretch" which is also the root of English terms, "tension" and "tense") – properly, stretch out, i.e. fully because completely taut; (figuratively) at maximum potential, without slack because fully extended to its necessary outcome.

Doesn't that portray something much more demanding than a simple thought, "man, I love these people!"?  Here is an encouragement to love to the fullest extent, one that stretches us out!  I am reminded of the stretching exercises we did as gymnasts back in highschool.  You stretched to the point of uncomfortableness and then pressed further.  I think in this case that image is helpful to our understanding, maybe we could translate it "love one another past the point of comfort, and keep on loving!"

Back to my two original questions, how and why does our love cover a multitude of sins?  If our sins are in the relational realm, then repairing the damage caused by those sins, also must be accomplished in the relational realm.  If I have not loved the Lord or my brother or sister correctly, what options do I have?  I can either try to live with the damaged relationship, or I can work to restore it.  In my mind this is really an excellent encouragement to repent!  In other words, look at my previous behavior, see what it has affected and then choosing to act differently so as to repair and restore any damage done previously!

Going back to an archery analogy for the definition of sin as missing the mark or bullseye, if I am in a competition for the shot closest to the bullseye, and so far I have missed the exact middle, each additional shot gives me the opportunity to hit it perfectly.  If I do, all my other missed shots are inconsequential.  Relationally speaking, we can, if in a healthy relationship, restore, repair and renew our love each new day.  We can choose to act differently, and in time this choosing correctly will erase or make inconsequential our past misses, especially if we embrace the definition of love "keeping no record of wrongs".  In effect, this new and fervent love covers over our previous failed or poor attempts!  

In our relationship with God, there is always an invitation to repent and change, to recognize our mistake and choose to do better next time!  He is eternally forgiving, endlessly merciful and compassionate, and He knows exactly what we think, how we think, and every action we have ever taken, and He still chooses to love us!  Our choosing to love Him, to put Him first, to press into relationship absolutely covers over our past mistakes and failures.  He isn't looking for repayment, He is looking for relationship restoration.

Going back to the original questions, how and why, I think I have answered them for myself. My sins are in the relational realm, thus to cover and repair I must approach them from the relational realm, and love is exactly that.  Restoring my loving actions, encouraging my loving actions, and actually acting these out, will cover over the past mistakes.  

Finally, I am reminded of Peter's encouragement that in these last days, we must love each other fervently.  Simply put, as times become more difficult, we can have a tendency to turn inward, to cut ourselves off from others to protect that which we have, and Peter is encouraging us to do the exact opposite.  IT will be stretching, maybe even painful, but it will be critical to the health of the Body of Christ, to our relationships with each other and with the Lord!

Help us Lord!

Amen and Amen!

Like-Mindedness vs. Selfishness

This morning I reflecting on two short verses from Peter's first letter.  Here are the verses - 1 Peter 3:8-9 NIV:

[8] "Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. [9] Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing."

As usual for me, my focus is on relationship these days.  Peter is clearly addressing the body and encouraging us to embrace one another, to have relationships with one another that are characterized by sympathy, love, compassion, humility and like-mindedness.  I was immediately drawn to the encouragement to be like-minded, and wanted to understand exactly what Peter is saying here.  We can take this encouragement several ways, so I figured I would go to the Greek to understand the base meaning. Here is a word help I found on-line:

3675 homóphrōn (from 3674 /homoú, "same as" and 5424 /phrḗn, "inner outlook as regulating outward behavior") – properly, share the same perspective, i.e. like-minded; for believers, this means living in one accord ("having the same mind"). This Spirit-produced unity (agreement) results from receiving God's inworkings of faith ("His persuasions").

(see https://biblehub.com/greek/3675.htm)

If we take the literal translation, "having the same inner outlook regulating outward behavior" I think we are well served.  This doesn't mean to think the exact same thoughts.  This doesn't mean everyone is of the exact same opinion.  It seems to mean that we all have a similar internal perspective, think eternal mind-set, which in turn drives our external behavior.  Saying it another way, we all have the same hope set before us, that of eternal life and our kingdom citizenship, and because of that hope and identity, we act differently.

As fellow members of the Kingdom of God, as brothers and sisters in His family, our attitude towards one another should take on the characteristics Peter lists; sympathy, love, compassion and humility.  Our mindset should affect our outward behavior.  If our behavior is not colored by sympathy, love, compassion and humility, then we probably need to spend some time understanding why this is the case?  

I find that most of my internal struggle is related to my own selfishness, which at its core is me thinking I know better than God.  Selfishness is such an ugly thing.  When wallowing in it, I think my needs and wants are more important than pretty much anything else.  It can also masquerade as self-pity, as in no one else knows my personal situation, my personal pain, all the things I have gone through, etc.  However it manifests, my eyes are turned inward, rather that towards the Lord and His perspective, and I end up making poor decisions. 

There is a saying that you can't see the forest for the trees in front of you, which speaks of having a bigger perspective.  Selfishness is more like, you can't see others because you are always looking in the mirror.

Peter's encouragement this morning is to have a different perspective, to look around to see others, to have sympathy, love, compassion and humility in our dealing with and treatment of others.  What a wonderful encouragement, even though it costs us our own selfish perspective.

The second verse is probably even more difficult, to return blessing to those that insult us or do evil to us.  I am reminded of some of the last words of Jesus, quoted here in Luke 23:34 NIV: "Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots."  Stephen echoed this as He was being stoned saying, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them .” ( Acts 7:60 NIV).  Wow, talk about returning blessing for evil!   

In both cases, Jesus and Stephen were not looking at their own situation, instead they were looking to Heaven, looking to the Father and having compassion, and mercy on their assailants.  They were clearly helped by the Holy Spirit, and He should be our help as well.  We don't naturally want to return blessing for curses or evil, but this is our call and encouragement in the Lord!  We are called to be like Him, and this is included.

Oh Lord, help me to be more like You, to see myself in light of my relationship with You.  Help me to entrust my needs to you, that I might see those around me as I turn away from the mirror of selfishness!  Help me to represent You through love, mercy, compassion, sympathy and forgiveness.

Amen and Amen!

He IS the God of the Living

This morning I opened my Bible to Mark's Gospel and the last line of this statement by Jesus caught my eye.  Here are the verses where Jesus is answering a trick question presented to Him by the Sadducees - Mark 12:24-27 NIV:

[24] "Jesus replied, “Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? [25] When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. [26] Now about the dead rising---have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the account of the burning bush, how God said to him, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob' ? [27] He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!”

Verse 27 just about jumped off the page when I read it a few minutes ago, so I figured I should spend some time reflecting on this statement. 

First, to put verse 26 in context, at the time of Moses' encounter at the burning bush, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had all been dead for 300+ years, and Jesus was clearly talking about some type of eternal life!  Earlier in Mark we have Moses and Elijah meeting with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration, so we should understand that physical death is not the finality of one's existence.  The Sadducees, who Jesus was specifically addressing, did not believe in the resurrection, so for them to even ask the original question about marriage in the after-life is in itself completely fallacious, however, Jesus never wasted an answer, and provides some important understanding.

God does not look at our lives as ending when we die!

God certainly is alive - as He is eternal and lives outside of time!

God's perspective is that in Him, we have eternal life as well.  Jesus says that when those that are dead raise to new life they are like Angels, in that they now have eternal existence, in Him.  John expands this whole idea in his letters - 1 John 5:11-12 NIV:  "And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. [12] Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life."

He is not the God of the dead... He is the God of the living!

We, who have received salvation in Him, who are hidden in Him, whose lives are now found in Him, have this to look forward to.

He IS alive!

So will we continue to be!

This was the hope of the early church!  This was the hope of the Apostles!  

I should say this IS the hope and experience of the early church and the Apostles.

This should affect the way we think!   This should affect the way we live!  Oh that the Lord would open our eyes to the eternal, giving us glimpses beyond the veil of time, into the realm of the eternal!  We can see glimpses recorded in scripture.  If we read Isaiah 6:1-8; Ezekiel chapter 1; Revelations 1:12-18; Revelations chapters 4 & 5, we will see some striking similarities! 

In the same way that our eternal life should affect how we think and act, we should be affected by the fact that God is alive and acting even now!  He has not stopped His work with the first coming of Jesus!  He is alive and engaged in our lives today!  He IS the God of the living!

Too often, I think that God is somehow limited now, or inattentive, or focused on something else!  He IS the God of the living, which includes me!  

The God of the universe is totally capable of dealing with and interacting with me, in the same way that He is aware of the micro-cellular working on my body and at the same time the expanses of Universe!  We are still discovering new information about both, and always we discover order and forces we know nothing about... and in all of it God is aware and in control.

I go back to Jesus' initial response to the Sadducees, "Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?"  Oh Lord, help us to grow in our knowledge of both Your word, and Your power!  We do not want to be limited by our lack of understanding, but encouraged to understand more and more!  As Paul prays - Colossians 1:9-14 NIV:

[9] "For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, [10] so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, [11] being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, [12] and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. [13] For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, [14] in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."

Amen and Amen!