And what d'ya Know Part II
"I was wrong- for years- and was not only convinced, but even took pride in, the knowledge and acknowledgment of what I thought I knew.
But I was wrong."
So how long have you been living in the Christian Faith-- five days? 2 weeks? 6 months? Years?
How long have you come to know the best friend of all best friends, Jesus Christ?
He knows more about us than we wish He knew, but He is still here.
And so are you.
Still, what are you so convinced you know about Him that in your effort to be locked in as the "truest of the true Jesus Fanatic" that you miss out on something He's been trying to tell you about himself?
Are you missing something in verse 25 because you have verse 23 locked and loaded and highlighted in your calendar? (See Part 1 to get the joke).
But Wait! There's More
But Wait! There's More
Acts 18:25 introduces its readers to a man by the name of Apollos. Now that's a cool name.
And look at this intro we get: Born in Alexandria, eloquent, MIGHTY! - in the scriptures, and instructed in the way of the Lord. He was an educated, seminary-produced minister of the Kingdom.
But wait! There's more !
He was on fire for God, and boldly taught and spoke diligently the things of the Lord. The Bible makes note to mention he knew ONLY the baptism of John. But did this take away from his MIGHT in the scriptures? No!
There is no question Apollos was passionate for the things of the Lord.
And when two disciples, Priscilla and Aquila, heard him speaking boldly in the house of the lord, they recognized through the Holy Spirit, his hunger and passion for the things of the Lord. His fervor in speaking, also expressed the same tenor of passion he had for others to know the Jesus he has come to know and love so fiercely.
The scripture says they invited him to their home. See they were hospitable and welcoming. The scripture goes on to say they expounded to him the way of God more perfectly, or as another version says, more adequately- In other words more completely.
Apollos knew the way of God. He was just still in say verse "23".
Listen, I KNEW, I just knew, for the last 14 and half years I was right about my best friend's birthday on the 23rd. But I was off by 2 days.
Could it be our pride keeps us from knowing the way of God- more perfectly?
And could it be our pride and tradition causes us to unintentionally mock and resist the truth of God because- it just can't be. I KNOW what I KNOW.
And we for example, resist baptism in the name of our Redeemer- Jesus Christ, even though the scripture clearly states to do it so, declaring there is no other name on earth given among men whereby we must be saved.
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12 NIV
And we bicker and debate and tense at the mention of speaking in tongues as a sign of being filled with the gift of God's Holy Spirit. But if the Spirit of Christ has filled your heart, isn't it right to expect the language inspired by the Spirit will flow from your mouth?
A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. Luke 6:45
When the Spirit was poured out on the seeking disciples on the day of Pentecost, and they began to speak in other tongues under the influence of the Spirit of God, others thought they were drunk. Regardless that they heard untrained people speaking in all their different languages, they still concluded they were drunk. A perfect example of how our preconceived notions can keep us from seeing and believing there is more to be known from what we think we know.
I pray we do not allow our pride, in being the best of Jesus's best friends, make us deaf to truths he is sharing with us.
Think about it- if there is more to know, and deeper to grow in God- should not we want it? I mean if God is, in fact, our pursuit.
OK! Let's say that we are good as far as salvation goes. Yet, with being saved, isn't a deeper relationship with Him worth going beyond? I mean, you get married and you did that. And you don't cheat, and you meet each other's needs- but what about more than the marriage- what about the relationship and intimacy and knowing?
The Conclusion is this...
14 years! I am learning more about my sweet vibrant amazing best friend still. And I wouldn't dare to tell her she is wrong about what she reveals new to me about herself.
Do I want God? I mean want God fully? Or do I only what I am comfortable to know about God?
Why resist the brother or sister in Christ who responds to your passion for the things of God?
Like Brother Apollos, why not have the childlike faith and humility to listen in spite of our conviction.
Is it in the Scripture?
Then why not have it? Even if you shrug "it" off as unnecessary, (though we learn those same things are often in fact indeed necessary) Why not have it? Why not have as much as God as we can on this side of heaven?
This is the invitation for us all to grow
from faith to more faith
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”Romans 1:17
from Glory to more glory
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18
from truth to more truth
until we all reach oneness in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, [growing spiritually] to become a mature believer, reaching to the measure of the fullness of Christ [manifesting His spiritual completeness and exercising our spiritual gifts in unity]. Ephesians 4:13 AMP
Your fellow servant in Christ Jesus,
Chantel
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