Hey friends,
I hope you’ve had some time to consider the thoughts I’ve shared with you so far about our first key engraved with “KNOW”. Today, I want to pick up where we left off in Part 2. If you recall, we discussed how David’s path to becoming the king of Israel began with knowing God’s intention, or plan, for him. This plan was spoken over David when he was just a boy by the prophet Samuel.
You and I may or may not ever have such a dramatic and defining moment that reveals God’s specific plan for us, but we have something just as valuable and sure. We have God’s word, the Bible. It, too, reveals God’s intentions toward us. Just like David, the path to living the life God imagined begins with knowing what He is saying to you. His word and His Spirit work in synchrony to convey His desires, plans, and directions to us. But, unfortunately, far too many of God’s people are not reading God’s word. No wonder we still seem so lost even though we are “found”!
His word is our spiritual food. Without it, we are starving and malnourished. We often don’t realize it, though, because we are feeding on all kinds of “junk food”. This fluff occupies space in our hearts and minds and fills up our schedules, but offers no nourishment. An inadequate spiritual diet stunts our growth, and impairs our ability to see and hear what God is saying. It is a slow, silent killer of God’s hopes and dreams for you.
Ephesians 6:11 tells us to “put on the whole armor of God…”, but many of us have only put on the “helmet of salvation.” We received Christ as our Savior and then went on with our lives. But the Bible implores us time and again to grow in our knowledge of God. Salvation is the crucial first step, but without the rest of our armor, we are vulnerable to attack and destined for defeat in this life. His word is our sword, and a necessary part of our armor. We simply can’t defeat the enemy empty-handed!
The life God imagined for you is not one in which you stumble and fumble through this life until you can make it to the next. Ephesians 2:10 in the Amplified Bible teaches that God planned beforehand and prearranged for us to do good works and live the good life! Isn’t that great??!! But it doesn’t just happen. We must become trained and equipped to employ His plan. His word provides that training and equipment. Second Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God…that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
So, don’t be fooled into thinking you can live a magnificent life without feasting on His word. His word gives you His wisdom, and Proverbs 3 teaches that wisdom is a tree of life. Remember that prosperous tree planted by the streams of water? God’s wisdom is its life source. The first key around your neck is there to serve as a constant reminder on your journey to know the word of God. His words are “not just idle words—they are your life.”
Living the life God imagined begins with knowing God’s word, but it doesn’t end there. So join me next time as we take a look at the secret of the second key.
Until then,
Dianne