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The Lack of Knowledge from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo.

Today, I want to talk about the lack of knowledge. Specifically, the lack of knowledge of God and His word. There has always been far too much hearsay in the church, people repeating what they have heard well-meaning preachers tell them. Let’s begin in Hosea chapter 4 verse 6:

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. Hosea 4:6 NKJV 

The knowledge that He is talking about here is the true knowledge of God and His word. The truth. The priests, the teachers of Israel, had drifted away from the truth and were basically teaching fairy tales, the traditions of men. They had developed a large religious system, without God in it. Over time fallen men tend to stretch, distort, and add to the word of God to make it address a certain problem they are dealing with in the church, and that gets passed down.

For example, I was once playing bass in a church praise and worship team when it came out that a couple of the team members were having an affair with each other, though they were married. After word got around to the pastor, the church had to endure six long months of preaching on the laws of marriage, though that couple had already left. The pastor taught on it several times, then had all the elders teach on it, and then their wives. Weeks passed by, then months.

Sylvia and I have a great marriage, but we had to sit through six long months of weird teachings on marriage because someone else had made a mistake in the church. Now they meant well, but not everyone is meant to be a teacher, and when they are forced to teach anyway, things like turning back the covers for your spouse and leaving mints on the pillow became part of the sermons. New people who were listening who did not know the Bible, may begin to tell others that Jesus taught us to turn down the covers for our spouse, and don’t forget to leave a mint on the pillow. This is just a silly example of how things can get added and passed down to others.

Luke wrote this about the Berean Christians in Acts chapter 17:

Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. (Acts 17:11 NASB). 

The Bereans checked behind Paul to see if what he taught them was actually true by comparing his teaching with the scriptures. That is a great practice. The first time that I read the Bible completely through, what amazed me the most was what I did not find in there. After growing up in the Bible Belt, I found reading God’s word liberating. There are huge doctrines out there being taught that are built on the head of a needle.

By reading and listening to the word for yourself, you will learn the truth and the truth shall set you free, and as Jesus said “My burden is light.” The more that you learn about Him and His word, the more happiness and freedom you will experience in your life. Jesus said it this way:

And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. ‘BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.’ “Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men.” He was also saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition. (Mark 7:6–9 NASB). 

Jesus, the Son of God who could walk on water, made teaching the people His primary mission. Hosea wrote that God’s people were destroyed for lack of knowledge, and when Jesus saw the large crowds, He tried to correct that by teaching them:

When Jesus went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things. (Mark 6:34 NASB). 

In John 21, when Jesus was speaking to Peter, He told him to “Feed My sheep” meaning to teach them the Word of God. In Ezekiel 34, the Lord came down hard on the teachers of Israel who were not feeding the sheep. God cannot be separated from His word and the more that you know about it, then the more that you will know about Him.

The Holy Spirit will bring verses back to your remembrance at critical times, when you need them most. He will quicken your spirit to understand them in a new way. The Bible is our anchor of truth and a rhema word, that is one spoken by the Holy Spirit, will never contradict the logos, the written word, but He will certainly correct our understanding of it.

Don’t believe everything that you hear, or happen to see at the movies. There is so much make-believe out there that I laugh my way through most “Christian” movies today like they were a comedy. Where on earth did they read that?

I encourage you to know the Word of God yourself. Check behind your teachers before you begin repeating it to others. It is easy to play an audio Bible on your phone today and cover entire books while you are driving or working on something else. Let’s destroy the lack of the knowledge, before it destroys us.

You can pray this with me if you like:

Prayer: Heavenly Father, please open my mind to the scriptures like You did for the disciples on the road to Emmaus. Help me rightly divide Your word and to learn the truth that will set me free. I want to know You more, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.