Focus: What Do You Know? (Pt.1)

Text: Heb.10:34

"For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance."

What is that one thing you know that keeps you going when life gets tough and everything around you looks like a lie? What do you know that makes you speak with certainty and audacity? What do you know that gives you great confidence, making you lead a life of deep conviction and solid assurance?

Knowledge is a key; it gives you access to success and happiness. Knowledge of facts puts you on top; knowledge of truth sets you at liberty. You access life's blessings and conquer life's challenges through knowledge. Someone said, "I am looking for a key that will unlock me." Do you know why he said that? I think I do. It's because man is enigma, a mystery, an unknown entity. Man is an enigma wrapped up in mystery. Long ago, Socrates said, "Man, know thyself." The truth is: that knowledge must come from God. It is by divine revelation that man gets to know himself. Divine knowledge is the key with which you can unlock yourself. You are a kind of padlock, and you need the right key to unlock yourself. It is possible that God has put that key in someone's hand to unlock you with it.

Knowing prompts action. You do what you do because of what you know. The writer of Hebrews says, "For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance." What do you know in yourself? What are you convinced of about this life, about death, about the world in which you live, about the afterlife, or about people? What informs your decisions, actions and pursuits? These Hebrew believers made great sacrifices for their leader while he was in prison. They had great compassion on him and lavished their resources on him because of what they knew within them. They knew that they have in heaven a better and enduring substance.

True knowledge gives you sure footing in this life. I pray that you find the knowledge of God. Proverbs 2:6 says, "For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding." He says that "knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul" (Prov.2:10). Again he says, "By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew" (Prov.3:20). The Proverbs reveal that it is by wisdom that a house is built, and by knowledge the chambers of the house are "filled with all precious and pleasant riches." 

Look at the word - knowlEDGE! Knowledge gives you an edge over others. Now I ask you, 'What do you know?'

by Bishop Moses E. Peter