I Don’t Know That But I Know This

I Don’t Know That But I Know This

Acts 18: ²⁴ Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. ²⁵ He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. ²⁶ He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.

²⁷ When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. ²⁸ For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.

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When a question was asked that I did not know, I got nervous and tried to think of an answer. I was presenting in front of a few hundred people and felt I needed to have all the answers. The audience quickly lost interest as I gave an opinion versus fact.

• There was a time when I thought I could have all the answers.
• There was a time when I thought I could handle any problem thrown at me.
• There was a time when I presented information that I was not fully aware of.

Apollos knew the Scriptures very well, but was only taught a little about JESUS. He spoke as accurately as he could about JESUS with “fervor.” Priscilla and Aquila heard him. They had spent a lot of time with Paul and learned a lot about JESUS. They volunteered to help Apollos learn more about the Messiah.

• GOD wants me to speak what I know about HIM with fervor.
• GOD wants me to be brave enough to say “I don’t know, but this is what I believe.”
• GOD wants me to say “I believe JESUS died for my sins and HE was raised from the dead, giving me eternal life.”

Some people are gifted at arguing about JESUS, others simply say “I just believe.” GOD wants me to open my mouth and tell people about my belief in HIM. The HOLY SPIRIT will give me the right words at the right time. I may not be able to answer questions thrown at me about life, but I know JESUS is the answer to everything.

• Are you trying to be the “answer person?”
• Do you judge people based on their knowledge?
• Will you open your mouth to your belief in JESUS, even though you may not know the Scriptures to support your belief?

Innovation Interrogation

Innovation Interrogation

John 9: ¹⁷ They said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?”

He said, “He is a prophet.”

¹⁸ But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight. ¹⁹ And they asked them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”

²⁰ His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; ²¹ but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself.” ²² His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. ²³ Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

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In the meeting I asked one person for suggestions. “Brilliant!” I exclaimed to their answer. I asked follow on questions to get them to think of new ideas. When another person tried to add their remarks, I replied “Thanks, but not right now.” Then I added, “Can you stay after the meeting?” knowing I wanted to ask questions about their strange expenses.

• There have been times when I asked questions of people, knowing fully that I did not believe them.
• There have been times when I have put together a line of questions that forced people to prove themselves.
• There have been times when I sought after the guilt of a person.

The church leaders were getting nowhere with the healed blind man so they brought in his parents. They hoped his parents would say, “This man is not our son” or “He never was blind” but they confirmed he was their son who was born blind. His parents feared the church leader’s power to make them homeless and ostracized.

• GOD wants me to seek the innocence in people in order to bring them to HIM.
• GOD wants me to look at people with grace so they can grow in HIM.
• GOD wants me to add to people versus taking away from them.

Innovative questions assume expertise, wisdom and capability. Interrogation questions assume guilt, wrong motive and need for correction. GOD wants me to be in the innovative realm as much as possible. HE is the creator and has given me the ability to do the same on a much smaller scale.

It takes patience, grace and mercy to think innovatively. GOD wants me to build people up instead of trying to tear them down. I ask GOD for help in this and I am grateful HE gives mercy.

• Are you asking interrogation type questions to people around you?
• Are you seeking their guilt so you can look better?
• Will you start asking innovative questions so people can grow in the way GOD wants them to?

Arguing for GOD is not my job

Psalm 83: ¹⁸ Let them know that you, whose name is the Lord—
    that you alone are the Most High over all the earth.

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Sitting at the lunch table I engaged in the debate of GOD’s existence and why JESUS is of utmost importance. I wasn’t very equipped but tried to answer their hidden agenda questions. I fumbled through my answers. Another time a very known religious group rang my doorbell and challenged my knowledge of the Bible. I fumbled through my answers. “I know… I’ll go to Bible school so I can argue with these people” I said to myself, tired of getting beat up in these debates.

• At one time I used to think GOD needed me to prove HIS existence.
• At one time I used to think GOD needed me to argue what’s right and what’s wrong.
• At one time I used to think GOD needed me to debate with people with other “religious” views.

This chapter was extremely harsh in that the writer was asking for calamity of his enemies who laugh at GOD and mock HIM. It reminded me of the times I faced people who refused to turn their face to GOD and I felt I had to say something in HIS defense. Looking back I see it was my faith that was in question not theirs.

• GOD wants me to have enough faith in HIM to deliver a message of love rather than proving someone to be “wrong.”
• GOD wants me to have enough faith in HIM to plant seeds of love in people rather than arguing and proving them “wrong.”
• GOD wants me to have enough faith in HIM to allow people to be who they are and to open my mouth and say “I believe” and let that be enough.

GOD does not need me to prove HIS existence, nor does HE need me to prove JESUS, who is GOD, died for me. GOD wants my faith to rely in HIM and HE wants me to prove HIS existence through showing “love” for my neighbor. Once I stopped arguing I noticed a strange thing, people started asking questions about my relationship with GOD. HE delivered people to me to love and they now follow HIM because GOD draws people to HIMSELF.

• Do you feel you need to argue GOD’s existence?
• Do you need to debate the existence of demons and angels?
• Can you ask GOD if HE wants you to do that?
• Will you have the faith to open your mouth and simply say “I believe in GOD” rather than fighting?

Revenge or grace

Exodus: ²² “If people are fighting and hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman’s husband demands and the court allows. ²³ But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, ²⁴ eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, ²⁵ burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.

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Exhausted from track practice I slumped toward my locker. A football player walking on the opposite direction decided to hit my scrawny frame in the chest. I literally saw glowing things so I know what people mean when they say they saw stars!

This amongst other bullying activities made me life weights. No one was going to push me around anymore!

• When I get mad I want revenge!
• When someone does me harm I want to harm them.
• When I am the target of hatred I want to give them a taste of their own medicine.

After lifting weights and putting on a few muscles I noticed people picking fights rather than letting me have peace. “Should I learn to fight” crossed my mind. BUT GOD wanted me to behave different.

• GOD wants me to turn rage into Grace for that’s what HE shows me daily.
• GOD wants me to forgive rather than show revenge for the sole purpose of drawing people to HIM.
• GOD wants me to bring peace rather than picking fights to demonstrate the same love HE showed me.

GOD created the “revenge laws” AND HE demonstrated the payment for the law by dying for my sins. HE paid the price for all revenge and wants me to show love instead of hatred.

• Did someone treat you wrong?
• Are you ready to fight them?
• Can you stop thinking about the wrong they have done and think about the grace GOD wants you to show?

See, I told you so!

Jude 1: ²² Be merciful to those who doubt

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Sitting in front of the professor I heard the words of doom come from his lips. “Unless you write an excellent final, you will fail this course.” He then followed with these words “Why don’t you consider changing professions.”

That’s all I needed to hear! His words seemed to fuel rage and anger that drove me to outperform many in the industry. What was that professor’s name? Maybe I’ll go back to the university and gloat in his face.

• Just because someone doubts me, doesn't mean their doubt is true.
• Just because someone doubts me, doesn't mean I should treat them differently.
• Just because someone doubts me, doesn't mean my abilities are broken.

There have been many situations in which I have proven people wrong about their doubts in my abilities and skills. I threw the “I told you so” in their face and gloated exponentially. What did it get me? I made an enemy rather than winning over the doubter. I wonder what went wrong.

• GOD wants me to show mercy on people who doubt me and especially who doubt HIM.
• GOD wants me to show grace on people who seem to be going their own way and leaving HIM.
• GOD wants me to show love to people who are difficult to love in hopes that one day they will trade rejection of CHRIST for HIS love.

I have a tendency to distance myself from doubters. I mean they really drag me down. BUT GOD wants me to show mercy so their faith can grow and all eyes will be on HIM.

• Do you have doubters in your life?
• Are you moving away from doubters because you have a hint of doubt?
• Can you show your faith without being judgmental or without gloating?
• Won’t you show mercy to the doubters by helping them grow?