Know the One Who Knows it All 2-13-08

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Father and Son, come abide in me by Your Spirit. ... "He saw the heaven opened and something like a large sheet coming down, being lowered to the ground by its four corners. In it were all kinds of four-footed creatures and reptiles and birds of the air. Then he heard a Voice saying, 'Get up, Peter, kill, and eat.' But Peter said, by no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is profane or unclean.' The Voice said to him again a second time, 'What God has called clean, you must not call profane' " (Acts 10:11-15). Every word of Scripture is true. "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Yet You never intended the Bible to be a rule book apart from a living relationship with You. We must have Your Word "abiding" in us, so that Your Scriptures help lead us into a living relationship, not dead rituals and rules (John 5:37-38). As You warned those who thought they knew and obeyed Your Scriptures but did not have Your Spirit, "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that testify on My behalf. Yet you refuse to come to Me to have life" (John 5:39-40). We must come to You to have life. We must be willing to know Your Scriptures because they testify of You and are fulfilled in You, but we cannot know You, Your truth, and Your leading in the details of our lives apart from a living and personal relationship with You. "The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life" (2 Corinthians 3:6). Peter was humble enough to hear Your Voice and allow You to adjust his thinking. He was filled with Your Word and with Your Spirit -- knowing the Word of God, but also willing to be taught and led by the Spirit of God. When he realized his understanding of Your Scripture was too limited to his interpretation of the letter of Your Law, he listened and he learned. Then he trusted and obeyed. He humbly asked, "Who was I that I could hinder God?" (Acts 11:17) And the Gospel was shared in power with the Gentiles as well as the Jews that day and from that day forth (Acts 10:44-48). Lord, help me know Your Word, but never settle for only knowing Your Word. I need to know You. You are the Living Word of the Living God now coming to live in me by Your Spirit. Daily give me humility to know that no matter how much I think I know, I "know only in part" (1 Corinthians 13:9). So my part is to know the One who knows it all. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Come to the Fountain! this Friday Night 2/15 at 7 pm -- the 3rd Friday Night of every month -- for our ministry's monthly gathering of people from many different churches and streams of the body of Christ across our city for prayer, praise, and healing worship. This month Sandra White of Bethlehem Farm Ministries will lead in prayer while Brooke and Shannon Barrett will lead in worship. Hosted in the chapel of Centenary: 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY. Contact Marilyn for details at dirofministries@aol.com All are welcome! Come to the Mountain! every Monday night at 7 pm to pray for Israel and the peace of Jerusalem led by Doris and Bob McCray of our ministry. Hosted in the upstairs community room of First Southern National Bank at 3060 Harrodsburg Rd in Lexington. Contact Doris at bndmccray@windstream.net All are welcome! Subscribe free by email to Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 Order our Resources On-Line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org