The Principle of Knowing
Focus Scripture
16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. - Ephesians 3:16-19 NIV
This Week's Devotionals
Day 1: Introduction
This past Sunday we talked about the promise of God’s love for each of us. God’s love is not like man, it’s eternal, true and unconditional. While this may be true, for some it’s a challenge to receive this love because it’s a love that is unfamiliar. Therefore, we must invest time in getting to know the Source so that we can experience the promise. This need leads us to our theme for the week: “The Principle of Knowing.”
The word “know” is not simply possessing knowledge but is also used to describe the act of becoming intimate. An example of this is how a husband becomes intimate with his wife through emotional connection which later grows into physical connection through acts of affection. Relationships thryve on intimacy. The declaration of one’s love is given both definition and context through the various dimensions of intimacy. Examples of these includes conversation, time, grace, confidence, support, encouragement, affection, and other physical interactions. The point I dare make is that intimacy is greater than a single brief intense encounter.
The principle of knowing is this: “Intimacy unlocks the door to explore the fullness of another’s character, personality & ability.” In our relationships with God, He’s calling each of us from the shallow waters of comfort to the deep sea of intimacy where we allow the wind of His spirit to capture the sails of our hearts and embrace the fullness of who He is. This is the expression of the principle of knowing.
The word “know” is not simply possessing knowledge but is also used to describe the act of becoming intimate. An example of this is how a husband becomes intimate with his wife through emotional connection which later grows into physical connection through acts of affection. Relationships thryve on intimacy. The declaration of one’s love is given both definition and context through the various dimensions of intimacy. Examples of these includes conversation, time, grace, confidence, support, encouragement, affection, and other physical interactions. The point I dare make is that intimacy is greater than a single brief intense encounter.
The principle of knowing is this: “Intimacy unlocks the door to explore the fullness of another’s character, personality & ability.” In our relationships with God, He’s calling each of us from the shallow waters of comfort to the deep sea of intimacy where we allow the wind of His spirit to capture the sails of our hearts and embrace the fullness of who He is. This is the expression of the principle of knowing.
Day 2: Establish
Intimacy is not something that is given freely, it comes at a cost – intimacy requires commitment. In order to build an intimate relationship, it has to be supported by the right foundation. Therefore, I introduce to you the Four Pillars of Intimacy: Establish, Engage, Explore, Experience. We will take a closer look at each of these throughout the rest of the week so that we can learn how to develop intimacy with the Father.
The first of the Four Pillars of Intimacy is Establish. In his letter to the Ephesians, Apostle Paul described being “rooted and established” as a prerequisite to growing in intimacy with God. The word “rooted” in the Greek means “to strengthen with roots; to cause a person or thing to be thoroughly grounded.” It also indicates that “A rooted/established object is strong and healthy.” In other words, Paul is letting us know that before we can explore and experience the dimensions of God’s love, we must first have a strong and healthy relationship with God – one with strengthened with roots. He doubles down on this by saying not only rooted but also established. The word used for “establish” means to make stable or to lay a foundation. Therefore, in addition to our relationship with God being strong and healthy, it must have a stable foundation. These words, rooted and established, are very similar but describe the distinct requirements to begin and maintain a relationship.
When Chanell and I first moved into our home, I noticed that on each of the trees that were planted, there were stakes placed around them with straps tied to the trees. At a glance one would wonder why those stakes are necessary, but it’s important to know that those trees weren’t there before the house was built, instead they were transplanted from the nursery to our yard. Those stakes were placed there to help stabilize the tree until it was able to strengthen and establish its root system. Otherwise, if a strong wind came through our neighborhood, it would level the tree with ease because its roots are too weak.
Similar to the tree, where you are today is likely not where you began. A wise king described the truth of our origins in a song of repentance, saying “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me” (Psalm 51:5 KJV). David understood a truth that each of us must come to grips with, in our physical bodies we are sinful by nature. Living in holy communion with God is a massive culture change for the ways of our flesh. When we become saved from sin by faith in Jesus and become born again, like the tree, we are transplanted from darkness into the most beautiful garden, the Kingdom of Heaven. Once planted, we must be established through prayer, study, worship and fellowship – they are the stakes that keep our tree stable while our roots reach into the rich soil of Heaven. Being established in our relationship with God is the first step to growing in intimacy – walking in the principle of knowing.
The first of the Four Pillars of Intimacy is Establish. In his letter to the Ephesians, Apostle Paul described being “rooted and established” as a prerequisite to growing in intimacy with God. The word “rooted” in the Greek means “to strengthen with roots; to cause a person or thing to be thoroughly grounded.” It also indicates that “A rooted/established object is strong and healthy.” In other words, Paul is letting us know that before we can explore and experience the dimensions of God’s love, we must first have a strong and healthy relationship with God – one with strengthened with roots. He doubles down on this by saying not only rooted but also established. The word used for “establish” means to make stable or to lay a foundation. Therefore, in addition to our relationship with God being strong and healthy, it must have a stable foundation. These words, rooted and established, are very similar but describe the distinct requirements to begin and maintain a relationship.
When Chanell and I first moved into our home, I noticed that on each of the trees that were planted, there were stakes placed around them with straps tied to the trees. At a glance one would wonder why those stakes are necessary, but it’s important to know that those trees weren’t there before the house was built, instead they were transplanted from the nursery to our yard. Those stakes were placed there to help stabilize the tree until it was able to strengthen and establish its root system. Otherwise, if a strong wind came through our neighborhood, it would level the tree with ease because its roots are too weak.
Similar to the tree, where you are today is likely not where you began. A wise king described the truth of our origins in a song of repentance, saying “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me” (Psalm 51:5 KJV). David understood a truth that each of us must come to grips with, in our physical bodies we are sinful by nature. Living in holy communion with God is a massive culture change for the ways of our flesh. When we become saved from sin by faith in Jesus and become born again, like the tree, we are transplanted from darkness into the most beautiful garden, the Kingdom of Heaven. Once planted, we must be established through prayer, study, worship and fellowship – they are the stakes that keep our tree stable while our roots reach into the rich soil of Heaven. Being established in our relationship with God is the first step to growing in intimacy – walking in the principle of knowing.
Day 3: Engage
Today we will continue to walk through the Four Pillars of Intimacy. Yesterday we expressed that we must become established in our relationship with God through prayer, study, worship and fellowship. But what do we do after our relationship is established? We must engage – this is the second pillar of intimacy.
To engage means to give attention to something. If we desire to walk in the principle of knowing by growing in intimacy, we must grow in our engagement with God, we must give Him our attention. Have you ever been in a relationship where there was no engagement, there was no attention given to it? As believers, we must be careful to not become idle in establishing our relationship with God and never engaging Him. To show you what this looks like, I’ll share with you my personal experience. I had worked diligently to develop a prayer life, studied God’s word, worshipped and fellowshipped regularly and I finally felt established in my relationship with God. Then one day I was praying, talking to God and all of a sudden, my mind started flooding with thoughts. At first, I thought these thoughts were distractions, so I ignored them and kept praying. These thoughts came back stronger and I’m thinking to myself, I don’t want to be disrespectful by being so distracted in my prayer. But then it hit me – these thoughts were not distractions, these thoughts were God’s response to my prayers. I had become comfortable with doing the things to establish my relationship with God, but I didn’t realize that up to this point that I had been in a one-way discussion, a monologue rather. But now He was ready to have a conversation, He was ready to engage in a deeper level of intimacy.
Another definition of engage is to come together and interlock. God doesn’t desire that we would just come to Him, it’s His desire that we would be with Him and interlock our hearts with His.
To engage means to give attention to something. If we desire to walk in the principle of knowing by growing in intimacy, we must grow in our engagement with God, we must give Him our attention. Have you ever been in a relationship where there was no engagement, there was no attention given to it? As believers, we must be careful to not become idle in establishing our relationship with God and never engaging Him. To show you what this looks like, I’ll share with you my personal experience. I had worked diligently to develop a prayer life, studied God’s word, worshipped and fellowshipped regularly and I finally felt established in my relationship with God. Then one day I was praying, talking to God and all of a sudden, my mind started flooding with thoughts. At first, I thought these thoughts were distractions, so I ignored them and kept praying. These thoughts came back stronger and I’m thinking to myself, I don’t want to be disrespectful by being so distracted in my prayer. But then it hit me – these thoughts were not distractions, these thoughts were God’s response to my prayers. I had become comfortable with doing the things to establish my relationship with God, but I didn’t realize that up to this point that I had been in a one-way discussion, a monologue rather. But now He was ready to have a conversation, He was ready to engage in a deeper level of intimacy.
Another definition of engage is to come together and interlock. God doesn’t desire that we would just come to Him, it’s His desire that we would be with Him and interlock our hearts with His.
Day 4: Explore
The greatest discoveries in this world were not made by those who were sedentary – meaning those who have settled. No, the greatest discoveries of man were made by those who were exploratory – those who dared to step beyond the borders of what’s known into the realm of the unknown, the land of possibility. Nothing exists today without originating from the idea of possibility. What do the iPhone, Tesla, peanut butter, the and the light bulb all have in common? Each was made by someone who didn’t settle for the present but instead sought after what was possible.
In the same way, we cannot settle for a one-dimensional relationship with God. His love is multidimensional with four dimensions at the least, which include width, length, height and depth. How sad would it be if we only experienced one aspect of who God is? As odd as it may sound, this is the truth for so many. For some we’ve sought after the aspect of God’s love that’s demonstrated through His ability to provide, yet we have not explored the dimension of his love that gives us comfort in our sorrow. What use are the material blessings provided by the Father if I’m not able to experience His compassion when I’m hurting. A new car cannot heal my hurt, nor can a beautiful home displace my fears. Only the love of God can do this and so much more. So, don’t settle for one aspect of God’s love – explore them all. Learn how wide, how long, how high and how deep the love of God is in Christ Jesus.
In the same way, we cannot settle for a one-dimensional relationship with God. His love is multidimensional with four dimensions at the least, which include width, length, height and depth. How sad would it be if we only experienced one aspect of who God is? As odd as it may sound, this is the truth for so many. For some we’ve sought after the aspect of God’s love that’s demonstrated through His ability to provide, yet we have not explored the dimension of his love that gives us comfort in our sorrow. What use are the material blessings provided by the Father if I’m not able to experience His compassion when I’m hurting. A new car cannot heal my hurt, nor can a beautiful home displace my fears. Only the love of God can do this and so much more. So, don’t settle for one aspect of God’s love – explore them all. Learn how wide, how long, how high and how deep the love of God is in Christ Jesus.
Day 5: Experience
When we explore dimensions of God’s love, we encounter the very thing that has the power to fill every void, crack, gap or deficiency in our being. Love is the essence of who God is (1 John 4:8). All that He does is motivated by His love – this includes both the blessing and correction; they both are founded in love (Proverbs 3:12). Because of the extravagance of God’s love and its power to complete us, the enemy (Satan) does not want you to truly understand this love. With this in mind, Satan will do anything he can to confuse God’s people and discourage the reception of His love. One of the ways Satan attempts to confuse and discourage us from God’s love is through trouble. We often think that God’s love eliminates trouble. While this is true in some respects, it’s not the case in every situation. God’s love is not a free pass around trouble, instead it is the virtue of God that meets us in our worst circumstances. It’s in our trouble that His love shines the greatest. Therefore, difficult times are not just an attempt to destroy you – the attack is not about the attack, but it’s an opportunity for the love of God to be experienced.
In his letter to the believers in Rome, Paul declared “we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope” (Romans 5:3-4). Tribulations are the troubles and challenges that we face in life; Paul is telling us that we shouldn’t avoid them. Instead, we should embrace them, knowing that it’s going to develop patience and that patience will allow us to experience God’s love in the season of trouble. And, finally, our experience will grow a hope within us to know that if God’s love met me when I thought that I was going to die… if He met me when I was bitter and depressed… if He met me when I was wounded and rejected… when I was overwhelmed and defeated… If He met me then and lifted me by His love, healed me by His love, and delivered me by His love, He will do it again – He’ll meet me here.
When faced with trouble, we may not handle it perfectly every time. Sometimes, we may freeze up, may even pick a fight sometimes but those are things that God can work through – those are character flaws He can shape. But what God can’t work through is if we decide to leave. He loves us too much to make us stay, He won’t force Himself upon us. But when we choose to stay, no matter how hard it gets, that’s when we come to “know this love that surpasses knowledge.” The love that goes beyond human comprehension, the love that’s unconditional, the love that heals, provides, and strengthens. The love that didn’t leave the cross but stayed and finished the work so that we “may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
In his letter to the believers in Rome, Paul declared “we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope” (Romans 5:3-4). Tribulations are the troubles and challenges that we face in life; Paul is telling us that we shouldn’t avoid them. Instead, we should embrace them, knowing that it’s going to develop patience and that patience will allow us to experience God’s love in the season of trouble. And, finally, our experience will grow a hope within us to know that if God’s love met me when I thought that I was going to die… if He met me when I was bitter and depressed… if He met me when I was wounded and rejected… when I was overwhelmed and defeated… If He met me then and lifted me by His love, healed me by His love, and delivered me by His love, He will do it again – He’ll meet me here.
When faced with trouble, we may not handle it perfectly every time. Sometimes, we may freeze up, may even pick a fight sometimes but those are things that God can work through – those are character flaws He can shape. But what God can’t work through is if we decide to leave. He loves us too much to make us stay, He won’t force Himself upon us. But when we choose to stay, no matter how hard it gets, that’s when we come to “know this love that surpasses knowledge.” The love that goes beyond human comprehension, the love that’s unconditional, the love that heals, provides, and strengthens. The love that didn’t leave the cross but stayed and finished the work so that we “may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
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