Topic: Knowledge Delivers [Tuesday 5, December 2017]
Memorise: Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. – Proverb 4:7
Read: Daniel 2:46-49 (KJV)
46 Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him.
47 The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.
48 Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.
49 Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.
Bible in One Year: Psalm 106-107, Habakkuk 2:2-20, Hymn: Sing Hymn 1 – My Faith Looks Up To Thee
MESSAGE:
The Scriptures declare that wisdom is a major asset we must acquire (Proverb 4:7). To get wisdom, you have to first lay its foundation stones with knowledge. What you know can determine your position in life. It was what Joseph knew, together with the ability to interpret dreams that God used to move him from the prison to the throne (Genesis 41:1-44). In other words, the stop-gap between you and your place of destiny is knowledge. Can you truthfully say that you know enough to get you to your place of destiny? If your answer is in the negative, then start acquiring knowledge today. In many corporate organizations, preference is given to those who have acquired more knowledge than others. This is why there is a tendency to select employees with higher degrees for higher positions in these organizations. So don’t just remain stagnant in knowledge, acquire more of it! Enroll for higher degrees and relevant online or offline training programmes to position yourself for a more successful career ahead of time. What you know can promote you and bring you before kings.
Furthermore, what you know can deliver you from death. No wonder the Lord, in Hosea 4:6a, said:
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge:”
It was the information Daniel and his colleagues received from God that delivered them and the rest of the wise men of Babylon from death. In other words, what you don’t know can kill you. Ignorance is not just a disease, but a killer – a worse killer than some diseases. Ignorance is a terrible destroyer! Lack of knowledge can lead to a lot of wasteful spending. For example, if a person doesn’t know the importance of maintaining good hygiene, he or she will fall sick often and waste money on treatments that could have been avoided. Do you know that many people are being taken advantage of by the devil because they do not know their rights and privileges in God’s kingdom? They do not know that they have been healed by the stripes of Jesus, and so they continue in sickness. If you fail to know that Jesus has paid the price for you to be rich, you will remain in poverty and even celebrate it like some people do today. What do you know?
Action Point: If you do not yet have a degree and you are less than 60 years, consider enrolling for one.
Hymn 1: My Faith Looks Up To Thee
- My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Saviour divine!
Now hear me while I pray,
Take all my guilt away,
Oh, let me from this day
Be wholly Thine! -
May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire!
As Thou hast died for me,
Oh, may my love to Thee
Pure, warm, and changeless be,
A living fire! -
While life’s dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread,
Be Thou my guide;
Bid darkness turn to day,
Wipe sorrow’s tears away,
Nor let me ever stray
From Thee aside. -
When ends life’s transient dream,
When death’s cold, sullen stream
Shall o’er me roll;
Blest Saviour, then in love,
Fear and distrust remove;
Oh, bear me safe above,
A ransomed soul!
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries.
