The Gap Between What We Know and What We Do
(6 minutes)
This is the life-giving message we heard him share and it's still ringing in our ears. We now repeat his words to you: God is pure light. You will never find even a trace of darkness in him. (1 John 1:5)
Yahweh is pure light. You will never find even a trace of darkness in him.
Pastor Tim mentioned on Sunday that this statement strikes us as obvious. He might as well have said, "Water is wet." When we hear that Yahweh is pure light and there's not even a trace of darkness in him, we nod our heads in agreement as if to say, "Of course He is! Tell me something I didn't already know!" Oh, if living by faith in Abba was only as easy as "knowing" something we would all be in good shape. Here's the question we have to ask ourselves when we hear something we think we already know: How many things do I know to be true, but don't live out in my own life? Ah, there we are. So we can't stop at, "Is this true?" We must wade deeper into the water and ask ourselves the question of all questions: Do I believe this in my own heart? And if I do, where is the witness in my own life?
The beliefs we allow to permeate our hearts will always show up in our lives. Wisdom has told us that as a person thinks in his heart, so is he (Proverbs 23:7). It's one thing to "know" something is true. It's a completely different thing to "believe" something with the heart. When you believe something in your heart, your life will naturally sync itself with that belief. Your language will begin to change, and soon after that your actions will change, too.
The only way we close the gap between knowing true things and actually allowing those things to affect our lives is to let these truths go deep in us, all the way to the heart. The journey from head to heart is one that must be walked out with Yahweh. His showing up to walk with us today is His being committed to bridging this gap in us, no matter how long it takes. It's Abba saying, "I will show up every day to convince you even more that I am good and you are loved. I am invested in every step you take, until you become the real, authentic you. Come and walk with Me.”
So as we read this scripture again, let something rise up in you that says, "Abba, simply knowing that this is true is not enough. I don't want to just nod my head in agreement. I want my life to be a witness that this truth has captured me. Let it pierce the deepest parts of me until my heart is fully convinced."
This is the life-giving message we heard him share and it's still ringing in our ears. We now repeat his words to you: God is pure light. You will never find even a trace of darkness in him. (1 John 1:5)
We're going to meditate on the life of Abraham, in his pre-ham era when he was only, Abram. Abraham is going to show us how our life changes when we begin to believe Yahweh on the heart level. This is such an incredible testimony for us because Abraham had no church, no law, no religious construct or crutch to help him know God. This is a raw, honest account of a man encountering the presence of Yahweh and being changed by his encounter. And Abraham isn't changed by his rule-keeping, his striving, or his knowledge of scripture. Listen to Paul's words to get a glimpse into how Abram was transformed into Abraham.
Let me use Abraham as an example. It is clear that humanly speaking, he was the founder of Judaism. What was his experience of being made right with God? Was it by his good works of keeping the law? No. For if it was by the things he did, he would have something to boast about, but no one boasts before God. Listen to what the Scriptures say: Because Abraham believed God's words, his faith transferred God's righteousness into his account. (Romans 4:1-3)
Pastor Tim drew our attention to the fact that it wasn't Abraham believing IN God that transformed him, it was Abraham believing God's words. The devil believes IN God but does not believe what He says. It's not just "knowing" about God, it's believing what God says and allowing that to affect our lives. Abraham didn't settle for "knowing about" or "believing in" Yahweh. He went further and said, "I'm going to wholeheartedly believe what Yahweh says and let it change how I live my life."
There are areas of our lives where we still see a gap between what we know and what we do, and we often wonder and question ourselves about that gap. "I know that is true...why am I still doing this?" We wonder why no amount of striving or discipline has helped us to be transformed into who we know Abba has called us to be. We're going to see Yahweh's heart for us as we stand under these truths this week, but I will say this... that gap in us has everything to do with our believing that Yahweh is pure light and that there's not even a trace of darkness in Him. We're going to walk with Abraham and see how it shifted in him, a man that Yahweh lured out into the wilderness.
Here's the beautiful and exciting thing you must remember: no one enters the wilderness with Yahweh and stays the same. They are always transformed into a lover of His presence, a Bride that’s fit for a King.
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Worship: "Head to the Heart" by United Pursuit
Honor: Give Online to The Wilderness Place
Share With Us: We would love to hear how you're encountering Abba in your daily walks. Don't hesitate to share what you're hearing, seeing, or sensing in His presence. Email us here!
