Today's "vitamin" -- knowledge

We're finishing up the week still focused on this passage:

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind,forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. (II Peter 1:5-9)

The next "vitamin" or addition to our faith is knowledge.
How do we supplement our faith with knowledge?
What is knowledge?
A list of facts and figures?
A database of information?

Wellllllll, no. Information is not enough here. Knowledge is a proper understanding of truth. It's the application of information to our lives; it's letting our head knowledge impact how we live. Letting our head knowledge get to our hearts and change the way we look at things, and change the way we act, too.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,    but fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7)

Teach me knowledge and good judgment,    for I trust your commands. (Psalm 119:66)

We can see from these verses that knowledge, wisdom, and good judgment are all tied up in the same package.  They all work together:

Wisdom is a shelter    as money is a shelter,but the advantage of knowledge is this:    Wisdom preserves those who have it. (Ecclesiastes 7:12)

Wow. Sure wish that this "vitamin" came in a bottle! But instead, we must work at this one, too. It's something we must learn, and do our "homework" in order to take advantage of it:

let the wise listen and add to their learning,    and let the discerning get guidance— (Proverbs 1:5)

We need to get into the Word, and then let the Word get into us, as I heard a preacher say. It's a quaint saying, but it's also the truth!

Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. (Joshua 1:8, NLT)

I meditate on your precepts    and consider your ways.
 I delight in your decrees;    I will not neglect your word. (Psalm 119:15-16)

As we study the Word, we can pray as well, and ask for wisdom, knowledge, and good judgment:

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (James 1:5)

We must apply the vitamin, the additive to our faith, of knowledge. We can see that this one works together with our other vitamin, virtue. It's impossible to know where God would want us to go, and what He would want us to do, without studying the Word. We will find the answers to understanding His will for our lives, and we will find the keys to holy living there.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. (James 1:22-24)

Just like certain foods (and certain vitamins) are essential to our physical health, so the Word of God is vital to our spiritual health. When we feast on His Word, we will grow spiritually.

Lord, bless us with spiritual knowledge, understanding, and wisdom as we study your Word!