UNDERSTANDING

Lord, You are the Way.

Ephesians 5:15-17
See that you walk with purpose and accuracy where the Lord is concerned, not as fools, but as wise,
Making good use of your time, because the days are evil.
Therefore don't be ignorant, but understand what the Will of the Lord is.
Amen.

The good and upright man has knowledge of those things that pertain to salvation.
How does he get that knowledge?
By seeking it through God's Word.

So many people don't understand what I mean when I say to them that I am not religious.

They look puzzled and confused because they see me studying the Bible or praying or talking about and writing about what God and His Son Jesus said.

What does she mean she isn't religious she's doing what religious people do, she is reminding us of sin.

I'm doing way more than what religious folks do and way more than just reminding folks of sin and it's wage.
Religion won't give you the information that you need to seek the Lord for your self.

Religion wants you to stay in it's box believing that salvation is in a set of man made rules.

Some religious people are angry because they believe that I am bashing them or their beliefs when I talk about the fruitlessness of merely following the tradition of men.

Understanding the Will of the Lord is my purpose.

This word (understanding) means that you yourself seek after God's Will by studying His Word diligently to do it.

A scorner(an arrogant fool who thinks that they know it all already) seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth
(humble enough to be taught and then go on to learn more by seeking God them selves).
Proverbs 14:6

He is only found in one place B-I-B-L-E.

Some will be spoon fed all of their lives and some will stand up and go get it.

Understanding, Jesus spoke about this many times to His disciples.

Matthew chapter 13 is Matthew's account of the "Parable Of The Sower"
All of the disciples were there to hear the Lord and everyone of them recorded their account for posterity.
Look at the number of times Jesus mentioned the importance of understanding/ seeking Him and His Will for your self.

God cannot build upon unbelief that is why faith comes by hearing and then seeking diligently the meaning and instruction for you in God's Word.
The Father can't build upon someone who will not seek after Him.

If you won't seek after Jesus this means that you will not follow Him.

Peter walked on the water towards Jesus seeking Him.
There is no way that water walking was popular then and it isn't popular now, but Peter heard Jesus and he believed if Jesus was out there the only way that he would get to him was to go and find him.

If you go looking for Jesus, you will find Him.

After you read what I write open up the Word and your heart to seek the face of God.

Jesus said this about Peter, 'Upon this rock shall I build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.'
Upon the seeking to know Jesus and understanding who he was In Jesus, Peter was made able to do the Will of God and miracles, signs and wonders followed Peter.

They couldn't just be sent out.

We have learned that the sower sows the Word in Mark 4.
Matthew 13:19 Jesus said:
When anyone heareth the word of the kingdom, and (understandeth it not,) then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart, this is he which received seed by the wayside.

Understandeth it not, means that:
He doesn't diligently seek to understand it.
It ain't automatic.
You do have to give God something to work with.

I have heard preaching and afterward opened up the Bible to study it for my self.

Some have always been on point and it is apparent that they have studied and sought the face of God.

Some it has been apparent that they are merely copying what someone else studied.

Some it is just plain clear that they don't open a Bible.

You heard it Sunday and it made you feel good or shout but when traffic is too slow leaving the church parking lot, you don't hit the lottery, the dog and your friend get sick or you get corrected on the job, a huge bill comes in the mail now you are done with the Word.

Or

When the Word is preached that clearly explains the sin that man is living in you will search for a church that omits that portion of the Bible, you don't want to seek understanding in that area.

You have time to send email jokes, play games, upload and download all types of stuff and that Bible is closed up until the next month when a guest speaker that you like is preaching.
Then what he or she says will only float in your heart for 2 days.

You can sit on those pews for 30 years listening and still be just as much a mess after thirty years as you were when you walked in in 1979 and be raising a generation of choir members and ushers and ministers who have no understanding.

You may have been with Pastor the longest yet Pastor has understanding and if you honored God and Pastor you would diligently seek to know Jesus and His Will.

If there is no diligence behind it, you get stole on.
Anybody can tell you anything and you will leap right on it because you have not diligently sought out the truth.

The serpent told Eve something different and she ate it up.
The days that we live in are the days when you will have to recognize.

Understanding, it is the breakfast of Champions.

Matthew chapter 15 Meditate.