As I was enjoying my breakfast time with Stan one morning, he mentioned that he had spent some time earlier that day remembering how important it is to tell people what they don’t know. I asked him to explain what he meant.
“I was looking at the apostle Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth,” Stan replied. “Paul wrote a couple of questions that brought back memories of what I didn’t know and how thankful I am that someone told me.”
“What’d Paul ask about?”
“First, whether they knew that they were not their own because they had been bought with a price. Then he asked them if they knew they were the temple of the Holy Spirit and what that meant for how they were to live.”
“But,” he continued, “Paul’s questions reminded me of some things that were much broader.”
“Much broader? How?”
“There was a point in my life when I knew absolutely nothing about anything concerning God. I didn’t know what He did to redeem the lost world of which I was a part. I didn’t know that there was the possibility of life eternally with Him, a new life that was to begin here and continue forever. I didn’t know anything about the Holy Spirit and His role in living the new life. You name it, I didn’t know it!”
“I can certainly relate to that,” I responded. “And I would guess there are a lot of people like that.”
“Good guess,” Stan said with a smile. “And those who do know are to tell those who don’t know so they will know. After all, if we don’t tell them, who will?”
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Bible verses to consider:
Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16.
Or do you not know . . . that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.
Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard? Romans 10:13-14.
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Mark 16:15.
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, . . . . Matthew 28:19-20.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for giving Jesus and His finished work on the cross as the way to life eternally with you, the life that begins here and will continue forever. Thank you for those who told me what I didn’t know about you and your provision so I could accept it. Even though I know I will spend eternity in your presence, I confess that too often while I remain on this side of eternity I don’t tell anyone about you and your provision so they will know. Please forgive that foolishness. Help me follow every step of your lead in telling others so they will not remain in their ignorance. Thank you that I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Have you come to know God in the sense you’ve accepted His provision of life eternally with Him, the life that begins here and will continue forever? If no, why do you choose not to have that life? If you are a Christian with the assurance of salvation and redemption, how are you doing with telling others what they don’t know about God and His provision for them? If you sense the desire for change with any of this, how is that change going to happen? Is that what you truly want? Why or why not?
The need: Since God knows what we need before we ask Him (Matthew 6:8), what does He know you need to not only know Him, but also what you need in order to tell others what they don’t know concerning God and His provision for them? Spend time on this studying God’s Word, praying, reflecting, and journaling to see what God knows you need. He will show you!
Forward: Do you know others who would or could benefit from this devotional? If so, why not forward it and open them to be a part of the conversation between Stan and S. Tory Teller?