Day 225
Jeremiah 3:15
''And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding."
As Jeremiah prophesies on behalf of God, he reveals that God desires for his people to have knowledge and understanding. The Lord said He would give us pastors. He said they would feed, and the meals would produce knowledge and understanding.
Because God has given man dominion in the earth, He works through us. Throughout Biblical history, we find God sending people to other people on His behalf. Sometimes they would go saying they were speaking for God when they really were not. God gave signs to His people, so they could know if the messenger was truly sent by Him. As Jesus put it in Matthew 12:33, "the tree is known by his fruit." In Jeremiah, the evidence that the pastor was sent by God was seen by the quality of the meals he served. If the person being ministered to received knowledge and understanding, the minister was probably representing God. Some people have been in church all their lives and have little or no knowledge of the scriptures. Others have a good basic knowledge, but little or no understanding. God wants us to have both.
Paul said, in I Corinthians 12:1, "I would not have you ignorant." Solomon said in Proverbs 4:7, "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding." He also said in Proverbs 1:4 that his writings were intended to give young men knowledge and discretion.
Since it is obviously important to God that we be intelligent concerning spiritual things, our attitudes should be that we will pursue obtaining spiritual understanding. We must make certain that we are exposing ourselves to ministers who are after God's heart.
Then, we must listen attentively with an attitude of being a doer, not just a hearer. (Our attitudes about the Word will affect our ability to retain what is being taught.) Finally, we must follow up with actions and our own personal study, allowing the Holy Spirit to further illuminate our minds and hearts.
I will receive from ministers who are after God's own heart. I will listen attentively with a right attitude and follow up with actions and personal study, allowing the Holy Spirit to further illuminate my mind.