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It’s not what you know…

Getting ahead in business, personal, and social pursuits is often not as much a matter of what you know, but who you know. The right connections with the right people sometimes helps you get to where you want to be. We use these connections to get everything from a job or promotion to a scholarship to special help and personal favors. Many times the benefits received are unearned and undeserved, granted only because the one we know has shown us favor. Ironically, this is descriptive of our life in Christ.

None of the spiritual blessings found in Christ are earned or deserved. It is the kind intention of our Father to bless us with adoption, redemption, revelation, forgiveness, inheritance, salvation, and hope. But it’s not just a matter of what we know, but Who we know.

Jesus says that knowing God is where we find eternal life (John 17:3). Salvation is based on who we know more than what we know. What we know is important since knowing Scripture is how we know God, for through it He reveals Himself. From His word we know His character, His unfathomable love, compassion, grace, and mercy. We understand His nature and intolerance for unfaithfulness.

To know Jesus is to know God (John 1:14-18; Colossians 1:15) and it is through our Bibles we come to know Jesus. Graham Kendrick’s song, Knowing You, sums up the importance of who we know.

All I once held dear, built my life upon

All this world reveres, and wars to own

All I once thought gain I have counted loss

Spent and worthless now, compared to this

Knowing you, Jesus

Knowing you, there is no greater thing

You’re my all, you’re the best

You’re my joy, my righteousness

And I love you, Lord

Now my heart’s desire is to know you more

To be found in you and known as yours

To possess by faith what I could not earn

All-surpassing gift of righteousness

Oh, to know the power of your risen life

And to know You in Your sufferings

To become like you in your death, my Lord

So with you to live and never die

Graham Kendrick

Copyright © 1993 Make Way Music,

www.grahamkendrick.co.uk

In his confessional prayer King David, the man after God’s own heart, revealed that the what is eclipsed by the who (Psalm 51:16-17). He could have gone through the motions of the what, but knew that pleasing the who is what matters most. When the heart is not right the what is simply a meaningless ritual. David knew that ritual couldn’t clean his heart, only God could do that. Once his heart was right the activities of his worship had meaning (vv. 18-19).

The church in Corona is placing a renewed emphasis on knowing the Who. We are making an intentional effort to enable every person to become intimately connected to the Lord. We are rearranging our Sunday morning line-up to reflect this priority. The following schedule, beginning January 3, 2016, will help accomplish our two-fold goal to strengthen connections and produce transformation. There will be meaningful time for socializing and prayer, as well as knowing the Author and application of Scripture.

  • 8:30 a.m.    the Gathering – connecting and visiting over coffee and donuts
  • 9:00 a.m.   CONNECTION groups – praying, growing, applying, and transforming
  • 10:15 a.m.  Worship Assembly – praising, praying, learning, communing, giving
  • ?:00 p.m.   Fresh – engaging through singing, devotion, and prayer

We will enjoy the opportunities for authentic worship, including a fresh approach to our afternoon assembly. We will be strengthened by a stronger connection with each other. Ultimately, we will be blessed by Who we know and the love and favor He lavishes on us.

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