09/01/2024 GOD KNOWS

God Knows A Sermon by Elder Jonathan Lonon All scriptures will be from the Christian Standard Bible (CSB) Recognition: 1. All honor and glory to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ 2. Pastor Wayne Mack and First Lady Michelle Mack, and all elders, ministers, and servants of the most high who serve here at Grace Place Atlanta Church of God by Faith, including my lovely wife. 3. All guest and new members attending in person and online. Thank you for worshipping the Lord with us today. 4. Praise God for all the testimonies of deliverance in our families! Now, let’s start with our primary scripture reading for this message: Previously, I shared a message, “The Lord Will Give You What To Do”. I want to answer a question about that message today: How do you know the Lord will give you what to do? I’m simply answering a question today, so this may be the shortest sermon I ever preached… just under three and a half hours! Context on Scriptures and Today’s Message Primary Scriptures: Romans 11:33 God Knows (Sequel to “The Lord Will Give You What To Do”) Page 1 of 14 Romans 11:33 (CSB) 33 Oh, the depth of the riches and the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments and untraceable his ways! (emphasis added) Notice that three depths are given: riches, wisdom, and knowledge. Today we only want to deal with the last of these, knowledge. Topic: God Knows Introduction In that other sermon I started off with this question: “Have you ever been perplexed around a decision that you must make?” I got lots of amens… after a little prodding! I then shared that, “Well, I’ve been there when I didn’t know what to do. But then God sent His word! Glory!” I shared how Elijah and Elisha were prophets who had to totally trust God in their callings and service, but honed in on Elisha and at least six cases where he had to step forth to do what only God could have given him the remedy to accomplish. As you know, Elisha had to be the voice of God for the people after having received the mantle from the one-of-a-kind Elijah and it did not matter how simple or complex the challenge, he was expected to know what to do! We see God giving Elisha what to do in the case of… • The Widow. II Kings 4:1-7 • The Shunammite Woman. II Kings 4:8-37 • The Sons of the Prophets. II Kings 4:38-41 and 6:1-7 God Knows (Sequel to “The Lord Will Give You What To Do”) Page 2 of 14 • A Man from Baal-shalishah. II Kings 4:42-44 • Naaman: II Kings 5:1-19 (19a), and the sixth… • Gehazi: II Kings 5:19-26 (19b) We then closed on the fact that you are attached to this list of testimonies in that God will also give YOU what to do in life. From the widow we learned that when you want the Lord to give you what to do, one of your first steps is to give Him all you’ve got. Little becomes much, when you place it in the Master’s hand! From the Shunammite woman we learned that when you want the Lord to give you what to do, and you’re asked how things are going, you must activate your faith and exclaim, “Everything is alright.” It may not look alright, but everything is alright. God blessed my barren self and He’s gonna bless what He birthed out of chaos! I refuse to doubt – He’s gonna give me what to do through this true prophet of God! She also knew that when you want God to give you what to do, you need to turn away from a lot of other people, and get in the presence of God. We saw that the sons of the prophets were hungry and when they finally did get something to eat, it was poisonous! We learned the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) had not yet been established, but God still worked it out and gave the prophet what to do! And on another occasion… when they inadvertently lost their ax head, we now saw the concern God has, even for simple things. Have you ever had an inadvertent mishap to occur? You didn’t mean for it to happen, but it did. Now, you need God to give you what to do! Well, at least we know now that He will come through. God Knows (Sequel to “The Lord Will Give You What To Do”) Page 3 of 14 Then there was the man from Baal-shalishah, that unknown guy! We asked, “Who is this guy?” No one knew, but who cared! He had some bread! So, we learned that long before the Bread of Life Himself blew minds using little to feed thousands, God was always able. We just didn’t know how able He was! Before closing it down with Gehazi, we saw Naaman and found out that you can be as prominent as the commander of the kings army and still be stuck! You can be rich and still stuck. You can be the commander of the army and be tight with the king, the prime minister, the queen, or the president, and still be stuck! So, it’s not that Naaman’s young maid-servant knows someone in Samaria that can get him unstuck from the leprosy, it’s that God knows and is using her to get that knowledge to Naaman. Thankfully, he had the faith to act upon it and reaped the benefits of God knowing! As in all these challenges that Elisha faced, as articulated in that message, certainly the Lord gave them what to do. But how is this possible. How do these people, and the prophet of God, and even you, know what to do? It’s quite simple: God Knows! Psalm 73:11 (CSB) The wicked say, “How can God know? Does the Most High know everything?” 11 Yes! He is omniscient, meaning he knows all things. Admit this fact and seek Him so that all will be well. God Knows (Sequel to “The Lord Will Give You What To Do”) Page 4 of 14 Sometimes we won’t listen to the all-knowing one when He gives us what to do, because we forget, or maybe we don’t have the faith to realize that He knows everything: past, present, and future! Don’t be like Naaman who got mad and started waving his hands, and went stomping off, because he didn’t find God’s instructions glorious and beautiful! Just jump in and wash seven times, man! Listen, don’t you do it: don’t pit your data banks of knowledge, or your scientific proofs, against the Almighty! You’re limited, but in another message I preached that “The Limit-maker is Limit-less!” As said before, “remember, you’re stuck, and sick, and you came to God for what to do.” God knows! Let’s show you Romans 11:33 again. It informs us that his knowledge and wisdom are deep. And don’t try to tempt me with AI (Artificial Intelligence) being the knowledge base I need. Even when AI is matured and more largely beneficial, it still won’t be a match for GI (God’s Intelligence)! GI beats AI any day of the week, and always will! Romans 11:33 (CSB) 33 Oh, the depth of the riches and the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments and untraceable his ways! In fact, the riches, wisdom, and knowledge of God are so deep that faith is required to access them. On our own, we trip over this basic truth and try to “understand” everything first. Other scriptures support the depth of God’s knowledge as being beyond our grasp. As in Proverbs 25:2… God Knows (Sequel to “The Lord Will Give You What To Do”) Page 5 of 14 Proverbs 25:2 (CSB) 2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter and the glory of kings to investigate a matter. Listen, if you know that God knows, you will then know that He is most capable of giving you exactly what to do! As we saw with at least six of Elisha’s encounters, there are too many tangibles, too many testimonies, too many revelations, and too many examples that God knows precisely what to do. So let’s bring this in for a landing by showing that throughout scripture it is clear that God know everything, starting with the fact that even Satan knows that 1. God knows everything according to Genesis 3:5… Genesis 3:5 (CSB) “In fact, God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 5 And while we’re on Satan, let’s clarify that 2. God knows Satan, as well as any other enemy we face, including ourselves, like when we’re playing games – acting like God knows some things, but trying to get away with a deceitful thought life. 2 Chronicles 20:12 (CSB) 12 Our God, will you not judge them? For we are powerless before this vast number that comes to fight against us. We do not know what to do, but we look to you. God Knows (Sequel to “The Lord Will Give You What To Do”) Page 6 of 14 Mark 12:14-15 (CSB) When they came, they said to him, “Teacher, we know you are truthful and don’t care what anyone thinks, nor do you show partiality but teach the way of God truthfully. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?” 14 But knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius to look at.” (emphasis added) 15 Why look to Him? Because He knows all about our external and internal enemies, and how to overcome them! But even more, 3. God knows Himself! Say what!! Show me some credentials! Exodus 3:14 (CSB) God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.” 14 Jeremiah 16:21 (CSB) “Therefore, I am about to inform them, and this time I will make them know my power and my might; then they will know that my name is the Lord.” 21 Yeah, that’s me! The self-declaring and daring one with all the power! Isaiah 40:28 (CSB) 28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the whole earth. God Knows (Sequel to “The Lord Will Give You What To Do”) Page 7 of 14 He never becomes faint or weary; there is no limit to his understanding. You’re still not convinced God knows Himself? Well, let’s jump to the New Testament to see what Jesus has to say about it! Matthew 11:27 (CSB) 27 All things have been entrusted to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son desires to reveal him. Revelation 19:12 (CSB) 12 His eyes were like a fiery flame, and many crowns were on his head. He had a name written that no one knows except himself. Whew! That settles His authority to know all things. But what is great is that we serve a mighty God, one who is not all into Himself, because 4. He knows our struggles and sufferings according to Exodus 3:7… Exodus 3:7 (CSB) Then the Lord said, “I have observed the misery of my people in Egypt, and have heard them crying out because of their oppressors. I know about their sufferings, 7 Psalm 31:7 (CSB) 7 I will rejoice and be glad in your faithful love because you have seen my affliction. You know the troubles of my soul And who knew that God knows our troubles better than Job? God Knows (Sequel to “The Lord Will Give You What To Do”) Page 8 of 14 Job 22:13 (CSB) Yet you say, “What does God know? Can he judge through total darkness? 13 Job 23:10 (CSB) 10 Yet he knows the way I have taken; when he has tested me, I will emerge as pure gold. Be careful what you think while you’re going through, because 5. He knows our thoughts according to Psalm 94:11 and Isaiah 66:18... Psalm 94:11 (CSB) 11 The Lord knows the thoughts of mankind; they are futile. Isaiah 66:18 (CSB) “Knowing their works and their thoughts, I have come to gather all nations and languages; they will come and see my glory. 18 I mentioned Jesus earlier when I declared that God knows Himself, so just in case you’re not sure that Jesus is God, check out the fact that He also knows our thoughts: Luke 9:47 (CSB) 47 But Jesus, knowing their inner thoughts, took a little child and had him stand next to him. And just in case you are wondering how the Holy Spirit fits into this omniscient equation, check out who is entrusted to abide in you to pass along God’s knowledge of your thoughts… God Knows (Sequel to “The Lord Will Give You What To Do”) Page 9 of 14 Luke 11:13 (CSB) 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?” 1 Corinthians 2:11 (CSB) For who knows a person’s thoughts except his spirit within him? In the same way, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 11 6. He knows the heart according to Deuteronomy 8:2 and I Kings 8:39 (also repeated in II Chronicles 6:30). Deuteronomy 8:2 (CSB) 2 Remember that the Lord your God led you on the entire journey these forty years in the wilderness, so that he might humble you and test you to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. 1 Kings 8:39 (CSB) (A king’s prayer) 39 may you hear in heaven, your dwelling place, and may you forgive, act, and give to everyone according to all their ways, since you know each heart, for you alone know every human heart, You may remember from the previous message that we added the character, Gehazi, Elisha’s servant as a warning. God knows your heart and we must know our own hearts. It is important not to try and fix or realign what God has already addressed. The consequences can limit us from our full potential in service. Gehazi’s actions caused him to acquire Naaman’s leprosy which surely hindered his ability to excel, but he did learn his lesson. God Knows (Sequel to “The Lord Will Give You What To Do”) Page 10 of 14 Just in case you need more proof of God’s knowledge of the heart, see Psalms 44:21 and Acts 15:8! Psalm 44:21 (CSB) wouldn’t God have found this out, since he knows the secrets of the heart? 21 Acts 15:8 (CSB) 8 And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he also did to us. 7. He knows your needs according to Matthew 6:8. Matthew 6:8 (CSB) Don’t be like them, because your Father knows the things you need before you ask him. 8 8. He knows the world according to Job 11:11. Job 11:11 (CSB) 11 Surely he knows which people are worthless. If he sees iniquity, will he not take note of it? And He knew what He had to do for the world according to John 3:16! John 3:16 (CSB) 16 For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God Knows (Sequel to “The Lord Will Give You What To Do”) Page 11 of 14 9. He knows grace and mercy according to Jeremiah 29:11. Jeremiah 29:11 (CSB) For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration— “plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 11 10. He knows His Son according to John 10:14-15,27 and II Timothy 2:19. John 10:14-15 (CSB) “I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep. 14 27 My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me. 2 Timothy 2:19 (CSB) Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, bearing this inscription: The Lord knows those who are his, and let everyone who calls on the name of the Lord turn away from wickedness. 19 (Emphasis is reference to Numbers 16:5) He know His Son, who knows His own on the Father’s behalf! One more important point about God knowing everything… God Knows (Sequel to “The Lord Will Give You What To Do”) Page 12 of 14 11. He knows the time of Jesus’ return according to Mark 13:32-35. Mark 13:32-35 (CSB) “Now concerning that day or hour no one knows—neither the angels in heaven nor the Son —but only the Father. 32 33 “Watch! Be alert! For you don’t know when the time is coming. “It is like a man on a journey, who left his house, gave authority to his servants, gave each one his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to be alert. 35 Therefore be alert, since you don’t know when the master of the house is coming—whether in the evening or at midnight or at the crowing of the rooster or early in the morning. 34 When you know that God knows and that He will give you exactly what to do, you don’t need to wait till after the fact, like Naaman did, but you can proclaim right now that, “There is no God in the whole world except the God of Israel!” God Knows (Sequel to “The Lord Will Give You What To Do”) Page 13 of 14 Summary/Conclusion We asked in the previous message, “Who has to get directions from the Lord?” The answer was, “Everyone!” Who knows all the answers? God Knows. Let’s close with two scriptures: John 16:30 (CSB) Now we know that you know everything and don’t need anyone to question you. By this we believe that you came from God.” 30 And again,… Romans 11:33 (CSB) 33 Oh, the depth of the riches and the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments and untraceable his ways! (emphasis added) Closing thought (optional): If God knows, and I was made in His image, my God-given curiosity should make it about time that I start knowing God! I think it may be time to start learning about the names of God that we do know. There is one name of God, according to Revelation 19:12, that we don’t know yet. Nevertheless, I should at least understand Him better through the names He has revealed to us! When we all get to heaven, imagine what wonderous things that name we don’t know will reveal about our great God! Altar call Return to Service Leader God Knows (Sequel to “The Lord Will Give You What To Do”) Page 14 of 14