Human knowledge leans against the wrong tree. Climbing the tree of the knowledge of good and evil requires much caution. When done with pride it’s extremely hazardous.

The most dangerous condition in the world is to think that you have life and God figured out. You don’t and you won’t! If you did you wouldn’t need Jesus. (Eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is deeply deceptive because it makes us think that we are smart enough to control and manage our life with nothing more than our limited human brain and fallible information processing.)

However, the more relational, personal, interactive, intimate, and heart-piercing our direct knowledge of God, the more we rely on the living Jesus to work with, in and through us by the power and presence of God’s Spirit. We learn to daily rely on the risen Jesus to personally direct us and empower us from within instead of relying on our own plans, desires, programs, and effort. We have an inner zeal that is Spirit-prompted and real, not created and carried by human hype, pride, and insecurity.

Instead of striving to understand and program life according to your smorgasbord of desires, surrender all to Jesus. Holding on to what you think gives you control will never make you whole. Letting go and letting God will! The Holy Spirit is a much more capable teacher than most Christians realize.

There is a huge difference between second-hand Bible knowledge that we learn as information to be filed away in our brain and direct communication (revelation) from the living God that transforms our heart. There is value in both, but one is essential and too often neglected. Without direct revelation all we have is hearsay religion. If you don’t want a relationship with the living God, He won’t force you to have one even though your avoiding Him breaks His heart.

Revelation:
Whenever I do
The slightest good thing
I’m amazed how pride
Rises up inside
To congratulate me.
And how Jesus
Gently whispers:
“Step aside
From your pride
And follow Me
In humility.”

God’s love
Is never an excuse
To follow
Your own desires
And to ignore
What He requires.

Recipe for joy
Look beyond self-focus.
Fill your eyes with
Appreciation
For God’s creation.
Build an attitude
Of great gratitude.
Let joy always grow
By resisting thoughts
That hold back its flow.