Knowing God

By Rev Dale Lee

“Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life.” (Deuteronomy 4:9, NKJV)

Mark Twain once remarked that quitting smoking was easy. He had done it a hundred times.  Most of us would agree that the pleasures of this life present an ongoing challenge and cling to us like bark on a tree.  If we don’t learn the vital truth of taking heed to ourselves, of driving between the lines so to speak, we will soon find ourselves in a ditch.  The innumerable pleasures and pressures of life will inevitably push to the dark corners of our minds the vital truths we need to live in the light of everyday.  Three vital statements of truth every Christian should keep before their eyes are the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17); the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) and the Apostles’ Creed.

The Apostles’ Creed reads: I believe in God the Father, Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.  And in Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, Born of the virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, buried; He descended into hell.  The third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven; And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty;  From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.  I believe in the Holy Ghost; The holy catholic (universal) church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.

According to the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, the recital of the Lord’s Prayer and the Apostles’ Creed has formed the beginning of believer’s morning devotions and the conclusion of those devotions in the evening since the Creed was first written.  St. Augustine advised Christians of his day to “Say it daily.  When you rise, when you go to bed, say it before the Lord; call it to mind, and do not tire of repeating it.”  Excellent counsel indeed.

The prophet Hosea indicted Israel with these convicting words: “I have written for him the great things of My law, But they were considered a strange thing.”  (Hosea 8:12, NKJV) The Apostles’ Creed should not be strange to us.  Churches should recite it together and come to know the blessing and strength of declaring what we believe.  The devil hates to hear truth coming from our lips.   Dear Father, please cause all of us who claim to be Christians to love Your Word and keep it before our eyes and hearts the rest of our days including the Ten Commandments and the Lord’s Prayer and also the Apostles’ Creed. Amen.