April 09 2026

Thursday April 09

“Love In Knowledge”

Philippians 1:9-11

“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” 

Today we are looking at Philippians 1:9. In this verse, we find that the Apostle Paul is praying for the church of Philippi. As we said yesterday, he is praying first that their love may abound still more and more. But he does not stop there. Notice the next words: “in knowledge”—that their love would abound in knowledge.

Now this is very important, because all love is not the same. Some people have what we might call an emotional love or emotional affection for someone. I am convinced that this is what Peter had when he began following the Lord. He saw some miracles and was excited about the external. As he began to follow the Lord Jesus Christ, we find that even after three years, he had many failures. He was following externally.

But one day, something happened that changed him on the inside after a major failure. He realized that he needed the truth—that to know the truth would set him free. That is what Jesus said: “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.” You see, Paul is talking here about an informed love—a love that is guided by truth, not by our feelings. In other words, the more you know God, the more you will love Him. That is why Paul would later write, “That I might know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings.” That means to be intimately acquainted with who God is—who Jesus is.

That is why, in Colossians chapter 2, Paul writes to the church there, saying: “that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ. In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Jesus said, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.” It begins with knowing the truth. Your knowledge must be based on truth, and your love must be founded on the truth of God’s Word.

God so loved you. His love will never change. Nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus. As we come to know the Word of God, we come to know Him. That is why it is so important to have a love that is based on the truth of God’s Word—from Genesis 1:1 to the very end of the book of Revelation. As you study through the Word of God, you come to know God.

That is why I love 2 Peter 1:2–8. Carefully read these verses, and look for the word “knowledge.” “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His glory and virtue by which have been given to us exceeding great and precious promises that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. Now for this very reason give all diligence to add to your faith virtue and to virtue knowledge and to knowledge self-control to self-control perseverance to perseverance godliness to godliness brotherly kindness to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound you will neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” An amazing change has taken place in Peter. He now understood the importance of loving in knowledge!

Paul, go on to say in Philippians 3:8, “Yet indeed I count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.” I just want to encourage you today to make sure that your love is based on knowledge—that you love in knowledge and that it abounds in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Because, my friend, the more you know Him, the more you will love Him.

It is a love that is based and rooted in truth. It is strong. It is wise. It is steady. It comes because we are in God’s Word and are thinking on His truth rather than simply listening to what our feelings are telling us. I trust today that your love will abound more and more in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

God bless and may you have a wonderful, wonderful day!