Getting to know God

Here are some interesting verses, focusing on knowing God...

John 17:3 "Now this is eternal life: that they may know you,(Heavenly Father) the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent."

Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

What does it mean to know God? (The way God means to know Him, which is the important definition)

Do you know Abraham Lincoln?

Do you know your mother?

What's the difference?

How do you get to know God better?

How did you get to know your wife, when she was your fiancée? You were interested and motivated to develop your relationship with her.

How is developing an intimate relationship with God the same? How is it different?

The Reluctant Hero

I've been reviewing the life of Moses in the book of Exodus to get some insights into his character and how God chose him and used him to rescue the Israelites out of Egypt. What struck me this morning is how God called him to service. It involved God revealing Himself, Tasking or Commissioning Moses with an important work, and then Equipping him for the task.

God gets Moses attention with a burning bush that is not consumed. Moses at this point seems completely ignorant about the true God. "Who are you, who shall I say you are?", Moses says. God dramatically to distinguish himself from all the false Egyptian gods says, "I AM, that I AM."

God then tells Moses what He wants him to do, and Moses starts bringing out excuses. God tells him, "but I'm going to be with you!" Which is all that we should need to know.

Moses continues to balk, and God starts previewing His equipment for Moses. Drop your staff... Put your hand in your robe and take it out... You'll now be able to turn water into blood... Oh, and yes, because you are such a whiner, I'll let your fast talking brother, Aaron, do your talking for you...

Are you reluctant to a call God has on your life? Does He have an important work for you to do in someone else's life? Don't you know Who He is? Don't

you know if He calls you, He'll be with you? Don't you know that if He gives you a task, He'll equip you with heavenly tools to bring it to pass?

Check out the first 4 chapters of Exodus and see how God makes heros out of reluctant servants.

The Good Shepherd

"My sheep recognize my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish." John 10:27-28

There's an awful lot in these few words, don't you think?

Jesus says we belong to Him, we are His sheep. He bought us, redeemed us with his very blood.

Christians recognize His voice, receive His words in the Bible. Accept the Bible, His teachings as being life giving and true.

He knows us, better than we know ourselves. Yet, despite our faults, He loves us and still shepherds us.

Sheep follow their shepherd. Believers follow Jesus. It doesn't matter what you call yourself, if you don't follow Jesus, you're not one of His sheep.

He gives us abundant, everlasting life, now, not after the rapture, or after the great day of the Lord, but now, and continuing forever.

His sheep don't go to slaughter and become mutton. We produce fine wool, a crop of good works for the kingdom. And we will never perish

FREEDOM

As we look forward to the Fourth of July, “Independence Day,” I thought it would be fitting to share some quotes with you to remind us ‘from whence cometh our liberty’...

So Jesus was saying to his followers, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and your will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.” “So if the Son (Jesus) makes you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:31,32,34,36

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Declaration of Independence

For by Him (Jesus) all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things have been created through Him and for Him. Colossians 1:16

“It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible” George Washington

“I believe the Bible is the best gift God has ever given to man. All the good from the Savior (Jesus) of the world is communicated to us through this book. Abraham Lincoln

"We've staked the whole future of American civilization not on the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all our political institutions upon the capacity of each and all of us . . . to Govern ourselves according to the commandments of God. The future and success of America is not in this Constitution, but in the laws of God upon which this Constitution is founded." President James Madison

“Liberty cannot be established without morality, nor morality without faith.” “ Democracy and socialism have nothing in common but one word, equality. But notice the difference: while democracy seeks equality in liberty, socialism seeks equality in restraint and servitude.” Alexis de Tocqueville

Doing for others?

In Jesus last week of His earthly mission, He prophesies about the destruction of the Herodian Temple. In response to His announcement, His disciples ask Him when these things will take place, which launches Him in to a series of parables about end times and His future role. In this passage He speaks plainly, not in a parable.

“When the Son of Man (Jesus) comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep (believers/disciples) from the goats (non-Christians). He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous (believing sheep) will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’*

Matthew 25:31-40

This is the Bible account David Pendleton was referencing last week when he talked about the upcoming prison ministry opportunity. As I read this my thoughts were, “Am I doing what I should be doing for others, particularly the poor, the down and out, the prisoners?”

Carrot or Stick?

The old farmer says there are two ways you can motivate a mule. Either get behind him with a stick and prod him to go the way he should go, or get in front of him, and encourage him along with a juicy carrot.

God told Israel in Deuteronomy 30 that He has set a blessing and a curse in front of them. God set a land flowing with milk and honey ahead of them, encouraging them to follow Him and be faithful to only Him. He also had Pharoah, a bunch of chariots, and slavery behind them.

He asks us to circumcise our hearts, set our soul apart for Him, observe His way (behave), and He will encourage us with blessings, and prosperity, and joy. He also has consequences for sin: following after other gods like money, prestige, immorality. Consequences, we’ve all had enough experience with to know to avoid.

We can apply this to our style of spiritual leadership, especially in the area of parenting. Proverbs says that if we love our children we will discipline them. The rod or correction is mentioned more than once. But, we must also encourage our charges. We need to be out in front, doing the right thing, and cheer leading for our families.

Think about your own life. In a boss or parent or spouse, what ratio of encouragement and criticism would you prefer? Let’s be Barnabas, sons of encouragement most of the time. But, let’s not neglect loving correction and discipline to keep those under our care on the path of blessing and prosperity.

A Priestly Perspective

I’ve been enjoying listening to Deuteronomy. This record from Moses gives a priestly perspective on God’s dealing with the nation of Israel, and the giving of God’s law or standards. In chapter 5, we get the second record of the 10 commandments. You know “do this, and don’t do this and that.” Any honest examination by the sincere seeker convinces us that we all fall short, or miss the mark on one, if not all of these simple rules.

Chapter 6, though, hints at the secret to being right with this relational God. This records the greatest commandment as affirmed by Jesus to the young scribe in the gospel. “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” If we love God, our heart will lead us to please Him.

Finally, there is the challenge to parents to teach God’s standards and laws to our children and encourage them to follow Him. Or, in other words, pass on the secrets to a healthy relationship with our Maker.

Realize that we don’t measure up. Have a loving relationship with the true God of the Bible. Teach your children and others how to do the same. Gee, it seems like the Gospel to me way back in the Hebrew Scriptures. God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.