Knowing God Intimately

While visiting the hospital, I asked a lady I met in an elevator if she knew the Jesus who died on the cross, which was similar to the one she wore around her neck. She looked at me with widened eyes and declared, “Well, not personally, no I don’t.” I quickly encouraged her with the truth that He wanted a personal relationship with her, if she was willing.

There is a vast difference between the concepts of knowing about God and actually knowing God personally. When we intimately know God, we have eternal life (John 17:3). Earthly pursuits tie up our time and rob us of unity with God. Our Christian goal is to imitate Jesus in every time span and place in which God calls us to serve Him. We exchange our plans for His, and we live for Him one moment at a time.

Even at work or with the family at home and in services with our church family, God calls us to function in the ministry, which He planned for us to perform (Ephesians 2:10). Like the Apostle Paul, our main goal in life is to know God (Philippians 3:10). We live each moment of our life pursuing God’s Kingdom on this earth and living a lifestyle in harmony with Biblical principles.

God’s grace sustains us throughout life (2 Corinthians 12:7-12). He liberates us from the trauma of our past as we seek the root and cause of every negative emotion, which plagues our soul. In this way, God sets us free to serve Him with our whole heart, soul, mind, will and strength (Matthew 22:37). We may experience deep darkness in tribulation, but Christ is our life and light (John 6:47; Isaiah 60:19).

Prayer:

Father God, we want to intimately know the love of Christ and to be filled with all of Your fullness (Ephesians 3:19). Teach us how to walk worthy of You, so that we may please You in everything we think, say and do, bearing spiritual fruit and increasing in our knowledge of You (Colossians 1:10). Help us to share Your gospel of Christ with everyone who desires to know You.

Thought for the Day:

If we do not love, we do not know God, for God is love. - 1 John 4:8

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Blessings in Disguise

The cartoon about a man getting his foot stuck in a bucket, and then walking around with it stuck there, makes me laugh every time I see it! I can relate to this pitiful figure hobbling along with clanging steps. Sometimes an encumbrance hinders my spiritual walk, and I ignore it for so long it becomes a habit. Eventually, I attempt to free my self from this irritation. I grunt and groan with my effort, until I realize that God is the only one who can set me free.

Sometimes, God uses what I view as a detriment as a blessing in disguise. God assures me that when He finishes using this trial in my life, He will remove the awkward situation. In one cartoon, the man began crushing stones in his garden with the bucket stuck to his foot. He used this negative experience for a positive result. God always uses our spiritual impediments to help us to crush the stones of sin in our life, which would otherwise cause us to stumble.

When I encounter a hindrance in my life now, I no longer fight it or get upset about it. I live each day by following the advice of the Serenity Prayer. I pray for courage to change the things that I can, and the wisdom to I leave the things, which I cannot change, in the cable hands of the Holy Spirit. I trust in the Lord with all my heart, and I do not depend on my own understanding. I seek God’s will for each moment of the day and He directs my steps (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Nothing is impossible or too hard for God to accomplish (Matthew 19:26; Jeremiah 32:17, 27). At His appointed time everything He predicted by His prophets will come to pass (Genesis 18:14). None of His Words will ever fail (Luke 1:37). He has the power to fulfill all of His promises (Romans 4:21). His mighty arm is not too short to reach any of His Saints. He works on our behalf, no matter how much trouble we get our self into (Numbers 11:23). God is mighty in His strength and firm in His purpose (Zephaniah 3:17; Numbers 23:19).

Prayer:

Father God, You love us so much. You never change (Malachi 3:6). You are the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). This gives us so much confidence in You. We even have faith in Your name (Acts 3:16). You will bring to pass the final exaltation of your Son, continual provision for Your Saints and the punishment of anyone who practices wickedness (Philippians 2:9-11; Romans 8:17; Proverbs 11:21). We lift up our voice to worship You for the awesome benefits You provide for anyone who believes in the name of Jesus (Psalm 103:2; Acts 16:31; Job 36:5).

Thought for the Day:

God can do anything, and no one can change any of His plans. - Job 42:2