Knowing God

The world has many ideas about him but are they true?

Exodus 33:11,13,17 Inside the Tent of Meeting, the LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Afterward Moses would return to the camp, but the young man who assisted him, Joshua son of Nun, would remain behind in the Tent of Meeting.

13 If it is true that you look favorably on me, let me know your ways so I may understand you more fully and continue to enjoy your favor. And remember that this nation is your very own people."

17 The LORD replied to Moses, "I will indeed do what you have asked, for I look favorably on you, and I know you by name."

In the book of Exodus we have seen that God's people have had amazing experiences with him that should have led to a close friendship. In the previous post we saw some of the miraculous ways that God displayed his power and protection on their behalf, but we also saw almost everyone turned from God as if his amazing care for them meant nothing.

Despite the equal opportunity to know God, it did not lead to equal outcomes, it seems that Moses was alone in his desire for spiritual growth. The crowd knew God and knew that he was incredible in his kindness and protection but that was enough for them.

Most of God's people are just like that, we know just enough about God and his plan to redeem us and make us his own children so that we can escape hell but few of us have the desire to know our Heavenly father beyond that. 

We are content to believe in him from a distance or we settle for knowing inaccurate information about him. Both of these conditions are very dangerous.

What is the best thing in life, bringing more joy, delight and contentment than anything else? Knowledge of God.

-J. I. Packer "Knowing God"

We don't have the privilege of seeing God work like his people did in the Old Testament, we have to rely on the Bible to really know him. That's the reason that God preserved his word, the book may be very old but because he never changes we can truly know him by what he has revealed in the Bible.

The outline below is from Going Deeper with God with my thoughts added.

God's Word Shows Us:

God's Holiness

Leviticus 19:1-2 The LORD also said to Moses, 2 "Give the following instructions to the entire community of Israel. You must be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.

We like to think that this requirement was for the people of the Old Testament but the command for holiness is in the New Testament and it is still in effect today. (1 Peter 1:15)

It's interesting that the Bible doesn't give us the command to be holy until after God's people have been redeemed from Egypt. 

God's Wrath and Justice

John 3:36 And anyone who believes in God's Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn't obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God's angry judgment."

We really don't like this topic, we like to dwell on God's goodness, love and grace, who doesn't like that? But you don't really know God and you have created your own "god" if you stop there.

The cross shows us a small portion of the wrath of God that will be experienced by those that are left behind when Jesus takes his church out of here. The cross was horrible but it isn't the full extent of God's wrath that is shown to us in the book of Revelation.

God's Grace

Psalms 84:11  For the LORD God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The LORD will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.

Thankfully God's grace is equally as huge as his wrath but it is only available to those that believe in God's rescue plan. We can only appreciate God's grace and be amazed by it when we have an accurate understanding of God's holy wrath. 

We must go beyond the common grace that everyone on earth experiences. Common grace is a taste of what God offers that will help you draw closer to him but it isn't saving grace and it has no redemptive effect. (Romans 8:29-39, Ephesians 1:3-14)

 

God's Goodness

Exodus 33:19 The LORD replied, "I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will call out my name, Yahweh, before you. For I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.

It sounds odd that God told Moses that his goodness is something that can be seen, it seems more logical to us that God's works can be seen as his goodness, but scripture teaches that God is more beautiful than anything he has ever done.

God is not a cosmic grandpa handing out treats to his children. God isn't going to give us everything we want, sometimes he will give us what we don't want but he is still perfectly good and righteous, and there is no evil or sin in him. (Psalm 92:15; 1 John 3:2–6)

So much has been done for us but instead of a stronger desire to know God more and know God accurately we settle for a surface relationship or we believe about God without knowing the whole truth. I think we have to be careful if we distort God into something he is not then we have made a "god" that pleases ourselves.

Knowing God Takes Effort

Psalm 63:1 O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.

Jeremiah 9:24 NLT But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the LORD who demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth, and that I delight in these things. I, the LORD, have spoken!

Developing a deep relationship with God is not a passive experience, it requires a commitment to time spent in God's word, prayer, and actively seeking to understand and apply what God is showing you.

Too many people think that knowing God is a one time event but the Bible shows us that it is actually a lifelong pursuit. Just take a look at the apostle Paul, he is probably the best example of someone that knew God like Moses did, but after approximately 25 years as a believer he still yearned for more. (Philippians 2:12-13 and  2 Corinthians 12:1-7)

Satan doesn't want you to know God accurately or with any degree of intimacy that's why he has so many ways to keep you distracted. He is okay with you knowing God the way that the Pharisees knew him but remember that this group of people received the harshest criticism from Jesus.

Help me Lord to increase in my love and desire to know you more! It is too easy to neglect our relationship and believe incorrect information about you. I want to really know you.

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Your Presence Is My Weapon

My worship opens up the heavens and crushes every stronghold.

Video: Natalie Grant - My Weapon (Sacred Version)

Let every lie be silenced

And all depression cease

Let every dark assignment

Bow down at Jesus' feet

Let every curse be broken

Let every storm be tamed

And all that come against us

Be bound in Jesus' name

Your presence is my greatest weapon

Pushing back the darkness

Breaking every chain

My worship opens up the heavens

Crushing every stronghold

When I speak Your name

'Cause Your presence is my weapon

Your presence is my weapon

Your strength will not be shaken

Your love will not back down

Death has been defeated

What can stop me now?

I hold on to what You've spoken

You said that I am free

You've given me Your promise

And You are my victory

Your presence is my greatest weapon

Pushing back the darkness

Breaking every chain

My worship opens up the heavens

Crushing every stronghold

When I speak Your name

'Cause Your presence is my weapon

Your presence is my weapon

Your word and a melody

Are making a way for me

You defeat the enemy

This prison is shaking now

And these walls are coming down

Your presence makes me free

I am free

Your presence is my greatest weapon

Pushing back the darkness

Breaking every chain

My worship opens up the heavens

Crushing every stronghold

When I speak Your name

'Cause Your presence is my weapon

Your presence is my weapon

Your presence is my weapon

God's Friends Act Like They Are Not

Two kinds of people in this world and sometimes you cannot tell them apart.

Genesis 20:1-5 Abraham moved south to the Negev and lived for a while between Kadesh and Shur, and then he moved on to Gerar. While living there as a foreigner, 2 Abraham introduced his wife, Sarah, by saying, “She is my sister.” So King Abimelech of Gerar sent for Sarah and had her brought to him at his palace.

3 But that night God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, “You are a dead man, for that woman you have taken is already married!”

4 But Abimelech had not slept with her yet, so he said, “Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation? 5 Didn’t Abraham tell me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘Yes, he is my brother.’ I acted in complete innocence! My hands are clean.”

---

After the destruction of Sodom in the previous chapter of Genesis, Abraham is on the move again, we don't know why he moved or if he was in God's will but I have to wonder if maybe he was too close to Sodom and he couldn't bear the sight of the destroyed city and the family and friends that he lost. 

We do know that when he moves his insecurities come out, the last time that he moved was to go to Egypt during the famine that was in Canaan, that trip was the beginning of a lot of trouble that continues today.

You would think that he would have learned from the very serious lie and the extreme consequences. In his attempt to save his own life he jeopardized his promised son and his promised future including the lineage of the Messiah. 

It seems odd that he would be so insecure when he has such a personal relationship with God and such amazing promises. But it is a blessing for us to see that God's people have never been a perfect people that didn't mess things up.

The Bible makes it clear that there are two kinds of people in this world and sometimes you cannot tell which is which.

Abraham the troublemaker

Genesis 20:11 “I thought, ‘This is a godless place. They will want my wife and will kill me to get her.’

Abraham and Sarah didn't learn from the previous time that they told this same exact lie, King Abimelech looks more like God's friend than Abraham or Sarah, but God is gracious and steps in. God is the only one that can fix this mess and protect the lineage of Jesus.

The integrity of the king turns out to be far greater than Abraham imagined, his lie about Sarah and her willingness to go along with it caused a lot of trouble and tarnished the reputation of God's people.

How could the promised Messiah come from Sarah if she belonged to Abimelech? We can make a big mess of things with our little lies, the little half truth that Abraham and Sarah told had huge consequences that they never dreamed of.

Abraham the peacemaker

Genesis 20:17-18  Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants, so they could have children.  18  For the LORD had caused all the women to be infertile because of what happened with Abraham’s wife, Sarah.

Genesis 21:22-24  About this time, Abimelech came with Phicol, his army commander, to visit Abraham. “God is obviously with you, helping you in everything you do,” Abimelech said.  23  “Swear to me in God’s name that you will never deceive me, my children, or any of my descendants. I have been loyal to you, so now swear that you will be loyal to me and to this country where you are living as a foreigner.”  24  Abraham replied, “Yes, I swear to it!”

Abraham got right with God and he was restored to his position of ministry and blessing to those around him. He couldn't be a blessing when he was busy being a troublemaker. When we fall away from God and lose our peace with him we also lose our ability to fulfill God's desire for us to bless others.

It would have been very easy for these two powerful men to become enemies but they were able to have a peaceful relationship. First Abraham prayed for his new friend and later he made a peace treaty with him.

God's word shows us that the fulfillment of God’s covenant promise of an heir wasn't dependent on Abraham's success. Abraham put the promise in jeopardy, from a human point of view, several times. 

God's people have never been a perfect people and many times we act like we aren't his people. It is important that we look at the overall direction of our life instead of dwelling on the individual mistakes that we make.

Thank you Lord for using me despite my tendency to follow my old sin nature. Help me to overcome my fight against the world, the flesh, and the Devil so that I can be a blessing to those around me. I will only be successful with your intervention.

Jesus, Friend Of Sinners

Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers.

Video: Casting Crowns - Jesus, Friend of Sinners

Jesus, friend of sinners, we have strayed so far away

We cut down people in your name but the sword was never ours to swing

Jesus, friend of sinners, the truth's become so hard to see

The world is on their way to You but they're tripping over me

Always looking around but never looking up I'm so double minded

A plank eyed saint with dirty hands and a heart divided

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners

Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers

Let our hearts be led by mercy

Help us reach with open hearts and open doors

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours

Jesus, friend of sinners, the one who's writing in the sand

Make the righteous turn away and the stones fall from their hands

Help us to remember we are all the least of thieves

Let the memory of Your mercy bring Your people to their knees

No one knows what we're for only against when we judge the wounded

What if we put down our signs crossed over the lines and loved like You did

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners

Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers

Let our hearts be led by mercy

Help us reach with open hearts and open doors

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours

You love every lost cause; you reach for the outcast

For the leper and the lame; they're the reason that You came

Lord I was that lost cause and I was the outcast

But you died for sinners just like me, a grateful leper at Your feet

'Cause You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever

You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever

You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever

You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners

Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers

Let our hearts be led by mercy

Help us reach with open hearts and open doors

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks Yours

And I was the lost 'cause and I was the outcast

You died for sinners just like me, a grateful leper at Your feet

Best Friend Ever
Luke 15:7  In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!

Who Is Your Friend

You need the best friend possible and he needs to influence your life.

Genesis 18:1-4 The LORD appeared again to Abraham near the oak grove belonging to Mamre. One day Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent during the hottest part of the day. 2 He looked up and noticed three men standing nearby.

When he saw them, he ran to meet them and welcomed them, bowing low to the ground. 3 “My lord,” he said, “if it pleases you, stop here for a while. 4 Rest in the shade of this tree while water is brought to wash your feet.

---

It wasn't all that long ago that Abraham didn't know the true, living God but when God said go Abram trusted him enough to go. That was the beginning of Abraham's imperfect journey of faith, a trip that would take him to Haran with his dad, to Canaan and then to Egypt, a journey that was full of important lessons along the way.

It has been a bumpy road but Abraham has grown in his relationship with God, his love and fellowship with him has grown deeper and more intimate through the years, so much so that Abraham has became known as a friend of God. (James 2:23)

Because friendship is awesome. It’s always dangerous, because he or she who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will eventually suffer harm. Your friends will influence and possibly determine the direction and the quality of your life.

-Pastor Andy Stanley

Having the right friends is too important to ignore, so important that your parents may have forbid certain friendships or they may have moved to a different neighborhood just so you would have different friends.

We will see in Genesis eighteen and nineteen that friendships are powerful and have tremendous influence on your life so you better chose wisely.

Abraham is a friend of God

James 2:23  And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God.

There are so many people in our Bible that God had a personal relationship with but Abraham is the only one that the Bible tells us was God's friend. (2 Chronicles 20:7, Isaiah 41:8, James 2:23)

Abraham was a rich man and had many servants, when three men came by his tent in the heat of the day, he could have continued to rest in his tent but instead of having somebody else tend to these guest he ministered to Jesus and the two angels personally. (Genesis 18:1,22, 19:1)

Abraham ran to them and offered hospitality (Hebrews 13:2), he bowed down in humility and after they came to the shade trees outside of his tent, he served them quickly and gave them his best food. (Genesis 18:6-8)

After the meal, Abraham receives a revelation directly from the Lord about the destruction of Lot's hometown, the wickedness of Sodom had grow so bad that God is going to destroy it. Abraham has already been involved with helping the people of Sodom physically by going to war and now he will intercede spiritually.

As a friend of God, Abraham was trusted with God's thoughts, and as a result of knowing God so intimately he knew how to pray for the world and intercede for the lost people of Sodom. (Genesis 18:22-33, James 4:8)

Lot is a friend of the world

Genesis 19:15-16  At dawn the next morning the angels became insistent. “Hurry,” they said to Lot. “Take your wife and your two daughters who are here. Get out right now, or you will be swept away in the destruction of the city!”

16  When Lot still hesitated, the angels seized his hand and the hands of his wife and two daughters and rushed them to safety outside the city, for the LORD was merciful.

You might think that Lot would make some changes in his location after he was saved by Abraham. We don't have any indication in the Bible that Lot or the rest of the people of Sodom were thankful for Abraham's actions on their behalf. (Genesis 14:1-16)

Lot setup his tent near Sodom and eventually he moved into town and setup household. This doesn't seem to be a mission trip, we don't see any evidence that Lot had an influence on his own family, much less the rest of the city.

Lot's depraved state is seen in his offer to give his daughters to the evil men of Sodom that were trying to get to the angels. This is quite a contrast with the fact that Abraham would soon offer his son to the Lord. (Genesis 22:1-24)

Lot's family was so involved with local society that they were unwilling to leave, his wife had to look back, and not too long after that his two daughters got him drunk and had sex with him just because there were not any other men around their new neighborhood. (Genesis 19:30-38)

Jesus is a friend of sinners

Luke 12:37-38 The servants who are ready and waiting for his return will be rewarded. I tell you the truth, he himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat! 38 He may come in the middle of the night or just before dawn. But whenever he comes, he will reward the servants who are ready.

Revelation 3:20  “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.

Jesus waits at the door and draws your attention to answer his call because he wants to be your friend for this life and for eternity. Jesus wants to fellowship with you at the table, there will be the greatest feast that has ever been prepared right after we get to Heaven and he wants to serve you. (Revelation 19:6-10)

Jesus is as devoted to you as the shepherd that gives his life to save a lost sheep, he loves you so much that he will allow his reputation to be stained to get you from the darkest places, and he will celebrate when you return. (Luke 15:1-32, Mark 2:13-17)

Proverbs 18:24 There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.

Jesus came to earth to be your BFF so that you could have a peaceful relationship with his Father, this friendship should be full of joy and hope for this life and for eternity. What better friend could there possibly be? (John 15:13-15)

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I Am A Slave

We like being God's friend but the truth is his friends are also his slaves.

 

John 15:12-17, 20  This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. 13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.

20 A slave is not greater than the master

---

I remember as a kid that someone would come to me and ask me to do something for them and even though I didn't want to do it there was an incentive being offered that would make me consider doing it. You have heard the line "I will be your best friend forever." This is the best offer that a kid can think of when he is trying to get his way.

We teach our kids that we shouldn't treat people that way, we like to base our friend relationships on equality and "give and take" but that doesn't work on God. Jesus told his disciples that if they obey all of his commands and do everything that he tells them to do then he will be their friend.

This sounds harsh or bizarre but that is what it all comes down to. Jesus says that the greatest display of love is for someone to die for his friend and you are my friend if you obey my commands. I know that if I do everything he tells me to do then that makes him Lord and it makes me his slave.

We do not like the term and we try to stay away from the idea of being a slave but the Bible is clear. Nobody in the Bible call themselves God's friend or Jesus friend, the Bible refers to both Abraham and Moses as friends of God and Jesus calls the disciples His friends but none of these people ever said that about themselves.

The apostles call themselves God's slave

Romans 1:1 / 1 Corinthians 9:19 / Titus 1:1 / James 1:1 / 2 Peter 1:1 / Jude 1:1

We love Romans 5:12 where Paul says that we are "friends of God" but we like to look over the fact that he says we became friends through "our Lord Jesus." Our thoughts should be that "Jesus is Lord and I am his slave."

Matthew 7:21  "Not everyone who calls out to Me, 'Lord! Lord!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of My Father in heaven will enter. Luke 6:46  "So why do you keep calling Me 'Lord, Lord!' when you don't do what I say? Luke 9:23-24 “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself.” Luke 17:9-10  And does the master thank the servant for doing what he was told to do? Of course not. In the same way, when you obey Me you should say, 'We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty.'"

The New Testament refers to Jesus as Lord more than five hundred times yet we refuse to actually see him and treat him that way. We call him Lord but we live with our own agenda, we obey our desires instead of his commands, we fail to let him be in charge.

Church leaders like to refer to the people that take on job duties around the church as volunteers but the truth is we are slaves and that should be the deciding factor in whether we fill a position. We like to signup if it is convenient but that isn't the lifestyle of a slave. How many "volunteers" would sign up on a list that refers to them as slaves?

Who Is In Control

Romans 6:16-18  Don't you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.  17  Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you.  18  Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.

If being a slave is offensive to you then the Bible has some bad news for you. The most important person in my life became a slave so why should I think that I should have it any better than he did? (Philippians 2:5-7) Jesus says that you should deny yourself daily, take up your cross and follow him wherever he leads. (Luke 9:23-25)

I tried a Google search on "who is in control of your life" and found that none of the search results mentioned the Bible. There are a lot of people trying to get control but the Bible tells me that I have to give up control. Scripture tells us that we are all slaves to something, we are all under the control of someone, the only thing that your free will gets to decide is who your master is going to be. (2 Peter 2:19, Matthew 6:24)

This slave has been bought at a high price, I am cared for, protected, rewarded, and loved but I am still a slave. I am not really free as a follower of Jesus, my morality, my attitudes and my convictions are all decided by him.

The way that I spend my money, my time and my talents should bring glory to my Lord and Master. My goal is to hear Jesus say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant!"

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