Monday
Do You Know Him
Read John 17:3; 20-23
The difference between knowing about God and knowing God is about personal relationships. Because God is a person, you can know ‘about’ him but you don’t really ‘know’ him until you have a personal relationship with him. For instance I can know about the Mayor of Birmingham, but I wouldn’t say that I know him. To know him I have to meet him and get to know him. We have to reveal things to each other and be willing to share in each other’s lives. The staggering promise of the Bible is that we can know God like this and that He wants us to know him and share in his eternal life!
One of the differences between Christianity and other religions is that we can know God as a person. How do we know that God is a person? Well, He came down to earth and became a man in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus didn’t come just to heal and teach them how to be better people. He came primarily to reveal who (not ‘what’) God is and how we can have a relationship with him. God is one eternal God, but he exists in the relationship of three persons - Father, Son and Spirit. These three persons existed in one God for all eternity. We tend to think of relationships as being between human beings. In fact the very reason that Jesus came to earth is because God wants to have a personal relationship with us. Jesus says, ‘He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.’ God wants all people to know him personally and he has sent His Son into the world so that we may truly know him.
Tuesday
Face To Face
Read Exodus 33:11; Numbers 12:8; Deuteronomy 5:3-5
I think one of the most exciting truths in all of Scripture is the fact that God is the primary mover behind every relationship He has with mankind. Now it’s true that we sometimes describe our friends who might be far from God as “seekers”. We watch them as they look for satisfaction in all kinds of things and we intuitively know that what they are looking for is a relationship with God. But what we often forget is the fact that they really aren’t the seekers in this eternal drama…God is! His love for people like you and me and for those who might be far from God is so powerful that He’s willing to take the first step. Jesus said it this way in John 15 – “You didn’t choose me, but I chose you”.
Moses was doing the same thing he had done for 40 yrs. He was a shepherd and this day was like every other day in his ho-hum existence. It was business as usual, that is until God made His presence known. Paul who had been religious all his life and sought out God he was changed by one encounter where he heard God speak and this encounter changed his life forever. God wants us to know and experience him not just learn about him. We are new creations in Christ Jesus and God creates by speaking. We can only be truly transformed as we sit in His Presence hearing His voice.
Wednesday
Be Known
Read 1 Corinthians 2:10-16; 1 Corinthians 13:12
You have to be close to know, you have to be close to be known. You have to be close to someone to really know them. To know the deep things of God, His nature, and His wonderful plan, we first have to do something. We must have Christ at the center of our lives; we must fully trust and believe in Him, then we can have the Holy Spirit living inside of us revealing the very nature of God and His plan for our lives. We have to have God’s Spirit living inside of us to comprehend God. With God’s Spirit living in us we can have insight into some of God’s plans, thoughts and actions.
Developing and maintaining a strong relationship with God requires time, effort and the desire for closeness. Just as relationships with other people take work and devotion, so does a relationship with God. Putting forth that effort often leads to a greater sense of self-worth, inner peace, compassion and love. Choosing to pursue this relationship and keep it strong is something anyone can do to improve himself and his outlook on life. Take time to develop your relationship with God.
Are you spending enough time with God to be known? We must spend time consistently in His presence and in His Word.
Are you known by God? Can He depend on you?
Thursday
Having a Strong Relationship With God
Read Galatians 3:21; John 1:17
Having a strong relationship with God begins with making Him a priority. Take time to put church, worship, Bible study and prayer into your weekly schedule. Do not allow other activities or commitments to fill up time that must be spent with God. Making God a priority in your life gives you the sense of relevance and importance this relationship has and keeps your relationship strong. Spend time each day talking with God and explaining your hopes, fears, dreams and regrets. Tell God anything you want to get off of your chest, even if it seems insignificant. The way we get closer to our friends is to talk to each other and become familiar with one another -- the same thing goes for our relationship with God. Spend time in God's word. Read your Bible daily and read for comprehension -- really let it sink in and understand what you are reading. Join a Bible study group with others who share your passion for developing a strong relationship with God; this way you can all study your Bible together. Understand and practice forgiveness. Accept God's forgiveness for your sins and misgivings. Forgive yourself for the things God has forgiven you for, as this helps your relationship with God stay strong. Give forgiveness to those around you, just as God forgives you -- it makes you feel better and helps you stay close to God. Worship God. Participate in worship at church, sing at home or in the car, take time to thank God for the good things in your life. Worship with others or alone, or practice both. Worship is an important way to stay connected and plugged into your relationship with God.
Friday
Experience God
Read John 17:3; Matthew 22:37-38
With the Holy Spirit directing your life, you will experience a deeper relationship with God and you will grow in your ability to trust Him. Growing in your relationship with Jesus means to know Him better, to love and obey Him more. Your growing love for God will lead you to obey His commandments. Just as it’s natural for a child to grow in a loving relationship with a parent, it is also natural for you to grow in your love relationship with God. Communication is vital to any relationship. We communicate with God through prayer, sharing our thoughts, our needs and our desire to do his will. Set aside a time and place for daily personal Bible study and prayer. Pray and ask God to show you who He is and how you can respond to Him. There is so much more to discover, there is so much to experience in God, there is mystery, adventure and treasures to be unearthed as we grow in relationship and experience God. What are you waiting for?
The Weekender
Looking Back
Today is the day that we take time to look back on what we have learned this past week. To reflect on what the Holy Spirit has highlighted in our lives and how we can implement the changes needed in our lives to be fully all we can be.
Father, we ask that you bring back remembrance of changes and what we need to do to change in our life to be fully who and what you have purposed us to be in your kingdom, Father thank you for being at work in our lives, in Jesus’ name, Amen
Take a few moments and Journal what the Father is speaking to you:
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