What is our great and overwhelming desire? Many people are not able to put it into words. Many people live without direction and purpose. Many people are propelled forward by the circumstances of their lives, not determining their course but allowing the "elements" to determine it for them. They live, eat, drink, breathe, and, eventually, stop doing all of these things, never having an understanding of why they are doing them. That was never our Creator's intention for us.
If nothing else we should at least be able to express the same basic desire Moses had:
Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. (Exodus 33:13)
"Show me your way, that I may know you." There is no greater purpose we could have than that of discovering Yahweh's way with the intent to know him. It is the reason we read our Bibles, pray, worship, meditate, serve; to discover his ways so that we may know him. We certainly don't do it to please anyone else and it is not because we think these things save us. Only Jesus saves us, but these things are means to discover Yahweh's ways so that we may know him.
How does knowing his ways make it possible for us to know him? If you truly want to know a person live with him for a week and observe what he does. Our actions, including our mistakes and reaction to them, reveal our heart. How we treat people, react in situations, plan out our days, handle interruptions, show who we are by revealing our priorities, where we see ourselves in relationships and what our values are. This is also true of Yahweh.
The entire Old Testament reveals his heart to us by showing us who he is in relation to his creation. We discover a Holy God whose standards come from that holiness. Yet despite these standards he showed grace and mercy more often than justice. He is a God of justice but his love is revealed by his response of mercy and grace. How patient he was with Israel despite her constant disobedience. He warned her that one infraction to his standards would send her exiled from the land he has given her. Instead he patiently tried to correct her, generation after generation, but she would not turn back from her rebellion until he finally responded with justice. But even this justice was a tool of correction for the purpose of restoring her, because he is a God of covenant, and he does not give up. This shows us his heart toward us, and despite our sin, he does not desire justice as much as he desires mercy, forgiveness, grace and restoration.
It is a great thing to find purpose in desiring to know Yahweh's ways with the motive of knowing him. If only this was our prayer, one that we sincerely put into action every day. To know him better is also Yahweh's desire for us. It is all part of the reason that he paid the price he did through Jesus on the cross. It was all an act of love so that we would have the capability to draw near to him, to discover his heart and to possess one desire above all others: To be with him for eternity.
Showing posts with label knowing God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label knowing God. Show all posts
Thursday, July 24, 2014
Monday, July 21, 2014
How Do You Know There Is A God?
"How do you know that there is a God?" Not an uncommon question and yet one that earlier civilizations didn't seem to have a hard time answering. Every civilization has always found something to worship because we recognize that we are not complete, that there is something greater than us. Yahweh created us for fellowship, that we would have a freewill to choose to love him.
Without Yahweh there is an emptiness in us that we we can't fill. We try to with all kinds of things like people, work, goals, education, sex, drugs, entertainment and sometimes idols. We have always worshiped something, sometimes ourselves, because we have a need to worship. The earlier civilization did not know what to worship because Yahweh had not yet revealed himself, so they made it up. Certainly he could be seen in nature, in all of creation, but after Adam and Eve no one really knew him. Not until Moses.
A lot of things changed with Moses because Yahweh was ready for creation to know him. He had decided to go beyond his fingerprints in creation and he wanted the world to know him personally. He had chosen Abraham and his children to become a mighty nation through home Yahweh would make himself known. But even Abraham, Isaac and Jacob did not know Yahweh as Moses was about to know him.
In Exodus 4 we find that Yahweh is going to introduce himself with signs and wonders. He is not going to leave doubt in anyone's mind. He was not going to allow them to think that this was just Moses pulling a con. The evidence he was going to give them as eyewitnesses would last for generations to come. Things were about to change forever.
He gave Moses three things to do so people would know that he had sent Moses and Moses stood in Yahweh's authority. He demonstrated to Moses how he would turn Moses' staff into a snake and back again. He showed him how he would turn his hand leprous and then restore it to health. Then he told Moses that he would turn the river of the Nile to blood. Perhaps compared to what we know Yahweh ended up doing, these are small and forgettable things, but at that time they would have been very effective. Moses was going out feeling equipped for his responsibility.
I find it interesting how the enemy was there to mock Yahweh's power. When Moses performed these three signs of power and authority, the court musicians copied them with their trickery. The enemy desired to rob Yahweh of his glory. But later, they were blown off the stage when Yahweh started in on a greater display of his power as he brought in the plagues that mocked the various false gods of the Egyptians, almost destroying Egypt.
It is no different today. Jesus Christ brought in a fuller understanding of Father's heart, revealing his great mercy, compassion and forgiveness. Jesus came in authority and power. He did things that could not be explained by eyewitnesses. He revealed the glory of Yahweh in himself and he promised this same power would be in every person who followed him. But the enemy was present to mock. Throughout the ages the enemy has been present to muddy the waters, cause confusion and mock the power and authority of Yahweh.
To this day the enemy copies the message of the gospel but twists it to his own delight. He has caused people to doubt signs and wonders to the point where preachers and teachers are mocked by the world. He has made sure that there is a "church" that has the appearance of godliness but lacks the power. He has made sure that this is the respectable "church" and everything else is just a bunch of crazies. Anyone who actually follows Jesus, filled by the Holy Spirit, doing what he did, trusting, believing, walking in his righteousness is dismissed by this world, not understanding that these are the authentic followers of Jesus; those who love him enough to be obedient to his word.
Yahweh has always revealed himself in his creation. He then allowed people to know him, starting with Moses. He completed that revelation through Jesus Christ. We are now without excuse. Anyone who wants to know him can do so by simply seeking him. Jesus has made it possible to know Yahweh in great intimacy. By the Spirit it is possible to walk with Yahweh as Adam did. I know there is a God because I know him and speak with him by name. The enemy will be there to distract but if a person is honest in their seeking, they will see the face of Yahweh.
Without Yahweh there is an emptiness in us that we we can't fill. We try to with all kinds of things like people, work, goals, education, sex, drugs, entertainment and sometimes idols. We have always worshiped something, sometimes ourselves, because we have a need to worship. The earlier civilization did not know what to worship because Yahweh had not yet revealed himself, so they made it up. Certainly he could be seen in nature, in all of creation, but after Adam and Eve no one really knew him. Not until Moses.
A lot of things changed with Moses because Yahweh was ready for creation to know him. He had decided to go beyond his fingerprints in creation and he wanted the world to know him personally. He had chosen Abraham and his children to become a mighty nation through home Yahweh would make himself known. But even Abraham, Isaac and Jacob did not know Yahweh as Moses was about to know him.
In Exodus 4 we find that Yahweh is going to introduce himself with signs and wonders. He is not going to leave doubt in anyone's mind. He was not going to allow them to think that this was just Moses pulling a con. The evidence he was going to give them as eyewitnesses would last for generations to come. Things were about to change forever.
He gave Moses three things to do so people would know that he had sent Moses and Moses stood in Yahweh's authority. He demonstrated to Moses how he would turn Moses' staff into a snake and back again. He showed him how he would turn his hand leprous and then restore it to health. Then he told Moses that he would turn the river of the Nile to blood. Perhaps compared to what we know Yahweh ended up doing, these are small and forgettable things, but at that time they would have been very effective. Moses was going out feeling equipped for his responsibility.
I find it interesting how the enemy was there to mock Yahweh's power. When Moses performed these three signs of power and authority, the court musicians copied them with their trickery. The enemy desired to rob Yahweh of his glory. But later, they were blown off the stage when Yahweh started in on a greater display of his power as he brought in the plagues that mocked the various false gods of the Egyptians, almost destroying Egypt.
It is no different today. Jesus Christ brought in a fuller understanding of Father's heart, revealing his great mercy, compassion and forgiveness. Jesus came in authority and power. He did things that could not be explained by eyewitnesses. He revealed the glory of Yahweh in himself and he promised this same power would be in every person who followed him. But the enemy was present to mock. Throughout the ages the enemy has been present to muddy the waters, cause confusion and mock the power and authority of Yahweh.
To this day the enemy copies the message of the gospel but twists it to his own delight. He has caused people to doubt signs and wonders to the point where preachers and teachers are mocked by the world. He has made sure that there is a "church" that has the appearance of godliness but lacks the power. He has made sure that this is the respectable "church" and everything else is just a bunch of crazies. Anyone who actually follows Jesus, filled by the Holy Spirit, doing what he did, trusting, believing, walking in his righteousness is dismissed by this world, not understanding that these are the authentic followers of Jesus; those who love him enough to be obedient to his word.
Yahweh has always revealed himself in his creation. He then allowed people to know him, starting with Moses. He completed that revelation through Jesus Christ. We are now without excuse. Anyone who wants to know him can do so by simply seeking him. Jesus has made it possible to know Yahweh in great intimacy. By the Spirit it is possible to walk with Yahweh as Adam did. I know there is a God because I know him and speak with him by name. The enemy will be there to distract but if a person is honest in their seeking, they will see the face of Yahweh.
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