Really knowing God

Oswald Chambers Says,
[i]"We slander God by our very eagerness to work for Him without knowing Him."[/i]

This quote came from today's devotional. I've been meditating alot lately on "knowing God". Yesterday, I was thinking, Do you think it's possible to really know God without spending a regular time alone in prayer and devotion? I know from my own personal experience, that I didn't even begin to know God until I made a regular time for prayer and devotion. Not saying, of course, that I know God all that well, but I'm striving to know Him. I've found that there's a huge obstacle inside me to knowing God. It's pride. I like to think I [i]already[/i] know.

Have you ever tried to tell someone something when they think they already know? How bout you? Do you already know? Or are you willing to sit before God and confess that, compared to his Wisdom, you don't know squat? Love, Dian.

Pride, no doubt is the main culprit in hindering a Christian to knowing , really knowing God. For the longest time in the past, even Bible study itself was to be an act of my righteousness for me and my family. Pride has to be the subtlest snare that blind us from knowing Christ. So often we take pride in the Cross as Christian but completely neglect the humility It represents.

Without 'really' knowing God, we find ourselves in these :

[b]Self-righteousness[/b] - Romans 10: 2-3

2For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but [i]not according to knowledge. [/i]

3For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

[b]Imaginations of a different god[/b] - 2 Cor 10:5

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself [i]against the knowledge of God,[/i] and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

[b]Abominable works[/b] - Titus 1:16

They [i]profess that they know God[/i]; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

[b]Lack of peace[/b] - 2 Peter 1:2

Grace and peace be multiplied unto you [i]through the knowledge [/i]of God and of Jesus our Lord,

[b]Lack of godliness and virtue[/b] - 2 Peter 1:3

According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, [i]through the knowledge of Him [/i]that hath called us to glory and virtue:

[b]Lack ability to discern error[/b] - 1 John 4:6

We are of God: he that[i] knoweth God [/i]heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

[b]Lack of genuine love for brethren[/b] - 1 John 4:7-8

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

He that [i]loveth not knoweth not God[/i]; for God is love.

Knowing God is more than just knowing the verse and chapter of the Bible. It is far more than immersing one's mind in sermons and spiritual books. It too has to be the work of God Himself through His mercy ,when we humble ourselves on our knees, day by day, moment by moment meditating on the precious Word,praying and digesting It with all of our hearts, minds and love, when we walk, when we stand and when we sleep.

Spitfire, a much needed reminder! Thanks

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God,

High things...that's a good word.

I have indeed found there to be a mountain range of [i]high things[/i] in my thinking which have been against the knowledge of God. I love what you said here mamaluk:

Knowing God is more than just knowing the verse and chapter of the Bible. It is far more than immersing one's mind in sermons and spiritual books. It too has to be the work of God Himself through His mercy ,when we humble ourselves on our knees, day by day, moment by moment

For someone like me, born and raised in a psuedo-Christian home and taking so much pride in being "good", I found that, it wasn't until I humbled myself and confessed to God that I was full of "it", that I scratched the surface of who He is. It was like starting all over in my faith journey. I see people in leadership all the time that, from my perspective, they don't know God from a hole in the ground. They are just on a mission to get their accolades.

Don Potter wrote a book called[u]Facing The Wall[/u]. In the book he talks about playing his music on a praise team and hearing the Lord telling him to "go home". He tells of setting up his guitar in a corner of his bedroom and facing the wall. He did that for a year, and learned so much about true intimacy with God.

I wonder how many of us just need to go home and face the wall until we know God well enough to speak without slandering Him? Dian.

yeah, high things..must not be sought, not for ourselves, nor for our children.. be they high things of the world, or high things of religion, but to seek the Highest of High...God the Father Himself for those of us who are in Christ, here are two more verses for us to remind ourselves with: :)

Romans 12:16
Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

Jeremiah 45:5
And seekest thou great things for thyself?[b] seek them not[/b] !

Praise our God on highest !

I'm still waiting for some feedback on my question

Do you think it's possible to really know God without spending a regular time alone in prayer and devotion?

I meet alot of folks who are busy for God, but not many who are at His feet.

Psalm 46:10
[b]Be still, and know that I am God[/b]

no, not according to this precept/command

Hi Spitfire,

I've been a Christian for a number of years, but it wasn't until recent years that I've held up the life of Jesus as my measuring stick to what I see and hear in Christianity. In answer to your question, what do you see in Jesus' life as an example for us? If Jesus, as the perfect man, needed to pray to have intimacy with His heavenly Father, how much more us?

You sound like you're meditating on a good theme--knowing God. I was really blessed by a sermon series Zac Poonen did called Religiosity or Spirituality. You might find these particularly insightful.

Be blessed and be a blessing :-)

I don't think it's possible to KNOW God without regular time for prayer and study of the Word.

How would I get to know a friend if I never spent any time with Him.

Also, I think you can get all the Bible training in the world (which I'm not saying is a bad thing). And still have never really gotten to know God. Rather, have just found out lots of things about Him.

Like I could know every fact in the world about someone, but have never met the guy in my life.

I don't disagree with your reasoning about knowing God without spending time with Him, I just thought of a few scriptures we can test ourselves by to see if we are truly in the faith (2 Cor. 13:5)!

1 John 2:3-6:
And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. [...Verse 6 would definitely include spending intimate time with our Father like Jesus did!!]

Also from 1 John 3:14:
We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

James 1:22:
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

God, help me...help us, to truly know you and not just think we know you. Remind us to test and examine ourselves daily, according to your word, making sure we're in the faith!

4Him, Di

I was told by a friend once that your ministry is not your spirituality. Its something I try to remind myself when I feel like I'm busy with the work of the church.

Also, I think you can get all the Bible training in the world (which I'm not saying is a bad thing). And still have never really gotten to know God. Rather, have just found out lots of things about Him.

When I first realized how spiritually bankrupt I was, even after a lifetime in church, I read a book by E.W. Kenyon called [u]Two Kinds of Righteousness[/u]. This little book opened my eyes to just how far off base I really was. He defines righteousness this way:
[i]The ability to stand in the presence of the Father God without the sense of guilt or inferiority.[/i]
I'm still struggling with this and Kenyon says the problem is not knowing who and what you are in Christ. I think I'm beginning to get it, but it's like searching for the light switch in a dark room. I [i]know[/i] that I am on the verge of really getting this. I can feel it. Love, Dian.

When I was first saved I had this preconcieved idea about how it was supposed to work. In my mind I had this step by step action plan on how I was going to get to "know God".
But it wasnt until I experienced God through times of brokeness and trial that I began to understand that it truely was about a relationship.

I thank God that we can approach Him through his word and through prayer. I do not claim to know the right way, but I thank Jesus Christ that through him their IS a way.

I have been working on my pride as well its a feirce opponent but in Christ all things are possible. I decided that defeating this foe will only be with Christ strength. I have been studing the Beattitudes for a while now and found something very interesting about the very first one Blessed are the Poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Basically Blessed are th humble ie those that aren't afraid to admit they don't know everything Nor know squat compared to God. I take this beattitude this way "Blessed are the Teachable" if I don't know anything and God knows everything it requires me to have a teachable spirit ie a humble spirit recognizing that all truth and revelation I have that is of God is truly from God and therefore I have no rights to pride because I may have searched, hungered, and sought this revelation without God revealing it I am pretty much just spinning my tires. Awesome thought and may we become more teachable :)

God Bless,
Matthew

I would say that it is important to spend time in prayer and Bible study in order to know God. There may be reasons why this isn’t easy for some Christians e.g. on health grounds. God in His grace will provide for these believers. For those of us who have the means to spend time in prayer and Bible study should endeavour to do it. Only then will God reveal the deeper spiritual lessons which are contained in Scripture.

It is this prayer/Bible Study combination which God uses to cleanse and renew us to become more like Christ. It is also an ‘engine room’ in effect where the Holy Spirit can empower us for service.

I think the problem many of us face is that we don’t want to die to our flesh nature. The Flesh is two pronged. There is a lot of talk about the repulsive side of our flesh i.e. lust, envy, greed etc. These are clearly areas we do battle with, but the other side is the ‘good’ side of our flesh e.g. our good deeds, our perceived moral purity. Man’s pride refuses to accept that this is unacceptable to God (Romans 8:8). But this must be mortified along with the repulsive side of our flesh.

I would suggest that the majority of what passes for Christian service today is done in the flesh and therefore unpleasing to God. Furthermore, it should be remembered that our enemy, Satan, will unceasingly attempt to lure Christians into this trap of fruitless Christian service as it serves his ends. Only once we accept that our flesh is to be crucified, in its entirety, and accept this painful death will we fit for profitable service. Then, we will be totally reliant on God. We will thirst for prayer and Bible Study.

Do you think it's possible to really know God without spending a regular time alone in prayer and devotion?

Feedback...Do you think it is possible for me to really know my wife and truly have spiritual, emotional, or any other kind of intimacy with her without spending regular time alone with her? I guess I gave you my opinion in the form of a rhetorical question.

God desires intimacy with us, deep relationship. I don't think it is at all possible without spending time in His word, and in His presence.

I know what you mean about people thinking they know, being locked into a paradigm, and being utterly unable to see things any other way. You know, that has been me from time to time. You are right, we must be willing to allow God to break our old paradigms and reveal truth that changes us in deep and profound ways.

Travis.