Bible Studies
PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BY COMMENTING
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE As A Member OR Visitor
Message Writer
Hire Writer
Report Article
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE As A Member OR Visitor
Message Writer
Hire Writer
Report Article
KNOWING THE ONE THING GOD IS DOING IN THE UNIVERSE
I decided to embark on this series of writing for you because I could sense the prevenient working of the Spirit of Grace in you (John6:44, 63). That working makes a man begin to see what God is doing in order to align with the flow (this is the basis for righteousness). God makes you see what He is doing in the universe and brings you in line with it.
When you know the purpose of a man, and his plan for achieving it, then it is easy for you to co-operate with him and not work against him. In the same vein, when God reveals His purpose and its outworking to us, it helps us take decisions and live our lives accordingly. This is how to please God (Heb. 11:6).
At the end of your life and this age, only one thing will serve as the basis for judgment (Luke 12:47-48): if you have found out what God is doing and have pursued it with every fiber of your being; if you have let God achieve His purpose in you. At that time it will not be a matter of how many times you have been to church, or how much (human) good you have done. All that will matter is if you gave all your heart and all you have, into this all important task of knowing God (Luke21:4).
Jesus, in the days of His flesh, affirmed the meaning of eternal life and how to possess it. It is not by burning our flesh in church work, chanting sinners’ prayers at the pulpit, trying to be nice to people or trying to be perfect. According to the Author of Life, eternal life is to possess the (revealed) knowledge of the Father and Son (John17:3). This is the one thing that is necessary in all of life (Luke10:42). The One who died for us spoke those words by Himself –His very words!
Today is the day of salvation. And all God wants to do in the privacy of our soul is to give us eternal life to substitute our cursed, sinful and dying Adamic nature through the impartation of His knowledge by dwelling (mindboggling!) within our spirit (John14:23).
AT THE COST OF DILIGENCE
Not many things in life are absolutely certain. And one of the most unlikely things that would ever happen to you is this: stumbling on raw gold. If not about many other things, at least I am certain about that.
Precious things of life are usually hidden such that one must seek them to possess them. It takes a conscious, deliberate and calculated stroke of effort to obtain anything worthwhile. This is exemplified in the gold digger who knows the value of gold, and so stops at nothing to get it.
In our temporal world, we give all diligence to a course we so value because we know that what it will yield far outweighs our sacrifice (2Cor4:17). We keep striking the heart of knowledge with the elements of persistence, consistence and dedication, leaving behind the care, comfort and security of our parents because we know the lofty profits of education.
This natural principle finds a higher meaning and application in our pursuit of God. Therefore, it is not unreasonable that the God who hid gold and pearls in the earth also hides Himself (Matt.13:44). Not so that He may not be found, but so that only those who seek Him with all their hearts will find Him.
The Spirit affirms for us in Heb. 11:6 that God rewards those who DILIGENTLY seek Him. Just as the reward for seeking gold is getting gold, God rewards those who seek [Him with all their heart] with Himself –His excellent knowledge (John14:23). Such people, against all odds, keep coming to God because they are sure that He exists and that they will both find and know Him in a real, personal way. They neither listen to their often unstable emotion nor the discouraging reality of their imperfection. They keep keeping on.
The knowledge of God which we here speak of differs from the common knowledge about God which the natural man has. We here speak of the personal knowledge of God which can only be revealed to the diligent seeker, and not the universal knowledge about God which mankind learn from nature or as a result of an inborn God-consciousness. Our own apostle and brother charged the Christians of Philippi that this ‘excellent knowledge of Christ Jesus’ is worth giving everything for (Philppians3:10). Imagine the possessor of heaven and earth giving you an offer of Himself!
Let us learn from earthly things. It takes the layman no stringent learning to see beautiful, blossoming plants around him. So, he might conclude he knows those herbs and trees. But for a scientist, such a passive, effortless seeing cannot make anyone have a deep, insightful and profound knowledge of photosynthesis and various biochemical processes which determine the outlook and uses of those plants. So, there is need for rigorous training, reliable research method(s) and instruments among other things, to attain to such excellent knowledge. This is what puts the scientist in the caucus of the “know”.
In the same vein, if you burn your search lamp with the oil of diligence and discipline and thereby draw close to God, you will take a giant leap beyond natural bounds to know those things that are inaccessible to both the senses and intuition of man (1Corinthians2:9-16) through the spirit of wisdom and revelation.
Let us learn from our natural human relationship. We do not uncover ourselves to people who have no real commitment to us: we don’t tell them our secrets, our plans, deep feelings. But we reserve such for those who we know are taking their time and energy to know us. So, God also only bestows Himself on those who the Old Testament Christian, King David, called “the generation of those who seek Him” (Psalm24:6). So, you can be sure of this one thing: God will test your heart at intervals to see if you love Him.
Long before Enoch was born, men have been calling the name of God (Genesis4:26). But He distinguished himself by a life-long private walk with God. This is the will of our Father (Matthew7:21): a life-long private walk with Him. This is how to please God –the ONLY way. Though most people claim they know God, we must strive to distinguish ourselves and ensure that God knows (has intimate communion with) us. For example, even though I know the President of the US, yet he would deny ever knowing me if I were to stand before him –nothing has ever brought us together in any intimate and personal way. So also the Lord knows those who are His (Matthew 7:23, 2Timothy 2:19).
For we who must know the Father and please Him, our knees will be dirty, our friends will be few; we will play the chess of life with a different rule, so people (even loved ones) will often not understand us (John 7:6-10, 20, 10:20). Our cheeks will not be dry often as we go the distance (Matthew 5:4), though our hearts will overflow with joy as we see the reality of the hope of His calling get brighter and more real (1Corinthians 13:12). And the path gets narrower and narrower till it has completely strained and drained self out of us, to fill our bodies with all His fullness.
WHAT WE MUST KEEP DOING
Our heartbeat must keep saying: that I may know Him (Psalm 27:4). Your knowledge of Him at the start may not impress you; it doesn’t matter. Let not the thought that you are not perfect draw you back; it is not for those who think they are. Remember, it is first of all a secret and personal affair of which people around you may not be aware, just the way no one perceives the day a woman conceives (Mark4:26-32). But as you give yourself entirely to this intimacy with God, your progress will become evident to all (1Tim 4:15).
Continue to say the prayers in the first chapters of Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians until the fulfillment of 2Cor4:6 become very real to you. How I wish you know how much interest God has in you! How much He expends to keep you alive so that you may know Him! He will orchestrate the details of your history and make them work together for the good –the maximum imputation of His glory in you.
Continue to meditate on His word. Often times, (during leisure, at work or while with friends) call to mind a portion of the scripture you have learnt. Then meditate on it until the wisdom in it grows to nourish you. Then your capacity for perception will increase, because the Spirit of the Son will enlighten your mind and bless your understanding. He will open the curtains of the scriptures to you and show you the Father and the Son.
As for us, us we are resolute about this: to live all our life seeking Him and all about Him. We are not seeking as those who have not found God wander (Proverbs4:18-19). We seek as one who has found Christ Jesus (in whom there is all the treasure of wisdom and knowledge) but still continues to dig deep in order to exploit all the treasures in Him. If this is not reality, then there is none, and we are done for. But we know and are confident that this is real, and we can stake our lives on it.
Conclusion
Let us drive home our short exhortation by considering the twin parables of Jesus about the priceless preciousness of the revelation knowledge of God. The scripture is Matthew 13:44-46.
In the first case, a man found a treasure in a field and hid it back. He was so happy that he went away and sold all he has to buy that field. In the second case, a merchant who was looking for beautiful pearls eventually found one of great price. He then sold all he has to buy it.
There are lessons from these.
1. The knowledge of God takes preeminence such that everything else (our dreams, our aspirations, convenience…) must be traded for it as the opportunity cost.
2. The men in the parables did not sell all their possessions out of fear or coercion. Rather they were spurred by the thrill (joy) of their discovery. Similarly, the joy and sweetness that spring from our intimacy with God gives us the energy to count other things as rubbish (Philippians 3:8) and to endure (Hebrews 12:2).
3. Since the men gave up their possessions to get the better (the treasure or pearl of great price), it follows that it is prudent economic decision to expend [one’s] life to gain the good part of life: the acquisition of the divine nature through a revealed, experiential knowledge of God through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
This is written for Temitope M. Ojedokun this day –Friday 25th September, 2010 –by Akindele Opeyemi Ezekiel.
PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE AS A MEMBER OR VISITOR
Reader Count & Comments
Date
The opinions expressed by authors do not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com. This is especially true with articles that
deal with personal healthcare and prophecy. We encourage the reader to make their own decision in consultation with God, His Word, and others as needed.
This article has been read 649 times < Previous | Next >
Read more articles by Opeyemi Ezekiel Akindele or search for other articles by topic below.
This article has been read 649 times < Previous | Next >
Search for articles on: (e.g. creation; holiness etc.)
Read more by clicking on a link:Free Reprints
Main Site Articles
Most Read Articles
Highly Acclaimed Challenge Articles.
New Release Christian Books for Free for a Simple Review.
NEW - Surprise Me With an Article - Click here for a random URL
God is Not Against You - He Came on an All Out Rescue Mission to Save You
...in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them... 2 Cor 5:19
Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Acts 13:38
LEARN & TRUST JESUS HERE
FaithWriters offers Christian reading material for Christian readers. We offer Christian articles, Christian fiction, Christian non-fiction, Christian Bible studies, Christian poems, Christian articles for sale, free use Christian articles, Christian living articles, New Covenant Christian Bible Studies, Christian magazine articles and new Christian articles. We write for Jesus about God, the Bible, salvation, prayer and the word of God.