Really Knowing God Versus Mere Religion
Getting to know God to the point where you have a personal revelation of His love, is a process worth going through, because knowing God equals life itself, a fulfilled, eternal and meaningful life.
How deep and narrow is the path of holiness! We are not even to think in our heart a bad thought, as Jesus Christ the Son of God exemplified: "But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Mathew 5:28 Is this a reachable standard? It must be, since Jesus asks for such holiness, but of course, it is not something we can accomplish using our own powers. It takes the Holy Spirit's power and presence to be able to actually live up to such a high standard of holiness and love. We can talk about love all we want, yet unless we have the revelation of God's love in our very life, we won't taste it, we'll know about it, but just as we know how apples look like, if we have never tasted one, we do not really know its specific flavor.
And how can one expect to tell about God's love when he hasn't really known it? Unfortunately this situation of simply talking about, without genuinely having experienced God's love, is what most Christians go through nowadays. That is why there are bored Christians or worried Christians or depressed Christians, many have not yet come to know God for real, as revelation and not mere mental knowledge.
When I reached the "end of the rope" was when I told God: "God if you really exist then please do something now, if you don't...I'm falling..." I was in a situation where I was so embarrassed to tell anyone what I was going through, but God is true, He listened to my desperate and almost lifeless request, He came and lifted my heart, gave me hope and opened my eyes to see, not only physically but also to have the spiritual site I need for everyday living. That was the beginning of my revelation regarding God's love and His presence with us trough rough times. Since, I practically realized that the spiritual battle (I didn't know much about) really exists and it is fierce but, God is the ultimate winner so we need to fight with God's weapons: holiness, wisdom, love, kindness, truth and of course with His Word which is the sword of the Spirit.
It is not easy! I had (and still have a lot to) learn that I can't do it by my own strength, that I always need assistance, God's Spirit to advice, teach, correct, forgive, encourage and comfort my heart.
This walk with God begins when we are baptized in water, afterward we are supposed to have a great and adventurous journey and that is to live the life God Himself designed us for. We are a unique blend of character traits, qualities and weaknesses, perfectly endowed with the capacity to accomplish the tasks we were born for. But how many people think they are smarter than God and try to run their own lives without guidance from the Almighty? The fact that we do not really know God, and around us there are not as many people who truly know Him, makes us think that God equals a boring religious practice, idea that can't be further from the truth! Here again comes the difference between mere religion and a personal revelation about God. We need to pray that God would give us a revelation about His love and character so that we can taste it and then we will surely be able to know and represent God in a real, loving way, as Jesus Christ did.
Today the genuine people of God know how to rely on Him regardless of the winds and waves threatening on the outside. The inside is calm, their heart entrusted in the almighty hand of The Father and all offenses and hurts, problems and afflictions cannot move God's child out of the safe area of God's protection.
Once again, to get there one has to have the revelation of God's love. But how to get it? Just as your child eats, you feed him but if he/she doesn't want to eat any more, it is useless to fill his plate again, since you know he is full and won't take in another bite. The same way if you want to have the revelation of God in your life, do what you already know to get close to God and then God will reveal Himself more and more to you as you grow in closeness to Him.
For instance, if you want to know God's plan for your life, start acting right in what you already know as a more general will of God and step by step, God will lead you to the specific plan He has for your life as individual. He is faithful and cares for you as much that He even carefully counted all the hair on your head and none falls without God knowing it! Ask Him to reveal Himself to you and God will lead you toward your destiny - that is much bigger than you could have ever dreamed for yourself! Read the Bible every day to see how He performed great things trough His people and you will get to know Him! This is eternal life itself: to know God and His Son Jesus Christ!
And how can one expect to tell about God's love when he hasn't really known it? Unfortunately this situation of simply talking about, without genuinely having experienced God's love, is what most Christians go through nowadays. That is why there are bored Christians or worried Christians or depressed Christians, many have not yet come to know God for real, as revelation and not mere mental knowledge.
When I reached the "end of the rope" was when I told God: "God if you really exist then please do something now, if you don't...I'm falling..." I was in a situation where I was so embarrassed to tell anyone what I was going through, but God is true, He listened to my desperate and almost lifeless request, He came and lifted my heart, gave me hope and opened my eyes to see, not only physically but also to have the spiritual site I need for everyday living. That was the beginning of my revelation regarding God's love and His presence with us trough rough times. Since, I practically realized that the spiritual battle (I didn't know much about) really exists and it is fierce but, God is the ultimate winner so we need to fight with God's weapons: holiness, wisdom, love, kindness, truth and of course with His Word which is the sword of the Spirit.
It is not easy! I had (and still have a lot to) learn that I can't do it by my own strength, that I always need assistance, God's Spirit to advice, teach, correct, forgive, encourage and comfort my heart.
This walk with God begins when we are baptized in water, afterward we are supposed to have a great and adventurous journey and that is to live the life God Himself designed us for. We are a unique blend of character traits, qualities and weaknesses, perfectly endowed with the capacity to accomplish the tasks we were born for. But how many people think they are smarter than God and try to run their own lives without guidance from the Almighty? The fact that we do not really know God, and around us there are not as many people who truly know Him, makes us think that God equals a boring religious practice, idea that can't be further from the truth! Here again comes the difference between mere religion and a personal revelation about God. We need to pray that God would give us a revelation about His love and character so that we can taste it and then we will surely be able to know and represent God in a real, loving way, as Jesus Christ did.
Today the genuine people of God know how to rely on Him regardless of the winds and waves threatening on the outside. The inside is calm, their heart entrusted in the almighty hand of The Father and all offenses and hurts, problems and afflictions cannot move God's child out of the safe area of God's protection.
Once again, to get there one has to have the revelation of God's love. But how to get it? Just as your child eats, you feed him but if he/she doesn't want to eat any more, it is useless to fill his plate again, since you know he is full and won't take in another bite. The same way if you want to have the revelation of God in your life, do what you already know to get close to God and then God will reveal Himself more and more to you as you grow in closeness to Him.
For instance, if you want to know God's plan for your life, start acting right in what you already know as a more general will of God and step by step, God will lead you to the specific plan He has for your life as individual. He is faithful and cares for you as much that He even carefully counted all the hair on your head and none falls without God knowing it! Ask Him to reveal Himself to you and God will lead you toward your destiny - that is much bigger than you could have ever dreamed for yourself! Read the Bible every day to see how He performed great things trough His people and you will get to know Him! This is eternal life itself: to know God and His Son Jesus Christ!
Like This Article?
Follow:
Post Comment