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Know God For Yourself

”And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” Jer. 31:34, KJV

Wonderful! Isn’t it great that we can all know God in this New Covenant era? It’s not just for the elite, the “full-time” ministries, or the “super” dedicated. We can all have that relationship that our hearts cry for. We were designed for this and will never find true satisfaction or fulfillment without it.

Intimately Know God

When it says “know God,” it does not refer to knowing about God or just having a Sunday morning relationship. In the Bible, “know” is an intimate word. For example, “And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain...” [Gen. 4:1]. This was not a casual handshake type of relationship! Knowing God is having an intimate, personal relationship with Him. It is being able to share your heart with Him and know He listens and cares, as well as learning what His heart is in various situations and wanting to please Him.

Afraid Of Intimacy?

Sometimes, we hold God at a distance. We immerse ourselves in Bible Study, Petitionary Prayer or Church Services, but we are afraid of that intimate relationship with God. [Now, both Bible Study and Petition are necessary, but they are not a replacement for intimacy.]. Or we may take the opposite approach and fill our lives with so many other things that we don't have 'time' for the things of God.

Why are we afraid to come and know God on the deepest levels of our existence? Are we afraid He will reject us? Are we ashamed of sin in our lives? Are we just too busy living? If you are holding back in your relationship with God, ask yourself why. What is the “bottom line” after you have stripped away all the camouflage issues keeping you from the joy of a full relationship with the God Who created you and loves you?

Sin No Longer Separates Us From God

God desires that relationship with you. He has totally committed Himself to you - no reservations [you’ll understand this better if you take The Making Of A Blood Covenant]. Fear and shame are tricks of the enemy to keep us from that beautiful relationship.

Sin is no longer an issue. [Now you know, from Master Life, that I believe in righteous living.] Jesus took all our sins - past, present, future - to the cross with Him. The price has already been paid. For the Christian, sin no longer separates us from God. We are free from the burden of sin. When we sin, we run IMMEDIATELY to God for forgiveness, accept it, and grow on in our life with God. Spending days or weeks [or months?] moaning and crying over a failure is a false pride, in effect saying we have to do something to “earn” His forgiveness this time. I believe in a Godly sorrow over sin, but that brings us to His presence to receive his forgiveness; it doesn’t drive us away from His presence.

The same is true with shame. Jesus Christ was mocked, stripped naked, and hung on a cross to take the shame of sin. We never need to be ashamed or embarrassed to come into His presence. He loves us, accepts us, and desires us in His presence. The Devil will play on any emotion he can to keep us away from that Presence.

Developing An Intimate Relationship To Know God

So, how do we develop that intimate relationship to know God? There are no formulas! Relationships are intensely personal. I can’t tell you to read your Bible and pray X number of hours a week, and then you’ll have it. You have to work it out between you and God. But if you are going move into a deep relationship, you will need to [a] make it a priority - make a daily appointment and don't miss it, and [b] take time to share your innermost thoughts with God. The deeper the relationship you have [even on a human level], the more you are willing to share. Start sharing your thoughts with God. Tell him [out loud if possible, and you won’t be overheard] how you feel. Tell Him when you are happy. Tell Him when you are angry. Tell Him what your temptations are and how you feel about them. The more you are willing to share, the better it will be. Don’t forget to take time to listen!

So relax. Don’t be uptight. You are unconditionally loved. When you are alone, grab a cup of coffee [or whatever you like to drink], sit at the kitchen table, and talk to Jesus as if your best friend was sitting across the table from you...because He is. Or take a more traditional approach by kneeling or prostrating yourself before Him. Or whatever works between the two of you. You will probably use different postures at different times. This is a living relationship, not a static meeting. His love for you is unwavering and constant.

For more information about Glenn Davis, see our About Glenn page or visit Glenn Davis Books.

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