Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Stepping Stones: Do You Really Want To Know God?



Transformational Thought

I have an engineering kind of mind, never been much of a reader. English was a class I wanted to avoid in High School. When we would read Romeo and Juliet or Julius Caesar, I often thought I would understand and be more greatly impacted by the story if I really knew Shakespeare. You know, his personality, nuances, passions, issues, the experiences of his life.

When watching the show “Biography” on TV, I am so much more interested, intrigued, and impacted when I “know” or “interacted” with the subject. When the subject is Gilligan, Bob Barker, Ronald Reagan, Robin Williams, as opposed to subjects that really never touched my life, my depth of interest and identification are so much more profound.

If you were to read my personal journal, your understanding, interest, and enjoyment of my story would be dramatically impacted by whether you knew me personally or not. You see, my daughters love hearing stories about my past, people who don’t know me could care less about my experiences that made me me.

Well the Holy Bible, God’s journal is the same way. The Bible is a great book, filled with great life tips and stories that really reveal God’s heart and desires. But to really maximize the treasure inside The Holy Bible, you really need to know and be in relationship with the author. Then it really comes alive and is more powerful than anything except the actual Trinity. Get to know the Author, then He and His journal will make more sense and have more authority in your life.

Today, ask yourself “does the Bible make sense to me?“ “Do I easily practice what it says?” If you aren’t confident in your answers, ask “how much time a day do I spend relating to and getting to know God?” Read a couple Psalms, or one of Paul’s letters to know God better.

Prayer
Dear Father God, I praise You as the Author of the big story. Thank You for making things so clear in Your word. I confess, I want to take shortcuts at times…not spend time getting to know You or be in Your great storybook, journal, instruction manual. Then I wonder, why I am frustrated, insecure, and lost at times. Thanks for Your Holy Spirit in me to help me digest Your Word and apply it to me life. Help me get out of the way and then follow the Holy Spirit’s direction for my life. I pray in the name of the Author of my salvation, Jesus Christ; and all God’s children say – AMEN!

The Truth
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16