2 Peter 1:2 Grace and Peace be multiplied unto you through the Knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
King James Version
(emphasis mine)
My example, although silly, has a very good point to it. Once you KNOW someone, things no longer have to be explained in detail. Everyone can bring to mind that one person or several people that they just KNOW and when anyone else enters in on the conversation, they may be completely lost. My brother and I have a completely different language than I share with any other person. When people enter in on one of our conversations, it’s not long until we get some eye-rolling, then a few unexplainable questions, until, finally, it’s back to just us. But I KNOW my brother and he KNOWS me. For 19 years we have been developing this language.
We often “look” at God as words on a page. The tone is constant and the meaning is always direct as we see it. When you don’t KNOW someone, you will relate what you hear to your own understanding but not the meaning of that individual. I, myself, use to do this with God constantly. I would read a verse and analyze it according to what I would mean if I had said that. But, once I began to KNOW God through his word, I related what he said; first, to who he is and then, His meaning - not mine. This impacted my relationship in such a magnificent way because scriptures that use to not make sense suddenly became clear because I KNOW Jesus. I also know my interpretation of the scripture couldn’t possibly be right because it didn’t line up with who HE is.
This, just as any other relationship, was a process. It’s not hard to know Him; he reveals himself throughout the whole Bible. However, the good news is that, although it’s a great thing to do, you do not have to read the Bible Genesis to Revelation before you KNOW Him. There are key verses and principals that I base my relationship of knowing God through and the Lord has laid on my heart to share some with you. However, understand that I could tell you how incredible a movie is or Disney World is, but until you go and experience it for yourself, you will never know for yourself.
Many people tend to make God very difficult to understand and mysterious. But in Matthew 13:11 Jesus said, “Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.” God is only mysterious to the world. We, as Christians should know him and reveal him to the world. Therefore, I know God on a very simple level, I know God is Love; or Agape - complete unconditional love. I know God is good and compassionate and if I don’t see that in a verse I’m reading, then it’s me who is misunderstanding God’s meaning or motive.
3 John 1:2 says 2”Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”
Verse 4 continues:
4”I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”
When I see these verses, I see the simple goodness of our Loving God:
(1) I see that God desires at all times for me to be prosperous and healed.
(2) I see that it is not God who puts sickness and disease on someone and takes away their prosperity. How foolish would it be to assume the same God that desires prosperity and health in our life to be the same God that takes it away from us? Right now, I desire for my brother to see his prosperity manifested. Now, why would I go to his work and put in complaint after complaint with the manager and tell him all my brother’s shortcomings? Then, when he gets fired say, “You’ll thank me later, Houston; you weren’t ready. I desired your prosperity more than you; but as much as it hurts me, it’s best you don’t have that abundance right now.”
Another example would be when, as we are praying and desiring the healing for someone, somehow we believe that God isn’t as good and loving as us. That possibly he has a purpose for them in their wheelchair because they are better off sharing God’s love under those conditions rather than standing up and proclaiming their healing for Christ. Even furthermore, if they should die, it’s because God “needed them” in Heaven because he can’t handle it up there by himself, maybe things are getting a little out of hand.
I’m telling you – God’s desire for our health and prosperity is greater than ours.
(3) I see a good God who gave man free will and although I can’t explain completely why people are sick (even though I have a pretty good idea) or why Christians are on Welfare, I know it’s not God. That is not his desire. Man messed up in the Garden of Eden, not God. He's not the one who ate the forbidden fruit.
(4) I also know God is excited and has joy when I’m walking in truth, because if I KNOW the truth, I KNOW him and if I KNOW him, I discover he is Love. His Grace is sufficient and much, much more. The more I begin to KNOW God, the more I want to KNOW him. He only gets better and better.
You see, God’s love and goodness are unreal. Whenever I read something, I read it with the mindset, “When I read this, I’ll read it with the most Love, the most Grace, the best Goodness and the most Peace; then multiply that by 100 and realize I’m not even denting the surface of God’s Goodness and Love.”
3 John 1:11 says
11”Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.”
I’m pretty sure God has seen himself. He is a Good God and every good gift come from him. A house divided against itself cannot stand. Therefore, if God is good, that’s all he is. He isn’t evil as well.
It’s to my knowledge that John KNEW God pretty well. He was still man, but he had great KNOWLEDGE of Christ. So, it’s wise to discover what John knew of him. God revealed to me through 1 John many things that we know of God and that we know about ourselves as Christians and who we are. I love sharing what God has revealed to me, but there are times when you should allow the Holy Spirit to minister to you through the verses and not me. These verses speak for themselves.
1 John 2:29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.”
1 John 3:5 ”And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.”
1 John 3:24 “And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.”
1 John 4:13 “Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.”
1 John 4:16 “And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.”
1 John 5:13 “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. 14And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.”
1 John 5:18 “We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.”
1 John 5:19 “And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.”
1 John 5:20 “And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.”
1 John 2:20 “But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.”
God truly is incredible and I can promise you’ll never be sorry for KNOWING him. You don’t have to quit your job and your life and just read the Bible; you just simply have to open yourself up and allow the Holy Spirit to reveal himself to you. Remember, he is a mystery to the world, but not to you or me.
I love you. God bless and may His grace and peace be multiplied to you through the KNOWLEDGE of God, and of Jesus our Lord.
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