Just think back about good school friend from years ago that you have not seen for years, do you know them?
Nelson Mandela, do you know him?
Moses in the bible do you know him?
The answer is you do not know them, you may know about them, or you knew them, but you do not know them.
To know someone is to have an ongoing personal and current relationship with them.
1.know there opinions, and can speak on their behalf in their absence.
2.what they like or dislike, in food, clothes, movies, religion, politics.
3.problems they are currently battling with, deepest secrets.
4.what they are planning in the future, what they have done and what they are currently doing.
5.you are someone they can call on, rely on, depend on, they can give others your details to contact if they are not around.
6.you enjoy each other and spend time together.
Get the picture!
The Apostle Paul's prayer for his brethren are:
A Prayer for the Ephesians
14 For
this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from
whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I
pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through
his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so
that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being
rooted and established in love, 18 may
have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high
and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and
to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the
measure of all the fullness of God.
Eph
3:14-19 (NIV)Thanksgiving and Prayer
15 For
this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love
for all the saints, 16 I
have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I
keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give
you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I
pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may
know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance
in the saints, 19 and
his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working
of his mighty strength, 20 which
he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his
right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far
above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be
given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And
God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over
everything for the church, 23 which
is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Eph
1:15-23 (NIV)9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Col 1:9-14 (NIV)
Paul understood this:
10 Am
I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please
men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of
Christ.
11 I
want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man
made up. 12 I
did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by
revelation from Jesus Christ.
13 For
you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted
the church of God and tried to destroy it. 14 I
was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely
zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But
when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased
16 to
reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not
consult any man, 17 nor
did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went
immediately into Arabia and later returned to Damascus. 18 Then
after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Peter and
stayed with him fifteen days. 19 I
saw none of the other apostles--only James, the Lord's brother. 20 I
assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie. 21 Later
I went to Syria and Cilicia. 22 I
was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They
only heard the report: "The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the
faith he once tried to destroy." 24 And
they praised God because of me.
Gal
1:10-24 (NIV)Do you know Him?
You cannot get to know Jesus through someone else, or part time!
You have to choose to get to know Him daily, with passion and dedication.
He gave us His spirit to teach us about Him and that we can fellowship personally with Him all the time.
Only then can you Love Him completely and get to know Him.
I have told you a little about getting to know Him, you need to do the rest, if you indeed love Him.
Believe!
Now I can get to know someone, but not believe in them!
I can Live with them, observe them, talk with them, eat with them, but I can still not believe in them, ie. I do not like what I see, what they stand for, how they conduct themselves, what they are given to and stand for, what they believe. etc.
I can still fellowship with them, but I do not follow them, agree with them or like to be associated with them.
Their words do not match their actions, their motives do not match their beliefs.
They do not fulfill their promises and their allegiance to you is found wanting in real times of need.
They do not have true substance or character when they are tested.
I am not talking about believing that they may do something or believe they may react in a certain way, I am talking about believing in them.
Believe: to have confidence in the truth, the existence or reliability of something (or someone)
I can believe in someone or something or even an idealogy or system, does that mean I am given or dedicated to it?
Faith!
1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Heb 11:1 (NIV)
We are saved through faith, we believe and are certain, and then we give ourselves to it no matter the circumstances. Consecrated to it, dedicated to is, we give up everything else for our new found faith.
There should be evidence of our faith, what we believe and feel inside should reflect on the outside, works and character.
But something or someone has to sustain our faith.
We are created to have and put our faith in someone or something, it as a part of us that has to be fed, because it motivates our spirit, as worldly desires and pleasures feed our flesh, faith feeds our spirit!
What are you feeding your spirit, is your Focus on Christ!
