Knowing God
Knowing God
Hab 2:14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge (Yaw-dah’: Understanding) of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
Our objective today is to emphasize the extreme importance of having a precise and correct knowledge of God. And also to correctly understand His Character, His Nature and His Personality.
Your knowledge and understanding of God is extremely important because your level of receiving FROM God will never exceed your PERCEPTION of God.
2 Pet 1:1 ¶ Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge (Epignosis: Precise and correct knowledge) of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life (Zoe) and godliness, through the knowledge (Epignosis: Precise and correct knowledge) of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: {to: or, by}
According to this text, Grace and Peace are multiplied unto us through our precise and correct knowledge of God….
And also, we will only be able to receive “all things that pertain to life and godliness” through our precise and correct knowledge of God.
Php 3:10 That I may know (Gnisko: to know with understanding) him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Paul is talking about Knowing God and Understanding God. He means Knowing Him with the Understanding of His Nature, His Character and His Person. To many in the Church, God is a real mystery. Religion has compromised the Truth of Who God is, What God does and How He does what He does. My question today is:
Who is this Great God we call our God?
Your personal perception of God (Who He is, What He does, How He works); knowing and understanding His Character, His Nature and His Personality, will determine the kind of relationship you have with Him. Your perception of God will decide the quality of life and the level of victory you have or don’t have. How you perceive God to be will affect every facet of your human experience.
Of all that we know and understand, we certainly need to know and understand God. Just how do you comprehend Him to be? What is He like? What does He do and not do? What is the Motivation behind His acts and His deeds?
When you consider God, does it strike fear and terror in your heart? Is He some kind of impersonal and untouchable Power that works in ways you do not understand? Are you unsure of what He does? How He does it? Why He does it? Is your concept of God Biblical? Does it stand the test of Theological Correctness?
In order to correctly process our perception of God we must go to the Word of God. Let’s begin in the beginning. What does Creation tell us about God?
Genesis 1:1 ¶ In the beginning God…
What about Creation? What is the foundational purpose of all things and everything that exists? Why did God, in one majestic fiat of His unimaginable Power, create all things? Why? For what reason?
It is “By Him (through and because of Him) that all things consist.”
Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
This text tells us at least three things:
- God existed before “all things.”
- God Created all things
- By Him all things consist. That is; the continuance of the universe (all things created) is dependent on His support and administration.
The Purpose of Creation
Why is everything like it is? Why did God make it? What is going to happen to it? What does it have to do with me? What is it for? Why is it here? What does it do? There is a PURPOSE…. Design, Intelligence, Forethought and Planning are fully realized in all of Creation. Every atom, every molecule, as well as every sun, moon and star in the all the galactic heavens, has a reason for being.
There is a Divine and Holy purpose behind every element of God’s Great Creation. Even those who deny the Biblical explanation of Creation must agree that Something or Someone Big is behind all this expanse of the Heavens and the Earth.
The underlying purpose of Creation is to Reveal the Nature and Character of God.
Creation paints a picture of God. Creation answers the questions about God. Creation solves the mystery of God. Creation shows (reveals to) humankind What and Who God really is.
Rom 1:19 ¶ because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
Ps 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
Ps 97:6 The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory.
The birth of the Great Charismatic Revival of the ‘60’s came about as a result of a fresh Revelation of the Nature of God.
- He is Good (a major revelation that will redefine religious perceptions of God). He became personally known and understood as a FATHER, as a LOVER and as a GIVER (Jn 3:16)
- He Knows (Omniscient) We became aware of the fact that He is PERSONALLY knowledgeable and interested and involved in our individual lives.
- He Hears He is there at that moment with us. Every time. Never failing.
- He Responds
He is the God of all Creation (From quarks to quasars and from molecules to mountains)
- He is Eternal God; (Self Existent One: Jehovah!)
- He is the God of our Provision (El Shaddai)
- He is the God who Sustains (holds all things together)
- He is the God who is actively involved in His People and His Church (The “I AM” God)
Everything that God does He does with you and me in mind…
What is the purpose behind Creation?
Why did God Create all things? At least 4 reasons:
- To Declare His Glory
- To Reveal His Power
- To Provide a Place for His Family
- Creation of man allows God To Reproduce His Likeness in us
- Creation Declares His Glory
A glimpse of God’s Throne in Heaven:
John caught a glimpse of heaven and wrote what he saw:
Rev 5:11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;
12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
10,000 times 10,000 (that’s a hundred million) and thousands of thousands in addition….
Splendor. Majesty. Honor. Glory. Power. Here is a picture of God in all His Excellence and Perfection. John is straining the limits of his vocabulary to describe the visible and audible expression of God’s Presence. In the Bible at times His presence is seen as Fire and Lightening. Sometimes It is heard as Thunder and Wind. Sometimes it is a Sweet Smelling Aroma… It always is felt and sensed by every emotion of the human experience. It impacts the very core of the human spirit.
Psalms 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
Psalms 147:4 He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.
When we see Him, (Know Him precisely and correctly) we are transformed. Paul writes:
2Co 3:18 But we all, with open (unveiled) face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed ( metamorphoo) into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
- We are changed. We become like Him. We are “morphed” into His Image and we are clothed with His Glory and we progress to greater Glory by the power of the Holy Spirit. Hallelujah!
- We become demonstrations of Who He is (His Essence, His Character, His Nature, His Presence) on this earth. “As He is so are we in this world.”
1Jo 4:17 … because as he is, so are we in this world.
- Creation Reveals His Power
Nothing known in all of human experience can adequately describe or define the magnitude of God’s Power displayed in Creation. All that is strains and stretches to reveal God’s Power and Might. Astronomy. Physics. Chemistry. Mathematics. Nano-science. Nuclear potential. NOTHING can fully explain or describe the Power of our Great God! Words can’t. Actions can’t. Experiments can’t. Nothing is capable of fully revealing the Power of God.
- God’s power shown in the cataclysmic universal flood in Noah’s day.
- God’s power displayed in the Miracles that convinced Pharaoh to release the Israelites from Egyptian Bondage.
- God’s Power demonstrated in sustaining Israel 40 years in the wilderness.
- God’s Power stopped the sun to give Joshua time to defeat the enemies of Israel (Josh 10:13)
- God’s Power cooled the fiery furnace and locked the lion’s jaws in the days of Daniel.
- God’s Power that impregnated a virgin girl and fathered the Savior of the world.
- God’s Power that worked through Jesus in feeding multitudes, giving sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, health to the lame and resurrection to those who died.
- God’s Power is revealed in the Miracle of the Substitutionary Death of His Dear Son on Calvary and 3 days later Raising Him from the dead.
- God’s Power is demonstrated in the Outpouring of the Holy Ghost on the Day of Pentecost. Followed by Peter’s preaching that resulted in 3000 getting Born Again.
But the sum of all of these indescribable works are but a drop in the bucket when compared to the One Mighty Miracle of Creation… When God opened His mouth and said, “Let there be….” And IT WAS. And it is still “being…” Scientists affirm that the known universe, the stellar heavens, the far reaches of outer space; all are still expanding (being created)… new moons, suns, stars… and it is being created and expanded at the speed of light: 670,616,629 mph.
Consider the size of our solar system. Imagine if we stood in the produce section of a grocery store and held up a grapefruit representing the Sun:
- Mercury would be the size of a small grain of salt orbiting around it 18 feet away.
- Venus would be like a grain of sugar 34 feet away.
- Earth, also a grain of sugar, would be 50 feet away.
- Mars also would be the size of a grain of salt 75 feet away.
- Jupiter, a cherry-sized tomato, would be 240 feet away;
- Saturn, the size of a green grape, at 420 feet out;
- Uranus, a green pea, at 300 yards;
- Neptune, also the size of a pea, at 470 yards; and
- Pluto, a speck of dust, would orbit our grapefruit-sized Sun at a distance of 475-600 yards.
1 Chronicles 29:11 Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.
- Creation Provides a Place for His Family
Let me tell you something that is more than wonderful: God had a longing for a family. He was driven by a Father’s dream of having children. A Class of Beings capable of having a relationship with Him. He wanted fellowship. So, He created…..
(1) God created the Heavens for the benefit of earth. Every star, planet, sun, and moon in the stellar heavens has its influence on Earth. Earth is the reason that the heavens were created. All the stellar heavens were created to minister to and sustain and bless the earth.
(2) God created the Earth for the benefit of Man. Man is the GOAL and PURPOSE of the CREATIVE GENIUS of God. The Earth has NO REASON for existing apart from man. All the natural laws that operate on earth operate in order to benefit and minister and sustain human life. Earth is the only PLANET of BEAUTY in our solar system. All the NATURAL RESOURSES of earth were made and kept in store by GOD for MAN. OIL…GAS…ORES…COAL…GOLD…SLIVER…PRESCIOUS STONES…GEMS, ETC.
(3) God created Man for Himself. You are the OBJECT of all of GOD’S CREATIVE GENIUS. He made YOU for HIMSELF. He chose to reveal Himself personally to you. He fixed it so that you can understand and respond to Him;
- Man’s Creation Enables God to Reproduce His Likeness in us
We are His WORKMANSHIP Created in CHRIST JESUS.
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship,(made from the same fabric) created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Remember… All His Goodness is focused on you. You are the objects of His affection. YOU are the reason for all that He does. His attention is toward You…. All His thoughts and designs are for your good and for your benefit. He is Good. His Mercy is from Everlasting to Everlasting. And His Goodness toward you will Never End. Wow!
When God breathed into Adam the breath of Life, something came out of God and went into man. God imparted His Nature: the very power and majesty of the God head… God infused man with His glory. His Nature. His Character. His Life. ZOE the God-Kind of life…
Man was created in the Image (likeness, shadow) of God. He was literally a partaker (a partner; sharer) of the divine nature of God.
We are destined and designed for the fulfillment of God’s Dream. His Dream:
Hab 2:14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
I am convinced that we have been created and brought into this narrow band of time in order that we might come into the full manifestation of the knowledge of God.
The full manifestation of the Knowledge of God will be the last thing that takes place before Jesus comes back.
As we SEE HIM… As we KNOW HIM. As we UNDERSTAND Him. We are being transformed into the same Image.
I want to KNOW GOD.
DO YOU?
dickbraswell 
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