KNOWING GOD
WHERE DO I START?
God created you because he wanted relationship with you. He wants you to know him personally and intimately, not just know about him. Through the Bible, God's written Word, and through Jesus Christ, his only Son, God reveals that he wants you to enjoy a life that's in line with his purpose and destiny for you. He wants to be a nurturing and powerful presence in your life, not just an idea in you head.
Knowing him means receiving his love. Following him means following his leadership. And let's tell it like it is: Accepting that leadership will affect your lifestyle. As you come to know God, he no longer is a concept simply to be believed or disbelieved; he is a living reality who is known and followed along a pathway that leads to freedom.
According to the Bible, until you come to terms with Jesus, you haven't dealt with the issue that's most important in getting to know God. In John 14:6, Jesus said,"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Through him, countless millions have come to know the Father, transforming their individual lives as well as the entire course of human history. And Jesus continues to change history - one person at a time. He wants to change your life too, transforming it from death to life. But he will not do so unless you invite him.
How have you responded to Jesus? It's not enough simply to agree intellectually with Jesus' claims. If you read through the Bible you will recognize Jesus as the true Son of God, a man who walked this earth, lived a perfect life, died and rose again from the dead. You can cross the line of faith and relieve him.
Choosing to relieve Jesus is a once-for-all decision. A "process" of getting to know God will follow, but you have to begin by inviting him into your life. This seemingly simple decision has huge eternal consequences. You may not recognize it, but your wrong moral choices (called sin) have condemned you to spiritual death (eternal separation from our Holy God). Jesus, who had no sin, chose to die to pay for your sins. When you recognize your sinful condition and accept by faith Jesus' death as payment, you receive his life, which is eternal. receiving this free gift of salvation is as simple as saying, "Jesus, I acknowledge my sin and your payment for it on the cross. I now ask you to forgive me and I willingly give my life to you." At that very moment, he will come into your innermost being and start you on a wonderful journey toward intimacy with God.
You may be wondering what kinds of practical steps you might take to guide you as you discover your personal path toward knowing God. Consider some of these ideas:
* Ask God to reveal himself to you if you're not sure he's there.
* Talk to people who display a genuine relationship with God - those who obviously love him and who live by a different set of principles.
* Spend time enjoying God's creation.
* Listen to the stories of older people who have walked with God for a long time.
* Be a lover of truth, and don't hesitate to raise questions about things many others seem to take for granted.
* Follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. You can trust God's "still small voice" to give you direction. If you lack understanding, ask him for it.
* Read what other believers have said about Christianity. Ask your Christian friends for a list of authors who have inspired them in their walk with God.
* Write down your questions, including those that arise as you read the Bible, and take them to a seasoned believer who will respect your search for the truth.
* Be aware that moments of doubts and questions are normal and legitimate as you discover your personal path.
* Be alert to your presuppositions - the things you already believe - and your personal roadblocks, and try not to let them stand in the way of your discovery process.
*Keep a journal of your thoughts and feelings during your search.
* Determine to spend a specified time each day walking the pathway toward faith, and keep evaluating your progress.
*Act on what you decide.
From the Christian Growth Study Bible, Copyright 1997 by Zondervan and Youth With A Mission.
Do you want to know more? | What others have discovered | Recommended reading | Links