The God You Know
Blog By Pastor Don Braswell
The God you know is the God you serve, but also the God you share with people who don’t know Him. Seeking to know Him better is the greatest benefit for your life and for those with whom you associate.
When faith awakens a sense of need in our souls, it is to God that we must go to satisfy that need. Then, having personally received from Him, we can bring hope to others concerning His goodness. Regardless of our pathway in life, every day we have needs and we’re among others who have needs as well.
Our primary need is to know and worship the true and living God and to not be duped by mere religious activity. The Bible tells us “God is love”! Knowing and worshiping a God who actually loves us is essential to receiving everything He wants to give us for personal spiritual growth. On the other hand, our worst deception would be to merely worship religious traditions and not actually know God!
The Apostle Paul met such people while traveling through the city of Athens.
Acts 17:22–27 (MSG)
So Paul took his stand in the open space at the Areopagus and laid it out for them. “It is plain to see that you Athenians take your religion seriously. When I arrived here the other day, I was fascinated with all the shrines I came across. And then I found one inscribed, TO THE GOD NOBODY KNOWS. I’m here to introduce you to this God so you can worship intelligently, know who you’re dealing with.
“The God who made the world and everything in it, this Master of sky and land, doesn’t live in custom-made shrines or need the human race to run errands for him, as if he couldn’t take care of himself. He makes the creatures; the creatures don’t make him. Starting from scratch, he made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him. He doesn’t play hide-and-seek with us. He’s not remote; he’s near.
What an incredible occasion! What a tremendous opportunity! Paul’s everyday relationship of seeking God was now going to swing wide-open the door to true life with God for those in Athens and beyond. Now, “THE GOD NOBODY KNOWS” becomes the “near” God that everyone can know.
When we know the God of the Bible, our world changes and all things become new! 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV) “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
Knowing God changes us! Our old ways of thinking, our old values, our old order of priorities and our old pursuits pass away. God’s presence makes everything God-related and new.
Knowing God better improves us! As we seek God with expectancy to know Him better, our love for His kingdom and our passion to serve Him increase.
Knowing God in the context of a large, cross-sectional faith community like a conference creates a special and powerful dynamic found nowhere else. This dynamic brings into one room the explosive potential of the collective cultures, personalities, spiritual gifts and ministry expertise. Breakthrough insights, sharper understanding and doubt destroying faith create an ideal atmosphere for heightened expectations and greater vision!
Seeking God in these different contexts broadens our opportunities to receive things we may not receive otherwise. The contexts of personal worship, congregational worship and conference worship each open different dynamics for seeking God. The refreshing and renewal found in these experiences fan the flames of personal passion and public proclamation! Let’s not fall into a religious relationship rut, let’s rise up for the kingdom and impact our sphere! Flourish in the God you know, and don’t keep the faith, share it.