WHY SHOULD WE KNOW GOD ?
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We should try to know GOD for a number of reason. They are:
1. GOD IS INFINITE
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The infinite nature of God simply means that God exists outside of and is not limited by time or space. Infinite simply means “without limits.” When we refer to God as "infinite," we generally refer to Him with terms like omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence.
*Omniscience means that God is all-knowing or that He has unlimited knowledge. His infinite knowledge is what qualifies Him as sovereign ruler and judge over all things.
*Omnipotence means that God is all-powerful or that He has unlimited power. It is significant because it establishes God’s ability to carry out His sovereign will. Because God is omnipotent and has infinite power, nothing can stop His decreed will from happening, and nothing can thwart or stop His divine purposes from being fulfilled.
*Omnipresence means that God is always present. There is no place that you could go to escape God’s presence. God is not limited by time or space. He is present at every point of time and space. It is significant because it establishes that God is eternal. God has always existed and will always exist.
Because God is infinite, He is also said to be transcendent, which simply means that God is exceedingly far above creation, and is both greater than creation and independent of it. What this means is that God is so infinitely above and beyond us and our ability to fully comprehend that, had He not revealed Himself, we would not know or understand what He is like. But, thankfully, God has not left us in the dark about Himself. Instead, He has revealed Himself to us through both general revelation (creation and our conscience) and special revelation (the Written Word of God, the Bible, and the living Word of God, Jesus Christ). Therefore, we can know God, and we can know how to be reconciled to Him and how to live according to His will. Despite the fact that we are finite and God is infinite, we can know and understand God as He has revealed Himself to us
2.GRATITUDE
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One of the great commandments is to give thanksgiving to God, for all He has done for us.The first way to show true thanksgiving to God is to always remember Him. Remembering Him means that He is a part of our thoughts, words, and deeds. It is impossible to give gratitude to God if we never think or speak of Him. When we remember Him we are choosing to think, speak, and act as He would have us do.In this world we are apt not to value anything or anyone, but our gratitude-heart always values everything in God's creation. It values God the Creator and God the creation. It values God's Compassion and it values God the Compassion
A seeker begins by effortful expression of gratitude. However over a period of time by repeatedly expressing gratitude and also through spiritual growth he develops the spiritual emotion of gratitude. Once this state is attained, as one constantly realizes that ‘God is the Doer, I am nobody’, his subtle ego starts reducing. He starts appreciating his limitations and lack of capacity. Hence in any difficult situation he humbly surrenders before God and only then does any action. This is called ‘surrender to God’. When he starts surrendering to God not only in difficult situations but even in small-small incidents in day to day life, his spiritual emotion of surrender increases. God promptly fulfils prayers with spiritual emotion like ‘God please look after my spiritual growth, please tell me what my next step should be, You only guide me’. A seeker having spiritual emotion of gratitude and surrender is always close to God. God bestows everything that is required, i.e. spiritual experiences, guidance and knowledge to such a seeker even without asking.
3.GOD'S WILL
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God has a specific or direct will for the life of each one of us. It should be our highest purpose to determine just what His will is for us and then to do it, whatever the cost.
For the person seeking to know the will of God, suggest some principles for knowing His will.
1. Counsel him to make right any conduct or relationships that may constitute a barrier against knowing God’s will. Some times a relationship with a sweet heart or a business partner will have to end, or some sin must be confessed.
Emphasize that clearing the way to God must be through confession and with other through apologies and restitution, if necessary.
“Always… have a conscience void of offense toward God, and towards men”
2. Counsel him to be willing to do God’s will, whatever it may be or may cost. “He said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me”
3. suggest that he assemble all the available facts and then filter all facets and circumstances related to knowing God’s will for his life through his own intellect and common sense, his precious experience, and the counsel of godly friends. He needs to consider also his own gifts and talents.
4. Suggest that the inquirer seek God’s will in the light of revealed Scripture. What principles, commands or prohibitions apply? Has the Holy Spirit given any motivating verses or promises? “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path”
5. Urge him to pray for God’s will to be revealed, and also pray that he may be spiritually perceptive enough to discern it. Isaac’s servant said, “I, being in the way, the Lord led me”
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs and don’t forget to thank him for his answers”
6. He must be very sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading, asking himself: “Is He moving me toward, or away from, a particular course of action?” “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come”
7. Suggest that he ask himself: “Am I at peace as I consider the factors involved? Or am I restless and impatient because of uncertainty or inner conflict?” “And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever”
8. Urge him to allow room for faith.
9. As an exercise in practical monitoring of progress, counsel him to prepare a list under the headings of “pros” and “cons,” and “alternatives,” in order to record any insight from the Lord as to His leading.
10. Pray with the inquirer about any initial steps he should be taking to implement the above.
God's will is discerned in prayer. If we do not go to the silence of an inner room, and there wait for God to speak, we will never know his will. To hear the word of God, we must develop the habit of listening. All prayer, like all faith, can be distilled into one affirmation - Thy will be done. When all else is reduced to silence, this prayer must rise in our hearts. Then as we open ourselves to his love, he will speak.
---------------------------------------------------------
We should try to know GOD for a number of reason. They are:
1. GOD IS INFINITE
-------------------------------------------
The infinite nature of God simply means that God exists outside of and is not limited by time or space. Infinite simply means “without limits.” When we refer to God as "infinite," we generally refer to Him with terms like omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence.
*Omniscience means that God is all-knowing or that He has unlimited knowledge. His infinite knowledge is what qualifies Him as sovereign ruler and judge over all things.
*Omnipotence means that God is all-powerful or that He has unlimited power. It is significant because it establishes God’s ability to carry out His sovereign will. Because God is omnipotent and has infinite power, nothing can stop His decreed will from happening, and nothing can thwart or stop His divine purposes from being fulfilled.
*Omnipresence means that God is always present. There is no place that you could go to escape God’s presence. God is not limited by time or space. He is present at every point of time and space. It is significant because it establishes that God is eternal. God has always existed and will always exist.
Because God is infinite, He is also said to be transcendent, which simply means that God is exceedingly far above creation, and is both greater than creation and independent of it. What this means is that God is so infinitely above and beyond us and our ability to fully comprehend that, had He not revealed Himself, we would not know or understand what He is like. But, thankfully, God has not left us in the dark about Himself. Instead, He has revealed Himself to us through both general revelation (creation and our conscience) and special revelation (the Written Word of God, the Bible, and the living Word of God, Jesus Christ). Therefore, we can know God, and we can know how to be reconciled to Him and how to live according to His will. Despite the fact that we are finite and God is infinite, we can know and understand God as He has revealed Himself to us
2.GRATITUDE
-------------------------
One of the great commandments is to give thanksgiving to God, for all He has done for us.The first way to show true thanksgiving to God is to always remember Him. Remembering Him means that He is a part of our thoughts, words, and deeds. It is impossible to give gratitude to God if we never think or speak of Him. When we remember Him we are choosing to think, speak, and act as He would have us do.In this world we are apt not to value anything or anyone, but our gratitude-heart always values everything in God's creation. It values God the Creator and God the creation. It values God's Compassion and it values God the Compassion
A seeker begins by effortful expression of gratitude. However over a period of time by repeatedly expressing gratitude and also through spiritual growth he develops the spiritual emotion of gratitude. Once this state is attained, as one constantly realizes that ‘God is the Doer, I am nobody’, his subtle ego starts reducing. He starts appreciating his limitations and lack of capacity. Hence in any difficult situation he humbly surrenders before God and only then does any action. This is called ‘surrender to God’. When he starts surrendering to God not only in difficult situations but even in small-small incidents in day to day life, his spiritual emotion of surrender increases. God promptly fulfils prayers with spiritual emotion like ‘God please look after my spiritual growth, please tell me what my next step should be, You only guide me’. A seeker having spiritual emotion of gratitude and surrender is always close to God. God bestows everything that is required, i.e. spiritual experiences, guidance and knowledge to such a seeker even without asking.
3.GOD'S WILL
---------------------------
God has a specific or direct will for the life of each one of us. It should be our highest purpose to determine just what His will is for us and then to do it, whatever the cost.
For the person seeking to know the will of God, suggest some principles for knowing His will.
1. Counsel him to make right any conduct or relationships that may constitute a barrier against knowing God’s will. Some times a relationship with a sweet heart or a business partner will have to end, or some sin must be confessed.
Emphasize that clearing the way to God must be through confession and with other through apologies and restitution, if necessary.
“Always… have a conscience void of offense toward God, and towards men”
2. Counsel him to be willing to do God’s will, whatever it may be or may cost. “He said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me”
3. suggest that he assemble all the available facts and then filter all facets and circumstances related to knowing God’s will for his life through his own intellect and common sense, his precious experience, and the counsel of godly friends. He needs to consider also his own gifts and talents.
4. Suggest that the inquirer seek God’s will in the light of revealed Scripture. What principles, commands or prohibitions apply? Has the Holy Spirit given any motivating verses or promises? “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path”
5. Urge him to pray for God’s will to be revealed, and also pray that he may be spiritually perceptive enough to discern it. Isaac’s servant said, “I, being in the way, the Lord led me”
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs and don’t forget to thank him for his answers”
6. He must be very sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading, asking himself: “Is He moving me toward, or away from, a particular course of action?” “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come”
7. Suggest that he ask himself: “Am I at peace as I consider the factors involved? Or am I restless and impatient because of uncertainty or inner conflict?” “And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever”
8. Urge him to allow room for faith.
9. As an exercise in practical monitoring of progress, counsel him to prepare a list under the headings of “pros” and “cons,” and “alternatives,” in order to record any insight from the Lord as to His leading.
10. Pray with the inquirer about any initial steps he should be taking to implement the above.
God's will is discerned in prayer. If we do not go to the silence of an inner room, and there wait for God to speak, we will never know his will. To hear the word of God, we must develop the habit of listening. All prayer, like all faith, can be distilled into one affirmation - Thy will be done. When all else is reduced to silence, this prayer must rise in our hearts. Then as we open ourselves to his love, he will speak.
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