KNOWING THE MIND OF GOD!

KNOWING THE MIND OF GOD!

1 Cor 2:9-12 & 14

9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Couples who have been married for a long time develop a clairvoyance that is a result of those long years of intimacy. Often they can communicate without speaking and just as often they are able to finish a sentence for their partner. It is almost uncanny!

God reveals Himself through natural means. Paul, in Romans chapter one, said: “The invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Rom 1:20. Yet God remains a mystery! We are handicapped in our relationship with God because he is Spirit and the things that pertain to God are understood not by our mind but by our spirit.

Every relationship grows from the lesser to the greater. A chance meeting becomes an acquaintance then later a best friend. With God, the more we know of Him the more we desire to know. Some of the questions we are afraid to ask are often put forth by children. They want to know if God eats or if he sleeps. They want to know how old He is since He has been around for such a long time. They want to know God!

God reveals Himself most deeply through His Word, the Bible. The danger of altering the words or meaning of words in the Bible is not so much a matter of offending God but in misrepresenting Him. We must be careful that we do not make God into something He is not so that He might fit snuggly into our notion of Him.

When we learn enough about the Word to become born again, we are given His Holy Spirit. The Spirit explains God to our spirit. The things of God are spiritually perceived. The revelation of God by the Spirit is progressive. One truth builds upon another until we, like the long married couple, are able to know the mind of God.

In the later years of Paul’s life his goals had shifted from planting churches to simply knowing God more intimately even if it meant joining Him in suffering. “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.” Phil 3:10

We can only fear a God we do not know but we cannot worship Him. Worship springs from the heart that is in tune with who God is. Do you know Him?

Dear Lord, I want to know you more and more. I want to share your thoughts and agree with your plans. Cleanse me that I may be fit to be part of your circle of friends. AMEN