Knowing God

Proverbs 9:10

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

"We can only start from where we are." J.I. Packer

Knowing God and His doctrine through Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit is crucial in knowing how to live our lives.

It should be the number one priority for mankind.

Who is God?

God is: “God is Spirit” (John 4:24) Commentaries

Father
Holy Spirit
Infinity
Love
Grace
Majesty
Immutable
Omniscient
Omnipotent
Omnipresent
Goodness
Merciful
Absolute Truth
Patient
Wrath
Judge
Jealous
Freedom from Sin
Holy; righteous, pure
Perfect
Peace
Eternal life
Our savior through His Son; Lord Jesus Christ!

J. I. Packer encourages us to start at the storm to find the Doctrine of God to set your paths straight.

How do we plot our course?

He points out 5 Foundational Principles of knowing God:

God has spoken to man. The Bible is His Word given to use to make us wise unto salvation.
God is Lord and King over His world. He rules all things for his own glory, displaying His perfections in all that He does, in order that men and angels may worship and adore him.
God is Savior, active in sovereign love through His son Lord Jesus Christ. He rescues believers from the guilt and power of sin. He adopts us as his children and blesses us accordingly.
God is triune; there are within the Godhead three persons, the Father, the son, and the Holy Spirit. The work of salvation is one in which all three act together, the Father purposing redemption, the Son securing it and the Spirit applying it.
Godliness means responding to God's revelation in trust and obedience, faith and worship, prayer and praise, submission and service.

Life must be seen and lived in the light of God's Word. This, and nothing else, is true religion.

Evidence of Knowing God summarized by J. I. Packer

He looks at the book of Daniel:

Those who know God have great energy for God.

Daniel 11:32; The people that know their God shall stand firm and take action.”

We cannot rest when we hear false prophets or if God is being defiled or disregarded we will speak up and not be afraid of persecution.

The more knowledge - the more energy.

Those who know God have great thoughts of God.

God's hand is on history –> “His” story -> the unfolding of His eternal plan, and that the kingdom which will triumph in the end is God's.

- His kingdom and righteousness will triumph in the end.

- He will have the last word both in world history and every mans' destiny.

- He “rules”; Heaven rules Daniel 4:26. He is most sovereign Daniel 4:25.

- He knows, and foreknows, all things, and his foreknowledge is fore-ordination

- Neither men nor angels shall be able to thwart him.

Those who know God show great boldness for God

As in the book of Daniel; he and his friends stuck their necks out. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

Acts 5:29 "Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men."

You don't worry about what others think. You boldly defend Him as He defends you without hesitation know the word Daniel 3:16-18

Those who know God have great contentment in God.

Find peace Romans 5:1

Have assurance – your comprehensiveness of your contentment is a measure of how you really know God.

How content are you? Are you relaxed or a bundle of nerves?

"Be content in everything" - Now you have found peace.

Do you desire to know God better?

Take a personal inventory and recognize how much you lack knowledge of Him.

Not by your works, but by your relationship. How much do you pray and what is in your heart?

2. Seek Jesus

You cannot get to God unless you go through His son - our Savior - Jesus Christ

Who is this man called Jesus Christ?

The Great Commission

The most important commandments God gave us:

Matthew 22:36-40 (NIV)

36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your

mind.’

38 This is the first and greatest commandment.

39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”