Know God 1 Sam. 3:21 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
I believe the problem with most people is that they don’t know God. They know about him. They also know what they think about him. But they don’t know him. You get to know God by:
The word of God – 1 Sam 3:21 – Samuel was in the house of God [1 Sam 1:24]; he was under the man of God [1 Sam 1:25, even though Eli wasn’t very good]; he served the Lord God [1 Sam 2:18] and the Lord revealed himself to Samuel. Josiah was also a young man who sought and knew God 2 Chr 34:1-3; 34:31
Notice Hannah, Samuel’s mother, prayed for him [1 Sam 1:27]. She demonstrated genuine faith for him [1 Sam 2:1-10, her prayer is filled with prophetic references]. She let go of him [1 Sam 1:28; 2:11] so that he could serve God and pursue his own faith in God.
The work of God – Num 22:22-25 – Balaam didn’t know the Lord until God put him in a place where he could have a faceoff with the angel of the Lord. God will work in the circumstances of your life to accomplish the same thing. He wants you to know the he is the Lord. The prodigal son is a prime example of someone who has to get so far down before he sees his need. The Lord lets you go on with your plans until your plans run out and he traps you. Then you get to know God like Manasseh did [2 Chr 33:11-13].
The want of God – Phil 3:10 – Paul knew God but he voluntarily let go of everything important to him so that he could know God absolutely. In 2 Pet 3:18, Peter calls this growing in the grace and the knowledge of God.
The wrath of God – Lk 16:24-31 – you can blow God off down here and refuse to know God. But one second after you die, you will know him. There are no atheists in hell. You don’t wait until hell to know God. The only side of him that you will know then is his wrath.
Conclusion: Why not trust Christ and know God and his mercy, love, goodness, righteousness and favor. And if you are already saved, then you need to get to know God in a way that you have never known him before. That is your most important pursuit on earth.