Christian Living
It’s been said “a life without risk is no life at all.” This statement did not come out of the Bible, but to know God as He desires to be known, it might as well have come from the Bible. It is awe inspiring to read of Noah and Abraham’s faith and obedience to God in Genesis chapters 6 and 12. They simply believed God, believed who He claimed to be, and counted on what God told them He was going to do in their lives. Because they obeyed and trusted in God though, they were called to make radical and very risky decisions in their lives. This is the exact kind of faith and obedience God calls us to as well at times. God called Abraham to leave his homeland, leave all of his ideals about what his future would hold and forsake all for Him. God never specifically told him where He would take him initially, but He just said to Abraham “Get out of your country” (Genesis 12:1, NKJ). Abraham believed God, not simply believed in God.
How is this simple, fully trusting, child-like faith found and attained. First of all, it’s by simply coming before God and saying to Him “I want to know You like the greats of the Bible knew You.” God will take this, bank on it. He really will. This is the desire of His heart, that His children know and love Him like they have never known or loved anyone else in the whole world. Then it’s by coming to intimately know the God who is asking for your unconditional obedience and trust. Obedience and trust in God out of gratitude and duty only, and not love towards Him, will not last very long. But by spending much time is God’s word and prayer, we will come to know God as trustworthy and a God whose very own unique love for you is unequaled. We have to come to know Him personally, affectionately and lovingly as our all in all and trust in His character. If we set our hearts to know Him in this way (and believe me, He does take great notice of those people who do), then before long we will begin “to build ourselves up on our most holy faith” (Jude 20), in Him, and He will then increase our faith and our obedience will follow. Then nothing will be impossible for God to do in our lives and we will come to believe and know this, as the greatest fact in our lives. This is one of God’s greatest aims.
Secondly, personally know God first-hand, not just second-hand. By this I mean do not primarily get to know God through Bible commentaries, Bible studies, fellowship with others in church or just reading about Him through Christian books. Rather first and foremost, open the Bible for yourself and by yourself. Know that when you come to God’s word, believe that God will speak to you, to your heart, your mind. This is of course if you truly come to God’s word to know Him better and obey Him. Then in faith, trust everything God speaks to you when you are in His word, commit to act upon it and then put it into play in your life. Allow God to lead your life according to what He teaches you in His word, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path,” (Psalm 119:105, NKJ). God loves it when we get serious enough about Him and allow Him to be our primary Teacher and Wonderful Counselor. Do not be a second-hand learner of God, but do as Mary did, sit yourself quietly before God and let Him teach you (read Luke 10:42).
But what God calls you to obey and what He teaches you will cost you, make no mistake. Noah no doubt had to deal with ridicule and mockery by being obedient to God in building the ark. Abraham had to uproot, leave his homeland and go into the great and unfamiliar “unknown.” But even though their faith and obedience led them to take great risks, they both knew for certain of one important thing: God was right there with them the whole time. Where God leads, He also provides.
God is good and more than this, He wants us to open our hearts up to Him in simple obedience and faith to whatever he teaches us, so He can then act out on our behalf of what He has taught us and to show us that “He is good and does good” (Psalm 119:68). Let God “direct your steps by His word” (Psalm 119:133). Become acquainted with God and His ways in a greater way than you know anyone else in the world. God is waiting for us to launch out in trust and faith to Him, knowing all the while, “For I know whom I have believed” (2 Timothy 1:12, NKJ). “Knowing in whom he believed” enabled the Apostle Paul to do the great things he did for God and live life fearlessly. Trust God, not just principles about Him or a few bible verses. Ask God to fill your heart with a strong confidence in Him. Because a life without truly launching out in a bold, risky and sometimes dangerous faith and trust in God, is no life at all.
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