GET to KNOW GOD--BY READING HIS WORD

This article was first published on Medium.com

I never saw a useful Christian who was not a student of the Bible. (D. L. Moody)

If you look at the Bible as a whole, it’s redemptive and beautiful, and it’s God’s love story to mankind. (Tom Shadyac)

Introduction. Getting to know our Heavenly Father and of His love.

Through the Book He wrote specifically for that purpose — the Bible.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. (Proverbs 9:10, ESV)

Open my eyes, that I may behold

wondrous things out of Your law. (Psalm 119:18, ESV)

Almighty God loves us, this we believe with all our heart.

Jesus loves me, this I know,

for the Bible tells me so.

Little ones to Him belong;

they are weak, but He is strong. (Anna Bartlett Warner, Psalter Hymnal, 1987)

This childhood hymn still sings true in our heart. We hum it along as we do our daily chores What is the true meaning behind this oh! so familiar hymn? These words of comfort, strength, hope and our Father’s love.

Almighty God loves us so dearly, He wrote the Bible. So all mankind has access to Him and knows much He loves us.

Almighty God is a living and an eternal God.

But the LORD is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King. At His wrath the earthquakes, and the nations cannot endure His indignation. (Jeremiah 10:10, ESV)

Sitting quietly and in peace with God’s Bible. We learn over the course of time. That our Heavenly Father cares for each of His beloved people, on an intimate and personal level. That His Book and in His loving words are written specifically for each one of us.

His Book is not merely on knowledge and God’s Wisdom. His Holy Bible. His Word and His love, directly point to each one of us. Explicitly written on a personal and individual level. To each unique and distinct person.

By reading God’s Word, we learn how much He loves us. Jesus, His one and only beloved Son, died so, you and I may live with our Father eternally.

I, and you, were at the right place and at the right time. To hear God’s calling to Jesus’ saving grace. May our God be praised. We answered, “yes.”

The relationship you have with your Heavenly Father, is so different from mine. God gives to each of us different gifts and talents to use for His service.

Each one of us uses our God-given talents to build healthy relationships. To serve others, to serve God and glorify Him.

Another and marvelous way God shows His individual love for each of us. From before the beginning of time. Almighty God designed and made a plan and purpose for each of our lives.

By obeying His plan and purpose. Living our life according to His law and loving will. Our life is always satisfying and filled with our Father’s love.

And how do we know all this about God and so much more? Remembering always that knowing God isn’t a mere one-time thing. It is a life-time commitment.

Make me to know Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. (Psalm 25:4, ESV)

God wrote the Bible to tell of His love and righteousness. God created mankind to love Him and to be loved by Him.

Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:8, ESV)

The glory of Almighty God shines through His Holy Word. Savoring God’s magnificence and His glory transforms our lives. We trust and believe every word of the Bible as God’s message of love and His saving grace.

God Himself, the author of the Bible makes it available to everyone. We gain more and more confidence that His Book, the Bible is true and trustworthy. When we have doubts or questions to the authenticity of Gods’ words. Where do we turn? To God’s Word, of course!

Yes, the only way to see the truth of God’s Word. Is to read and truly believe in it. We see how truthful and trustworthy the Bible really is. When we see of God’s glory in creation, then we read of God’s glory in creation through the Bible.

and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth. And it was so. And God made the two great lights — the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night — and the stars.

God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:15–18, ESV)

Take for instance, God’s magnificent creation. The vast and ever-expanding universe. Scientists, astronomers and ourselves are completely at awe by the night sky. It certainly speaks of the glory of God, its creator.

The Law of the Lord Is Perfect

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

The heavens declare the glory of God,

and the sky above proclaims His handiwork. (Psalm 19:1, ESV)

For me, nothing speaks of the splendor and elegance of nature, as does the ever-expanding universe.

To think that some stars are hundreds the size of our sun. And, millions of light-years distant from the Earth. Even in their complexity and grandeur. They are not in themselves the glory of God. They tell of the power and glory of God, their creator.

So, how does the universe shine out the glory of God. Actually, prove that the Holy Word of God is truth and trustworthy. The Bible:

The Scriptures reveal themselves to be the Word of God, the way nature reveals itself to be the world of God — God’s glory shines out from the meaning of these words and authenticates their divine origin the way God’s glory shines out from the creation and authenticates its divine origin. (John Piper)

When reading the Holy Word of God, have open eyes and heart.

So that God and His love will be revealed.

Open my eyes, that I may behold,

wondrous things out of Your law. (Psalm 119:18, ESV)

having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which He has called you, what are the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, (Ephesians 1:18, ESV)

Paul’s prayer recorded in Ephesians chapter one. Is on all that God has done and provides for us. The people, (the believers) Paul is speaking to already knew the “facts,” of God’s blessings. What Paul wanted them to see, was the love and glory of God behind the facts.

God’s greatest gift to us. His Holy Word is not merely a book of facts and figures. It is His inspired Book of truth, hope and love.

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13, ESV)

The Bible is our Book of Life.

We need to study and meditate on God’s love, wisdom and saving grace, with our eyes wide open. That is with our spiritual eyes wide open. So that God can speak directly to our heart and spirit. Words of comfort, incarnation, resurrection and everlasting life with Him. Our open eyes and heart rejoice at the glory of God and His steadfast love for us.

Our spirit connects to His Spirit.

A spiritual bonding that is eternal and infinite. A spiritual bonding that ties us to our Heavenly Father through His Word, the Bible. There is a spiritual hearing of God’s Holy Word. When we open our eyes and our heart to the Word He wrote specifically for you and me.

Conclusion.

Almighty God loves us so. The Holy Bible tells us so.

God wrote the Bible specifically for each of His beloved people.

All of God’s glory is revealed to those who seek Him. In His Holy Word.

The bible is true, truthful and trustworthy. Its truth never changes.

Always read the Bible with open eyes and an open heart.

All of the Bible speaks of and reveals the glory of God.