That I May Know You

On a certain Christian talk show, the host asked one of his guests, "What is God saying to you concerning the church? The man proceeded to tell the host what he believed God was saying to him. That is the same question that many Christians are asking themselves. What is God saying to me? I believe that a major area in which many sincere Christians struggle is in knowing when God is speaking to them. I remember hearing Christians say, "the Lord spoke to me," and thinking "why does God always speak to them, and never speak to me?" Have you been there?

The real problem is not whether God is speaking to us or not, but rather do we recognize Him when He speaks? John 10:3-4 tells us that the sheep hear the voice of the shepherd and follow him because they know his voice. Jesus is the good shepherd and we are the sheep. Many believers have not followed Jesus because they did not know when he was speaking.

Magician S Hat

God speaks to us through the written word. He also speaks to us through the preached word, dreams and visions, with our conscience, through our desires, our circumstances, and as well as through the gifts of the spirit. We can see in the old as well as the New Testament, God sending angels to bring messages to His people. Another method in which God speaks to us is the inward witness of the Holy Spirit.

As I began to mature in the Lord, I realized God constantly speaks to us by the Holy Spirit, but because of our carnality we don't recognize Him. Many times we miss God's leading because of our lack of sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, as well as expecting supernatural signs and wonders when God is softly whispering to us in our hearts.

When God spoke to the children of Israel in an audible voice, they were so afraid that they said to Moses; "You speak with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us lest we die" (Exodus 20:19). God's desire was to make the children of Israel a nation of priests unto Himself. Instead they wanted someone else to represent them therefore God set aside the Levites.

The Israelites were afraid to hear the voice of God because believe that hearing God speak would cause them to die. I too believe that to hear God's voice will mean death, but not to our bodies, but to our ways. This is why some Christians would rather pay a minister or priest to talk to God for them, and hear from Him on their behalf. God consecrated the Levites for His service, but only Moses enjoyed the privilege of speaking with Him face to face when He (God) wanted intimacy with all of Israel.

One day as Moses was tending sheep in the desert he saw a bush burning without being consumed. When he approached the bush in curiosity the Lord God said unto him, "take off your shoes because the ground that you are standing on is holy ground." After Moses' encounter with God, He (God) sent him to tell Pharaoh to let the children of Israel go.

For a sign unto the Hebrew people that Moses was sent from God, He (God) gave him a rod, and when Moses stretched it out on the floor, the rod turned in to a snake. God told Moses to pick up the snake, and when he picked up the snaked by the tail, it turned back into a rod. If that was not proof enough, God told Moses to put his hand in his bosom and when he drew it out, his hand was leprous white as snow. When Moses put his hand back in his bosom and drew it out again, his hand was made normal as the other.

After Moses had demonstrated these signs before Pharaoh, his magicians also did the same. However when the magicians rods were turned into snakes, Moses snake ate the magician's snake. Even after these signs by Moses Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and God sent plagues upon the Egyptians in defiance of their false gods that devastated the land of Egypt. The last plague was the death of every first born in the land of Egypt, and after the death of all the first-born children, (as well as animals) Pharaoh conceded and let the children of Israel go. However before the children of Israel left Egypt they asked the Egyptians for gold, silver, jewel and fine garments and the Egyptians willingly gave them everything that they asked for.

As the children of Israel departed Egypt, the glory of God went before them as a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night. But soon after Israel left Egypt, Pharaoh's heart was again hardened and he and his army pursued the children of Israel even to the Red Sea. God then commanded Moses to stretch out his rod toward the Red Sea and it parted, and the children of Israel walked across on dry ground.

As the Egyptians pursued Israel into the Red Sea, it closed upon the Egyptian army and they all were drowned. Since the children of Israel left Egypt in such a hurry they had no time to gather food, therefore God fed the children of Israel in the wilderness with bread from heaven (called manna), and all that they needed He supplied.

After all the signs, wonders and miracles that Moses had seen, he said to God; "Now I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me Your way that I may know you and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people. And He said, My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest....And he (Moses) said, Please show me Your glory" (Exodus 33:13-14,18).

There is a hunger in many churches in America today for signs, wonders, and miracles - a cry for the anointing and power of God to be manifested. Only a few (if any) prophets saw and experienced more signs and wonders than Moses, yet his heart cry to God was not for more signs and wonders but; "show me Your way that I may know you." His passion for God was so great that he said to God "If your presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here." He had made a determination that if the presence of the Lord was not there, there was no need to go on. He knew that if God was not there, there would be no rest, no joy, and no peace. I pray that the church will see that unless we abide in Christ all that we do it is of the flesh. May the Lord help us realize that "unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain that build it.

Then Moses said to the Lord, "Please show me your glory." Moses had seen a bush burning without being consumed, spoken face to face with the almighty, held the miracle rod in his hand, seen the great plagues of Egypt, and received a fortune in gold and silver when they spoiled the Egyptians as they departed Egypt.

He saw the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. He had walked on dry ground on the floor of the Red Sea while walls of water congealed on the left hand and on the right. He beheld as tons of water buried Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea, and had eaten angel food from heaven. He wore clothes and shoes for forty years that did not wear out. Now he says to God, "please show me Your glory."

Moses realized that miracles may excite us, but they can't satisfy us. We need God! And The Lord said unto Moses, "I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before You. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But He said, You can not see My face; for no man shall see Me and live. And the Lord said, Here is a place by Me, and you shall stand on the rock. So it shall be, while My glory passes that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by. Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see my back; but My face shall not be seen..... Now the Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed. The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children to the third and forth generation" (Exodus 33:19-23, 34:5-7).

When Moses asked God to show him His glory, I must admit that what the Lord said to Moses was not what I expected. I expected God to show Moses something spectacular; a great display of power and might. Instead He proclaimed, "The Lord, the Lord God, Merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth." In fact it was years later before I was able to appreciate these verses of scripture. Moses had seen the great miracles and God's awesome display of his power, but yet he recognized that God was not the miracles, the power, or the signs. Psalms 103:7 tells us that; "He (God) made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel."

Moses wanted God to show him His ways that he may know Him, and God revealed Himself to Moses. It is the nature and character of God to be merciful for he delights in mercy, and to be gracious, He is disposed to show favor when we don't deserve it. "Who is a God like You, Who forgives iniquity and passes over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He retains not His anger forever, because He delights in mercy and loving-kindness" (Micah 7:18 AMP). God is longsuffering and abounding in goodness and truth, that is his glory bless God! Moses did not just want what God could do for him. He wanted to know God.

When God told Jonah to go preach to Nineveh, a very great city in Assyria, he boarded a ship to go to Tarshish in order to flee from the presence of the Lord. The Assyrians were very cruel and wicked people and Jonah was reluctant to preach God's message to Nineveh for fear that they would respond and be spared from the wrath of God which Jonah thought they very much deserved. As the ship was on its way to Tarshish, the Lord sent a storm and the men aboard the ship cast lots to see who the cause of their misfortune was. When the lot fell on Jonah, they threw him overboard and the Lord had a great fish to swallow him. While in the throws of death, Jonah cried out to the Lord in repentance, and the Lord commanded the fish to vomit Jonah out on dry land.

When Jonah reached Nineveh, he preached the word of the Lord and the people received it and repented of their wicked ways. Because of their change of heart, God spared the city; "But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. So he prayed to the Lord, and said. Ah, Lord was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish: for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm" (Jonah 4:1-2).

Have you ever been angry with God because He did not do something the way you thought that He should? Assyria was Israel's mortal enemy, and notoriously cruel. Jonah wanted Nineveh to get just what they deserved, but it is God's glory to be gracious and show favor. Jonah wanted justice, but it is God's glory to show mercy. It is His glory to be slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness whether we like it or not.God is good!

There was a severe drought in the land of Israel during the time of Elijah the prophet. Elijah earnestly prayed that there be no rain in Israel because of the sins of king Ahab, his wife Jezebel, and Israel. God commanded Elijah to tell Ahab that He would send rain. Therefore Elijah met Ahab and the children of Israel on Mount Carmel where he challenged Baal and Asherah, the false gods that they worshipped. After God miraculously confirmed the word of Elijah, and thus proving that Jehovah is God, Elijah commanded that the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal be executed.

Elijah then prayed for rain and said to Ahab "Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you" (I Kings 18:44). Then Elijah tucked in his loose clothes and out ran Ahab's chariot for about 18 miles back to Jezreel.

When Jezebel heard the news that Elijah had executed her prophets, she sent word threatening to kill him within 24 hours. After Elijah received the message from Jezebel, he fled for his life into the wilderness and prayed to die. Weary from his journey, Elijah feel asleep under a tree and was later wakened by the angel of the Lord who gave him food to eat, and he traveled on to Mt. Horeb.

Then Elijah went into a cave and the Lord said to him, "What are you doing here Elijah? So he said; "I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your alters, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek my life" (I Kings 19:10). Then God said, "Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord. And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. So it was when Elijah heard it that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave" (I Kings 19:9-13).

What a day in the life of the prophet Elijah, he defied Ahab king of Israel, calls fire from heaven, kills four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, prays down rain in the mist of a drought, and out runs a chariot for eighteen miles. But the word of one woman sends the prophet wandering in the wilderness in fear. When God called Elijah to the mouth of the cave, he witnessed a mighty display of the forces of God's power in nature. The wind tore the rocks, but God was not in the rocks. An earthquake shook the mountain, but God was not in the earthquake. Then fire blazed on the mountain of God, but God was not in the fire. After this display of power there was a still small voice, and Elijah heard it.

What did the still small voice say unto Elijah? I Kings 19:13B tell us; "Suddenly a voice came to him, and said What are you doing here Elijah." God's voice that came suddenly to Elijah asking him what was he doing there was heard after the still small voice. God had already asked Elijah what was he doing there when he first arrived on the mountain of God (see I Kings 19:9) which was before God's display of power followed by the still small voice. I believe that what God said to Elijah in I Kings 19:13 is not what he heard when the still small voice spoke. God had been speaking to Elijah all along. But what did the still small voice say to Elijah? I believe with all my heart that the still small voice said the same thing to Elijah that He said to Moses when he asked God to show him His glory. God said to Moses on Mt Horeb; "The Lord the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering and abounding in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children and the children's children to the third and forth generation" (Exodus 34:6-7).

Keep in mind that Elijah is on Mt. Horeb the mountain of God, which is the same place where Moses received the law of the covenant, and where he saw the glory of God. This is also (believed to be by bible scholars) the same cave where God hid Moses in the cleft of the rock. Why was Elijah there on Mt. Horeb in the first place? He said to God; "I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your alters, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek my life" (I kings 19:10).

Even from the beginning of Israel as a nation, the children of Israel knew that if they broke the Lord's covenant that God was obliged to bring the curse of the covenant upon them. Certainly Elijah knew it. It was he who stood on the word that God gave Israel when Solomon dedicated the temple that brought the draught in the first place (see II Chronicles 7:13-14).

Elijah came to God expecting Him do to something about the sinful nation of Israel as well as Jezebel who was seeking to kill him. He said "I am very zealous" for the Lord of host and the children of "Israel have forsaken your covenant." Like the prophet Jonah, Elijah wanted God to give them what they deserve. However the glory of God was not in the wind, nor the earthquake, nor the fire, but in that He was and is gracious, merciful, longsuffering, and good. God said the same thing to Elijah that he said to Moses; in essence not to think that those who do evil will get away with it. For He said that He would visit the iniquities of the fathers upon children and the children's children unto the third and forth generation.

After this, God told Elijah to go and anoint a new king for Syria and Israel, and to anoint Elisha to take his place. Then God let Elijah know that he was not the only one that He had, because indeed there were seven thousand in Israel that had never bowed to Baal or kissed his image. God wanted Elijah to know that He was God, and that everything was under His control. Elijah needed to know that God works in accordance to Hischaracter and will.

After that great day of victory in the life of Elijah on Mt. Carmel followed by fear, depression and despondency as he wandered through the wilderness, God had another of life's lessons to teach the weary prophet on Mt. Horeb.

How often do we measure God by miraculous signs and wonders, or the mighty displays of His awesome power? We have seen that it is possible to daily experience God's marvelous works and yet not know the essence of who He is.

The desire of Paul was; "That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection." Yes we should desire signs, wonders, miracles, and demonstration of God's power, but to have all these and not know the Lord intimately, will result in barren and fruitless lives.

It is God's desire for us to know Him. That is why He came to live in us through the Holy Spirit. The heart cry and passion of the Father is intimacy with the new creation, and as deep crys out to deep, we can only find fulfillment when we are intimate with Him.

That I May Know You

Theory Stringer is the Pastor of the Community House of Prayer, and president and founder of Cherubim Communications. He is the author of 4 books that are designed to help ordinary people experience the abundant life. Find out more about how you can get your Christian manuscript published, as well as read the many articles available at: http://cherubimcommunications.org