Monday: Can I know God personally? But whoever loves God is known by God. (1 Corinthians 8:3) The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (which means God with us ). (Matthew 1:23) God reveals himself to man through his words and draws near to us through his actions. He has not left us alone. Put yourself in the boots of the first astronauts. Imagine getting into the spaceship alone. Though having another man beside you may not solve a hopeless situation, companionship is nevertheless a real comfort when taking risks or in times of trouble. Many religions say that we cannot know God personally. They have a view of a God that is distant and unknowable. The Christian believes the opposite. Christians seek to follow the Bible, which teaches that God can be known that he even desires it greatly. In fact, one of the most common promises the God of the Bible communicates is that he will be with us. This promise of his presence comforts, even in times of hopelessness. The most vivid expression of his desire to be with his people, however, can be found in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. He physically came near. Christians believe that God took on flesh so that he could eat, be tempted, love, mentor, teach, heal, and die for the sake of the human race. In fact, his primary purpose was to make it possible for us to know God up-close and personal. 1. If this is true that God is knowable and intimately involved with this world what difference would it make in your life? 2. Do you think there might be other ways through which God is trying to reveal himself to you? Try it out: Seek God personally this week. Ask him your big questions. Hunt for his fingerprints clues he has left that reveal more of his personhood and nature. Write down what you see and learn.
Tuesday: Is it possible to know with certainty that you re going to heaven? Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. (John 5:24) I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:13) Trust the finished work of a perfect substitute instead of the flawed work of your own hands. Most religions and philosophies place emphasis on man accomplishing good deeds or doing penance to outweigh the bad. It is a matter of karma or somehow gaining the favor of the gods (or God) a human attempt to appease the divine or the universe. The gods seem fickle, demanding, and impossible to please. Only Christianity speaks of a God who has placed the burden of salvation fully on himself, and a foundation on God provides ultimate security. Acts 16:31 states, Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved. It s as simple as that. But what exactly do you need to believe? According to Christian Scripture, any person who puts their belief, trust, and faith in Christ s work (his perfect life, his death on the cross for our sins, and his resurrection) alone, recognizing that it is impossible to please God or gain salvation in any other way, can have certainty that he or she is going to heaven. Yes, his demands are high, but his supply is even greater. 1. When have you been able to say with confidence that your actions have been completely good, loving, and done for no selfish gain or reward? If the above is the litmus test for earning salvation, would you be able to have confidence in and rely on your own record to secure your way to heaven? 2. What is the nature of earning heaven according to Christian Scripture? How does that differ from what you have previously understood about salvation? Acquaint yourself with the requirements each religion places on man in order to reap an eternal reward, peace, or state of nirvana. Make a list, comparing and contrasting your findings.
Wednesday: How can I experience God in my daily life? You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13) Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (James 4:8) The more we get to know about God, through both his world and his words, the more we can see and experience him daily. It is possible to experience God every day in what we see around us. We get a glimpse of his imagination and beauty through the wonderful world made by his hands. We experience something of his character and nature when we spend time with other people. We can even experience his presence when we are quiet and alone. He makes his availability abundantly clear: You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. He compares himself to a husband desiring a deep, loyal relationship with his wife, saying, I want you to know me. We also have the opportunity to experience his presence as we commune and converse with him through prayer and praise through requests and thankfulness. It is said in James 4:8, Come near to God and he will come near to you. Potentially the best means by which we can know God is through his written Word. There, he describes himself through countless metaphors including that of a king who is coming to reclaim his own. 1. How is it better that we have both world and words instead of just one or the other? 2. Where are you deficient in your experience of God? Which aspect (his world or his words) deserves more attention from you at this point of life? The best way to get to know someone is by talking to them. Take some time to increase your awareness and knowledge of God by seeing what he has to say in his Word (the Bible) and by responding back to him through prayer.
Thursday: Does God care about me? For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7) Like a parent, God demonstrates his care for us through provision, training, and discipline. A child sits on the floor of her room surrounded by toys, games, and books tangible manifestations of her parents doting love. She is confidently aware of their affection for her. Even in moments of discipline, her parents display care and love. They are equipping her for the rest of her life, training her to become wiser, a woman of integrity and virtue. God, though not physically present with us in the manner illustrated above, demonstrates his care for us in what we see around us. It is in the provision of work and relationships, the mysterious beauty of creation and the very air that we breathe. Even the hardships of life are turned for good in his caring hands, as he uses them to instruct us and grow us in strength and character. But Christians believe the best picture of his care for us is in the person and work of his Son, Jesus for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son. Because Jesus died in our place, believers can claim Romans 8:1, there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. Believers can approach the throne of God with confidence because their sins have been forgiven! Christians believe God actively wants a relationship with each of us so much so that he sacrificed his only son so that it would be possible. 1. What in your own life can you attribute to your abilities alone? Where did you get those abilities? 2. In what particular ways do you think God might display his care for you? Do you believe that God wants a personal relationship with you? Have you ever called upon the name of Jesus to be saved from your sins so that your relationship with God would be restored? If you have not, go talk to a believer and ask them how to become a follower of Jesus, they will be excited to help!
Friday: How can I know God s will for me? Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6) Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God s will is his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2) Knowing God s will for you is a matter of discerning your unique gifts, passions, and needs. Taking a long trip without planning the route or using a map can be incredibly frustrating. You may find yourself frequently hitting dead ends or making wrong turns, taking far more time than you had hoped. Many of us experience the same frustration in life. We wish we knew what direction to pursue we wish that God would just tell us where to go. In a general sense, the Bible does provide a road map. It tells us what God requires of every human what we ought to believe and how we ought to live. These things are obviously extremely important. But when we get down to the level of God s will for particular individuals, things get a little trickier. The Bible won t tell us what career to pursue or whom we should marry. But it does tell us that God has equipped each person in a unique way with particular gifts (see 1 Corinthians 12:4 31). Discerning those gifts takes time, and it may involve trial and error. But as we learn to identify our passions and strengths, keep our eyes open to the needs around us, and receive counsel from fellow believers, we will come to a better understanding of God s will for us. 1. What do you know about yourself: your gifts, talents, passions, needs, and aptitudes? 2. What have others affirmed in you what are ways that they reinforce the things you ve listed above? If you are not in a community of people who strive to encourage one another in their areas of gifts and passions, seek one out. Look around at communities that operate to mentor one another in such a way. Pray that God would help you to find a place where you might thrive.