If I met Benjamin Netanyahu on the street I would point and gasp, “I know him!” But I don’t know him—I know about him.
When my friend Barbara pulls her car into my driveway for lunch, I’m thrilled to see her. We’ve been friends for many years and I know more about her than I do casual acquaintances. But when it all boils down—I only know about her.
My husband and I have been married thirty-eight years and like any wife, I know his habits and have watched his responses to me and to other people. But do I really know what’s in the recesses of his heart? After all, there is no Book of Richard to tell me.
Since early childhood, I sat in Sunday School and church, and came to know about God and about His Son, Jesus Christ. I knew God created the world. I knew God loved the world. I knew His Son Jesus Christ died on the cross for the sins of the world. But I didn’t know Him. I knew about Him.
At age twelve, with a group of other pre-teens, I walked the aisle and got dunked in the pool during a revival. But I still didn’t know God’s greatest gift to me. For years I tried to do good, to act good, to be good, but regardless how hard I tried I didn’t know Jesus. In my mind, it was all about following the rules—but I still kept going to church. But there was no personal relationship, and I cycled worse as sin’s clutches grabbed more and more of my life.
One divorce and many heartaches later my life teetered on the brink of chaos. I was ready to chunk the whole marriage deal again and walk out the door. When in a desperate moment I looked up and cried “Help me, God!”
After years of seeing my backside of rebellion, God heard those three words and immediately responded, even though I didn’t realize at the time.
Our lives were still in chaos when one Sunday in early January of 1989 we walked into a new church where Life Action Crusade was holding revival services. And fourteen days and fourteen services later, Richard and I met the Lord Jesus Christ and understood why those nails were hammered into Jesus’ flesh, why the sword pierced His side, and why He was crucified and died a tortuous death—as payment for our disobedience, rebellion, and rejection of God—our refusal to allow Jesus to come down off that cross and become our Savior and Lord.
The Holy Spirit of God came to live inside me and inside Richard and He began the arduous task of remodeling our hearts and our home.
And I developed a ravenous appetite for the Word of God.
Jesus tells us we must be born of the water and the Spirit. But what does that mean? We kinda know or have read God’s Holy Spirit comes to live inside of us at the moment of salvation, and we’re okay with that—long as He behaves and doesn’t require too much change. You know, nothing radical.
But did you know God’s Word warns us in Ephesians 4:30 not to grieve the Holy Spirit. Hmmm? Ever given any consideration about what might grieve God’s Spirit? And how much you’ve grieved Him? For starters I’d suggest you read the five chapters of 1 Peter.
Then what did Jesus mean by being born of the water? Many have said that refers to our natural birth, but that’s not water. Many times God’s Word refers to the washing of the water of the Word. Sooo, we don’t take one bath to be clean for life—or even for the week. We bathe every day to wash away the outside stink. How much more should we wash in the water of the Word every day to clean the odors inside—offensive odors lurking in the darkness of our hearts?
The more I read and study the Word the more I’ve come to know God, to know the Lord Jesus Christ, and how to listen to the Holy Spirit. Because God has preserved His written word, so we can know them. And the more I know them, the more I desire to be like them. And the more I desire to be like them, the more time I spend time washing in the water of the Word.
Being born again occurs when you realize you can’t save yourself—regardless how hard you try to be right in God’s eyes, you can’t—and you respond to God’s call to you and accept His mercy and grace (salvation) through the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. That’s the first step. You are then saved from the penalty of sin.
However, there is a second, much longer process—you are being saved from the power of sin—each day. As you study the Word of God the Holy Spirit guides you into all truth and you come to know who Jesus Christ really is and as you obey (putting off unrighteousness and putting on righteousness) you are transformed to be like Him. But precious friend, this is your choice.
And statistics tell us a great percentage of church members refuse to take this necessary step. Oh they’ll come to church every Sunday, but never open the Book during the week.
The Book of 1 Peter assures us one day, when Jesus Christ returns, we will be saved from the presence of sin. The Lord Jesus Christ will rule and reign from David’s throne and there will be perfect righteousness.
But at the beginning of that Kingdom, every believer must stand before the judgment seat of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords to give account for the deeds done from the moment of salvation to the moment we stand—just me and Him—face to face. There will be no do-overs. No pleading for mercy. No excuses. Only rewards or salvation-as-if-by-fire as we watch all we’ve worked, worshiped, and spent our lives clinging to burned up.
Could it be our nation, the world, and our families are in such a mess because we have chosen to ignore this daily walk through the cleansing water of the Word? Chosen to grieve the Holy Spirit of God by ignoring the Word, and chosen to cling to the old stinky stuff the Word tells us to lose, the stuff Christ died to save us from?
Maybe it’s time to take a long, cleansing shower in the Word. Maybe it’s time to do spring-cleaning in your life. Maybe it’s time to realize the clock is ticking and the hour is late. Look around you, God told us the beginning and ending of all things. He told us the signs to look for. And it sure looks as if God’s story is moving rapidly toward the end of this age and the beginning of the Millennium and Eternity.
The Spirit and the Word bid you come. Jesus’ died so you and I could be free. God’s mercy and grace through the sacrifice of Jesus blood are still available. If you feel the slightest stirring of conviction in your heart, please come now, before it’s too late. Then share your decision with a member of God’s family. Or share with the readers of this blog, so we can pray for you as you begin this important life journey.
This is a wonderful, thought-provoking article.
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Karen, thank you so much for reading and commenting. I trust this will make us all stop, think, and assess our relationship with our Lord Jesus.
DiAne
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Thank you, DiAne. I appreciate your sharing your heart. How mighty is our God.
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How powerful God’s light is to us when we open our hearts! What transformation. Beautiful post, DiAne!
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Studying 1 Peter has been life-changing, Carole. Thanks for reading and responding. More on this book next week.
DiAne
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You touched my heart with this article. You are using the talent God has given you to minister and spread his word. I’m grateful for the impact you have had in my life.
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Laura, I truly believe we are in the last hours of this age and there are so many who don’t know Jesus and the power of His resurrection. And many of them sit in the congregation every Sunday morning. I praise God for what He’s done and doing in your life.
DiAne
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Oooh, that daily desire, longing, and therefore, habit, of meeting Him in His Word! How I wish someone had known to tell me to keep at it and not let it slack, when I was so young in the Kingdom.
The wiser we grow, the more we want His Word. And vice versa.
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Katharine I too wish someone had said these words to me. Perhaps they did and I was to stupid and immature to understand. In any event, our responsibility to the young women is to share with them what we’ve learned. Hopefully some of them will hear, listen, and understand and won’t make the same mistakes we’ve made. I’m so grateful for our kind, patient, loving and just God.
DiAne
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Absolutely!
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Great article, DiAne! I thought about what you said, and it occurred to me that we can know Him and are known by Him better than we can know or be known by our own spouses because He, through the Holy Spirit, indwells us. He is actually part of our being. You can’t get more intimate than that! And the more we allow Him to control our lives, the better we get to know Him. (He already knows us perfectly). Good stuff! Thank you for that. I will be sharing this! 🙂
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I’m like Katharine Trauger said, “Wish some older women would have shared this with me when I was young and stupid. Thank God for His patience and immeasurable love for us. Right?!!!
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Reblogged this on Ernie's Musings and commented:
DiAne Gates is a good friend and sister in the Lord. In this article, she deals with the intimate relationship we, as Christians, can experience with our Lord and Savior. DiAne is an excellent writer, and I think you will be inspired by what she has to say.
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Thank you so much for reblogging, Ernie.
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It’s amazing how you exclusively dealt with the importance of a relationship with the Lord generated by the reading of the Word. Two this things the Lord spoke into my spirit just the other day: meditation and the mind. Of course, Joshua 1:8 was very befitting. In the last few days my attempts have been to meditate upon the word day and night for the continual renewing of my mind ultimately achieving the mind of Christ. Girl you were right on!
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Shirley, thank you so much for responding and joining this conversation. I urge all of you to watch for the release of Shirley’s new book this coming week. Click on the picture of her book above for more information. Congrats, Shirley. May God spread your message of hope in Him far and wide.
DiAne
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Perfect for Lent reflection, DiAne. And the pictures are gorgeous!
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