Pastor Wayne Cordeiro
July 15, 2001 - W0128

Today, weíre going to talk about getting to know Him and the difference between just knowing about God and knowing Him personally.  One is the accumulation of knowledge, which breeds religion, and the other is the welcoming of his presence through relationship.  It is a huge difference, and as this church continues to grow, we donít want to just gather and get more accumulated knowledge about God. We want to invite the Lord into our lives, so we can interact with Him and build intimacy.

For example, my wife and I have chosen to be partners for life.  As a husband, I donít want to just know more information about her in order to judge whether or not I like her.  I want to know her on a personal level. Through this developing bond, Iím now committed to Godís best coming to pass in her life in anyway I can contribute.  Anna is the same way ñ she wants to be a part of seeing that Godís best occurs in my life, and sheís available to serve in that capacity.  Our commitment is based upon our relationship with one another.

We find a beautiful layout in the book of Philippians of how to get to know God.

When we get to know God intimately, His spirit permeates us and our very DNA changes until we become more like Him and less like us. There is an exchange that can only be known through relationship.  Jesus didnít come to bring new religion, He came to repair a broken bond so that weíll be what He created us to beóa people in His image.

Many people only know about God at a distance because they limit themselves to information about Him, which is religion. But relationship requires His presence.

What are some of the hallmarks of a person who has a relationship with God?

1. A GROWING KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.

The Lord says that we got to increase our knowledge of His personality, which we can see in the following verses:

Being saved is one of the keys to getting to know God.  Notice that weíre not only talking about having been saved.  When youíre being saved the process is still healthy, itís still fresh.  The things that God speaks to us are still raw and I continue to process it. Thereís a life, thereís a buoyancy, thereís an effervescence.  The Lord says the power of the resurrection is going to be funneled to those being saved because thereís a relationship. People who have merely gotten saved give birth to religionóthey just platform all that knowledge theyíve accumulated. You develop a deeper walk with Christ when you are being saved.

Each of us need to start our relationships with Jesus by being saved. However, Paul says that the true pathway to the cross is through the fellowship of His suffering.  One of the things the Lord taught me was, "Wayne, if youíre really going to get to know Me, you have to be willing to suffer for the sake of growth."

Looking back on my life, the times when I grew the most was not when I was king of the hill, but when I fell to the bottom.  It was when I was a servant in the valley, when I was struggling, that God began to burn away the impurities inside of me. Paul said, I consider everything loss.  God is saying are you willing to give it up for the sake of the cross?

If Iím unwilling to go through the suffering, if I just grumble my way through life, Iím going to miss what the season of suffering is all about and Iíll never know God.  I might know more about Him but I wonít build any kind of relationship with Him. Remember our first verse from Philippians in the beginning of the lesson, "That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering".

If weíre going to get to know God thereís going to be seasons that arenít going to be easy.

There was a time when I was about 20 years old.  At bible college, we had a trio and Iíd play guitar. Whenever weíd travel, people treated us very well, and put us up in nice hotels.  One place in North Dakota, we sang at a church and just poured our hearts out.  But, when we got to the guestís house we were put up a chicken coup-like structure in the backyard and Dan, the bass player, and I had to sleep in this area that smelled like a catís litter box. Danís father was a pastor, and when we got back to his church, his father asked us how our trip was. We said it was really good except for this one place, and started grumbling.  Getting angry, he quickly stopped us said, "If youíre not ready to suffer for the gospel, you are not ready for the gospel!"  Iíve never forgotten that.

Our music trio had the zeal and the knowledge about God, but we didnít know the fellowship of his suffering. Our spirits werenít ready. We were too arrogant and too top-heavy because we didnít suffer enough.  If we were going to really know God, we were going to have to go through some suffering in order be shaped in accordance to the will of God.  Thereís a reason for suffering.

So, what is the second hallmark we will develop as we build a deeper relationship with God?  We will:

2. BE WILLING TO SUFFER FOR THE SAKE OF GROWTH.

God is telling us that there are going to be seasons of suffering where you will learn things that you will never learn at any other time in your life. Suffering is a key element in shaping our spirit.  But we choose the direction.

Suffering will change you, but you have to choose that it will be for the better. He puts us in situations that are too much for us so we will learn that no situation is too much for Him. Tribulation is Godís fastest way to patience, to character, to confidence, to faith, to true humility, to servanthood and genuine love.  Like a guitar, I often think that God is out to destroy me when heís actually just tuning me up.

Question 3: Why is it that we often need to get to the point of desperation that we call out to God?  Do you remember a time when you called out to God during a season of suffering?  What was the result?

Sometimes, it is only through suffering that we can listen to God. Our natural pride and self confidence has to be stripped painfully away, and we become aware of how needy we really are because suffering introduces us to ourselves. In almost every case that you see people who overcome challenges through great achievementóthis kind of character has not been birthed by accolades, but through a veil of suffering.

Abe Parnell Bailey was one of the greatest farmers in the United States. His orchards were always green and thriving. One year, when there was an extended drought, his orchards were flourishing while others were brown and withering. The other farmers asked, "How are yours still green while ours are dying?"

He said, "When my trees were young, I frequently kept water from them.  This hardship caused these trees to send their roots deeper and deeper into the soil to search for moisture. Now, my trees are the deepest-rooted trees in the area. While the sun scorches others, mine are drinking moisture at a much greater depth!"

To know God, we have got to be willing to suffer for the sake of growth.  God can see your future. He sees whatís down the road a year, or two, or five.  He sees our future challenges in health and in family.  In order to prepare us, He takes us through seasons of drought now.  We can either come through this temporary season with fists angrily upraised at God, or we can suffer according to the will of God and be refined and prepared.

Some people tell me, "I really want to do my passion, but itís too hard."

Did you know that the word ëpassioní doesnít only mean desire, but it also involves a willingness to suffer?  That is why the last week of Christís life before his crucifixion is called ëThe Passion Weekí.  If you say something is your passion, but you are not willing to suffer for it, then itís really not your passion. If something is your passion, than youíll be willing to suffer because through the tears, God is building us and driving our roots deep so we can drink moisture from a greater depth.

Question 4: What is your passion?  Are you willing to suffer for this passion?

What is the final key to a genuine relationship with God?

3. NEVER GIVE UP!

God says if you come to the cross, Iíll help you to get to know me. If I am willing to be someone who is being saved, as I go through the veil of affliction, He will give us the strength to never give up.  There is no power for everyday living to just know about God.  Our power comes from a deep, abiding, living relationship with Jesus Christ!