When we first make our approach to God we have many intentions in mind some for our benefit and some for the benefit others. Seldom does anyone think about the benefit to God. Oddly enough God too has some intentions in mind for us. In Jeremiah God said, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” (Jeremiah 29:11) Of all of God's intentions for our lives I believe the greatest is not to take us all to Heaven, start a big church or ministry, or even tell our neighbor about Jesus Christ.

Now it would be good to do all of these things, but I believe the greatest intention God has for us is just to come to know Him. To know Him in a simply child-like and a simplistic way, just to know Him. We can see this theme beginning with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” (Genesis 1:27). There is no greater honor then for man who was made in the image (icon) of God, to know and become like Him. We see this foundational theme also moving in the Gospel of John. Reading from the real Lord's prayer we read, “As thou hast given him (Jesus) power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. 3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God , and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:2-3) All through out the Bible in the lives of Abram, Joseph, David, even the life of Jesus Christ, Paul, and all of the Disciples God's number one desire is for man to come to know Him. John wrote of Jesus praying, “ this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” The God of the universe, God Almighty, the Creator of all things has a great desire for His creation to know Him in an intimate and personal way. The creator desires for the creation to know and become as the creator. What an amazing thought. God's next attempt to get man's attention was with Abram, “And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.” (Genesis 15:12 ) and made the first of many covenants (Genesis 15:18 ) with man. And yet God has not changed His mind, he still today desires for man to know Him. Paul wrote, “That I may know him , and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;” (Philippians 3:10) Paul had it right, but when most Christians of today (often I include myself in this category) recite this verse we desire to; “ know him , and the power of his resurrection,” but our mind and heart is far from the desire to know Him in, “the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;” This too is why many Christian do not know God. The secret of knowing God is not found in knowing God's power, but willfully entering into the “fellowship of his suffering” and “being made conformable unto his death.” Not His life, but “unto his death.” This my friend will totally kill us. It will move us out of our selfish, self-centered, and self-seeking ways. I wonder where Paul learned this? “Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. 25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.” (2 Corinthians 11:24-27) Now it is one thing to suffer, but it is a different thing to suffer for the sake of Christ. My friend suffering for Christ is as much of the Gospel as our salvation, “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;”(Philippians 1:29), but suffering does not please our flesh so we turn away from this work of God in our lives. Please know suffering for the sake of suffering will take us no where in God, but suffering (experiencing loss to our outward man) for the sake of Christ will cause great gain in our walk and desire to know God. God measures our gain in Him by what we lose, not by how much money we give the church, pray, or how long we can speak in tongues. The more of our selfish ways and our flesh (our emotions, intellect, and feelings not of God) we can lose the more gain we will have in God. I know these things so I write them, but oh my friend how I hate to experience these things and have God exercise my flesh. Often I feel like a hypocrite (an actor), but I know God is working a more perfect (mature) work in my life and I know it is by faith we are established and steadfast in Him, thus I am able to stand strong and endure the light afflictions (compared to Paul and other Christians of today) I bear. If not for this truth I would turn away from God and seek my own way. But still suffering, even suffering for the sake of Christ, will cause one to consider not drawing near to God. As difficult as suffering is, the last part of Philippians 3:10 will prove to be the most difficult to walk in. Paul tells us, “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:3-4) It is this baptism into the death of Christ, the “ being made conformable unto his death;” that will cost all of our self-life to be lost. Notice it is a “being made conformable” a present continues tense process that God is working in our lives. A baptism unto His death not His life. If we desire to be “raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father and walk in newness of life” we first must be “baptized into his death” not His life. So many Christians desire the “newness of life” of Christ, but are unwilling to taste of the death of Christ.

The more we know God the more it will cost us. There is a price we will pay to know God's power. There is a different cost a different price we will pay to know God's presence. And my friend there is a cost a different price we will pay to know God's person. The price is absolute loss of our self desires and motives through God's dealings and judgments in our lives and it must be unflinching paid. Make no mistake we in our self-strength and ability cannot stand the word of God when it comes to us. For it is the very word of God that causes our infirmities and weaknesses to come alive in us. It is God's words to us that threatens our self-life to be able to do what God has asked us to do. And if God does not strengthen us, in the inward man, we will fall out of the way God has for us. James tells us, “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” (James 4:8-10), but who wants to draw nigh to God or come to know God? It is painful and we must die to our self-life, maybe this is why Jesus said of the Christians in His day, “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” (Matthew 15:8-9) My friend this way will never do. We must make the sacrifices needed to draw nigh unto God. We must choose to endure the many situations and circumstances in this life to be able to know Him, to know God. The price is absolute commitment and the costs seemingly are endless, but the reward is eternal. Let us develop an eternal perspective, let us draw nigh with our heart and not with our lips. Let us honor God with our lives so that we will be able to know God now and in our next lives to come.