If I told you a few facts about God, could you say you knew Him? You would probably agree that it wouldn’t be enough merely to know some facts or doctrines about God. In order to say you really knew Him, you would need to have intimate knowledge of Him. We know about God by His acts, which are His deeds. The ways of God, however, tell us about how He thinks and the nature of His heart. David, the psalmist, writes, “Make me know Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths” (Psalm 25:4).The ways of God run deeper than His actions, and they provide us with a path to know Him more deeply.
As you and I begin to understand the ways of God, we become more able to enjoy an intimate relationship with Him. That is what He desires above all things, and what we should desire as well.
Scriptural Principles:
1 We should know the ways of God because it is essential in knowing Him.
Why should we care to learn the ways of God? First, because knowing His ways is essential to knowing Him.We read, “Let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight” (Exodus 33:13). The heart of God can be known through the ways of God, which leads to life’s greatest pleasure of knowing Him personally and intimately.
2 We should know the ways of God because He requires it.
God commands us to know His ways. Deuteronomy 10:12 tells us that God requires that we should fear Him,walk in all His ways, and love Him. Since He requires us to know these ways, He will help us understand them. How will He do so? We will learn His ways one at a time, as we ask Him to show us.
3 We should know the ways of God because it is the yearning of His heart.
All through the pages of the Scriptures, we learn that the heart of God deeply desires our fellowship. This fact alone should motivate us to seek Him more passionately. He wants us to know Him in a deep, meaningful way. In Psalm 81:10, God says to His people, “Open your mouth wide and I will fill it,” much like a mother bird with her babies. He is saying, “Trust Me and expand your faith.”
4 We should know the ways of God because He loves us.
He offers us His way, the wisest way, because He is an all-wise God who loves us and desires the best for us. He wants each one of us to realize that His way is so much better, and if we could only discover it and follow it, we would be so much happier. Just as every parent tries to guide his or her child in the best way, out of love, God wants the best for us.
5 We should know the ways of God because it is the best way.
No matter what situation we may be facing, no matter how difficult a choice it may be, we can be certain that God’s way is the best way, even if it is a difficult and painful one. Deuteronomy 32:3-4 tells us that “For all His ways are just . . . righteous and upright is He.” We struggle with decisions sometimes, needing to realize that the secret is to find out His way in this situation.
6 We should know the ways of God because it is the pathway to success.
The truth is that God’s way offers the most success. What is real success? The world’s definition involves wealth and power, but true success is godly living. When we do that, He blesses us above and beyond our circumstances. We discover that wealth cannot compare to the joy we receive. According to 1 Kings 2:1-3, we should keep His commandments so that we may succeed in all we do.
7 What does it mean to walk in the ways of God?
We can say many wonderful things about walking in His ways because it is the best way. For example, it is the way that builds our faith, as we observe the consequences of our obedience, as well as our disobedience.
His way is the most rewarding way, though not necessarily the easiest way.The ways of God also demonstrate His awesome power in our lives.
8 The ways of God are beyond us, unless He reveals them.
The Bible tells us that His ways are beyond us, so how can we know them? God says,“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts,” (Isaiah 55:9). Even so, we can know Him because He reveals Himself to us through the Holy Spirit.
9 What are the benefits of walking in His ways?
The benefits of walking in His ways are many. When we experience intimacy with God, we understand Him better, and we enjoy our prayer life as we realize that we are communicating with almighty God. Since He hears and answers our prayers, we have the benefit of receiving His viewpoint and learning to wait on Him.
10 What happens when we walk in His ways?
We learn to experience victory in life as we walk in His ways because they become an anchor in the storm. Instead of growing weary or discouraged, we have hope and anticipation because we have learned to wait upon the Lord. As we observe His faithfulness, He begins to pour His love and devotion into our lives, and we begin to have a strong, positive impact on the people around us.
11 How do we walk in the ways of God?
If you yearn to follow His path, ask God to forgive your sins through the sacrificial gift of Jesus Christ in His death and resurrection. Trust Him as your personal Savior. Seek His guidance, keep in step with the Spirit, and grow in His Word. The Lord will begin to change your destiny as you obey Him and leave all the consequences to Him.
Conclusion:
What is the nature of your knowledge of God? Do you know some facts about Him, some acts by Him, or perhaps some doctrines about Him? Can you really say that you know Him intimately in the way He yearns to know you?
The path toward that kind of relationship is to walk in His ways. He will not hide them from you. His deepest desire is to have your daily friendship. He loves you, and He has established a path for your life that is available in His Word and through the guidance of His Spirit.
Learn His ways,walk in them, and know the abundant life, joy, and peace of your Lord.
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