9904 Woodstream Court, Lanham MD 20706

Phone: +1 (240) 350-6426

http://www.joyfullivingministries.org
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DAILY NUGGETS FOR JOYFUL LIVING

Sunday, February 8, 2015
In the beginning God In the beginning was the Wordand the Word was God. Genesis 1:1; John 1:1 KJV
KNOWING GOD PERSONALLY
God! But who is He to you? How do you know that you know Him personally? He works wonders, we are told,
yes, but how much do you really know Him? You might have known Him in accordance to Isaiahs revelation. Or
maybe, your knowledge of God is from Jeremiahs revelation. But who is God to you. Who will you truthfully say with
conviction in your heart that God is? And could it be that many of us are passive in the church and the things of God
all because we find it difficult to relate intimately with God on one fact that we dont have a full picture of Him in
our hearts? Do we lack commitment to Him simply because we dont know His expectation of us? During His earthly
ministry, Jesus confronted His disciples on a terrible speculation at the time about Him which they were upholding.
He had to pointedly put the question to them and said, But whom say ye that I am? (Read Matthew 16:13-15.) In
the time of Hosea, God was more interested in the people knowing Him than in their art of worship. Hosea 6:6
records, For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. That God
gave you a miracle does not necessarily mean that you have known Him. Isaiah 45:4-5 supports this assertion, I
have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me. I am the LORD, and
there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me. Friend, God is
pleased when we make every effort to know Him. Peters exhortation in 2 Peter 1:2 must become our daily reflection
and meditation if we must excel in our journey of the Christians Pilgrimage, Grace and peace be multiplied unto you
through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord. Notice that grace, which is Gods enablement upon us to do
what we cannot otherwise do of our own, is not added, but multiplied unto us ONLY THROUGH our knowledge of
God and of His Christ. You can only get this knowledge through His word, and that word is made available to us.
First, you must accept that God alone defines the beginning while in Himself, there is no beginning at all.
Both the Old and New Testaments expression of God is recorded with a similar expression, In the beginning
Notice that while Genesis 1:1 begins with, In the beginning God John 1:1 begins with, In the beginning was the
Word In other word, the Word of God has been in the beginning with God, revealing God to man, and in this New
Agreement, God can only be understood through the agency of His word. When you take this word of God in,
without question or doubt, but with the absolute belief that it is God Himself that you have taken in, that is when it
can be said that you are on the path of life, you are endowed with wisdom, and you have opened your heart to
understand the knowledge of God. Proverbs 2:1-5 is a compendium of this discussion, My son, if thou wilt receive
my words,Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. Jeremiah 29:13 adds
a classic to seeking and finding God: how can you understand God if you dont find Him, and how can you find Him if
you dont seek Him: And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. Surely we
all need to know God, for without this knowledge we will treat Him and His work with levity and disdain. God forbid!
Please, dont shelf this discussion away by saying that it belongs to another person or persons. It is
important that we understand and know who God is in order to relate to Him acceptably. If our relationship with
God is just ascentia alone (i.e. no heart involvement, no commitment to God, merely intellectual acknowledgement),

then our claim of relationship is only verbal declaration, and empty belief. Our confession of faith becomes a
concept of easy believism, where the idea is, If God exists, He is not so wicked as to send anyone to hell; and as a
matter of fact, there is no hell or heaven; therefore, if it is okay to you, then it is right to do it; and such the like.
Beloved, if you ever tend towards this type of knowledge and belief of God, you are treading on dangerous grounds,
you DONT know God. James 2:19 MSG nails it hard on the head, Do I hear you professing to believe in the one and
only God, but then observe you complacently sitting back as if you had done something wonderful? Thats just great.
Demons do that, but what good does it do them? Use your heads! In the words of Rudolf Otto, God is Myterium
Tremendum et Fascinans, meaning, God is Fearful and Fascinating Mystery. In essence, whenever and wherever
His Name is mentioned, whether in prayer or not, there must be in the air, wonder, an overpoweringness,
overwhelming, majesty, might, potent charm, attractiveness in spite of fear or terror, and a sense of ones own
nothingness in contrast to His Power. Friend, if you dont experience these, or most of them at the mention of His
Name, then, you need to get on your knees and pray, and plead that 2 Peter 3:18 may become your experience, But
grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever.
Amen. Friend, Hebrews 12:29 is still true today as it was when it was penned down, For our God is a consuming
fire. If you truthfully digest the teachings here, Joyful Living experience meant for believers will be yours. Amen?

Pastors Chris & Julie Akpama

Dont forget your COVENANT with God every day. Call the pastor from 6:30 pm till 9:30 pm @ (240) 350-6426 for encouragement and for
covenant prayers. Call expecting! Call believing!! Your miracle is possible with prayers!!! Amen? Acts 12:5-9

2015, A YEAR OF DIVINE EXCHANGE Isaiah 61:2-3