Do you know God?!

While my wife and I were in Scotland, for our annual 'mid-year' visit, we had the opportunity to hear, meet, and speak with, Christian songwriter and worship leader, Paul Baloche. "Paul who?", some may be asking. However, many will be familiar with songs that he has been inspired to write. Songs such as "Open the eyes of my heart, Lord"; "Hosanna"; and "Above all". Within Christian music circles, he is a well-known figure - and I have met him!!!

Of course, over my lifetime, I have met a number of famous people and, indeed, spent some time with some of them. The first was Cliff Richard. I was not a particular fan at the time - but I spent about an hour in the vestry of the church building in which he was going to be singing, with only Cliff and his then manager, Bill Latham, for company. There were more than a thousand of his fans crowded into the main sanctuary who would have given a great deal to have had that opportunity!

Some years later, I had a similar time spent with Helen Shapiro. I have met Jack Hayford ("Majesty"); Graham Kendrick (you do know who he is!); Sir Peter Vardy (Car sales); and many others. Of course, although I have met many well-known people, I am unable to say that I 'know' any of them!

The American writer from a previous era, Mark Twain (1835-1910), travelled extensively, and often took his wife and children along with him. On a trip to Europe, he was invited to dinner with a particular head of state. When one of his daughters heard of the invitation, she reportedly said: "Daddy, you know every big person there is to know, except God!" Sadly, that young girl's observation was true, as Mark Twain (real name Samuel Clemens) was an unbelieving sceptic. Indeed, I have no evidence that he "knew" that particular head of state any better than I know any of the individuals named above!

However, the question that may be asked is: "Do I know Almighty God?"! Someone reading this post may enjoy real friendship with, and intimate knowledge of, some people whom the world acknowledges as being very important. But do you know God? And is you knowledge of Him, such as it is, any more than second-hand information, or speculation; the sort of things that we might read in a book. (Each of my own books - see the header - will certainly provide that level of knowledge; may even lead you into a genuine personal relationship with Him; and your purchase will help to support the persecuted church!).

The Lord Jesus, Who is God, wanted His disciples to have an intimate knowledge of the Father. On one occasion He prayed: "... this is the way to have eternal life - to know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the One You sent to earth." (John 17:3; NLT.) This kind of knowledge is intensely personal, and is gained only through a deep, prolonged, friendship. Indeed, the knowledge referred to in those words of Jesus, and elsewhere in the Bible, is compared with the intimacy of husband and wife as they become "one flesh" (Gen.4:1 inter al).

You and I may have this knowledge as we come before Almighty God, confessing our sins, and sinfulness; accepting that we can do nothing about them; believing that, in the Persona of the Lord Jesus, Almighty God has done all that needed to be done; and receiving the new life that is offered to everyone through that same Jesus. We then get to know Him better by spending time (quality time!) in His presence; talking with Him (prayer); listening to Him (reading the Word); and sharing His love with others.

Do you know Him like that? Would you like to know Him like that? The offer of full salvation is for you! It's not enough to know about God. We need to know Him in our hearts, and walk with Him day by day.

Hi-tech!

Whilst seeking to "pray at all times, in the Spirit" (Eph.6:18) as the House of Lords debate the Marriage (same-sex couples) Bill, I have been attending to that rare chore - tidying up my study!  As usual in doing so, I have come across items about which I had forgotten.

Among them are a number of OHTs (that's OverHead Transparencies, for those of more tender years!).  It doesn't seem so very long ago that they were considered to be quite "hi-tech".  Whether in classroom, or in church building, they were the overwhelming evidence that one was 'moving with the times'!  The problem, of course, is that the times move increasingly quickly!  As I looked at those old transparencies - most of them hand-written; some with drawings (often line drawings from the Good News version of the Bible!); a few of them in colour - I realised how primitive they would look beside a modern PowerPoint presentation, in full technicolour; with words appearing in any of a multitude of ways; with moving graphics.

It made me think about computer memory!  Our first, brand-new, desktop machine had a whopping 1 Gb of storage on the Hard Drive.  I was the envy of most of my colleagues, who were still working with 650 Mb (1 Gb = 1012 Mb!).  Nowadays, I have memory sticks that are less than 2" (5cm) long, but that hold 32Gb of data - and I could have twice that capacity on a memory stick of the same physical dimensions!

Change, change, and more change.  It seems, almost, to be the watchword of our contemporary world - at least in the so-called 'developed' world.  Mobile 'phones; cameras; audio and video equipment (I still have some reel tapes that were such an advance on vinyl records, not so very long ago!).  Sometimes, I wonder if technology doesn't move just a little too quickly.

In such a fast-changing world, it is good to have something (or Someone) to be a fixed point of reference - a rock in a fast-moving stream.  Well, it won't surprise any regular visitor to this blog that I am happy to point everyone to such a Constant.  The inspired writer of the Letter to Hebrew disciples of Jesus wrote that, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and for ever." (13:8).  He is the unchanging Refuge for all who call upon Him in faith, repenting of sin, and seeking, with His help, to follow Him faithfully throughout their lives.

It was Helen Shapiro (of course I've met her!), best-known to many for her 1963 hit song Walking back to Happiness who, as a Messianic Jew (a Jew who has accepted Yeshua/Jesus as Messiah), recorded a great song entitled I go to the Rock.  Have you gone to that same Rock - Jesus, the Christ?  In an ever-changing, and increasingly turbulent, world, He's the only One worth going to!

Going to the Rock!

It's not that I'm one for name-dropping, but I have met my share of celebrities in my day - and been no further than about 7' (2 m) from HM the Queen on occasion!

I recall, one Saturday evening in Glasgow, spending about an hour and a half with a still young Cliff Richard. I've chatted with Graham Kendrick; shared a few thoughts with Jack Hayford (composer of 'Majesty' among other songs); and sat (almost literally!) at the feet of Billy Graham - to name but a few!

What made my thoughts start to travel in that direction was, earlier this evening, listening to Helen Shapiro sing "I go to the Rock". I had the pleasure, many years ago now, of meeting Helen as well, and spending some 20 minutes with her. She made her name, of course, on the secular scene when as a young teenager, she shot to fame with "Walking back to happiness". However, like so many, she discovered that true happiness can be extremely elusive. It was in 1987 that this Jewish-background young woman discovered, after several months of searching the Messianic prophecies in the Hebrew Scriptures (the Old Testament of the Christian Bible) that they had been fulfilled in the Person of Yeshua (Hebrew for 'Jesus'), and that only in Him is real happiness, that doesn't depend on physical circumstances and material possessions.

Of course, throughout the last two millennia, and in spite of scepticism, mockery, persecution, and death, millions of others have found the same truth - that when Jesus said "My purpose is to give ... a rich and satisfying life." (John 10:10; NLT), He really meant it!

So, where do you go when there's nobody else to turn to? Who do you talk to, when nobody wants to listen? Who do you lean on when all around is sinking sand, and there's no stable foundation? May I recommend my Friend, Helen Shapiro's Friend, and the Friend of countless numbers in every place, and in every age - the One Who truly is "the Rock of our salvation"?

"YHWH is my Rock , my Fortress, and my Saviour;
my God is my Rock , in Whom I find protection.
He is my Shield, the power that saves me,
and my place of safety." (Ps 18:2; NLT).

"... and that Rock was Christ." (I Cor. 10:4-5; NLT).