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HOW WELL DO YOU ECNOW GOD?

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Note to the syenker:

Help audience see that recognizing Jehovah involves much more than Itnowing facts about him. It means being
intiniately acquainted with his purposes, deeds, qualities, and feelings. It means ncting in harmony with that
knowledge and assisting others to do so. Instill burning desire to ltnow Jehovali intiniatcly

IVVE IIAVE PROSPECT OF ETERNAI, LIFE FROM ICNOWING COI) (5 min.)


Means everlasting life to know, or talte in knowledge, of God and Son (Read John 17:3)
Jesus must have meant more than ones having knowledge that God exists
Merely having some knowledge of Jehovah and claiming to worship Iiim was not eiiough to malte
Samaritans acceptable t o God (Joh 4:7-26 [read verse 221; w70 679-83)
Similarly, many today do not Itnow Gods name; confuse God with his Son (w84 8/1 20)
Aslt yourself: Do I know God and his Son in sense needed to havefirm prospect of eterna1 life?
I-Iow can we ltnow Cod in this sensc? I-low can we hclp our childrcn aiid Biblc studcnts lo do so?

WIIAT KNOWING A PICRSON INVOLVICS (5 min.)


Truly Itnowing sonieonc means more than merely believing that he exists
iinozoing someone means perceiving his identity and being acquainted with his personality, his feelings
This requires intimate acquaintance and expcrience over a period of timc (TS 131 13)
Amalekite who claimed that he had Itilled Saul certainly did not Itnow David (2% 1:l-IG)
Dici not know Davids view of Gods anointed one (1Sa 26:3-11)
Might wonder: How can I get to Itnow Jehovah? Docs he not say that his ways and thoughts are vastly higher
than ours? (1% 55% 9)
Words in Isaiah 55 were to bacltsliding, apostate Jews who left Gods ways
Even they could return to Jehovah and come to Itnow hini again (Read verscs 6, 7)
But in what ways niight we search for and come to Irnow hini?
HOW AND WIIY IIURIANS CAN TRULY ICNOW COD (I5 min.)
One way \ve can come to Itnow hini is by striving to imitate him
It is possible l o imitate hini, and that is his will for us (Ge 1326-28; rcnd Colossians 3:lO)
Good qunlities that we nianifest-love, mercy, wisdom, justice, and so forth-nre nicre reilcctions of him
When we forgive another, we are refiecting Gods ways (Read Ephesians 4:32-5:l)
Sin mars nians reflection of God, yet the more \ve Itnow him, the more \ve can reflect Jehovahs glory (2Co
3 : ~i t -; i 964 n i ; 2090 7/15 17 16)
Bible helps us to Itnow hini in terms \ve can grasp (i2-2 13 76-8)
Though h e is a spirit, Jehovah is spolten of ns having eyes, ears, and a fnce (1Pe 3:12)
Using these human expressions helps us to comprehend; description in spirit ternis would be like trying to
describe colors to one who had been born blind
The Bihles description of Jehovahs fcelings and reactions helps us to Itnow hini (Ps 78336-41)
He is not like LIS; ratiier, shows how much w o are in ltis iniage
By stiidying tlie Biblc, tlien, we can come to ltnow God-his deeds, purposes, qualities, feelings
It is a challenge whcn reading and studying not just to get facts but to know God
When you teach the Bible to others, do you cali attention to what the materiai rcveals about God hiniself?
( ~ 8 84 / i 16 117, 18)
We can be helped to know God by having a persona1 relationship with hini
Can be illustrated in Gods comnient that he bccame acquainted with Abrahani, based on their dealings (Ge
1 8 : ~it-2
; isi 1 2 )
Similarly, Abraham had come to Itnow God, \vas sure of His love, niercy, and justicc (Ge 18325)
By regularly talking to God in prayer about matiers of concern and by seeking his guidance, \ve come to Itnow
him better (2084 8/i 16 119)
To ltnow Jehovali Cod also mcans mco.qni5ng his position arid aiitliority aiitl rsc1in.q iii 1i:iriiioiiy with what \ve
know of him (2075 117 115,16)
Regarding Hebrew term for kiiowleclge with reference lo Itnowing Cod, Tlieologicnl Diclionmy ofthe Nezo
7estctment snys: It is thus rcspectful and ohcdicnt acknowlcdgment of tlie powcr rind grace and demand of
God. This means that knowledge is not tliought of in terms of the possession of iiiforniation. It is possessed
only in its exercisc (Vol. 1,p. 698)
Jehovah rejected the Israelites for their laclt of knowledge, that is, recognition and obedience (Read Hosea
4:1,6)
Obviously, they knew who God was but did not act accordingly (Verse 2; it-2 181 13)
History proved they belied their claim stated a t Hosea 8:2 (Read)
No. 1 3/91
Printcd in U.S.A.

lhis cniphusizcs that \ve nccd more than head liiiowlcdgc; our Zives should manifest our ltnowing God
We havc sccn that humans cali itnow Cod aiicl ways thcy do tliis (learning about him, having relationship,
recognizing his authorily zind acling accoixliiigly), but vita1 questioiis arc: Ilow can I be sure that I personally
know Cod? Are thcre relinblc indicatioiis?
ICXARIINIS YOUILSISLl~TO SISE IIOW WISLL YOU KNOW GOD (15 min.)
Oiie critcrion of how well you know Cod is whether he recognizes you witli approva1
Gods kiiowing soiiico~icofteii nicans granting rccogiiitioii to that one as approvcd, as acceptable and worthy
of his atteiitioii (Rcacl Aiiios 3:1, 2) (ws137 114)
The converse is also true: A persoii is not known i Cod and Jesus do not recognize or approve of hini (Read
Mattliew 7:21-23) (w75 118 1118)
Conscquciitly, for you to ltnow Cotl fully, lic iiiust first kiiow you (Ga 4:8, O )
Oiic tiiriiiiig lo Gocl witii inith in hiiii aiicl oli busis of rilnso~iican conic to bc known, recognized
By growiiig i n faith aiid avoiding lawlcssncss, you can continue io be lrnown by Cod
Aiiother gaugc of how wcll you lrnow Cod is whether you lovingly obey his commands (1Jo 2:3-6)
lf in liis lieart a person thinlrs hc can obey one coniniand, such as by preaching, but ignore others, such as by
ciigagiiig i i i loosc coiitlcict, Traud, or lyiiig, lie does iiot kiiow God or Jesus; he is a liar
Oiie sincerely tryiiig to obey fill Cod-giveii conimands is coniing to ltriow God
Other conimands of more persona1 nature are equally iniportant if one is to kiiow God well
ZZiisbfi?id,you arc comiiiaiided to love wifc as own body, iiot be harsh or demanding (Eph 5:28)
If you as a liusband treat your wifc ltiiidly and patiently (without showing irritation), it is an
indicutioii that you Iwow Cod, who gavc you sucli dircction
TYlfiz, you arc coniiiiriiidccl to havc respect for your husbaiid, even though lie may not conipletcly live up
to your espectations (Epli 5:33; wG9 1/131)
Showiiig rcspect eviclcnccs that you arc comiiig lo ltnow God, who has clearly set forth the priiiciple of
relative subjection
Yozcng Clirislict?~~,
you show a desire io kiiow Cod by obeying parenis, as he commands (Eph G:1, 2)
By obeying pareiits rules tliat do iiot break Gods law, you advance toward knowing God (yp 11-12)
When you strive to avoid unchristian association, you indicate that you know God
If we choose unchristian associates, God cannot associate witli us (Ps 15:l-5; w89 9/15 26-30)
By being vcry sclective and associating witli truc Cliristians, you show that you ltnow God
Turn to God regularly in prayer, thus showing that you trust aiid know him
One truly knowing God is aware tliat he welconics our prayers; any fear of approachiiig him is thus cast out
(2070 415; it-2 G O 112,
~ 3)
Do your prayers indicate that you kiiow Cod? You can come to ltnow him more by iiicrcasing the regularity
and intiinacy of your prayers to liini
Il you sin, as al1 of us do, show you ltnow and trust God by bringing it up in prayer, seelring and accepting
forgivcness (Ps 26:1, 2)
But is knowing God just somctliing betwccii tlie two o you, or is more involved?
IIELP O T I I I ~ I L STO JOIN YOU IN KNOWING GOD W15LL (5 min.)
As noted, we can hclp othcrs itnow God by cmphiisiziiig his rcquircments, purposes, and qualities (Read Daniel
1 1 ~ 3 233a)
,
( ~ 7 689-90)
0
Applies now when many are worsliipiiig niaii-iiiadc peace orgaiiizatioii
Some people know Ixisic Eible storics, but cali ycru inipart to thcm undeista?ding, helping them truly come
to Icnou, God?
In prcaching iind teaching, call attention lo reasons why God acted in the past as he did; encourage
coiifideiice in his futurc actions based on his qualities exemplifed in past dealings
By living daiiy by Bibie principles rind standards, we help others lo see the advisability of coming to know God
and lo serve hini
Paul said Jeliovali maitcs the lrnowledge of hiiii perceptible through us in every place (2Co 2:14)
The knowledge is sprcad by the way Christians iive-ctercising lrnowledge and reflecthg its good effects,
displaying the new pcrsonality
Confideiitly urge others io talte up true worship, comiiig to know Jehovah and having part in his purposes (1Ch
28:9; Joli 17:3)
Now and iii the futurc, wc will not have iiiere hcad knowledgc of the path of life but will know by experience
t hat pleasant pat h
Bible assures us tliat the lrnowledge oGod will li11 the earth; does not mean just information, but the exercise
of knowkcdgc by doiiig liis will because of kiiowing hiiii (Isa l l : 9 )
Truiy, tliei-e is reasoii for satisfactioii and pleasaiitness in lrnowing Jehovah and the path of life; this is the
Iriiowledgc ihat leads io everlasting life
(Adhcrc closcly i o t h c outiiiiccl iiiatcriai, aiid OIJSXW
NO. l-pzigc

tlic iiidicatcd tiniing 01 cacli scctioii. Not ai1 citcd tcxts necd to be read)
TO BE COVERED IN 45 MINUTES

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