Do You “Know” God? 1of3, Pastor Phil Sessa

Romans 1:19 “Because that which be made known about God is manifest [plain] in them, for God hath shewed it unto them (KJV).”

Friends come on various levels.  So of us have friends that we refer to as acquaintances, other friends are casual friends, then we have our lose friends, and lastly our intimate friends.  Just as we have different levels of friendships with others, so too are there various relationship levels when it comes to knowing God.  In Romans 1:19-32, knowing God is a key word that is repeated in the passage and its interesting to see that each of the “knows” refers to one of those relationship levels with God.

The Greek word for “know” in verse 19, is the word Gnostos which means to be an acquaintance, literally “the knowable God.” 

Understanding Is Revelation, Evans Olang

Luke 24:44-45, “44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” 45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures” (NIV)

What troubled me for a while was listening to a very learned person misunderstand scriptures. I mean someone with more degrees than a thermometer read a scripture passage and miss the whole point of the passage. They get everything else but the scripture despite the fact they have read it over and over again. How many times have we also read verses after verses and it was plain, then one day as we were reading it again, it became alive. Anyone can read the scriptures, only God can give understanding to His Word. The devil knows the scriptures, he tempted Jesus with it, the only thing he does not understand it.

Light Without Heat, 1of2, Evans Olang

Acts 19:11-15, “11 Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. 13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.” 14 Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. 15 And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” 

I have been moved in the last few years seeing a generation of young Christian men and women going back to the rock from which we were cut. By that I mean going back to sound biblical teaching. That the current fads in the land are not moving them, in fact they are refuting those who contradict the word of God including big names. I have listened to radio programs, read blogs, listened to sound teachings and I am amazed at the depth of knowledge. And while this is good and most necessary, I am concerned that little is wrote, mentioned or encouraged concerning praying. The danger I foresee in my judgment is becoming a generation that has light (the word) but no heat (prayer) and you cannot separate the two. You cannot separate heat and light from the fire.

Light Without Heat, 2of2, Evans Olang

Acts 19:11-15, “11 Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. 13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.” 14 Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. 15 And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?”

I recently spoke of the importance of prayer at an evangelism class. What I hammered the most was how light and heat cannot be separated from the fire. You can have light to show the way, however you need the heat to melt the hearts. Paul in 1Corinthians 4:20, makes it clear, “For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power”. He is not disqualifying the Word, he is showing that the word is incomplete without the power.