Ephesians 1:15-19a: For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.This week we will continue examining this powerful prayer of Paul. We will focus on verse 17 which says, I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
The purpose of life is to know God, to please him, and to enjoy him. Paul prayed for the church at Ephesus to have a spirit of wisdom and revelation. The priority is not to grow in the knowledge of God, so you can impress people with your knowledge. The goal is not to become some great Bible scholar. The goal is to walk in the wisdom and the revelation of God, so that you might know God better.
In Philippians Paul writes of his desire to know God. Philippians 3:8-11: What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish that I may gain Christ, and be found in him, not having a righeousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Paul seems almost radical in his desire to know Jesus. Sometimes you hear people talk about all they have given up to serve God. Paul emphatically declares that he has lost all things for the sake of Christ, and Paul considers those things rubbish. Paul sees that compared to the surpassing value of knowing Jesus, the things of this world are of no value.
To be successful in God, it is important to be honest. God knows your heart. There is no need to pretend to be religious, when in your heart, the desire is not there.
If you are a believer, then you know you need to know God better. But get real honest before God, and ask yourself if you really want to know God more. Ask yourself, "Am I willing to sacrifice some TV time, to spend time getting to know God better?
In the late 70's I was a single preacher boy at a small Baptist church in Southwest Mississippi. I lived in a mobile home right next to the church. I was a city boy, and living in the country was quite an education.
It was my custom at night to watch the news on Channel 4 (WWL) from New Orleans each evening at 10:00 p.m. After the news ended at 10:35, the Raymond Burr program Ironside came on. It ended one hour later at 11:35, and then I usually went to bed. I enjoyed my late night routine, and I looked forward to it each weekday evening.
The day came when I sensed that God was asking me to give the hour from 10:35 to 11:35 to him in prayer. I believed that he wanted me to go to the church building, and spend that hour getting to know him better. To be quite frank, I was not too happy about giving up my late night routine. Watching Ironside was a relaxing hour for me.
I reluctantly obeyed. I gave that hour to God. Each evening I walked over to the church building and spent time with God from 10:35 to 11:35. Sometimes the hour was a chore, but then at other times the reality of the presence of God was so strong in that little country church.
I began to look forward to that time of prayer each evening. I no longer even desired to watch Ironside, because I had experienced the excitement of getting to know God better.
I challenge you to be honest with yourself, and to be honest with God. He knows if you really aren't interested in knowing him better. But he loves you enough, he will patiently wait for you to take that step toward him.
Then I challenge you to set aside time for God. Set aside time to pray. Set aside regular time to read and to meditate on his word. Give it 30 days.
Give God time to operate that spirit of wisdom and revelation in you. If you will sow time to God, you will reap the blessings of his presence. You will begin to know him better. And soon you will find whatever you gave up for him, will soon no longer interest you. In his presence, is the fullness of joy.(Psalm 16:11)
Wayne L. Williams
wayne@fotwm.org