Pastor Martin Carl Jarvis mcjarvissr@yahoo.com  #2 "Know God"

LIBERTY WORSHIP CENTER www.lwcenter.org   The Twelve Point Focus of the 21st Century Church (return)

    The problem with a democratic and free society such as ours, where religious books are in abundance is that as easy as it is to know who God is and all about Him, the one thing that isn't located on any bookshelf is "to actually know God".

    In scripture the religious leaders were in awe of those who had been disciples of Jesus, in that although they were not educated men, they were extremely knowledgeable, articulate and confident. Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. Acts 4:13)

    Although education is good, with so much emphasis on education, it has been our misfortune as it seems that we have substituted knowing Him, with knowledge of Him.

    Knowing God cannot be taught.   Knowing God must be experienced.  But as a child observes and feels and then almost by osmosis adopts that which he observes his father do.  And, likewise as the parishioners observe the pastor and leaderships relationship with God, they too will be one day acquire that relationship.

   What is unfortunate is that so many pastors don't really know God (although they expertly know about God) and so they cannot introduce and demonstrate a relationship with God.  And so today we have generations and generations of folks who know all about God and the letter of the scriptures, but don't know the God of the scriptures.
  Amen.