Know Me

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:
Matthew 7 (click the link)


KEY PASSAGE:
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 7:7-12, NIV)


OUR HOPE:
Matthew 7 is an amazing section of scripture in which Jesus tells us how to know him, and warns us about some pitfalls along the way, and some practical ways to be close to him.

First, let’s look at God’s heart from the beginning. Isaiah 43:10 gives us a glimpse of what it is God wants our relationship with him to be like: “You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he.” The “know” in this verse is “yadha,” a term of intimate knowing, like a husband and wife. 

WARNING!

Jesus starts out this section of Matthew with a warning not to judge others, because this is a huge blocker to intimacy with him. If he, the King of the universe, came to earth to win our hearts with love and not judgment, and went to the cross to rescue us while we were still filthy with sin, with love and not judgment in his heart for us, it is a big turn-off to him as our husband, when we who were swept off our feet by the bridegroom while we were still wearing black, point out the tiny specks of black on the wedding gowns of those around us. This douses our passion and his in a bucket of ice water. There is no room for it in our lives if we want to know him. Let’s cut it out!

WARNING!

Jesus also warns us that many, many people will miss the road that leads to knowing him, and only a few will find it. You don’t get to intimacy with him by accident. You have to ask, seek and knock. Are we humble enough to ask for directions along the way from the wise travelers around us? How long has it been since you have cried out to God for help in finding your way to his heart?

WARNING!

Jesus tells us that false prophets will try to lead us down the wrong path, and that we can tell where their hearts are by the fruit of their lives. Not everyone who says “Lord, lord,” belongs to the Lord. Pay attention. Does the book you are reading or the teaching you are listening to twist scripture to suit its own purposes? What is the quality of the personal character of the writer or teacher? Be careful out there!

Let’s look at this part of Matthew 7 a little more closely:  

Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?” Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” (Matthew 7:21-23)

At first glance this seems pretty harsh. But if a stranger came up to me and began acting like my husband in every way, I might say something worse than, “away from me you evildoer.” “Crack head” might be in there somewhere. Note that Jesus’ biggest problem with these people is that he doesn’t know them, has never known them. All of our “doing” in the kingdom of heaven should be born out of our “being” with Jesus in a real and intimate way. Jesus himself had to get away for quiet moments to pray and be intimate with God, and he said he only did and said what he saw God doing and saying. The truth is that the kingdom of heaven is alive and real on the face of the earth, and God is actually up to some things! When we spend time with him, whether we realize it or not, we are aligning ourselves with what he is doing. When we offer him all of our moments and all of ourselves, he opens doors to the left and to the right during our regular days…doors straight into the kingdom of heaven, where we can be Jesus to those around us, prophesying and driving out demons and performing miracles in a way that makes a difference to those we are ministering to. So intimacy with God is not JUST those times set apart to be with him. It is a living breathing relationship, 24-7.

But how do we get there? 

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! (vs. 7-11)

Luke closes out this same passage in his book with this:  

If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! (Luke 11:13)

I know we receive the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation, but this is talking about children here, already saved, asking for and receiving the Holy Spirit! Is it so hard to believe that to walk in the kingdom of heaven on earth, knowing God like a true love, and doing what he is doing might require MORE of the Spirit who searches and knows the heart of God day and night? Sounds right to me. That is exactly what I want and need, today and every day.

PRAYER:

Father, pour out your Spirit on me. I want to know you like he knows you. I want to be yours day and night. Open doors into your kingdom so that I can do what you are doing, and say what you are saying, right alongside you.

WHO AM I?

I am Suzanne Zucca and I am an asker and a seeker and a knocker for the heart and person of God.