God Who?

God Who?

I am sure we can all relate to the peppering rain of trials, the rising streams of circumstances, and the winds of adversity wishing to overcome us. Maybe, you have even experienced a great crash. We all know what its like to feel the chilling, bitter winds of defeat and failure, but failures are simply invitations to try again. It is time to get up and rebuild from the ground up, from the inside out.

What we perceive, think, and believe about God is the most important thing about our lives. It is our starting place. A right image of God empowers our spiritual journey with never ending peace and joy, while a wrong image leaves our house desolate after the storm.

 “All the problems of heaven and earth, though they were to confront us together and at once, would be nothing compared with the overwhelming problem of God: That He is; what He is like…”- A. W Tozer

The Most Important Question

In Mark 16:13-20, Jesus turns to his disciples and asked, “Who do men say that I am?” Jesus than follows that question with the most paramount question of all, “Who do you say that I am?” There is perhaps no greater question posed to us today as Christian than this one.

Our starting point must be a right image of God.

 Doing construction work, I understand the importance of a starting point.  It means everything when laying down tile in a large room. You always start in the very center of the room. It’s a “from the inside out” kind of job. If your starting tiles are off, even slightly, it becomes more and more apparent as you expand and continue to tile the rest of the floor. A 1/24 inch off can easily become 2-3 inches as you start to build outwards. Wall tile is no different; an unleveled first row is amplified by each row after.

 Your starting place often designates your ending place, unless of course you adjust your course along the way. Jesus understood this as He spoke in Matthew 7:24-27:

 “A wise man builds his house upon the rock. The rain came down, the stream rose, and the winds blew and beat against the house; YET it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.”

 What about the one who didn’t have this starting place of building on the rock?

27 “The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

I would propose to you that this unshakable rock as a foundation is not just a cute thought. A right image of God is a rock.

The Psalmist declares,

 “He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken.”

And in another place:

“For by You, I can run against a troop, by my God I can leap over a wall.

 As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the Lord is proven;
He is a shield to all who trust in Him.For who is God except the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God?”

What does all this have to do with our image of God? Everyone knows God is the rock.

Remember the two questions Jesus asked His disciples? “Who do men say that I am?” and “Who do you say that I am?” Well, I believe the answer is in this section. The disciples answer the first question by telling Jesus three wrong images, three shakable images that are not worthy to be built upon.

“But who do you say I am?”

Peter replies, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

In which Jesus replies; “You are blessed, Simon, son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being.

Now, I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock, I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.

And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”- Matt 16

WOW!

This speaks volumes to me. Let me draw out a few things:

First, a true revelation of God comes from God, Himself. Many people build their houses upon what they have learned, but never known personally from Him.

Second, when you’re building on revelation, knowledge from God Himself is firm. The revelation of who He is cannot be overcome. Many times, we experience the collapse because we have never experientially known God in a particular area. We become anxious because we haven’t known Him as trust worthy. We panic because we do not yet know Him as faithful. We fear because we haven’t yet known Him as love.

It is so vital that we literally know Him. It is vital that we know Him for ourselves and allow Him to touch our hearts and reveal Himself as He truly is. Only a revelation that comes from Him ensures that nothing will prevail against us.

Lastly, true revelation of God is a key that empowers us to carry out everything we need to do.

These three things are intertwined. I must have a true revelation of who God is. This revelation must not be just broadly based, but in particular areas of my life. That very revelation in a specific area can only come from the Holy Spirit leading me into all truth, which will empower my life. I will find myself unshakable and empowered to make change and to change the world.

" Those who trust in the Lord will be like mount Zion they shall never be shaken."