Having a Personal Relationship with God - I Chronicles 28-29 and John 9:24-41
As David turned over the kingdom to his son, Solomon, and commissioned him to build the Temple, we read a very significant exchange between them. David exhorted Solomon to follow the commands of the Lord, but he did not stop there. He commanded Solomon to know the God of his father. Did you catch that phrase? David was telling his son to have a personal relationship with God like he did. Then, he added that he should serve Him with a loyal heart and a willing mind. Again that spoke of the relationship he should have with God. Truly, it is not enough to keep God's commands. We are all to come to know God and to have a personal relationship with Him. David showed Solomon and the people his relationship by telling them that God had given him the plans for the Temple so specifically he could write them down. God inspired him to write a psalm for the event, too. Then, David told the people of his love offering for the Temple from his own money. He gave it freely, and they leaders as well as the people followed his example. This was all an exercise in knowing God and doing His will out of a relationship, but not just out of compulsion to keep His commands. Do you have that kind of personal relationship with God?
That was the problem in John 9. The Jewish leaders confessed that they were disciples of Moses, because they believed God had spoken to him. They did not hear God speaking to them. They did not have a relationship with God, because they were just keeping commands as a ritual religion. God hates that. Jesus was trying to show them their error. The man born blind was certainly open to having a relationship with Jesus. He had healed him from blindness, then, He came to know Him as his Lord. Jesus revealed Himself to him as Lord, and he received Him. What about you? Have you received Jesus? Has He revealed Himself to you? Remember what David told Solomon. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever. I believe Jesus comes to all of us like He came to the man born blind. When He comes, we can believe Him and enter a personal relationship with Him, or we can reject Him. Please, seek Him and don't reject Him.
Tomorrow, I intend to read II Chronicles 1-3 and John 10:1-23.
That was the problem in John 9. The Jewish leaders confessed that they were disciples of Moses, because they believed God had spoken to him. They did not hear God speaking to them. They did not have a relationship with God, because they were just keeping commands as a ritual religion. God hates that. Jesus was trying to show them their error. The man born blind was certainly open to having a relationship with Jesus. He had healed him from blindness, then, He came to know Him as his Lord. Jesus revealed Himself to him as Lord, and he received Him. What about you? Have you received Jesus? Has He revealed Himself to you? Remember what David told Solomon. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever. I believe Jesus comes to all of us like He came to the man born blind. When He comes, we can believe Him and enter a personal relationship with Him, or we can reject Him. Please, seek Him and don't reject Him.
Tomorrow, I intend to read II Chronicles 1-3 and John 10:1-23.