Make it your passion to "know Him."

Philippians 3:10-11;

"For my determined purpose is that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope]

That if possible I may attain to the spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body]." (Amplified Bible)

When you have seen Him it is different than simply receiving His grace and understanding what He has done for you. I am writing this on "Good Friday," three days before Resurrection Day, 2004. It is well that you should know what He has done for you on Good Friday. It is good to know that He has suffered all the judgment due to you for your sin and the sin perpetrated against you; not only in this life but for eternity. It is good to know that He is risen, and to know that He has gone to the right hand of God after cleansing the very Holy of Holies with His blood. It is good to know that He has given you His resurrection life in exchange for your old life. Knowing these things is very important, and they will give you many wonderful inheritances, not the least of which is going to Heaven when your body dies.

However, He does not want you to stop there. He wants you to "know Him." He wants you to see Jesus today! There is a difference between knowing what He has done for you and knowing Him personally.

How can you see God? Only God Himself can accomplish that. However you can cooperate with Him.

Who shall see God?

"Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God" (Matthew 5:8)

Who shall see God?

"LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? He who walks uprightly, And works righteousness, And speaks the truth in his heart; He who does not backbite with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend; In whose eyes a vile person is despised, But he honors those who fear the LORD; He who swears to his own hurt and does not change; He who does not put out his money at usury, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved" (Psalms 15:1-5).

Who shall see God?

"Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the LORD, And righteousness from the God of his salvation" (Psalms

24:3-5).

Who shall see God?

The pure in heart. You began with an impure heart, and there still may be many impurities in it, however Jesus has given you the honor of purifying it by His wonderful work and power so that you may see Him. Daily go through Romans 12:1-2, offer your members a living sacrifice. Go through the Flowing River lesson (found on our web site www.isob-bible.org and in our book Grow or Die) that walks you through the Holy Place of the Tabernacle giving you the opportunity to trade your will, mind and emotions for His. It allows you to take up your cross by His power so that He may pull you into the Holy of Holies and fellowship around the Ark of His Testimony.

Strive for purity in heart. How? A pure heart is an undivided heart. Press in through the Holy Place, through the altars that trade your will for His will, your mind for His mind, and your emotions for His emotions. Trade your Adamic character for Him. Your old man has already been crucified with Him so why not go ahead and make the conscious effort to agree with the truth.

Then you will experience what the hymn writer wrote, "I walked in the Garden alone while the dew was still on the roses….and He walked with me and He talked with me and told me I am His own."

That kind of intimacy will get you through any circumstance. It does not matter what comes into your life, knowing Him and walking through it with Him will glorify Him and make you a victor. Seeing Him becomes an anchor of your soul. No matter what comes your way, you are anchored in having "seen Him." No other anchor holds like this one. This anchor becomes real when you know Him in the Holy of Holies. When He whispers your name like He did to Mary at the Garden Tomb.

This works even for the people in those countries who are even today tortured and martyred for being Christians.

"This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek" (Hebrews 6:19,20).

If you have a purpose in life other than knowing Him, you will ultimately be disappointed! Even if your purpose is a worthy cause, causes go by the wayside, they do not satisfy except for awhile. Even if your purpose is to come off of a drug, alcohol or eating addiction, it is not the highest purpose. When you really know Him, all these addictions will simply fall off of you like a dead tumor.

Having your vision match Paul's vision, to know Him, will take care of all other areas of your life. Matthew 6 says to seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and all these other things will simply be added to you.

John 8 tells it well. Brother, sister, if you are attempting to be free, make it your vision to simply know Him.

Listen to this.

"Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, 'If you abide in My word (Jesus is the Word), you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth (Jesus is the truth), and the truth (Jesus) shall make you free.' They answered Him, 'We are Abraham's descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can you say, 'You will be made free'?' Jesus answered them, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin'" (John 8:31-34).

"And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed" (John 8:35,36).

Knowing the Truth is knowing Jesus. Make it your one and only passion!

Have a blessed Resurrection celebration!

Larry Chkoreff