TO KNOW HIM By Gloria Copeland

First Things First

During my years of walking with the Lord, He has taught me many wonderful things. He has taught me about faith and righteousness, healing and prosperity. He has taught me so many vital truths from His Word for which I am very grateful. And He’s teaching me more every day. Yet, if you were to ask me to name the most important principle of Christian living that I’ve learned, I could answer you without hesitation. It is the secret of maintaining a living connection with God. Staying in daily communion with Him is, without question, the number one priority of the Christian life. It is the key that opens every door to this life and the next.

If we don’t really know God, it doesn’t matter how much information we have about Him. We can be full of knowledge about faith. We can understand how it comes, what it does and how to release it. We can study about love until we have memorized every love scripture in the Bible. We can know the steps to healing and prosperity backward and forward. But, we won’t have the momentum to put those things into action unless we spend time with God and maintain a living connection with Him.

When all is said and done, it’s not what we know that counts; it’s what we actually do. And without vital, continual union with God, we won’t be spiritually strong enough to do what we know to do! As Philippians 2:12-13 says:

Therefore, my dear ones, as you have always obeyed [my suggestions], so now, not only [with the enthusiasm you would show] in my presence but much more because I am absent, work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete) your own salvation with reverence and awe and trembling (self-distrust, with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchf-ulness against temptation, timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and discredit the name of Christ). [Not in your own strength] for it is God who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight (AMP).

It’s amazing how many Christians don’t realize that. They rush around trying to do things in their own strength. They run from one good thing to the next, trying to serve the Lord. But because they don’t maintain a living connection with God, they end up tired, frustrated and defeated. They are like Martha on the day Jesus ministered in her home. Instead of sitting at Jesus’ feet and listening to Him teach the Word as her sister, Mary, was doing, Luke10:40-42 says:

But Martha [overly occupied and too busy] was distracted with much serving; and she came up to Him and said, Lord, is it nothing to You that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me [to lend a hand and do her part along with me]! But the Lord replied to her by saying, Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; There is need of only one…. Mary has chosen the good portion [that which is to her advantage], which shall not be taken away from her (Luke 10:40-42, AMP).

TO KNOW HIM By Gloria Copeland