That I may know him
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About-Him.Com Devotional 06-10-2017
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That I May Know Him


 Philippians 3:10  That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;    

We notice that the above verse contains 4 phrases:   

That I may know Him
and the power of his resurrection
and the fellowship of his sufferings
being made conformable unto his death  

Philippians 3:4-14 is a powerful text in which the apostle Paul begins by talking of his attainments in the secular and religious world. He had social and religious positions, but he counted them as nothing compared to knowing Christ.
 

That I may know Him:  

Paul had been struck down on the road to Damascus. He had seen Jesus and heard Him speak. He then spent several years in the desert, obtaining the gospel that he would later preach by direct revelation from Jesus Christ. At some point he was caught up into heaven and saw things that were unlawful for him to utter (2 Co. 12:4). And yet he did not feel that he really knew Christ.  

I believe that throughout scripture we see a progressive revelation of Jesus. He is shown from the time He was born as a baby until he speaks with power and majesty from the throne of heaven. The scene at the transfiguration gives us a glimpse of an added dimension, His Deity. I believe that when Peter, James and John came down from the mountain, they viewed Jesus a little differently. This is shown again in Revelation when John saw "one like the son of man" and yet he fell to the ground as dead. John had just seen Him in a different light.  

When I try to comprehend Him, I realize that I really don't know Him? I certainly know Him better than I used to, but I really don't know Him! No matter how much I learn of Him, there will always be more to learn. When I read of Him in the Word, I get a glimpse and a glimmer of Him and yet I know that the writer has just scratched the surface. How can a mere man, even with inspiration, describe a God who spoke the world into existence from nothing. How can He describe a Creator who made man from the dust of the earth? Most of all, how do we describe a God who robed Himself in mortal flesh so that He could die on a cross?  

We read of Him turning water into wine, but is this the limit of His power? When we see all His mighty miracles described, we must realize that we have only a glimpse, not the whole story. We often, as they say, try to put "God in a box." Because He answered prayer in a particular fashion in 1950 doesn't mean that He must do the same in 1999. Perhaps He'll chose to answer my prayer in a different way, just to show me a different aspect of Himself.  

The power of His resurrection:  

Jesus told His disciples to wait until they had been endued with power from on high. He said that after the Holy Ghost came upon they would be witnesses for Him to the uttermost parts of the earth. The disciples did not leave Jerusalem until they were baptized with the Holy Ghost. Jesus said the Comforter would teach us all things and bring His commandments to remembrance. We cannot substitute anything for the power and anointing of the Holy Ghost.  

And the fellowship of His suffering:  

We don't like to talk about suffering. It's not a popular theme that arouses our emotions but is a necessary theme. What Paul is saying is that "If I want to know Him, I must choose to suffer with Him." It has often been said, "No cross, no crown." Paul had certainly suffered for the gospel. We read where he was imprisoned, beaten, shipwrecked, betrayed and forsaken. We read in Acts where the apostles counted it joy to suffer for the name of Jesus. Peter tells us that "If we suffer with Him,we shall also reign with Him." Jesus had something to say on the subject also.  

Luke 14:26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.  

Luke 14:27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.  

Luke 14:33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.  

I'm certainly not looking for suffering, but I can't run from it either. I get very concerned about popular themes that substitute power and prestige for the suffering of the cross. The next time you hear someone preaching about using the gospel to get rich, ask yourself this question. Will I use the cross to obtain the riches of this world, or will I use the cross and all it's sufferings to obtain the riches of the world to come?  

Being made conformable to His death.  

Paul said that he bore in his body "the dying of the Lord Jesus so that the Life of Jesus might be made manifest in his mortal body.  

2 Corinthians 4:10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.  

That says it all and can and needs no further amplification.  

In summary,I can simple say with Paul, "I haven't attained." I can also say with Paul, "I'm pressing on towards the mark to the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Yes I know Him, but there is still much more to know of Him. If I would know Him, I must share in the suffering of His cross. This is accomplished by the infilling of the Holy Ghost, which is the power of His resurrection.  

Song: My God, My King and My Redeemer

Somebody Has Said  
 2 Timothy 1:8 - Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God,
 

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Don and Marie Spooner
About Him! Ministries


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