KNOWING GOD’S WAYS

“Therefore I was angry with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, and they have NOT KNOWN MY WAYS” – Hebrews 3:10

One of the top priorities for Believers in Christ is KNOWING GOD’S WAYS: “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness, where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, and saw My works forty years. Therefore I was angry with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, and they have not known My ways.’ So I swore in My wrath, they shall not enter My rest’ ” (Heb.3: 7-11). Those fail to know God’s Ways “always go astray in their heart” (v.10). Moreover, they forfeit God’s Rest! We cannot overstate the importance of Knowing God’s Ways. In the days of Moses, only he could know and understand God's Ways, and so he was found faithful. But “the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus” is our ultimate Model, “worthy of more glory than Moses” (vv.1-6).

Now in Christ, under the New Covenant, the privilege of Knowing God’s Ways is offered to every Believer. However, we must desire, pray and be ready to learn His Ways, and be trained and led to walk in them. God is a Spirit and His Ways transcend carnal human comprehension. It takes a person of the spirit to know and understand His Ways. This is why those who truly know God and His Ways, seem to be a minority on earth. Even some believers are extremely preoccupied with worldliness; they miss the Ways of the Divine. Such persons are excited, thrilled, and quick to testify about mundane matters and worldly accumulations, being the greatest things in life for them.

One mark of the matured in Christ is that they are not fixated with miracles as much as with knowing God and understanding His Ways. David, the King and Psalmist often prayed for the knowledge of God’s Ways: “SHOW ME YOUR WAYS, O Lord; teach me Your paths” (Psa.25:4). Again he prayed: “TEACH ME YOUR WAY, O Lord, and lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies” (Psa.27:11). David wholeheartedly committed himself to God: “Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name” (Psa.85:11).

Knowing God’s Ways is particularly relevant in these last days, when there are floods of deceitful spirits invading the world to lead many astray: “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons” (1Tim.4:1). The Lord Jesus often warned His disciples to be careful that they were not deceived. He identified deception as the first sign of the end of the age (Mt.24: 3-4). The primary way to escape such deception is by knowing the Lord. Then we will be able to discern between what glorifies God and what does not. We are in days when we cannot glibly follow all the views of eloquent, charismatic leaders or imitate the actions of some so-called Christians. We must come to the place of knowing God’s Ways by and for ourselves rather than lean on others’ faith.

It is crucial that we understand God’s Ways and Principles, and not just imitate the actions of others without questioning. Paul calls us to attention: “that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting” (Eph.4:14). Many are living in their delusion, and yet boasting. Many are drifting along and wasting their lives on earth. When Jesus returns and we stand before Him, would we have regrets over the way we lived, or would we be able to look back over a life spent knowing, understanding, and walking in God’s ways? We must wake up while it is yet day; the night is nigh, when no man can work or walk!

Beloved, it’s time to ask God to show us His Ways, teach us His Paths, and lead us in His Truth!