Psalm 19
It’s possible for you to personally know God, the mighty Creator who hung the stars in place. He has made Himself accessible to each of us. But consider for a moment His creation—so vast, astronomers estimate about 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 (that's 1 billion trillion) stars are in the observable universe! Yet the One who put them there wants a relationship with each of us. If He didn’t, He wouldn’t have made us in the first place (Genesis 1:26). And He wouldn’t have sent His Son (1 John 4:10) to make our relationship with Him possible.
That’s why I confidently say you can know God personally. To know Him is to trust Him. To trust Him is to obey Him. And to obey Him is to be blessed.
God gives you three straightforward ways to know Him personally.
1. His Convincing Word in the Heavens
Psalm 19 describes the ways God speaks to us. It begins:
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber and rejoices like a strong man to run its race. Its rising is from one end of heaven, and its circuit to the other end; and there is nothing hidden from its heat. (verses 1-6)
Have you been outdoors, away from city lights on a clear night, and looked at that candelabra in the night sky? That alone is enough to confirm an omnipotent Creator.
The heavens declare:
- God’s glory. As you look into the starry night, the millions of stars will fill you with wonder at His glory displayed there.
- God’s greatness. When you see His glory, you are awestruck at the greatness of the One who made it all.
- God’s handiwork. We are His handiwork (Ephesians 2:10). We have no excuse for not believing in Him (Romans 1:19-20). Only the fool has said in his heart “There is no God” (Psalm 14:1).
2. His Converting Word in Your Hand
The Word of God, the Bible, is a testimony to His miraculous power. You can know about God, but you cannot truly know God through Creation alone. You must have His Word to reveal the heart and mind of God—not only what God has wrought, but what God has written.
3. His Convicting Word in Your Heart
Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19:12-14)
You come to personally know God your Father when
- You see objectively that He exists through His works in Creation.
- Then, you learn more about Him through the truths of His Word—the Scripture.
- Lastly, the Holy Spirit within makes all this real by His convicting presence in your heart.
You can believe intellectually that God exists, yet still go to Hell with a Bible under your arm unless you come to know Him personally.
The Word of God is a cleansing word (Psalm 19:12). The Holy Spirit cleanses you through the atoning blood of the Lord Jesus Christ (1 John 1:9) and leads you to know God personally, no matter how deep or dark your sin.
Ask Him, “Lord, speak to me.” When He does, obey Him. Don’t wait till you have it all figured out, because you’ll wake up in Hell and still won’t have it all figured out. Come to Jesus just as you are and trust Him to save you.
God put His Word in the heavens, in your hand, and in your heart so you might walk with Him and talk with Him. That is knowing God personally.
