“And this is Eternal Life, that they might know the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou has sent” (John 17:3)

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You can “know” a thing, but not REALLY “know” it in experience. You can study, talk about it, have Bible Studies around it, listen to it over and over again on Sunday’s, quote it, have discussions about it, read about it – but never truly “know” it in the depth of your knower – your innermost man. Your real person.

Until your eyes have been opened and it is revealed to you, it is just that – “words on a page.” Something you’ve talked about, studied or learned.

For instance, reading the scripture “Christ is My firm foundation” (1 Cor. 3:11, Matt. 7:24-27) and you quote that all day long – sing about it, meditate on it (and all these are good), but until you walk through the dark times, the pain of life, the hurt and or wrong others have caused you (fill in the blank), go through sickness and perhaps receive a diagnosis of disease and Christ actually reveals to you IN THAT THING, that He in fact IS your firm foundation right in the middle of the pain and difficulty as you release and let go of all outward appearances and take Him to actually BE YOUR LIFE experientially, you cannot “KNOW” it in actual experience. It is simply just knowing about (EX: Religion).

This is where the rubber meets the road. God’s word (written or revealed, promises) is either true or it’s not! These difficult times when we’re pressed beyond measure (2 Cor. 1:8), beyond our strength, when death seems imminent, are in fact when we are going to “see” that these are the very times we experience Christ’s life coming forth in us. He’s going to be our very life. When we’re going to experience Him, His keeping power, His provision, His meeting every need as we need it – no matter the chaos around us (or in us). He, fills that void of need.

These are the very times we’re going to experience His grace and goodness, His love, so overwhelming, which will carry us through. For He may not always deliver us out of these things in that moment, but He delivers us with His awesome presence right in the middle of all “apparent” hell.

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105).

He has so firmly fixed and settled us in Himself. This, is our firm foundation that nothing can shake – though we may be having a momentary setback.

“To him that overcomes will I give the hidden manna” (Rev. 2:17).

We learn Christ in these very difficult things, times. If we don’t, we live our lives tossed by every thing that comes. Our lives have been built on shifting sand. Jesus mentions this in Matthew 7:24-27 saying “Life built on shifting sand represents hearing My words but not acting on them, resulting in a fragile foundation that collapses during life’s storms.” He says “This foolish approach relies on your own doing and your own strength, worldly pleasures or the changing of circumstances rather than on the solid, unchanging foundation of My word.” Doers of the word, not just hearers.

Stop waiting for your circumstance to change before you believe.

That’s baby stuff.

We must be those who will do the word, act on it. Stand, in the midst of all hell itself and declare the truth of who He really is – our all IN all. In every situation, come what may! We eat His word for it is life to us. His word (written and revealed), is alive and takes on legs.

Till Christ be formed in us a mature man.

“Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11) applies in these very instances. That in the very time of testing, we REMEMBER that He alone is our life. We settle back into Him, our all in all. That we not give way to doubt and unbelief.

Oh, that we might know Him who is our life. That, is eternal life – to know Him (experientially through all the things), trusting that He has us and is keeping us through it all. That all His ways are good and perfect no matter how it appears. He is wanting to fix us and settle us in Himself, that nothing that comes our way could pull us out of our life in Him.