Conferences, Conventions, or Christ?

The people who know their God shall stand firm and take action. (Daniel 11:32 ESV)

The above verse became familiar to me when I began to lead Precept Upon Precept Bible Studies back in "the day." Kay Arthur would often punctuate her messages with this gem of truth. And yes, it made me want to know my God even more.

And over the course of my life I have benefitted by teachers and trainings, workshops and witness, conferences and conventions. But now I'm slowing down and realizing that it's really all about my Abba Father GOD. It's all about my Lord Jesus CHRIST. It's all about my indwelling HOLY SPIRIT ... my Triune GOD. And I want to know HIM purely and fully, more than ever ... as much as a human on this earth has spiritual capacity to do so. How about you, my friend? 

If so, here is a short devotional by a formerly unknown, but now beloved, devotional writer of the past. This may be a good way to begin a new week or to walk a new path. It may also be helpful in decisions to soon be made about registering for upcoming conferences or studies. Is it God's appointed time to meet Him there or is it just frenetic busyness and not wanting to "miss out"?  Follow His leading and rest in HIM, my beloved friend.

How much do you depend upon conferences and teachers to keep you going? Must you attend meetings just because you feel that the last lot you got has been used up and you must get a fresh supply? Or have you been emancipated from all human props and put into a place of glorious independence, because you KNOW YOUR GOD? It doesn't matter if you are plunged into the middle of the Sahara, you know your God and can stand independently of all natural helps – this thing has become YOU! That is the kind of knowledge that means power. That is the kind of experience which overcomes the world. That is the kind of thing that makes all the other systems go down, and you rise triumphantly above them. That was the secret of the apostolic church. Let kings do what they like, let the people rage – it goes on, and it is the Roman Empire that goes to pieces before this thing, and not this thing that goes down before the Roman Empire. It is an independent personal knowledge of God, resultant from an inward birth, that lives. Not only an objective truth, but a subjective power, and it is a great day when the slightest fragment of known truth becomes a vital personal experience in its working ability. That is what we want. First-hand knowledge, not second-hand truth.

May God work this into our very beings until it becomes us. Take it in fragments if you like, and ask the Lord to work it out in you and make it live in you.

By T. Austin-Sparks from: The People That Do Exploits

I Want to Know You More
Steve Green

Just the time I feel
That I've been caught
In the mire of self.
Just the time I feel
My mind's been bought
By worldly wealth.
That's when the breeze begins
To blow I know,
The Spirit's call
And all my worldly wanderings
Just melt into His love.

Oh, I want to know You more!
Deep within my soul I want to know You,
Oh, I want to know You.
To feel Your heart and know Your mind,
Looking in Your eyes stirs up within me,
Cries that says I want to know You
Oh, I want to know You more.
Oh, I want to know You more.

When my daily deeds
Ordinarily lose life and song,
My heart begins to bleed,
Sensitivity to Him is gone.
I've run the race but set my own pace
And face a shattered soul,
But the gentle arms of Jesus
Warm my hungering to be whole.

Oh, I want to know You more!
Deep within my soul I want to know You,
Oh, I want to know You.
And I would give my final breathe
To know You in Your death and resurrection,
Oh, I want to know You more
Oh, I want to know You more
Oh, I want to know You more

Songwriters: Steven Lee Fry

Oh, I Want to Know You More lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

**Sorry, friends, youtube wouldn't allow me to post this video. But you can go to youtube and find it there.