Chris Lopez is a student who graduated with a business degree last year. He helped host our Discipleship Training Course on the Stockton University campus. Now, he and his new wife, Rachel, are in their fourth week of the Discipleship Training School in Cartagena, Colombia. During his second week, Chris wrote, “: “The nature of something is its capacity, and its character is the choice action made by its capacity. For example, we have two arms. However, what we choose to do with those two arms shows the type of character we have.” He continues, “We do not possess the capacity (or nature) that God does, but we are called to reflect His character.”
Knowing God’s power does not mean you know God’s heart.
While God is omnipotent, and all-powerful; he is also personal. He is the father of every family. The highest value throughout all of the universe and eternity is the character of God. That’s why knowing God is so important.
"Now this is eternal life that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." John 17:3
Holiness can be described as intimacy with God. Moses knew God by talking to him through extended, intimate, and fearful encounters.
“The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.” - Exo 33:11
God is Holy; He is set apart from all others. But He invites us into His Holy presence.
After extended time with God, Moses asked to know God more intimately.
“Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.” And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” Exo 33:18-19
“Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord. And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, ‘The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness…’” Exo 34:5-6
Eight times God is described in the Old Testament as: “Slow to anger and abounding in love.”
