⁴ Shew me Thy ways, O Lord; teach me Thy paths. ⁵ Lead me in Thy truth, and teach me: for Thou art the God of my salvation; on Thee do I wait all the day.

Psalm 25:4-5 (KJV)

I consider my father to be a “jack-of-all-trades” and a master of these said trades. He is an excellent electrician, plumber, carpenter, mason, and landscaper; basically going beyond just being your everyday dependable “handyman”. I remember observing his skills in building an entire sound system from scratch and wiring an entire kitchen and living room area, and wondering to myself “I wish that I could do that”. Now, in truth, all I had to do was ask him to show me. It was because of him showing me why I know how to use certain tools. Such acquired knowledge has helped me tremendously in sticky situations now that I have my own family to look after. However, there are other skills that I could have acquired if I had just simply asked or sought earnestly after them.

All of this came to mind when considering this article’s focus scripture of Psalm 25:4-5. King David, the writer of this psalm, knows that God is His Father. He therefore desires to know His Father more so that the intimacy between the two of them could be built. However, along with knowing the LORD, David also desired to become more like the LORD, following in His ways and obtaining grace and abilities from Him. David knew, for example, that the LORD’s ways involved truth. Such truth would give David the revelations and confirmations that he needed not just to fulfil His duty as king, but also to walk steadfastly before the LORD God. David knew that God was the One who gave Him salvation and was therefore willing to do anything to receive from God – even to the point of being willing to wait on Him day and night!

Just as David desired to know God’s ways, so must we desire to obtain such knowledge. Knowing the ways of God helps us to know how to function according to His will. His ways are the highlighted principles by which He functions. It is therefore imperative that we know His ways, for in knowing His ways we get to know and draw closer to Him. What then are the principles by which God functions that help us to know His ways? Let’s look at eight (8) such principles that are highlighted in Scripture.

Principle #1: Knowing God’s Ways starts by Knowing God’s Character

²⁸ Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; His understanding is unsearchable. ²⁹ He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might He increases strength.

Isaiah 40:28-29 (ESV)

Isaiah describes God as “everlasting”, “creator”, being unable to become “faint” or “grow weary”, and having an “unsearchable understanding”. This is a brief yet profound description of His nature, showing that He has no beginning or end, that everything originates from Him, that He is omnipotent, and that there is no limit to His knowledge and wisdom. This simple statement shows how magnificent God Almighty is. Yet, in verse 29, we see that this Almighty God, limitless in strength, is also concerned about those who have little to no strength. His desire is to strengthen such persons who turn to Him.

Knowing God’s character involves receiving an authentic revelation of who He is, His majesty and power, and His great love for us. This allows to have a true and holistic understanding of who the God we serve is. Understanding God’s character helps to build proper connections between His expression of mercy and His sovereignty. To see such connections as a blur and as contradictions shows that there is a need for our relationship with Him to be strengthened, and not that He Himself is contradictory to His own self. Knowing the Character of God helps to build, between us and God, something that God desires tremendously – intimacy with Him. When we stand before God on judgment day, His pleasure in us will be based on (1) the intimacy we had with Him, and (2) the value of our servanthood to Him. These two factors can only be achieved through Jesus Christ dwelling in us, and His Holy Spirit sealing us. Intimacy with and servanthood to God become effective and fulfilled when we first, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, understand the character and nature of our great God.

Principle #2: Everything that God does is for His glory

⁹ Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name. ¹⁰ Your Kingdom come, your Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Matthew 6:9-10 (ESV)

God’s love, mercy, sovereignty, justice, and all of His other attributes and abilities are manifested and meant to show forth one key thing – His glory. In fact, that is the principal theme of the Bible; “the manifestation of the glory of God”. The holy scriptures highlight primarily the journey towards Christ bringing forth our salvation and transformation by His death, burial and resurrection. This showing of His love reveals to us, as a whole, His glory. The scriptures also show how God intervenes in our affairs for our well-being, how He sanctifies us in helping us to become more like Christ, and how He will judge and be ruler over all the earth and heavens during the culmination of time. In everything and in every period of history, from Genesis to Revelation, God’s glory and will are seen and accomplished respectively. Everything really is about His glory.

It is therefore imperative that we understand that everything God does in and for us will resultantly lead to Him being glorified. The good thing is that we do not serve a tyrannical deity. Instead we serve a God who desires to be glorified as we are satisfied and safe in Him. Therefore, our well-being is indeed important to Him. However, we have a responsibility of obedience, to adhere to the voice of the Spirit of God, so that we are consistently walking in His will. If you therefore desire to know God more, draw closer to Him, and be more acquainted with His ways, you must understand that, for Him, His glory (and not yours) is of paramount significance.

Principle #3: Everything that God does is highlighted and guided by His Word, which reveals His will

¹⁶ All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV)

Do you desire to know God’s will? Do you desire to know His ways? Then read His word! Many persons desire God to show forth signs, split the skies, and shout with thunderous shouts from the heavens to show Himself mighty or to hear from Him. But God’s divine descriptions and principles are highlighted in scripture. His will is also there, both is overall will and even guidelines in knowing the specificity of His will concerning our individual situations. So therefore, for example, you do not have to inquire from God if it is His will that you tell others about the Gospel; His word has already instructed you to do that (see Matthew 28:18-20). Also, as another example, if you are a believer and you find someone who is not a believer and you might have romantic feelings towards that person, God’s word has already spoken to you about being “unequally yolked” (see 2 Corinthians 6:14).

As Paul highlighted to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, all scripture comes from God. As a matter of fact, he says that it’s as if it is “breathed” out from God, coming forth from His very essence. He then says that such scripture is profitable for teaching, correction and training in righteousness. This scripture does two key things to a man of God; it (1) completes him, and (2) it equips Him for every good work. As you study and apply the word of God to your life, you become more acquainted with, accepting of, and obedient to the very will of God. Adherence to His word sparks transformation in you and also helps to facilitate your obedience and clarity, so that you can truly love Him (see John 14:15). Therefore, if you desire to know God more, dive into His word.

Principle #4: Jesus Christ is the revelation of the fullness of God in attributes and activity

¹ Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, ² but in these last days he has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom also He created the world.³ He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of His power. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,⁴ having become as much superior to angels as the Name He has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

Hebrews 1:1-4 (ESV)

Hebrews 1 is a masterfully written piece, giving us insight into the importance of Jesus Christ – the manifested Word of God who became flesh and lived among us as human beings. It is an impossible feat to attempt to understand God while forsaking Jesus Christ. Verse 3 highlights it quite clearly to us – Jesus is “the radiance of the glory of God, and the exact imprint of His nature”. In the Old Testament it was highlighted that no man can see God’s face and live (see Exodus 33:20). God’s holiness is like the sun, absolutely beautiful and beneficial, but will absolutely obliterate you if you draw too close. However, there is also the call that we be holy as He is holy. Yet, how can such wretched beings accomplish that? Only through Jesus Christ!

Jesus’ manifestation to humanity helped us to finally see God face-to-face. He confirmed, clarified, and fulfilled the words of the prophets of old, and brought divine light into the true nature of God’s nature and ways. He became the clarifier of God’s thoughts, desires, mercy, love, judgment, and majesty, among all other things. He did this not because He was a “good prophet” or “great teacher”. He did this because He was God Himself, God’s word taking on human form. And as scripture showed us, God’s word and God Himself are one (see John 1:1). If you take time to study the Gospel accounts (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) as well as the epistles of the various Apostles, you will have a deeper understanding of Jesus Christ, who is the exact and perfect representation of the omnipotent God Yahweh.

Principle #5: The Holy Spirit reveals and sets in motion the divine will of God, and is one with His Word

⁹ But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— ¹⁰ these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. ¹¹ For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 

1 Corinthians 2:9-11 (ESV)

Even though you study the word, or observe the teachings of Jesus, or try anything else, all attempts would be futile if you do not have and listen to the Holy Spirit (the Spirit of God). The Holy Spirit is the seal of our salvation and our assurance of being recipients of eternal life. We also see that, according to 1 Corinthians 2, He searches “the depths of God” and reveals to us the will of God and what He has prepared for those who love Him. When Jesus left the earth He told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem until the helper comes (see Acts 1 and 2). He knew that we needed God’s very and ever-abiding Spirit to seal us (and be the evidence of such a sealing), to teach us, empower us, anoint us, and transform us.

The Holy Spirit sets in motion the will of God. Therefore, obedience to God’s will cannot be accomplished if He is not present and active in your life. He also is one with the word of God, so His action and words will never contradict the word of God. Many believers focus on either being “spirit-heavy” (focusing more on the charismatic movement of the spirit) or “word-heavy” (focusing more on the preached word). God’s desire is not for us to lean on one more than the other, but to rely on His word and His Spirit, for they are one and the same. If you desire to know God, surrender to Him, and allow His Spirit to come into you and transform you into the very image of Jesus Christ.

Principle #6: The Love of God pushes for the accomplishment of His glory

¹ Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.² Through Him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ³ Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, ⁴ and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, ⁵ and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Romans 5:1-5 (ESV)

We mentioned earlier that everything God does is for His glory. However, as seen in scripture, God’s love is especially expressed as His primary tool in pushing the accomplishment of His will. We as believers have been justified by faith, have received access into His grace, have rejoiced in hope of His glory, and can also rejoice in sufferings as we understand the function of sufferings (producing endurance). All of these factors work together to build hope in us, a hope that would be effective because of one primary factor – the Love of God in our hearts.

When the Holy Spirit indwells us, He spreads in our hearts the love of God (see Romans 5:5). This love strengthens hope that also grows in us and prevents it (hope) from coming to shame. Therefore, the love of God in our hearts helps to build and strengthen hope in us, which all eventually lead to us rejoicing in the hope of God’s glory. God’s love actively works in us, leading us to be passionate about and be in constant anticipation of God being glorified. God’s love is the primary vehicle of His glory manifested in us, to us, and through us. Someone who understands God’s love becomes passionate about God, surrendering themselves to His glorious will being accomplished. His love motivates us towards true obedience, all for the purpose of refusing to disappoint Him. This is not out of cohesion, it is simply because His love is too much to resist and to dismiss as only needing to be expressed and not reacted towards. In knowing that everything is about God’s glory, understand that Him loving you is also His mechanism of helping you to operate in His will and for His glory.

Principle #7: God’s work in our lives is aimed at helping us become more like Jesus Christ

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV)

When God works in us, it is to help us to become more like Jesus Christ, and we previously saw how Jesus Christ must be understood if we desire to know God more. But what exactly does it look like when we become more like Jesus? What does becoming like Jesus Christ really mean? Paul helps us to know this in 2 Corinthians 3:18 by presenting to us three (3) key factors; (1) having the mind of Christ, (2) being the mirror image of Christ, and (3) fulfilling the mandate of Christ.

Our minds must become just as the very mind of Christ (see Philippians 2:5). This means that our thought processes, opinions, intentions, and focus must be on the Kingdom of God. Our minds must be surrendered in entirety to God’s will and power. We must also be purveyors of the very image of Christ. People must see Christ in us, even to the point that they forget about us. As was said of Peter and John, it must be said by others that this person was indeed with Jesus. Then we must fulfil the mandate of Jesus. Christ has called us to take up our cross daily and follow Him, to become salt and light in this world, and to reach all kindred and tongue with the Gospel of the Kingdom. Many may seek to obtain head knowledge of Jesus, but the will of Yahweh is that we become like Jesus. As a matter of fact, our success in intimacy and servanthood is dependent on our reliance of Christ. When God tells us “well done” it would not be because of our works or efforts in achieving such intimacy and servanthood. Instead, it will be because Christ is in us, and His intimacy with and servanthood to the Father would be expressed in us, carried out by His Holy Spirit in accordance with His word.

Principle #8: God desires that we be empowered by, satisfied in, and benefit from Him

Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.

John 14:23 (ESV)

I have grown to appreciate a quote I once heard from the preacher John Piper, which says “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him”. This of course goes way beyond Him providing us with tangible blessings. It shows His work of sealing, empowering and therefore satisfying us. It is God’s desire that we be satisfied in Him, appreciating His expressed love and commitment towards us. Jesus desires that not only we obey Him but also that we become His very home. As we become His very dwelling place, His temple, He would continue to work in us towards our fulfilment in Christ. God is passionate about our well-being and He therefore prioritises such. Such a prioritisation is never about His glory, but the advancement of the revelation of His glory in, to and through us is accomplished by the vehicle of His manifest love. He therefore sees our well-being, satisfaction and empowerment in and by Him as an objective that His Kingdom mandate seeks to accomplish. This of course is never for our glory or selfish gain. Instead it is that we be willing vessels through which Christ can be revealed and manifest to the world.

Conclusion

God desires that you know Him and His ways. A cry of our hearts should be that He teach us His ways. This is so that we can become more like Him, see His glory and be passionate about such, and witness and understand His great love for us. Know Him and His ways today.

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