Getting To Know God

Charley Karnes

I don't know about you, but when I have ideas or thoughts of something that I think is worthy enough to remember, I have to write it down. This is a great way not to forget anything, but I can never remember where I wrote it down. It seems most of my thoughts occcur at odd times, i.e. driving down the road, lying in bed, waking up in the middle of the night, in the shower, and etc.

What's the point you ask? Well, I am scrambling to type this in while I still have it in thought. If I remember correctly from school, you're writing should "flow" and gently progress from thought to thought. I goofed off in high school, plus I'm not getting graded for this, hence my explanation above. So please ignore the mistakes.

I rededicated my life to Christ in the early part of this year, 2004. It was the hardest thing that I ever did. I fought it just like everybody else. For me, I think the problem was that I didn't want to admit that I was wrong and that I need God to guide me, teach me, and sometimes scold me to prepare this temporary life that we all live now, for eternal life that again, we all will go forward to. The big decision in everyone's life is will you go to Heaven or Hell. The crazy thing about that decision is that everyone would choose Heaven over Hell unless they were unbalanced and couldn't ascertain the difference.

The problem is most everyone either can't accept the fact that they need help through this temporary life that we live now, or they want to have "a few more weekends where they can party or whatever" and then come to the alter. The problem with that is you no not when your life will end.

I know that some people will say at this point, your story is the same as everyone else's so why continue to read this. Please hear me out! It is a BIG decision that will affect you FOREVER!

No one really spelled it out for me, so let me try to explain it in my own personal way to you. Once you admit that you need help and you pray the sinners prayer, you publicly announce that you are a sinner and need help - after all of that is done, WHAT THEN?

You go home after church and you are feeling real good. You know without any shadow of doubt that you are now saved. The problem is that the next day is Monday. You go to work and guess what? All of the problems that you left there on Friday are still there! It shocks you because you thought once you were saved, everything would be "fixed" now.

Committing you life to Christ means just that. There is no magical wand that is waved and problems disappear. Work problems, home problems, financial problems - they are all still there. The great thing is now you have God as your pilot. Follow his teachings and you can win, period!! No matter what, you are a winner. This brings a thought to mind. I am sure you have seen the bumper sticker on cars that say, "God is my co-pilot!". How can anything be so far from the truth! YOU HAD BETTER MAKE GOD YOUR PILOT!

Getting back to my story, I started praying and talking to the Lord morning, noon, and night and still do. I ask his guidance in driving, in solving problems, in everything I do. Guess what. With His help, I have gone places that no one in their right mind would go to for work, I have solved problems that I would have never been able to, without God. I still have problems that everybody else has, but I seek guidance and receive it. It just took me a while to be able to communicate with God.

God is an all knowing, all caring God. We are all part of His Master Plan. He has left nothing unplanned. God knew about each of us, knew who our parents would be, where we would be born, and also when we will die. Each one of us fit into His Master Plan. To not believe that would mean each one of us is here by accident! Guess what, God doesn't make mistakes! God doesn't have accidents! Nothing on this planet or in the Universe is ours. It was all made from nothing to what it is now, by the Supreme Creator Himself. He is the beginning and the end.

I continue to come to our Church to pray at the alter and read the Bible everyday. There have been a few days that I couldn't, but for the most part, I come to church to worship him everyday. This time I spend with Him, is but a fraction of the time that I should devote to Him.

I am always asking God, not to make bills disappear or to discover a rich relative (He doesn't work like that!), but to show me the door to help with the problems that I am having. I also ask him to lead me to the door, since I am only human and can't always find the door.

Let me assure you, that God does listen to us, walk with us, talk with us and weep with us. He IS a loving God! Accept what he has laid out for you, no matter how much it hurts or doesn't even sound logical to you. I have never found anything written that said God said it would be easy, He has just promised all of us that it would be worth it! Remember it!

I found out that being a Christian is alot like a newborn baby. When we are first saved, we do need to be fed small amounts. But if you don't work, weed, and fertilize youself in God's word, you will never grow. You will never develop strong roots to weather the storms of life and produce fruit.

Where am I, you ask? I think of myself as a "teenager" in my spirtiual life. I have progressed to the point that I feel God's presence all of the time. He is always beside me, no matter what. He has shown me that there are rewards in following his teachings and ways. Did he make life any easier? No! But he does give me the strength to beat anything that is thrown at me. How do I know that, you ask? I know because I BELIEVE! I know because I completely, without question, TRUST HIM! I have unwavering faith and complete belief that he will lead me to the answer!

Where do I go (and grow) from here? I don't know. Haven't been there yet. But I am anxious to find out!

In closing, let me explain something. Don't think for one second, that I haven't had a struggle in getting to the level that I am at, in my spirtual life. In prayer, I have tried to make a "deal" with God (He doesn't make deals.), have gotten mad at God (Don't recommend this to anyone.), and have pleaded with God to take my last breath in hopes that it would make things easier for my family (Another stupid idea on my part.). No matter what, God will win in your battle aginst Him. But He WILL also take care of you, but only on His terms.

How do I know? Ask my wife! Case in point, ever since I was diagnosed as having a minor heartattack (I thought any heartattack was not minor) and scarring in my lungs which prevents me from doing alot of things that I think I can do, the Lord has ALWAYS led Jill to me to get me out of trouble. She found me in the backyard lying on the ground, she knew that I was in trouble TWO times when I called her and told her I needed her, and (blush) just this last Friday, she once again knew I needed help at the church. She was on her way to work and said she knew she needed to come to the church to check on me. Well, I was up in the attic on my back, struggling to breath. Bro James was in my van trying to find my medicine and Jill pulled up, again just in time. She got my medicine and almost ran over Bro James going up the steps leading into the new sound room, climbed up into the attic, and ran over Bro James getting to me!

In closing, let me say this: PLEASE GET TO KNOW GOD! You have everything to lose, if you don't and everything to win if you do!