Knowing God verses Believing in God

How many really KNOW God? Can you be a Christian and NOT know God? Do you know Gods Will? How do we receive Christ as Savior? Are your prayers being answered, and if not why is that? Those are a few of the topics I want to touch on here. It is my belief that many call themselves Christian and they are believers but they do not know God. I know that from my own personal experience of calling myself a Christian for over 40 years but not knowing God. You may ask how anyone can be a Christian and not know God. The answer is simple. I confessed Him as my Lord and Savior, invited Him into my heart, asked forgiveness of sin, and the buck stopped there. Oh, I prayed and I prayed often but praying does not make one a Christian. Believing does not make one a Christian, even the devil believes and trembles but He is not a Christian. Here is where I could start quoting scripture and giving you chapter and verse. That would make it too simple. I followed that path for too many years. I can assure you the times I refer to what God said are scriptural. Yet the Bible says we find when we seek with ALL our heart. If you are interested enough to want to know more about the things I will reveal to you here, then You must be hungry enough for Gods Word to seek for your self. I cannot seek for anyone else. First I want to explain what a true Christian is. Christ which is taken from the word Christos, means the anointed one. Therefore Jesus Christ was the anointed one. If you are a Christian (Follower and Believer "IN" Christ) then You are also anointed through Christ. You seek to do His will. You use your God given gifts of the Spirit. Now How does one know Gods will? For many years I just assumed everything that happened was Gods will. If I lost a loved one, had to be Gods will. If I was broke, had to be Gods will. After all, He created all. He knows all. Then everything that happens to us in this life must be Gods will. Right? WRONG! Knowing Gods Word is knowing Gods will. He created us in His image, body, soul, and spirit, and He gave us the freedom of choice. He sent His only begotten Son that we may have eternal life and forgiveness of sin by repenting and choosing Him as our Lord and Savior. To repent is to turn away from. Not easy, especially at first. Yet the more you understand Gods Word and KNOW it as His will. It becomes easier, and turns you into a new creation. Old things pass away, all things become new. Gods Word says it is God's desire that no man perish but that each come to know His saving grace through Jesus Christ. Yet The Bible also speaks of those that will spend eternity in Hell.  That shows God does NOT always get His will. The Bible says man does not live by bread alone but by every word out of the mouth of God. It also says ask and you shall receive. That does not mean your going to get everything you ask for. I think it means ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit, ask from your heart, and be ready to let the Holy Spirit lead you. The Bible says, the Holy Spirit will teach you ALL things. The Holy Spirit reveals Gods Word in a whole new light. You may ask what is the Holy Spirit? Gods Word says there are 3 that bare witness in Heaven, Father, Son and Holy Ghost (Holy Spirit) and these 3 are One. One God in 3 different forms. Father God (Spirit) Son (Jesus Christ) Holy Ghost (Holy Spirit sent by Jesus as Our Comforter).  The Holy Spirit is God living "IN" you.  Gods Word says, He lives in me and I in Him as He has given me of His Spirit.  The body of Christ (Christians) is made up of many.  That is what makes us Brothers and Sisters "IN" Christ.  Jesus is the Head of the body.  Our directions come from the Word of God.  Jesus was and is the Word made flesh, so we are to follow the example He gave to us in the written Word. God is knowable.  He says those that are His know His voice.  He is revealed to them by His Word.  My next entry will be about the Power we have when Jesus lives in Us.