{"id":1018,"date":"2024-07-01T13:54:39","date_gmt":"2024-07-01T13:54:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/?page_id=1018"},"modified":"2025-12-11T21:35:18","modified_gmt":"2025-12-11T21:35:18","slug":"lifes-ultimate-pursuit","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/index.php\/lifes-ultimate-pursuit\/","title":{"rendered":"LIFE\u2019S ULTIMATE PURSUIT!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

LIFE\u2019S ULTIMATE PURSUIT!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exodus 33:13-19<\/p>\n\n\n\n

INTRODUCTION:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wow, what a great day to be here with you! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most of our adult lives have been devoted to the ministry of the local church. <\/strong>Lori and I have served in pastoral ministry <\/strong>for over 30 year<\/strong>s, In fact, the last 20 <\/strong>were pastoring a wonderful congregation here, in the Upstate of South Carolina.<\/strong> But, about a year and a half ago, we accepted this new assignment which brought lots of change to our lives. In June of 2023<\/strong> we stepped away from pastoring the local church and into the role of Executive Secretary-Treasurer <\/strong>for the South Carolina Assemblies of God. <\/strong>And since that time, we have been commuting to West Columbia<\/strong> from the north side of Greer<\/strong>. In case you\u2019re wondering, that\u2019s 4 hours a day we spend on the road<\/strong> (when things go as planned). So, that adds up to more than 1000 hours<\/strong> this past year — and 50,000+ miles<\/strong> on our car. That’s a lot of time behind the wheel. However, things are about to change — because, this coming Friday we will close on a new home in Columbia. So celebrate with us…but also, pray with us as we move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TRANSITION:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, nearly 400<\/strong> years<\/strong> ago<\/strong>, a group of scholars<\/strong> gathered to address that issue. They sought to create a tool for the church to help teach the Bible and guide people in their faith in Jesus. In the end, they developed a detailed list of questions and answers derived from scripture. <\/strong>They called it, the Westminster Catechism<\/strong>. Some of you may be familiar with it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In it, the very first question asked is this: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is the chief end<\/strong> (or sole purpose) of man?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other words, what\u2019s the point of life? What\u2019s the main thing? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, the answer is: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To know God \u2014 to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And that\u2019s exactly right. Our primary purpose in this life<\/strong> is to KNOW GOD!<\/strong>To know Him and spend our lives glorifying Him! That\u2019s our purpose \u2014 that\u2019s the end game! That\u2019s our divine destiny!<\/strong> And yet, from the beginning of time, the<\/strong> Devil\u2019s<\/strong> primary<\/strong> purpose<\/strong> has been to DISCREDIT GOD and \u2014 to DISTRACT and DERAIL us from pursuing Him<\/strong> (leading us to serve ourselves instead of serving God)! For this reason, there are many who have erroneously<\/strong> concluded that God<\/strong> isn\u2019t good. That He\u2019s distant<\/strong>, unapproachable<\/strong>, and disinterested<\/strong> in humanity. But, nothing could be further from the truth. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, the Bible<\/strong> tells us that God longs to be KNOWN! <\/strong>For this reason, God reveals Himself in various ways, both general and specific. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 The general revelations<\/strong> are evident in<\/strong> creation<\/strong>\u2014the intricacies of the natural world, the stars, the moon, and the galaxies all reflect His power and precision. The existence of such a detailed creation implies a Creator, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 More specific revelations<\/strong> come through His<\/strong> Word<\/strong>\u2014the Bible. Through Scripture, God discloses who He is and His desire to save us from sin. He teaches us about His love, grace, mercy, right and wrong, sin and forgiveness, and His stance on these matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 Additionally, God reveals Himself through<\/strong> Jesus<\/strong>. Nearly 2,000 years ago, He took on human form and lived among us, demonstrating His love and grace by sacrificing His life for ours. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 God also reveals Himself through<\/strong> His<\/strong> Spirit<\/strong>, whom He sent to dwell within us. When we give our hearts to Christ and trust in Him, His Spirit lives in us. As Jesus said in John 14, the Spirit will teach us all things and reveal God’s heart to us more and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just know this \u2014 GOD WANTS YOU TO KNOW HIM!<\/strong> And OUR ULTIMATE PURSUIT <\/strong>in life \u2014 ought to be to know<\/strong> Him intimately, to experience<\/strong> Him personally., and to glorify<\/strong> Him intentionally!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And, in the time we have remaining today, that\u2019s what I want to talk with you about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MESSAGE:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, if you have your Bible<\/strong>, turn with me to Exodus 33<\/strong>. Here, we find a story of Moses<\/strong> grappling with the desire to truly know God<\/strong>. This passage highlights how, above all else\u2014more than success<\/strong>, wealth<\/strong>, power<\/strong>, or possessions<\/strong>\u2014Moses<\/strong> longs to know God<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let’s begin reading in verse 13.<\/strong> Here Moses<\/strong> says to God<\/strong>,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

13 <\/em><\/strong>If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.\u201d <\/em>14 <\/em><\/strong>The Lord replied, \u201cMy Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.\u201d<\/em> 15 <\/em><\/strong>Then Moses said to him, \u201cIf your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. <\/em>16 <\/em><\/strong>How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?\u201d <\/em>17 <\/em><\/strong>And the Lord said to Moses, \u201cI will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.\u201d<\/em> 18 <\/em><\/strong>Then Moses said, \u201cNow show me your glory.\u201d <\/em>19 <\/em><\/strong>And the Lord said, \u201cI 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.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exodus 33:13-19 (NIV)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this story, Moses<\/strong>, the leader of his people, pauses to pray and asks God<\/strong> for three specific things in his life. As I reflect on this passage, I believe we too should pray for these same three things. If God answers these prayers, our lives will be forever changed. Here they are\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first thing we should ask God for is this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. GOD, I WANT TO KNOW YOU BETTER.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In verse 13<\/strong>, Moses<\/strong> prayed,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exodus 33:13 (NIV)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have you ever had that thought, \u201cGod, if you\u2019re real \u2014 I want to know you?\u201d <\/strong>Well, if you have, it\u2019s because you were designed with that longing. Some have described it as a \u201cGod-shaped hole\u201d<\/strong> within each of us. A deep desire, and the only thing that can fill that void in our lives, is to KNOW GOD! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, it\u2019s also an invitation He\u2019s given us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Psalm 46:10<\/strong>, God<\/strong> says, <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBe still and know that I am God.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/strong>He says, \u201cSlow down \u2014 take a breath, and get to know me!\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Jeremiah 9:24<\/strong>, He says, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLet the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Knowing God is His desire for you \u2014 so when you pray that prayer\u2026He is motivated to respond. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But don\u2019t think that\u2019s just an invitation for those who are FAR<\/strong> from<\/strong> God<\/strong>. This is God\u2019s desire for all of us. <\/strong>For those<\/strong> new<\/strong> to<\/strong> faith<\/strong>, as well as those<\/strong> who have been serving Christ <\/strong>for a long time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, no matter where you are on the continuum of faith<\/strong>, and no matter how long you\u2019ve been serving Jesus, you can always know Him more.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, KNOWING<\/strong> HIM<\/strong> and KNOWING<\/strong> ABOUT<\/strong> HIM<\/strong> are NOT the same things! There\u2019s a BIG difference between knowing ABOUT God and really knowing Him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the tragedies of our generation<\/strong>, is that it\u2019s easy to gain knowledge ABOUT<\/strong> GOD<\/strong> \u2014 but never really KNOW<\/strong> HIM intimately.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have you ever met anyone like that?<\/strong> Have you ever encountered someone who was good at quoting information, they could articulate doctrine \u2014 maybe even argue religious views and theological points. But there was a DISCONNECT<\/strong> between their head and their heart?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They could probably spew INFORMATION<\/strong> about God, but they probably failed to practice living like Him. And that\u2019s because \u2014 <\/strong>knowing in your head, <\/strong>and knowing in your heart <\/strong>are two different things. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Author J.I. Packer <\/strong>in His book \u2014 Knowing God<\/em><\/strong>, says, \u201cA little knowledge OF<\/strong> God<\/strong> is worth more than a great deal of knowledge ABOUT<\/strong> him<\/strong>. One can know a great deal ABOUT<\/strong> God<\/strong> without much knowledge OF<\/strong> him<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What he\u2019s saying is that INFORMATION<\/strong> alone will never compare to an EXPERIENCE<\/strong> with Him<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moses<\/strong> knew this. <\/p>\n\n\n\n