* NAMES each one of His sheep. John 10:3
* NUMBERS our hairs on our heads (or perhaps the lack thereof). Matthew 10:30
* COUNTS each of our steps.
* REMEMBERS those who honor His name.
* TEARS up at times. "Jesus wept." John 11:35
* BOTTLES up each one of our tears. Psalm 56:8.
"You number my wanderings; put my tears into Your bottle; are they not in Your book?" He weeps with those who weep, and rejoices with those who rejoice in the truth.
* HOLDS our hand. He gladly does that.
* SUPPLIES our needs.
THERE'S ONE GOD WHO KNOWS YOUR NAME
He's completely omniscient. There's nothing He doesn't know about you.
The profoundly personal love, focused attention, compassionate tenderness, and faithful companionship of God the Father, of Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit.. is SO there for you! So call out to Him!
An Old Testament and New Testament study of the God who does not merely know about His children, but personally knows, loves, leads, corrects, comforts, sustains, and keeps those who belong to Him.
We have the Bible as God's Revelation telling us all about His personal care. There is something so special, yes, profoundly beautiful about the biblical revelation of God: The Creator of the universe is great... and yet not too HUGE to concern Himself with the smallest details of the lives of His beloved children.
He is BIG and governs several galaxies, yet hears a whispered prayer. He hears when you cry out to Him.
He numbers the stars, yet knows the names of His sheep. He sees nations, yet notices one frightened widow, one wandering sinner, one grieving mother, one discouraged servant, and one believer quietly crying out to Him in the middle of the night.
Christianity is not merely believing that God exists. It is being reconciled to God through Jesus Christ and brought into a personal relationship with the living God.
The God of Scripture is not an impersonal force, a distant cosmic supervisor, or a religious concept that people turn to when life becomes difficult. He is the living, personal, holy, loving God who reveals Himself, speaks through His Word, hears prayer, disciplines His children, provides for their needs, and faithfully accompanies them through life.
He does not love His children as an anonymous crowd. His knowledge of each one is complete.
Consider what Jesus Himself said.
JESUS SAID THIS: HE CALLS HIS OWN SHEEP BY NAME
Read through John, and Psalms 23:1-6 nkjv
"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers."
Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.
Then Jesus said to them again, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.'" John 10:1–7 nkjv
Pause over the truth of those words, read em again, repeat, meditate upon those words: "He calls his own sheep by name."
Not merely by their occupation. Not by their income, accomplishments, social standing, educational background, reputation, or usefulness to other people.
By name.
The Good Shepherd knows His own. He does not drive His sheep from behind like an indifferent employer managing an anonymous workforce. He goes before them. They hear His voice, recognize Him, and follow Him.
That is personal care.
The world frequently measures people by what they can contribute, produce, bank up, provide, or accomplish. Some relationships are so transactional: What can you do for me? What have you done for me lately? What benefit or advantage do I gain from knowing you? What happens when you are no longer useful? They ditch. It's use em and lose em.
But Christ is not like that. He is loyal and gives a flip. You matter to Him.
He loved us and gave Himself for us on a lonely Cross (Galatians 2:20). He does not call His people to religion or into a relationship of exploitation, but into a relationship of kind redemption, meaningful fellowship, truth, holiness, and everlasting love. No end ever!
There is an important distinction here: Jesus is not simply promising that life will become comfortable. He is promising something much greater. His sheep belong to Him, hear His voice, and are secure in His saving care (See John 10:27–29). We enjoy His abundant life and eternal life. It can start today, not way off in the future, though you can be there close with Him too.
The Shepherd does not promise you a rose garden minus thorns, or a tiptoe through the tulips, or an always trouble-free pasture. He promises you His close presence if you'll come on His terms, and His wise leadership, and His mighty keeping power.
And sometimes, following Jesus means leaving behind what is familiar, comfortable, sinful, or spiritually destructive. Suffering is part of the Christian life. Many will hate and oppose the truth you live for and tactfully (yet boldly) speak.
He calls us out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). He leads us away from the dominion of sin and into a life of obedience and fellowship with Him (Romans 6:11–14).
Believer, you are not some overlooked, nameless face in a massive religious crowd. If you belong to Christ, you belong to the one Shepherd who knows you by name.
1. TAKE A LOOK AT THE PERSONAL GOD OF THE OLD TESTAMENT
One of the greatest mistakes people make is thinking that the God of the Old Testament is so distant, so severe, and largely impersonal.. while Jesus (in truth) introduced a more tender and approachable God the Father in the New Testament.
That distance or cold severity is not what Scripture teaches about God the Father.
The Father revealed through Jesus Christ when He came here, is the same God who personally sought for Adam after sinning, and heard Hagar who lacked hope, who walked close with Enoch, who called Abraham, who spoke to Moses in the wilderness, who strengthened Joshua, who heard Hannah, who sustained Elijah, who forgave David, and who comforted His people through those prophets He sent.
His holiness never contradicts His righteous tenderness. His tenderness never compromises His holiness even a little.
Look at how personally He dealt with individuals.
A. He sees the individual whom everyone else overlooks
Hagar: The God who sees me. You remember her!
Genesis 16:7–13 tells us about flawed Hagar, a distressed woman who had fled into the wilderness.
She was vulnerable, mistreated, and apparently alone. Yet the Angel of the LORD found her.
Hagar responded by identifying the LORD as the God who sees her.
What a remarkable revelation!
The God of Abraham was not merely watching over the patriarchs and their important journeys. He saw a distressed woman in the wilderness.
Other people might have overlooked her. God did not.
Other passages:
Genesis 21:14–20: God heard the voice of the boy Ishmael and provided for Hagar.
Genesis 29:31–35: The LORD saw that Leah was unloved.
Exodus 3:7–8: God told Moses that He had seen the affliction of His people, heard their cry, and knew their sorrows.
Psalm 34:15: The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry.
Psalm 139:1–6: God searches and knows the individual completely.
A person can be overlooked by a ginormous roomful of people without ever being overlooked by God.
B. He knows our names and calls individuals into His purposes
Consider Moses before that very personal burning bush out in the desert.
In Exodus 3:4, God indeed called to him from the burning bush:
"Moses, Moses!" Exodus 3:4 NKJV
God knew whom He was addressing, and He had saving oppressed people on His mind. Out of Egypt, out of that dark world system.
He did not issue an anonymous invitation to an unidentified person. He called Moses by name and gave him a specific assignment. Moses got to be involved with God in His rescue plan. You and I can also be a part of His rescue plan.
Consider these other personal encounters:
Abraham: Genesis 12:1–3; 17:1–8; 22:1–18.
Jacob: Genesis 28:10–17; 32:24–30.
Joseph: Genesis 37–50.
Moses: Exodus 3:1–12; 33:11–23.
Joshua: Joshua 1:1–9.
Samuel: 1 Samuel 3:1–10. God called Samuel by name, even while the young boy was learning to recognize His voice.
David: 1 Samuel 16:1–13; Psalm 78:70–72.
Jeremiah: Jeremiah 1:4–10.
Daniel: Daniel 10:11, 19.
Pause a sec. Notice the words in Jeremiah 1:
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations." Jeremiah 1:5 nkjv
This was a specific prophetic calling to Jeremiah, not a promise that every Christian has the same prophetic assignment. Nevertheless, it reveals something about God's personal knowledge and purposeful dealings with human beings.
God's attention is not limited to public platforms, prominent ministries, or people whose names are recognized by others.
He sees faithfulness in places where nobody else is watching.
C. He knows our specific circumstances, our unique ways, and our individual steps
Now Jesus is the Father's way for us. The truth and the life as well.
Job asked:
"Does He not see my ways, and count all my steps?" Job 31:4 NKJV
What an extraordinary thought!
The God who rules over creation is not unaware of the paths His people travel.
Psalm 139 develops this truth even more.. yes, more fully.
David describes a God who knows when he sits down and rises up, understands his thoughts, knows his movements, and is acquainted with all his ways.
"For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether." Psalm 139:4 NKJV
Read the chapter slowly, especially verses 1–18.
This is not merely God's ability to collect information. It is the wonderful reality that nothing about us is hidden from Him.
God knows well:
Our private anxieties.
Our unspoken questions.
Our hidden motives.
Our weaknesses.
Our spiritual struggles.
Our genuine repentance.
Our need for correction.
Our longing to walk faithfully with Him.
Hebrews 4:13 reminds us that nothing in creation is hidden from His sight.
That truth should produce both reverence and comfort. We cannot hide our sin from Him, but neither must we hide our suffering.
D. He remembers those who fear (who respect with awe) Him and intentionally honor His name
Mr. Malachi gives us a particularly beautiful picture.
"Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD And who meditate on His name.
'They shall be Mine,' says the LORD of hosts, 'On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.'
Then you shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him." Malachi 3:16–18 NKJV
Think about the setting.
While others were questioning whether serving God was worthwhile, a faithful remnant continued to fear Him, honor His name, and encourage one another.
And Scripture tells us that the LORD listened.
He was not indifferent to their conversations.
He took notice of their reverence and faithfulness.
What an encouragement for Christians who quietly encourage one another, pray together, speak about the Lord, and continue serving Him when recognition is scarce.
You may never receive an award for encouraging another believer. You may never know how much your prayers helped someone else.
But God knows it all, and all about you.
Hebrews 6:10 assures believers that God is not unjust to forget their work and labor of love shown toward His name.
E. He personally comforts His kids. He strengthens each one, and holds up His people
"Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10 NKJV
Then comes verse 13:
"For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, 'Fear not, I will help you.'" Isaiah 41:13 NKJV
Notice God's language:
I am with you.
I am your God.
I will strengthen you.
I will help you.
I will uphold you.
I will hold your hand.
This passage was originally addressed to Israel, that's God's covenant people, in their historical circumstances. We should not erase that context or pretend it was originally addressed to muslims or to the New Testament church. Yet it reveals God's character and His faithful commitment to His spiritually born-again people. Any of us can repent of sin and be reborn spiritually as we believe in Jesus.
Sure, this comfort harmonizes with New Testament promises such as Hebrews 13:5–6 and Romans 8:31–39.
God does not merely give His people cold rote instructions and leave them to figure everything out all alone. The Holy Spirit is for you, and can live BIG on the inside of you. Ask God to fill you, and refill you with His Spirit. Walk in the Spirit every day.
He via His Spirit empowers and equips -- He supplies strength to obey what God in the Bible commands.
F. He notices, records, and cares about our tears
I love Psalm 56:8–11 cuz it is among the most tender passages in the Psalms.
"You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; are they not in Your book?" Psalm 56:8 NKJV
King David (who had sinned) here is describing God's attentive, intimate knowledge of his own fierce sufferings. What can we learn from that?
The picture of tears here.. being kept in a bottle, is poetic language expressing how precious his suffering is to God. Are you a flawed believer walking by faith? Are you far from perfect like David was? Should we turn this imagery into a literal claim that God maintains some physical glass container of human tears up in heaven?
The message is unmistakable: You have great value, and all your sufferings are not insignificant to God.
The worldly people have troubles here that work against them, and we believers have trials that God makes to work for us (see Romans 8:28-29). We feel the pain. Glory and blessings follow. God's timing is perfect. The passage continues:
"When I cry out to You, Then my enemies will turn back; This I know, because God is for me." Psalm 56:9 NKJV
And:
"In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" Psalm 56:11 NKJV
Notice that David does not deny the existence of enemies, suffering, or fear. His confidence rests in the God who hears him.
Other passages on this that are worth studying:
Psalm 6:6–9: God hears the voice of David's weeping.
Psalm 30:5: Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
Psalm 34:18: The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart.
Psalm 147:3: He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
Isaiah 25:8: The Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces.
Revelation 21:4: God will ultimately remove death, sorrow, crying, and pain.
A reborn Christian's tears are not evidence that God has abandoned or forsaken him or her.
Sometimes the most honest prayer a believer can express (pray) is simply to weep before the Lord...still focused with truth on Him.
G. He provides exactly what's right for His individual children personally and He's never late
God the Father's provision is not merely a theological subject. It is woven throughout Scripture.
Consider:
Abraham: God provided a ram in place of Isaac (Genesis 22:8–14).
Elijah: God provided food through ravens and later through a widow (1 Kings 17:1–16).
Israel: God provided manna in the wilderness (Exodus 16).
Hannah: God heard her prayer and gave her a son (1 Samuel 1:9–20).
David: God shepherded him and supplied his needs (Psalm 23).
The faithful: God promises to sustain those who cast their burdens upon Him (Psalm 55:22).
And in the New Testament:
"And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19 NKJV
This promise appears in Paul's letter to the Philippians in the context of their generous support of his ministry and his own testimony of contentment in Christ (No pressure or manipulation ever from Paul; Philippians 4:10–18).
It is not a promise that God will satisfy every personal selfish preference, or financial ambition, or material desire.
It is an assurance of God's closeness, of His faithfulness to supply what His people truly need according to His wisdom and great riches in Christ.
There is a difference between need and greed.
God's timing and provision are an expression of His fatherly care, not an invitation to make material prosperity the measure of His love.
2. JESUS CHRIST IS THE PERSONAL GOOD SHEPHERD WHO KNOWS HIS FOLLOWERS
The Old Testament reveals God's personal care. The New Testament brings that care into wonderfully clear focus through the person and ministry of Jesus Christ.
Jesus did not merely preach about compassion. He demonstrated it in His relationships with real people, in real circumstances, often when others considered those people unimportant.
Look at the individuals He noticed.
A. Jesus knows His sheep, each one personally
Jesus continued His teaching in John 10:
"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep." John 10:11 NKJV
And:
"I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own." John 10:14 NKJV
The word know here communicates much more than knowing someone's identity.
Jesus delicately, intimately knows His people as their Shepherd who leads them -- every little detail. He knows their spiritual condition, their weaknesses, their needs, and their dependence upon Him.
John 10:27–29 gives further assurance:
His sheep hear His voice.
He knows them.
They follow Him.
He gives them eternal life.
They shall never perish.
No one can snatch them out of His hand.
Again, this is not some promise that Christians will never experience pain, hardship, persecution, temptation, or death. It is a promise of Christ's saving power and security.
The Shepherd who calls you by name is the same Shepherd who laid down His life to save you.
B. Perhaps you go to Sporting Events like a Cowboy game, or to a decent Mega Church; guess what.. Jesus notices the individual in the middle of the crowd
Consider the woman who had suffered a flow of blood for twelve years.
Mark 5:25–34 tells us that she approached Jesus in faith, believing that touching His garment would make her well.
There were crowds pressing around Jesus, yet He stopped.
He asked who had touched Him.
The disciples could hardly understand why He was asking, considering the crowd.
But Jesus was not treating her as an anonymous interruption.
He addressed her tenderly:
"Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction." Mark 5:34 NKJV
Notice the word: "Daughter."
I like that! A suffering woman who had endured years of distress was personally addressed by the Savior.
Jesus did not merely address her physical need. He acknowledged her faith and sent her away with peace.
Consider the personal attention of Jesus in other encounters:
Individual | What Jesus did | Scripture |
|---|---|---|
Nicodemus | Personally explained the new birth | John 3:1–21 |
Samaritan woman | Spoke with her about living water and true worship | John 4:1–42 |
Zacchaeus | Called him by name and went to his house | Luke 19:1–10 |
Blind Bartimaeus | Stopped and asked what he wanted | Mark 10:46–52 |
Mary and Martha | Entered their grief and comforted them | John 11:17–44 |
Mary Magdalene | Personally addressed her after His resurrection | John 20:11–18 |
Peter | Restored him after his denial | John 21:15–19 |
Thomas | Addressed his doubts and invited him to believe | John 20:24–29 |
The repentant thief | Promised him paradise | Luke 23:39–43 |
These are not merely stories about miracles. They are revelations of the Savior's personal dealings with people.
C. Jesus weeps with those who grieve
John 11 is one of the most moving accounts in the Gospels.
Jesus knew He was going to raise Lazarus from the dead. Nevertheless, when He saw Mary weeping and those around her weeping, He was deeply moved.
Then we read:
"Jesus wept." John 11:35 NKJV
Two words. An extraordinary revelation.
Jesus was not emotionally detached from human suffering.
He did not stand at the graveside and deliver a cold theological lecture about the sovereignty of God.
He basically entered into the sorrow of those who hurt -- of each one that He loved (and still loves).
He knew the resurrection was coming, but He still wept.
That matters.
Knowing that God has an ultimate purpose does not mean Christians must pretend that painful circumstances do not hurt.
Faith does not require emotional dishonesty.
Jesus also understands the full weight of human weakness and temptation, though He Himself never sinned.
The author of Hebrews tells us that we have a High Priest who can sympathize with our weaknesses.
"Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:16 NKJV
What a privilege, what a blessing!
And the Blesser (God) is WAY BETTER than all His blessings put together.
We do not have to approach God pretending to be stronger than we are.
We approach through Jesus Christ, our merciful and faithful High Priest.
D. Jesus understands grief because He entered our suffering
Isaiah 53:2–7 gives us one of Scripture's most profound prophetic descriptions of the suffering Messiah.
"He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." Isaiah 53:3 NKJV
And:
"Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows." Isaiah 53:4 NKJV
Then verse 5 explains the saving purpose of His suffering:
"But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed." Isaiah 53:5 NKJV
The primary meaning of Isaiah 53 is the substitutionary suffering of the Messiah for sinners.
We must not reduce this passage to a general promise that every Christian will be physically healed in this life.
Christ bore our sins. He suffered in our place. His sacrifice is the foundation of our forgiveness and peace with God.
And because the Son of God truly became man, He understands human suffering from personal experience.
Hebrews 2:17–18 explains that He was made like His brethren and suffered when tempted, so He is able to aid those who are tempted.
That is a Savior worth knowing!
E. Jesus personally loves, teaches, corrects, and restores
Personal love does not mean approving everything someone does.
In fact, genuine love sometimes requires correction.
Jesus corrected Peter when Peter misunderstood His mission (Matthew 16:21–23).
He warned His disciples about pride and self-seeking (Mark 9:33–37).
He challenged the rich young ruler concerning his attachment to possessions (Mark 10:17–22).
He confronted the Samaritan woman's sin while offering her living water (John 4:16–26).
And after Peter denied Him three times, Jesus personally restored him and recommissioned him (John 21:15–19).
That is biblical love.
Jesus does not love us by leaving us as we are. He loves us too much to abandon us to sin.
He forgives, restores, sanctifies, and teaches His people to walk in obedience.
Galatians 6:1 instructs spiritual believers to restore someone overtaken in a trespass in a spirit of gentleness.
The Lord's personal care is never separated from His transforming work.
3. GOD, THE HOLY SPIRIT, IS SUCH A PERSONAL PRESENCE WITHIN EVERY BELIEVER
Here is another extraordinary dimension of God's personal relationship with His children.
The Holy Spirit is not merely an influence, an emotional sensation, an impersonal power, or a religious atmosphere.
The Holy Spirit is a divine Person, NOT SOME ENERGY FORCE OR ELECTRICITY!
He is God, possessing the attributes and works of deity, and is personally involved in the lives of believers.
This is essential Christian doctrine.
The Holy Spirit IS A HOLY PERSON who speaks, teaches, guides, comforts, intercedes, convicts, fights for to defend, gives gifts, and indwells God's people. Every real believer among all the religious posers.
The Bible does not portray Him as a distant force that occasionally visits a Christian gathering.
He personally indwells every genuine believer.
A. The Holy Spirit personally indwells each believer
Remember what the Apostle Paul wrote:
"Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?" 1 Corinthians 6:19 NKJV
Consider the significance.
The Holy Spirit does not merely visit a Christian on Sunday morning.
He dwells within the real believer, not the nominal Christian.
Romans 8:9 teaches that anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Christ.
Ephesians 1:13–14 explains that believers are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.
Ephesians 4:30 warns Christians not to grieve the Holy Spirit, by whom they were sealed for the day of redemption.
The Spirit's indwelling is not a reward for unusually mature Christians. It belongs to every person who genuinely belongs to Christ.
B. The Holy Spirit personally teaches and reminds us of Christ's words
Jesus promised His disciples:
"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you." John 14:26 NKJV
The Holy Spirit is our Helper.
He teaches, illuminates, and brings the truth of God's Word to bear upon our lives.
John 16:13–14 explains that the Spirit of truth guides Christ's people into truth and glorifies Jesus.
Notice that the Holy Spirit does not draw attention away from Christ to make Himself a celebrity.
His ministry magnifies Jesus.
A genuinely Spirit-filled life will increasingly display the character of Christ.
C. The Holy Spirit personally helps us when we do not know how to pray
Romans 8:26–27 is among the most comforting passages in the entire New Testament.
"Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." Romans 8:26 NKJV
Think about that.
There are moments when believers do not know what to say.
The burden is heavy. The situation is confusing. The future is uncertain. Words seem inadequate.
Yet the believer is not left alone in prayer.
The Holy Spirit helps in our weakness and intercedes according to the will of God.
This is not an invitation to manufacture unusual spiritual experiences. It is an assurance that God's Spirit helps His people even when their prayers are weak and incomplete.
Romans 8:27 assures us that the Spirit's intercession is according to God's will.
D. The Holy Spirit personally guides believers
Live filled with and controlled by the Spirit, whose last name is HOLY. I always say that's His name, but it describes well who He is. Just, kind, and holy. Romans 8:14 says:
"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God." Romans 8:14 NKJV
The Spirit leads believers away from the domination of the flesh and into a life characterized by obedience to God.
Galatians 5:16–25 explains the contrast between the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit.
The fruit includes:
Love.
Joy.
Peace.
Longsuffering.
Kindness.
Goodness.
Faithfulness.
Gentleness.
Self-control.
The Holy Spirit's leading is not simply an impression, a buzz, or a high.. though He's the Most High God (the third and equal Person of the Trinity).
He's not some "feeling" that something is right.
We must test our own impressions against Scripture. The Spirit who inspired the Word of God will never lead a believer to disobey it.
Other important passages:
Acts 8:29: The Spirit directs Philip.
Acts 10:19–20: The Spirit speaks to Peter.
Acts 13:2–4: The Holy Spirit sets apart Barnabas and Saul for missionary work.
Acts 16:6–10: The Spirit directs Paul's missionary journey.
Romans 8:14: Believers are led by the Spirit.
Galatians 5:18: Those led by the Spirit are not under the law.
Galatians 5:25: We are to walk in the Spirit.
E. The Holy Spirit can personally be grieved
Ephesians 4:30 says:
"And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." Ephesians 4:30 NKJV
This is intensely personal language.
The Holy Spirit is not an impersonal electrical current that can be switched on and off.
He can be grieved.
In context, Paul connects this warning with sinful speech, bitterness, wrath, anger, evil speaking, and malice (Ephesians 4:25–32).
Our conduct matters to God.
The Christian life is not merely about avoiding public scandals. It involves walking in personal fellowship with the Holy Spirit in our ordinary conversations, attitudes, relationships, and decisions.
F. The Holy Spirit personally strengthens us
Ephesians 3:16–19 contains Paul's prayer that believers would be strengthened with might through God's Spirit in the inner man.
This is a wonderful reminder that God is concerned with the inward life.
He wants to strengthen the believer's character, faith, love, perseverance, and spiritual understanding.
The Spirit does not merely equip us to perform religious activities.
He works within us to produce Christlike character.
See also:
Romans 8:11–13.
1 Corinthians 12:4–11.
2 Corinthians 3:17–18.
Galatians 5:22–23.
Philippians 2:13.
2 Timothy 1:7.
The Father loves and adopts His children. The Son redeems and shepherds them. The Holy Spirit indwells, helps, sanctifies, and empowers them.
One God, (eternally existing as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), is personally at work in the salvation and sanctification process of each believer. He's intimately involved in the spiritual life of His people.
4. HERE ARE TEN BEAUTIFUL WAYS GOD DEMONSTRATES HIS PERSONAL CARE
Let's bring these biblical truths together in a memorable way.
1. HE NAMES His sheep.
"He calls his own sheep by name." John 10:3 NKJV
He knows those who belong to Him. You are not anonymous to your Shepherd.
2. HE NUMBERS the hairs on our heads.
"The very hairs of your head are all numbered." Matthew 10:30 NKJV
Jesus used this illustration to assure His disciples of God's care as they faced persecution and opposition (Matthew 10:26–31).
3. HE KNOWS our steps.
Job 31:4; Psalm 139:3.
Our movements, circumstances, and ways are never outside His knowledge.
4. HE REMEMBERS our faithful service.
Malachi 3:16–18; Hebrews 6:10.
Quiet faithfulness is not forgotten by God.
5. HE ENTERS our personal world of sorrow with compassion.
John 11:35; Romans 12:15; Hebrews 4:15.
Jesus wept. Our Savior is not emotionally detached from human suffering.
6. HE REGARDS our every tear as significant.
Psalm 56:8; Psalm 34:18.
Our grief is not invisible to Him.
7. HE HOLDS our hand and leads us through.
Isaiah 41:13; Psalm 73:23–24.
God promises His presence, sustaining strength, and guidance.
8. HE SUPPLIES our needs over and over again. We keep on praying to Him.
Philippians 4:19; Matthew 6:25–34.
He knows what we need and calls us to trust His provision.
9. HE HEARS ALL OF OUR PRAYERS.
He responds with: "YES" my dear child, "NO", silly. or "WAIT", Sport. Psalm 34:17; 1 Peter 3:12; 1 John 5:14–15.
We can approach Him through Christ with confidence, humility, and dependence.
10. HE LEADS, feeds, and keeps His own. False teachers don't feed the flock; they fleece God's flock.
John 10:27–29; Romans 8:35–39; Philippians 1:6.
His saving faithfulness is greater than the hard circumstances His children encounter.
5. THE FATHER'S PERSONAL LOVE IS FANTASTIC: YOU ARE HIS NEVER-FORGOTTEN CHILD, NOT SOME ACCIDENT OR INTERRUPTION
One of the most precious New Testament truths is that believers are not merely God's creatures. Through faith in Jesus Christ, they become His children by adoption.
John 1:12 says that those who receive Christ and believe in His name are given the right to become children of God.
Romans 8:15–17 explains that believers have received the Spirit of adoption, by whom they cry, "Abba, Father!"
Galatians 4:4–7 teaches us that God sent His only Son into the world to redeem those under the law so that we might receive adoption as His sons. You can become His child today!
Think about that. Repeat that. Again. Come as you are.. to Him.
You do not have to persuade a reluctant or distracted heavenly Father to pay attention to you.
Through the Jesus Christ described in the Bible, you have access to the Father.
"For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father." Ephesians 2:18 NKJV
And Hebrews 4:16 invites us to approach the throne of grace.
This does not mean that God is obligated to grant every request exactly as we desire. It means that we have a real relationship with Him, established through Christ, and can approach Him with confidence in His wisdom, mercy, and grace.
Consider these additional passages:
Biblical truth | Scripture |
|---|---|
The Father loves His children | 1 John 3:1 |
He knows what we need | Matthew 6:8 |
He cares about our anxieties | 1 Peter 5:7 |
He disciplines those He loves | Hebrews 12:5–11 |
He gives good gifts | Matthew 7:7–11 |
He welcomes repentant sinners | Luke 15:11–32 |
He comforts us in affliction | 2 Corinthians 1:3–5 |
He never abandons His people | Hebrews 13:5 |
He hears our prayers | 1 John 5:14–15 |
Nothing can ever separate us from His love in Christ | Romans 8:35–39 |
Need a word about God's loving discipline?
Sometimes God's personal care is expressed through correction.
Hebrews 12:6 says that the Lord disciplines the one He loves, His child. Are you His child today?
That is not always so pleasant.
Sometimes He exposes our pride, confronts our selfishness or rebellion against Authority or flawed delegated human authorities. Sometimes He wisely corrects our thinking that's a bit erroneous, and calls us to abandon something we have grown accustomed to.
A loving father does not demonstrate love by allowing his child to destroy himself without correction.
God's discipline is not evidence of His indifference. Properly understood, it is evidence of His fatherly commitment to our spiritual growth.
We should also be careful not to assume that every hardship is a specific punishment for a particular sin. Job's friends made that mistake.
Jesus Himself rejected the simplistic assumption that a person's suffering necessarily revealed some greater personal sin (John 9:1–3).
God's ways are sometimes beyond our understanding, but His character is never untrustworthy.
6. WHAT HAVE HIS KIDS SAID ON THIS: 5 VOICES ON KNOWING GOD PERSONALLY
Perhaps you'd like to add in some truth quotes that you've heard?
1. S.D. Gordon
"Jesus is God spelling Himself out in language that man can understand."
Source: S. D. Gordon, Quiet Talks About Jesus, chapter 1.
What a beautiful description!
If you want to understand God's character, look carefully at Jesus.
His compassion, holiness, truthfulness, mercy, patience, and sacrificial love reveal the Father (John 14:9; Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3).
2. Charles Haddon Spurgeon
What did he say on this? Well, preaching on Nahum 1:7, Charles emphasized that God's knowledge of His people is intimate, attentive, and accompanied by tender care.
He explained that God knows their circumstances, suffering, prayers, and needs, not merely their identities.
Again, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, on Matthew 10:30
Spurgeon preached that the numbering of the hairs of our heads communicates the minuteness of God's knowledge and the tenderness of His care.
His point was that God's attention is not diminished by the number of people He watches over.
3. William Barclay
"When a man comes to know Jesus, he comes to know goodness."
Knowing Jesus is not simply acquiring religious information. It is encountering the goodness of God revealed in Christ.
4. A.W. Tozer
"What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us."
Our understanding of the living God shapes our worship, priorities, relationships, decisions, and responses to suffering. Let your worship be true and acceptable!
5. J.I. Packer
“But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.” (1 Cor. 8:3). Well known--through and through!"What matters supremely, therefore, is not, in the last analysis, the fact that I know God, but the larger fact which underlies it—the fact that he knows me. I am graven on the palms of his hands [Isa. 49:16]. I am never out of his mind. All my knowledge of him depends on his sustained initiative in knowing me. I know him because he first knew me, and continues to know me. He knows me as a friend, one who loves me; and there is no moment when his eye is off me, or his attention distracted from me, and no moment, therefore, when his care falters.
This is momentous knowledge. There is unspeakable comfort—the sort of comfort that energizes, be it said, not enervates—in knowing that God is constantly taking knowledge of me in love and watching over me for my good. There is tremendous relief in knowing that his love to me is utterly realistic, based at every point on prior knowledge of the worst about me, so that no discovery now can disillusion him about me, in the way I am so often disillusioned about myself, and quench his determination to bless me."
Can you
God the Father calls you to trust Him today, yes, and to have faith in His Son: “This is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ” (1 John 3:23).
“But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?” (Gal. 4:9)
“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.” (1 Cor. 13:12).
What are you waiting for.. a sign? Like a U-Turn sign? If you like, you too can right here and now turn from your sins and come to know God in a personal way. After all He's done for you, why would you not?
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