“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” -John 17:3
know – to perceive or understand as fact or truth; to apprehend clearly and with certainty. To have established or fixed in the mind or memory. To understand from experience or attainment. To be able to distinguish, as one from another.
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Whether we have been saved and following Jesus for years or just this day decided to surrender to Christ as Lord and Savior, that decision was the start of a brand new life!
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. – 2 Corinthians 5:17
When Jesus called His disciples, He called them to leave everything they knew and to follow Him. In much the same way, He calls us to follow Him with every part of our lives. The original disciples gave up family, work, friends… Their entire worlds changed because of their relationship with Jesus Christ and this new life.
As a new Christian, our relationship with the Lord is like the seedling of a tree that has just been planted. We have to learn the areas where we must nurture our relationship like a gardener would nurture a new seedling. We must also protect it. Sometimes that involves watering and feeding, other times pruning, and every now and then even covering it up to protect from harsh elements…but it will always require attention if the relationship is to continue to bud and produce fruit. As we mature our roots get stronger and we become more comfortable with what is required. We can handle the harsh elements better, however, the need for attention does not lessen or change. One of the added dangers in this stage is that what is required can become so familiar and comfortable that instead of giving attention we do things by rote.
Really knowing Jesus Christ and having that intimate relationship with Him takes attention but it also takes action – hard work. Prayer, fasting, reading and studying the Word, giving, sharing the Gospel, worshiping, loving and caring for others. Many times we are called to make sacrifices, to give up things that distract and cause us to take our eyes off of our Savior. We read in Matthew 10:38 that knowing is nothing without the following!
“And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.” – Matthew 10:38
I am sure it wasn’t easy for the disciples to give up all they had and all they knew to follow Jesus. They were real men living real lives just like each of us. And it won’t always be easy for us either. Every day we must make a choice to fully follow Jesus Christ and live with Him and for Him no matter the costs. We must choose to give up what is necessary to gain life eternal and to really know the one true God.
“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” -John 17:3
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Jesus, show us the things in our hearts that hinder our relationship with You. Show us the path to take and help us to truly be a follower and one that loves You above all others and not someone with just knowledge of you. We want to really know You, Jesus…and not just know things about You. Help us to seek You with our whole heart and to die daily to our own will and plan that we might be in Yours…in Jesus Name. Amen!
If anyone knows Melissa... 