Getting to Know Jesus
Most of us desire a relationship with Jesus that is growing and maturing, hoping and praying we are actually becoming more like Him! Our relationship with Jesus will develop the more we understand how much God loves us. Psalm 103:11 tells us that God love for us is as high as the heavens. This is amazing when we realize that astronomers and scientists only speak of the “known” universe, fully admitting that no one knows how far it actually reaches. As new and better technology and equipment enables us to look farther and farther into outer space, and as new discoveries continue to be seen, still it just goes on and on. And that’s how much God loves us- more than we can know!
Deep and abiding relationships usually take time to develop. We’ll never truly know Jesus until we learn to recognize and live in His abiding presence. God transforms us through every day life experiences as we live them in the presence and power of Jesus. We should live our lives with Jesus in order to learn to be like Him.
While being with Jesus in the first century was simply a matter of literally following Him, observing Him, and listening to Him, Jesus prepared His followers for the time when He would not be with them in a human body. In John 14 He explained that He would no longer be with them in the same way He had been with them to that point in time, but that He had made provision to be with them nonetheless. He promised them that He would send “another comforter” or strengthener, i.e., One who would be alongside them to help them. He also told them that the world could not have this Presence alongside them. In fulfillment of His promise, the Holy Spirit came to the disciples in Acts 2 on Pentecost day. They were immersed or engulfed by the Spirit. These Christians came to understand that Christ continued to abide with them through His Spirit.
Life in God’s kingdom is, in fact, a matter of experiencing the practical reality of the presence of Jesus in our lives. That is what the kingdom of God on earth is. This reality of Christ in us is eternal life (John 17:3), often described as being “in Christ.” Jesus said the kingdom of God is within us. The Spirit of Christ with us is how Jesus stays with us throughout our life until He comes again (Matthew 28:20). His abiding Spirit in us is how we experience the reality of His presence, and it is the reality of His presence that forms our spirits so that we can be the kind of person He is. Praise God for the presence of Jesus in us through the Holy Spirit (Galatians 4:6; Romans 8:1-16; 5:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8; Acts 2:38; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 6:19; Ephesians 2:22; 4:30).
Deep and abiding relationships usually take time to develop. We’ll never truly know Jesus until we learn to recognize and live in His abiding presence. God transforms us through every day life experiences as we live them in the presence and power of Jesus. We should live our lives with Jesus in order to learn to be like Him.
While being with Jesus in the first century was simply a matter of literally following Him, observing Him, and listening to Him, Jesus prepared His followers for the time when He would not be with them in a human body. In John 14 He explained that He would no longer be with them in the same way He had been with them to that point in time, but that He had made provision to be with them nonetheless. He promised them that He would send “another comforter” or strengthener, i.e., One who would be alongside them to help them. He also told them that the world could not have this Presence alongside them. In fulfillment of His promise, the Holy Spirit came to the disciples in Acts 2 on Pentecost day. They were immersed or engulfed by the Spirit. These Christians came to understand that Christ continued to abide with them through His Spirit.
Life in God’s kingdom is, in fact, a matter of experiencing the practical reality of the presence of Jesus in our lives. That is what the kingdom of God on earth is. This reality of Christ in us is eternal life (John 17:3), often described as being “in Christ.” Jesus said the kingdom of God is within us. The Spirit of Christ with us is how Jesus stays with us throughout our life until He comes again (Matthew 28:20). His abiding Spirit in us is how we experience the reality of His presence, and it is the reality of His presence that forms our spirits so that we can be the kind of person He is. Praise God for the presence of Jesus in us through the Holy Spirit (Galatians 4:6; Romans 8:1-16; 5:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8; Acts 2:38; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 6:19; Ephesians 2:22; 4:30).
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