GETTING TO KNOW JESUS

Several years ago I realized I really didn’t know Jesus very well. I’d been taught a lot about relating to and praying to God, but Jesus somehow got bypassed. I’d been taught that it was Christ IN us but not how to relate to Him as a real person. I couldn’t help questioning, “If He is our brother, shouldn’t we be able to talk to Him? We don’t have to go through our parents to talk to our human brothers, so why should it be different with Jesus?”

In Acts 2:36 we’re told that God Himself “made the same Jesus, both Lord and Christ.” We read in the Gospels that when people came to Jesus they called Him “Lord.” When the disciples talked to Him both before and after the resurrection (John 20:26-21:25), they also called Him “Lord.” Should we do any less?

According to Romans 10:9, “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

When we got born again we gave up lordship of our lives and confessed Jesus as Lord instead, from that point on. But I wonder if we’ve been slipping up a little in that category. Are we only talking to God our Father and bypassing a talking relationship with His son, who God said He made Lord?

God showed me an amazing thing the other day in the scriptures about this. I was reading Acts 7 about Stephen. “And they stoned Stephen calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” (vs 59). In the King James Version of the Bible whenever a word is in italics it means that it was added by the translators. The word “God” in verse 59 was added, so in this incident Stephen spoke directly to Jesus saying, “Lord Jesus receive my spirit.” And guess who was standing right there? Saul of Tarsus!

“And the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul” (vs.58). Saul heard Stephen speak to Jesus.

Later when Saul was on his way to Damascus “breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord” (Acts 9:1), a light from heaven shone and Saul fell to the earth and everyone there heard a voice. When Saul asked who was speaking, “Who art thou? The Lord said, “I am Jesus” (vs. 5). This didn’t really surprise Saul because he had been there when Stephen talked with Jesus.

When Saul got to Damascus, Ananias was instructed to go to him. “And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightiest receive thy sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit” (vs. 17).

Isn’t that awesome?! There are many more verses in the Epistles that document a personal real relationship with Jesus Christ. Paul tells the Corinthians, “Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord?” (1 Cor 9:1). Peter writes, “Even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me” (2 Pet 1:4).

I’m not trying to direct anyone away from God Almighty and the kind of relationship we have with Him. I’m just trying to show you that our relationship with our personal Lord Jesus can be increased as well. You may be like I was and haven’t really developed your walking, talking relationship with Jesus Christ yet.

1 Thessalonians 3:11 shows us that both God and our Lord Jesus guide us, “Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you.” And 2 Thess 2:16-17, “Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.”

My secular work is directed and orchestrated by Jesus. It didn’t happen in a miracle overnight. It didn’t come in a dream or audible revelation or anything flashy. I prayed about it, then one day I just knew it in my heart that Jesus was the one in charge of my work. I knew secularly He would supply the jobs and the money I needed to live and pay the bills and do what I needed to do. Every time I’m out of work I consciously go to Jesus for what’s next and thank Him for what He’s arranging. In this category of my life I know that God wants me to trust in the directions of His son Jesus Christ.

1 Timothy 1:12, “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry.”

I believe that there is a wonderful balance in our spiritual lives, things that God handles with us and things that our Lord Jesus handles and things that the Holy Spirit handles. And we just keep learning.

Love, Carolyn

My WINGS books are all available on Amazon. Each week I offer one for FREE. But if you can’t download it free from Amazon, I can send you a word doc or a pdf file so you can read it FREE on your computer. Let me know at: carolynmolica@yahoo.com