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TyroneJ85
Member



Joined: 2005/4/11
Posts: 5


 How can i KNOW Jesus

This is not a question of how can i become a Christian. But rather it goes beyond that. How can we truly and really know Christ? He is the center of everything and if we do not know who He actually is how can we as christians expect anything else to be right, motivations, theology, salvation, etc.?
I, or we, hear of people all the time who seem like they are bursting with the Joy of the Lord and have connected on such an intimate level with the Savior, HOW!?
Right now its hard for me to distinguish between what is my Faith and what is just what i grew up with being raised in a Christian home. So how can we truly KNOW Christ, and at what point does it truly have to be faith seeking understanding?
Please tell me how you have such a close intimate relationship with Jesus and how you actually KNOW Him and not follow Him and live right but KNOW Him


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TJ

 2005/4/18 20:43Profile
markso
Member



Joined: 2003/4/20
Posts: 21
Horsham, Australia

 Re: How can i KNOW Jesus

This is certainly a question that I have asked myself often. How can we know Christ? The disciples knew Him by being with Him and witnessing his acts and every day life. We have not this benefit although possibly something greater ... the witness of the Spirit. Yet even the apostle Paul proclaims in Philipians "that I may know Him..."
I think that the key word here is "know". Knowing comes from knowledge of a subject and surely for us as believers it must come through prayer and reading the word.
God's word reveals His attributes and promises to us. Promises upon which our faith may rest. Promises which we may find "rest for our souls".
I am interested to hear what others may have to say because it opens up another question...How is Knowing Christ different from Abiding in Christ? (Or maybe they are the same thing).


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Adam Marks

 2005/4/18 21:32Profile
Spitfire
Member



Joined: 2004/8/3
Posts: 633


 Re: How can i KNOW Jesus

Hello Tyrone. I hear the desperate cry of your heart and I so relate. I am 47 years old and I was raised in a religious home, always in church, etc., but I believe I have only truly been born again about 3 years. Since my true conversion, I have been growing in my relationship with Christ, and the best thing I can tell you, as far as actual things I have done that have made the difference, is...to humble myself and repent. I've made repentance a lifestyle. The Bible says, God resists the proud, but he gives grace to the humble. I try to always come into the presence of God bowed very low, and I have found that he is slowly revealing himself to me. To know God is a priviledge extended only to those who seek with their whole heart. I've repented of my half-heartedness on a regular basis and asked God to teach me and do whatever it takes to make me a woman of single purpose...to know God. His word is true. He will not fail to reward those who diligently seek him. Love, Dian.

 2005/4/18 21:35Profile
todd
Member



Joined: 2003/5/12
Posts: 573
California

 Re: How can i KNOW Jesus

This may be of some help to you. One night I was reading a book and came across the verse where Jesus said to the Pharisees, "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify [i]about[/i] Me, but you are unwilling to come to Me, that you may have life." (John 5:39-40)

When I read that I had a revelation and in a moment I realized that I had the same problem as the Pharisees. I thought that I would get to know Jesus just by reading the Scriptures. But I now realize that some people do that like all day every day and they are totally blind and don't have a relationship with God. The Pharisees memorized the whole Bible of their times and prayed constantly but they didn't recognize God right in front of them.

It's a heart thing.

I was struck to my heart at this revelation and repented and simply asked the Father to touch me. Shortly after this I actually drifted into unconsciousness. I awoke to the actual [i]feeling[/i] of God'd manifest presence. It was so wonderful. I felt like I was really knowing God in that moment.

So there's one aspect of this vast subject of knowing Jesus. The basic principle I've learned is [b]don't be religious[/b]. Don't put faith in religious traditions and formulas such as "you [i]have to[/i] read the Bible every day", "you [i]have to[/i] speak in tongues for at least a half hour every day", "you [i]have to[/i] evangelize at least once a month", "you [i]have to[/i] pray at least an hour a day", etc., etc. These types of things bring death and shut us out from God.

They are usually good ideas and often good principles but when they become rules there's a problem. Don't let any man steal your joy. Just come to the living God as a child and recognize that He loves, accepts, and wants to bless you even in your weakness and immaturity. Receive His love and grace.

 2005/4/18 22:38Profile









 all i know, my witness

Dear Tyrone,

When I first got right with God, I remember praying again and again, "Please Lord, don't let me be the rocky soil man".

over and over.

Knowing myself, in my spirit, I was terrified that this "thing", this walk in the Faith, this walk with Jesus, was just a passing fancy, based on an emotional response to a personal crisis.

I knew I had no where, no One to go to, but to Jesus. I knew this, in the same way, that man adrift at sea, knows that if he stops treading water he dies.

"please Lord, don't let me be the rocky soil man".

Then I did the only thing I knew I could do, read the Word from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21.

Based on this Experience, I felt four things.

1. that my whole life MUST be steeped in prayer, daily secret prayer before the Lord.

2. That I must be mentored by an older brother, elder, deacon, pastor.

3. That I must seek and ask for a baptism in the Holy Ghost, and fully expect this experience based on the convenant Nature of God.

4. The reality that Jesus lives IN me.

The realization that the Lord lives in me combined with ministry of prayer, combined with the blessed baptism in the Holy Ghost, has me gratefully proclaiming that the love of the Lord is something REAL, and something beautiful that far transcends anything available in the material world.

To be caught up in high places with God.

Tyrone, dear brother, may I suggest two sermons of Michael Brown's, they are "Holy Desperation", and "God's work in you".

My prayer is that Jesus fill you today, fill you with His love, Neil

 2005/4/18 23:24
philologos
Member



Joined: 2003/7/18
Posts: 6566
Reading, UK

 Re: all i know, my witness

This is a wonderful question. Thanks for asking it and making us think. One of the earliest statement we hear from Jesus is in John's gospel; "come and see".

Jesus is the faithful and true witness. Listen to Him and think about what He says. Respond to the things He says in your own heart. Don't be just a hearer but put into practise what you hear Him saying to you.

How do you hear Him? He Himself prayed for just two kinds of people; Joh 17:20 KJV Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; Those who heard him with their own ears and those who 'heard' him through the testimony of the first hand witnesses. In other words, read the scriptures. Slowly, thoughtfully, prayerfully, keeping in mind the 'virgin' Mary's only commandment; "whatever He says to you; do it".

I would heartily recommend to you this article by Denis Clark, written some decades ago, but still very relevant; Bible Meditation

This is a single paragraph from that article:The apostle Paul instructed us, "Fill your minds with those things that are good and deserve praise, things that are true, noble, right, pure lovely and honourable. Put into practice what you learned and received from me", and he said that in Philippians 4:8-9. Where better to find these things than in the Scriptures. They are to be received in the inner being and the route is, of course, through the mind. The mind should not become a container, storing up mere knowledge of these things, but a filter, trying and testing all thoughts against the Word of Truth, and then letting them go down into our heart, or inner being. Once there, knowledge turns into truth, and if allowed to thoroughly occupy our subconscious becomes our very life. Once the Word takes over our behaviour, it becomes Christ in us, the living word, the hope of glory.I first heard Denis Clark preach these things 40 years ago while I was at Bible College. 95% of what I preach and teach comes as a result of following the counsel contained in this article. What I receive from books is my equivalent of going to the 'elders in Jerusalem'. (the article will explain that) If I was asked to give a single 'block' of advice to a young Christian I would put this article into their hands.

Denis Clark was called home in the 1970's but his testimony lives on. I am trying to get permission to publish this article in the SermonIndex articles; I'll keep you in touch.


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Ron Bailey

 2005/4/19 3:41Profile
dohzman
Member



Joined: 2004/10/13
Posts: 2132


 Re: useful artilcle

Good article bro. Ron, also your article on Abraham My Friend, very useful, that needs to be published.


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D.Miller

 2005/4/19 7:57Profile
TyroneJ85
Member



Joined: 2005/4/11
Posts: 5


 Re:

Thank you for your replies so far. But so far it seems like i keep hearing the typical cliche answers that we always give to young or seeking believers, read your bible more, pray etc. I understand that alot of the time the cliche answer is the only one, like before you go on a road trip you must put gas in the car, before you go to the market one must put gas in the car. The idea is simple and "cliche" but it is the truth, one that no one can deny.
The more and more i am in the Word, and i have been in the word for a number of years and am a student at Moody Bibile Institute, the more questions that are raised and can only be answered through speculation.
I don't want touchy feely answers, such as i can feel Him inside of me, or after years of trying to find Christ i can remember waking up and just feeling Him. Emotions are passing and can not be trusted nor can they have anything built upon them because of how unstable they are.
It is very confusing and i hope as this post continues i can clarify myself better and that answers can be found.
It is just a very confusing thing as i think about how i have grown up. Being in a christian home its hard to look back and think about what has changed since i became a christian, and how much of my life or faith is caught up in the "christian culture" i've grown up in and what is truly personal?
Please continue with your answers and advice, i just ask for solid biblical references and support for your advice or answer. Thanks


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TJ

 2005/4/19 16:39Profile
dohzman
Member



Joined: 2004/10/13
Posts: 2132


 Beyond the Norm

Ok , you really want to know Jesus? I mean really draw close and know Him? Beyond the typical beyond the cliche' of reading more and praying more? The Answer------ Matt25:40 God Bless, Bro. Daryl


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D.Miller

 2005/4/19 21:15Profile
moreofHim
Member



Joined: 2003/10/15
Posts: 1632


 Re: definition

Someone once asked Duke Ellington "can you you give me a definition of 'rythmn'?" And he replied "if you [b]have[/b] rythmn, you don't need a definition.And if you don't have rythmn, ain't no definition gonna help."

If you are hungry for the Lord, you don't need a defintion, you are just hungry for Him, to know Him and be with Him- and if you're not hungry for the Lord- ain't no definition gonna help.
(this is taken from Chip Brogden's "Vanity, or Spirit and Truth" :)

In other words,if you get hungry enough for Him, to know Him and be with Him in the secret place- He will reveal Himself to you. He has to do it. And you have to want it. Nobody else can do it for you or explain it for you.

Keep seeking Him, ask Him to reveal Himself to you.

In His perfect love, Chanin


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Chanin

 2005/4/19 22:20Profile





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