Tag Archive for knowing Christ

One Thing I Seek

2021-04-23 Devotional with Hymn, Magnificent God No comments

Whom have I in heaven but you? . . .
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever. (Psalm 73:25-26, NIV)

When I can finally see God for all He is to me –
            all that He always has been and always will be –
            so that anxiety and fear are lost in total trust;
When I have truly grasped His love,
            so that joy, rest, and belonging
            are deep and rich and constant;
When I am filled and dominated and totally led by His Spirit
            so that every desire, every thought,
            every motion of my being
            is in Him and prompted by Him;
What hunger will be left?

Psalm 27 expresses it this way:

One thing I ask of the Lord,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the Lord and to seek him. (v.4, NIV)

When I see Him fully and trust Him completely, the only thing I will still hunger for is Him. All the beauty, glory, and abundance of heaven will come from one Source: God himself. We will never be anything but completely dependent on Him – not on His gifts, but on Him.

Revelation 21:22-23 says that in His immediate presence, we will need no sun, moon, or temple. He himself is our warmth and our light. Our worship is face-to-face.

In His personal presence, Jesus’ simple statements about himself become personal truth:

I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. (John 6:35, NIV)

I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness. (John 8:12, NIV)

I am the resurrection and the life . . . Whoever lives and believes in me will never die (John 11:25-26, NIV).

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. (Revelation 21:6, NIV)

Your heart can be captured by the living beauty and simplicity of the personal Christ. That beauty holds a bonding that grows stronger and stronger, prayer by prayer. As we trust Him and love Him, we find our needs and hungers met in Him. Every lesser desire gradually disappears into Him.

And in knowing and interacting with such a wonderful, infinite God, we never get to the point of feeling, “OK, that’s enough.” Even in our joyful satisfaction, the hunger remains, continuing to draw us into fuller friendship with Him.

All of history, all the vast universe – seen and unseen – and all the desires and hopes of humanity are summed up in Christ (Ephesians 1:9-10). That summing up is also an individual process. Let Him start it in you now. Let Him begin it in your heart, and He will spread it throughout your thoughts and feelings, your attitudes and lifestyle.

He has not put eternity’s best blessings out of your reach. They are as near as His presence, as near as looking to Him in simple faith.

Father,
I look forward to the day when we
see You,
know You, and
respond to You for
all You are.
That will be heaven!

Hymn: Psalm 84

Eternal Life Is Knowing You

2019-10-30 Hymns No comments

How wonderful is
God’s revelation of Himself
in Jesus Christ!
The more we know Him,
the more we realize that
all life, joy, and peace is
knowing Him.
We are complete in Jesus Christ.
Sing at Christmas or year round.
The tune is familiar.

Recording
Printed Music

You made us from Yourself, O my God, O my God.
Your mercy calls us back, O my God.
The love that longs to bless,
The needs that we confess
Are You and nothing less, O my God, living God!
Your promise is Yourself, Father God!

Your promise now is here. What a gift: Jesus Christ!
Our Brother and Your Son, Jesus Christ!
All mystery and delight,
All wisdom and all right,
All power, love, and life fill Your Son, Jesus Christ.
We stand complete in Him, Jesus Christ!

What life and light and joy knowing You, knowing You!
We long for nothing else knowing You.
Our childish fear and pride
We gladly throw aside
With hearts now open wide knowing You, knowing You.
Eternal life is this: knowing You!

by Ken Bible, © 2019 LNWhymns.com.

Living a Relationship

2015-07-28 Devotional with Hymn No comments

I want to know Christ. (Philippians 3:10, NIV)

Being a Christian is not living a set of rules.
It is living a relationship.

It’s like a marriage.
What God wants most from us is to
love the Lord your God with all your heart . . .
soul . . .
mind and . . .
strength (Mark 12:30).

I’ve learned that when my wife wants something –
when she’s irritable or withdrawn –
what she usually wants is me.
She wants to share with me.
She wants us to truly be together for a while.

Jesus is the same.
When He wants something from me,
He wants me.
Not some great work of service –
me.
He wants me to turn to Him.
He wants to live that moment,
every moment,
in relationship with me.

He wants us to walk together
day-by-day,
step-by-step.

Listen and sing:
Hymn: It’s So Good to Be with You
Recording
Printed Music & Lyrics

A Better Life Is Waiting

2013-07-14 Devotional with Hymn, Evangelistic, Prayer No comments

We all have hopes that drive us, things we look forward to. Some are long-term: a better house, a better job, a better life for us and for our families. Some are short-term and daily: more time off, less demands on our energies, more leisure.

But as time goes by, God keeps reminding me of one key fact. Through good times and bad times, successes and failures, no matter what happens or doesn’t happen, only one thing will make life happier. Only one thing will make it more meaningful, more peaceful, and more satisfying–all I want it to be. That one thing is not a job, a house, money, or more time off. Our only lasting happiness will always be this: enjoying God’s presence right now, in the present moment. In this life and through all eternity, our only true joy will be knowing Him.

Because of this, each of us has a better life awaiting us. It doesn’t matter where you are in your journey–whether you’re seeking God or you’re a new Christian or a mature believer. You have a better life awaiting you through a closer, more constant relationship with Jesus Christ.

I’m learning that such a closer, more constant relationship comes primarily through prayer. It comes through spending more of life turned toward God. Just as with marriage, communication is key to enjoying a closer relationship.

Perhaps nothing generates more fear, guilt, and uneasiness among people than the subject of prayer. We know we should pray more, but we’re not sure how. It seems so fuzzy, scary, and difficult.

But let me assure you: we were made for God. Talking to Him is simple and natural. Your educational level, your culture, your financial status, your personality–none of that matters. We were all made for God. You can talk to Him and have a close, personal, satisfying relationship with Him.

You have no reason to be afraid. God, your Father, only gives good gifts. All He ever asks of us is to trust Him one step at a time. And that first step is to turn to Him now.

Listen…and sing if you want:
Hymn: Our Father in Heaven
Recording
Printed Music & Lyrics

I Want to Know You

2013-07-07 Devotional with Hymn No comments

I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. (Philippians 3:8, NIV)

My life is crowded with so many desires, so many goals, so many questions. But, Jesus, I’m realizing that I truly want only one thing:
          I want to know You.

All my ambitions and drives, my goals and dreams of glory, my preoccupation with my own comfort, I give them to You, Lord. I release them to You and cut the cord. Nothing else is worth holding onto. Nothing else is worth craving.
          I want to know You.

My eyes go to the future, my Lord, and I know that more storms are coming. What troubles await me in life? What does it matter? Whatever troubles come, they will bring new discoveries about You. They will bring a deeper, more personal knowledge of You, and a stronger faith that sees You more constantly and clearly.
          I want to know You.

My heart begins to leap at the possibility of being found always and entirely in You, with the baggage of self-interest forever buried and gone. Praise to You, my God! What a wonderful redemption that will be! My faith comes alive, knowing it will be. It is coming. You are doing it, and You always finish what You start. I know You now, Jesus, by Your goodness, and then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known (1 Corinthians 13:12, NIV).

Thank You, my Lord! Fill my heart now with the desire that will delight me throughout eternity:
       I want to know You. I want to know You, my Lord.

Listen…and sing if you want:
Hymn: Lord, Life Becomes More Simple
Recording
Printed Music & Lyrics