That I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection. Philippians 3:8-10.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God (אלהים) says:
In the last Life Lesson we discussed seeking to renew your mind and today I will give you the secret of what renewing your mind really is and why it will be the delight of your heart, the joy of your soul, your happiness always, and your life’s one true goal.
Renewing your mind is getting to know Me.
Getting to know You, getting to know all about You. Getting to like You , getting to know You like me. Getting to know You, putting it my way, but nicely, You are precisely my cup of tea! Getting to know You, getting to feel free and easy. When I am with You, getting to know what to say. Haven’t you noticed? Suddenly I’m bright and breezy because of all the beautiful and new things I’m learning about you day by day.
And this is eternal life, to know Me, the only true God, and the One I sent, Jesus Christ. John 17:3. Eternal life is a relationship with Me that develops into oneness, a marriage of spirit and a new creation of spirit and a transformation (metamorphosis, transfiguration) of your soul that is finalized in the redemption of your body to a new and glorified immortal body as well.
Your mind renews in how you think when you get to know someone intimately that you only were acquainted with before you entered into a deeper relationship. And it all starts by drawing close and hearing their words, seeing their actions, and experiencing the fruit that their life produces.
You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. Matthew 12:16-17.
So the way you get to know Me is the way you know anyone, ((i) by hearing their words—and My Word became flesh and dwelt among you so you can hear My Words from one like you; (ii) by their actions—you see Me at work in Jesus healing, providing, blessing, stopping storms, giving only good, seeking those lost, and casting out evil spirits that oppress and hinder people, and (iii) by the fruit of their life—Jesus released you from your sins by giving His life for you; paid your judgment, took your sentence, healed you, bore your pains, diseases, grief, guilt and shame, and I was in Him reconciling you to Myself. And in seeing and knowing Him, you are seeing and knowing Me. My love is manifested to you tangibly in Christ Jesus your Lord, for I was in Christ reconciling you to Myself not counting your sins against you.
The way you know Me intimately and see My heart for you is through the One I sent to show you the way, the truth, and the life, eternal life. When you know Him, you know Me, the Father, who sent Him as your savior.
It is My Son who has revealed Me to you.
No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has revealed, disclosed, and explained Him. John 1:18.
And what has He shown you? The good Shepherd who guides His sheep to the best in life, restores their souls, and brings them life in abundance. And He and I are one. In His hand you are in Mine and there is no snatching out of My hand.
Wherever Jesus went, He could not escape notice. He attracted people by His love and compassion for them, His willingness to go to their homes to heal their sick, His rejection of no one I sent Him, and His willingness to step aside spend time with those who needed guidance, like Nicodemus, Zaccheus, and the woman at the well. The power to heal flowed forth from Him and it was for everyone that would connect with it by faith. The conclusion of the crowds was that He did everything well!
People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” Mark 7:37.
And remember in seeing Him you are seeing Me.
You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. Acts 10:38.
Jesus never did anything to increase or benefit Himself. Everything He did was to increase and benefit you. And in seeing Him you are seeing Me.
“The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28.
Mankind could always know Me by My Word but in Jesus My written and spoken Word manifested among you as one in all things like you except sin. My Word is pure. The eternal life I promised you before the foundation of the world is realized in Him. All Scripture is realized, fulfilled, and made manifest when My Word took flesh and showed Himself for all to see and know Me.
I want all to know Me from the least to the greatest and I made this possible and wide open to you in Jesus.
“And they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen, and everyone his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for all will know Me, from the least to the greatest of them for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 8:11-12.
When you feel an attraction for another person, you draw close to them to see if they will engage in conversation with you and perhaps want to spend time with you. And when they feel the same, they will draw close to you as well and perhaps ask you to go somewhere with them and have a meal with them. Why? So you can get to know each other.
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. Revelation 3:20.
When John the Baptist pointed out Jesus to Andrew and John as the long-awaited One foretold by Abraham that would take away your sins, they tried to draw close to Him, following after Him as He walked along. He noticed them and asked what they were seeking. And what did they say? “Where do you stay?” They wanted to come and privately spend time with Him to get to know Him. And one afternoon with Him changed everything in their lives and in the way they looked at life, at themselves, at others, and at the world. Spending time with Him renewed their minds in a most wonderful and delightful way. And they were so excited, they just had to go and pull others in to know Me. And then those others had to go get to others as well.
Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Nathanael said to him, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” John 1:45-46.
And when he came and saw, what was Nathanael’s conclusion?
Nathanael answered Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.” John 1:49.
The Pharisees found fault with that Jesus would go and spend time with people and dine with them who they classified as sinners. But no one ever left His company, if they really wanted to draw close and know Him, the same. Everything became new and wonderful. Sinners became saints. Like Zaccheus, like the woman at the well, like Matthew, like Peter, Andrew, James, John, and everyone who spent time with Him and got to know Him. Even after He died on the Cross and was raised from the dead, like Stephen, Philip (the deacon) and Paul, and so many right to this moment. Like you.
It is no different with Me, I call you to Me through My Son. I invite you all to the wedding feast of My Son. And I have invited you all to come and partake of His body and blood. In fact, it is so important in knowing Me and My Son that I tell you to do it often and even revealed it to My apostle Paul who was not present the night My Son instituted it as the true perpetual memorial of the Passover. And Paul did it often, even multiple times in one night of meeting with believers. And once Paul had conversed with and began a relationship with My Son, his only goal and desire of his heart was to know Me and the power of the resurrection that I have extended to all of you who believe in My Son, which gives you such a powerful and wonderful life.
Why would you want to get to know Me? Come and see. And you will find the treasure you have been seeking, the wonders beyond number that I have in store for you now and forever.
Then God said, “Behold, I make a covenant. Before all your people I will do marvels such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation; and all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the LORD. For it is an awesome thing that I will do with you.” Exodus 34:10.
And what will you find when you come and see? The great goodness I have stored for you and want to distribute to you now and forever, the joy I want to share with you, and the peace I want to put in your heart. You will find that you fit perfectly with Me and will find everything your heart has been looking for in Me to make you at ease, confident, and complete, lacking in nothing. You will find I have precious plans for you that outnumber the sand, and that I will teach you to profit and the way you should go.
I desire above all and in all that you prosper and are in good health even as you soul prospers by walking in the truth that sets you free from every addiction, fear, and encumbrance of sin. I bear your burdens and lift them off you. I bid you come to Me and receive eternal life, I call to you to come up higher and rule and reign with Me forever. I offer you living water that wells up within you unto eternal life and overflows out of you to a thirsty world so that all, like you, can never thirst again.
Jesus offered the Samaritan woman at the well a drink of living water and she was interested enough to get to know what He was talking about and to get to know who He was. And in that conversation as she drew close and shared her life with Him, she found everything her heart was seeking for she had found the Messiah. Or should we say He sought her? Yes, I am seeking you to make your heart sing as with joy you draw water at the springs of salvation, Yeshuah, Jesus. For I am your strength and your song.
“Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; for the LORD God is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation. Therefore you will joyously draw water from the springs of salvation.” Isaiah 12:2-3.
In My house there are only good things and in My presence is fullness of joy. Come share My joy. Come and see.
How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. They drink their fill of the abundance of Your house; and You give them to drink of the river of Your delights. For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light. Psalm 36:7-9.
Spend your day in My house and the good news is you are invited and most welcome to never leave but stay in My house now and forever. I have many mansions.
Surely goodness and lovingkindness will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23:6.
“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. John 14:1-3.
That where I AM you also may be.
In Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever. Psalm 16:11.
I love you, isn’t it time you drew close and got to know Me? Every day you will discover something more, something new, something precious and beautiful that I am doing in and for you. What confidence you will have in the face of trials and storms, they will not make you budge one bit off the rock of My Word, knowing that I always make everything work out for your good! What joy you will have as you declare a thing and I perform it as you speak My Words and know My ways. It will transform you. You will love your life.
Why not sing this song to Me as your own? Getting to know You, getting to know all about You. Getting to like You, getting to know You like me. Getting to know You, putting it my way, but nicely, You are precisely my cup of tea! Getting to know You, getting to feel free and easy. When I am with You, getting to know what to say. Haven’t you noticed? Suddenly I’m bright and breezy because of all the beautiful and new things I’m learning about you day by day. The King and I.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vlx6gQWfjp0&ab_channel=Rodgers%26Hammerstein