It’s all about you having a good relationship with the person you know very well. We want you to understand Jesus is a gift from God who redeems us, to be our Savior, our Light, our Shepherd, our Bread! He is a good God! Jesus is our friend! We need to know Him in a personal way. Who is this Jesus? When you know Jesus, you will believe and understand this person with confidence!
One of the last times Jesus was on this earth, was during the Jewish preparation of the Passover. In the city of Jerusalem, numerous people were coming from different places for this special event. This was a joyful day for the Jewish people to remember God delivering them from the bondage of slavery in the land of Egypt! Contrary, this is the time for Jesus to be crucified, for tears, for grief and sorrow. It was hard for many people closest to Jesus. On this day, so many things were happening but for the believer, it is a powerful moment, receiving our glory and victory from the Lord! Because He demonstrated His love towards us forgiving us in a painful death on the Cross of Calvary!
In Gethsemane, Jesus cried and prayed for us! Praying for this day!
Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
The issues of doubt arose in the disciples heart even in their close relationship with Jesus. The disciples walked with Jesus for years, ate with Him. They witnessed Him performing miracles and healings! Yet they were with so many questions.
Jesus talked with His disciples,
John 14:1-5, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3And 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. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know. 5Thomas said to Him, Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”
Thomas was one of the disciples also close to Jesus! Jesus shared everything about His Father to the disciples! About the Kingdom of God, the love of the Father! But still they did not understand Jesus fully and had doubts. 5Thomas said to Him, Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”
6Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” 7If you had known Me; you would have known the Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”
Another disciple remarked. 7” Philip said to Him, Lord show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us. 9Jesus said to him, Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, Show us the Father?”
They were asking show us the Father so they could have believed and trusted in Him? The Bible suggests this may have seemed to be a foolish question to the Lord because they walked with Him for years! Therefore, it is still hard to know Jesus, unless you build a great relationship with Him! There are many Christians who believe Jesus but still have a lot of questions! Can Jesus heal me? Are my sins really forgiven? This may be why the need to repent every day; not being confident about their salvation. There is a lingering question mark? People are struggling financially and don’t see God as their provider!
Jesus is speaking in these scriptures to encourage them that although He was leaving, He was preparing a good place for them and will come back to get them. You can be in good fellowship and study the Bible but surely in your heart, there can be a doubt of who is Jesus!
Things happening in the world today, can challenge your faith and what you know! Is Jesus really there? Some songs called worship; you cannot tell the person believes Jesus. When you listen to the words, they do not know nor understand this Jesus. How long you have been in the church does not substitute for knowing Jesus! These disciples had been with Jesus a long time! They still asked who is the Father, where are you going and what is the way?
Jesus had mentioned these things before, but they did not believe Him! Even so before Jesus was crucified, He warned them He would rise again. He told them death could not hold Him. The Bible tells us, Thomas remarked, John 20:25, “The other disciples therefore said to him, We have seen the Lord. So, he said to them, Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
We need to personally know Jesus! We all have sinned and wandered away from God! Jesus is our friend and Savior! Jesus is our provider. If we lack bread, we can know Jesus is the bread of heaven! If we are in trouble, in oppression, we can know Jesus is our Messiah! We can cry to Him, and He will save us! If our way is dark, we can know Jesus is our light! When we reach a place where it seems to be no way out, Jesus is the way! If people are confusing you, Jesus is the truth! The Bible says, John 8:32, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” If you are seeing your life is ending, remind yourself Jesus is the life, and you will live! Jesus can set you free! If you know a person, you can witness about that person but a stranger you don’t know. We can boldly stand for Jesus to speak His name and what He does. Who He is!
Believing and having faith in Jesus is a process! You have to continue to trust and know the whole picture of Jesus! This can be done by reading and studying the Word of God daily! Not only what people say. Come closer and make a strong relationship! If you know Jesus, you know everything about God and heaven! You will not be double minded. Knowing Jesus will make you free in your minds. In this earth, our minds can become confused for what we pass through and the things on the earth shaking the world. It was necessary for Jesus to come from heaven to tell us about God! When we were born, we come to know our parents, what others may say, but we do not know about God who created us! Because we have never seen Him.
The questions come in life, why? It is challenging for scientific minded individuals to believe in God. Their rationale leans more toward evolution than in God’s creation. Even some argue if God exists! Jesus opened the eyes of the disciples after resurrection, and they saw God! He said, “Now you know Him, and you have seen Him.” We don’t want to live with the faith of Thomas.
John 20:29, “Jesus said to him, Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Invite Jesus into your life! Jesus is still knocking at the door of your heart! He cannot walk away; He will stand with you until the last moment. He will not deny you!
The Apostle Peter was a friend, a nice, good man. He asked questions wanting to know God but when things came hard, he denied Jesus! Matthew 26:33, “Peter answered and said to Him, Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble. We have read and know Peter did deny the Lord three times. This relationship was not built well because Peter was walking in the flesh! If you walk in the flesh, you cannot take seriously the things of God! In the times of difficulty, pain, tough times, the enemy speaks the loudest, roaring like a lion.
Many, unfortunately, may say something like, “God helps them who helps themselves.” I have heard so many believers say this. Saying don’t trust just Jesus, but Jesus plus. Try other ways. Where is the end? You will end up in death and defeat. Plainly, there is no way we can help ourselves!
Peter loved Jesus and when things became tough, because he was in the flesh, he could not take the pain! He saw the beatings of Jesus, mockery, the flesh told Peter he would go the same way. The enemy is speaking loud to deny Jesus! So, Peter succumbs! But Jesus turns to forgive Him! He remembered Peter, all of us! He only said,
Luke 23:34, “Then Jesus said, Father, forgive them for they do not know what they do.”
Many people believe Jesus was only speaking of the evil people who rejected Him at that time. He was speaking of everyone who would ever live! You and me! Everyone is evil before God prior to receiving His Son! No matter how great your sin, what you have done! No matter what good works you do. All need a Savior, and all have been forgiven!
Jesus says, “I am the way!” It’s not like you have 3 or 4 ways and you just choose one! It is only one way to heaven! One way to know and fellowship with God! Jesus is the only truth in this earth! Only Jesus came from heaven and knows the Father! No one else can give life in this earth!
As with any gift, however, you are required to respond! If you reject, judgment will fall back on you after death because you did not choose God’s way! Hebrews 9:27, “And it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.”
Moses & Marguerite Wafula
www.wakeuptohope. blog