We must know the Lord! I mean, really know Him. Sad but true, at the resurrection many will say, Lord, Lord, didn't we do all these things in your Name? Listen to His response; "...depart from Me, I never knew you." (1) What did the Lord mean by this? It simply means our salvation is not just a doctrine we embrace, it's a person, and His Name is JESUS. The first time we touch Jesus is for salvation. But that's only the miraculous beginning of a beautiful intimate relationship and fellowship that God desires to have with us through His Son. The Scriptures tell us that Joseph never knew Mary. (2) That word knew is interpreted, "To have intimate relationship or fellowship with." And that's the degree that God desires to have fellowship with us. This should be the number one desire of our hearts and should be pursued with vigor. "You shall love the Lord your God, with all your Heart and all your Soul, and with all your Mind." (3) (The First & Greatest Commandment)
In this PRIORITIES we're going to examine some ways of touching Jesus. And since His "Word is True," (4) let's see what His Word reveals to us. Our study will center around two Scriptures. "Those who come to God must believe that He Is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him,' and '...what measure you measure it, it shall be measured to you." (5,6)
When Jesus was in Jerusalem a round a bouts, how did people touch or receive from Him? Well, I'm sure there were those who, just by being in His powerful presence and anointing, received from Him. And though the method that He ministered to the people is a good study, here we're interested in what people like you and I did to get His touch. The examples recorded in the Gospels for the most part are those people who made the extra effort to personally make contact with Jesus. And although Jesus did give emphasis to the fact that some were children of Abraham, (7) being able to receive from Him wasn't based on their position in society. Jesus said, "whoever is thirsty (for what ever (8) let him come to Me and I will in no wise cast him out." (9) Read about the lady with the issue of blood, (10) the blind beggar (11) the centurion (12) and Zacchaeus. (13) They all did what ever it took to touch or get the ear of Jesus, while being specific in their request. And in each case, you'll notice, Jesus always, after granting their request, had the recipient do some corresponding reaction by doing what He said. His own mother had caught on to the importance of this. Remember the wedding feast where He turned the water into wine? His mother had just told the servants, "What ever He says, do it!" (14) Jesus knows that Faith if it has no works is dead. (15)
How, you might ask, does this day and age differ from back when Jesus was walking amongst men? I think in some ways, it's still the same. Except now you don't need to go all the way to Jerusalem to find or touch Jesus. He's as near as the closest believer who's following Jesus. Because He lives in them. (16) He said, "He that receives whomever I send, receives Me." (17) Mark 16 states, the believers go in Jesus Name and they lay hands on the sick, (and they recover) cast out devils, (demons) speak with new tongues, and more with signs following. (The proof is in the pudding) Jesus said, "My Words are Spirit and they are Life." (18) His Words (or seeds) are revealed to us by the Holy Spirit usually through these believers. And like the parable in Mark chapter 4, they are still falling on all kinds of hearts (or soils). And the evil forces of satan are still doing everything possible to steal that Word (which is Life) by getting our hearts to believe something else, thereby robbing us of the Life this Word was sent to produce. We're actually supposed to be casting down those vain imaginations and everything that exalts its self against the knowledge of God (His Word) (19)
Jesus said, "I have come that they may have Life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (20) This Life is recorded in God's Testaments or Bible and are called, "Covenants of Promise."(21) The Word is where we can find that He had already "...given to us exceedingly great and precious promises that through these we may be partakers of the divine nature." (22) And these promises are sure to all His seed. (US) (23) What is needed is our agreement. For all the promises of God ...In Him, are yes and amen, (or so be it in me). (24) So we know that this abundant life and all the promises of God are available for us. Eph.2:12 states, "To be without God in this world is to be without the Covenants of Promise." Could we turn it around and say it like this, "If we truly desire any or all of these Covenants of Promise while in the world, we'll be with God? Therefore if we want everything God has to offer, being with God all the time is of extreme importance. We need to be practicing God's presence. You see, our "God is no respecter of persons." (25) But He is a respecter of faith. All that the Father has, was given to Jesus, and He's here to show it to us. (26)
Does this take consecration and determination? YES IT DOES! We must be doing everything possible to cultivate this relationship and fellowship with God. We must first draw near to God and then He will draw near to us. (27) We must walk in the Light (His Truth) as He is in the Light. (28) "Because if we say we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth." (29) "But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul." (30)
And now is not the time to just touch Jesus anyway. We must desire with all our hearts to follow Him, Walk with Him, and be His disciples. Some then, as well as now, because of the cost, have turned away from His Lordship. (31) I was surprised when I found out that the door that Jesus was knocking on in Revelations 3:20 was a particular church. And He's still saying, "I Am the Way, and The Truth, and The Life..." (32) He's our everything!
Proverbs says to; "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding." (33) Well, how can we trust someone we're not having fellowship with? Jesus said; "My sheep (followers) hear My voice and they follow Me." (34) "I Am the Light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the Light of Life." (35) It's walking by faith (in what He says) not by sight. (36) So let's take our Lords example and walk by faith like He did. He said that; "the works that I do shall you do also..." (37) Well, how did Jesus walk by faith? What ever the Spirit of God told him or showed Him, that's what He did! (38) And we are supposed to imitate Him. (39) And we're told to, "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ..." (40) That word believe means to: cling to, trust in, and rely on. So we do just that! He also told us that; "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds (continually) from the mouth of God." (41) Therefore the important thing is to be continually hearing what the Spirit of God is saying to us. As His Words are received by our spirit, than our faith comes by (this) hearing (Now Faith Is (42) and hearing by the Word of (from) God. (43) And this Word brings us Life. This is called revelation knowledge and it's how His children are to be led. (44) So we get into The Word, and let It get into us. Then we will be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Rom.12:1,2.
For us, this walk of faith in this world is one of Victory. (45) Some warfare, yes. It's called fighting the good fight of faith. (46) Because you see, we have the "Armor of God" to protect and do battle with. (47) So we are always overcoming. (48) Why? Because we are living In Christ (the anointed one and His anointing) and He's living in us. (49) And greater is He that is in us, than he that is in the world. (50) Jesus prayed; "Father, show them that you Love them as much as You Love me." (51) And the Father says, "I'll be your God and live and walk in you and be a Father to you and you shall be My sons (and daughters)...(52) Let's make spending quality time with God our # 1 PRIORITY . Seek Him First. (53)
(1) Matt.7 (2) Matt.1 (3) Matt.22 (4) Jn.17 (5) Heb.11 (6) Mk.4 (7)Lk.13 (8) Mk.11(9) Jn.7 (10) Matt.9 (11) Lk.18 (12) Matt.8 (13) Lk.19 (14) Jn.2 (15) Ja.2 (16) Jn.14 (17) Jn.13 (18) Jn.6 (19) 2 Cor.10 (20) Jn.10 (21) Eph.2 (22) 2 Pet.1 (23) Rom.4 (24) 2 Cor.1 (25) Acts 10 (26) Jn.16 (27) Ja.4 (28 & 29) 1 Jn.1 (30) Heb.10 (31) Lk.14 (32) Jn.14 (33) Prov.3 (34) Jn.10 (35) Jn.8 (36) 2 Cor.5 (37) Jn.14 (38) Jn.5 (39) Eph.5 (40) Acts.15 (41) Matt.4 (42) Heb.11 (43) Rom.10 (44) Rom.8 (45) 1 Jn.5 (46) 2 Tim.6 (47) Eph.6 (48) 2 Cor.2 (49) Gal.2 (50) 1 Jn.5 (51) Jn.17 (52) 2 Cor.6 (53) Matt.6
If you would like to e-mail this message to yourself or friends, 