Christianity is more than just a religion, It is a personal relationship with God. Personal relationships are not based on emotions. It’s easy for you to be in love when your relationship is still in the early stages, but it takes a lot of sacrifice, effort, and compromise to keep that relationship going. So it is with your relationship with God. When you first encounter God, it is exciting and makes you feel good. But it is easy for the relationship to go sour after some time. It doesn’t just happen suddenly, it is a gradual process.
Though there are other religions on earth, Christianity proves to be true and stands out because of her truism, light, and peace. Christianity is a joyful religion, but to experience her power, joy, peace and light calls for personal knowledge of God Almighty through Jesus. Being born into a Christian home, attending all Church activities, paying your tithes and offerings weekly; sleeping in the Church, being a worker, minister – even being a pastor’s child doesn’t make you a child of God, but your personal encounter with Jesus makes you His child. The above mentioned are good but are no substitute for the new birth. Confessing Jesus as your Lord and Saviour secures you heaven.
There is the common saying that God loves everyone since He sent his Son Jesus Christ to die for us on the cross, as we read in John 3:16, but a special intimate love is reserved for those that love Him and obey His commandments. It is only to this group of people that God reveals His secrets to. This can be seen in our day to day relationship with people. You can tell secrets to only those you trust to keep those secrets. If you approach a stranger on the street and start telling them your secrets, that stranger would think you’re drunk or crazy. Our personal secrets are reserved for those we trust. So it is with God, too. David told us in Psalm 25:14 that “The Lord is a friend to those who fear him. He teaches them his covenant.” (NLT)
Apostle Paul’s mission journey recorded in the book of Acts 19 tells us how necessary personal knowledge of Him helps. Paul had a personal encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, and now became a bonafide child of God. His name became a terror to the kingdom of darkness. When the seven sons of Sceva tried using the Name of Jesus the way Apostle Paul used it, the evil spirit in the man said to them, “I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?” (Verse 15, NLT). They were attacked with violence and beaten naked. Have you had an encounter with Jesus personally? If no, He says to you in Revelation 3:20 “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.” (NLT)
Suit_ Michael Kors
Shirt_ Express
Bow Tie_ Brooks Brothers
Shoe_ Zara
