Knowing Christ and making Him known
Jesus issue the most astonishing invitation; ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.’ (Matthew 11:28)
Stop carrying the heavy load of sin and guilt and meaninglessness and rebellion. Instead, come to Jesus in prayer. Ask for forgiveness. Learn from him. And you will know rest.
Scripture makes it plain that there will be a day when we are all brought to account for how we have lived. We cannot live any way we please and ignore God with impunity. Judgement will come and we need to be ready for it, by becoming followers of Jesus.
However challenging it can be to witness our faith to believers, God uses the witness of his people in a powerful and often far-reaching way.
Do you ever feel like God has forgotten about you? Do you ever feel that he doesn’t care? In fact, it’s good when we come to the place where we realise we cannot cope on our own. It’s good when we stop relying on our own limited strength. Because only then will come to God in prayer and wait upon him for strength from above.
Perhaps you’re religious, well- educated, a pillar of the community. Or you may be completely different; no scholar and you wouldn’t claim to be a particularly good person. Whatever the case, Jesus says the same thing to you: ‘You must be born again.’ For, as he says to Nicodemus, ‘… no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.’ (John 3:3)
Listening to God’s word week by week, you’ll either be helped or you’ll be hardened. You’ll be helped if you respond to God’s voice speaking to you, calling you deeper into a relationship with him, despite your sinfulness, despite your failings. But if you listen without responding, then hearing God’s word will just harden your heart, more and more until it’s too late.
‘If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.’ (Matthew 4:23)
Keep on keeping on, press on, fight the good fight all the while entrusting your soul to him that Jesus may be made known throughout Scotland and beyond. Entrust yourself to your creator while doing good because you know, as you walk the narrow path in obedience to Jesus, what awaits you in God’s presence forever.
In times of trouble, where can we turn to for help? Psalm 46 opens with an amazing confidence in God: ‘God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.’
Time and again, God proves to be there with us to help and support us.
If you do want to live a life knowing Jesus’ light flooding into you, then treasure up, memorise, apply, and pray over his Word. Ask God for the light of understanding and the ability to obey it. And you shall know the power and fellowship of God himself in an enriched life.
‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.’ (Luke 18:16)
We come to God, we need to come with the attitude of a needy child and a prayer such as, ‘God, I am empty; please fill me. I am a sinner; please forgive me. I don’t deserve your love; but please love me on account of your grace and mercy.’
Have you come to Jesus like this? You won’t get to Heaven any other way!