Will the Real Jesus Please Step Forward?

The first time I had heard about Jesus was from my mother. She would read the Scriptures to her family and then talk about them for hours. She would sit at the kitchen table for many more hours playing the guitar and making melody in her heart to the Lord. Many a night I fell asleep with the sweet sound of her playing in my ears.

When I gave my heart to Christ I merely asked Him to forgive me of my sins, and to take me to heaven when I died.

The following years have been spent searching for the real Jesus. I have been through church after church, read book after book, and failed to find Him. I graduated from Bible College with a General Studies Diploma but still did not know Him. I knew of Him, and knew the Scriptures through much reading and meditation, but I never really knew Him. I knew church doctrine, and read many books on church doctrine and the application thereof, but still did not know Him. I had a mental knowledge of Christ, but no real heart knowledge.

What was the driving force in my life? It can be summed up in this Scripture:

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matt. 6:33).

My goal wasn't to achieve things. My goal was to seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness. This is what kept me going all through the years. I wanted to know God. I would read about Moses and how the glory was upon him so greatly that his face needed to be veiled before he could go among the people. Oh, how I wanted that! Something in me yearned for that connection with the Glorious One.

I listened to many great preachers, and discovered to my dismay that the more I listened to them the more confused I would become. I am not saying they were all wrong, though some certainly were, many were greatly used of God for His purpose, and their lives proved it. What I am saying is their message wasn't getting through to me. Some of their doctrines didn't make sense, and the more I delved into a study of their doctrines the more confused I became.

They claimed to know God. They claimed to be able to talk to Jesus like He was right there with them, as a friend would converse with another friend over a cup of coffee. Some even claimed to see Jesus in visions, and I would marvel at that, and wonder why I wasn't seeing Jesus. They claimed many things, but I just wasn't getting it.

This led me to pursue holiness. I thought for years that if I could just 'be holy' that God would come to me and talk as a friend, or appear in a vision and discuss things in detail with me. I would pray with this expectation, but it just never happened. I never blamed God. I just assumed that I hadn't arrived to the level of holiness He wanted from me, so I worked harder, and harder, and harder....

One preacher, bless his heart, told me that holiness was an attitude. I agonized over that one for about 2 seconds, and heard words come out of my lips in response to his statement. I said, "No sir, that is not correct. One is not holy because he thinks he is holy, or has an attitude of holiness. One is holy because the Lord makes him holy. Holiness is not an attitude, but a position".

One day after I could take it no more, and after much prayer it came to my mind to forget all that I had learned. I felt led to go back to the Scriptures and read them without prejudice and just let them speak to me as they are intended. I did. Then I read them again, and again without preset thoughts or opinions. I was shocked beyond belief. I was literally stunned by what I found. This has changed my life dramatically, and I would like to share a few things that I've learned in the process.

Taking God out of the Box

In my opinion, one of the greatest, if not the greatest, hindrances to knowing God is to come to the Scriptures with a mind that is full of beliefs and opinions about Him before you even start to read what He has said about Himself.

The second hindrance is satan which strives to shape the way you think as you read, and if you allow it he will lead you down many a rabbit trail that only ends in confusion. The best way not to allow it is to remain focused on the Scriptures and don't allow yourself to make hasty judgments.

The first thing that I do is pray. I ask Jesus to open my heart,mind, and understanding to His Word, so that I can comprehend it as He intended it to be understood. In Luke 24:13-53 we see that on the road to Emmaus Jesus appeared on the scene, without their knowing it was Him, and he opened their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures (vs. 45). I believe that He will do the same for us as well.

I read the Scriptures and take them at face value. I don't try to figure them out. I just read them to get to know what they say. This takes many readings (it is a big book), and my purpose is just to learn what is going on in the Scriptures. As I read, the things that stand out to me, or speak to my heart, I record in a notebook for future reference.

As you progress in your understanding God will give you more and more. Be sure to do what the New Testament tells you to do, and you will grow and grow. If you stumble at something or discover that you are not obeying Christ, repent and He will forgive you and cleanse you of all unrighteousness (1 Jn. 1:9). As your understanding grows God will help you understand more, only be sure to act in the light that you have been given. We must walk in the light we have if we expect to be given more.

To whom much is given is much required.

Arguments are not for those in Christ

We are commanded to love one another. Many of the hubs are filled with arguments over issues that are unnecessary. When you argue your point all you are trying to do is prove to the next that your view is right and theirs is wrong. Does this extend to others the love that Christ has commanded us to keep toward one another. I am speaking of those who argue maliciously and with hurtful words or slurs.

Pride is the culprit behind most arguments.

There is a difference between expressing your opinion in an intelligent manner and slashing out with arguments that only hurt others. I know that if we will be guided by love in our treatment of others we will not sin. I refuse to argue my position. I have discovered that the best thing to do is present my case, and allow it to stand on its own. I will never stoop to arguing or doing anything that might hurt another.

I respect each person's opinion, even if I don't agree with it. I do not respect a person who seeks to argue or hurt others just to prove their point. Even so, all I can do is pray that God will grant them light (understanding), and that what they once believed so strongly will line up with the truth of God's Word.

God Bless.