Today’s New Covenant nugget is from John 17:3 (TPT)
Eternal life means to know and experience You as the only true God, and to know and experience Jesus Christ, as the Son whom you have sent.
KNOWING AND EXPERIENCING JESUS IS WHAT SEPARATES DEAD RELIGION FROM TRUE CHRISTIANITY!
As we walk with the Lord daily, it is so important to keep the main thing, the main thing – Jesus is the main thing and our personal relationship with him is paramount!
Paul writes to the church in Philippi, “To truly know Him meant letting go of everything from my past and throwing all my boasting on the garbage heap. It’s all like a pile of manure to me now, so that I may be enriched in the reality of knowing Jesus Christ and embracing Him as Lord in all of His greatness.” - Philippians 3:8 (TPT)
Continually being hungry for personal encounters with Jesus, knowing Him in prayer, through fellowship with Him, through His Word and by worshipping Him is what it is all about – keeping our relationship with Jesus vibrant and fresh and real.
How does Christianity turn into dead religion?
Born again people start off on fire for God and with a very strong, passionate relationship with Jesus… as they continue, many fall into the trap of exchanging that real, passionate relationship with the philosophy of Christianity, doctrine and ambition for the kingdom of God. Many study the Word regarding faith, grace, the promises of God, the gifts of the Spirit and such AS SUBJECTS, while neglecting to focus on THE SOURCE of faith, grace, the promises of God and the gifts of the Spirit. All of those things are the ‘fruit’ that comes from being connected to JESUS, the vine of life!
Many scholars of the Word are sadly dead, or barely alive in their relationship with Jesus – sadly, many believers, pastors, evangelists, bishops and church leaders are doing great works for Jesus, while they have personally lost touch with Him to a great extent… prophesying about the last days, Jesus said, “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, I never knew you” - Matthew 7:22-23
Friend, keep Jesus the author and the finisher, the beginning and the end and the total focus of your walk of faith – keep your relationship with Him passionate, fresh, vibrant and real. As you grow in your relationship with Him, you will bear much fruit!
In His amazing love, Nick
