How Do I Know Him?

One of the pastors of the church that I was live-streaming last Sunday stepped up to the microphone, in a pause during the Praise and Worship, and began to talk a little about the next song we were going to sing.  They were celebrating their annual “Rodeo Sunday” by honoring their cowboy/western cultural roots.  The large church is located in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and its staff and congregation are very proud of their State’s bigger-than-life history and conservative Christian values.

The pastor took a few moments to explain that the next song, commonly sung in churches, was actually written by a very popular Country Western singer and song writer.  She discussed the point that the artist was a Christian but had struggled with alcoholism throughout his life and actually died at a very young age (29) from complications with the disease. 

Then she said something that hit a strong chord within me.  She explained that the musical artist only knew “Jesus as Savior for heaven’s sake.”  In other words, the only part of the gospel message that he really understood and applied to his life, was that he had accepted Jesus as his personal Savior and would make it to heaven when his natural life on this earth came to an end.*

The two lights of revelation that brightly flashed in my understanding was first and foremost, the question of “In how many ways, positions or areas of my life do I know Jesus” and secondly, that David’s response to God’s intervention in his life in our study verse found in Psalm 40:3, speaks directly to knowing Jesus’ will and His love, His supernatural abilities and His grace and authority in NEW areas of our lives… and what we should do about it!

If you recall, in Psalm 40:3 David joyfully and purposely declares:

“A new song for a new day rises up in me every time I think about how he breaks through for me! Ecstatic praise pours out of my mouth until everyone hears how God has set me free. Many will see his miracles; they’ll stand in awe of God and fall in love with him!” (TPT) 

In last week’s post we talked about “Decision Points” and how there are times in our lives when we hear something from or about God that touches our hearts and gives us an opportunity to yield to this NEW direction and/or understanding of a Biblical truth that we hadn’t seen or considered before… or not!**

I concluded last week by stating that I would show you what happens when you go through the personal experiences that I mentioned in the post… so here we go…

It is actually a rather simple but yet potentially life-changing or at least life-enhancing process!  The Apostle John gives us a lot of specifics concerning the Word of God in his gospel and three epistles.  In John 8:31-32 he recorded for history when Jesus definitively stated to His followers that,

"If you live by what I say, you are truly My disciples (for) you will know the TRUTH, and the TRUTH will set you free." (God’s Word ©)

Jesus also explained what He meant when He talked about “The Truth” later on in John’s gospel in John 17:17 when He prayed for His followers to the Father just before His crucifixion, asking Father God to,

“Sanctify them through THY TRUTH: (for) Thy WORD IS TRUTH.” (KJV)

The Message Bible actually gives a little more accurate detail to the first part of John 8:32 by explaining that,

“You will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will free you." 

While the George N. Lamas “The New Testament According to the Eastern Texts”, best defines the implication of the second section of Jesus’ statement declaring,

“…and that very truth will make you free.”

So, according to Jesus, when we hear, perceive and gain some initial understand of a truth that is NEW to us in God’s Word, the knowledge of that particular truth has the ability to give us new found freedom, authority, deeper understanding, wisdom and the utilization of another of the countless benefits… during our life on this earth… that Jesus provided for us through His death, burial, resurrection and assumption to the right hand of God!  All we have to do is DECIDE to receive it into our lives, to take ownership of it and then to apply it in our daily activities.

But I will remind you of another important truth that I heard coming from the deep recesses of my spirit this morning… simply put…

“With great KNOWLEDGE comes great RESPONSIBILITY!”

Meaning… that God gives us… His children… wonderful revelations of the tools that He has provided for us… but does so, in order to better equip us for the activities of life as well as to better equip us to love and help others around us.

We’ve all seen the advertisements on TV that encourage us to “Drive Responsively!” Well, I believe that God in His Word is encouraging to “Live Responsively” with the ever-expanding TRUTH that we learn about from His Word… in the midst of the negative, combatant and hurting society around us. 

Let our knowledge of His TRUTH be a LIGHT emanating from you and me to our world!

Have a terrific weekend.  We’ve got warm, almost spring-like weather today, but I hear that some of my west coast family and friends are experiencing some gloomy rainy days!  So… Whatever your weather may be like… Just let His LIGHT shine through you and be the source of prevailing peace and joy wherever you go!

 

*The Scriptures teach about the different parts and/or anointings of Jesus as our Savior, healer, deliverer, provider, fount of wisdom and understanding, conqueror and the TRUTH… among many other things!

**In case you need to review or refresh your memory of last week’s post, go to: https://pjberruto.blogspot.com/2025/01/decision-time.html