Building One Another  

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. I Thessalonians 5:11

Growing in the Knowing of Jesus!

Dear Friend –

The wonderful teacher Ken Bailey used to caution those of us who were very familiar with the Bible.

He warned us that familiarity could dull us to the truth. We’d hear a sermon on a familiar text and think, “Oh, yeah, I know what that’s about,” and tune out!

The apostle Paul wrote the Philippians to speak of the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus.

Clearly, Paul’s heart’s desire was to grow in the knowing of Jesus.

We begin our friendship with Jesus as we trust him and become his followers, yet that is only the beginning of our knowing.

Are you growing in your knowing of Jesus? Do you know more about Jesus and do you know Jesus more in direct friendship than you did a year ago?

A wonderful prayer is simply, “Jesus, I want to know you more!” You might add to it words from the musical Godspell, so the prayer becomes:

“Jesus, I want to know you more, to see you more clearly, love you more dearly, follow you more nearly, day by day!”

Pray that prayer for month and bedtime and see what our Lord does!

Joy to you – Stan  

© Copyright 2024 E. Stanley Ott

Scripture from the ESV

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1. What do you recall of your first awareness of putting your hand in the hand of Jesus - of trusting him, of following him? You may remember that moment vividly. It may be lost in your early memories.
2. Regardless of when that first awareness took place, is your hand in his hand? If not, know his hand is extended to you right now?
3. Are you growing in the knowing of Jesus. If yes, why do you believe that. If not, why not?
4. How will you seek to grow in the knowing of Jesus - will you pray this prayer at bedtime for a month:  “Jesus, I want to know you more, to see you more clearly, love you more dearly, follow you more nearly, day by day!”

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash