Timely Insights into God's Word from Khandielese Reyes

“And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.   He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.  He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” (1^st John 2:3-6) 

The Lord’s Commandment: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.   On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matt 22:37-40) 

Many believers today are convinced they know Jesus simply through the act of receiving him as Lord and Savior and accepting the gift of eternal life through Him.  However, the act of accepting him does not give us immediate knowledge of Him, but only guarantees our salvation through our confession of faith.  Through this act, every believer knows of the Lord Jesus according to the scriptures.  We can read about him, and through the scriptures understand his purpose and plan.   We can try and understand why the power of God would come in the form of man through His Son Jesus, and why He would pay the penalty by the shedding of his blood for the sins of the world.  Yet, even through all our readings, this Alone will not give us a deep understanding of the beloved Man behind the name Jesus.   

When I rededicated my life to the Lord Jesus at 19, I had absolutely no idea what it meant to have a personal relationship with Him.  Like most Christians, I thought I already knew the Lord based upon being raised in the “church”, reading the word, and daily prayer.  When I accepted him as my Lord at age 9, and was baptized, I had no clue what I was doing.  I was only told that through my acceptance and acknowledgment of Him, this would keep me out of hell and insure me a place in heaven when I passed on.  There was never a mentioning of a “relationship” with Jesus.  It would take 10 agonizing years and a battle with the spirit of Suicide, to come to the understanding that despite all that I’d done, I was yet still without Christ.  I did not KNOW him.  This was brought to my attention through a “new babe” in Christ who had more wisdom than those I’d personally known who’d confessed walking with the Lord 20 years or more. She had been witness to the heavy depression that was swallowing me up, and she was the one the Lord had chosen to share with me the truth.  She said to me: “Khandie, you need to KNOW Jesus!”  At first I was offended, and immediately wanted to defend my roots in the “church” as I received what she was suggesting as a questioning of my love for the Lord.  Yet, she was not questioning whether or not I truly loved the Lord, but was stating the fact that I had NO relationship with him.  I went through the “motions” of a “Christian”, but had NO relationship.  I attended every service, read the word and prayed daily, but had NO relationship.  It would take another 10 years for me to fully understand the meaning of “A personal relationship with Christ”, and to this day I continue to seek Him, to grow even more close to Him, so that I could KNOW Him personally and completely. That whenever I would share to anyone about Jesus, I would be speaking about him from personal knowledge of him, and not just by what was told to me, or what I read about.   

Our understanding of Him comes from developing a personal relationship with Him.  Our personal knowledge and deep understanding of Jesus will not be determined solely upon how many services we attend weekly as we come together for fellowship, and the feeding of the word.  Nor will it depend upon how attentively we listen to a minister of the gospel, or how many notes we take during the ministering of the word.  It will not be determined by how much scripture we memorize and quote, nor how much prayer we pray.  These things are helpful and a necessary part in developing a relationship with Him, however, to gain a deeper more personal knowledge and understanding of Jesus our Lord would be determined upon how much TIME we spend ALONE intimately with Him IN his word; IN prayer; IN fellowship; IN worship; IN praise; IN simple conversation. Just as with any relationship, one must invest the TIME to spend one on one with an individual in order to truly have opportunity to know him/her.  We cannot assume knowledge of an individual based solely upon appearance or what we may have heard about him/her.  The way to KNOW a person is to invest time in getting to know the person.  Otherwise we rely solely on what we’ve heard, or what others may think thus we judge in this manner.  Even with relationships of friends, we take time to get to know their likes and dislikes, hopes and dreams, wants and needs.  When shopping for a special gift for a friend, relative, or spouse, we don’t just buy anything with the assumption they may like it.  But, based upon the time we’ve spent in getting to know the person, we have a general idea what would please or displease them in the form of a gift, thus we would choose wisely.    

Beloved brothers and sisters, the Lord Jesus desires that WE get to know HIM.   That we would invest the time to develop a personal, intimate relationship with Him as we would for others we so eagerly desire to know.   He does not desire ritualism, but INTIMACY!  It would please him more if we would sit with Him and with simplicity of conversation pour our hearts to Him as we would ANY friend, rather than to pray a long, ritualistic, rehearsed prayer where our hearts may not be in it at all.  Where we are saying the things we think he desires to hear, and not what is truly on our hearts.  Although the Lord knows ALL things, he still desires that we would take time to share with him the things that are troubling us or what has brought us joy.  Rather than race to a friend to cry on his/her shoulder, why not go to the Lord first?  Why is he always chosen the last on the list to converse with?  Is our relationship with others MORE important than our relationship with Him?   Believe it or not, Jesus ALSO has feelings and he hurt as much as we would when rejected.  If you think he does not weep, read one of the most powerful and the shortest verses in the bible: “JESUS WEPT.” (John 11:35)   A man without emotions and feelings do not weep!   

When we are up against all odds and going through a battle, AFTER we’ve gone through the list of friends and relatives to cry out to, when then turn to the Lord and share our burdens and sorrows.  And as faithful as he is, he still welcome us with open arms, but it must hurt him that he was chosen LAST on the list.  Let’s turn the tables for a moment.  Let’s say you knew of a person who called you FRIEND.  Every time you would desire to get together with that person they’d come up with an excuse of being unable to meet with you.  When you’d call them on the phone they quickly brushed you off expressing to you they are busy at the moment.  When you are lonely and hurting they are not around, and yet they still boast that they're YOUR FRIEND, that you mean the world to them.  In your heart you are hurt as their definition of friendship is quite different from yours, but yet you still love the person, you still make yourself available for him/her and still desire to know them better.  It hurts you that whenever they do put effort into phoning or visiting you, is when they are going through a rough period and need your help.  In your loving kindness you are always available and reach out to them in their hour of need.  However, when the turmoil is over, when the drama has ended, they move on almost ignoring your very existence.  But, you still LOVE THEM, and know that they will call again, when the next drama unfolds.   You wish in your heart, he/she would take the time to get to know you for you have so much in your heart you’d like to share.   You wonder if they truly mean it when they call you FRIEND, as their actions prove otherwise.  Now, turn the table back around and place Jesus in his rightful place as FAITHFUL,   FOREVER AVAILABLE and LOVING, and WE in the place of the one who calls him FRIEND.   

Today, this very moment, starting RIGHT NOW beloved, seek “INTIMACY WITH JESUS.”  He is first, everything else follows….

I love you all so very much. Have a blessed week in the Lord and remember: Whatever we do, do ALL for the GLORY of GOD, who ALONE is worthy of the GLORY and the PRAISE!

May the peace of the Lord be with you today and always…….

Khandielese
Daughter & Servant
   of the Lord God