In my twenty years of following Jesus, there have been plenty of seasons of routine spiritual rhythms without genuine worship. When I read, “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me” (Matthew 15:8), I feel convicted by the lack of intimacy I can cycle through with Jesus. If Jesus were to ask me who I think He is, I wonder if my response would be more of a textbook answer or a description that comes from the depth of knowing someone so well that you are readily able to describe who they are.
When Jesus asks the disciples, “who do people say that the Son of Man is?” (Matthew 16:13), I imagine all the men making designs in the dirt with their sandals, looking down and mumbling some answers about what they’ve heard people shout in the streets or whisper in the synagogues. The disciples followed Jesus from town to town and watched Him perform miracle after miracle. And even though they saw things with their eyes, their hearts still had room to grow in knowing who He really was.
But when Jesus asked again, Simon Peter replied, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (v.16), and Jesus praised Simon! For it wasn’t just seeing the outward things but God revealing in Simon’s heart who Jesus truly was.
How do you really know someone? You spend time with them! You watch them! And then you open your heart to see them as they truly are. How intimately connected to the Father I long to be to see the person of Jesus for who he really is—the Messiah, the Savior. How do I often let myself get distracted by the details of faith and the busyness of life that I miss the true person of Jesus?
In this dry season, one of the newer members of our small group shared: “I used to laugh at Christians; I thought they were stupid for believing in something like Jesus. God is absolutely amazing to take someone like me and turn my life completely around—someone who hated Jesus and now worships Him with my whole life.”
His frank and earnest story moved me. Afterward, while getting ready for bed, I thought: “What an amazing God I have. I don’t doubt He can call people from darkness into light, but, wow, nothing can stop Him. Jesus is the Son of the living God.” This isn’t the first time God has used someone’s testimony of faith to remind me of the passion I had when I first came to believe in Jesus. This person’s faith story was a gift to my faith and a tool to draw me back to the person of Jesus. May Simon Peter’s declaration of who Jesus is also draw us towards Jesus, our Messiah. For “everyone who believes on him will not be put to shame” (Romans 10:11).
Greetings My Sister Shes! Special welcome to Carla Whitesell! I believe your saying after spending years working “in the church” you are highly motivated to let the “Head of the Church work in you”. A subtle & solemn commitment. A message for us all. A calling, a readiness, an eagerness to go deeper in faith. Beyond routine. Beyond fixed schedules. Beyond other’s expectations. Reminding me, at least, there is a big difference in “having knowledge” of God, and “knowing” God. The latter is borne of prolonged intimacy & submission. Contemplation & confession. Through fair & foul weather. Through fertile & fallow seasons. Jesus Christ, please help me grow more steadfast & assured in Your faithful love. Let it sink & settle into my bones & heart of flesh. That I might aid & assist others, to the extent You desire, prepare & enable me. Thanks be to the One & Eternal Lord.
SARAH CARMONA Thank you for sharing that.
JULIA C I appreciate that prayer. Yes TARA B! I am praying in agreement!
CARLA WHITESELL Appreciate your comment and vulnerability.
KRIS I had to laugh as I read your comment. So true about the disciples. But the sad part is it is often true about us. No, we haven’t physically seen, and spent time with Jesus in that regard, but he is very real to us, and we still doubt on occasion.
CHERYL BLOW- Yes!
DEAR LORD thank you. Thank you for your patience. Thank you for your faithfulness. Please help me to stay in your word and learn your truths.
SISTERS have a blessed day!❤️
I know we all experience dry spells in our walk with Jesus, BUT GOD is so good that He sends a testimony our way, or a scripture that sets our hearts on fire again! Oh how He loves us! Continually shepherding us, loving us. All we need to do is keep doing what we know to do, praying, reading God’s Word, worshipping even if we don’t feel it. He is faithful, He will open our hearts again. Raining down on our dry soul! He is our faithful Messiah!
BAILEY T. HURLEY – Apologies!!!! I did know to whom I was speaking – ‘who you are’! hahaha
CARLA WHITESELL – ❤ Thank you for speaking up!
These are not ‘feel good’ verses; they are convicting and growing-in-faith verses. Jesus did not waste words or opportunities.
“… but Who do YOU say that I AM?” (Emphasis mine) We see a mob mentality at play here. As long as the people have the ‘belief’ of the crowd to back them up, they boldly express their belief. One on one with Jesus … what are they standing on? Certainly not the Cornerstone.
BAILEY GILLESPIE – Wow, did you nail this one! I stand convicted as you do. Love that you shared the testimony from small group!
TARA B – Thank you for addressing our need so beautifully in your prayer. ❤
SEARCHING – ❤
The compassion, the calling out of those spewing man’s words instead of God’s truth, the confirmation of Christ as Messiah – so much in today’s Scriptures.
CLAIRE B – the modern church … no words really for what is seen and heard in many churches today.
MARTHA HIX ❤️
CEE GEE ❤️
KARRIE – praying for recovery of foot, back and neck
ARLENE – praying for God’s encouragement in your heart, mind and spirit
MERCY ❤️
MIA FAITH ❤️
❤️ JULIA C, TINA, KELLY (NEO)
CARLA WHITESELL – welcome, looking forward to more comments :)
❤
Hearing, receiving…and OBEYING.
Enduring. Evidence that you are abiding in Him.
Am I the person on good soil, bringing about what I know about Christ. Believing that He is the Messiah, the Son of God, the God, the Holy One. Will I trust and obey? When things get hard, am I ready? God gives us the little things to see how we respond. I feel like we have to keep building up endurance to be strong….just like we train up our bodies. We have to train for the hard things, the long and challenging races. We can’t be a wkd warrior, the phrase I use to throw out to clients when they would over do it and hurt themselves. I am clinging to God when things are good, praying faithfully and obediently when all is fine, and staying in the word to build my knowledge and relationship with the living God. I know the world is changing fast, even in our great country where we think persecution could never come, I hope I am ready to rise up and stand firm.