Thursday: I WANT TO KNOW JESUS

May 11, 2023
2 min read

John 5:24-30

24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. 25 Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.

28 “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned. 30 By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.

In order to have the life that Jesus wants to give me, I must listen with my ears and with my heart. For whoever hears the words of Jesus is halfway to receiving this life.

Through listening, I can understand what Jesus did for me—God sent Him to earth to die for my sins and rise again, so that I might have eternal life. Once my ears have heard, I will know that God the Father has given Jesus authority to judge because He is the Son of God.

What does Jesus base His judgment on? Jesus judges whether I have received eternal life. To clearly mark my heart with His presence, He asks the Father to send the Holy Spirit to occupy my heart the moment I believe in Him. Through His presence, I know that I have been saved by the Savior.

THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS

The Savior comes to save, and if I hear and believe, I will know Him as my Savior. To know Jesus is to receive the Holy Spirit, who blesses me with His attributes, His gifts and the fruit of His Spirit. The Spirit grants me humility and forgiveness, just like Jesus. He gives me love, patience, joy and kindness, just like Jesus. He gives me gifts, such as encouragement and mercy, just like Jesus. There isn’t anything that Jesus is not willing to give me through the Spirit. Jesus said, “Ask me for anything in my name, and I will give it to you.”

Through His presence in my heart, I can experience a new and abundant life. This is a life like I have never experienced before. This new life focuses on eternal life rather than the temporal life that I was born into.

Lord, thank You for the eternal life You have given me. I only need to get to know You better by listening to the Holy Spirit in my heart. Amen.

May you be blessed,

Chaplain Wayne Ruckman