. pastor Chris.
TOPIC: ✨TO KNOW HIM IS TO LOVE HIM
SCRIPTURE : 📖That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death (Philippians 3:10).
Notice what the Apostle Paul said in the opening verse: “That I may know him….” This was his dream, because to know Him (Jesus) is to love Him. Anyone who doesn’t love Jesus doesn’t know Him. If they ever get to know who He is, they’ll most certainly fall in love with Him. The more you know Jesus, the more you love Him. Hallelujah.
It brings to mind the story of Paul before his conversion. He was a Pharisee and a member of the critic—religious sect that spearheaded the persecution of Christians in the early Church. Authorized by the government of the day, the Bible says, “…he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison” (Acts 8:3).
He didn’t stop at that. Luke tells us how he continued to issue violent threats of murder against the followers of the Lord (Acts 9:1). But something happened that changed his life forever. He had a destiny-shaping encounter with the Lord on the road to Damascus. The Bible says, “And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do…” (Acts 9:3-6). Hallelujah!
Paul, as a result of this new knowledge of the Lord, couldn’t keep back anymore; everywhere he went, he testified that Jesus is alive and that He’s real! Paul’s love for Jesus was unquenchable because he now knew the Lord.
No wonder he said in Ephesians 3:19, “And to know the love of Christ…that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.” This is God’s will for you: that you’d have a revelation of Christ beyond human understanding and be filled with His fullness, overflowing in His love, manifesting His life, nature, character, and power. Hallelujah!
PRAYER: Dear Father, thank you for the revelation of your unfathomable, unconditional, pure and eternal love in my spirit. I’m rooted and grounded in your love, and I manifest and radiate your love to my world today, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
FURTHER STUDY:
Ephesians 3:17-19 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Philippians 3:7-10 7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,
1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: John 6:60-71 & 1 Kings 12-14
2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: 1 Corinthians 9:1-10 & Proverbs 10
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