How to Know Christ
And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments.
1 John 2:3
How great is the blessing of knowing Christ, his ways and his heart! Jesus called his disciples “friends” and Christ is our friend as we seek to know him. The more we know Jesus the more our minds are renewed to think like Jesus. Knowing Christ means we become spiritually minded because we know him through the Spirit.
Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did (1 John 2:6). The more our lives follow the Spirit, the more we can identify with Jesus, his heart and his emotions. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me (John 15:4). We become dependent on Christ when we minister to others, and it is important to pray and seek his guidance in these situations. We also experience the same emotions as Christ, taking our joy, hurt, and pain to the Lord in emotional prayer for strength, endurance, and guidance.
The more we reflect the Lord’s love and compassion to others, the more we identify with Christ, the more we depend on Christ, and the more our minds are renewed to the mind of Christ. The blessing of knowing Christ draws us closer to him, and this motivates us to call on him as a friend in prayer seeking comfort and guidance. As he comforts us and guides us, we come to know him and seek his divine ways.
For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters (Romans 8:29). Those who accept Christ as their Lord and Savior are predestined to conform to the image of his Son. As we follow the Spirit serving the Lord, we are molded to have the mind and heart of Jesus. This is the process of knowing Jesus, by serving him every day.
Today serve the Lord and take all your emotions and thoughts to the Lord in prayer. Seek his guidance, especially when ministering to others. Pray that the Lord will give you scriptures needed for ministry, perhaps a special scripture that a person needs to hear.
Let’s Pray: Lord, draw me closer to you as I minister to the world, pray, and meditate on your Word. Help me to seek you with all my heart, and to always desire to be closer to you. Change my heart and thoughts to your heart and thoughts so I can better understand you. In Jesus name, Amen