John 17:3 - Eternal Life is a Supreme Relationship with Jesus Christ.
John 17:3 - Eternal Life is a Supreme Relationship with Jesus
Christ.
John 17:3 (NKJV) And this is eternal life, that they may know
You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
INTRODUCTION
Mine deep enough in every heart and you'll find it: a longing
for meaning, a quest for purpose. As surely as a child breathes, he
will someday wonder, "What is the purpose of my life?"
Some search for meaning in a career. "My purpose is to be a
dentist." Fine vocation but hardly a justification for existence. They opt
to be a human "doing" rather than a human "being." Who they are is
what they do; consequently they do a lot. They work many hours
because if they don't work, they don't have an identity.
For others, who they are is what they have. They find meaning
in a new car or a new house or new clothes. These people are great
for the economy and rough on the budget because they are always
seeking meaning in something they own ... Some try sports,
entertainment, cults, sex, you name it.
All mirages in the desert of purpose...
Shouldn't we face the truth? If we don't acknowledge God, we
are flotsam in the universe. [Grace For The Moment SB By Max Lucado
re Mark 12:30]
COMMENTARY
For us, knowledge means information, facts, and concepts. But
in biblical times, knowledge was centered in personal
relationships. To know someone is to enter into a close relationship with that
person. Knowing God involves much more than simply mastering facts and
information about him. It even transcends discussions about the nature and
character of God, as important as those are.
Knowing God means entering into an intimate relationship with
him. It means identifying with God and learning to view everything as
God does. Knowing God will transform our thoughts and actions, our
priorities and values, and our relationships with fellow human beings. It
is far more important than religious rites, sacrifices, burnt
offerings, or any other religious activity (Jeremiah 9:23-24; 31:34}. [One
Year NLT SB re Hosea 4:1, 6]
Knowing God through experience is radically different than
knowing about God from a theology textbook. According to the Bible, you
cannot say you know God unless you have experienced Him (Php 3:8, 10).
Biblical knowledge always involves experience...
If you have not experienced God's power at work in and
through your life, do not settle for a secondhand knowledge of God's
power, rejoicing in what He has done in others. Jesus' prayer was that
you would come to know God and His presence in your life and
experience. Don't discount the power of God as described in Scripture simply
because you have not experienced it. Bring your experience up to the
standard of Scripture, never reduce Scripture to the level of your
experience. Don't settle for a head knowledge of God's love. Jesus prayed
that you would experience the depth and width and height of His love
and that you would enjoy God's full and unending love in the
day-to-day experiences of your life. [Experiencing God Day by Day by Henry
and Richard Blackaby]
Blaise Pascal called it his "night of fire." Whether or not
it was his conversion - he had had some sort of conversion
experience a few years before - it was the most profound event of his life.
For two hours, he was shaken to his core in a vision of God. When he
died eight years later, a description of this vision was found sewn
into his jacket. Pascal felt that before this vision, he had known
through his intellect only the God of the philosophers and scholars.
Afterward, he knew he had met the God of covenant, the God of Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob. He had moved from mental understanding of a Creator
God to personal knowledge of Jesus Christ. His belief in God was no
longer an argument; it was a relationship.
True encounters with God always have this effect. To know His
presence or to hear His words is to be drawn into His covenant. Grasping
at words to record his vision, Pascal quoted John 17:3: "This is
the way to have eternal life - to know you, the only true God, and
Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth." He realized that a
relationship with God is just that - a relationship. No one can have a
genuine experience with God that simply results in greater understanding
or new insights. God is much more personal than that. Encountering
Him begins conversations, establishes accountability, and further
designates terms of His covenant and calling. It deepens our connection
with Him.
Never seek God's voice simply for the information He
provides. When you hear Him, the information is no longer the primary
issue. The relationship is. Our response to the conversation becomes
bigger than the conversation itself. We are intrinsically bound to the
one who speaks.
Father, Your words are my life. Your truth demands a response
and draws me into an unbreakable bond with You. Implant Your life
within me through the power of Your words. [The One Year Hearing His
Voice Devotional by Chris Tiegreen]
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
I am with you and all around you, encircling you in golden
rays of Light. I always behold you Face to face. Not one of your
thoughts escapes My notice. Because I am infinite, I am able to love you
as if you and I were the only ones in the universe.
Walk with Me in intimate Love-steps, but do not lose sight of
My Majesty. I desire to be your closest Friend, yet I am also your
sovereign Lord. I created your brain with capacity to know Me as Friend
and Lord simultaneously. The human mind is the pinnacle of My
creation, but so few use it for its primary purpose - knowing Me. I
communicate continually through My Spirit, My Word, and My creation. Only
humans are capable of receiving Me and responding to My Presence. You
are indeed fearfully and wonderfully made! (Psa. 34;4-6; 2Pe. 1:16,
17; John 17:3; Psa. 139:14) [Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
When you seek My face, put aside thoughts of everything else. I
am above all, as well as in all; your communion with Me transcends
both time and circumstances. Be prepared to be blessed bountifully by
My Presence, for I am a God of unlimited abundance. Open wide your
heart and mind to receive more and more of Me. When your Joy in Me
meets My Joy in you, there are fireworks of heavenly ecstasy. This is
eternal life here and now: a tiny foretaste of what awaits you in the
life to come. Now you see only a poor reflection as in a mirror, but
then you will see face to Face. (John 15:11; 1 Cor. 13:12) [Jesus
Calling by Sarah Young]
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE:
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2008/20080807-2144.html
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT:
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Seeking God Made Real: http://vimeo.com/31489782
Music Devotional On Christian Living:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcotY5K7T0c
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDY:
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Discover Bible Studies: http://studies.itiswritten.com/discover/
LINKS FOR PROPHECY SEMINARS:
Revelation Today by Pastor John Bradshaw:
https://revelationtoday.com/other-streams/
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
