Do you know about Jesus or do you actually know Jesus?

My thanks to Trace Kennedy for writing today’s blog. Trace is the very talented brand manager for our Foundations brand. We are blessed to have her at the ministry, and I think you will be blessed by her words this week. I’m grateful for her, and for you, our readers. —Janet Denison 

If you’re a baseball fan, you’re likely watching the playoffs and more than likely know who Adolis Garcia is. In case you don’t, he is the Cuban right fielder for the Texas Rangers who has a smile that can light up the field and enough power behind his swing to make baseballs soar to the top-tier stands. 

I have to admit I’m new to baseball fandom. My son graduated from college in May and is living with us for a season. I’ve gotten to know the Rangers through his love of the game and his enthusiasm for this particular team.  

Garcia has become my favorite because of his radiant smile, his obvious rapport with his teammates despite a language barrier, and his ritual of kissing his fingers and lifting them and his eyes up to the sky when he comes up to bat. To me, it looks like he is saying, “This one’s for you, Lord.” 

He must be doing something right because he ended the regular season with thirty-nine home runs (tied for seventh) and 107 RBI (tied for sixth). He was also awarded the ALCS Most Valuable Player after helping the Rangers earn a spot in the 2023 World Series.  

I’ve told people I adore him and have even asked for his jersey for Christmas. Yet if I encountered him in person, he might say hello, but he definitely wouldn’t hug me like a friend or a loved one. I could know every stat about him, his personal journey to the major leagues, and even how he grew up, but until I meet him face-to-face and develop a personal relationship with him, I only know things about him.  

Just one encounter with Jesus

We’ve been walking through the book of Matthew in the Bible study I attend, and a few weeks ago we were in Matthew 2. This very topic came up when we were discussing the magi.  

As you probably know, the magi, or the wise men, are only mentioned in Matthew. They were Persian kings who had traveled a thousand miles to meet the King of the Jews. They had seen “his star when it rose and . . . came to worship him” (Matthew 2:2). They traveled to Jerusalem, the capital of Judah, because it was the most likely place for a king to be born and asked the current ruler, King Herod, where they could find him. 

Disturbed by their inquiry, Herod called the religious leaders and teachers of the law together and asked them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem in Judea, for this is what the prophet has written: ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel’” (Matthew 2:5–6 NIV). 

In the next several verses, Herod finds out when the star appeared and tells the magi to go to Bethlehem, find the child, and then report back to him. He told the magi that he wanted to worship Jesus too, but Scripture tells us he, in fact, wanted to kill him. So the magi set out, and verses 10–11 tell us they were overjoyed when they saw the star and found the child with his mother: “They bowed down and worshiped him.”  

One encounter with Jesus, and they knew he was Messiah, Immanuel—God with us. They met the Savior of the world, and their lives were changed that day and eternally. 

When the know-it-alls know the least

Isn’t it interesting that those who knew about the prophecy of the Messiah, those who studied Scripture and obeyed the Law—those who knew the most about him from what was foretold— chose not to go with these wise men and discover for themselves the King of the Jews?  

Over and over we read in Scripture that the people who should have recognized Jesus chose to believe their own narrative about who the Messiah would or wouldn’t be. Their pride and personal agendas got in the way of encountering Jesus, the Son of God, who stepped out of heaven to come and give us the abundant life (John 10:10).  

When was the last time you encountered Jesus and were so moved by your time with him that you responded with heartfelt worship? 

Do you go to church every Sunday, do a morning devotional, or attend Bible study without fully encountering Jesus? 

Do you walk away from church, your quiet time, and Bible study more informed about Jesus but not transformed by your time with him?  

The difference between knowledge and intimacy

I oida Adolis Garcia. 

Oida translates “know” but leans more toward a knowledge about facts. It’s the kind of knowledge acquired through observation. All that I know about Garcia has been acquired through other people or resources that report about him. Oida is knowledge that educates us, makes us smarter for sure, but doesn’t necessarily impact our hearts.

Ginōskō, on the other hand, describes the kind of knowledge that comes from developing an intimate relationship with someone over time. It means to perceive, understand, realize, come to know. Ginōskō impacts you deeply and personally, like how our most treasured relationships change us and bring value and depth to our lives. 

Ginōskō is one of my favorite verbs in the Bible because it describes the knowledge involved in building an intimate relationship with a person and beautifully illustrates a deeply personal, experiential, growing knowledge of God. 

Jesus chose ginōskō to describe the intimacy between the Father and the Son, as well as the connection between himself and his sheep: “The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice” (John 10:3–4 NIV). 

I seek to ginōskō the Lord.

Changed to be change-makers

The magi left from their encounter with the Messiah changed and more than likely took their newfound knowledge of Jesus back to their own lands, resulting in even more changed lives.  

That’s what Jesus does, and that’s why Jesus came to earth. He came to save and transform, to “give us life and give it abundantly.” He came to change our lives so we could then be used by his Spirit to transform the world around us.  

He wants everyone to know his peace, joy, and hope—for today and for life eternal. 

When last did you meet Immanuel, God with us, and walk away from that encounter renewed, restored, and known? 

Why not take a few minutes right now to meet the Savior of the world and allow his love to transform your day? 

It’s his great joy to get to know you more deeply, and he is waiting with open arms.  

_______________ 

If you would like to spend this upcoming Christmas season with a new focus on Immanuel, God with us, I want to encourage you to order Janet’s latest Advent book, The Gift of Immanuel. It’s the perfect devotional to fix your heart, mind, and soul on our greatest gift of Christmas—Jesus. An email that has “Discover the gift of Immanuel” in the subject line will hit your inbox this Friday around 10 am CST with all the details you need to order the devotional.

 

What was Samuel’s secret sauce?

People are often surprised to hear that one of my favorite biblical heroes is Samuel. I talk a LOT about Paul. King David and Solomon are fascinating. And the prophets were . . . well, prophetic! 

But, if there is a sign-up list for people I’d like to have lunch with in heaven, my first sign-up would be Samuel. 

Why? Because I think he led the most consistently faithful and compassionate life in Scripture. 

If we want to aim at a life of consistent faith, we should aim at his example. 

What was Samuel’s secret sauce?

Chapter 3 of 1 Samuel is one of my favorites. In chapter 3, Samuel thinks he hears Eli the priest calling to him three separate times. Eli finally realizes that it is God calling to Samuel. 

Eli tells Samuel to pray, “Speak, Lᴏʀᴅ, for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:9 NIV). That verse was life-changing for me because it set me on a path of trying to “listen” for God’s word to me.  

Samuel learned to listen to God’s voice. Samuel learned that God speaks to servants who will listen. That was the first ingredient to Samuel’s secret sauce. God speaks to people who are willing to listen to his word and serve his will. 

The next three ingredients are found in verse 19: 

  • “And Samuel grew” 
  • “and the Lᴏʀᴅ was with him”
  • “and let none of his words fall to the ground.”

Samuel continued to grow in the Lord, not allowing his relationship with his heavenly Father to fade. He didn’t take God’s love for granted; he nourished that love by walking with him. Samuel didn’t let any of God’s words “fall to the ground.” He held them close and lived with God’s word as truth for his life. 

Samuel’s secret sauce was a consistently faithful, obedient walk with God through his word. 

Why is consistent faith a spiritual asset?

People notice and trust a life filled with the knowledge and leadership of God. First Samuel 3:20 tells us, “And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the Lᴏʀᴅ.” 

When I need prayer or counsel, I tend to seek out people I know who fill their lives with the truth of God’s word. They pray with a closeness to God’s heart and are able to pray as God’s Spirit leads. Those are the answers I need. James 5:16 says, “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” 

A righteous person leads a consistent life with God and stays connected to God’s word and will. Their life then becomes a spiritual asset to others. Consistent faith to God and his word will allow the Holy Spirit the opportunity to use your witness in powerful ways. 

The blessing of Samuel’s consistent faith

First Samuel 3:21 says, “And the Lᴏʀᴅ appeared again at Shiloh, for the Lᴏʀᴅ revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lᴏʀᴅ.” Samuel knew God.  

That phrase should not be taken lightly. The prophet Samuel knew the Creator God of the universe. God revealed himself to Samuel.  

When last did God reveal himself to you? 

God still speaks. God still reveals himself to his servants who will listen. God reveals himself in his word. Most of the time he speaks to us through our Bibles. God also speaks to us through the Holy Spirit, who uses circumstances, the words of others, or just quiet moments of meditation to speak to his servants who are listening for his voice. 

The careful caution is this: God will never speak a word to you that contradicts his Scripture. 

He gave us the Bible so that we wouldn’t be deceived by our own thoughts, emotions, or the influence of others. Never underestimate Satan’s desire to mimic or twist God’s word to a place of partial truth. It is how he tempted Christ, and it is how he tempts Christians today. 

A consistent faith is lived through God’s unchanging words of truth. Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8).  

Samuel knew God because his heart was pure. Samuel’s blessing can be ours for the same reason. 

Do you see God and hear his voice consistently?

My husband, Jim, and I have been sheltered indoors for several days now. We both had COVID at the same time. It seems strange to say, but God will often use times like these if we will just give him the chance. 

God speaks. God directs our paths. God strengthens and encourages our lives. God blesses what he has always blessed. God uses servants who will listen. 

God even uses or chooses a time of forced quiet if we will let him. It’s good to receive a spiritual tune-up on occasion. 

So, may I ask again, “When last did God reveal himself to you?” 

Do you need Samuel’s secret sauce?

Before the rush of the holiday season, let’s take some time to quietly pray Samuel’s prayer. Draw close to God and say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”  

Fill your life with God’s word, God’s voice, and God’s Spirit. The blessing of a purified heart is the ability to “see God” through his word and the light it brings to the world.  

Samuel’s secret sauce was served to me on a platter of COVID. I will wish a different entrée for all of you! But, honestly, I enjoyed the quiet days to just be still and “listen” for God’s voice and God’s guidance.  

God does speak. 

We just need to be willing servants who listen to his word. 

Samuel led a life of consistent faith. We all need a little, or a lot, of his secret sauce.  

Please, Lord, help us follow Samuel’s consistent, compassionate example of faith. 

“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58).

A reminder: If you want to order copies of this year’s Advent devotional The Songs Tell the Story, please let us know. You can use this link. We hope that the words will bless your Christmas season with a consistent daily focus on the high, holy gift of our infant King. 

The best time with God is any time with God: 4 steps to focus your day on him

A note from Janet: One of my great blessings in 2020 was the addition of Trace Kennedy to our ministry team. Trace is the Brand Manager for the JanetDenison.org brand and has been an invaluable asset as we expand the outreach of our ministry. Trace will be guest writing for my blog for a couple of weeks while I am away. I know you will enjoy her thoughts. Thank you, Trace, for everything you do!

All month Janet has been talking about making time for God to replenish your soul. His timing is perfect; it was a convicting reminder for me.

I have to be honest: since I’ve started working full time, my schedule has shifted significantly. I’m much busier than in recent years. As a result, my quiet time has suffered. I study God’s word a lot because it’s part of my job as well as part of my responsibility as a Bible study leader. 

But unencumbered, dedicated time alone with God? 

That has suffered. So has my soul.

What might be keeping you so busy that consistent, wholehearted time with God is suffering? 

You could be a mom committed to making sure your kids know the Bible only to find that you never seem to have time to read it for yourself. 

You may serve as a Bible study leader or Sunday school teacher who devotes hours each week preparing your lessons, but there just doesn’t seem to be enough time to be still and know God. 

You may even work for a ministry, getting paid to serve daily, yet, at the end of the day, you somehow never encountered your Boss.

Time with the Lord is essential to good spiritual health

Just like our bodies need consistent, quality exercise and nutrition to stay healthy, our souls need daily, quality time with the Lord. He created us for relationship with him. John 15:5 says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” 

We aren’t meant to do anything separate from God, but how often do we find ourselves too busy to spend time with him, and then, by default, we do most of our day without him?

Intention doesn’t equal action

A. W. Tozer said, “To desire revival . . . and at the same time to neglect prayer and devotion is to wish one way and walk another.” 

Said another way, while we may have great intentions, if our actions don’t match our intent, we won’t get the results we want. 

For example, simply knowing we need to make better lifestyle choices doesn’t get us in shape. It’s when we create a plan and follow through with it regularly and consistently that we begin to notice the positive changes occurring in our bodies. 

We can’t wish our bodies into shape, just like we can’t wish for our relationship with God to deepen into something meaningful and transformative.

We truly won’t reap the benefits of that relationship until we develop a plan that not only works in our schedules but is also something we can easily execute daily.

Make a plan you can stick to

For the past decade or so, I worked as a personal trainer. Recognizing that lack of time was the greatest excuse people made not to exercise, the fitness industry began exploring the benefits of shorter, more intense workouts. 

In “Why Efficient Workouts are Best,” Ryan Shepperd, MSEd says, “Keeping the time commitment low will help make the workout easily attainable, no matter how busy your schedule may be.”

Just like short blocks of daily exercise can add up to significant strength and health gains, short blocks of time spent with God in worship, prayer, and study can add up to significant spiritual growth and revitalized joy.

Build your plan

I’ve found that the following plan works for me. Feel free to use it as a model for your own plan:

1.  Morning: Simply rest in the presence of God (5–15 minutes)

Come to him with no agenda, no requests, and no expectations other than seeking his face.  Praise him simply for who he is. Then submit your day to him, including your calendar, your family, and your work—anything that consumes your time. 

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 29:13–14).   

2. Midday: Meditate on any Scripture, people, or sin he may have placed on your heart that morning (5–15 minutes)

Seek his forgiveness, pray for that person(s), or study his word. Then again, submit the rest of your day to his will. 

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans” (Proverbs 16:3).

3. Any time you’re waiting: Give thanks, pray, and listen.

On your drive home from work, or as you wait in the carpool line for your kids, or while you’re preparing dinner or taking an afternoon walk, give thanks to him for anything he accomplished through you, pray for those he puts on your heart, tell him about any concerns, struggles, or needs you may have, and then be quiet and listen for his voice. 

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6). 

4. Before bed: End your day in gratitude.

Before you go to bed, maybe while brushing your teeth, straightening up the house, or while lying in bed, end your day in gratitude. Thank God for walking through the day with you, respond to anything he may place on your heart, and then go to sleep and rest in his presence.  

“Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs” (Psalm 100:2). 

For me, these four small, intentional blocks of time have added up to significant, transformative time with the Lord each day. The benefits? My days are less stressful, my joy remains consistent, and my desire to spend as much time as possible with God continues to deepen. 

Any time spent with the Creator of the universe will result in good fruit, “for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things” (Psalm 107:9).

For more resources to help you create intentional space for God, please click on the following links: 

Out of the desert and into God’s purpose

A note from Janet: One of my great blessings in 2020 was the addition of Trace Kennedy to our ministry team. Trace is the Brand Manager for the JanetDenison.org brand and has been an invaluable asset as we expand the outreach of our ministry. Trace will be guest writing for my blog for a couple of weeks while I am away. I know you will enjoy her thoughts. Thank you, Trace, for everything you do!

The evidence of spring is everywhere in central Texas, with a heavy emphasis on green and yellow. (As a Baylor parent, I like to think it’s a shoutout from God to the Baylor Bears’ basketball championship title.) 

I have to admit, I’m embracing this spring with a deeper gratitude than in years past. The weeklong winter storm of Texas was enough to make me beg not just for warmer temps, but hot temps! 

Soon enough, the mild temperatures of spring we’re enjoying will be replaced with the blazing heat of summer. Streets and sidewalks will appear wavy, the new, fresh foliage of spring will be limp and tired, and regular walkers will resemble their panting dogs. The once welcoming enthusiasm of summer will be replaced with the longing for more refreshing, fall-like temperatures. 

Inevitably, seasons outlast their welcome, and most of us are always ready for the refreshing or relief that comes with the season that follows. 

AN EMPTY NEST LED TO EMPTINESS 

Spiritual seasons are similar. 

In recent months, I have come through a summer, or “desert,” season in my faith walk. A few years ago, when God led me into it, I reveled in the “sweat” that was involved, knowing that the Holy Spirit was moving in me, changing my direction, and shifting my purpose. 

When my last child went off to college, and I became an empty nester, I suddenly found myself with a whole lot of time and not a whole lot to do from a meaningful standpoint. At first, I embraced it, excited to see what God was going to do with me. But then, the waiting and wondering led to wandering. 

It’s easy to get discouraged when it seems like God isn’t answering, doesn’t it? 

Where in your life do you feel like God may be stonewalling you? Maybe it’s in situations, circumstances, or relationships you have prayed about, yet it seems as if God isn’t answering, or really even listening. 

We’ve all had seasons that start out full of promise and new beginnings, only to stagnate and foster discouragement, impatience, and restlessness. 

JESUS NEEDED GOD’S RESTORATION, AND SO DO WE 

I’ve been studying Luke 4:1–13 extensively for the past several weeks, researching the temptations of Jesus for a work project. My initial thought was how easily Jesus fended off Satan’s attacks. Reading just those verses, resisting the devil genuinely seems like a walk in the park for Jesus despite his physical hunger from forty days without food or water, his emotional fragility due to desolation and isolation, and his spiritual battle to glorify God by remaining in his perfect will. 

But Matthew’s gospel reveals something crucial to Jesus’s desert experience that Luke doesn’t mention. Matthew 4:11 says, “Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.” Here, Scripture points out clearly that resisting the Enemy wasn’t easy for Jesus; in fact, it was so difficult he needed divine help to recover and be restored. God allowed the hard time in the desert to show us that Jesus was strong enough to withstand what the Enemy threw his way, but Jesus didn’t do it without being depleted. Before Jesus left the desert and returned to Galilee to begin his Spirit-powered ministry (Luke 4:14), God had to refuel and refresh him. 

Isn’t that a beautiful picture of God’s tender love for us? 

He wants us to know that when we walk through the desert seasons of life, experiencing scorching days where we become like wilted plants oppressed by the heat, we are going to need a divine refreshing—not relief the way the world relieves, which is temporary and unsubstantial, but Spirit-powered sustenance that strengthens and endures and readies you for what he is calling you to do. 

THE DESERT JOURNEY 

For over two years, God allowed me to walk, sometimes stumble, and oftentimes crawl through a desert season. Frequently, I took matters into my own hands, believing that my way was a more comfortable and convenient way to where I thought he wanted me to go, only to end up deeper in the desert and even more desperate for relief. 

Isn’t that just like human nature? We seek out our versions of a mirage, hoping it’s the oasis we are looking for. We pursue short-term solutions, make impulsive decisions, or seek worldly comforts thinking they will give us long-term relief and direction.

But, in reality, worldly resolutions fade quickly and can often leave us feeling unworthy, hopeless, restless, and frustrated. In desert seasons, it’s so easy to relate to Paul in Romans 7:15: “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” When we are exhausted, thirsty for something satisfying, and hungry for genuine spiritual food, why do we tend to seek our own solutions instead of God’s? 

Much like the Israelites who wandered around and around in the desert, I felt like God had me in this holding pattern with no clear exit plan. After sharing this thought with a wise friend, she told me that I was perfectly positioned to receive God’s replenishment and ultimately his plan—not the world’s. In that moment, I realized I was doing the exact opposite of what Jesus had done in his desert time: focusing on the Father, trusting in the strength of his word, and relying on him to meet all of his needs. 

EXCHANGING MY WILL FOR HIS 

When I stepped into faith, humbly surrendered my will to his, and began walking obediently behind him, the Lord restored my soul. 

My former pastor has often said that the most miserable people he knows are believers living outside the will of God. Is it because we choose to settle in the desert, preferring temporary relief through worldly comforts? Relief and departure from the heat only came when I chose the restoration that only Jesus can supply. 

When we position ourselves to receive all God wants to give us, God is able to bless our lives and use us for his divine purpose and plan. My former Sunday school teacher and longtime Bible study teacher has continually instilled that truth in me over the last fifteen-plus years. And over and over, I have seen this truth played out in my life. 

Never would I have imagined that one day she would be my boss and that I would be working for a ministry that has been instrumental in my spiritual training and maturity. 

OUT OF THE DESERT, READY TO SERVE 

This last year of COVID has been a long and trying season. 

Many of us are probably weary from battling the extreme ups and downs, and we are parched for fellowship and hungry for anywhere but home! This year may have left you feeling anxious, lonely, depressed, or worried. Maybe you ate too much, drank too much, watched too much TV, or spent hours wandering on social media. In the moment, those solutions probably offered some level of comfort and relief, but they ultimately just created more dissatisfaction and a thirst for something more enduring. 

I pray that as you make plans to embark and enjoy this much anticipated season without all the restrictions COVID created, you will first allow God to tend to those places of your heart in need of refreshing. “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33). 

Jesus walked out of his desert time, restored and replenished by his Father, and entered into his calling that changed the world. Because of his high calling, we as believers now have the very same power that God gave him indwelling us. 

When we surrender to his divine plan and choose to follow him in humble obedience, he truly is “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen” (Ephesians 3:20–21).