The Crosswalk Devotional: A Daily Devotional Christian Podcast

What Does It Mean to Truly Know Jesus?


Listen Later

When you know Jesus, it changes your life for the better. When you truly invite Jesus into your heart and have real conversations with Him, He renews your mind, strengthens your heart, and refreshes your soul.

SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts:

Your Daily Prayer: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/
Your Daily Bible Verse: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/

Full Transcript Below:

Knowing Jesus

By Alexis A. Goring

“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”— John 17:3 NIV

When I studied Journalism, one of the first rules I learned was when you refer to a person in a news story, you need to mention their first and last name for the first time. After that, you are to refer to them by their last name only. However, if you know the person personally then you may refer to them by their first name only (depending on the in-house style guide rules for the print publication). 

One summer evening, I was reflecting on that lesson learned and realized a spiritual parallel: Jesus Christ wants us to know Him personally. He wants us to know Him and refer to Him on a first name basis. But this goes beyond writing rules. Jesus went to great lengths to save our souls. He desires to know us and for us to know Him intimately. He wants a closer walk with each of us because He loves us and, when you love someone, you want to know everything about them. You don’t refer to a loved one with a professional sounding last name. You may even have a fond nickname for that person that reflects their personality or shows what they mean to you. How does it feel to know that the Savior of the world wants to know us on those terms?

What does it mean to know Jesus? I hear Christian influencers and musicians say to know Him is to love Him, and I agree that nothing else could be closer to the truth! When you know Jesus, it changes your life for the better. When you truly invite Jesus into your heart and have real conversations with Him, He renews your mind, strengthens your heart, and refreshes your soul. There is a deep joy that can only come through an intimate relationship with the Lord. And a relationship with Jesus doesn’t just change you, it changes the people around you. They start to notice a difference in you and want to know what happened. When you tell them about your love for God and invite them to read The Holy Bible, with the Holy Spirit’s help they can also get to know Jesus. They, too, can become on fire for Him. The process of observing a life changed by Jesus causes people to want to know Him as well, carrying on like a ripple effect. Before we know it, we see Him  changing the world for the better! 

I got to know Jesus on a personal level when I was recovering from a health crisis at age 16. Despite growing up in a Christian home, I only knew a lot about Jesus. But when He came into my life and met me in the depths of a difficult time, His Light pushed back the darkness and His love for me—and all humankind—changed me from the inside out! He blessed me with this devotional writing ministry as if He, the Master Teacher, had enrolled me in His classroom. God helped me learn life lessons, then inspired the words for me to share in devotions that were exactly what I and my readers needed to hear! I fell in love with Jesus as my Lord and my love for Him propelled me to tell everyone about my Savior! I still feel called to do that today.

Since my transformation from knowing about Christ to knowing Jesus on a first-name basis, people have commented on how the changes they saw in my life have inspired them to know Jesus too. This is what God wants: for us to make disciples and share His love, grace, and mercy with the world. He doesn’t want any of us to be lost. Jesus wants us to follow Him all the way to Heaven (John 3:16-17).

“Knowing You, Jesus,” by Graham Kendrick is a song that also celebrates a close relationship with Christ. I encourage you to listen to it. (Note to the Editor: Would you please insert the YouTube link below to this song? https://youtu.be/pTTlSx6zXio?si=VRrrc6x0jLzdbCUh)

Intersecting Faith and Life: Do you know Jesus? What difference in someone’s life have you seen after they started following Him?

Further Reading:

1 Peter 2:9

2 Peter 3:18

John 1:1

John 8:12

1 John 2:3

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Crosswalk Devotional: A Daily Devotional Christian PodcastBy The Crosswalk Devotional: A Daily Devotional Christian Podcast

  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7

4.7

181 ratings


More shows like The Crosswalk Devotional: A Daily Devotional Christian Podcast

View all
The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast by The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast

The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast

4,787 Listeners

The Happy Rant by Happy Rant

The Happy Rant

882 Listeners

The Encourager Podcast: Equipping Christian Moms to Harmonize Work and Home by Rebekah Scott

The Encourager Podcast: Equipping Christian Moms to Harmonize Work and Home

147 Listeners

Your Daily Prayer by Your Daily Prayer

Your Daily Prayer

2,020 Listeners

Morning Mindset Christian Daily Devotional Bible study and prayer by Carey Green

Morning Mindset Christian Daily Devotional Bible study and prayer

1,682 Listeners

Rush by Gather Ministries

Rush

1,981 Listeners

Praying Christian Women by Praying Christian Women

Praying Christian Women

185 Listeners

The Bible Recap by Tara-Leigh Cobble

The Bible Recap

35,190 Listeners

Your Daily Bible Verse by Your Daily Bible Verse

Your Daily Bible Verse

493 Listeners

Ten Minute Bible Talks Devotional Bible Study by Ten Minute Bible Talks

Ten Minute Bible Talks Devotional Bible Study

1,025 Listeners

Mindful Christian Prayers by Mindful Christian Prayers

Mindful Christian Prayers

42 Listeners

Untangle Your Thoughts | Trust in God, Hear from God, Mental Health Tips, Negative Thoughts, Relationship with God, Christian Podcast, Emotional Healing, Spiritual Growth by Jessica Hottle | Christian Life Coach, Spiritual Growth Mentor, Christian Mental Health Coach, Christian Counseling

Untangle Your Thoughts | Trust in God, Hear from God, Mental Health Tips, Negative Thoughts, Relationship with God, Christian Podcast, Emotional Healing, Spiritual Growth

345 Listeners

How to Study the Bible - Bible Study Made Simple by Nicole Unice,  Bible Study Coach and Author of the Alive Method of Bible Study

How to Study the Bible - Bible Study Made Simple

363 Listeners

Breathe: The Stress Less Podcast by Bonnie Gray - Soul Care Coach and Author of Sweet Like Jasmine, Whispers of Rest, and Finding Spiritual Whitespace

Breathe: The Stress Less Podcast

167 Listeners

Faith Over Fear by Jennifer Slattery, Faith Over Fear Author and Speaker

Faith Over Fear

199 Listeners

Single Mom 101 by Single Mom 101

Single Mom 101

63 Listeners

Thriving with Chronic Illness by Thriving with Chronic Illness

Thriving with Chronic Illness

26 Listeners

The Characters of Christmas by The Characters of Christmas

The Characters of Christmas

53 Listeners

Mama, Take Heart by Mama Take Heart

Mama, Take Heart

21 Listeners

Daily Effective Prayer™ by Daniel - Prayer Warrior

Daily Effective Prayer™

258 Listeners

Christian Parent, Crazy World by Catherine Segars - Christian Culture Author and Speaker on Christian Apologetics for Parents

Christian Parent, Crazy World

59 Listeners

Team Us: A Christian Marriage Podcast by Ted and Ashleigh Slater

Team Us: A Christian Marriage Podcast

29 Listeners

Ask A Pastor by Ask A Pastor

Ask A Pastor

21 Listeners

Sparkle Speak by Kathryn Calibeo

Sparkle Speak

6 Listeners

Hearing Jesus: Bible Study, Daily Devotional, Scripture, Faith, Hear from God, Bible, Devotions by Hearing Jesus

Hearing Jesus: Bible Study, Daily Devotional, Scripture, Faith, Hear from God, Bible, Devotions

955 Listeners

Happy Rant Sports by Happy Rant

Happy Rant Sports

15 Listeners

Therapy and Theology by Lysa TerKeurst

Therapy and Theology

1,972 Listeners

Inside Out with Courtnaye by Inside Out with Courtnaye

Inside Out with Courtnaye

33 Listeners

Daily Joy: A 365-Day Devotional for Women by Crossway

Daily Joy: A 365-Day Devotional for Women

75 Listeners

Brad Stine Has Issues by Brad Stine, God's Comic

Brad Stine Has Issues

26 Listeners

Threads of Faith by Edward Grinnan: Threads of Faith

Threads of Faith

6 Listeners

Sleep Psalms with Bishop T.D. Jakes by Pray.com

Sleep Psalms with Bishop T.D. Jakes

742 Listeners

Your Nightly Prayer by Your Nightly Prayer

Your Nightly Prayer

20 Listeners