Knowing Him Personally

This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.  – John 17:3

There is a world of difference between Christianity and every other religion. One profound difference is that every real Christian has a personal relationship with God. They talk with Him, laugh with Him, and cry with Him. He listens to their every concern and delights in their prayers of thanksgiving. God speaks to them by His Spirit through the Bible. He answers their cries for help, wisdom, and strength.

On the other hand, you will never hear a Muslim say, “I know Muhammad. I came to know him when I was 17 years old.” A Buddhist will never tell you, “Buddha and I are friends. We have a close personal relationship.”

In contrast, those of us who have been saved from all our sins by the Lord Jesus Christ can confidently say, “I have Jesus Christ living inside me! I have a vital, close relationship with Him. I know Him personally!”

A follower of Islam is a person who follows or practices the religion of Islam. A follower of any religion is the same, “One who practices the religion of…” Nowhere will you find that the present-day followers actually know their leader. Whereas we who have been saved by God’s grace can truthfully say, “What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear, what a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer.” That is personal! That is knowing God, knowing Him experientially. There is a radical difference.

Be bold, my fellow Christian. Speak to your lost friends with courage. You know the living God! You also know how they can know Him.