How Do You Approach Jesus? :: By Nathele Graham

Published on: March 11, 2023 by RR10

Jesus was well-known in Israel. Some people admired Him, while others vehemently rejected Him and wanted to kill Him. Oddly, those who despised Him the most were the ones who should have loved Him. The religious leaders never approached Jesus without trying to silence Him. They were very critical of Him, and they didn’t like the fact that He didn’t kowtow to them but stood against their self-righteous pride and rule over the people. These men served their own self-interest and didn’t honor God. There was one Pharisee who decided to humbly approach Jesus and seek truth.

“There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: the same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him” (John 3:1-2).

I like Nicodemus. He didn’t go along with his fellow Pharisees and despise Jesus but went to Him to find out truth. Jesus spoke with Nicodemus and told him to be born again.

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).

Because this visit was recorded by John, we learn a great truth. When we are born into this life, we have a sin nature that will always cause us to stumble, but when we truly come to Jesus and are born again, we are a new creation in Christ. We will always have the sin nature, but from that point on, God sees us through the blood which Jesus shed for our salvation. We need to submit to Christ and turn from lust of the flesh and our own prideful desires. We need to walk in the Spirit, not in the flesh.

“That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:6).

This conversation changed Nicodemus’ life. He was there with Joseph of Arimathea to bury Jesus after the crucifixion. Joseph was a Pharisee who secretly followed Christ.

There were many women who approached Jesus, and He was always kind and gentle toward them. One day, Jesus and the disciples were going to Galilee and traveled through Samaria. Near a city named Sychar, He sat on Jacob’s well and sent his disciples to town to buy some food. It was noon and time to eat. That’s when a woman came to draw water. Most women drew water early in the day when it was cool, but this woman came after the others were gone. She was a woman of Samaria, and He was Jewish. There should have been no contact between them, but Jesus asked her for water.

“Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? For the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans” (John 4:9).

Jesus told her that if she had known who He was, she would have asked Him for water and He would have given her living water. The conversation went on, and she was a little flirty with Him. He kept talking about the living water she could get from Him, and the woman finally said she wanted the living water. Jesus knew of her sins but wanted her to find salvation. He told her to call her husband to come to the well, and she said she had no husband. Jesus knew she was living a sinful life but didn’t condemn her. He told her she was right when she said she had no husband.

“For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly” (John 4:18).

God has established marriage to be a lasting covenant between a man and a woman, and “living together” isn’t condoned by God. The conversation went on, and the woman ended up recognizing that Jesus was the Messiah. This woman of Samaria was much more perceptive than the Scribes and Pharisees who should have known who He was. This woman went to the city and told the men, “Come see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?” (John 4:29). The men of the city came to Jesus and believed. Because the woman was brave enough to approach Him, she met Jesus and brought others to Him.

Another woman who approached Jesus had been ill for twelve years. She had spent all of her money on seeking medical help, but doctors couldn’t help her. She was in a crowd around Jesus when a man named Jairus approached Him. His daughter was dying, and he had faith that if Jesus would lay His hand upon her, the little girl would live. Jesus didn’t hesitate. He got up to follow the man and heal the girl. The woman who was ill knew she had to do something.

“For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole” (Mark 5:28). She had faith but wasn’t a show-off; she quietly touched the hem of His robe and was healed. “And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said Who touched my clothes?” (Mark 5:30). The woman was scared but fell down before Him and confessed that she had touched Him. Jesus wasn’t angry but full of compassion. “And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole: go in peace and be whole of thy plague” (Mark 5:34).

We should never be afraid to approach Jesus in faith.

Then He went to where the little girl had died. There were mourners making quite a noise, but Jesus told them the girl wasn’t dead. “And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying. And he took the damsel by the hand and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise” (Mark 5:40-41).

Can you imagine the emotions of the parents when their daughter came back to life? Only Jesus has conquered death for all who believe in Him. Approach Him today in faith and humbly ask for salvation.

The next ones to approach Him were two blind men. “And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us” (Matthew 9:27). He asked them if they believed He could heal them, and they said yes. “Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you” (Matthew 9:29). It was their faith that allowed Jesus to heal them. They asked Him for mercy, and He showed them mercy.

As I read of the many different ways that people approached Jesus, I see that He always had compassion on anyone who needed His compassion. How do you approach Him? Are you one who demands that Jesus give you everything you want? Scripture gives many accounts of Jesus providing for needs, but I don’t see where He gave power and riches to people. We can look to the life of the Apostle Paul to see that Jesus meets our needs but doesn’t always give us what we think we need. Paul had something that troubled him greatly. He approached God about removing the problem.

“And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure” (2 Corinthians 12:7).

Paul was a man who lived by faith and served God every day. He established many congregations and wrote letters that edify us today. He could have been filled with pride over his accomplishments but understood the thorn in his flesh was to keep him humble. He didn’t like it but didn’t get angry with God for not taking the problem away.

“For this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me” (2 Corinthians 12:8).

What was this thorn? Scholars have debated that question for centuries. Nobody truly knows, but we can learn a lesson from this. Not all troubles will depart just because we pray. We need to understand that God is sovereign.

“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

That’s the best way to approach God. Be humble, but make your petitions known to Him through prayer. His answer may be different than what you want, but He knows all things. He also knows what you will do if He gives you what you want. Will you use His healing to glorify Him, or will you believe you deserve all the material things you want? If you ask Him for a bigger house or more money, will you use it for His glory, or will you use it to puff yourself up to look important?

Paul’s attitude was one of submission and humility. “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).

We need to be humble when we approach Jesus. James and John had to learn that lesson. “And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire” (Mark 10:35).

That sounds like a “name-it-and-and-claim-it” type of approach. That’s not a good way to approach Jesus. Jesus asked them what they wanted, and their request was very selfish and for their own glory.

“They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory” (Mark 10:37).

Jesus told them they had no idea what they were asking. To their minds, it was a simple request – lift us up above all the other disciples – but they didn’t understand what would be required of them to be so honored. Too often, we don’t see beyond our own selfish desires, then blame God for not showering us with all we ask of Him.

“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up” (James 4:10).

Jesus knows what the future is and what we can handle. If we can’t pay the price of our wants, then He won’t give them to us. If our wants will ultimately harm us, He won’t answer our prayer. James and John would have a lot of persecution in their future, and James would be killed for his faith while John spent time in prison and on Patmos. They are with Jesus now, but are they sitting in places of honor? We won’t know until we are gathered Home.

Instead of asking Jesus to give you what you want, why not approach Him and ask Him what you can do to serve Him. After all, He has given His all for you.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com
ron@straitandnarrowministry.com

Recommended prophecy sites:

www.rapture ready.com
www.prophecyupdate.com
www.raptureforums.com

All original scripture is “theopneustos,” God-breathed.

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Heavenly Vision :: By Lisa Heaton

Published on: March 11, 2023 by RR10

In all the doing I do, I sometimes have to stop and remind myself just how vital it is that I intentionally continue to prepare my heart for the coming of the Lord. I don’t know how far away the rapture is, but I believe it’s way sooner than some choose to admit. I know that once the rapture does happen, I want to be well-prepared to meet Jesus face to face with no regrets. I should never, ever stop growing and leaning into Him. Same with you.

“Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming” (1 John 2:28).

I don’t want to be found as a believer who has earthly vision but rather one with heavenly vision.

Recently, I’ve found that I’m not focusing as much on what’s coming in the world. Over the past two and a half years, I’ve watched, often in alarm, as darkness rises and evil appears to be taking over our world politically, economically, socially, and religiously. It’s not if a one-world order will form but when. Based on where we’re headed as a nation and a world, unless God intervenes, then it’s all over but the crying, as the idiom goes.

Can God still act and reverse the course we’re on? Sure, He can do anything He wills. But does that seem likely with where we are prophetically? Not to me. Seems to me that the God on Whom this nation was established has found the land of the free and the home of the brave has opted for bondage and fear instead of Him. Rather than having no other god before Him, we lift every other idol higher in our national esteem with each passing day. We’ve asked Him to leave and to close the door behind Him. So, I ask again, is it likely that this ship will be turned around? No, not at all. Once you come to that conclusion, it’s time to set your nationalism and pride for this once-great country aside and stop longing for a great-again America and begin longing and preparing your heart for the new home that awaits you.

That’s been my own subtle shift as the Lord has been consistent in directing me away from earthly vision to heavenly vision. Heaven is my future and my hope, to be where He is. Heaven is your future and your hope.

Do you ever consider heavenly things beyond the more obvious thoughts of loved ones and gold streets? Until recently, I’ve never been much of a what-will-heaven-be-like dweller. Maybe you have been. Maybe you’ve pondered random questions like one I’ve had lately: Will we meet friends for coffee or lunch? A friend brought that up not so long ago, that maybe we could invite Pastor JD Farag for lunch or coffee. What a great thought, that we might be able to linger over good food that won’t pack on the pounds or enjoy a cup of creamy coffee with a friend. Now that’s heaven if you ask me.

Mostly, though, my questions run a little deeper. Will I get to be with Jesus all the time, or will we all have to share time with Him? I know that may seem like a silly question, but I truly ponder on that. Will we walk with Him in the cool of the day as Adam and Eve did, like actually striding along and having conversations? If so, will we all “feel” as if we have one-on-one time with Him rather than only collective?

Ultimately, whatever our time with Him will be like, it will be, well, heavenly. It’ll be exactly what we need and what we want and even more than what we can anticipate.

“Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).

We just can’t envision what Jesus has prepared, the dwelling place He has been working on these past two thousand years, and the life He has in store for us there.

This article was nearly complete when tragedy struck, and my father died. So now, with that in mind, I can interject that I look forward to seeing my dad. That’s yet another reason for me to keep my eyes peeled for Jesus and long even more for His appearing. If you would like to read more of how earthly vision can lead us to believe the enemy has won, check out When Darkness Prevails. Especially now, I’m incredibly thankful for the timing of God’s new teaching season in my life as He’s directed me toward heavenly vision.

One benefit I’ve discovered of having heavenly vision has been a deeper and more sustained peace than I’ve known since the spring of 2020. I can look at my future with excitement and be ready for the long-awaited wedding of Jesus and us the bride. Anticipation of this wedding will ensure I’m still working on my dress, in a sense, making sure my heart is right with Him, that I’m still running the race with His purposes in mind, and that my eyes are watching diligently for my blessed hope.

Heavenly vision also brings peace as I’m reminded that I’m not running this race alone, that a cloud of witnesses spurs me–all of us–on. But our real peace comes from fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). When we are focused on the Light, He eclipses the growing darkness around us, a darkness that can steal our hope and our courage and render us paralyzed with fear.

“… set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at His coming” (1 Peter 1:13).

One requirement of heavenly vision is turning away from earthly vision. I know in my own experience, much of my past two-and-a-half years has been spent watching pastors and teachers explain the truth of what is going on in the world and bringing those things to light that the media and social media have tried to keep from us. I learned all the whos and whats and hows. I discovered things I wish I hadn’t. Our world, and in many ways our nation, are so much darker than a church girl can handle.

Luke 21:28 says, “But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

The darkness around us assures us “these things” are beginning, so that leads us to our next step in what Jesus tells us to do. We lift up our heads. We fix our eyes on Jesus, lean into Him, and live with incomprehensible peace even in the midst of the rising darkness.

I think for any of us, an unhealthy balance of needing to know more and more and more can become something of an addiction, like news junkies just waiting for the next “fix” of information. How do we strike the right balance between learning more for more’s sake and learning what we need to benefit the kingdom? We may need to ask ourselves if what we’re hearing and learning are things that encourage us to press into Jesus and want more of Him, or do they breed anxiety and fear. Light and heavenly vision foster peace. Darkness and earthly vision foster fear.

It’s not a bad thing that we watch the horizon, and I don’t regret my time educating myself, but something comes with knowing the truth, a call to action. I can’t just know. I must tell and point others toward a heavenly vision.

I like how Pete Garcia said in a recent post titled Momentary, that we need to know “when we are” on God’s timeline in order to know what we’re supposed to be doing with our gifts and callings. I can’t agree more. This isn’t 2019, so we can’t “church” as if we’re still living in a pre-plandemic world. For us all, whether we have a national platform or just a handful of people in our circles, curiosity should shift to generosity, in that we begin to share what we know. Jesus is coming soon!

Takeaway:

During your quiet time with the Lord this week, will you allow Him to meddle? Place the following questions before Him and then let Him show you any areas where you might need a course correction.

Am I spending more time getting to know the players in this earthly end-time scenario or getting to know Jesus, the One I will soon meet face to face?
Does my time in the Word outweigh my time watching videos or reading about the coming tribulation?
Is fear and anxiety over all I’m learning and hearing stealing my peace?
Now that I know what’s coming and Who’s coming, what can I do with what I know?

Watch for my next installment here on Rapture Ready, Heavenly Vision: A Call to Action.

On a more personal note: Thank you to all who messaged me after the passing of my dad. Dede is strong and doing well. I’m doing better than makes sense. Your prayers have held us up over these past weeks.

Until next time,

Lisa

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If you would like to read Lisa’s previous Rapture Ready articles, you can find them here: Lisa’s Rapture Ready Articles/Series.

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About Daybreak with Lisa:

Daybreak is a way of life, one of exposing the rising darkness and telling of the soon-coming Light. We only have so many daybreaks remaining before that final sunset when we, as believers, are caught up in the air to meet Jesus.

As an author, Lisa Heaton is a storyteller with a heart for truth. Her greatest desire in her fiction and nonfiction work is to challenge the reader to discover the truth of who Jesus is and who they are to Him. Now, here as we wait for the any-minute arrival of Jesus for His church in the rapture, Lisa’s latest mission is to warn the lost and wake the found and to help others discover their unique voice to share the truth of our times. More at DaybreakWithLisa.com. Contact Lisa at Lisa@LisaHeatonBooks.com.