OTHERWISE THAN BY HEARSAY

(Post by: Lilly Hobbs)

I opened up my email inbox just the other day as I was working on some content creation for our social media accounts, and I was shocked to see one of the emails that revealed itself, almost at the very top.

The first few words that I could read without actually clicking the email allowed me to quickly deduce this was a hate comment someone had sent us regarding a blog post I wrote almost five years ago now.

So many questions began to fill my mind about how they found the blog, who they were, why they were reading a post from five years ago instead of a more recent one, and what compelled them to send us a message.

As I began to read what the email had to say, my heart was deeply saddened by the amount of influence the enemy has on this individual’s heart, and by how much this person truly despises the truth of the Gospel.

However, this individual typed something only a couple sentences into their email I’m not sure they quite realized the depth of. They said, “Scientists with reproduced data accurate to the billionth decimal are less certain of their belief than you, which is unfortunately a very common feature of cult-think.”

This individual is right. I can confidently, yet humbly, say that my belief in Jesus is indeed stronger than scientists with reproduced data accurate to the billionth decimal.

A man by the name of Thomas Carlyle, a Scottish philosopher, once told a new minister he was speaking with something I would like to also tell you. He boldly and unashamedly told this new minister, “Reverend, what this parish needs is somebody who knows God otherwise than by hearsay.”

You see, I am more certain of my belief in Christ because He lives in me, not due to some strong doctrinal belief or “inside” knowledge which no one else has the ability to obtain.

Colossians 1:27 says, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

Tozer once said, “I’m convinced that many of us know God only by hearsay. He is what we want Him to be or hope that He is rather than what we know Him to be by spiritual encounter.”

Whew, that will preach!

I am fully awake and aware of the change that has transpired in my life as a result of Jesus life, death, and glorious resurrection!

Due to the change He has brought about in my life, because of the ways I have felt His presence overwhelm me in my darkest and most anxious moments, because of the salvation and freedom I have been privileged to see others experience, because of the healings, because of the miracles, because of the daily leading of His Spirit in my life, because of the peace and the joy, I am confident that my God is real and that He is good!

Too many of us are still trying to figure God out with our heads, and I’m here to tell you today that that doesn’t work. It never will. Tozer said, “You can’t get at Him with your mind.” So cut it out! You have to get helpless before Jesus.

You need to get to this place in your life where you are absolutely and positively nothing without Him indwelling your whole being! Are you in a place where you simply cannot escape Him?

I am more certain in my belief of Jesus than scientists with reproduced data accurate to the billionth decimal, only because I have had a spiritual encounter with Him that has changed everything.

Do you know Jesus otherwise than by hearsay?

SO, WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE?

= Do you just know things about Jesus or do you know the person of Jesus?

= How have you experienced/encountered Christ?

= What are you going to do differently?