DO WE KNOW CHRIST OR KNOW OF HIM

 JOHN 15:14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing, but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. 17 These things I command you, that you love one another.

We can claim to know Jesus, but if we do not demonstrate it by our actions of love, we just know of Him, but we do not have a relationship with Him. Jesus is our Shepherd. He knows us, and we know Him; wherever He leads us, it will be in our favor to follow Him.  We can look at Jesus' followers and see their gentle ways, kind hearts, and self-control; they are never quick to anger, and they are always willing to do good for others.

Father, we thank You for calling us friends; and allowing us to be part of Your royal family.  Lord, forgive us for falling short of Your mercy, grace, and favor; help us surrender our will for Your plan for our lives.  Father, let our actions demonstrate our relationship with You; for all the world to see Your light that shines in us.  Father, we are so grateful that You do not rebuke us for our waywardness but still love us even with our frequent disobedience.  Lord, help us avoid destructive things to our faith and our relationship with You.  Father, we were born in sin, so sinfulness is our nature; so to stop sinning is not possible in the flesh, but through Christ, we can stop living under the control of sin.  Father, thank You for another day to get it right, and thank You for grace, in Jesus' name Amen.

Artwork by Ron Watson