Paul

March 26, 2021 Jfuglerwriter Comments Off on Why Know Jesus?

Why Know Jesus?

Has following and obeying Jesus has gotten too much press?

I’ve read a ton of books and have heard a thousand sermons that tell me how to obey Jesus. All the way from behaving Christ-like to understanding God’s will, I’ve ingested countless Biblical principles to make the Christian life work.

They accomplished their job. I learned, applied and got results. God’s Word laid it all out for me.

But I missed something. Let me explain.

If following Jesus really works, so many Christians wouldn’t be asking, “Why is my relationship with him so dull? Where’s my joy? How come I live with guilt, loneliness, discouragement, frustration, anger, discontentment, lack of faith and feel distant from God?”

In all the busyness of obeying Christ, we’ve blown past the #1 thing that Jesus wants. And that is to know him.

I contend that so many of us have overshot Jesus. And we feel distant from God.

Knowing his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was the overarching reason for Paul to live. He said, “What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8 NIV)

As believers, we need to pursue the same passion Paul did. This is a hard-right turn from where most of us have been heading.

If you’re not into knowing Christ, delete this email and unsubscribe.

However, if you’re up for knowing Christ as Paul did, stay with me on this journey.

Why know Jesus? All of life hinges on it. Jesus leads us into a treasured relationship with him.

I look forward to sharing more in the days ahead.

In closing, I want to let you know about a community of believers who are pursing Christ together. Fresh Faith 24/7 is built around knowing him. Find out more at www.freshfaith247.com.

October 15, 2020 Jfuglerwriter 1 Comment

Courage to Keep Going

How’s this for a life of obedience to Christ? “Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea.” (2 Corinthians 11:25 NIV)

Beaten, stoned and shipwrecked. Such was the life of Paul, constantly suffering for his faith.

But wait. There’s more!

“I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.” (2 Corinthians 11:26-27 NIV)

The other apostles weren’t immune from suffering for their faith either. It was a normal part of their lives. They were detested by Jewish leaders, often hated by the Romans and rejected by the Gentiles. Almost every one of the apostles died as a martyr for his faith.

I’m humbled to the core when I ponder that my own conversion is traced back to the apostles. If it weren’t for their tenacity and endurance, the church wouldn’t have blossomed. Since then, the Christian faith has spread for centuries because courageous believers have told non-believers about Jesus.

How can you have the courage of the apostles? Not only to represent Jesus, but to simply keep going when life has a strangle-hold on you? When discouragement hits? When resistance and hardship press in from all sides? When Coronavirus season keeps wears you down?

Every believer has seasons of strength and weakness, joy and heartache, ease and difficulty. None of us lives each day on the pinnacle of spiritual bliss. 

The apostles possessed unshakeable courage. It gave them boldness to stand for Christ all the way to their martyred deaths. Most likely, you won’t face such a brutal ending as theirs, but you can learn from these faithful followers. How did they courageously move forward in their faith walk?

Paul describes their secret: “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” (2 Corinthians 4:16 NIV)

They did not lose heart. Their courage wasn’t crushed. They may have looked like they were empty, but not so inside.

Here’s the zinger: “Yet inwardly we are being renewed every day.” That’s why the apostles could stand courageously in a world of intense persecution. They were made new by God in the depths of their souls.

It all came back to Jesus. Deeply rooted in their Savior, they endured the terrible, constant opposition to their faith. No cowering for these men. They spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to all the world.

Just as the Holy Spirit renewed the apostles, he is renewing you.

Whatever you’re facing, courage to keep going starts with an inner renewal when you turn to Jesus. His Holy Spirit will do the miraculous in you.

(Explore courage in my devotional Your Life With God: 30 Days of Courage. That’s where this post was born. Available on Amazon).

September 1, 2020 Jfuglerwriter 3 Comments

How Can We Know Jesus?

(NOTE: I’m feeling much better than when I last posted. Thank you to all who have been praying for me. And to those who contacted me with words of encouragement, I am grateful. My back muscles have healed. My leg is still a little numb, but getting better. Believe it or not, I joined a Herniated Disc Facebook Group! Yes, there is one. With 25,000 members).

Knowing someone on earth is one thing, but how can we know the God in heaven?

Good question.

We can’t reach out and touch Jesus. We can converse with him, but not in the way we would our spouse. I’m not one who audibly hears the voice of Jesus.

We can’t go out to dinner together. Or ride bikes. Or spend a day at the beach with each other. Or take a walk together. Discuss the day when we get home from work.

In a sense, we can, but I think you know what I mean. Knowing Jesus is a whole different concept and needs a different approach than getting to know your kids or friends.

Let’s go back to Philippians 3:8: “What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” (NIV)

I did a word study on knowing. I wanted to know what it meant, I guess. (Chuckle). It was fascinating. I learned that the word means to “experientially know.”

Aha. I had made a breakthrough. Knowing Jesus like Paul knew Jesus isn’t about facts. It’s about experience. Head vs. heart. Intellect vs. living.

The word study also revealed that it was a knowledge gleaned from first-hand (personal) experience. In other words, I can’t know Jesus vicariously through my pastor. Indeed, I can listen to the most inspiring sermon about Jesus, but that doesn’t replace knowing him first-hand.

Knowing Jesus is experiencing Jesus. And experience comes from time spent with him. A minute ago I said that knowing Jesus is nothing like knowing a friend or spouse. At the core, however, it is. We just have to go through a different process to know our Savior.

Experiencing Jesus happens in some of the darkest and challenging times of our lives. My wife’s battle with cancer turned into a season of knowing Jesus. We came to the throne of grace over and over again, standing in the presence of our Lord. Personally, I spent many stretches of time pouring my heart out to Jesus, in tears at times. Then I soaked in his love, peace, care and strength. Cancer season brought me closer to Jesus. I felt I knew him well.

My recent pain-filled experience on my back was a knowing Jesus opportunity. It drew me closer to my Savior.

Knowing Jesus doesn’t always have to come in trial. God never meant it to be that way. He wants to know us daily. A close friendship experiences highs and lows together, but mostly the normal in-between seasons. You do life together, enjoying each other.

Jesus desires that we come to know him in all seasons, not only when we face the hard times. We need our Savior every day.

Pursue him desperately. Today.

August 4, 2020 Jfuglerwriter 2 Comments

On my back for 48 hours

I know. I’ve gone AWOL. No posts on here for weeks.

But I have a good excuse.

It all started when I pulled the grocery bag out of the car. First, let me back up a little…

Noonie and I were enjoying a short vacation at the beach. After all the Coronavirus isolation, we had decided to get out of Dodge.

Oh, it started well. Warm water, sunny days, relaxation. Then that grocery bag thing happened. As I straightened up after grabbing the bag, I felt my lower back muscle twinge. Quickly, I knew it was more than a subtle inconvenience. It slowed me down. A lot.

But that was just the beginning. The next night in the hotel room, I spotted the state mascot: a cockroach. I leaned over and my nerves exploded, running down my left leg. The pain was a 12 on a 10 scale. I called to Noonie. She thought I was going to faint. So did I. Somehow, in the excruciating pain, I managed to lay myself flat on the bed.

And that was my position for 48 hours, the beach just 100 yards away. I couldn’t do anything without pain. No raising of my head, no turning over, no ability to sit up. The muscle pull, compounded by the pinched nerve, totally incapacitated me.

Could the story get worse?

Yes.

After two days of continued pain, still flat on my back and a call to my doctor, we had to summon the paramedics to take me to the ER. It was my first ambulance ride, my first emergency room visit, and my first experience with morphine. Two doses of that finally allowed me to sit up, stand up and make it to the car for the overnight trip home.

That was a month ago and I still have lingering leg pain and a strained lower back muscle. I’ve been scanned, pricked, and shocked in the past four weeks. I’m improving, but still taking it easy.

And that’s why I haven’t posted here.

I’m grateful for all who have prayed for me. I have experienced the results of those prayers.

The other day, I finally had the opportunity to spend a half-day with God in my right mind. No meds. Mental agility back to normal. Emotionally stronger. I was ready to listen to God while I read his Word.

Through all this, God has made it clear that July wasn’t a month to forget, but a month to pivot and rejoice. My desire for the past several months has been to know Christ. But I had hoped to avoid the last phrase in this verse: “I want to know Christ–yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings.” (Philippians 3:10 NIV).

A person knows Christ in a totally unique way in suffering. I can attest to that. Jesus has walked with me through the pain of the past month.

Another prayer I’ve had in recent months is to help other believers know the Christ of the cross. My painful ordeal helps me to be more compassionate and understanding with the people the Lord brings into my life. That was a big lesson for me.

Almost everyone is experiencing pain of some kind, whether it be physical, emotional or spiritual. We’re broken people. For so long, I’ve been in great health, running three miles at a time. I’m not running for a while. Or maybe ever again.

Whatever pain you bring to the table in your Christian journey, I see you differently than I did in June. The Lord allowed me to experience pain so I can now better empathize with my brothers and sisters who join me in this journey to know Christ.

I leave you with the verse from Paul that has inspired and guided me this year: “What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.” (Philippians 3:8 NIV)

What has God taught you through pain? I feel like my pain has been minimal compared to the pain so many friends experience every day. Share your thoughts.

Scroll to top