Back in May 2007 Karen and I spent 10 outstanding days with Pastor Joseph Mutua, and his charming and gracious wife Faith, traipsing over the landscape of Kenya from Mboney Mountain (where the wondrous Gospel message first came to East Africa) to the savanna of Sultan Hamoon (where the Islamic religion first was heard in Kenya) mile after mile we traveled enjoying not enduring. Karen made a statement so true when she said the true treasures and riches of Kenya is not the animals and the beautiful land, but the soft-hearted and gentle natured people.

But, as we traveled from town-to-town one thought kept coming to me. These people who have a great hunger for the word of God really know Jesus as Lord of their lives and not just their Saviour. My friend when we really desire to hear the word of God and have a desire to know God and His ways, through His dealings and judgments in our lives, Jesus will be more than our Saviour He will then be able to become the Lord of our lives. We are taught by the major denominations (Methodist, Pentecostals, Charismatics Lutherans, Baptists, Presbyterians, the list goes on) that eternal life is mostly about forgiveness of our sins and getting a mansion some day in Heaven, but seldom mentioned is spiritual growth and development. Spiritual growth and development is one of the major topics in the Bible and is Paul’s and Peter’s major theme in presenting this wonderful Gospel message. Now it is true our sin must be dealt with, but this is only the beginning of the everlasting or eternal life that God intends for us to receive. Never forget sin is never just forgiven it must be dealt with by God and there is always a price to be paid for the remission. In the Greek, John said, “Behold the Lamb of God, He who takes upon Himself the sin of the world.” (John 1:29 (GK)) Jesus did not take away the sin of the world, because today sin is still present in the world. What really happened was Jesus did something more amazing than taking the sin of the world away He, “took upon Himself the sin of the world” so that the price for our sin could be paid. Let us take heed not to allow the continued drum beat of the message of only God’s grace and love (which are two critical parts) cloud this eternal point of the Gospel message.

God’s intention for us is spiritual growth and development. Peter teaches this truth to us here in 1 Peter, “Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” (1 Peter 2:1-2) For those who are babes in the Lord they are to grow through the “sincere milk of the word.” Paul takes this thought of Peter a step further, “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” (Hebrews 5:12-14) and then continues in Chapter 6 to define “the first principles of the oracles of God.” “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, 2Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.” (Hebrews 6:1-2) Paul too teaches we are to grow spiritually into a “full age” by eating the strong meat of the word of God (not by drinking the sincere milk) so that we will be able to “discern both good and evil.” Spiritual growth and development in our lives does not enable us to do miracles and mighty works of God, these come by way of obedience to God and brokenness. Spiritual growth and development in our lives leads us to know or have the ability to discern both good and evil. Sadly many Christians can do mighty works for God, but do not have the ability to discern between good and evil. Just turn on Christian TV (a true oxymoron) or go to your local church and hear of the fighting and eating of the Body of Christ, Brethren this ought not to be, but it does because most Christian do not have the ability to know or discern between good and evil. Oh they know some verses in the Bible, they have their Sunday School quarterly, and know their church doctrine by heart, but do not know both good and evil. We are married to pastors, churches, doctrines, and religion, but not to the Lord. Brethren this ought not to be.

For us to be able to have all that God intends for us in “eternal life” we must be able to grow to a place spiritually where we come to know Him though experiences (both good and bad) He brings our way. This is why Jesus told us to; “Go ye therefore” in Mathew 28:19, in our going He can now work in our lives. Most of all we come to know God through the dealings and judgments He brings into our lives leading and guiding us to the end of our selves.

This religious concept of knowing Jesus as Saviour alone is not in keeping with what the Bible teaches. Jesus wants to be more than our Saviour. He desires to come and abide in us sitting on the throne of our heart where He can rule and reign over every situation, thought, and heart condition in our lives. My friend we must be careful for major denominational doctrines and teachings mainly speak about salvation (which is important, but God has much more) because they really want to be lord over the lives of people controlling and manipulating them to support their thinking and doctrines. The little good that they do in the world does not offset the spiritual stunting and destruction they bring to the Body of Christ. I have seen this all over the world. Jesus Himself tells us in the real Lord’s Prayer (John 17) what “eternal life” is, “As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. 3And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:2-3) Eternal life is growing in God to where by we come to a place of knowing Him. Growing in God where by we too can have the revelation as King Uzziah had, ”In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.” (Isaiah 6:1) It was the throne of King Uzziah’s heart that God was sitting on and He filled the temple of His heart. When we “truly” come to know God He will be able to fill our temple (our heart) and rule and reign over us. We will willfully come under His kingly lordship and direction for our lives. We will submit in obedience and give Him our life to do that which He desires to do. Also in John Jesus tells us, “The thief (now it says thief not devil, Satan, or whomever you want to spin in there) cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) The abundant life that Jesus speaks of is not the message that the Word of Faith crowd has spun into a demonic prosperity doctrine of greed and self-gain, that is sweeping the Body of Christ, but is that “eternal life” of personally knowing Him and His ways. Jesus said, He has come so that we “ might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” Most Christians focus on the promise of the abundant life (hence the greed and the giving to get), but the most important word in John 10:10 is “might.” You see, it is God’s intention for us to have His life and even have His eternal life abundantly, but it is not up to God for us to receive His life, my friend it is up to us. Are we willing to endure the dealings and judgments of God so that we will be able to know Him and the power of His resurrection? It is God’s intention, but the receiving of God’s intention is always based on us meeting God’s condition. As I travel, I ask who desires to eat of the good of the land of Nepal, China, Kenya, Tanzania, Romania, India, etc. everyone raises their hands and shouts hallelujah bring it on. Well, the condition to eat the good of the land in God is to be willing and obedient, “If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:” (Isaiah 1:19) I tell them they must be “willing and obedient” to be able to eat of the good of their country. The crowd then gets very quiet, not too much shouting or yelling hallelujah then.

My friend, eternal life is knowing God and allowing Him to work in our lives. Please do not get caught up in all the good works of denominational doctrines and religions and be deceived from the life and truth God has for us. Let us openly and with great abandonment throw our lives into His loving sovereign hands so that we “might” be able to receive of the eternal life that God has purposed for us and the eternal life that Jesus so willingly laid His life down for; knowing God as Lord of our lives.