This episode focuses on the critical question: Have you closed with Jesus? I delve into what it truly means to have a personal relationship with Him and how this connection is essential for living a fulfilled Christian life. Through three key Bible verses, we explore the importance of recognizing Jesus as not just a figure in our lives, but as our forgiver and leader. I encourage listeners to reflect on their relationship with Jesus, emphasizing that genuine commitment involves a personal transaction that goes beyond mere acknowledgment. Join me as we examine the cost and eternal benefits of truly closing with Jesus.

Takeaways:

• A personal relationship with Jesus requires a commitment that goes beyond mere knowledge.
• To truly know Jesus, one must engage in a personal transaction through prayer and faith.
• The act of closing with Jesus involves surrendering control of your life to Him completely.
• It is essential to regularly evaluate your relationship with Jesus, just as you do with human relationships.
• Christianity is not just about beliefs; it is about a personal relationship with Christ.
• The Bible encourages us to count the cost of following Jesus before making a commitment.

Links referenced in this episode:

• www.bible805.com

Welcome to the Hobo Soul Podcast of Road advised from the Bible and from me, Yvon Prehn, someone who's a little further down the road of life. I'll talk to you every Tuesday and Thursday for about 10 minutes.

And if you'd like more in depth information on walking with Jesus, you can find that at my www.bible805.com website. For now, let's get started on our topic for today, which is.

Episode number 68. Have you closed with Jesus? Something to consider if trying to live like a Christian seems too hard.

I've got three verses for you today on our episode and this is the first verse. It's from First John, where it says, this is what God has testified. He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

So whoever has God's Son has life. Whoever does not have his son does not have life.

And then in Matthew 7, it's something that's a kind of serious warning where it says, not all people who sound religious are really godly. They may refer to me as Lord, but they won't enter the kingdom of heaven. The decisive issue is whether they obey my Father in heaven. On Judgment Day.

Many will tell me, lord, Lord, we prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name. But I'll say to you, I never knew you. Go away. And then in John 10, something much more encouraging where it says, my sheep recognize my voice.

I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life and they will never perish. No one will snatch them away from me.

If you've been listening to this podcast for some time, you may have one of two responses. Either the words here have been an encouragement and a challenge to you in your walk with Jesus, or perhaps they just seem empty.

If your attempts at living a Christian life are a constant frustration, I would be remiss if I didn't ask you to take a few minutes to examine your relationship with Jesus. Take a few minutes by yourself without distractions. Listen to this episode and carefully consider what follows.

Here's one way to evaluate your relationship with Jesus.

Evangelists, the people who are sharing the good news of Jesus, of salvation in Jesus in the past, used to use a term that we often don't hear today when they would ask, have you closed with Jesus? Their use of the term closed was taken from real estate back then, and they used it just as we do today.

You can look at a house, walk through it, admire it, want it, even invest time in getting a loan on it. But until you close, the house is not yours. What happens when you close on closing, Only then does the house become truly legally yours.

For that closing to take place, you must give up something, usually a considerable amount of money, and you must commit to continuing investment in the house until you own it, free and clear. Now, no analogy is ever perfect, but this is a pretty good one to explain what it means to know Jesus personally.

And you can look at Jesus from far away. You can even get up close, perhaps visiting or regularly attending a church to examine his teachings.

You might even be involved in church activities regularly. But unless a personal transaction takes place, unless you know Jesus personally and you know him, you haven't closed with Him.

The act of closing with Jesus is a serious commitment.

That closing takes place between you and God in prayer, where you admit your sins that have kept you from God, and you recognize that Jesus death on the cross paid the penalty for those sins that you could not, and you ask that Jesus become the forgiver and leader of your life. Now let's take a few minutes to talk about the cost of that transaction.

If you've taken those steps, you have closed with Jesus and you've moved into an eternal relationship with Him. There's no monetary or human effort caused to this transaction, meaning there's nothing you can do to pay for or earn a relationship with Jesus.

At the same time. Before making that closing transaction, the Bible does encourage you to count the life cost.

The Bible is clear that the cost involved in closing with Jesus is that you now turn over the control your life to Him. Your priorities, your time, your focus, your decisions are now all to be under the leadership of Jesus.

You aren't asked to make monthly payments, although regularly giving to the church you attend and to those in need is an expectation of all Christians. But you are required to give up your time daily in the study of God's Word in prayer and service to your world in the name of Jesus.

In return, the Christian receives much more than an earthly house that will deteriorate. The Christian is promised an eternal home in heaven and on earth, peace, strength and joy for whatever life gives you.

Peace, strength and joy for whatever the life is that God gives you. Life is hard and to live it sanely, you must have a personal relationship with Jesus for His strength to flow through you.

You must be on good terms with him to do it. Happily, our relationship with God is personal.

It's more than a theology or belief system or set of rules, one with much more, but no less than the personal qualities of a relationship with an earthly friend.

If you've not closed with Jesus, count the cost of following him, and if you're prepared to commit your life to him, close with Jesus by praying the prayer that follows. Now I'm going to read you a prayer of closing. You can pray it along with me.

Dear Jesus, I admit that though I've known about you for a long time, I've kept you at arm's distance. I don't want to do that anymore. I admit that I need forgiveness for things I've done.

I realize that in coming to you, I acknowledge that you died on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins, and I want you to come into my life and be my forgiver and leader.

I realize that in doing this, I turn over the control of my life and eternity to you, and I pray that you'll help me live a life that is worthy of you. Thank you for your free gift of salvation and for being willing to have a relationship with me forever. Amen.

If you prayed that prayer sincerely, welcome to the family of God. More than ever before, you'll have Jesus beside you as you do your work for him, as you live your life for Him.

Be sure to read your Bible every day and go to a church that preaches the Bible and you'll grow and experience the reality of a friendship that will never end. Now, if you're already in a relationship with Jesus, if you've closed with him in the past, how's it going?

We take time to evaluate our human relationships, and it's essential to give time and attention to our relationship with Jesus. Is it a happy, peaceful time that you want it to be? Or is there a bit of resentment, festering? Talk about it to Jesus?

Is there sadness inside you that you feel won't ever end? Share it have you forgotten to be thankful for food and shelter that many of our brothers and sisters around the world don't have?

Catch up on your thanks do you forget he wants to help you in every detail of your life? Invite him to share all those moments, all those cares, all those concerns. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

The Apostle Paul said in Philippians 4:13 now that your relationship is right with Jesus, charge into your day and your challenges in his strength and joy, and know that he is walking with you through it all.

That's all for this podcast, for transcripts, links to related material, and much more to help you learn to know, trust, apply and teach the Bible, go to www.bible805.com for now, let me end with this benediction and prayer.

May you walk each day surrounded by the gracious love of the Father, guided by the gentle wisdom of the Holy Spirit, and conscious of the astoundingly real presence of Jesus, who will walk with you until you're no more a hobo sand soul, no more a transient wandering heart, but at home in the kingdom prepared for you with your God forever. Amen.