The Savior and King of the Universe longs to know you intimately and through that relationship with Him, He will use you to impact the world for His glory. What a heartbreaking truth that many will operate in the giftings but won’t know Jesus. We see this reality in Scripture, where in Matthew 7:21-23 it says, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'”
It is quite clear that you can do miracles without Jesus. Friends, I challenge you today, is your relationship with God a priority over the five-fold office He has put you in? Is intimacy more important to you than operating in signs and wonders? If there is a hesitation inside of you as you read those words, then that may be a sign that you are off course. If you find that you have been making these things more important than the main thing Himself, repent to the Lord and He is merciful to bring you back to oneness with Him.
In the book of Mark, we read about Jesus going up on the mountain and He called out to the ones He wanted to go with Him and they came to Him. THEN, He appointed twelve of them and called them His apostles. They journeyed with Him to preach the gospel and Jesus gave them the authority to cast out demons. Jesus was capable of casting out demons and spreading the word on His own but He desired for them to be with Him.
To know Jesus is to have relationship with Him. He is wooing our hearts to draw us into a deep love relationship with Him, to truly know Him. I can tell you today that just learning about God through someone else’s sermon and stories is not truly knowing Him. He desires to reveal Himself to you personally, to show you who He is. In those verses, the apostles went to the Lord to just be with Him.
Can you imagine the stories that aren’t even in the Bible: the campfires together with Jesus, the boat rides, ministry, the miracles? Think of all the conversations they had! They knew Him in a way that you and I actually have the ability to know the Lord with now. Don’t miss the point of this whole thing. God cares way more about you and the intimate time you spend with Him, getting to know the inner workings of His heart, than He cares about what you can do for Him.
Tune in to this episode of the Awaken The Wonder podcast to hear more about the disciple whom Jesus most loved. I don’t know about you but I want to be remembered as one whom Jesus loves! In this episode, your hunger will be stirred to go into the inner chamber with the bridegroom and to pour out your oil on His feet like the sweet fragrance He so deserves. {eoa}
Evangelist Caleb Wampler is founder and CEO of Kingdom Encounters International. He has seen hundreds of thousands of people come to Jesus in countries that are hostile to the gospel, witnessed incredible miracles and regularly experiences God’s wonder. For more information on evangelist Caleb Wampler, check out his ministry website at kingdomencounters.us. Stay connected through Caleb’s social media on Facebook and YouTube.
Curt Landry 
Michael L. Brown 
Rabbi Eric Tokajer 
