Building One Another   

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. I Thessalonians 5:11

Hold Jesus in Your Heart!

DearFriend,

A moment came in which Jesus remarked to the twelve apostles,“I have called you friends.”

In that moment he did not call them students or disciples or followers, and they were all of that. Nor did he use the language of today, calling them parishioners or clients or patients or subjects.

He called them friends! Jesus held them in his heart and they held Jesus in theirs! It’s what real relationship is all about!

Think for a moment about the people who are close to you – family members and friends, both near and far. Who are the people who would call you, “friend,' who hold you in their hearts?

A great exercise is to stop reading this for a moment and make a list of the people in your life who would call you friend. They are those who hold you in their hearts and you hold them in yours!

After you’ve made the list, read over it, offering each person to your Lord and then ask yourself the simple question, “Is Jesus on my list?”

 He should be your list! He said to those who followed him, “I have call you friends!

 Hold Jesus in your heart. He holds you in his!

Joy to you – Stan   

Listen to the podcast to learn more of what means to hold Jesus in your heart!

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© Copyright 2023 E. Stanley Ott

Scripture from the ESV

1. What does it mean to you to actively, consciously hold someone in your heart?
2. In what ways do you hold in your heart those who are dear to you and how might you uses those ways to hold Jesus?
3. Make a list of those who call you friend.
4. Reflect on what it means to you that Jesus said to his disciples, "I have call you friends." Know that as you put your trust in Jesus, he calls you friend, too!

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