Friendship with Jesus

Mark 4:11 “And He said to them, ‘To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, so that ‘seeing they may see and hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, and their sins be forgiven them.’”

Jesus told His disciples that it was given to them to know the secrets, or mysteries, of the Kingdom. The word “mystery” is musterion, which means something hidden requiring special revelation. The secret thoughts, plans and dispensations of God remain hidden from the unregenerate mankind, but are revealed to believers.

How are these secrets revealed to us as believers? In the secret place! When we seek Him with our whole heart in prayer and reading the Word, and when we follow Him in obedience. Simply put, these secrets are revealed when you’re in friendship with God!

Jesus said in John 14:15-17 “If you love Me, kep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever- the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.”

When Jesus was glorified He sent a Helper, the Holy Spirit, to abide with us forever. This gives us insight into God’s desire for relationship with those who are in Christ. He is Emmanuel, God WITH us, and He can be forever with us through His Holy Spirit.

In John 15:15 Jesus says “No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what His master is doing; but I have called you friends, because all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.”

If you want to know the secrets of the Kingdom, be in close friendship with Jesus! Close enough to hear the still small voice of the Holy Spirit.