Have You Been With Jesus?

Have You Been With Jesus?

There's a powerful moment recorded in the book of Acts that should stop us in our tracks. The religious leaders of the day were examining Peter and John, two ordinary fishermen with no formal theological training. Yet something was undeniably different about them. Acts 4:13 tells us that these leaders "saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled and ordinary men. They were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus."

‍

They had been with Jesus.

‍

That simple observation carries profound weight for anyone who claims to follow Christ today. The question we must ask ourselves isn't just "Do I believe in Jesus?" but rather "Have I been with Jesus?" And perhaps more importantly, "Is it noticeable?"

‍

The Center of Everything

‍

When major life events happen—a cancer diagnosis, the birth of a child, a significant health crisis—everything in our lives suddenly reorients around that reality. Priorities shift instantly. Things that seemed important yesterday fade into the background. Our schedules, our thoughts, our energy all flow toward this new center.

‍

Yet when we say we've given our lives to Jesus, do we experience that same reorientation? Or do we simply add "Christian" to our identity without anything fundamentally changing?

‍

Consider the nature of a wagon wheel. At its center is the hub, and radiating outward are all the spokes. Your life has many spokes—your job, your hobbies, your relationships, your interests. But what's at the hub? If Jesus isn't the center from which everything else flows, your wheel will eventually fall apart. The wagon will veer off the road.

‍

This isn't about legalism. It's not about waking up at 5 AM for prayer or else you're not a "real Christian." It's about priority. It's about recognizing that Jesus must be the organizing principle of your entire existence, not just a Sunday morning activity or a religious obligation you fulfill when convenient.

‍

From Need To to Want To

‍

We all know we need to breathe. It's involuntary, automatic. But have you ever been underwater too long and felt that desperate, almost panicking need for air? In that moment, the involuntary becomes intensely voluntary. You don't just need air—you want it with every fiber of your being.

‍

God is so present, so available, that we've turned our relationship with Him into something involuntary like breathing. We know we need Him, but we've lost the desperate “want”.

‍

The Old Testament tells us that God's eyes range throughout the earth seeking those whose hearts are completely His. How many of us can honestly say we have that kind of heart? Not a heart that knows the right answers or shows up occasionally, but a heart that desperately wants to be in His presence?

‍

Smith Wigglesworth, known for his powerful ministry of healing, was once asked how many hours a day he spent in prayer. People expected him to say eight or ten hours. Instead, he replied, "I never pray more than half an hour." Before they could express their shock, he added, "But I never go more than half an hour without praying."

‍

That's the difference. That's a life reoriented around Jesus.

‍

The Walls We Build

‍

When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, their first instinct was to hide. God came walking in the cool of the day, as He always had, and they weren't there. "Where are you?" He called. Adam's response reveals the human condition: "I was afraid, so I hid."

‍

Many of us are still hiding.

‍

We hide behind busyness. We hide behind legitimate responsibilities. We hide behind walls we've built brick by brick—walls of hurt, disappointment, bitterness, and unforgiveness. Maybe someone in the church hurt you. Maybe God didn't answer a prayer the way you wanted. Maybe life just got hard and it was easier to put up walls than to stay vulnerable.

‍

But here's the problem with walls: they don't just keep others out. They trap us inside.

‍

You might even be sitting in church, but you're still hiding. You might know all the right things to say, but there's no actual connection. The relationship has become something to avoid rather than something to pursue.

The Fruit of His Presence

‍

When you truly spend time with Jesus, it shows. Not in a self-righteous, look-at-me way, but in the natural overflow of transformation. The fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—these aren't things you manufacture through willpower. They're the natural result of abiding in Him.

‍

Ask yourself: Am I easily quarrelsome? Quick to anger? Do harsh words come readily? Is there bitterness festering in my heart? Lust? Hate?

‍

These things cannot occupy the same space as Jesus. The saying “town isn't big enough for both of us” certainly applies! You either create space for the Creator of the universe, or you create space for yourself, trapped in your own darkness. You can't feed both and expect the right one to grow.

‍

We spend hours scrolling social media, absorbing news that tells us who to hate and what to fear. We feed division, anger, and suspicion. Then we wonder why we feel distant from God, why our spiritual lives feel dry, why we can't seem to find peace.

‍

Whatever you feed will grow.

‍

Making the Preset

‍

Decision fatigue is real. Studies show that judges give harsher sentences in the afternoon than in the morning because they're mentally exhausted from making decisions all day. If you wait until you're tired to decide whether you'll spend time with Jesus, you'll choose the couch and the remote every time.

‍

That's why you need presets—decisions made in advance. Sunday morning church? That's where you'll be. Morning coffee? That's when you'll read Scripture. Evening walk? That's when you'll pray.

‍

Not because God demands a schedule, but because you love Him enough to prioritize Him. Because you've moved from "I know I need to" to "I desperately want to."

‍

The Invitation

‍

The walls of Jericho didn't fall in an instant. God had the Israelites walk around them for seven days, circling seven times on the final day. They had to put in the steps. They had to show up, day after day, walking in obedience even when nothing seemed to be happening.

‍

Your walls might not crumble instantly either. But they will crumble if you keep showing up, keep pressing in, keep prioritizing His presence above everything else.

‍

The question isn't whether you have time. The question is whether you have the want to. And if you don't, ask God for it. Ask Him to rekindle that flame, to restore that first love, to give you a heart that desperately seeks His face.

‍

Because at the end of the day, people should be able to look at your life and know without a doubt: this person has been with Jesus.

‍

----

‍

5-Day Devotional: Prioritizing Jesus at the Center

Day 1: They Took Note That These Men Had Been With Jesus

Reading: Acts 4:1-22

‍

Devotional: When Peter and John stood before the religious elite, something remarkable happened. These unschooled, ordinary men displayed extraordinary courage and wisdom. The secret? They had been with Jesus. Their time in His presence transformed them so completely that even their enemies noticed the difference.

‍

What would people notice about your life? Would they see evidence that you've spent time with Jesus? The transformation that comes from genuine relationship with Christ cannot be hidden or manufactured. It shows in how we speak, how we respond to pressure, and how we love others. The disciples didn't just know about Jesus—they knew Him intimately. That kind of knowing only comes through consistent, intentional time in His presence. Today, consider: Is Jesus truly the hub of your wheel of life, or has He become just another spoke? Your intimacy with Christ will always show up in your character and courage.

Day 2: From Hiding to Hunger

Reading: Genesis 3:1-13

‍

Devotional: After the first sin, Adam and Eve's instinct was to hide from God. When He called out, "Where are you?" it wasn't because He didn't know their location—it was an invitation to come out of hiding. This pattern persists today. When we've drifted from God, our natural tendency is avoidance rather than approach.

‍

Perhaps you've been hiding behind busyness, entertainment, or even religious activity. You know you need Jesus, but the "want to" has faded. God is still calling, "Where are you?" not in condemnation but in love. He's inviting you out from behind the walls you've built. The shame that drives you into hiding is the very thing Jesus died to remove. Today, stop running. Stop avoiding. The breath you desperately need is found in His presence. Shift from "need to" to "want to" by remembering who He is and how much He loves you. Your Creator is seeking relationship, not religious performance.

Day 3: Decision Fatigue and Divine Priorities

Reading: Matthew 6:25-34

‍

Devotional: Jesus taught that when we seek first His kingdom, everything else falls into proper place. Yet we live in a world of overwhelming choices and constant decisions. By day's end, we're exhausted and our spiritual disciplines become casualties of decision fatigue. We tell ourselves we'll spend time with Jesus "later," but later never comes.

‍

The solution isn't trying harder—it's deciding ahead of time. Make preset commitments about your relationship with Jesus. Schedule time with Him like you would any other priority. This isn't legalism; it's wisdom. You plan for work, appointments, and entertainment. Why not plan for the most important relationship in your life? When you preset your priorities, you remove the moment-by-moment decision that drains your resolve. Sunday morning? You're in church. Morning coffee? You're reading Scripture. These become non-negotiables, not because you have to, but because you've already decided what matters most. What preset decisions do you need to make today to protect your time with Jesus?

Day 4: Tearing Down the Walls

Reading: Joshua 6:1-20

‍

Devotional: The Israelites had to march around Jericho's walls for seven days before they fell. God could have demolished them instantly, but He required their participation. Similarly, the walls we've built around our hearts—walls of hurt, disappointment, bitterness, or self-protection—rarely crumble in a moment. They come down as we consistently show up in God's presence.

‍

You may have built walls thinking they'd protect you, but now they've become a prison. Each brick represents a hurt, a disappointment, or a moment you felt let down. These walls keep others out, but they also keep you trapped inside, isolated and alone. God wants to help you tear them down, but it requires your participation. You have to show up. You have to keep walking around those walls in worship, prayer, and surrender. Don't expect instant results; expect faithful progress. Each day you press into Jesus, another brick loosens. Each moment you choose vulnerability over self-protection, the walls weaken. Today, take one step toward the altar of surrender and let God begin His demolition work.

Day 5: The Wagon Wheel Life

Reading: Colossians 1:15-20

‍

Devotional: Again, let’s picture a wagon wheel with Jesus as the hub and every area of your life as a spoke—family, work, hobbies, finances, relationships. When Jesus occupies the center, everything else finds its proper place and proportion. But when any spoke tries to become the hub, the wheel collapses and your life careens off course.

‍

Take inventory today. What has subtly moved from spoke to hub? Has your job, a relationship, your finances, or even your children become the organizing principle of your life? These aren't bad things—they're just not meant to be the center. Only Jesus can bear that weight. When He's truly first, you can enjoy your work without being consumed by it. You can love your family without being controlled by them. You can pursue hobbies without them becoming idols. Everything finds its rightful place when Jesus occupies the center. This isn't about having perfect balance—it's about having the right center. Reorient your life today. Give Jesus back the position He deserves, and watch how everything else aligns properly around Him.

‍

‍