Do You Know Jesus for Yourself? April 5th, 2026 | River of God | Pastor Donald Gray

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In this week’s message, Pastor Donald Gray delivers a heartfelt and urgent call for every believer to know Jesus personally and not merely through the opinions, traditions, or experiences of others. Using the life of Judas as a warning and his own testimony as an encouragement, he reminds the church that it is possible to be around Jesus, hear His words, and witness His power, yet still never truly surrender your heart to Him. The central challenge of the message is simple but searching: do you want Jesus for who He is, or only for what you think He can give you?

Preaching from Matthew 26 and John 17, Pastor Donald shows that even though Judas walked with Jesus for three years, his heart was never fully given to Him. In contrast, believers are called to seek the Lord with all their heart, come to Him just as they are, and experience His love personally. The message highlights the compassion of Jesus toward Judas, the danger of following Christ with selfish motives, and the life-changing power of truly meeting Jesus for yourself. It closes with a direct appeal to stop leaning on secondhand knowledge, seek the Lord sincerely, and let His love transform your life from the inside out.

Key Reminders from This Message
• The same grace that saves is the grace that keeps
• We are living in the last days, so believers must watch and pray
• Jesus did not come to push people down, but to lift them up
• It is possible to be around Jesus and still not truly know Him
• Judas wanted what Jesus could give, but did not want Jesus Himself
• Believers must seek Jesus with all their heart
• You must know Jesus for yourself, not just through what others say
• Jesus loves you just as you are and invites you to come now
• There is nothing you can do to make Jesus stop loving you
• Jesus knows everything about you and still calls you to come
• Following Jesus is not about money, status, or personal gain
• Knowing Jesus personally will change your life and keep you anchored in Him

📖 Scripture Covered
• Romans 1:16
• Matthew 26:20–25
• Matthew 26:48–50 (referenced)
• Matthew 16:24 (referenced)
• Jeremiah 29:13 (referenced)
• John 3:16
• Romans 3:23
• John 17:12
• Romans 12:1 (referenced)
• Isaiah 34 (referenced)
• Isaiah 49 (referenced)

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