A lot of people can pretend to know Jesus or "have" Jesus in their hearts. They can try to copy the things He did, or try to talk the same way He did. They can try to hang around "religious" people who say they know Jesus, but that does not mean that they actually know Him in their hearts. Having Jesus in your heart means that you have opened your heart up to Him and given Him a place. Not just the place of a friend, but the place He deserves-as the Son of God.

When Jesus lives in our heart, we are changed. We desire to follow Him-even though at times we struggle and our desires turn to the things that displease Him. Still, when He's in our heart, there it is as though a light is ignited - Jesus  is called "the true Light which gives light to every man who comes into the world" (John 1:9).

We have been separated from God through our wrong actions and thoughts. Thus, we are not born with Jesus in our heart. He comes in when we turn to Him and ask Him in. To do this means that we first recognize our need - that we have strayed from God and He is not active in our lives. Thus, we need to turn to Him to ask Him in through prayer.

In order to ask Jesus into your heart, you must recognize your lacks, failures,  shortcomings and ask His forgiveness. This is called repenting. Learn more on repentance here.

Did this page increase your understanding of Jesus?
	Yes	No

How much has JesusCentral increased your understanding of Jesus?

None Some Much Very Much

Thank You

---