THE “I AM” OF JESUS – Part 2 of 2

John’s Gospel gives us a series of breathtaking declarations from Jesus -- statements that don’t just describe what He does, but reveal who He is. We continue today with the last four. Take time with each of these statements. Let them draw you closer to Christ.

4. “I am the Good Shepherd” (John 10:11):  He knows your name. He leads you with tenderness. He seeks the lost. He lays down His life for you. Let His voice be the loudest in your life today.

5. “I am the Resurrection and the Life” (John 11:25):  Jesus doesn’t just promise life after death -- He brings life into the dead places now. Wherever hope has faded, He speaks resurrection. Where do you need His life-giving touch?

6. “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6):  Jesus is not one option among many. He is the path to the Father, the truth that sets us free, and the life that never ends. Follow Him with fresh trust today.

7. “I am the True Vine” (John 15:1):  We are not called to strive, but to abide. Fruitfulness flows from connection, not effort. What would it look like to rest in Him instead of trying to produce for Him? If you want to be fruitful, concentrate on your relationship with Jesus.

Each “I Am” is a doorway into the heart of Jesus. Each one reveals a facet of His glory. Each one invites us to trust Him more deeply. He is everything we need. He is everything our world longs for. He is the great “I Am.”

-- SOUND BITES Ministry™

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RESTING ON THE HEART OF JESUS

“Lord, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp. Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself, like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk. Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, put your hope in the Lord.”  (Psalm 131:1-3 NLT)

If I did not simply live from one moment to the next, it would be impossible for me to keep my patience.

I can see only the present, I forget the past and I take good care not to think about the future.  We get discouraged and feel despair because we brood about the past and future. 

It is such folly to pass one's time fretting, instead of resting quietly on the heart of Jesus. 

-- Therese of Lisieux (1873-1897), quoted in “A Guide to Prayer for All God's People” by Rueben P. Job and Norman Shawchuck

THE HEART OF JESUS – Part 3 of 3

The crowning attribute of Christ was this: His heart was spiritual. His thoughts reflected His intimate relationship with the Father. "I am in the Father and the Father is in Me," He stated (John 14:11). His first recorded sermon begins with the words, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me" (Luke 4:18 NASB). He was "led by the Spirit" (Matthew 4:1 NIV) and "full of the Holy Spirit" (Luke 4:1 NIV). He returned from the desert "in the power of the Spirit" (Luke 4:14 NIV).

Jesus took His instructions from God. It was His habit to go to worship (Luke 4:16). It was His practice to memorize Scripture (Luke 4:4). Luke says Jesus "often slipped away to be alone so He could pray" (Luke 5:16). His times of prayer guided Him. He once returned from prayer and announced it was time to move to another city (Mark 1:38). Another time of prayer resulted in the selection of the disciples (Luke 6:12-13). Jesus was led by an unseen hand. "The Son does whatever the Father does" (John 5:19). In the same chapter He stated, "I can do nothing alone. I judge only the way I am told" (John 5:30).

The heart of Jesus was spiritual. 

-- Max Lucado in “A Heart Like Jesus”

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THE HEART OF JESUS – Part 2 of 3

Jesus refused to be guided by anything other than His high call. His heart was purposeful. Most lives aim at nothing in particular and achieve it. Jesus aimed at one goal – to save humanity from its sin. He could summarize His life with one sentence: "The Son of man came to seek and to save the lost" (Luke 19:10 RSV). Jesus was so focused on His task that He knew when to say "My time has not yet come" (John 2:4) and when to say, "It is finished" (John 19:30). But He was not so focused on His goal that He was unpleasant.

Quite the contrary. How pleasant were His thoughts! Children couldn't resist Jesus. He could find beauty in lilies, joy in worship, and possibilities in problems. He would spend days with multitudes of sick people and still feel sorry for them. He spent over three decades wading through the muck and mire of our sin, yet still saw enough beauty in us to die for our mistakes. 

-- Max Lucado in “A Heart Like Jesus”

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THE HEART OF JESUS – Part 1 of 3

The heart of Jesus was pure. The Savior was adored by thousands, yet content to live a simple life. He was cared for by women (Luke 8:1-3), yet never accused of lustful thoughts; scorned by His own creation, but willing to forgive them before they even requested His mercy. Peter, who traveled with Jesus for three and a half years, described Him as a "lamb, unblemished and spotless" (1 Peter 1:19 NASB). After spending the same amount of time with Jesus, John concluded, "And in Him is no sin" (1 John 3:5 NIV).

Jesus' heart was peaceful. The disciples fretted over the need to feed the thousands, but not Jesus. He thanked God for the problem. The disciples shouted for fear in the storm, but not Jesus. He slept through it. Peter drew his sword to fight the soldiers, but not Jesus. He lifted His hand to heal. His heart was at peace. When His disciples abandoned Him, did He pout and go home? When Peter denied Him, did Jesus lose His temper? When the soldiers spit in His face, did He breathe fire in theirs? Far from it. He was at peace. He forgave them. He refused to be guided by vengeance. 

-- Max Lucado in “A Heart Like Jesus”

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