Category: Jesus

This will be the last writing for a couple of weeks as we are completing our fall semester and entering Christmas break. Kinsey and Jordan are hoping Mr. Claus did not take it personally when little Owen stuck out his tongue on his very first visit to Santa.

I was at Emory the other day and overheard a patient with a big white beard say, “I was at a restaurant and a little girl came running across the room, jumped up in my lap, and started telling me what she wanted for Christmas.” I’m not sure what every Santa Claus feels about children, but it looks like the one holding Owen really enjoys his work.

The ultimate Friend of children once overruled His disciples’ objections and said, “Let the little children come to Me!” He wanted to bless the little ones.

“Here is a beautiful creation of My Heavenly Father… one who will live forever! I want the blessings of God to cover this child. I want this little boy (or this little girl) to know the One who formed him in his mother’s womb. I will ask My Father to protect this child from the plans of the evil one. He wants the worst for children… My Father wants the best. Children are always welcome in My Father’s house!”

May God bless you all during this wonderful season!

“Then little children were brought to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to Me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’ When He had placed His hands on them, He went on from there.” Matthew 19:13-15

“Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:6-8)

As God became flesh and walked the earth, He faced the same challenges, temptations, and trials that we do. How did He do it? If the secrets of Jesus’ life on earth were rooted in fellowship with His Father and constant dependence on Him, it would be good to find ways to live in like manner.

Jesus always looked to the Father, “who is greater than I,” knowing God was His life. As the Son kept His eyes on the Father, so we are to keep our eyes on Jesus, who is infinitely greater than us… and who is our life. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith…” (Hebrews 12:2) “When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” (Colossians 3:4)

If our eyes are on Jesus, we stay in focus. When our eyes are elsewhere, priorities get confused and life becomes complicated. Jesus lived a life that was uncomplicated. He looked to the Father, listened to what He said, and did what He was told. Is it possible each day for us to look to Jesus, listen to what He says, and do what He tells us?

For Jesus, fellowship with the Father also included walking in the Spirit. At His baptism, the Spirit of God descended on Jesus like a dove and the Father proclaimed: “You are My Son, whom I love; with You I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:22) As Jesus followed the Spirit’s lead, He pleased His Father by genuinely loving others.

We are also loved by the Father and He has given us the Holy Spirit as our Helper and Counselor. “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:25) The Holy Spirit will show us how to love others and the Father will receive much glory.

Paul wrote: “The one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will receive eternal life.” (Galatians 6:8) Jesus said: “Now this is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true and living God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.” (John 17:3) Knowing the Father, Son, and Spirit… keeping our eyes fixed on the Savior… walking in the Spirit… living in fellowship with God… this is true life.

“And our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ.” I John 1:3

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Galatians 5:22

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10

If there is one Person you can count on to be the greatest Friend in the world, it is Jesus the Son of God. This Friend is devoid of selfishness; He is always kind; He is quick to forgive; He never holds a grudge or keeps record of a wrong. If you are ever in a bind, this Friend knows just what to do, and if required, He would give His life to save yours.

Anyone who really knows this Friend agrees there is no greater. In fact, all who know Him understand what a great privilege it is to be called His friend. The problem is that those of us who do know Him often fall short on our side of the friendship. Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him and though Peter surely remembered he had denied Jesus a few days earlier, he was hurt by the question. (see John 21) ‘Do you love Me?’ is a question Jesus continues to ask His disciples.

We sing “What a Friend we have in Jesus…”, but do we reflect on what kind of friend we are to Him? There have been occasions when I failed to speak up for a friend when I had the chance. I felt terrible after the fact, knowing the opportunity could not be regained. The hesitancy usually revolved around the knowledge that if I supported a friend someone else disregarded, I might be disregarded too.

Jesus does not need me to come to His rescue; He is perfectly able to take care of Himself. He is ‘King of kings and Lord of lords,’ but this King has called ‘insignificant me’ His friend. So shouldn’t I be willing to stand with Him no matter what? If the whole world disregards me because I love Him, should it matter? A good friend thinks: “I don’t care what anyone else says, thinks, or does… this friendship means the world to me.”

Granted, our human friends can disappoint us, make terrible errors, and possess alarming flaws. (This is what Jesus can say about me.) But the Friend who has chosen us possesses no weaknesses, always tells the truth, and never fails. He has endured uncountable insults, false accusations, and betrayals… yet He does not strike back or take revenge. Jesus desires we be His friends forever.

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from My Father, I have made known to you.”
John 15:12-15

One Person perfectly knew God as He walked the earth. He has known God from the beginning as His Father and He gives us insight into what knowing God is all about.

When Jesus faced those who challenged His legitimacy, He sometimes bluntly said, “You don’t know God. If you knew God, you would see Me for who I am. Since you don’t know Me, you prove that you don’t know the Father.” The Father and Son cannot be separated. “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I came from God and now am here.” (John 8:42) “If you knew Me, you would know My Father also.” (John 8:19)

The path to knowing God is through the Son and when we hear Him teach and see His actions, we learn. Jesus points listeners to a Father that can be trusted. “If your heavenly Father feeds the birds and clothes the grass of the field, will He not feed and clothe you? You are more valuable than birds and grass. Don’t worry and have faith!” (see Matthew 6) Those that know God trust Him.

It should go without saying, but if someone really knows God, he or she will love Him. As Jesus approached His death, understanding the devil was at work, He stated that His love for the Father would be proven. “I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold on Me, but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what My Father has commanded Me.” (John 14:30-31)

Interestingly, the strongest sign Jesus gives of knowing God is His obedience. “Some may talk about their great faith or how much they love God, but here’s My proof: I do what My Father tells Me.” Jesus ties love and obedience together. “As the Father has loved Me, so I have loved you. Now remain in My love. If you obey My commands, you will remain in My love, just as I have obeyed My Father’s commands and remain in His love.” (John 15:9-10)

The one who knows God trusts, loves, and obeys. When we live this way, the Father, Son, and Spirit receive much glory.

“Jesus replied, ‘If I glorify myself, My glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the One who glorifies Me. Though you do not know Him, I know Him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know Him and obey His word.’” John 8:54-55

I’ve never been a big goal setter. Some might say, “Well, there’s your problem, Dana,” and they might have a point. But if I were put on the spot and forced to give one goal, I would have an answer.

My reply would come from three sources: the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah, the apostle Paul, and Jesus Christ the Messiah. Jeremiah’s words actually come from God, who knows well the way we typically think. “This is what the Lord says: ‘Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice, and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,’ declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 9:23-24)

When Paul prayed for the believers in Ephesus — men and women who had put their faith in Jesus and received the Holy Spirit — he said: “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better.” (Ephesians 1:17) And when Jesus prayed for all His disciples, He defined eternal life: “Now this is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.” (John 17:3)

“To know God.” “To know Him better.” “To know Christ.” Are there any better goals?

“I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:10-14