I heard a leader once say in regards to studying the Bible, “We’re not trying to get people fascinated with a method. We want them to be fascinated with Jesus.” Those words resound in my heart all the time, but especially as I write this post.
I would have never been able to guess the roads pressing on to know the Lord led me down. As I stated in the first post, I was envisioning a dreamy walk through a garden when it actually has been more of a survival exercise. The Lord has beckoned me to unchartered areas of my heart. Maybe it’s more accurate to say areas of my heart only he knew existed. I’ve have had to ask for more faith to even answer the call. Aren’t you thankful for the Holy Spirit and the gifts he readily gives to us? Brennan Manning writes,
“Like faith and hope, trust cannot be self-generated. I cannot simply will myself to trust. What outrageous irony: the one thing that I am responsible for throughout my life I cannot generate. The one thing I need to do I cannot do. But such is the meaning of radical dependence.”
Anyway, I had to learn to follow, yoke up, and abide with Christ in the new-to-me areas of my heart. I’ve had to take a position of humility in these areas so the preeminence of Christ can take its place. These newly chartered areas of my heart are acclimating to my first love, Jesus.
What I’ve rediscovered in this process is the beauty of Jesus. His comprehensiveness, his ability, his—I don’t even know the right combination of words to express my awe. He is stunning! I have fallen in love with Jesus all over again, and his light has overtaken my heart. These barely broken-in chambers of my heart have already tasted and seen of his goodness, and already thirst for more.
When we are truly pursuing the Lord—pressing on to know him—
he will stand above every other love.
In great care not to give you another method of study to be fascinated with, I’m leaving you with the Word of God. My prayer is that the Holy Spirit will do what he does—magnify Jesus with every word and lead you even farther into his depths. These are some of my favorite descriptions of Jesus. What passages would you add? What are your favorite Jesus verses? Where did the Holy Spirit lead you?
1 John 4: 7-19 (click to read whole passage)
excerpt … By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us.
John 1:1-18 (click to read whole passage)
excerpt … In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it…The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God…And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Colossians 1:15-23 (click to read the whole passage)
excerpt … [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together…in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things…making peace by the blood of his cross.
Hebrews – pretty much all of it, but here are some highlights (click to read them in context)
1: 1-4 … [Jesus] is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
4:15-16 … For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
12:1-2 … let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Revelation 21:1-7 (click to read the whole passage)
excerpt … And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man…He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
Previously in this series: Pursuit / One Step Closer / Hot On God’s Heels / Branches
Brave Sparrow 
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