My latest book Is entitled I AM: Knowing the Reality of Jesus and is scheduled for publication in December 2025. Some of you may be curious about the title. Jesus made several “I AM” statements. We will consider each one in the text. However, for now, what is involved in knowing Jesus? This topic is explored in Chapter 14. Consider the following verses and get back with me with regard to knowing Jesus. Looking forward to hearing from you!
2 Timothy 1:12 – …and that is why I suffer these things. But I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to guard what has been entrusted to me until that day.
Revelation 3:20 – “See! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”
2 Peter 3:18 – But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity.
John 15:5 – “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me.”
Have you ever prayed, “God, what do you want to teach me today?” In Matthew 11:29, Jesus says, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me.” Have you submitted to his yoke for just one day, or one hour? Jesus walked the earth as a rabbi during his ministry with his disciples, who learned from him about being the light of the world and the salt of the earth. As you read one of the Gospels–Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John–think about the words of Jesus. They will have a profound impact on you, because they are so different from what you are used to hearing or thinking or doing in our competitive world. His words teach us.
For example, take a look at Matthew 25, where you will find the parable of the Sheep and the Goats. Do you believe that what you do today, even a small thing, has an impact in eternity? We are so busy, but have you stopped to do one small nice thing for someone, whether a loved one or a complete stranger? God will indeed reward you! So ask the Lord to teach you from this parable.
Please send your comments on this lesson or any other lesson you find in the Gospels.
Hi, Readers. The first book title is Faith Walk: From Belief in Christ to Total Commitment. Sounds pretty serious, doesn’t it? The topic includes shaking folks out of complacency when it comes to things eternal. Even so, your life can include such joy and fun. I play on the floor with my grandsons, for instance. I admit to simple tastes and being a softy for a hug.
In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus tells us to take his yoke upon us, because his yoke is easy and his burden is light. Resisting the Gospel and his yoke leads to all manner of difficulty for both believers and unbelievers. Having trouble? Yield to his yoke and learn from the Christ.
Sources of my inspiration include fine Christian mentors–teachers, pastors, employers–that went out of their way to help. One math teacher saw me a few years after I graduated. She stood there talking to me and held my hand. She was about 70 but swung my hand like a schoolchild! Do you think such love would have an effect on me, a skinny, awkward kid who seldom got a second glance? You better believe it!
I read some very good Christian authors, too. Their names include Jerry Bridges, Ron Dunn, Stephen F. Olford, Alistair Begg, and of course the classic authors, C.S. Lewis and John Stott. They all go back to the great biblical passages that move the world to repentance and salvation and fruit-bearing, including the Ten Commandments, the Sermon on the Mount, John 1:1-14, John 15:1-8, the “Paul” epistles, and the “John” epistles. Calvin Miller introduced me to the Christ of the Table found in Psalm 23:5 and Revelation 3:20. Faith Walk touches on all these, plus my two favorite non-Bible books right now, A Life God Rewards and Secrets of the Vine, by Bruce Wilkinson.
We begin with the core belief in Christ, Son of the Living God. This may be a stumbling block for some, but the arguments for faith are so compelling that I pray you will be convinced–not from my arguments alone, but from the preponderance of evidence. Beyond this first step of faith, the experience of the Lord in your life will bring conviction. The rest of that experience under the easy yoke of our Lord leads to the fulfilled life.
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