A Review of 'Days with Jesus'

When seekers and believers alike attempt to learn more about the person of Jesus, they are most often directed to the Gospel of John in the New Testament. And in reading this gospel, several questions inevitably arise. In this book, Days with Jesus, Pastor/Author Jim Jackson has written an extremely helpful counterpart to the gospel of John that will answer most, if not all, of those pesky questions. The author tackles the text, stories, and themes in an intriguing and multi-faceted manner: a dose of history, a helping of theology, a skosh of science, and two scoops of spiritual application amount to an exciting and penetrating read that will certainly have something for everyone. Not only does Jim do this from the written page, but incredibly well-done videos accompany each chapter and are found on the book’s website (www.dayswithjesus.com). These videos offer a great auditory and visual complement to the book and are excellently shot on site in Israel from the locations where each event takes place- color me satisfied!

The strengths of Days with Jesus are many. Here’s why you should read it:
- You will personally interact with the story of Jesus. The voice and tone of the book do not allow one to be an innocent bystander!
- You will learn new things about Jesus. Technical historical, scientific, or theological nuances are explained in a clear and accurate manner.
- You will feel convicted by Jesus. Thoughtful discussion questions, penetrating applications, and memorable quotes all highlight the message of Jesus and urge the reader to be transformed.
- You will laugh. There are several witty remarks, interesting observations, and funny one-liners that keep you on your toes.
- You will meet the true Jesus. As a reader, I was continually placed in the story, viewing Jesus as an eyewitness would have viewed him. It was a fascinating view, indeed.

I imagine that you could enjoy this book as your own personal study, as your family devotions, as your small group curriculum, or possibly as a church-wide walk through the gospel of John. However and whenever you choose to walk through the life of Jesus and the gospel of John, you should certainly do so with Days with Jesus at your side...


(Disclaimer: Yes, my pastor wrote this book, and yes I would love him even if the book sucked. But the book rocks! I'd even recommend it if a Boston Celtics' fan wrote it.)

Remember the Cross

Many today in our culture generally disapprove of rote rituals (especially my young peers). We don't like to be boxed in, controlled, or told what we have to do by some institution. This can be a good thing and a bad thing. On the one hand, we are generally authentic and don't like to fake things. On the other hand, we may reject rituals that are good for us.


As Christians, we are supposed to remember the cross everyday, to live in light of the cross and the grace that forgives our sins and cleans up our sin-stained lives. We read great books like "The Cross-Centered Life" and "The Gospel for Real Life" and realize that interaction with the cross is not just a once a year event- the cross is for day-by-day, minute-by-minute life for the Christian.

However, with this in mind, I want to challenge you to remember the cross more specifically the Easter weekend. It's a healthy ritual to practice: to think, reflect, pray, meditate, and worship in light of the cross more purposely, more intently this time of year. Similarly, God gave Israel annual celebrations (like Passover) for the specific purpose of remembering his work in years past- so they wouldn't forget his redemption. Even in our own culture, we celebrate past events like birthdays and anniversaries every single year. Does that mean we appreciate our life only on our birthday and not the rest of the year? Or does that mean we enjoy our marriage only on our anniversary and not the rest of the year? Of course not. It's healthy to celebrate and reflect more specifically on these important events- and none is more important than the cross.

So I encourage you to live a cross-centered life- 24/7/365. Live it passionately, live it intently, and live it in light of Jesus' sacrifice every single day. And I also encourage you to remember it more specifically and more deeply on Easter, as it is good for your soul.


"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." 2 Corinthians 5:21

A Disapproving Love

Ah, yes, the obligatory post on love, even though it's a few weeks past Valentine's Day...


Love is one of the most beautiful and unique words in the Bible. Particular passages on love have crept outside the doors of the church and seemingly infiltrated most corners of even secular society. "Love is patient, love is kind..." "Love your neighbor as yourself..." "For God so loved the world..."


I'm not sure when it happened but "love" has become a trendy, hip word. It became a word that signifies "acceptance", "approval", "tolerance", regardless of the issue. If you truly love, our culture teaches, you will accept everyone for who they are and the lifestyle they choose to lead. Not only will you accept them, but you will applaud their choices, so as not to be a hater. Whether it's sexual expression, spirituality, or politics, we are implicitly and explicitly admonished to approve and applaud of all positions, decisions, and choices. After all, to disapprove means a lack of love, right?


This is not the love of the Bible. This, if I may, is not the love of Jesus. Many are quick to point out Jesus' grace on the adulterous woman in John 8. "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her...Neither do I condemn you," many are quick to point out. Jesus' command to "Go, and from now on sin no more" is less celebrated in our day and age. What is often overlooked is that the love of Jesus' is a disapproving love. What I mean is that, because of his love, Jesus disapproves of practices and beliefs that dishonor God and harm the soul of man. If we are to love the way that Jesus loved, doesn't that indicate that at times, disapproving of a lifestyle or belief may be the most loving thing we can do? Does the fellow hiker who gives a warning about a treacherous trail, or a rattlesnake on the path not warn his companion of nearby dangers out of love?


Don't get me wrong. I'm not advocating a haughty, quick-to-judge, or critical mentality. But as believers, as CHRISTians, let's not be afraid to love like Jesus did- at times, that means lovingly disapproving of actions, attitudes, and beliefs that dishonor God and harm God's image-bearers. We must love this way for God's glory and for man's good.

Sarcasm Seasoned Speech

"Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt..." Colossians 4:6

"Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear." Ephesians 4:29

You know the really convicting part about the above verses? It's the fact that both speak about how our speech should exclusively be. How often is my speech to be gracious? Colossians 4:6 answers "always." How much corrupting talk should exit my mouth? Ephesians 4:29 indicates "none", and that "only" edifying speech should be present. Those are tough commands, right there, and such commands apply today to our spoken, written, and typed communication.

What concerns me most when I analyze the way that I talk and communicate is that it appears that sarcasm, not gracious, edifying speech, is often the type of speech that "always" or "only" leaves my mouth. In other words, sarcasm is my default way of talking or communicating; to speak in a sincere, edifying, and gracious way, I often have to "reprogram" myself and go against my default. Moreover, in most instances sarcasm and gracious speech are mutually exclusive! Meaning, if I'm being sarcastic, there's no way that I'm also being gracious! Maybe you can relate?

Sarcastic speech is likely grown in many different soils. Maybe sarcasm is a shield to hide behind, and I'm sarcastic because I'm afraid to be found out. Maybe sarcasm is the path of least resistance, and I'm sarcastic because sincerity is hard, and seriousness often mocked in our culture. Maybe sarcasm is a stage to arrogantly display my wittiness, and I'm sarcastic because jocularity gets more laughs and attention than encouragement.

I'm not saying that gracious speech should be easy to come by; nor am I saying that there is no place for humor or sarcasm. But we are in a dangerous spot when our springs naturally flow sarcastic waters rather than grace-giving waters. If you are part of Sarcastics Anonymous like myself (I am the chairman), make it a point each day to speak graciously, to respond sincerely, and to think about what's edifying (not just what's funny) before you speak, write, or type.

What Christians Call Themselves on Twitter

Here's an interesting article on what Christians call themselves on Twitter. Apparently the term "Christian" is not-too-frequently used on the profiles of, well, Christians. The author observes, "But here’s what struck me. Very few used the word Christian, and no one used the word Evangelical- not a single profile in my wanderings."

The author of the article also lists some interesting profile descriptions he found with his snarky commentary in parentheses below...

"Jesus Adventurer (…and the Temple of Doom)
Undershephard of Jesus Christ (Looks great on a church business card)
Happy clappy Jesus lover (Mission strategy- balloon animals)
JesusFreak (The dream of the 90s is alive in Portland)
Advancer of the Kingdom (and Knight of the Communion Table)
Saint and sinner whose only hope is Jesus Christ (In other words, I’m still a jerk)
Jesus loves me (Maybe, but I’m his favorite)
Servant to the Son of Man (Award for most insider lingo in just six words)
Loved, redeemed (and understated)
Navigating the narrow path by God’s grace (But wide is the path that leads to cliches)
I don’t care where you bury me. I’ll be home, and I’ll be free. (And so will we)
Jesus took my wheel (but the NRA has my back)
Child of the King (King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia does have over 35 children you know)
Χριστιανός (English is so unsanctified)"

For what it's worth, I describe myself as an "Already, but not yet, resurrected fallen mann..." I guess I'm not as clever as I thought!

Why We're Moving to La Verne

My wife Kelley and I have lived in the same apartment for our 3+ years of wedded bliss. It ain't too classy, but, you know, nice. It also happens to be located in the city I grew up in (CHINO!). We like our apartment, rent is cheap, it's close to my parents (more free meals), relatively close to work, and pretty safe and quiet. Yet, tomorrow, we move to a town called La Verne ~8 miles away. (My wife is actually in the other room packing while I sit on the computer. Hmmm...) And if you're reading this, you're likely to be close enough to me to wonder, "Why the heck are they moving?"

As you may know, we serve the high schoolers and junior highers at our church. We love them, and attempt to teach them God's word, with our hope and desire being that they start to live passionately for Jesus as a teenager, and never lose that love and passion for the rest of their lives. One of my favorite verses on ministry comes from Paul in 1 Thessalonians 2:8. He writes, "So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us."

How does this relate to our move? It's pretty simple. We aren't crazy far from church, but we're far enough away that it hinders and limits the relationships and fellowship we can have with our teens (and the other "old people" in our church too!) It also limits the effect they can and will have on us. In this verse, Paul writes that he loved those he ministered to so much, that he didn't just want to teach and share the gospel with them; he wanted to share "our own selves"! Paul teaches here that, to have an effective ministry, you can't merely be a teacher that students listen to once a week; you must be a friend and confidant that they connect with day in and day out.  Weekly, we teach Bible studies and "share the gospel of God" with our students. But God has guided us in a way where we believe living 1 mile away will lead to us sharing "our own selves" with them in a way that living 8 miles away would not. We believe that for God to shape us, mold us, teach us, and use us, this was a wise step in the right direction.

So Chino, I'll miss you. I'll miss the cow smell, and especially the proximity of Flo's (and her biscuits and gravy). But, church family (and specifically teenager), give us the blessing of not just sharing studies and lessons, but sharing life together.

David didn't get paid to write the Psalms

I have shelves (and boxes) full of great books. Many of them have been encouraging in times of need, pointing me to God, and his gracious character. However, I have turned to none of them in times of spiritual, emotional, and physical needs as frequently as I have returned to the beloved Psalms. They encourage, inspire, comfort, and edify more consistently and powerfully than any other words I have read.

Recently, during another foray through the Psalms, I was trying to put myself in the shoes of David (author of ~50% of the Psalms). Where was he while he was writing? What was he looking at? Was it day? Was it night? How long did it take him to write? Did he edit or rewrite any of the Psalms? How old was he during these various Psalms? Somewhere in that train of thought, I realized that David, a shepherd first, and then later a King, put hours and hours into writing the Psalms...and never got paid a dime for it! His profession was a shepherd over his family's flocks, and later a King and military leader of Israel. The Psalms that we read and love are entirely a product of passion, something done in David's downtime on the job or in his free-time at home. And I wonder if he knew the impact his words would have on millions?

Now, this is not a condemnation of those who write as their profession. Many books to me have been worth their weight in gold. But David's example convicts me in this way. What am I pouring myself into wholeheartedly, simply out of passion and love for God? What do I do in my free-time that ministers to others powerfully? Do I pour myself into my personal prayer life via songs, poems, journals, blogs, tweets with the same fervor David did?

When we think about it, David had a lot in common with you and me. He had a job (that likely was more physically taxing and smelly), he had responsibilities in his family, and he likely was fatigued as a result. Yet imagine if David had spent his free-time on himself rather than pouring himself passionately into the Psalms. The loss would be tremendous. Let's use our free time in prayer, ministry, and love for God and others as intently as David did.