Lessons from the Heart

Rex Charles is the pastor of the Flora/Bringhurst United Methodist Church. The Pilgrims, not named by John Wayne, had great spiritual asp irations that drove them to travel to that diminutive pebble, Plymouth Rock.

Their dreams were to start their own spiritual society in which no religious persecution would exist. Their abuse in Europe must have been severe. They risked their lives in coming to the New World. Their need of Jesus was that He would provide them success in a new venture.

The apostles were drawn to Jesus by their own personal ambitions and desires. From the scriptures we can glean the following motivations:

Peter saw Jesus as a mightier Rock, John felt Jesus was the source of the deepest Love, James heralded Jesus as the highest authority, Andrew saw Jesus as the center of new friendships, Philip would find Jesus to be a spiritual guide, Bartholomew would see Jesus as the ultimate man, Matthew saw Jesus as the greatest provider, Thomas would see Jesus as faith in the flesh, James the Less found Jesus to be the greatest personality, Simon Zealots believed Jesus to be the greatest revolutionary and Judas Iscariot beheld Jesus as the powerful Messiah.

Isaiah 9:6 describes Jesus as being full of wonders, spiritual counselor, wholly powerful God, an everlasting nurturer and the Prince of Peace.

You will probably appreciate Jesus as satisfying your greatest need. What are your needs? Have you given your requests to Him to solve? Try Him out as the greatest support you could have during hard times. He will not disappoint!