Life often feels like an ongoing battle. On a raging battlefield, what protects a soldier? Armor. Can you imagine any soldier stepping onto the battlefield without it? He or she would be defenseless, cut down in minutes!

In the book of Ephesians, in the New Testament, the apostle Paul uses the analogy of armor to describe how Christians can create a strong spiritual defense against the world’s secular influence. I’ve laid out each piece of the armor Paul mentions, for us to discern their unique purposes and to see how they strengthen and sustain us with God’s supernatural power.

The Armor of God 

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” (Ephesians 6:10-18)

Paul uses a lot of great metaphors in this passage to help us to understand how God can empower us to resist temptation and do good. As we go through each piece of armor, make note of whether you’re already wearing it.

Belt of Truth

Truth is a central theme in the Bible. Jesus, for example, proclaims himself to be “the way, the truth, and the life.” When I get confused by the world’s perspective of truth and lies, I turn to the Bible’s truth to gain clarity. Reading about Jesus’ teachings to his disciples really helps me to know what is true.

Breastplate of Righteousness

Righteousness is about applying God’s truth to our lives. In verse 14 Paul tells us to wear “righteousness like armor on your chest.” Most of our vital organs are located in our chest area. Our heart and lungs, for example. But Paul is actually referring to the condition of our heart.

Seeking to live with righteousness influences how we think, how we treat others, and how we respond to situations and temptations. But to live righteously, we must base our thoughts and actions on God’s standard of righteousness, not our own personal standard.

There are times when I get irritated with someone. But God’s Word tells me how to respond: with humility. Knowing this helps me to keep my temper in check. God knows my heart, and he is pleased when I choose to respond in ways that honor him. It’s not always easy, but I’m getting better at it each day.

Gospel of Peace

In verse 15 Paul tells us to fit our feet “with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.” To demonstrate God’s righteousness, we should look like Jesus in how we treat others. Our words and actions matter to God, because every single person matters to God.

The world does all it can to entice us to live self-centeredly. But living to our own standard of righteousness tends to create drama and conflict. But when we stay focused on the Gospel, we gain a “readiness” to live in peace with others.

Shield of Faith

Paul then tells us to “take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.”

In Paul’s time, armies added fire to their arrows, to cause more damage when attacking their enemies. The Romans designed their shields to withstand these flames. Similarly, our faith in God shields us from fiery attacks. And the deeper we know and trust God, the stronger our faith grows.

One way that I grow my faith is by daily reading the Bible, which shows me God’s nature. This knowledge helps me to see when Satan tries to lead me into unrighteousness. I also build my faith by praying. Especially when I feel anxious. I always feel stronger after I spend quiet time with God.

Helmet of Salvation/Sword of the Spirit

In verse 17 Paul tells us to “take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Wearing the helmet of salvation protects our head, but it also changes our heart.

Because I know that God has promised to forgive my sin, I can ignore Satan when he tries to tell me that God hasn’t really forgiven me, and doesn’t really love me. Or that I’m not really saved. I like thinking of the Holy Spirit as a sword to help me battle Satan’s lies.

The Word of God is our defense against worldly arguments, and a weapon to dismantle them. As I read my Bible, I am growing my knowledge of God’s truth. I want to fully understand the Bible, so I pray over its meaning and research what confuses me. I also seek the counsel of the people of faith that God has placed in my life to help me gain clarity.

We leave ourselves vulnerable to attack if we leave off even one piece of armor. Are there any pieces of armor you need to add to be protected by God’s supernatural power?

NEXT STEPS

> Interested in knowing God personally? Get started here.
> Need prayer? Contact us. We would love to pray for you!

GUEST BLOGGER CLAYTON THOMAS CARTER, A STUDENT IN PLANO, TEXAS, IS PASSIONATE ABOUT ENCOURAGING THE KNOWLEDGE OF A BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW. HE ENJOYS PLAYING TRUMPET AND SERVING AT HIS CHURCH.

Each time you and I are confronted with a moral choice, we’re at a crossroad. Do we make the right choice, or a wrong one?

There is a relational process of making right choices that, if we follow it, will bring God’s protection and provision into our lives. Josh McDowell calls this the 4 “Cs.” Let’s review them.

> The first C of Right Choices: Consider the Choice

You probably don’t realize how many choices you make on a daily basis. But here’s a nifty experiment: Tomorrow, from sun up to sun down, write down every single choice you make. The big ones, but also the tiny ones.

It might surprise you to see just how many choices you make on a single day. You’ll also see that you make a lot of choices on autopilot, from past thoughts, feelings, and habits you brought into the day.

After you choose to get out of bed, and head to the kitchen, do you choose a donut or an apple for breakfast? We all know which choice is better for our bodies. But the sugary donut tastes so good! So what helps you to decide?

> The second C of Right Choices: Compare the Choice to God

As you begin to think about your day, you likely jump into some level of anxiety, depending on what you have going on. Each of your thoughts then create feelings. When you have a moral choice to make, it’s critical to recognize that your thoughts and feelings will definitely influence you if you’re not actively monitoring them. “We must,” notes Josh, “pause long enough to remind ourselves that we are facing an opportunity for a right or wrong decision.”

Building the habit of that pause matters. Because it gives us time to consider how God wants us to live. Will our choice reflect God’s nature, or mirror our own selfish human nature? It’s not easy letting go of our ego and our hurts, our prejudices and our biases. But in his Word God has specifically told us how to live — from how to handle money issues to how to treat others — to help us to not sin.

We’re human, so we’re gonna mess up. Some days it FEELS like we’re one big prickly blob of feelings. Those are the hard days to get through, for sure. But that’s why God has given us so much guidance in the Bible about making right choices. When we read the Bible, we gain an inner compass to know if our choice will honor God. And if we do screw up and make the wrong choice, that compass (the Holy Spirit) works on us, to lovingly lead us back to restitution with others and God.

God knows we’re not perfect. This isn’t a discussion about perfection. It’s about encouraging you to commit to living to God’s standard, for your benefit. Life is hard enough; why make it harder for yourself through your thoughts and actions?

> The third C of Right Choices: Commit to God’s Way

This is our daily struggle, because of our inherent sinful nature. But it gets easier to make choices that honor God as we daily build this habit. It helps to know yourself really well. What thoughts, feelings, and habits do you keep repeating from the past that are hindering you from making God-honoring choices? What do you need to release to change your heart and mind?

As our thoughts and feelings do so strongly influence our behavior, we have to take them “captive,” as the Bible puts it. We don’t have to dwell on the automatic thoughts that pop into our head from our subconscious. We can send them packing by saying, “No. I reject that thought. I choose to think this one, instead.”

You know how bowling lanes have lane bumpers they can put down to prevent gutter balls? When you actively monitor the thoughts and feelings you allow to influence your choices, so that you choose God’s ways, you add helpful bumpers to your life.

> The fourth C of Right Choices: Count on God’s Protection and Provision

Living to God’s holy standard brings us many spiritual blessings, including freedom from guilt, a clear conscience, and far less drama than we will experience if we live to our own standard. God also promises to bless us physically, emotionally, psychologically, and relationally — in his timing, and in his ways.

Take joy in the fact that you’re spiritually maturing every time you choose to make a right choice that align with God’s nature. Your choices, especially your moral choices, matter more than you realize. Because they have a supernatural component. Some of your choices will ripple out, others could hold the power of tsunami waves.

“As followers of Christ,” notes Josh, “we need to learn how to resist our natural tendency to decide for ourselves what is right or wrong and choose God’s way.”

Next Steps

> Do you want to know more about God’s loving nature? Start here.
> We invite you to read Josh’s book, More Than a Carpenter, to understand the depth of God’s love for each of us.

What is it that you and I long for most? Loving relationships.

To belong. To be in loving, meaningful relationships with others. And that shouldn’t surprise us, because God MADE us that way. He planted within us his capacity for loving relationships, his “relational DNA.”

God gave us his ability to love, so that we would “do life” in loving relationship with others.

As Genesis 1 tells us, God created humans in his own image; he patterned our design after himself. God wants us to experience life through loving relationship, just as he has done in perfect harmony as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Bible teaches us that life is sacred at every stage, and that every person matters. Christianity is meant to be a tangible expression of God’s love.

To do Christianity “right” requires that we seek to walk in love. And to be in “right relationship” with others requires that we see them with the value that God does.

We are unique, one-of-a-kind individuals, each with our own gifts, talents, and personality. You may wish you had someone else’s talents, or someone else’s life. That’s understandable, as we tend to play the comparison game and get sucked into society’s view of “success” rather than God’s.

But if we believe that God specifically created us for his purposes, we can choose to trust and appreciate that. Then we can surrender our egos and let go of comparison. We can look forward to partnering with God, finding joy in developing our best selves so that we are open to being used by him.

We have to offer ourselves grace as we do this growing — and offer it to others, as we’re all messy humans in the process of sanctification. What fuels relationships is kind, generous, authentic connection. Lifting each other up, rather than tearing each other down. Remembering that love is always the goal.

Our universal need for connection and acceptance might sound like this: “I’m not perfect. Please allow me to make mistakes. Please look beyond my failures and imperfection and love me anyway.”

When we relate to God and to each other through the lens of love, as he planned, we bring him glory. Our human efforts to love don’t compare to God’s love, of course. He’s a master painter; at best we’re preschoolers scribbling in a coloring book. But God is not surprised by this. And he has far more faith in us, perhaps, than we do ourselves.

In our best moments, when we do love others exceedingly well, he is delighted.

Next Steps

> Do you want to know more about God’s loving nature? Start here.
> We invite you to read Josh’s book, More Than a Carpenter, to understand the depth of God’s love for each of us.

“the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down.” ~Psalm 146:8

Jesus identifies with our feelings, including our personal pain. By becoming human, Jesus experienced daily life as a baby, child, teenager, and man. In his ministry, in which he selflessly poured himself out, he suffered embarrassment, humiliation, abandonment, betrayal, and rejection. He knows how it feels to be emotionally and physically broken by other people.

Whatever pain you’re feeling today, know that God fully understands, and is near. You are seen and supported.

For 50+ years, Josh McDowell Ministry has been leading seekers into a deeper knowledge of God’s truth and power. 

Trust God With Your Pain

Jesus is both God and human, so we can trust that he FULLY understands our pain. And because we’re his children, when we hurt, he hurts, like any good dad. If you’re pulling away from him, because you’re thinking that he might not understand, think again. God may allow us to go through pain, but we can bank on this: What God allows, God also promises to work through for our good. This doesn’t make us feel better, perhaps, but it gives our pain purpose.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Pain holds the potential to help us grow, unless we allow it to make us bitter. Pain also can expand our empathy and compassion. Who better for God to use to help someone in fresh pain, than someone who has passed through it? Our willingness to sit in another’s pain with them is a gift without measure.

God works through relationships. He tells us to do life together, supporting one another, so that when we are down, others can left us up. Isolating ourselves, which we tend to want to do when we’re in pain, isn’t helpful. It’s also not healthy to hold pain in. When we’re hurting, we need others to come along side us and remind us that things will work out. We need others to listen, to help us process through it. We need to feel like we’re not alone. And we’re not, because God is always near.

When you are in pain, picture God settling in beside you. Hear him say, “When you hurt, I hurt. I’m here. Want to tell me about it?” 

NEXT STEPS:

• Do you want to have a relationship with Jesus? Start here.
• We invite you to read Josh’s book, More Than a Carpenter, to learn how much Jesus loves you.
  
• Check out our Resolution Movement, to overcome hurt and thrive!

Have you ever had a day like this? A Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day where one thing after another keeps piling up, as it did for Job, one of the Bible’s most inspiring characters? 

“One day … a messenger came to Job and said, ‘…the Sabeans attacked…’

While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, ‘…fire…burned up the sheep and the servants…’
While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, ‘The Chaldeans…swept down on your camels…’
While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, ‘Your sons and daughters … are dead…’ 

In all this Job did not … blame God.”

Is Job’s response amazing, or what?!

It seems like the whole past year of my life has been mostly made up of bad days. One very bad day, in particular, everything seemed to go south in just hours: expensive car repairs, a sprained ankle, hospital admissions, and even a stroke and the deaths of people I love. 

In our moments of “Not one more thing!,” do we find it in us to respond like Job? Or is it our instinct to blame God?

While it’s perfectly normal and healthy to deal with high stress with crying, yelling, or a long nap, our minds typically tempt us to search for who or where we can place blame or guilt. 

In sharing my frustration with others, someone brought up Buddhism’s First Noble Truth: “All of the things a person goes through in life cause suffering…” I would mostly agree. Even the Bible says, “In this world you will have trouble and suffering…” 

But Buddhism and Christianity diverge significantly:
Buddhism: “[A person] cannot do anything about it.”
Christianity: “But cheer up! I have conquered the world.”

Deep in my despair, I won’t blame God. Because he promises that he is more powerful than our troubles and suffering. As we turn to him:

• We can have calm within our mind and body to think clearly and ride out the storm.
• We can hang onto the promise that our problems won’t last forever.
• We are reminded that our problems often resolve, as we wait and watch. 

I don’t always understand the purpose in my suffering, but I can place my hope and trust in God for healing, provision, and insights. I can experience a sense of deep calm, instead of being wrecked by the chaos. I wonder if Job was able to not blame God because he, too, had learned that God keeps his promises. Despite the calamity trying to overwhelm him, Job clung to God’s goodness and power.  

God promises to work for the good of those who love him, which gives us hope and solid footing when the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days attempt to destroy us. 

When some of these days literally brought me to my knees, I was only able to keep going because God has a proven track record with me. I have seen him show up, time and time again, ultimately providing for my needs and hurts — whether a new job, car, or a calmed spirit. So, no, I won’t blame God for my very bad days. He’s my rock and anchor when the waves of life get really big.

> Is God good? Is he trustworthy? Click here to read this blog post.

> Need prayer? Contact us. We would love to pray for you!

GUEST BLOGGER CHRISTINA GORDON ENJOYS INSPIRING AUDIENCES TO LIVE THEIR BEST LIFE.

Christmas greetings! What makes this a wonderful time of year, when so many are hurting and struggling in this difficult time? 

Simply this: our problems are not the complete picture. Our Lord Jesus entered a world in turmoil, too. His coming gives us the hope to deal with our present challenges, and the glorious eternity that awaits!

God sent His angels to announce Jesus’ arrival to a select group of individuals. First to Zechariah, a temple priest and the father of John the Baptist (Luke 1:5-25). Then to Mary, the mother of Jesus (Luke 1:26-38), and to Joseph, Mary’s husband (Matthew 1:18-25). Then to a select group of shepherds (Luke 2:8-20), to Simeon at Jesus’ circumcision at 8 days old (Luke 2:21-35), and to those present at Jesus’ baptism by God Himself (Luke 3:21-22). But this Good News is for all of us! As recorded in John 1:12, “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.”

I’d like to share some insights I have gleaned during my pastoral studies of the announcement to the shepherds. I think you’ll find the information compelling. 

Why Tell Lowly Shepherds?

Many ask, “Why did God announce His coming to lowly shepherds and not others we would consider more likely candidates to receive the news of the long awaited Messiah?” 

Let’s start with examining our perspective of “lowly” shepherds. Some suggest that these shepherds were temple priests. The Bible doesn’t confirm this. But even if they were not, these shepherds, watching over their flocks outside of Bethlehem, were likely tasked with caring for and protecting sheep ear-marked for sacrificial offerings. By Jewish law, year-old male sheep used for temple sacrifices could have no blemish or defect, which means the shepherds would have been vigilant in their daily care of them.

Our traditional Christmas telling, in which angels appear to simple shepherds, glosses over a fact that make the story of Jesus’ arrival really compelling!

Luke 2:12 tells us that an angel of the Lord said to the shepherds, “This shall be a sign unto you, you shall find the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” We have read this statement for years, but have we wondered about this “sign?” What was it?

Swaddling newborn babies wasn’t unique; was the manger more so? On first glance, nope. It was an item any shepherd would have used and been quite familiar with. Though they were probably quite surprised to hear that a newly birthed, cleaned, and swaddled baby had been placed in one!  

Often an indented rock, a manger is basically a feeding trough for livestock. Did Mary place Jesus in a manger to cradle Him because she was too tired to hold Him — or, perhaps, to make a point? The angel had been specific about this detail.

Notes Reverend Michael A. Van Sloun, “Jesus was not laid in a manger by accident. It is a major spiritual symbol. Animals go to the manager for physical food, but with Jesus lying on the hay, we can go to the manger for spiritual food.” Adds Christian author John Piper, “This is the sign. No other king anywhere in the world was lying in a feeding trough. Find Him, and you find the King of kings. And you will know something. Something utterly crucial about His kingship.”

Jesus, birthed in a smelly stable, came to serve. He humbled Himself so low that He willingly endured a criminal’s death on the cross for you and me. 

Of significance: the altar upon which animals were sacrificed in the temple were typically made from rock. And bodies prepared for burial were swaddled or bound with strips of cloth. This gives us another picture of Jesus. In shedding His blood, Jesus poured out His life as payment in full for humanity’s sin. In rising, He proved His deity.

“This is how the Savior saves. This is how the Messiah fulfills all the promises. This is how the Lord reigns: from infinite deity, to feeding trough, to final torments on the cross.” ~ John Piper.

In this world, we face many hard, even seemingly impossible problems. But our God specializes in the impossible! In coming to the world in human form, He willingly took the full impact of the demands for justice, making a way for us to live a righteous life through our faith in Him.

Jesus, alone, is the reason for the season. Merry CHRISTmas!

Guest blogger Vernon Ball, a retired pastor, is 76 years young. In his 50 years of preaching, Vernon pastored five churches and served as interim pastor of four others. He is the author of the book, The Mystery of Faith. A great-grandfather of 12, Vernon is currently involved in international ministries in Eastern Asia.

Our Creator’s plan to reveal Himself to humanity seems an odd choice.

If you and I were the event planners for heaven, I doubt we would have coordinated God’s entry into humanity in the humble way it played out. Our plans would probably be more along the lines of a triumphant entry in honor, esteem, and the glory due a king. Likely with His angels escorting Him from heaven in a flurry of fire and thunder. Social media would have lit up!

But as a human baby, whose royal palace was a smelly stable with a trough for a bed, and whose royal entourage included shepherds and farm animals? Ridiculous!

Why would the Creator of all choose to come to the world in such incredibly normal, even mundane conditions?

For 50+ years, Josh McDowell Ministry has been leading seekers into a deeper knowledge of God’s truth and power. We offer you our accumulated knowledge and research to help you find truth and encouragement to live a healthy and whole life in Christ.

God came to us in the most approachable way — as a helpless baby to an ordinary family. Philippians tell us that God emptied Himself of divine attributes so that He could — wait for it — be one of us.

It’s easy to read those words and not realize the magnitude of that concept. Can we even imagine what it meant for our Creator to become a lowly human?

I have 56 Christmases under my belt. It’s easy for me to become numb to the story’s significance; occasionally my sense of wonder needs to be refreshed. I try to focus on different characters in the Christmas story to gain their perspective. One group that often gets blended into the background is the angels.

We see them filling the night sky, joyfully proclaiming to the shepherds that God had become man. But I wonder what was going through their minds as they did so. They were continually in the presence of God Almighty, yet 1 Peter 1:10-12 tells they had no prior knowledge of God’s plan. It was as much a surprise to them as it was the shepherds!

When the angels learned that their Creator was to become a mere man, did they, like King David, wonder, “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?” (Psalm 8:3-4)

One of my favorite Christmas songs is “Born to Die” by Bebo Norman. Its chorus spells this out wonderfully:

The angels filled the sky,
All of heaven wondered why,
Why a king would choose to be,
Be a baby born to die.

When Jesus died for the sins of man, triumphantly resurrecting and proving His power over life and death, the angels clearly understood why God had come to us in human form. And they, like us, expectantly wait for Christ’s return — in all His glory! — to call His followers home. On that day, we shall join the angels in their worship of our Redeemer and King!
As we focus on the birth of Jesus this Christmas season, may you be filled with a new sense of wonder as you ponder the magnitude of your Creator’s love for you. Merry Christmas from all of us here at the Josh McDowell Ministry!

Learn More About God

• Want to know more about God’s character? Read about the attributes of God here.
• Do you want to know Jesus? Josh’s book, More Than a Carpenter, offers a comprehensive introduction.
• Want to learn about the historical facts about Jesus’ birth, ministry, death, and resurrection? Catch up on our Resurrection and Apologetics blog posts!

Dave Bottorff is the U.S. Publishing & Resource Coordinator for Josh McDowell Ministry.

In a handful of days we can finally say, “See ya!” to 2020. Yay! Let’s finish strong, trusting God, as we look ahead with hope to the new year.

As 2020 finally winds down and we close out our Bridging the Gap blog series, let’s remember to thank God for being with us through every up and down of this incredibly difficult year. He continually connected with us, helping us to move from hurting to healed to whole, just as His Word promises. God is our very good father, especially in bad circumstances. This truth gives us peace, regardless of what is happening around us. #HurtHealedWhole

For 50+ years, Josh McDowell Ministry has been leading seekers into a deeper knowledge of God’s truth and power. We offer you our accumulated knowledge and research to help you find truth and encouragement to live a healthy and whole life in Christ.

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

Lean on God

During this blog series, as you’ve invested your time and heart in developing a closer relationship with Him, you’ve come to realize that God is completely trustworthy — even during a global pandemic. He knows and cares about what you are going through!
You’ve discovered that trusting in His love for you enables you to be confident in your purpose, in your relationships, and in working through tough life issues such as depression, loneliness, anxiety, and addiction. He’s there when you feel trapped with nowhere to go. You’ve also grown in your desire and ability to love like Jesus, and share your relationship with Him with others. The whole world needs to hear the Good News!

We find peace in embracing how deeply God loves us! He came as a helpless baby, to then show us how much. He died for our sins AND to help us to daily walk in peace and confidence. He is for us!

Look Ahead in Peace

We’re all praying that 2021 brings an end to the pandemic, as well as the other evils and woes that plague our nation and world. But however the new year plays out, one thing is clear: we desperately need God. We must continue to draw near to Him, to avoid hopelessness and despair. Remember God’s promise:

‘Because [you] love me,’ says the Lord, ‘I will rescue [you];
    I will protect [you], for [you] acknowledge my name.
[You] will call on me, and I will answer [you];
    I will be with [you] in trouble…’
             Psalm 91:14-15 (NIV)

So let’s continue to daily unplug from the world to spend one-on-one time with God to hear His words of comfort and power. And let’s meditate on Ecclesiastes 3:11, which tells us that “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens — a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.
Despite what culture tells us, our life goal should not be to seek constant happiness. God grows us in our moments of difficulty, so that we don’t remain self-absorbed, immature toddlers. So rise up and seek God’s help as you face life’s challenges.
How have you honored God by worshipping Him in your moments of worry and fear? As you prepare for Christmas, reflect on where and how God met you in your fears and hurts during 2020. And look forward to 2021 with expectation, assured that God is in control and working all things out for you because you love and follow Him.
Merry Christmas from all of us at Josh McDowell Ministry. As we look ahead, let’s continue to walk together in the new year!

Get ready: We’re launching our NEW blog series, Why God?, in January! As we focus on who God is and the relationship He wants to have with us, we’ll see how He connects with us in the defining and difficult moments of our busy, complex lives.

GUEST BLOGGER CHRISTINA GORDON ENJOYS INSPIRING AUDIENCES TO LIVE THEIR BEST LIFE. 

Love like Jesus. So hard to do … or is it?

Have you walked into church and, as you made your way down the hall, warmly greeted some but totally ignored others? I’ve done this. Many times. For a variety of reasons.

But what does Scripture tell us about how we are to interact with others? Well, 1 John 4:20 says, “… the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.” And Jesus told us to “… love your neighbor as yourself.’”

So who are my “brother” and my “neighbor”? And what does Jesus mean by “love?”

Can We Really Love Like Jesus?

By “brother” and “neighbor” Jesus doesn’t just mean our family or the people who happen to live in our same neighborhood. He literally means everyone — our family, neighbors, strangers, even our enemies. Which means we have our work cut out for us.

I’m still struggling to love my brothers and sisters in Christ. But I’m supposed to love everyone? Why would Jesus give such a hard assignment? Because He knows we’re capable of doing so, with His help.

Is my casual friendliness “love?” Or is it just a warm and fuzzy feeling because I happen to know and like these people? How can I make sure I offer real love — His love — to all people?

In a very practical way, Mother Teresa provided a great example of how to love like Jesus.

In her work with the poor, the Nobel Peace Prize recipient followed Christ’s call to feed the hungry and clothe the naked, to visit the imprisoned, to care for the homeless and the sick. In doing so, she met their deeper need for love and dignity:

>> The hungry “hunger not only for bread, but for love. For the tender concern of someone who cares.”
>> Clothe the naked, “and not only with a piece of cloth, but with that beautiful dignity of a child of God. Dignity for someone who has been created to be loved and to love.”
>> Tend to the sick who are sick “not only in body, but sick at heart.”
>> The imprisoned are trapped “not only with a lack of freedom, but are limited in life. Bound by fear, by the mind, by the imagination.”

Can you imagine Jesus walking past you or me with just a nod or casual wave? No way! Jesus would look straight into our soul and pierce our heart with His love. We would have no doubt that He really saw us — and that in His eyes, we have immeasurable worth.

Jesus was continually moved by compassion … we should see what Jesus sees, so we can do what Jesus does. ~ Christine Caine, global activist

God Believes We Can!

So how can you and I be intentional in sharing His amazing love with others?

We can start by being attentive. We can really look at the people He places around us and see them. Like Mother Teresa, we can take the time to notice their need, to then tangibly share His love through our actions. This might be just sharing an encouraging smile or a compliment. Or offering someone our seat. Or even more of our investment; perhaps buying a bag of groceries or giving away our favorite coat.

Look around. Is someone hungering for connection with others? Is someone struggling with fear, uncertainty, or doubt? If so, can you be their safe haven? We often hide our inmost trials from others, but in doing so, we miss out on the joy of serving those that God places in our daily path.

Break through the emotional boundaries that separate you from others. If you’re shy, you can bet that there are shy people around you that are hoping that you’ll greet them first. If you’re preoccupied with your own problems, take your thoughts off yourself and invite God to use you to pour His love on others.

It’s not easy making the effort, I know. Lately I’ve been trying to be super friendly at the grocery store. I smile and say hello to anyone I pass, if I can get their attention. Most people ignore me. Others give me weird looks. I get it. But isn’t this the good kind of weird that God wants in His followers? 

Go love like Jesus! Just don’t be too weird about it … or too shy, either. He’ll be so be proud of you. As Christine Caine reminds us, “Doing good is very hard work. But we can do hard things. We were born for such a time as this.”

God wants a relationship with you! Click here to learn about His holy nature!

Written by guest blogger Dan Muenchau, a retired engineer who now works to help bring the love of God to others.