Tag: love

How Do We Know What Love Is?

Don’t listen to me. Listen to the apostle John:

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 1 John 3:16

WOW!!! Are you ready to lay down your life for a “brother and/or sister” like Jesus did? And, by the way, that’s not as in a “blood” brother or sister. That’s in a complete stranger who should be treated like a blood brother or sister—or, for some of us, how a blood brother or sister should be treated!

The problem is, forget about giving up a life. If we could only show some kindness and respect to others—our “brothers and sisters.” Jesus not only showed us the way to love but He commanded us to love. In fact, it is the one and only thing He commanded us to do, and is the root of everything He did and said on this earth.

Love all comes down to putting others before ourselves. It’s really as simple as that. I know, trust me—simple to talk and preach about but tough to do. But, then again, we have the model in earthly love in Jesus.

Try a little love today!

Obeying God

Like the nations the Lord destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 8:20

This verse in the Christian Bible and Hebrew Torah haunt me lately. Why? Because God gave us what should be 2 very simple commands: Love Him and love others.

As I look from Capitol Hill in DC, where I was most of this week, to my personal life, I see people clashing with one another, not loving one another. Can it really be that hard to come together as one people, not warring factions? What are we if we are not listening to God and following His very simple commands?

Good questions to contemplate.

Have a great day and even better weekend!

Jesus Didn’t Teach Us To Be Civil

Jesus did not teach us civility to one another. He taught us to love one another. A love that goes way beyond civility. A love that puts the other person first and us second. And Jesus wasn’t just a good pontificator as many so-called “Christians” are today—He walked the talk of love. After all, Jesus sacrificed His life for you and me.

Look around you today. Not much civility. And certainly no, if any, love. That’s where you and I come in. We need to spread some love and hope that it’s catching. Because the world desperately needs some love.

Do your part today and I’ll do mine. Smile, help someone in need, pay something forward, lend a helping hand. Spreading love isn’t hard if you just take yourself out of the equation. Jesus taught us how to do it. We just have to listen—and do it.

Walk the talk today. LOVE!!! 

Merry Christmas!!!

I don’t just wish you a “Merry Christmas” today. I wish all of you, regardless of whether you celebrate Christmas or not, the true meaning of Christmas—joy, love, and peace in your life today, in 2017, and beyond.
 
It’s bad enough we live in a divided world, but our country is more divided than ever before in modern history. So, not just for one day, but for all days, let’s each try to spread some joy, love, and peace. If we are going to heal, we need to heal ourselves and help others heal.
 
Merry Christmas!!!

Great Time to Start Living in Love

If there ever is a time of year to start living in love it is now. What does “living in love” mean? Let’s start with what John tells us:

Love means living the way God commanded us to live. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is this: Live a life of love. 2 John‬ ‭1:6‬

Did you get that? It bears repeating: “Love means living the way God commanded us to live.” That means that the definition of “love” is living “the way God commanded us to live.” That means forgiving as God forgives us, giving others the shirt off our backs, not judging, etc, etc. If there are any questions about how to live start reading at Luke 6:27-34.

This season celebrating the birth of Jesus—hopefully in our hearts—is a great time to look at your life and ask, “Am I truly living in love?”

It’s never too late to start living in love!

Are You Passing Lazarus on the Street?

Last week I went from Washington, DC to Chicago. What I noticed was more people on the streets of both cities begging—in one case a mother with a small child. And the other thing I noticed was north of 99.9% of people totally ignoring those people. Reminds me of Jesus talking about the story of Lazarus:

There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. Luke 16:19-21

What happened? Lazarus died and went to heaven. The “rich man” died and went to hell. He lamented not having stopped and helped Lazarus when both were alive on earth.

Are you passing Lazarus on the street?

One more thing to think about that Jesus said:

Give to everyone who begs from you. Luke 6:30

Do you?

Have a great day!

Shine Some Light Today on a Dark World!

I am not a doom-and-gloom sayer but look around you—the world is a pretty dark place these days. Bombings, stabbings, shootings, and lots of animosity. It’s a rare day when we aren’t hearing about something bad happening. I am afraid the world is getting darker.

That’s where you and I come in. Today is a day to shed a little light on our dark world. It’s simple. Start with a smile, show some kindness to a stranger, and help someone in need. It’s not difficult. Just spend some time today thinking more about others than yourself. Let that light of God that is in you do some shining today.

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16

Smile. Do good. Go out of your way for others. It’s not hard to let your light shine. Don’t keep your light under a basket today. Let it shine! The world needs your light!

Have a GREAT, shining week!

God is Not Religious

This is pretty simple. God is God. He is not “religious.” We are the ones who tag God as “religious.” Then, we do everything to separate “religion” from everyday life. Translation: We want to separate God from everyday life. The problem with that is God is life.

We need to stop all the tags we associate with God—”religion,” “spiritual,” “holy,” etc. God is simply God. God created life and gives us life. To repeat, God is life.

This doesn’t mean we walk around religious, spiritual, and holy. It simply means we listen to God on how to live our lives. And, I’ll repeat once again, God gives us one very simple command on how to live life: LOVE!

How can life be any simpler. LOVE!

God, life, love. Have a wonderful day living!

Your One-Word Summary of the Bible?

Some may summarize the Bible in one word as “God.” Others may say “Jesus.” I think the clear one-word summary of the Bible is “love.”

In the Old Testament, God commands us to love Him by loving others (“Love your neighbor as yourself” Leviticus 19:18). We didn’t do such a good job listening to God so He gave us His Son to walk in love for us. Before His death, Jesus repeated the command to “love” (“Love each other as I have loved you.” John 15:12).

The Bible is fundamentally all about love because life should be about love. Why? For starters, God commands it and Jesus lived it—to His death out of love for us.

Live a little—no, make that a LOT—in love today. And not just those who it is convenient to love!

Golf & Faith: Need to Swing Through!

A week off really helped to clear my head. It may not sound so comparing golf and faith, but I see the comparison between the two clearer than ever.

If you really want to hit a golf ball pure and long, you have to swing through the ball, completing your swing. Stop short of accelerating your swing and not completing it and you are not maximizing how far the ball goes.

The same is true with faith. You have to “swing through” on faith not stopping short but going all the way. For example, Jesus lived and died to deliver His very simple message to love everyone. His command to love is the same command that God the Father gave us but we ignored. It took Jesus to live and die a bloody death to bring the “love” message to life.

Well, you can’t kind of love or sort of love. You have to love completely. Totally and completely. You have to swing through on love. If not, you are not maximizing your faith. You are not a total follower of Jesus. Not a total Christian.

I can go on and on about this but will stop here. Want to succeed at golf and faith? Then simply swing though all the way!

Have a GREAT day! And swing through!!!