“You have heard it said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”  — Matthew 5:43-44 Loving our enemies—or simply being kind to someone who has been unkind to us—is one of the most difficult demands of the Christian life.  Because it is so hard, we tend to think of it as a suggestion, the choice of a few super-Christians.  But Jesus never proposed it as an option.  It is God’s expectation that if we claim to be followers of Christ, we will adopt His manner of living and loving.  This is surely impossible on our own, but not when the forgiveness and compassion of Christ dwells within us.  He is our strength for loving those who have harmed us.

David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty!”  — 1 Samuel 17:45      In everyone’s eyes but his own, David the shepherd-boy seemed like the underdog as he approached the giant Goliath.  But David understood something that the others didn’t; God was on his side because he was living for God!     Too often in life we face challenges with a defeatist attitude.  But God has promised to never leave us nor forsake us.  As we live for Christ, He is our strength—always more powerful than the challenges of this world!  So when you face temptation, sickness, opposition or addiction—call upon the Lord!  He can lead you to victory through His wisdom, courage and strength.

“The Lord does not look at the things man looks at.  Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”  1 Samuel 16:7  We tend to have a pretty shallow perception of one another.  At a superficial glance, we often make assumptions about a person’s athleticism, success, intelligence, and even character. We’re often wrong!  Thank goodness our potential is not determined by what other people think about us.  Our Creator determines our purpose, worth and potential!  God Himself gives us new opportunities to serve and grow every day.  As we begin 2021, let’s make the most of every opportunity given to us by God to do good and make a positive impact in our world.  

“Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”  Hebrews 12:1  No serious athlete would run a race wearing work boots, or carrying a bag of groceries, or with pockets full of rocks. All of those things would greatly hinder their performance, and they know it. In the same way, God gives us the wisdom to discern the attitudes and actions that hinder us from living the victorious Christian life. What are the things we need to leave behind here in 2020 so that we can be more like Jesus in 2021?  

Luke 2: 1-7 & John 1:1-14 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life.  He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.”  John 6:35  The gospels tell us that Jesus was born in Bethlehem.  The town name literally means “house of bread,” and is a reminder that Jesus is the Bread of Life.  Bread from the table can ease our hunger and meet our physical needs temporarily, but Jesus Christ can meet our spiritual needs and give us eternal life!  Christmas is an invitation to believe in Him and receive Him as your own Lord and Savior.