The World Doesn't Have a Clue What Jesus Is Like

How often have you heard someone say Christians will be more likable if we act like Jesus?

They say this because they don't have a clue who Jesus really is.

The real Jesus hates sin because it damages our souls, and He focused on sin during His earthly ministry because sin is what separates us from God (Matthew 5:20-48; Mark 7:20-23; John 8:34-36; Romans 3:23-24; John 3:16). 

Jesus tells us that it's loving to rebuke sin:  

“Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent” (Revelation 3:19).  

He commands us to confront sinning believers (Luke 17:3), and He commands us to share all of His teachings (including obedience to His commands) with the unsaved world (Matthew 28:18-20). 

He also tells us how this will affect our popularity:

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you” (John 15:18-19).

The world hated Jesus because He talked about sin and repentance, necessary elements of the gospel (John 7:7). When we act like Jesus, we can expect the same (John 15).

So next time someone tells you that Christians will be more popular if we act like Jesus, tell them about the real, incredible, wonderful, life-saving, unpopular Jesus!

For additional insights, see Righteousness Has Never Been Popular and "Thank You that I'm Not Like Other People."

Bible Love Notes

Biblical Cure for Low and High Self-Esteem

Are you suffering from low self-esteem? God has the answer.

Are you proud of your high self-esteem? Don't be. 

Our culture believes high self-esteem is good, but God says neither low nor high self-esteem is desirable. Instead, we need a realistic, balanced view of ourselves, based on our faith—i.e., our esteem for God and our dependence on His wisdom.

“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you” (Romans 12:3).

The way to achieve this balanced view of self is to quit focusing on self altogether (Luke 9:23-24) and follow the priorities Jesus gave us in Mark 12:30-31:

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength’ ... ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”  

No greater commandment—and no greater cure for high or low self-esteem.

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But don't get confused by self-esteem teachings that claim you must love yourself before you can love your neighbor. For more on this error, see Most Misused Scripture by Self-Esteem Advocates and Do We Really Need to Love Ourselves before We Can Love Others?

I also encourage you to check out the Wisdom for Life devotional. It contains 100 one-minute devotions to challenge, encourage, instruct, and inspire your love for God's Word. Read the story behind Wisdom for Life HERE. And find out about the two free Bible studies with purchase HERE. You can read the first four devotions in the book by clicking “look inside” on Lifeway or Amazon. 

Bible Love Notes

Christianity Isn't about "Formulas"—God's Purposes Will Prevail

Someone recently asked me about a ministry that promises Christians they can have complete victory in every area of their lives (sickness, finances, marriage, infertility, etc.) if they pray specific prayers to break down strongholds.* 

Prayer is vital. We should be praying for everything: wisdom, purity, God's purposes, neighbors, friends, family, coworkers, ministries, missionaries, church and government leaders, etc. (Philippians 4:6; 1 Timothy 2:1-4; 1 Thessalonians 5:17). 

When it comes to our own sinful behavior, we can be assured that our prayers, sincere repentance, accountability, and deliberate efforts will bring victory. 

But God doesn’t promise that our prayers will overcome all problems in life, nor does He promise our prayers can change the attitudes and behavior of other people. 

As a new Christian I was curious about this "name-it-claim-it" teaching. But I soon realized that the Christian faith is not meant to be easy. With the help of God’s Word and mature mentors, I realized that I should walk away from any teaching that promotes formulas for getting things we want. 

We aren’t in control of life here on earth. We don’t fully understand what God prevents and what He allows (1 Corinthians 13:12). We know that true faith involves hardship and persecution (John 16:33; 2 Timothy 3:12). 

But we have complete confidence that God’s purposes will prevail. 

"Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails" (Proverbs 19:21).

"The plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations" (Psalm 33:11). 

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* Note: Scripture does talk about tearing down strongholds in 2 Corinthians 10. Paul is speaking about Satanic resistance to the gospel and the need for God's people to pray and have victory over it. But this is not a formula for solving every problem a Christian faces. For more on this, see What does "pulling down strongholds" mean?

It's important that we use discernment when examining various teachings. These devotions can be helpful:

7 Claims of False Teachers and "Christian" Cults

3 Requirements for Discernment

 

Click image to find out more about Wisdom for Life, a hardcover devotional priced lower than most paperbacks.

Bible Love Notes

Don't Let Others Do Your Thinking for You

Christians are easily misled when we fail to do personal Bible study. 

We can't let others do our thinking for us. We must be like the Bereans in Acts 17:10-12, judging sermons and Bible studies with God's perfect Word:

“The words of the Lord are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times” (Psalm 12:6).

False teachings can be especially difficult to discern when they're mixed with truth. But just as God's Word judges our thoughts and attitudes, it can help us divide truth from error in sermons and Bible studies:

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

We desperately need God's Word to shape our lives, equip us for ministry, and help us discern errors:

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). 

Bible teachers and pastors can help us understand biblical truths, but we can't let them do our thinking for us. We must be able to discern between solid Bible teachers and teachers who distort God's Word for their advantage (2 Peter 3:14-17).

So let's do our best to present ourselves to God as discerning Christians who correctly handle God's truth (2 Timothy 2:15).

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For additional insights, see 3 Methods of False Teachers.

Click image to find out more about Wisdom for Life, a hardcover devotional priced lower than most paperbacks.

Bible Love Notes

Scripture Records This Ridiculous Lie

Moses was a godly man, but on several important occasions, he distrusted God.

Best known is the situation when the Israelites complained about water. Instead of trusting God's precise instructions, Moses did things his way and lost his opportunity to enter the earthly Promised Land (Numbers 20:1-13).

 

But Moses also made a mistake early on when he refused to be God's spokesman and let Aaron replace him (Exodus 4:10-17).

 

What Aaron possessed in skill, he lacked in character.

 

He ended up using his speaking skills to lead the people in idol worship. And he told one of the most ridiculous lies in the Bible: 

 

“I threw [the people's jewelry] into the fire, and out came this calf!” (Exodus 32:21-24) 

 

Because Moses grew to trust God deeply, I'm sure he regretted having Aaron as a spokesman. I'm sure he came to realize something each of us need to learn: God “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20). 

 

It's not our power and wisdom (or speaking skills) that fulfill God's purposes. It's God's power and wisdom working in us.

 

To read about a time when God blessed and surprised me, see More than I Could Have Imagined.

 

💙 Be sure to check out the Bible Love Notes devotional Wisdom for Life. 

It's discounted on Lifeway, Amazon, and CBD. 

Bible Love Notes

Is 2 John 1:10–11 about Houseguests?

At first glance, 2 John 1:9–11 appears to be a prohibition against inviting non-Christians into our home. It says this about anyone who doesn't accurately teach the gospel:

"If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching [about the gospel], do not take them into your house or welcome them. Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work." 

What does this mean?

When these verses were written, traveling teachers found lodging with sympathetic supporters. By inviting a teacher to stay in your home, you were approving his beliefs and helping him advance them.

There's nothing ungodly about offering hospitality to non-Christians.  In fact, it's one way we witness to them (1 Corinthians 5:9-11). But we should not do anything that shows support for a false teacher.

Many years ago, my husband and I had a personal experience where this principle applied even though it wasn't in our home:

We were attending the protestant chapel service at a military chapel when a new chaplain was introduced who would be helping to present the service that morning. And he was Mormon (LDS). We quietly slipped out of our seats and went home, feeling that participating in the service would be approving of Mormonism. And we later shared our concerns with the chapel leadership.

Mormons deny the Trinity, the unique deity of Christ, and the divine inspiration of Scripture. 

Christians should treat Mormons kindly and share the gospel with them when given the opportunity, but we cannot and should not partner with them in any way that gives value or validity to their beliefs (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). 

Note: One reason that God tells us not to partner with false teachings is that we are tempted to change our views. For example, working with Mormons caused filmmaker Dallas Jenkins to change his view of Mormonism and affirm some of his LDS friends as true brothers in Christ. See Be Careful that You Don't Let "The Chosen" Affect Your Discernment.

Click image to find out more about Wisdom for Life, a hardcover devotional priced lower than most paperbacks.

Bible Love Notes

What's Your "Achilles' Heel"?

The term “Achilles' heel” originated in pagan Greek mythology, coming from a strange, fictional story about a mother who dipped her baby into a river that was supposed to protect his life. However, because she held him by the heel, he remained vulnerable in that one spot and was killed at a young age by a poison arrow shot into his heel.

Since the 1800s “Achilles' heel” has been used to describe something seemingly insignificant that gradually destroys a person, business, or nation. 

Scripture expresses this truth in a slightly different way:

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much” (Luke 16:10).

Satan targets sins that we think are insignificant. He knows they can become our “Achilles' heels” (Ephesians 6:10-18).

So let's ask God to help us identify these sins so we can deal with them aggressively through prayer and God's Word. (See A Practical Way to Deal with Specific Sins.)

And let's memorize Luke 16:10 and 1 Timothy 1:18-19 as part of our defense.

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“Fight the battle well, holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith” (1 Timothy 1:18-19).

💙 Be sure to check out the Bible Love Notes devotional Wisdom for Life. It's discounted on Lifeway, Amazon, and CBD. 

And if you enjoy getting Bible Love Notes in your email, please encourage your friends to sign up for a free subscription HERE. Thanks!

 

Bible Love Notes

Moses' 5 Excuses and Why He Wasn't a Good Listener

God told Moses to speak to Pharaoh (in Exodus 3 and 4).

Moses replied:
1. Who am I?
2. Who are You?
3. They won't believe me.
4. I'm not a good speaker.
5. I don't want to do it.

God didn't respond to Moses by building up Moses' ego or encouraging him to esteem himself. He didn't talk about Moses at all. He talked about Himself and His ability to do what Moses could not do on his own. Moses needed to esteem God, trust Him, and obey Him.

It didn't matter who Moses was. It mattered who God was.

God explained He wasn't a little "g" god like those of Egypt, but the Great I Am. He promised to prove Himself to the Egyptian leaders and give Moses words to speak. 

I imagine when Moses got to his fourth excuse and said, "I'm not a good speaker," God was thinking, “No, you're not a good listener. I've been trying to tell you that it's not about you—it's about Me.”

Most of us can identify with Moses' attitudes. But it's clear that whenever God asks us to do something, all our excuses are irrelevant.

See 3 Reasons the Centurion's Faith Amazed Jesus for a contrast with Moses' excuses.

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Moses' excuses in Exodus 3:11–4:16:

3:11: But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” 

3:13: Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” 

4:1: Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?” 

4:10: Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” 

4:13: But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.”

 

Click image to find out more about Wisdom for Life, a hardcover devotional priced lower than most paperbacks.

Bible Love Notes

They Speak Visions from Their Own Minds

Some Old Testament Scriptures are especially relevant to the present state of Christianity. For example, the Lord’s warning in Jeremiah 23:16-17: 

“Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD. They keep saying to those who despise me, ‘The LORD says: You will have peace.’ And to all who follow the stubbornness of their hearts they say, ‘No harm will come to you.’” 

Throughout history there have been true prophets and false “prophets.” Jeremiah was called the “weeping prophet” because he cared deeply about God’s people even though he was constantly persecuted for accurately sharing God’s loving warnings (Jeremiah 20:8-9). 

We’ll be popular if we talk about Christ's love without mentioning His attitude toward sin (John 7:6-7). We'll be popular if we never mention LGBTQ lifestyles and abortion and we claim biblical leadership roles were simply part of Paul's chauvinist misunderstandings. 

Discernment disappears when Christians defend biblical errors in ministries, mini-series, music, and popular teachings, claiming that as long as they're doing some good, we shouldn't criticize them. 

Compromise is taking its deadly toll as more and more Christians make statements such as: “I'm personally opposed to -----------, but I don't think my vote will matter or I don't want to tell other people what they can do.”

Dear Christians, we should be weeping over the false hopes and stubbornness now promoted in Christianity. 

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Notes: 

Sometimes a good Bible teacher like Alistair Begg will compromise in a particular area. See Is Attendance Approval?

Should we completely quit listening to someone who teaches mostly good, biblical teachings but gets some important things wrong?

Each individual must make that decision, but whenever we know that a teacher, mini-series, song, or book contains errors, we must be willing to carefully examine all teachings coming from that source.

If we are not willing and able to do this, we should stop watching, listening, and reading teachings from those people.

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💙 I encourage you to take the time to review the information in the Bible Love Note Discernment: Use It or Lose It. It offers extra information for digging deeper. 

💙Be sure to check out The Bible Love Notes devotional Wisdom for Life. It's discounted on Lifeway, Amazon, and CBD. 

And you can also sign up for a free subscription to Bible Love Notes 1-minute devotions HERE.

Bible Love Notes

Moses to the Rescue

Moses saw himself as a rescuer (Exodus 2:11-25). 

When he was living in the Pharoah's household, he killed an Egyptian while rescuing a Hebrew slave. This made him lose his standing, and he had to flee for his life.

When he escaped to Midian, his first act was to rescue Reuel's daughters (including his future wife Zipporah) from bully shepherds.

But the years that followed changed Moses. He lost his self-confidence.  

Please notice that God didn't use the confident young Moses, Pharaoh's adopted grandson, even though Moses was bold and self-assured, having position, power, and influence.

God waited to use the older shepherd Moses. 

When God spoke to Moses at the burning bush, this older Moses felt like a nobody, not a rescuer. The Lord rebuked him for his excuses, but it wasn't because He wanted Moses to start trusting his human power, wisdom, and strength again. Instead, God wanted him to trust His divine power, wisdom, and strength (Exodus 4:1-17). 

We typically choose self-confident leaders with high self-esteem. But God chooses leaders who esteem Him and place their confidence in Him. And Moses is an excellent example.

So let's listen carefully to these scriptural commands:

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.…Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time" (Proverbs 3:5, 1 Peter 5:6).

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I encourage you to do a short, nutritious Bible study based on this devotion. You'll find it HERE. 

And please consider reading these one-minute devotions that provide additional insights: 

Romans 12:3 - A Reasonable View of Ourselves 

Which Comes First: Self-Confidence or God-Confidence?

💙Be sure to check out The Bible Love Notes devotional Wisdom for Life. It's discounted on Lifeway, Amazon, and CBD. 

And you can also sign up for a free subscription to Bible Love Notes 1-minute devotions HERE.

Bible Love Notes