Fear Not

Where God’s love is, there is no fear, because God’s perfect love drives out fear. It is punishment that makes a person fear, so love is not made perfect in the person who fears.

– 1 John 4:18

It’s said that the admonition Fear Not appears in the Bible 365 times — one for every day of the year. But that assurance doesn’t inoculate Christ-followers from all anxiety and trepidation. For one reason or another, even seasoned Believers might be afraid to say yes to God. 

Why is that? First, we too often think of our Lord as a cosmic consultant, who offers well-intentioned suggestions rather than the all-knowing Creator who made us, loves us, and wants only the best for us. But saying no to God is perhaps the most basic form of sin. And mankind has been doing that since the first pages of Genesis with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

Let’s also consider that saying no and playing it safe is a basic human instinct. Fleeing from danger (real or perceived) is logical when we consider our innate desire for self-preservation. Likewise, we might resist God when he calls us to do something that’s uncomfortable or inconvenient. After all, taking that first step can be awkward, difficult — and sometimes scary.

Perhaps selfishness is the primary reason so many of us fear saying yes to God. Agreeing with God often means we’re saying no to us. But when we turn our back on God, we must prepare for spiritual turmoil. God knows what He wants and how He wants to do it. That’s why we shouldn’t be surprised when we find ourselves in a much worse situation after our refusal. As the saying goes, sometimes we must feel the heat before we can see the light.

The good news is that God loved you and me before we loved Him. And since we’re Believers, He’s secured us in Christ. That means we don’t have to let fear govern our relationship with Him … or our relationships with others. 

With this in mind, let’s surrender our anxiety and fears, step out in faith, and serve as His hands and feet in our neighborhoods, the community, and the world. Jesus puts it this way in Matthew 5:16:

“Let your light shine like that in the sight of men. Let them see the good things you do and praise your Father in Heaven.”

Identity Theft

See the kind of love the Father has given us that we should be called children of God, and that is what we are! The world does not know us, because it did not know him.

– 1 John 3:1

Identity theft is a growing crime involving the illicit use of personally identifiable information — like credit card numbers and Social Security details — for financial or personal gain. A recent annual Javelin Strategy & Research study revealed that criminals stole about $43 billion from U.S. consumers and impacted more than 16 million people. What’s more, over 70% of identity theft victims experienced some form of digital account takeover, including their online banking and social media accounts.

The damage from each incident can take thousands of dollars and several years to repair. But believe it or not, there’s another kind of identity theft that’s much more serious. It’s one that robs its victims of the abundant life they should develop and enjoy as Christ-followers.

How does this happen? Far too many people unknowingly assume a false identity through the negative messages they receive early in life. A common example is a parent telling their child that “they’ll never amount to anything” or that they need to set low expectations for their career or other critical life milestones. Over and over, children hear that they’re “just not smart enough” or “don’t have what it takes to make it.” And repeated early and often enough, these fictions can become self-fulfilling.

How do we take back our rightful identities? It’s a challenge that calls for a spiritual reality check. First, let’s look back at our past and identify and examine the negative messages we received early in life. Then think about who gave us these messages. Can we honestly say that these painful “observations” were true? The real truth is that we all have God-given talents and abilities. And our Creator knows each of us by name!

Whether it’s committed by a cyber-criminal or a sibling, identity theft of any kind is both destructive and debilitating. But here’s the good news: Knowing that we’re children of God gives us a settled identity that frees us from constantly trying to prove ourselves. And with our selfhood revealed, we’re free to love others actively — and approach our real Father with confidence.

Liberty or Death

Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

– 1 John 5:5

Americans enjoy countless rights and privileges protected through federal, state, and local laws. And the First Amendment of the United States Constitution even guarantees our freedom to worship God as we see fit. But if we look at things through Jesus’ perspective, no one (of any nationality) has any real freedom. The truth is that we’re all slaves!

Regardless of what’s written in our Bill of Rights or President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, everyone without exception is a slave to someone or something. They might not have literal chains around their wrists and ankles. But as Christ puts it so bluntly:

“I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.”

This type of sin represents bondage to the world’s values, and it comes in many forms. It might be slavery to money and possessions, pleasure, fame, career — or even religion. But whatever its form, it boils down to substituting false, man-made gods for the One and Only True Creator.

Christ-followers like you and me are also slaves. The big difference, however, is that we willingly choose to give up the temporary things of this world for the true freedom gained from an eternal relationship with the Savior. And as our love for Him grows, our obedience becomes the natural expression of that love and the way we resist the competing loves of the world.

“Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey,” writes the apostle Paul, “whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?”

Paul’s question reveals that our choice is one of liberty or death: following Jesus or following sin.

Is this a difficult decision? Let’s remember that our earthly possessions aren’t really our own, and we certainly can't expect them to last. We can lose our jobs unexpectedly through a layoff, and our homes and property can be ruined through a natural or man-made disaster. Serious health issues can arise at any time. And of course, the mortality rate for everyone is 100%.

The fact is that one day we WILL lose it all in one way or another. And unfortunately, most people will choose to do it through their slavery to sin. But there’s a far better and more satisfying choice: bondage to a very kind master through acceptance of Jesus’ generous offer of eternal life.

"Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever," Christ assures us. "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."

 

Love Like Jesus

The one who gives life appeared! We saw it happen, and we are witnesses to what we have seen. Now we are telling you about this eternal life that was with the Father and appeared to us.

– 1 John 1:2

God is love.

We find this remarkable, three-word declaration in the New Testament book of 1 John. And it’s the good news that the world needs. But a quick check of the headlines reveals that society is looking for love in all the wrong places. Rather than embracing their Creator for comfort, wisdom, and security, most people choose to follow the false gods of money, entertainment, materialism, and pleasure — to name just a few.

God’s response is to reach out in love to them by using Christ-followers like you and me. Jesus calls us the light of the world. And that means we’re to illuminate faith, hope, and action so that people see our good works and glorify God. The implications for Believers are great because we’re called to be beacons of truth amidst the bleakness of the mundane. And to succeed in this mission, we must understand and convey God’s wonderful plan for his creation. However, the world doesn’t really care about how much we know. It just wants to know how much we care. 

The takeaway is that we must love like Jesus. But where do we begin?

We can start by sharing God’s love through character, which means bringing sincerity and hope to every interaction. Through community, we can bring unity to every relationship. And with communication (listening and speaking), we can show that we care enough to engage people where they are — and all while sharing the Good News of Christ in both word and deed:

“Little children, let us love, not in word or speech,” the apostle John explains, “but in truth and action.”

God's love brings us into real fellowship with Him and with his people. But we can’t continue that fellowship by pretending that we're perfect. Instead, it’s up to you and me as Christ-followers to walk honestly in the light. As Jesus encouraged his disciples through Matthew 5:16:

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

That’s how we’ll love like Jesus.