My father-in-law is fondly remembered in his family for his expression “I have been richly blessed”. In his later years especially, at family gatherings he would show great emotion and gratitude for his family, his wife and his life by saying that. Isn’t that way we all perceive God’s blessings? We want healthy and happy families, a good life with good friends, enjoying the goodness and bounty of the this world that God has created for us! And certainly, in many ways, God does bless us with wonderful things in life! 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. -James 1:17 (ESV)

However, when we look at the teaching of Jesus, we see that God’s idea of “blessing” is much more centered on our ethics, character, and actions than on what he will give us in this life. Pastor Rick Warren said “God is much more concerned about your character than he is about your comfort”. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches about “blessing” in what is called the Beatitudes:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. – Matthew 5:3-12 (ESV)
According to Jesus, God blesses us when we think and act like Jesus did! When we are poor in spirit, realizing our total need and dependence on God, we are blessed; when we mourn our sins and those of the world, God will comfort us; when we are gentle and kind, we will inherit God’s Kingdom; when we thirst for right relationships with God & others, we will be satisfied; when we are merciful and compassionate, God will show us mercy; when our hearts and pure and sincere, we will see God in our lives; when we try to reconcile broken relationships and bring peace, we will be called sons & daughters of God; and finally, when we are persecuted and have evil things said about us because we are Christians and focus on God and his Kingdom, we will be blessed and we should be glad!

Wow! That’s pretty tough stuff to live up to! The last “blessing” of persecution is somewhat foreign to many of us Christians in America. We have enjoyed a unique 200 or so years of a culture that has in many ways embraced at least some of Christian teaching, but now, just like Christians in the rest of the world, we are beginning to face a much more hostile and secular culture that doesn’t really want to hear the true teachings of Jesus. Jesus warned us about persecution, and virtually every generation of Christians has faced it! Peter warns of this: 12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.-1 Peter 4:12(ESV) Jesus tells us to be glad, not because we relish persecution or bad things said about us, but because our suffering can strengthen our character and make us more like Jesus himself!

How then should we live, knowing that we may face persecution and hatred? How can we focus on future blessings of the Kingdom, knowing that we may not experience all the good results in this world that we had hoped for? We are to have the same heart and mind as Jesus, treating others with compassion and living in a way that will draw others toward Jesus and his forgiveness and offer of new life! Peter says,
14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil. -1 Peter 3:14-17 (ESV)

The bottom line is this: Jesus is calling us to seek and focus on His Kingdom, not just the “good stuff” of this world. As Christians, we live with one foot in this world and one foot in the coming Kingdom of God, and we need to remember that the rewards of the Kingdom are astronomically better than anything we can have here. So, hold on to this world lightly, but hold on to God’s hand tightly!

In a world that seems to be filled with fear, anger, and confusion, are we Christians talking and living in a way that will draw others to the amazing message of Christmas, the best news humanity has ever received? 700 years before Jesus was born, God gave the prophet Isaiah a foreshadowing of Jesus’ birth when he said:“For a child is born to us,a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called:Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6, NLT) At Jesus’ birth, an angel appeared to shepherds nearby and calmed their fears by saying, … “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Luke 2:10-12 (NIV) There are 3 messages of hope in the Christmas story that are really good news for everybody on earth today!

1) Jesus’ primary mission to earth was to bring us salvation from sin! ALL human beings sin, meaning we say and do things that are less than God intended and wants for us. And, we can’t stop sinning just by trying to be better. What’s even worse, our sin separates us from God. So Jesus came to die for our sins, offer us forgiveness, and for those who accept his forgiveness and believe in Him, a new life spiritually and a new reconciled relationship with God. We can become new spiritual creations in Christ, and become part of his Kingdom for eternity! This leads us to Hope #2:

2) Jesus came to be the “Prince of Peace“! So, with terrorism and wars all over the place, where’s the peace? As we hear the words of Jesus, we realize “world peace” is not going to fully come until he returns, destroys evil (Satan), and fully established his new Kingdom, made up of of forgiven believers. Those who choose not to follow him will be permanently separated from his Kingdom. It all boils down to our decision on how we each respond to Jesus’ offer of forgiveness & new life. In the meantime, Jesus offers us his own spiritual peace to face this difficult, unpredictable world: 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27 (NIV) Jesus offers us the same peace he modeled every day, one that does not flee conflict, pain, or even death. As God’s Holy Spirit lives within us, he gives us the same peace that Jesus had. When we know who we are in Christ, we have nothing on earth to ultimately fear, and we have confident assurance that God is with us and will never leave us. Are we living with that sense of peace today, being anchors of hope and faith to those overcome with terror and fear?

3) Jesus came to “bring you good news of great joy that will be for ALL the people.” Jesus’ enemies hated him partly because he hung around with “sinners”, prostitutes, the poor and outsiders, rather than just the “good” Jews and religious people. He even talked to and healed Gentiles, the hated non-Jews (who today would be all of us who aren’t Jewish!). God’s message of salvation and forgiveness is for ALL people, of every race, tribe, and nation. Let’s face it, that’s not always popular to hear! As American Christians, do we get so caught up in our fear for safety that we fail to remember that Jesus loves all the people of the world, not just us? Remember that Jesus’ Kingdom is a lot bigger than just those in America. Are we praying for Christian refugees facing genocide in Africa and the Middle East? (After all, that’s where Jesus lived!) And even for the moderate Muslims who are caught in the horror and are forced from their homes? While there is a legitimate and necessary debate about refugees coming to America right now, can we at least do something to help them where they are? I know many ministries are helping refugees right now, such as Samaritan’s Purse, the Nazarene Fund through Glenn Beck’s organization, and a Catholic ministry called Christians at Risk. As a matter of fact, ABC news is doing a “20/20” special on Glenn Beck’s group tonight at 10 PM (Dec.18th)

My friends, the good news of Christmas is so wonderful that it can bring healing and hope to EVERYBODY, not just those who are like us. Jesus has the power and desire to save and change every heart in the world, and let’s not let fear sell his mission short! Have you made a personal decision to ask Jesus to forgive you and save you from sin? If not, that can be the best gift you will ever receive for Christmas! And for those of us who have made that decision and now belong to Jesus’ Kingdom, are we filled with His peace, or are you letting the fear of today limit your faith and joy? Finally, what can you and I DO to reach the lost and hurting of our world,both close and far away? I wish you all a truly joyous Christmas, filled with God’s peace, power, and the ability to see others through the eyes of Jesus!

It’s easy to say “don’t be afraid, God is with you”, in theory, but how does that play out in real life? Today there’s lots of things to be afraid of: terrorism, financial concerns, health issues, political incompetence & leadership issues, etc. For Baby-boomers like me, we can worry about our health, our retirement savings, our kids & grandkids and their future, and so on. And then there’s the Detroit Lions’ season…ah, that’s just too depressing! The point is, EVERY generation has gone through similar fears and circumstances, and each time God offers to us a bigger perspective on life that leads to peace and confidence that he is always with us, will never leave us, and has our future securely in his hands! But when God says “fear not”, it doesn’t mean your life will stay the same, that it will be easy, and that you won’t experience hardship. All of us as parents and grandparents want to pray for our families that they will be protected from evil, disease, and hardship, but we know the reality of this world is that it doesn’t always work out that way, even for the most faithful among us. Maybe we need to see things from God’s perspective, rather than just wishful thinking!

This time of year we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the greatest good news humanity has ever experienced! The good news of Christmas is that God loved us enough to send his Son into our world to redeem us from sin, to change our hearts and empower us through the Holy Spirit dwelling in us to live more like Jesus. Eventually, Jesus promises to bring us into an eternal Kingdom that we only get a little taste of now, but which will be fully experienced when he returns and establishes his Kingdom. The more difficult reality is to understand that this present world is still under the sway of evil, and we will never fully experience justice, fairness, and mercy until the new Kingdom fully arrives. So, mature Christians of every generation understand that this world is imperfect and temporary, and God’s desire is more to develop our character than to make us comfortable, and calls us to serve him sacrificially instead expecting him to fulfill our every wish and desire.

In the book of Hebrews, we see great examples of people who trusted in God and saw him do great things in their lives because of their faith (Hebrews 11). But in that same passage, we read of other faithful people who suffered greatly in life, but were strong in adversity because they knew God was with them and had something better for them waiting in the future!
Hebrews 11:35-40 (NIV) :
35… Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. 37 They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated– 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. 39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. 40 God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
Then in chapter 12, we are encouraged to live our lives fearlessly and with courage, because those saints are watching us and rooting us on!
Hebrews 12:1-3 (NIV)
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, 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. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Nobody in their right mind wants to go through suffering and face untimely death, but a healthy Christian understands that our bodies are temporary, but our souls are eternal! (Baby-boomers realize this every day as we deal with new aches, pains, and strange noises when we get up!) C.S. Lewis wisely stated “We don’t have a soul; we ARE a soul! We HAVE a body”. Jesus said: 4 “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. 5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. Luke 12:4-5 (NIV)

So, how are we to pray and live? Will I still pray for my kids & grandkids to be healthy, safe, and have fulfilling lives? You betcha! But I’m also not naive; I know the world is still under the control of the Evil One, and none of us are immune from that. What I will pray for, more passionately, is that my family all comes to have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ! For when we begin that new life in Christ, we have Jesus’ promise to be with us always, and we have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us to guide us, empower us, and make us more like Jesus every day. One of the most encouraging passages in scripture is one from Romans ch. 8, one which we pastors often share at funerals:
Romans 8:14-18, 31-35, 37-39 (NIV)
14 …those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs–heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. 18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all–how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died–more than that, who was raised to life–is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Bottom line: don’t be afraid, brothers & sisters in Christ! We know the end of the story, and Jesus has already defeated Satan & evil. Ultimately, we have nothing to be afraid of! So live in this world, not seeking comfort, but seeking the compassionate heart of Jesus as we share hope and joy with a frightened, lost group of souls that Jesus died for and wants to have join us all in his Kingdom. Our mission is to care for them, forgive them, and invite them to trust in Jesus, so that they will join us in the amazing Kingdom of Jesus in the future. We have nothing to lose; the lost have everything to gain. Let’s be about our Father’s business!

12 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. 13 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. Ephesians 6:12-13 (NIV)

I have intended to write this blog article for the past 2 weeks, but now it just so happens that I’m writing it the day after the horrific terrorist attack in Paris, France. Today, “who is our/your enemy?” could easily be answered by many to be ISIS, the evil movement of Islamic radical terrorists. And from a”flesh and blood”, human standpoint that may very well be true. But as a Christian, I would remind other believers that the Bible clearly teaches that behind all evil is a powerful, evil being called Satan or the Devil. (Now I know that at this point some will roll their eyes and think “Man, what an unsophisticated and ignorant rube this guy is to believe that there is a devil!”) That’s OK, think what you want; our culture has successfully relegated the Devil to a harmless cartoon figure with a red suit and pitchfork. But, also realize you are calling Jesus himself ignorant and unsophisticated, since Jesus identified Satan consistently as his and our adversary. At the beginning of his earthly ministry, Jesus was tempted by the Devil for 40 days in the wilderness, and at the end had to refute Satan’s false temptations for power and control by quoting scripture. (Luke 4:1-13) Jesus clearly taught that Satan was a powerful fallen angel who desires to discourage us and draw us away from God’s message of love and forgiveness and new life, and instead wants us to live in fear, darkness,and hatred, with his ultimate goal being our spiritual destruction and separation from God’s love for eternity! When the zealot Pharisee Saul was persecuting and killing the early Christians, Jesus confronted him on the road to Damascus and called him to become his most successful missionary, telling him: 15 …’I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. 16 ‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you. 17 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ Acts 26:15-18 (NIV)

So if Satan is real and his goal is our spiritual destruction, how do we resist him? Paul’s passage above is from the book of Ephesians, written while Paul was in a Roman prison for preaching the gospel of Jesus. Paul tells us that in every generation, there is the obvious evil in the world we see around us, but there is also a very real spiritual realm above and around us where this spiritual battle is being fought by God’s angels against Satan and his demons (fallen evil angels). The battle is for our very souls, with Satan’s goal to destroy us and keep us in the darkness, away from God and his forgiveness, hope, and new life. So Paul looks around at the familiar armor of the Roman soldier and uses that as an analogy of the “spiritual armor” God gives us:
13 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. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 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 saints. Ephesians 6:13-18 (NIV)
For Christians, this spiritual battle is an an ongoing, every day battle to resist Satan and focus on God and his plans to use us. Paul tells us to “stand our ground”, which is military terminology to not retreat, but rather stand strong against great opposition! Our spiritual weapons begin with the truth of God, as opposed to Satan, whom Jesus calls a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44). Righteousness means that we now have a right relationship with God by accepting Jesus and his forgiveness. Peace comes from knowing that Jesus loves us and saved us, so we can face evil unafraid. Faith is trusting your whole life and future to Jesus, which allows us to effectively block the “flaming arrows” of Satan, such as doubt, lust, despair, vengeance, problems, trial and temptations, etc. Salvation, knowing we are saved from sin by Jesus, protects our thinking and helps us to be transformed daily by the renewing of our minds to think more like Jesus. The word of God is an effective offensive weapon, used by the Holy Spirit to transform us and others as we share the truth from scripture. (II Timothy 3:16-17) Finally, prayer wraps it all up and brings our lives before God daily, helping us to remember we belong to Him and don’t have to fear Satan and the evil of the world.

Finally, knowing the source of all evil in the world, how do we as Christians respond to those who perpetuate evil in our world today? First, in the material “flesh and blood” world we live in, we should join others in resisting evil, oppression and injustice in whatever forms they present themselves. We should stand with the poor and oppressed and help all to have a life of opportunity and freedom. There will always be injustice and oppression in our fallen world, and Christians should lead in helping others out of poverty and oppression. But on the second, and deeper spiritual level, we need to go farther yet. Knowing that Satan desires to keep us all away from Jesus and his offer of forgiveness and new life in the Kingdom of God forever, we need to pray for each other, and ALL people, that they would respond spiritually to God’s love through Jesus! People can have all the money and freedom in the world, but still be lost spiritually and miserable, filled with fear and hopelessness. If we only help people with the physical battles in life, but not the spiritual, they will ultimately lose. Jesus calls us to pray for and love ALL people, especially our “enemies”:
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. – Matthew 5:43-48 (NIV)
That means praying for the “worst of the worst”, even those under the darkness of a horrendous ideology such as ISIS. I read recently of a young ISIS fighter who went to a refugee camp with the intent of coming to Europe or America to cause destruction. The camp was run by Christian people who treated him with compassion and love. He had never experienced anything like that before, and it changed his life and he became a follower of Jesus! Now he prays for protection from other ISIS fighters who wish to kill him. Remember, Jesus loves EVERY human being on earth, and our calling is to pray for them and introduce them to Jesus. Certainly many will not respond, and will be lost to Satan. But our job is to reach as many as possible with the good news of Jesus’ love and forgiveness, inviting others into the Kingdom of God. Stand strong, resist the devil, and he will flee from you. And Jesus calls us to fearlessly help others and invite them to join in God’s Kingdom of love and light. Will you respond to God’s call to live fearlessly, and boldly reach out to others lost in the darkness?