Josh McDowell's Blog, page 11

Trusting Not Santa, But Jesus, at Christmas

When I was a kid, “Christmas” didn’t mean presents. It meant glittering ice trees; fresh, crisp air; houses and streets festive with colored lights and white-frosted windows. 

My family was part of a cult that embraced a mishmash of various religions and practices, which meant that because of our version of the Jewish “Holy Days,” we didn’t celebrate Christmas. I was bummed that Santa appeared to have been told to skip our house on the night he flew around the world personally delivering gifts to “good” kids.

But I do have a childhood Santa memory, from when I was about six years old, that I’d like to share with you.

More Than a Carpenter blog #whoisJesus

For 50+ years, Josh McDowell Ministry has been delivering breakthrough messages for those seeking meaning and purpose. We offer you our accumulated knowledge and research to help you find truth and encouragement to live a healthy and whole life in Christ.Christmas Promises, Broken

I can recall this memory so clearly. I was at the shopping mall with my parents, begging them to let me sit on Santa’s lap, like all the other kids waiting in line. They finally agreed, but warned me that Santa wasn’t who I thought perhaps he was.

I can still feel the thrill of getting to tell him the gifts I wanted. And I distinctly remember him promising, “Ok! Look under the tree on Christmas morning!” When Christmas day came, I woke early. I hurried into my snowsuit and boots, and ran outside. But looking around, it dawned on me that I had a problem. Santa didn’t say which tree – and we had three! 

Undeterred, I diligently searched under each tree. What did I find? Nothing! Well, nothing beyond the trail of my circling footprints in the fresh snow. Santa didn’t deliver on his promise. Bah humbug! I marched my disappointed six-year-old self back into my house. My parents were right: Santa was NOT someone I could trust.

I share this childhood memory with you because, as Christians, we DO have someone we can trust to keep His promises – and not just on Christmas, but all year: God! I have personally learned the truth of this over the years.

Unlike Santa, who is a delightful but fictional character, God is real, always present, and always mindful of our wants and needs. But He wants a relationship with us, not just have us approach Him with our wish list.

As Josh McDowell shares in his best-selling book, More Than a Carpenter, Christianity is about coming to understand that the Creator of the universe invites us into a personal relationship with Him through the sacrifice Jesus made for us on the cross. It’s about seeing God for who He truly His, and trusting that He deeply cares about us and wants to help us answer our big life questions.

As 2021 closes out, you might be thinking Who am I? Why am I here? Where am I going? If so, perfect timing! In January, we’re starting a new blog series, “More Than a Carpenter,” which we think can help you to answer your big life questions. We all want to know that we’re seen and special. We all want purpose and meaning and joy.

Who Is Jesus? Come Find Out!

We’re basing our new series on More Than a Carpenter, which highlights some of the meticulous research Josh did as a college student to prove to himself, beyond all reasonable doubt, that Jesus was a real historical person. Was He gruesomely tortured and crucified at the hands of the Romans? Did He really supernaturally resurrect? If so, what role did Jesus deserve to play in Josh’s life? 

As a diehard skeptic, Josh wasn’t buying the “blind faith” that many Christians based their faith on.

Were these individuals missing some brain cells?! The idea that anyone could believe that God exists — or cares about them — seemed ridiculous to Josh! Only one thing would persuade him: hard, cold facts. He set out to quickly show that Christianity is a sham, by proving the Bible is factually unreliable.

What did Josh’s evidence turn up? You’ll have to check out the new blog series in January to find out! We can’t wait to take this journey with you!

Up For a Christmas Challenge?

Now, with my own kids, gift-giving is a fun part of our Christmas celebration. But we recognize the true meaning of Christmas isn’t about what Santa might do, but what Jesus has done. For all of us!

>> Join us in reading the first chapter of John, one of the four Gospel books in the Bible’s New Testament. For an immersive experience, read Chapter One three times, in these three translations: NIV, MSG, and NLT. (Hint: “The Word” is referring to Jesus.).

>> Read the story of Jesus’ birth in the Gospel of Matthew, Chapters One and Two. The rich details will help you to see the story in your mind.

>> Online, you might also watch The Nativity Story movie, or episodes of The Chosen, a fabulous online series that shows Jesus beginning His three-year ministry.

Merry CHRISTmas!

Christina Gordon is the digital marketing manager at the Josh McDowell Ministry.

The post Trusting Not Santa, But Jesus, at Christmas appeared first on Josh.org.

Why God? Come and See!

Come and see my Jesus.

I heard about The Chosen television series about the ministry of Christ. Friends highly recommended it, but I didn’t expect much. I mean, how many ways can you tell the Jesus story? It’s been done many times before. And typically on a low budget, with marginal acting. So I didn’t rush to watch it.

In fact, the whole first season (8 episodes) had already aired before I finally sat down to watch the first episode. Again, my expectations were really low. But within minutes I felt myself emotionally drawn into the lives of Bible characters I’ve only read about — Mary, Simon Peter, Andrew, Matthew, Nicodemus — each displaying his or her unique personality and flaws.

But what of Jesus? He doesn’t appear in the show until the end of the first episode. Immediately, it’s clear that He’s different. A man, yes, but possessing a quiet intensity and supernatural force of love that made Him a magnet to sinners, even me. Come and see!

Why God? blog #hurthealedwhole

SCRIPTURE REVEALS JESUS AS GOD

When I read the Bible, I am convinced of Jesus’ divinity. I so clearly see Jesus the Messiah. But I can only see glimpses of Jesus the man. I think because the Bible gives us many details about Jesus’ wisdom and supernatural wonders, but so few details on how He struggled with the constraints of being temporarily housed in a human body.

Yet it’s not lost on me that back then people had the opposite challenge! They struggled with accepting Jesus’ claims that He was God. “Where did this man acquire this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. “Is this not the carpenter’s son?” Matthew 13:54-55

Would I, I wonder, have rejected Jesus’ claims if I’d grown up with Him in Nazareth? Would I have refused to believe, simply because He kept His knowledge and power hidden for the first three DECADES of His life? Would my mind simply refuse to believe out of stubborn pride?

Jesus patiently provided proof of His divinity, as He selflessly ministered to the clamoring crowds over the next three years. Many believed, and many refused to believe, just as they do today. The Bible clearly tells us that even when some personally experience miracles, they will refuse to believe. My heart hurts at thinking that I could have been one of them.

JESUS THE MAN

The disciples struggled with learning to trust Jesus, too. They wholeheartedly embraced His power. In a later episode James and John, whom Jesus nicknames “the sons of thunder,” ask Jesus to rain down fire on some who were unkind to Jesus. The brothers simply couldn’t understand why Jesus didn’t demand His due respect or act like a conquerer. But slowly, oh, so slowly, they came to understand that Jesus was calling them — had personally hand-picked them — to selflessly love as He did, so they could credibly share the message of God’s great love.

In learning to admit and desire to overcome their weaknesses and failings to resemble Jesus, the disciples demonstrate the typical human journey toward God. The disciples show us ourselves. And Jesus shows us who we can be, through His grace and love and power.

Like the disciples, I can’t get enough of this Jesus. Both calm and confident, His actions demonstrate strength and quiet authority. Self-assured yet humble, strong yet gentle, He leads with understanding and compassion as He invites people into deeper relationship with God. This Jesus displays an irresistible sense of humor. I instinctively trust this Jesus. I want to give my all to Him.

Jesus is the image of the perfect man — the man I think God intended me to be, before the Fall brought sin into the world.

JESUS OUR MESSIAH

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!” Isaiah 43:1

The highlight of the first episode happens in the last few minutes, when Jesus frees Mary Magdalene of the daily misery of her demonic possession. “Do not fear,” Jesus tells her. “I have called you by name.” Gently cradling her head in his hands, He pours hope and belief into her. “I have redeemed you,” He says. “You are mine.” I watch Jesus reveal the unfathomable grace and mercy of God, and I yearn to be healed and redeemed by Him as well.

In a later episode, Jesus seeks out a man who has been lame for 38 years. Jesus pointedly tells the man, “You only need me. Do you want to be made well?” The man wrestles with having hope that Jesus can actually heal him. “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!” Jesus commands. The man locks eyes with Jesus for another long moment, then clearly decides that he can’t let the opportunity pass by. He attempts to stand on crippled feet, and grows giddy upon realizing he’s healed.

In THAT moment my heart swells in gratitude, too. I am the lame man who has been healed … the blind man who can now see … the person in despair of life’s troubles whom Jesus has personally and joyfully redeemed.

This is the power of The Chosen series. In every episode, we feel the personal heart tug toward the warmth and compassion of Jesus. We are invited, as Jesus continually points us to God, to see truth of the Gospel in an intimately personal and emotional way. The experience includes the rich tapestry of the sights and sounds that Jesus likely experienced as He physically walked this earth. As Jesus pour Himself out to the point of exhaustion to heal, and teach, and encourage, and love, we so clearly see Him as both man and God. This mystery is so astounding. But as we choose to believe, we become The Chosen.

Come and see this Jesus for yourself. Come and see Him remind you of the truth that you need only Him. Say yes, when Jesus asks you, “Do you want to be healed and redeemed?”

>>> God wants a relationship with you. Click here to learn more!

Guest blogger Dan Muenchau is a retired engineer who enjoys showing the love of God to others.

The post Why God? Come and See! appeared first on Josh.org.

Why God? He Doesn’t Shame Us

Some people think God is focused on our shame. But if that’s true, why was Jesus so extraordinarily loving and gracious to sinners?

And why did He willingly make THE definitive statement, as He hung on the cross, about the depth of God’s desire to reconcile with us?

Why God? blog #hurthealedwhole

For 50+ years, Josh McDowell Ministry has been leading seekers into a deeper knowledge of God’s truth and power. We offer you our accumulated knowledge and research to help you find truth and encouragement to live a healthy and whole life in Christ.

Not Shame, But Reconciliation

God is just and holy. So our sin does matter to Him. But through His actions and words, Jesus made it clear that God wants to give us every chance to humble ourselves to reconnect in right relationship with Him. God is not gleefully rubbing His hands together in expectation of punishing us with eternal separation from His presence. But He has given us free will so, ultimately, we make this choice for ourselves.

Adam and Eve provided us with the owner’s manual on how to sin. Yet even as they ate the fruit that opened their eyes to how much they had just forfeited, God showed them tender compassion. First, He gave them the opportunity to confess to remove their shame. Unfortunately, Adam chose to pass the buck to Eve. And Eve blamed the serpent.

The Bible does not give us a lot of details about God’s conversation with Adam and Eve before He chose to banish them from paradise. Perhaps they weren’t remorseful. Or perhaps they thumbed their noses at God, confident that they’d do just fine without Him. (Sound familiar?)

Whatever their attitude, God did not forsake them. He clothed them, even as He forced them to leave the beautiful, easy, stress-free life He had intended for them. He maintained a relationship with them, giving them ongoing opportunity to humble themselves before Him. But their sin led to more sin; one of their sons even murdered his own brother.

By now, millions have lost their lives at the hands of others. Sin, in every form, is plentiful. Yet God continues to extend His grace to us. In coming as Messiah, He offered us the only way to leave the ache of our shame behind. When He returns, this time as Judge, His followers will personally experience the new paradise, this time forever, with sin no longer in the picture.  

Les Parrot, a clinical psychologist, offers an explanation for how sympathy and empathy differ. Sympathy, he says, is standing on the shore and throwing a life ring to the person struggling in the ocean. Empathy is choosing to dive into the chilly, churning waves, putting oneself at risk, to personally deliver the drowning person to safety.

This act is so rare, that we call these people heroes. In God’s case, we call Him Savior. 

Adam and Eve made the choice to reject God, and instantly felt the shame of their decision. The Bible says that all of humanity shares their shame, because we share their fallen nature. But then came Jesus. Do you know Him yet?

Next Steps

> We’d love to pray for you! Submit a prayer request here. 

> Want to start a relationship with Jesus? Click here.

> Want to find freedom from your shame? Join our Resolution Movement.

Sheri writes and edits for Josh McDowell Ministry.

The post Why God? He Doesn’t Shame Us appeared first on Josh.org.

Why God? He Offers Radical Acceptance

I’ve yet to read a book on Buddhism that gets it right on how God views us. Take, for example, this paragraph in a book titled Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life With the Heart of a Buddha:

“The message of ‘original sin’ is unequivocal: Because of our basically flawed nature, we do not deserve to be happy, loved by others, at ease with life. We are outcasts, and if we are to reenter the garden, we must redeem our sinful selves. We must overcome our flaws by controlling our bodies, controlling our emotions, controlling our natural surroundings, controlling other people. And we must strive tirelessly — working, acquiring, consuming, achieving, e-mailing, over-committing and rushing — in a never-ending quest to prove ourselves once and for all.”

Wow. Just reading that hurts my heart. Because it’s simply not true. Let’s discuss.

For 50+ years, Josh McDowell Ministry has been leading seekers into a deeper knowledge of God’s truth and power. We offer you our accumulated knowledge and research to help you find truth and encouragement to live a healthy and whole life in Christ.

God IS Radical Acceptance

In truth, I find Buddhist teachings to offer many nuggets of wisdom. But the teachings fall short of the freedom and self-acceptance we gain through a personal relationship with Christ. It’s not about you and me redeeming ourselves. It’s about our allowing Him to do so.

God became human to demonstrate His radical love and acceptance of us. In choosing to take on our sins as He hung from the cross, Jesus liberated us from our “striving tirelessly” to “redeem our sinful selves.” Just ask the thief hanging on the cross next to Jesus: fully accepted and welcomed, just because he humbly asked.

We each know the depth of our personal shame and failings. So desperate are we to jettison our self-loathing, that we’ve devised many ways to attempt to do so. For some it’s religion. For others it’s people-pleasing. For others it’s some form of numbing. Many do strive to earn their value through their endless busyness or good deeds.

But only one path frees us from our “never-ending quest to prove ourselves once and for all”: God.

Our accepting His radical acceptance of us fully wipes our slates clean, over and over again, as we bring ourselves to Him. God is the only source that can truly soften the daily suffering and struggle that is part of being human. God is FOR us, 24/7.

Buddhism teaches that attachment is the cause of suffering; that Nirvana is finally reached when one fully liberates from all attachment. But I can so clearly see that  it’s my attachment to Christ that has given me freedom.

As I more fully trust in who He says that I am (forgiven, accepted, loved, wanted, valued, etc.) I am more able to accept myself, and grow in my ability to look more like Him: patient, kind, selfless, self-controlled, loving, forgiving. I can turn my gaze outward, to be of service to others, by getting my focus off of myself.

Like Christianity, Buddhism has rules of conduct. Rules that encourage one to live to a high standard that honors others over self. I’m all for that. But it is relationship, not rules, that imbues Christianity with such life-changing powerful. Through Christ we gain a personal relationship with God. God always sees our highest selves, despite how we might currently show up. He is the God of a million chances. Our loving Creator who cares to be in relationship with us. That blows my mind.

We’re all prodigal sons and daughters trying to find our way home. Jesus warmly invites us to “Come and see” (to steal the slogan from The Chosen) that He truly is The Way to peace and love and self-acceptance.

Jesus becomes our “why” and our “how,” as we choose to follow Him.Want to know how to have a relationship with Jesus? Start here.We’d love to pray for you. Submit a prayer request to us here . Do you have heart wounds that keep getting triggered? Check out Resolution Movement. Healing is possible!Sheri Bell writes and edits for Josh McDowell Ministry.

The post Why God? He Offers Radical Acceptance appeared first on Josh.org.

Does Church Make Christianity Too Easy?

Jesus clearly said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24).

I can be slow to pick up on things. So it has taken me some time to become aware of a nagging feeling in the back of my mind as I sit in church on Sunday mornings. It finally dawned on me what’s been bothering me.

It’s this: That a lot of what is said in my church during the weekly sermons is really easy to hear. It’s reassuring and thoughtful and kind-hearted. My pastors (wonderful people that I sincerely love) assure us of our salvation and God’s love. That He’s there with us. That we can carry His love home with us. 

So I leave feeling warm and loved and content … but I don’t leave challenged. I think that’s what’s missing.

Are we, I wonder, making Christianity too easy?

Why God? blog #hurthealedwhole

Jesus Calls the Church to Serve

Attend my church, and you’ll hear that God is a nice Guy who’s easy to get along with.

If He does have any hard edges, they’ve been rounded off, so you won’t feel uncomfortable or offended. The sermons won’t ask you to sacrifice your comfort or your safety or your lifestyle. Only that you be kind and feel love in your heart for others. That you know that Jesus will always be there for you. And that if God wants you to do something for Him, He’ll nudge you.

Lately I’ve been reading what the Bible has to say about God’s expectation of His followers, and how we are to show up in the world so that others see Him in us. I think it’s so much more than what I’m being told on Sunday mornings.

Jesus clearly said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.” (Matthew 16:24)

The “deny himself and take up his cross” bit sounds hard — if not dangerous. I mean, look what happened to Jesus!

In 1 Peter 2:21 we’re told, “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His footsteps.” Jesus Himself added, “And whoever does not carry his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple.” (Luke 14:27)

Jesus Calls You and Me

Did you catch that last part? It stands out to me. I think because it’s now my heart’s desire to be a committed disciple. I’m hungry for those nudges!

I think Jesus is saying that we must actively make the choice to take action. To not just THINK about doing what He says, but to actually DO it. So we can’t just exit church with the idea of loving our neighbors, we should seek out opportunities to do so. (And not talk ourselves out of heeding those nudges!)

Jesus said, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” (Matthew 25:35-36)

I will be the first to admit that I don’t always love well. But I’m trying, as I ask Jesus for His help. And I’ve begun to step outside my comfort zone. In volunteering with an organization that focuses on a need within the homeless community, I can truly say that it is as I am serving that I hear God’s voice clearly. He’s no longer just an idea or feeling, but a real person whom I’m representing.

The apostle John wrote, “If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” (1 John 3:17-18)

“In actions and in truth” … actively aiding those in need. Giving not just our money or possessions, but ourselves in the offering. Not always safely loving others remotely, but loving them in person, where it can feel hard and messy.

Can I challenge you to do the “hard thing” of moving past your comfort zone? To love like Jesus in a tangible way in your own community?

Scripture clearly calls us to do hard things for Christ, even when it’s costly. Is it worth it? I think so! 

>>> God wants a relationship with you. Click here to learn more!Guest blogger Dan Muenchau is a retired engineer who enjoys showing the love of God to others.

The post Does Church Make Christianity Too Easy? appeared first on Josh.org.

How Can I Believe Christianity When There’s So Much Out There?

Some time ago, I had the chance to sit down with someone who wanted to see if I could help him recover his long-lost faith in Christianity. As we talked, I found myself confused about what he was actually struggling to believe in. Questions such as the existence of God, the reliability of the Bible, and the resurrection of Jesus actually made pretty good sense in his mind. As it turned out, what was really hindering him from believing in Christianity was that there’s just so much out there!

The sheer magnitude of false and misleading information in our world has made it difficult for some people to trust in Christianity, even if it makes sense in their minds. Because of this, I put together a video sharing my thoughts on how it’s even possible to discern our way through Christianity and countless other religions and spiritualities.

Transcript:

For many people both inside and outside the church, we are confronted with so much information that we are left asking: “How can I believe Christianity when there’s so much out there?”

How can you study every religion? Even if Christianity makes decent sense, the fact that there’s so many religions—so much out there—makes it hard to really know if Christianity is true.

When it comes to a critical evaluation of all the different religions and beliefs out there, it helps to begin with the recognition that only a small handful of them are the kinds of beliefs which are able to be evaluated.

For instance, you cannot investigate religions that are grounded in myth or folklore. Right? Greek mythology has all of these stories of titans and the gods interacting with one another. Tribal religions talk about the gods who protect them and give them rain. But if we’re concerned about whether or not something is actually true, the burden of proof for any of these religious beliefs is on them, and when they have little or nothing to say, then it seems reasonable that we needn’t spend much time there.

Jesus, on the other hand, is almost universally accepted as a real historical figure who lived and taught and was crucified, followed by a dramatic historical movement of people proclaiming that he rose back to life. Now we have something attached to human history. Something happened 2000 years ago in the city of Jerusalem, and this deserves an explanation. We can work with that.

Likewise, you cannot evaluate religions that are all based on preference rather than fact.

A lot of New Age and Eastern religion beliefs are like this. For them, spirituality is a matter of personal belief, not something that can be objectively looked at. “If spiritual Yoga works, do that, if not try transcendental meditation!” The idea is that you find something that works for you, not something that is objectively true.

Just listen to people when they talk about taking on an Eastern religion. They often say that they “liked” the teachings, or that they found it very “interesting.” It’s fashionable! Curiously enough, people in the East often think of Western religions in the same kind of way. This is no way to determine what’s actually true.

So, after eliminating all of these beliefs, you aren’t left with much that can be rationally discussed. Apart from Christianity, you’ll still need to think through Islam, Atheism, Judaism, a few others. But this is much more manageable! And so you get into the deep work. Listen to the different perspectives. Hear their arguments. And then weigh those arguments against each other. Focus on the foundational core of these beliefs, and ask yourself if it’s coherent and justified.

And I would add this: Yes, it can be difficult to believe Christianity when there is so much out there. But in other ways it’s not hard at all. Because at the end of the day, God is the one who does the work bringing us into faith. Although God has given us a mind to think about these things, it can only go so far as to open the door. And so my last piece of advice is this:
As you study these things, take God with you!

Even if you don’t believe he exists, you can still pray and ask sincerely, “God, if you are real, I want to know, and I will commit myself to the evidence no matter where it takes me.”

I would urge you to make this prayer a habit of yours, and that you would start even before you click onto the next thing.

The post How Can I Believe Christianity When There’s So Much Out There? appeared first on Josh.org.

How Can I Believe Christianity when There’s So Much Out There?

Some time ago, I had the chance to sit down with someone who wanted to see if I could help him recover his long-lost faith in Christianity. As we talked, I found myself confused about what he was actually struggling to believe in. Questions such as the existence of God, the reliability of the Bible, and the resurrection of Jesus actually made pretty good sense in his mind. As it turned out, what was really hindering him from believing in Christianity was that there’s just so much out there!

The sheer magnitude of false and misleading information in our world has made it difficult for some people to trust in Christianity, even if it makes sense in their minds. Because of this, I put together a video sharing my thoughts on how it’s even possible to discern our way through Christianity and countless other religions and spiritualities.

Transcript:

For many people both inside and outside the church, we are confronted with so much information that we are left asking: “How can I believe Christianity when there’s so much out there?”

How can you study every religion? Even if Christianity makes decent sense, the fact that there’s so many religions—so much out there—makes it hard to really know if Christianity is true.

When it comes to a critical evaluation of all the different religions and beliefs out there, it helps to begin with the recognition that only a small handful of them are the kinds of beliefs which are able to be evaluated.

For instance, you cannot investigate religions that are grounded in myth or folklore. Right? Greek mythology has all of these stories of titans and the gods interacting with one another. Tribal religions talk about the gods who protect them and give them rain. But if we’re concerned about whether or not something is actually true, the burden of proof for any of these religious beliefs is on them, and when they have little or nothing to say, then it seems reasonable that we needn’t spend much time there.

Jesus, on the other hand, is almost universally accepted as a real historical figure who lived and taught and was crucified, followed by a dramatic historical movement of people proclaiming that he rose back to life. Now we have something attached to human history. Something happened 2000 years ago in the city of Jerusalem, and this deserves an explanation. We can work with that.

Likewise, you cannot evaluate religions that are all based on preference rather than fact.

A lot of New Age and Eastern religion beliefs are like this. For them, spirituality is a matter of personal belief, not something that can be objectively looked at. “If spiritual Yoga works, do that, if not try transcendental meditation!” The idea is that you find something that works for you, not something that is objectively true.

Just listen to people when they talk about taking on an Eastern religion. They often say that they “liked” the teachings, or that they found it very “interesting.” It’s fashionable! Curiously enough, people in the East often think of Western religions in the same kind of way. This is no way to determine what’s actually true.

So, after eliminating all of these beliefs, you aren’t left with much that can be rationally discussed. Apart from Christianity, you’ll still need to think through Islam, Atheism, Judaism, a few others. But this is much more manageable! And so you get into the deep work. Listen to the different perspectives. Hear their arguments. And then weigh those arguments against each other. Focus on the foundational core of these beliefs, and ask yourself if it’s coherent and justified.

And I would add this: Yes, it can be difficult to believe Christianity when there is so much out there. But in other ways it’s not hard at all. Because at the end of the day, God is the one who does the work bringing us into faith. Although God has given us a mind to think about these things, it can only go so far as to open the door. And so my last piece of advice is this:
As you study these things, take God with you!

Even if you don’t believe he exists, you can still pray and ask sincerely, “God, if you are real, I want to know, and I will commit myself to the evidence no matter where it takes me.”

I would urge you to make this prayer a habit of yours, and that you would start even before you click onto the next thing.

The post How Can I Believe Christianity when There’s So Much Out There? appeared first on Josh.org.

Didn’t Jesus Chastise Thomas for Wanting Evidence?

At Josh McDowell Ministry, we seek to help people understand why we can believe that Christianity is true. As I have argued in a previous blog post, this kind of ministry can be supported biblically. However, some people think that reason and evidence is a bad thing for Christian faith, based on how they understand Jesus’s interaction with “doubting Thomas” in John 20:24-29. However, this passage has been misunderstood, and so I have addressed this in the following video. Enjoy!

Play Video

Transcript:

If Christian Faith in God is grounded upon reason, as I have talked about in previous videos, then how do we understand Thomas’s doubt and the way Jesus appears to have chastised him for refusing to believe the resurrection unless he could see for himself?

In John 20, it says that Jesus was resurrected after he was nailed to the cross and died. He appeared to most of his disciples, but Thomas wasn’t there. So they tell Thomas. But then “doubting Thomas” said in John 20:25 [ESV], “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” Then Jesus appears, he allows Thomas to do all those things. Thomas believes and says to Jesus, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus says, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” It sounds like Jesus is saying, “Really, Thomas? If only you believed without reason. That would have been better!”

But is that what’s really going on?

We are inclined to challenge this interpretation because of everything else going on around it.

First, we have already read that Jesus appeared to the rest of his disciples, even showing his hands and his side, and thus they believed [John 20:19-23]. So Thomas’s experience onto belief is hardly any different from the rest.
Second, though Thomas’s demands seem a bit aggressive, Jesus is fully willing to satisfy them. That’s telling for how we should think about this story.
Third, a lot of other translations do not have Jesus asking Thomas a question. Rather, it’s a statement: like the NIV: “Because you have seen me, you have believed.” [John 20:29a NIV] The original Greek in that time period would not have included question marks, and so it’s a perfectly valid way to interpret and translate this. In fact, many commentators prefer this approach. So Jesus is not expressing disappointment at Thomas though a rhetorical question. He is confirming Thomas’s faith.

And then look closely at the blessing Jesus gives:

Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. [John 20:29b]

He’s not saying blessed are those who have no reason to believe and yet have believed. It’s a blessing for those— unlike Thomas or any of the other disciples—who have not seen. I stress this because Jesus knows that as far as belief goes, his disciples had it easy. They were able to see Jesus die and come back to life. That in itself is not bad. Jesus wanted that! In fact, just in the next verse it says that Jesus performed even more miraculous signs in their presence. But then there are people like us who have not seen and have not had that experience of being with Jesus and touching his side and all that. Our believing of Jesus is in the testimony of others who passed down what began with the disciples. In fact, the next thing you read is verse 31 where it says, “But these are written that you may believe Jesus is the Messiah, and Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

Long story short: read the whole book of John. Read the testimony! See for yourself how well the story checks out. Don’t be shy about thinking rationally about the claims made by the writers. And listen to the testimony of Christians today who claim to have experienced Jesus transforming their lives. Check out my other videos where I talk about these things!

One final point about how to understand Thomas’s doubt…

Thomas may have been the last disciple to believe in the resurrection of Jesus, but he was also the first one to really “get it.” Here he calls Jesus, “my Lord and my God!” [John 20:28] This is the climax of where John’s testimony was intended to take us. And it comes through Thomas! I can’t help but wonder if Thomas arrived at this high theology of Christ because he had the courage to press these questions harder than anyone else.

The post Didn’t Jesus Chastise Thomas for Wanting Evidence? appeared first on Josh.org.

(Video) Father’s Day Message from Josh McDowell

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WATCH SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM JOSH

 

This past month I’ve focused on the importance of dads.

Research clearly shows that many of the problems affecting society — violence, sexual promiscuity, abuse, addiction, mental health issues, etc. — can all be traced back to homes in which the father is not present.

This breaks my heart — but it also gives me hope. Why?

Because where a problem has been clearly defined, we can identify the solutions.

Dads really matter in the lives of their kids. You matter!

I had to learn to be a great dad. And I’ve now had nearly 5 decades of practice.

I’m going to be honest with you: I don’t consider my ministry to be my greatest accomplishment to date. I truly believe the BEST thing I’ve done is to give my four kids what I didn’t have — a GREAT dad. In breaking the chains of negativity and addiction in my family history, my son, Sean, got to skip my pain. He’s now a great dad!

Friends, when we give our children the really important things — acceptance, appreciation, affection, availability, accountability, and loving authority — we change this crazy world into a wonderful place we all want to live.

Happy Father’s Day!

Josh D. McDowell

P.S. Want to “up” your Father of the Year skills like I did? Then I challenge you to decide, right now, that you’re going to take action!

You might: Listen to podcasts. Watch my YouTube videos. Take a class. Read articles and books. This website, Josh.org, has a lot of free articles and videos for you. You can also get copies of my parenting books, The Father Connection and How to Be a Hero to Your Kids.

Let me know how it goes!

The post (Video) Father’s Day Message from Josh McDowell appeared first on Josh.org.

Special Father’s Day Message

I remember when “Happy Father’s Day!” wasn’t so happy for me.

I was three years old when my non-Christian parents got divorced, and my sister and I went to live with my mother. For the next six years, Happy Father’s Day wasn’t so happy. I’ve shared many times that my parents eventually became Christians and got remarried  — to each other! However, as wonderful as it was to again have my dad in my life, I couldn’t get those years back. For six years, six important years, I grew up with a distant dad.

Can Our View of Our Earthly Father Skew Our View of God? 

I understand why people carry the dysfunction of their family into the future, carry the dysfunction of an earthly father into their relationship with God — our loving Heavenly Father.

However, I didn’t grow up thinking my Heavenly Father would also leave me or keep His distance. Instead, I only knew any shortcoming of my earthly father was a shortcoming because I had a deeper sense of the way things ought to be — the way a father ought to be.

I carried this understanding into my relationship with my Heavenly Father, knowing He would be the ultimate father I was looking for, the kind who would never leave or let me down. The Bible says our Heavenly Father is the only one who meets the ultimate standard — because He is the standard!

On Father’s Day, I’m so thankful for my earthly father. He was a wonderful man who brought so much into my life. But he wasn’t there for me the way God always is. I don’t know what kind of father you have, but you, too, need to know that your Heavenly Father is the only father who will never leave you or let you down.

Because of this truth, we ALL can say, “Happy Father’s Day!”

Alex

P.S. Are you a parent?  We have two free resources for YOU!

Josh has spent years researching and teaching on the role of fatherhood. His research, which we’ve compiled into a report titled The Father Factor, is our free gift to you. It will give you tools you need to build loving and lasting relationships with your children. It will strengthen the foundation for your family. Read the report now!

And Josh has recorded short parenting videos in which he shares with you the valuable tips he learned while parenting his own kids. Josh’s seven tips cover the topics of Affirmation, Acceptance, Appreciation, Availability, Affection, Approach Their World, and Accountability. Check out the videos!

Many thanks to guest blogger Alex McLellan.

In our next post in this Journey Together series, Josh shares a special Father’s Day message with you!

Catch up: The introductory post to the Journey Together series.

The post Special Father’s Day Message appeared first on Josh.org.