Josh McDowell's Blog, page 5
August 28, 2024
Do we Create or Discover our Identity?
During multiple times in my life, I’ve been stopped by the question, Who am I? We cannot walk through life without asking this question. It usually pops up in the most vulnerable of moments, when our identity is shaken. The ability to reflect on it is one of the attributes that sets humanity apart from all of creation. If we don’t have a satisfying answer to it, we can wander through life aimlessly without meaning and purpose.
“Who am I?” is a deeply personal question of our sense of self and sense of worth. Throughout history, people have sought to answer this question in a few ways. The first is by looking up to a transcendent being in whom we discover our identity, the second is by looking around to our society and culture to find our identity, and the third – and dominant narrative today – is to look within ourselves to create our sense of self, and sense of worth.
While each of these strategies has their own benefits, only one leads to flourishing. Let’s look at each strategy in a bit more detail.
Identity Formation by Looking In
Growing up in America, I unconsciously absorbed the idea that I had the freedom to do anything and be anyone. The narrative of young people today is that no institution or group of people could tell them what to become, because the possibilities are endless. The only moral absolute among youth today is to be yourself and follow your heart as long as it does no harm to others.
Through this narrative, people are seeking to answer the question “Who am I?” And with the freedom to do anything, one looks inward to their desires and feelings to create their identity and express themselves to others who affirm them. This view is seen in the cultural mantras of today: Follow your heart, live your truth, be your authentic self.
The promise of this viewpoint is freedom and fulfillment, yet it does not seem to be working. Anxiety, loneliness, depression and other mental health struggles are only increasing among young people. In fact, every survey that measures mental health trends has shown a dramatic spike in rates of clinical-level depression from 2012 to 2024. So while looking inward to your desires to create your sense of self and worth may sound liberating, it does not work for a multitude of reasons. Let’s take a quick look at these.
First of all, we all know our desires conflict. Sure, we all have desires to be a positive influence in the world, but we also have deep desires of selfishness or to numb out the world by harmful actions and substances harmful to ourselves. So which desires do we follow? And are we our true self when we are following virtuous desires or harmful desires? The view that our identity is formed by following our feelings is incoherent and disorienting.
Second, this leads to pseudo friendships. It’s an illusion that we can just live out our desires and build a sense of self and worth all on our own. We cannot bless or affirm ourselves. We are relational beings, so we look outward for others to affirm us. When authentically living out one’s feelings and creating an identity, naturally one will look to others to only affirm them. There is no room to call out negative actions or thoughts because everyone is living their truth. But this creates friendships based on flattery, and not reality. True friendship involves more than encouragement, it involves calling each other to be better. If friends never tell you what you need to hear even if it hurts, you stop trusting them to be truthful even when it feels good.
Identity Formation by Looking Around
The more classic view of identity formation is to look around to others and our community to define our sense of self and worth. Without the many options and notion of freedom of expression that we have today, most people in the past lived in communities where they had to provide through farming, or follow in the trade of their family. Communities were far more communal than individualistic.
Related: Three Profound Truths about Being Made in the Image of God.
Looking around for affirmation is not a bad thing. We are created for relationships and healthy communities offer belonging and support. But if our identity is placed in our community, what happens when the community lets us down? Communities are formed by people, and people are not perfect. They fail us, are disloyal, change opinions, and often do things for selfish gain. When the community lets us down, the identity placed in it will crumble.
In addition to this, finding your identity in your community can be crushing. Proving your worth to others to belong means you are working to achieve their approval. The expectations of others are often for their gain, not yours, and can be unbearable. Instead of living as who we were created to be, we just conform to someone else’s desires.
Identity Formation by Looking Up
The Christian story shares that our identity is not created but given by God. It’s inherent to every human being. Rather than an identity that’s based on shifting feelings or imperfect people, what God says about us is rooted in His character, therefore unchanging and eternal. This promises a solid sense of self and worth capable of withstanding the realities of life. Looking in and looking around cause instability because they are not what we were created for.
Now, this is very different from gaining an identity by religiosity. Religiosity says obey and therefore you are accepted. That’s not the Christian story. We do not perform to be accepted, we are accepted, therefore we obey. We receive our identity rather than achieve it. This is freeing.
Who does God say you are?
You are Lovable
Romans 8:38–39 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, [39] nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
You are Valuable
Ephesians 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
You are Competent
Ephesians 1:13-14 “ 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”
2 Corinthians 5:20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
When creating our identity by looking in, what feels like freedom is actually bondage as we are subject to our next desire and the affirmation of others. In looking around, what may feel like acceptance and belonging is just another type of conformity as we work to meet others expectations. When looking up, we receive and rest in our true identity from God who sees us as lovable, valuable, and competent.
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How does God see you? How should you see yourself? Get the best available answers in Free to Thrive. Learn more.
August 14, 2024
Three Profound Truths about Being Made in the Image of God
The greatest, most exciting, astonishing reality of our identity is that we are made in the image of God. According to Genesis 1:27 (NIV):
So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
This high view of humankind applies to all people, no matter their sex, ethnicity, religious beliefs, mental struggles, or anything else. The view is also unique to Christianity. Even Judaism, which sees Genesis 1:27 as Scripture, cannot recognize the fullest, deepest meaning of the grandeur of this truth. But what does it even mean to be made in God’s image?
This question may be more difficult to answer than you originally anticipated. To say we have God’s image cannot simply mean that we look like God. After all, people with physical deformities or missing limbs are just as much in God’s image as anyone else. So, over the years, theologians have speculated what the image of God means. Some have argued that the image of God refers to our soul, our rationality, or our original righteousness before sin entered the world. Perhaps the two most common views today are that the image of God refers to our ability to have relationships or our dominion over other created things. It could be that some or all of these views are correct. But I find there are deeper, more profound, and exciting meanings that virtually all Christians can agree on.
Related article: Self-Image: See Yourself as God Sees You
We have unique position because we are made in God’s image
We see in God’s story of creation that only humans have the privilege of being made in God’s image. So, of everything in the universe—animals, forests, oceans, mountains, stars, planets, galaxies—NOTHING resembles God more than we do.
We have unique value because we are made in God’s image
We are not just a random result of a mindless, thoughtless, evolutionary process in an uncaring universe. We were made as the crowning piece of God’s handiwork, reflecting the glory of the artist himself. This means that no matter who you are, how you feel, what you’ve done, or what’s been done to you, you have infinite dignity, value, and worth as a human being. Nothing can take that away from you.
We have unique purpose because we are made in God’s image
God’s image gives us undeniable meaning and purpose. We are made to reflect who God is to the world around us. This is why I suspect God called the first humans to have dominion immediately after they were made: because God is the king of the universe, and we, bearing God’s image, share in that quality. Later, more ways to reflect God would be revealed, like in Leviticus 11:45— “Be holy, because I am holy.” Notice that our reason for holiness is the nature of God. Why does that matter? It matters because we bear God’s image.
It’s interesting that when Genesis 1:27 says we are made in God’s image—this bombshell of a statement—it doesn’t tell us plainly what that even means. It’s as if the Bible intentionally left us to ponder, chew on, and marvel at the depths of this mystery. Indeed, Christians and religious Jews have mined the depths of its meaning for centuries. But then, something happened that both added focus and opened the doors even wider.
Related Video: What it means to be made in the image of God
We marvel at the One who is the image of God
Arguably, what is possibly the greatest, most exciting, astonishing description of Christ is Colossians 1:15–23. Read it and marvel. But pay attention to what is often missed in verse 15: that Christ, the supreme head and ruler over all things, IS the image of God (See also 2 Cor. 4:4)! Reading on, Colossians 2 says that those who receive Christ Jesus as Lord are “brought to fullness” or “made complete” in Christ! What?!
Breaking all odds, Christians now have a wider, vaster cave of riches to mine than God’s people in Old Testament times. If we are made “in” the image of God, and Christ “is” the image of God, what does it really mean that we are “in” Christ? I wish I had all the answers! It seems that we will never truly understand what it means to be human until we begin to grasp who Christ is and what he has done for us.
August 6, 2024
Three Dangers of Ignoring God’s Image in Others
Consider this: the answer to “who is created in the image of God?” and “who is my neighbor?” is the same: everyone.
Rooted in Genesis 1:27, the truth that every person is created in the image of God signifies that all people, as the pinnacle of God’s good creation, hold inherent value, dignity and worth. These same people are, in fact, the neighbors I am to love according to Mark 12:31, Luke 10:25-37, Matthew 5:44. This should be the starting point of how we view and interact with others. But what if it’s not?
Three disastrous consequences will follow.
A Distorted View of God as the Image Maker
When we fail to see others first and foremost as image bearers of God, our understanding of God Himself becomes distorted. He is the one who has determined people have worth because they are created in His image. If our interactions reveal that the worth of others is based on first impressions, appearance, social status, or any other factor, we have effectively put ourselves in the place of God. We have determined that God’s view on what makes people valuable is just a bit off. And if that’s the case, what else could God be “a bit off” about?
What seems like a safe cultural home base of “everybody does it” in regard to treating people as we see fit, rapidly descends into a distortion of the character, attributes, and nature of God.
A Distorted View of Others as Image Bearers
Most (hopefully all) Christians are quick to affirm that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. As we’ve seen, God has already defined who our neighbors are and what makes them valuable. The question is, do our actions line up with our affirmations? Of course, the answer is “not perfectly,” because we are not sinless. So, what do we do?
We need to remember that our temptation to interact with people as if they are less than image bearers of God contradicts a biblically true view of others. James 3:9 highlights this inconsistency: “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.” This passage underscores the hypocrisy in worshiping God while demeaning His creation.
When we fail to uphold the biblical command to truly “love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31), it breeds an environment where the dignity of individuals is not respected or protected – both of which God has ordained. The fact that “love” in that verse applies to both “neighbor” and “yourself” leads to our last consequence.
A Distorted View of Yourself as an Image Bearer
Seeing others as less than image bearers of God also distorts our view of ourselves – of our very identity. Genesis 1:27 reminds us that every human being, including ourselves, is made in God’s image. Therefore, recognizing this truth in others helps reinforce our own sense of worth and dignity. Not because of who we are, but because whose we are. An old catechism question surfaces this truth.
The first question / answer of the Heidelberg Catechism brings this out beautifully:
What is your only comfort in life and death? That I am not my own, but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death, to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ.
When we begin to treat others as less than image bearers, we are no longer starting from a place of I am not my own, but instead from I am my own and therefore we get to make our own rules for living. As sinful people, these rules will be inconsistent, contradictory, and ultimately harmful to ourselves and others.
Further, when we view others as less than God’s image bearers, we end up elevating ourselves above our peers. This will put us in direct confrontation with Philippians 2:3-4, which instructs us, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”
So where do we go from here? We must start with the question “am I valuable according to God?” and then look upon those in our areas of influence and ask, “is he/she valuable according to God?” If the answer to both is “yes” (and it is), then our action step is to view everyone whom God places in our path as someone who bears His image. For that reason alone, that person is to be treated with respect, dignity, and value. The outcome will be that people who love the Lord will see Him more distinctly in your life, and some people who do not know our Savior will begin to see (possibly for the first time) a reason to listen a bit more closely when you share things of eternal significance.
Featured Resource: Free to Thrive
Move from surviving to thriving in your views of yourself, others and God in this incredible resource.
July 30, 2024
An Unexpected Way to Explain the Structure of the Bible
There is a powerful line of reasoning for the structure of the Bible that is barely discussed—a seriously untapped potential for Christians defending their faith. I didn’t notice it until I set aside my apologetics books and dove deeper into the world of biblical theology.
To understand the evidence I’m about to share, consider this: In a symphony, you have a melody. The melody progresses and evolves. Different instruments are added, or taken away. Sometimes, the music is soft and gentle. Other times, it’s loud and aggressive. But despite all of the diverse experiences, a symphony is masterfully unified under a single story that’s being told through music.
Now, ask yourself: How many people does it take to write a symphony?
The answer is one. We call this person the composer.
The structure of the Bible as a symphony
The Bible is a collection of 66 books by about 40 different authors. Few of them knew each other. In fact, they wrote across roughly 1,400 years in three different languages and three different continents. Yet despite the Bible’s vast diversity, somehow, it tells a unified story under a single symphony. The best explanation, I propose, is that the Bible is not a mere man-made book, but was written under the supernatural guidance of a single, overarching author (or composer) —God.
Of course, to call the Bible a symphony is easier said than shown. So let me show you.
Related: Three Views on Errors in the Bible
The melody of Moses and Elijah
Alastair Roberts and Andrew Wilson trace the themes of Scripture in their book Echoes of Exodus by showing how the story of Moses is the melody of the symphony of Scripture. This melody takes on different harmonies and moods as the Bible progresses, but it’s always there. For example, consider how the story of Moses lines up with Elijah:
Through God, Moses and Elijah brought famine to the land as a plague, demonstrating God’s power (Ex. 7:20–21, 9:6, 25, 10:15 / 1 Ki. 17:1, 18:2).Moses and Elijah headed east, where meat and bread were miraculously provided for them (Exodus 16:13–15, 19:1–2 / 1 Ki. 17:2–4, 6).Moses and Elijah both had a powerful mountain experience where an altar was built, the fire of God descended, and everyone was challenged to worship God alone. (Ex. 19:18, 20:3, 24:4 / 1 Ki. 18:20, 32, 38–39).Through God, Moses and Elijah both parted water (Ex. 14:21 / 2 Ki. 2:8).Moses and Elijah’s lives both ended in health when God took them. Their bodies were nowhere to be found (Dt. 34:5–6 / 2 Ki. 2:11–12)The harmony of Joshua and Elisha
After Moses came Joshua. After Elijah came Elisha. The story continues…
Joshua’s name means “The Lord saves.” Elisha’s name means “God saves.”Joshua and Elisha began their ministry by parting the Jordan River, imitating their former master (Josh 3:7–17 / 2 Ki. 2:14).Joshua and Elisha started in Jericho (Josh 3:16 / 2 Ki. 2:15).Joshua and Elisha showed kindness to a person from an enemy nation (Josh 6:22–25 / 2 Ki. 5:8–14).Joshua and Elisha judged an Israelite for stealing (Josh 7:22–26 / 2 Ki. 5:19–27).Joshua and Elisha defeated foreign armies in miraculous ways (Josh. 6:20 / 2 Ki. 6:15–18).The rhythm of Moses and Joshua
Moses’s life is also like Joshua’s, especially when we compare their stories of crossing water. But everything is flipped. Moses crossed the Sea Leaving Egypt. Joshua crossed the Jordan River entering Canaan. With Moses, the order of events was first destruction (Ex. 7–11), then the Passover (Ex. 12), then a memorial (Ex. 13:3–16), then the water parts (Ex. 14:21), then the people walk through with God behind them (14:19, 22), and finally, spies enter the land (Num. 13:1–3). With Joshua, the spies entered first (Josh. 2:1), then the people stepped into the water with God in front of them (Josh. 3:14–15), then the water parts (Josh. 3:16), then a memorial (Josh 4), then the Passover. (Josh 5:10), and finally destruction (Josh. 6–11).
The crescendo of Sinai and Pentecost
Are you seeing the symphony start to take shape? Many more comparisons could be made between different characters and stories, especially as we start to examine the details of Jesus’s life. Roberts and Wilson pack their book with them. But perhaps my favorite comparison is how one of the greatest moments in Church history flipped one of the most tragic events in Israel’s life. This is the comparison between Sinai and Pentecost. Let’s set the scene:
Seven weeks after the Passover lamb saved Israel from the angel of death in Egypt, Moses took his followers to Mt. Sinai. (Ex. 19:1–2). Seven after Jesus, our Passover lamb (1 Cor. 5:7), was crucified for our sins, his followers met in a different high place—an upper room (Acts 1:13, 2:1).Suddenly, the fire of God comes down (Ex. 19:18 / Acts 2:3).There’s a lot of commotion (Ex. 19:16 / Acts 2:5–13).A new temple of God is established (Ex. 25–31, 35–40 / Acts 2:4, 1 Cor. 6:19).Obedience to God is preached (Ex. 20:1–17 / Acts 2:14–39).Yet, in both cases, there’s also a terrible sin looming in the air. In the case of Moses, the people built a golden calf in rebellion against God. Moses condemned them harshly and sent his servants to cut down 3,000 of their own people by the sword (Ex. 32:26–28). Truly, this was a dark time for Israel. But Pentecost was different. The sin of Israel was that they killed Jesus, God’s chosen Messiah. Only this time, a servant of God stepped up, spoke of mercy, and 3,000 people were “cut to the heart” and saved (Acts 2:37–41).
Related: Isn’t the Bible Full of Disagreements?
A symphony with one Master Composer
The more I study Scripture, the more I find a beautiful symphony guided by one Master Composer; He has created a network of connections so vast, creative, and complex, that it is beyond difficult to accept this masterpiece as some man-made book. And indeed 2 Timothy 3:16 says that “All Scripture is breathed out by God.” It rightly declares Him to be the Master Composer, and I find this to be the best, most reasonable explanation for the harmonized, melodic, and absolutely beautiful structure of the Bible.
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July 22, 2024
How to Answer Questions about the Dead Sea Scrolls
The story of the Dead Sea Scrolls is a rich one. Their alignment with other, much older, biblical manuscripts further established that under God’s protective hand, His inspired words, which were spoken and written by those He used to originally make up the Old Testament, have been preserved. The conclusion: The Old Testament can be trusted as the Word of God.
Over the years, there have been some common questions about the Dead Sea Scrolls that have appeared repeatedly as it is a topic people can get easily confused about. Here, we provide some answers that can offer some helpful clarity.
When were they found?
The scrolls were discovered by a group of teenage shepherds in 1947 within the caves of the Qumran (located on the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea in the Judean Desert).
What did they contain?
They proved to be of immeasurable significance. Now called the Dead Sea Scrolls, many of them turned out to be sacred biblical scrolls. The age of these artifacts sets them apart with a unique authority to aid in the answering of the age-old question – “Has the Bible been altered over the centuries?” More specifically, has the Old Testament been changed? These resilient documents, made of parchment and other ancient materials, are arguably the oldest surviving sacred biblical scrolls on record.
How did they survive over the years?
The conditions in the cave provided a perfect environment to preserve the scrolls, where other copies had been exposed to elements that caused them to deteriorate over time. Whether they were stored there for protection from the elements, or the Romans, which destroyed the settlement around the year AD 73, their preservation made them a monumental find.
Related: How Can I Believe Christianity?
Are they the only Old Testament manuscripts we have and can they be trusted?
While the Dead Sea Scrolls were an incredibly significant discovery, they are not the only manuscripts we have to support the preservation of the Old Testament over the centuries. In fact, before their discovery, the Nash papyrus fragments, the copies of Masoretic Text, and a list of other lesser-known Old Testament manuscripts containing Hebrew or Aramaic Scripture were in existence.
The Masoretic Text is the Hebrew text of the complete Old Testament. The Masorete scribes were dedicated to restoring the Old Testament text after the Babylonian captivity. The text was named after them and serves as an authoritative text regarding the accuracy of the Old Testament we have now compared to what was originally written.
Perhaps the most known fact about the Dead Sea Scrolls is that they contained a nearly complete copy of Isaiah. According to The Israel Museum, “This copy of Isaiah is one of the oldest of the Dead Sea Scrolls, some one thousand years older than the oldest manuscripts of the Hebrew Bible known to us before the scrolls’ discovery. The version of the text is generally in agreement with the Masoretic text.”1
When it comes to preservation of the original text, there is simply no other ancient historical document from around the time of the writing of the Old Testament that has the same level of reliability. That is a powerful claim.
How old are the Dead Sea Scrolls?
The oldest of the Dead Sea Scrolls are dated around or a little earlier than 250 BC. Despite the time span between the writing of the earlier texts of the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Masoretic Text, the Dead Sea Scrolls give evidence that conservative, careful copying was present at the time of the Dead Sea Scrolls, which is evidence of the reverence of those who copied it.
What can we conclude?
We can have confidence that the text of the Old Testament has been preserved. While the New Testament is outside of the scope, we can have this confidence about the entirety of Scripture.
The passing down of the Old Testament manuscripts between centuries and people groups was so well preserved that we can say with a high probability that what was originally written by the Old Testament authors is the same as what we have today.
Looking for a deeper dive into the issue of biblical reliability? Order your copy of Josh McDowell’s Evidence that Demands a Verdict.
http://dss.collections.imj.org.il/isaiahPhotographs by Ardon Bar Hama, author of original document is unknown., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
1 1July 9, 2024
Three Views on Errors in the Bible
Is the Bible without error? When Christians and others discuss this question, they are debating or discussing a particular topic: The inerrancy of the Bible. Inerrancy just means “without error,” so what is really being asked is, “how much of the Bible is inerrant (or without error)?
Much has been said and written on this topic, but it all comes down to three distinct views of inerrancy. But before we get to those, we need to ask, why does this subject even come up?
When we encounter Scripture, we encounter some incredible stories—and those stories provoke questions. For example, did God really flood the earth in Noah’s day? Did Samson really kill 1,000 enemies with the jawbone of a donkey? What about Jonah, who managed to survive a few damp nights inside an organic submarine (a large fish)? Did that really happen?
And the king of all questions: What about Jesus? Did he really resurrect from the dead?
Related Resource: Why Did God do that?
These stories all come from the Bible, and people understand them differently depending on how they understand the inerrancy of Scripture. Let’s look at the three big views.
The classic view of inerrancy
The classic view of inerrancy holds that the Bible is right in everything it teaches. So, understood rightly, the Bible will never truly contradict itself, nor will it contradict good history, good science, etc. However, the classic view of inerrancy does NOT say our interpretation of the Bible is inerrant. For example, Christians may disagree over whether the Bible teaches a literal 6-day creation of the world but still agree that the Bible is right in whatever it teaches.
The limited view of inerrancy
Those who hold to the limited view of inerrancy believe that the Bible is without error in some things it teaches. They might say the Bible is wrong about the people who showed up at Jesus’ empty tomb, but the big idea is that Jesus resurrected, and that’s the part we can trust. They may also hold that certain facts surrounding historical events may be incorrect, but the goal is to focus on what God is communicating through the event, not the specifics.
The non-view of inerrancy
The final view of inerrancy is the non-view. It states that the Bible has errors. Plain and simple. While it’s easy to see atheists and skeptics holding this view, some theologians see the Bible this way. They may say that the Bible is still God’s sacred Word, but perhaps Moses was wrong about God commanding the Israelites to drive out the Canaanites in Deuteronomy 7. The point, then, is to not focus on that and instead look to Jesus and learn from past mistakes.
Which view of inerrancy should we hold?
Of these three views, I find that the classic view is the best way to understand inerrancy, and the best approach to take as we allow Scripture to transform our lives. I say this for a few reasons.
First, Jesus consistently used the Scripture as God’s Word, which He claimed can always be trusted, even in the small details. He also empowered His closest followers to spread His message to the world through teaching and writing the New Testament. Of course, this argument assumes Jesus’ words can be trusted, an issue outside of the scope of this article, but discussed in many other articles on this website.
Second, those who hold to a limited or non-view of inerrancy often tout portions of Scripture they do believe are inerrant and true. However, the same kind of evidence that gives credence to their favored portions of Scripture also provides credence to portions they don’t want to accept as inerrant. They end up with an inconsistent method for evaluating Scripture.
Finally, if we say (as many across all views of inerrancy do) that the Bible is “God’s Word,” then the Bible ultimately reflects the character of God. It would be tough to believe in a God who is always truthful while also believing that God’s message to us contains falsehood. And as for apparent contradictions, these can be resolved in other ways without compromising inerrancy. I recommend our article “Do Alleged Contradictions Skew the Truth” for more helpful thoughts on this.
In the final analysis, Scripture is Scripture because its words come from God so that we might know and love Him more as we trust in His voice. Next time you read the Bible, read it with that high expectation! Inerrancy is worth defending because it helps us do just that.
February 13, 2024
Have You Hugged Your Kid Lately?
When your child reaches their teenage years, it may seem that he or she doesn’t want or need your physical or emotional affection. But perhaps more than any time in their life, teenagers need the security of unconditional love from their parents.
A young girl wrote these song lyrics about her absentee dad:
I wear your old clothes, your polo sweater. I dream of another you, the one who would never leave me alone to pick up the pieces — a daddy to hold me. That’s what I needed.
That young girl, Lindsay Lohan, would grow up to record those words in her song “Confessions of a Broken Heart.” She would perform in movies, be in and out of jail, go to rehab and struggle to “get her act together.” When we look beyond Lindsay’s erratic behavior, we see a girl in desperate search of her father’s love.
Another example: An extraordinarily talented 5-year-old boy was rehearsing songs with his four brothers for an upcoming TV special. The boys’ father was frustrated that the boys weren’t getting their parts just right. The little boy wanted clarification, so he addressed his father. “Daddy,” he began. Interrupting him, his father stated sternly, “I’m not your father right now. I’m your manager and don’t you ever forget it.”
Little Michael Jackson never did forget that moment. A few years before his death, Michael was speaking to students at Oxford University to his newly formed foundation, Help the Children. About fifteen minutes into his presentation he began to weep. After regaining his composure, Michael vulnerably shared: “I just wanted a dad. I wanted a father to show me love. But I never once heard my father say, ‘Michael, I love you.’”
More than fortune or fame. More than peer acceptance. More than anything else your kids can dream for. They mostly want to know you are there for them with unconditional love.
You don’t toss out your rules or lower your boundaries to protect them. Your kids need those rules and boundaries to feel secure. But they also need your rules and boundaries within the context of your loving relationship. The power of your love will be the motivating factor in their being able to make sound moral choices.
Demonstrate Your Unconditional LoveHere’s a suggestion: Go to your child or teenager right now and surprise them with a big hug. As you wrap your arms around them, tell them, “I love you.” Commit to letting them see you model your love every day. As you do, you will provide the security that you really are there for them with unfailing love.
Your loving relationship can empower your kids to believe right, embrace godly values, and live in ways that honor Him. That’s the power of love.————————————————————–
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July 17, 2023
Suiting Up In God’s Armor
Life often feels like an ongoing battle. On a raging battlefield, what protects a soldier? Armor. Can you imagine any soldier stepping onto the battlefield without it? He or she would be defenseless, cut down in minutes!
In the book of Ephesians, in the New Testament, the apostle Paul uses the analogy of armor to describe how Christians can create a strong spiritual defense against the world’s secular influence. I’ve laid out each piece of the armor Paul mentions, for us to discern their unique purposes and to see how they strengthen and sustain us with God’s supernatural power.
The Armor of God
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 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. 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. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 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 Lord’s people.” (Ephesians 6:10-18)
Paul uses a lot of great metaphors in this passage to help us to understand how God can empower us to resist temptation and do good. As we go through each piece of armor, make note of whether you’re already wearing it .
Belt of Truth
Truth is a central theme in the Bible. Jesus, for example, proclaims himself to be “the way, the truth, and the life.” When I get confused by the world’s perspective of truth and lies, I turn to the Bible’s truth to gain clarity. Reading about Jesus’ teachings to his disciples really helps me to know what is true.
Breastplate of Righteousness
Righteousness is about applying God’s truth to our lives. In verse 14 Paul tells us to wear “righteousness like armor on your chest.” Most of our vital organs are located in our chest area. Our heart and lungs, for example. But Paul is actually referring to the condition of our heart.
Seeking to live with righteousness influences how we think, how we treat others, and how we respond to situations and temptations. But to live righteously, we must base our thoughts and actions on God’s standard of righteousness, not our own personal standard.
There are times when I get irritated with someone. But God’s Word tells me how to respond: with humility. Knowing this helps me to keep my temper in check. God knows my heart, and he is pleased when I choose to respond in ways that honor him. It’s not always easy, but I’m getting better at it each day.
Gospel of Peace
In verse 15 Paul tells us to fit our feet “with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.” To demonstrate God’s righteousness, we should look like Jesus in how we treat others. Our words and actions matter to God, because every single person matters to God.
The world does all it can to entice us to live self-centeredly. But living to our own standard of righteousness tends to create drama and conflict. But when we stay focused on the Gospel, we gain a “readiness” to live in peace with others.
Shield of Faith
Paul then tells us to “take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.”
In Paul’s time, armies added fire to their arrows, to cause more damage when attacking their enemies. The Romans designed their shields to withstand these flames. Similarly, our faith in God shields us from fiery attacks. And the deeper we know and trust God, the stronger our faith grows.
One way that I grow my faith is by daily reading the Bible, which shows me God’s nature. This knowledge helps me to see when Satan tries to lead me into unrighteousness. I also build my faith by praying. Especially when I feel anxious. I always feel stronger after I spend quiet time with God.
Helmet of Salvation/Sword of the Spirit
In verse 17 Paul tells us to “take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Wearing the helmet of salvation protects our head, but it also changes our heart.
Because I know that God has promised to forgive my sin, I can ignore Satan when he tries to tell me that God hasn’t really forgiven me, and doesn’t really love me. Or that I’m not really saved. I like thinking of the Holy Spirit as a sword to help me battle Satan’s lies.
The Word of God is our defense against worldly arguments, and a weapon to dismantle them. As I read my Bible, I am growing my knowledge of God’s truth. I want to fully understand the Bible, so I pray over its meaning and research what confuses me. I also seek the counsel of the people of faith that God has placed in my life to help me gain clarity.
We leave ourselves vulnerable to attack if we leave off even one piece of armor. Are there any pieces of armor you need to add to be protected by God’s supernatural power?
NEXT STEPS
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June 19, 2023
Doesn’t Believing in God Require Faith?
Let’s first agree on what faith is. The Bible doesn’t say, “Throw your mind away and believe in someone or something blindly.” Rather, it says, “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). The two important words there are assurance and conviction, which stem from personal knowledge. You have faith that planes are safe, for example, because of FAA rules that keep them flying. You had faith in a parent who cared well for you. You have faith that the sun will set and rise. The Israelites put their faith in God after seeing Moses perform numerous miracles.
Our faith in Christ grows from our knowledge of him. Despite not being able to touch, hear, or see him, you can trust that he loves you and is working for your good by getting to know his character, his heart, and his desires for you. This knowledge allows you to draw close and dig deep during the times your faith is tested by the hardships of life.
Scripture tells us, “These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold – and your faith is far more precious to God than pure gold” (1 Peter 1:7). How are you handling those fires?
Each test, even the ones you fail, are drawing you closer to reliance on God’s unwavering love. Your faith is allowing God to transform your life – and the lives of those watching your Christian walk.
Question: Why does the bible say it’s impossible to please God without faith? (Hebrews 11:6)
Question: What area(s) of your life are easiest and hardest, when it comes to trusting God fully?
Content adapted from Josh and Sean McDowell’s book, 77 FAQs about God and the Bible.
The post Doesn’t Believing in God Require Faith? appeared first on Josh.org.
May 21, 2023
4 “Cs” for Making Right Choices
There is a relational process of making right choices that, if we follow it, will bring God’s protection and provision into our lives. Josh McDowell calls this the 4 “Cs.” Let’s review them.
You probably don’t realize how many choices you make on a daily basis. But here’s a nifty experiment: Tomorrow, from sun up to sun down, write down every single choice you make. The big ones, but also the tiny ones.
It might surprise you to see just how many choices you make on a single day. You’ll also see that you make a lot of choices on autopilot, from past thoughts, feelings, and habits you brought into the day.
After you choose to get out of bed, and head to the kitchen, do you choose a donut or an apple for breakfast? We all know which choice is better for our bodies. But the sugary donut tastes so good! So what helps you to decide?
> The second C of Right Choices: Compare the Choice to GodAs you begin to think about your day, you likely jump into some level of anxiety, depending on what you have going on. Each of your thoughts then create feelings. When you have a moral choice to make, it’s critical to recognize that your thoughts and feelings will definitely influence you if you’re not actively monitoring them. “We must,” notes Josh, “pause long enough to remind ourselves that we are facing an opportunity for a right or wrong decision.”
Building the habit of that pause matters. Because it gives us time to consider how God wants us to live. Will our choice reflect God’s nature, or mirror our own selfish human nature? It’s not easy letting go of our ego and our hurts, our prejudices and our biases. But in his Word God has specifically told us how to live — from how to handle money issues to how to treat others — to help us to not sin.
We’re human, so we’re gonna mess up. Some days it FEELS like we’re one big prickly blob of feelings. Those are the hard days to get through, for sure. But that’s why God has given us so much guidance in the Bible about making right choices. When we read the Bible, we gain an inner compass to know if our choice will honor God. And if we do screw up and make the wrong choice, that compass (the Holy Spirit) works on us, to lovingly lead us back to restitution with others and God.
God knows we’re not perfect. This isn’t a discussion about perfection. It’s about encouraging you to commit to living to God’s standard, for your benefit. Life is hard enough; why make it harder for yourself through your thoughts and actions?
> The third C of Right Choices: Commit to God’s WayThis is our daily struggle, because of our inherent sinful nature. But it gets easier to make choices that honor God as we daily build this habit. It helps to know yourself really well. What thoughts, feelings, and habits do you keep repeating from the past that are hindering you from making God-honoring choices? What do you need to release to change your heart and mind?
As our thoughts and feelings do so strongly influence our behavior, we have to take them “captive,” as the Bible puts it. We don’t have to dwell on the automatic thoughts that pop into our head from our subconscious. We can send them packing by saying, “No. I reject that thought. I choose to think this one, instead.”
You know how bowling lanes have lane bumpers they can put down to prevent gutter balls? When you actively monitor the thoughts and feelings you allow to influence your choices, so that you choose God’s ways, you add helpful bumpers to your life.
> The fourth C of Right Choices: Count on God’s Protection and ProvisionLiving to God’s holy standard brings us many spiritual blessings, including freedom from guilt, a clear conscience, and far less drama than we will experience if we live to our own standard. God also promises to bless us physically, emotionally, psychologically, and relationally — in his timing, and in his ways.
Take joy in the fact that you’re spiritually maturing every time you choose to make a right choice that align with God’s nature. Your choices, especially your moral choices, matter more than you realize. Because they have a supernatural component. Some of your choices will ripple out, others could hold the power of tsunami waves.
“As followers of Christ,” notes Josh, “we need to learn how to resist our natural tendency to decide for ourselves what is right or wrong and choose God’s way.”
Next Steps> Do you want to know more about God’s loving nature? Start here.
> We invite you to read Josh’s book, More Than a Carpenter, to understand the depth of God’s love for each of us.
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