“If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.” – Luke 6:32-35

These words of Jesus can’t be repeated often enough, especially in these divided and hateful times. The mark of a heart transformed by Christ isn’t that you’re nice to people who are nice to you, agree with you, or are like you. The presence of God’s amazing grace is marked by a heart of grace toward others who absolutely don’t deserve it. Why? Because you don’t deserve grace either!

The love of Jesus isn’t transactional. It isn’t based on what you’ve done for Him lately. It isn’t earned. It isn’t based on what you’ve done to love Him. His loves flows out of His loving, gracious, and merciful nature. The same should be true of your love for others, especially those you find difficult to love.

If you’ve truly been raised to new spiritual life in Christ, His nature now lives in you through the Holy Spirit. Which means that love, grace, and mercy should be coming out of your heart, mouth, and actions. Love for neighbors AND love for enemies. Generosity toward those in need, regardless of their ability to repay.

If you’re a Christian but this teaching doesn’t sit well with you, that isn’t because Jesus is wrong, naive, or no longer relevant. Something is defective in your faith! If you want to argue with Jesus or make excuses why His words don’t apply to you, that isn’t because Jesus is wrong. Something is defective in your faith! So what are your thoughts, words, and actions toward those you’ve come to consider enemies, unworthy, or less than? #FollowJesus

“For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will.” – John 5:21

Jesus isn’t just the Way, as important as that is. He isn’t just the Truth, as important as that is. He is also the Life! He is the author and sustainer of all life.

When it comes to spiritual life, it’s Jesus Who gives it. By nature, we’re all spiritually dead in our sins. By grace, through faith, Jesus raises us up and gives us new life in Him. Eternal life. Abundant life. Life as it was intended to be. Life cleansed from all sin by grace. Life enjoying rich fellowship with the Creator. Life with God-glorifying purpose.

This life is freely given through faith in Jesus the Christ of God. So, are you alive in Him? If so, praise Jesus! If not, repent and embrace Jesus! Either way, #FollowJesus

“‘Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?’ And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, ‘Why do you question these things in your hearts?’” – Mark 2:7-8

The scribes were right in thinking that only God can forgive sins. What they failed to understand, despite all the miraculous evidence available to them, is that God had taken on a human body and nature, and was in the room with them. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us…”

To make things unmistakably clear to those willing to see the truth, Jesus asked whether it was easier for Him to say that sins were forgiven or to tell a paralyzed man to get up and walk. Then Jesus told a paralyzed man to get up and walk, and he did. His point wasn’t that He could heal paralyzed people. The point is that Jesus can forgive sins because He is God come in the flesh.

In Acts 4:12, Peter declared, “There is salvation in no one else.” That’s true! Only God can forgive sins. Jesus is God come in the flesh. There are not many ways to salvation or forgiveness. Salvation and forgiveness is only possible through faith in Jesus. If you haven’t already done so, confess your sins to Jesus, asking forgiveness in His name, believing that He is the crucified, resurrected, eternal Son of God. #FollowJesus

“Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, ‘He told me all that I ever did.'” – John 4:39

What is a testimony? It’s simply a person’s honest story of how they met Jesus and were changed by Him. Scripture records the powerful impact one Samaritan woman’s testimony about Jesus had. She led her whole town to the Lord!

Was she a woman of great influence, wealth, education, or social standing? Absolutely not! Indeed, she was probably something of an outcast in town. She’d been married many times. She was living with a man who wasn’t her husband. She was drawing water in the heat of mid-day, possibly to avoid her neighbors.

But when she met Jesus, she told EVERYONE! She dropped everything to bring people to learn about Jesus in person. God used her testimony to raise many Samaritans to new spiritual life in Christ. That’s the power of testimony.

What’s your testimony about Jesus? How did you meet Him? How has He changed you? Can you share this testimony in a concise and interesting manner? Do you share it? God can use your testimony in extraordinary ways if you’re eager to share it. #FollowJesus

“And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.” – Matthew 4:21-22

As dramatic as this sounds to us, what James and John did was even more radical in that particular time and place. Jesus called them and they instantly dropped everything, leaving their father and jobs behind to follow Jesus. They didn’t know much about Him, but they turned their lives upside down to follow Jesus. Because they did, Jesus worked through them to turn the world upside down.

Are you following Jesus like this? The invitation of Jesus hasn’t changed: “Follow Me”. You probably know more about Jesus than James or John did at that point in their lives. So, are you following Jesus? How closely?

Have you turned your life upside down to follow Jesus? He doesn’t call us to lukewarm fandom. He calls us to life-altering following. Has your life been altered by, and for, Jesus? If you’re willing to turn your life upside down for Jesus, don’t be surprised when He turns the world (or at least a little part of it) upside down through you! #FollowJesus