God Running

Love Like Jesus–How to Respond to the Emotionally Needy: Matthew 5:3-5

Love Like Jesus needy poor in spirit

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.”

-Jesus Christ, Matthew 5:3-5

How Jesus Loved People

If you were sitting in the crowd during Jesus’ sermon, and it happened to be a time in your life when you were poor in spirit, or mourning, or feeling particularly meek, these words of Jesus would have resonated powerfully. He offered words of comfort and encouragement to those who were (and are) emotionally needy.

Love Like Jesus

You know that person in your life? That guy or girl that makes you think, “Oh, here she comes again,” or, “Here he comes again. It’s that needy guy. Man, he has the personality of a tree stump,” you say to yourself.  Read More

Top 10 Posts of 2012

Christian life with Jesus Christ1) Love Like Jesus series: The most popular posts of 2012 begin with a series. Jesus commanded us to “love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:12 NKJV) But He never provided instruction as to how we’re to love–or did he? Posts from the new Love Like Jesus series examine every encounter Jesus had with a person or a group, in chronological order. Each interaction is analyzed and a way for you to make application in your own life is provided.

You can check out the top Love Like Jesus post by clicking on Love Like Jesus–Love the UnlovableOr check out the whole series by clicking on Love Like Jesus.

2) Senna Part 2–Teach Us to Number Our DaysOne of the most compelling stories I’ve ever heard is that of Formula 1 race car driver Ayrton Senna. I was surprised to find I’m not alone. Senna Part 2–Teach Us to Number Our Days is one of the most popular posts I’ve ever written. We can learn some valuable lessons from his life. If you’re interested in Ayrton Senna, you might also like Senna Part 1–Senna vs. Prost–Esau Ran to Jacob.

3) Sex and Your Future–Trading 45 Minutes for 1,000 YearsRead More

Love Like Jesus–Make Disciples: Matthew 5:1

Disciple Love Like JesusHis disciples came to him, and he began to teach them. -Matthew 5:1

How Jesus Loved People

Jesus loved people by teaching and training them how to follow God. Jesus loved people by making them into His disciples.

How to Love Like Jesus

It was in the wee hours of the morning, at the fire department, when I responded to a house fire along with three engines and a truck company. When we arrived we quickly realized it was the same house that had burned in the wee hours the morning before. We were sure we had put it out completely the first time, yet here we were again.

There was no time to dwell on the cause of our repeat performance, we had a fire to put out. So we set about our business. But as we progressed, I began to hear someone yelling over a loudspeaker. Eventually I figured out it was coming from a car dealership across the street. A man who appeared to be inebriated was yelling obscenities at us. Read More

Love Like Jesus–Even If It Disrupts Your Sabbath: Mark 3:3-6

Love Like Jesus SabbathJesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.”

Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.

He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored.

Mark 3:3-6

How Jesus Loved People

Jesus cared more about loving the man with the withered hand, than He did about keeping the Pharisee’s tradition concerning the Sabbath.

How to Love Like Jesus

She was walking on the shoulder of the road, in bare feet, on a day when it was too cold to be out in bare feet. Her mascara ran in the shape of a capital U down both cheeks. She was crying. No, she was sobbing.

Read More

Love Like Jesus — Love and the Sabbath: Mark 2:27

Love Like Jesus: Sabbath -- keep it“The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” -Jesus Christ (Mark 2:27)

How Jesus Loved People

Jesus loved people effectively by keeping the Sabbath.

How to Love Like Jesus

Looking back, the times in my life when I was enthusiastically keeping the Sabbath were the times I was loving people more like Jesus. But there have been a few times in my life when the cult of busy-ness caused the Sabbath to become a casualty.

One such time Read More

Love Like Jesus — Love With Loyalty: Matthew 12:1-2

Love Like Jesus LoyalAt that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”  -Matthew 12:1-2


How Jesus Loved People

“Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath,” the Pharisees said. Jesus’ disciples were under attack. Read More

Love Like Jesus — Love the Lost Cause: John 5:2-9

Jesus Loves Lost Cause

Temple Grandin Presenting at TED Conference

Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”

“Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”

Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.

John 5:2-9

How Jesus Loved People

Jesus loved this man, even though anyone else would consider him a lost cause.

How to Love Like Jesus

I spoke with someone today who told me about a disabled man he once cared for in an adult foster home. The disabled man’s name is Daniel. Daniel is angry all the time, he can’t speak, or do much of anything to take care of himself. After working there for awhile my friend was surprised to learn, that up until five years previous, Daniel was happy, and could speak and communicate very well. But Read More

Love Like Jesus — Drink New Wine: Luke 5:39

evangelism tools

Wineskin in Nazareth

“…no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, ‘The old is better.'”

-Jesus Christ (Luke 5:39)

How Jesus Loved People

Jesus loved people by remaining open and sensitive to the Holy Spirit, even when the Spirit was doing something new.

How to Love Like Jesus

I heard a sermon awhile back from a pastor I love and respect. In fact, in my opinion, he’s one of the best I’ve ever heard. But in this particular sermon, he railed against setting up a Facebook page: “A Facebook page — REALLY?” His motive is valid, he’s concerned about narcissism in the church — a valid concern if I ever heard one! But I believe he’s also missing out on new wine God is pouring upon the world today.

Read More

Love Like Jesus — Fast: Luke 5:35

Bible FastJesus answered, “…the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast.”

Luke 5:35

How Jesus Loved People

Jesus loved people by fasting for them. He fasted for you. He fasted for me. He fasted for all of us.

“Hey, wait a minute,” you might be saying right now. “When did Jesus fast for me? He wasn’t fasting when He said those words in Luke 5:35.”

Of course you’re right. Read More

Love Like Jesus–Love the Unlovable: Mark 2:16-17

Love Like Jesus -- Socialize with Sinners InfluenceContent for this article was taken from the new book Love Like Jesus: How Jesus Loved People (and how you can love like Jesus). For more articles included in the book go to Love Like Jesus Book. Love Like Jesus is due to be published in 2018.

When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Mark 2:16-17


How Jesus Loved People

Jesus loved people by spending time with them, in spite of their sinful lifestyle.


How to Love Like Jesus

There’s a blog I follow called Not Ashamed Of The GospelNot long ago, they posted a three part series about a ministry which reaches out to sex industry employees. I couldn’t help but notice there weren’t many comments offered on the last post in the series, An Insider’s Look — “Awkward!” I think for most people, that post was just too hot to handle.

Finally, one person posted and as best as I could tell he used scripture to infer this post about the sex industry ministry was an example of ungodly men perverting the grace of God.

I couldn’t help myself. I had to comment.

Read More

Love Like Jesus — Forgiveness and Paralysis: Matthew 9:1-7

Content for this article was taken from the new book Love Like Jesus: How Jesus Loved People (and how you can love like Jesus). For more articles included in the book go to Love Like Jesus Book. Love Like Jesus is due to be published in 2018.

Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.”

At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!”

Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” Then the man got up and went home.

Matthew 9:1-7


How Jesus Loved People

Jesus loved the paralytic by forgiving him.


How to Love Like Jesus

Years ago I was a one man information technology department for the fire department where I worked. My primary job was that of firefighter but in the evenings at the fire station, and on overtime down at headquarters, I would purchase computers, install software, and program databases.

As the de facto department expert, I often had co-workers ask me questions about their personal computer purchases. I remember one time my friend, Michael Milligan, asked me if he should buy a PC or a Mac. I explained (in a most eloquent manner) how the PC is less expensive, and how you can right click, and why it has more flexibility if you want to upgrade, and how there’s a bigger selection of software available.

Well Mike patiently listened, nodding to indicate his understanding and agreement.

Then he went out and bought a Mac.

Read More