leannahollis

Have you wondered if you should love your neighbor if you don’t like him? Maybe you want to know how to love your neighbor if you don’t like him or how to love your neighbor as you love yourself. I get it. Keep reading to learn how I learned to love the ones I considered unlovely. I found a treasure one morning in a place I least expected. It was more like a jeweled dagger than a pot of gold, however, because the word went straight to my heart like a blade. The story of Ananias and Saul was the focus of my daily reading for the last few days, and I thought I’d mined it pretty well. On this particular morning, however, I read the story again and was struck to the core by one simple word. (Acts 9:17) Brother. This word literally means united as a brother of the same mother or father or united by a common cause. In this instance, it means both. Because God claimed Saul as his own, Ananias accepted kinship with Saul even though he appropriately feared this well-known terrorist who, a few days earlier, had intended to imprison him. How to love your neighbor if you don’t like him: Look past the past Ananias didn’t disregard Saul’s past. It terrified him and he voiced his concerns in prayer. “Lord,” he said, “this man came here to arrest us all.” His valid complaint did not stop him from obeying Jesus. Love your neighbor as you love yourself isn’t a touching suggestion. It’s a command. (Matthew 22:39) In the story of Ananias and Saul, we see it lived out in despite-his-fear boldness. Saul’s days as a terrorist were over, but Ananias had no way to know about his transformation when he met Saul and called him brother. All he knew was God chose Saul and intended to use him in a mighty way. Ananias stepped over Saul’s past and their differences to embrace this man God loved, and so should we. Ananias understood how to love his neighbor as himself, even when he was afraid of him and didn’t like anything he knew about him. He loved anyway. He accepted anyway. Despite the past. Leave change to God. It wasn’t Ananias’ job to change Saul, and it would have been futile to attempt it. Only God can change a heart and transform a life. Ananias’ job was to pray and lay hands on Saul in person, and that’s exactly what he did. The first word Ananias spoke demonstrated the decision he’d made. It was a “nevertheless” kind of word that said, to Judas, Saul, and to God that he had chosen to see Saul through the filter of Christ’s love. Brother. Should you love your neighbor if you don’t like him? Look over the sin to see the sinner. My initial impression of people radically different from me is not always one of having positive intent or being beloved by God. It should be, and I wish it was. Sometimes, though, I see people through the filter of their past. The drug addict or alcoholic who’s been through rehab numerous times doesn’t always look like my brother and sister at first glance. I don’t always see how God plans to use them from the beginning. It’s the same for the serial… whatever the sin. All too often, I see the sin before I see the sinner, just like Ananias did, but I don’t always make it to “beloved brother” or “precious sister” as quickly. This morning, I’ve repented of that sin, for I should be willing to love the one Christ loves as my brother or sister from the start. I was not required to prove myself in order to be redeemed, and no one else is, either. Love your neighbor—even if he relapses. Ananias went to Saul and called him brother without a promise of change on Saul’s part. He had no way of knowing Saul would become Paul, nor about the missionary journeys he would make. Would a potentially murderous relapse on Saul’s part have changed Ananias’ responsibility for obedience? No. Ananias’ imperative to obey had nothing to do with Saul’s.  Nor does mine or yours. Even “tough love” begins with love. The difference between loving the sinner and enabling the sin is distinct and important to recognize, but that’s a topic for another day. Should you love your neighbor as yourself? Love isn’t optional. The greatest commandment is to love God, the second is to love others. Should you love your neighbor if you don’t like him? Absolutely. Dislike is not an excuse for lack of love. The new commandment Christ gave, to love others as He loved us, reinforces one truth. (John 13:34) We must view everyone through the lens of love. Whether we like them or not. If we are obedient to the royal law of our King, the law of love, we live with everything done in love, and our lives filled, focused on, and radiating love. How radical is that? For today, let’s take a deep look at our own hearts. Are they filled with love for all, even those who are different? If not, why not and what do we plan to do about it? If we don’t love our neighbor as ourselves, much less like him, we have a problem. We lack love, and change is required, so let’s get started. How to love your neighbor as you love yourself: Make loving others a priority. Look past the past. Leave needed changes to God. Look over the sin to see the sinner. Admit God loves your neighbor just as He loves you.  Find one positive attribute and remind yourself of it often. Extend the same grace, mercy, and kindness God has shown you. “Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friend.” John 15:13 If you’d like a daily (weekday) dose of encouragement and inspiration, check out Today’s

If, as a Christian, you wonder, “What is evangelism?” or how to tell others about Jesus, how to share Jesus with a non-believer or someone different from you, how to share Jesus when it’s uncomfortable, or by door-to-door evangelism, you’re not alone. We’ve asked all those questions, too. In this blog post, we’ll share stories from personal experience in evangelism, including how to share Jesus when it’s uncomfortable, to help answer your questions. href=”https://leannahollis.com/seven-evangelism-truths-every-christian-needs-to-know/”>/> What is evangelism?  Merriam Webster Dictionary defines evangelism as “the winning or revival of personal commitments to Christ.” Simply stated, evangelism is nothing more than sharing the good news of Jesus. How do we share Jesus with non-believers? Some people describe the process of sharing Jesus with others as “one beggar telling another beggar where to get bread,” specifically the bread of life. If we accept the dictionary definition of evangelism, we may assume our efforts have failed if those with whom we share Jesus do not make a commitment to Christ. Scripture, however, tells us some sow seeds, others water, and some harvest but all are a part of the evangelism effort which results in a believer’s commitment to Christ. (1 Corinthians 3:6-9)  Many people prefer to use a tract or an app to help them share the story of Jesus to a non-believer, and both can be very effective. They can be particularly helpful in situations where sharing Jesus is uncomfortable. In the early church, however, neither was an option. Instead, people practiced the kind of evangelism Jesus recommended in John 13:34-35. What is Evangelism? The Evangelism of Love “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.” John 13:34-35 We prepare to share Jesus with a non-believer long before the first conversation with them. To practice John 13 evangelism, we begin with a choice to love our fellow believers in the same way Jesus loved us. This is not romantic or “good friend” love, but unconditional, agape love. Jesus loved us regardless of our flaws and differences and willingly died to save us from our sins, therefore we should do the same. We are to care for our fellow believers as if we were caring for ourselves or our family members and sacrifice when needed. In the years after Jesus’ returned to heaven, the disciples’ willingly died to defend His name. Their love for each other was so evident, people recognized them as Christians and would ask, “What does this mean?” The believers took every opportunity to share Jesus with non-believers, even when it was uncomfortable or dangerous. Despite the threat of arrest and imprisonment, they continued to share Jesus when it was difficult. It was hard to argue with such obvious love and, as a result, many people believed in Jesus and followed His ways. The love Jesus expected is deep and rare. The love Jesus intended His followers to demonstrate is deep, rare, and often stunning in a world consumed with self. If we want to know how to share Jesus with someone, especially with a non-believer who is different from us, or how to share Jesus when it’s uncomfortable, we can make a good start by involvement in a church, love for our fellow Christians, and prayer for those who don’t know our Savior. When someone asks, we simply tell them about Jesus and how He changed our lives. Truth, not a formula of special words, is the only requirement. The Evangelism of Prayer In Nottingham, England we partnered with a sister church for community-wide evangelism outreach. A woman there introduced me to a family friend who didn’t speak English. He attended their church often, drawn by the love and welcome he received, but he wasn’t a believer. Since the first step in any effort to share Jesus with a non-believer, especially if it is uncomfortable, Is always prayer, we stepped away and prayed for him immediately. We asked God to draw the man to Him, help him see the love of the church and their willingness to welcome him, and soften his heart to Jesus. We prayed he’d want the faith he saw in the church members. The Starting Point Why is prayer so important as a starting point before we share Jesus with a non-believer? Jesus said no one could come to Him unless the Father drew them.  We can’t interest someone in Jesus and we certainly can’t make them trust Him unless God is already at work in them. Our job in evangelism is not conviction over sin or to drag unwilling people to God. Our job is to pray for God to move and say what God gives us to say to the non-believer when He gives us an opportunity. The work of conviction and drawing belongs only to the Holy Spirit. A well-timed testimony of God’s faithfulness, an explanation of how we came to Christ, and an introduction to Scripture can all help as we share our faith with an unbeliever, including one who is different from us, or when it’s uncomfortable. We prepare through Bible study and understanding what we believe so we can answer questions from those who seek the truth of Jesus. When he/she asks, we take the time to answer, but love and pray first. Door to Door Evangelism: Our England team began each day with prayers for the community, specifically the housing complexes we intended to visit, and the non-believers we would meet. We prayed for grace to help us share Jesus even when it was uncomfortable. Afterward, we divided into teams for door-to-door evangelism. My job was to greet those who opened their door to us and make a quick acquaintance. My partner, a university student on holiday, used a Christian booklet to go deeper. He talked with them about the church and gained permission to ask a few questions about faith and belief. People didn’t hesitate to

Have you ever wondered what does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus or how to follow Jesus as a disciple? Keep reading to find out what a disciple is and what a disciple does and doesn’t do, and the characteristics of a disciple of Jesus. One night at church, we gathered in small groups to pray. A woman in our group prayed the most striking, and oddly beautiful, prayer I’d heard in a while: “Thank you for putting up with our ridiculousness.” The prayer resonated in my heart at the time and it still does. “Ridiculous” is not a term of flattery. Unfortunately, I fear there’s more of it in all of us than we’d like to believe, especially when it comes to living as a disciple of Christ. As much as I hate to admit it, I know there’s far too much ridiculousness in me. What is a disciple? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a disciple is a follower of a teacher or leader and is one who assists in spreading and promoting the doctrines of the leader. A disciple spends time with the teacher and listens with rapt attention and the intention of learning what is taught. He (or she) makes an effort to be more like the teacher and to live out the way of life they are taught. The longer they are with Him, the more they develop the characteristics of a disciple of Jesus. What are the characteristics of a disciple of Jesus? Disciples are Learners: First, disciples learn how their teacher lives and the lifestyle He recommends, then they put what they’ve learned into action in their own lives. Disciples do what their masters do and teach. Jesus fasted, spent hours in quiet prayer and meditation with His Father, and loved sinners like us. He embraced the lost and the prodigals and called them to come home to their Heavenly Father. Jesus spent time with thieves, drunkards, and people trapped in all kinds of sexual sin. He loved them and when He told them to stop their sin they did. Many of these lost people had no “church” experience at all before they joined Him as a disciple. Instead, they figured out how to be a disciple of Jesus as they listened, watched Him, and did what He did. Loved as He loved. Forgave as fast as He forgave. Served with abandon and humility. First-century believers understood how to be a disciple of Jesus. They left their old lives behind and embraced the new lives Jesus offered. They tried to be like Him in every area. Theirs was not always an overnight, 100% perfect metamorphosis but there was an immediate change and progress over time. Why did they change? Because they knew they could trust Him. They knew He loved them as they were but wanted more for them. Jesus invited them to know their Heavenly Father, inspired them to choose a different life, and helped them to change. He had both the power to forgive sin and the willingness to forgive it. No matter how vile the sin. He still does. How to follow Jesus as a disciple? Say yes, not no. The people who were a part of the religious establishment heard Jesus’ words and said, “I’m not doing that. I like my life the way it is.” They did the “religious” things people could see – fast, go to church, make public donations – but they didn’t love the lost, embrace the unlovely or spend time with people trapped in a lifestyle of sin. They didn’t want to do any of those loving acts, so they didn’t. The Pharisees (the most religious people in the country) were hopelessly trapped in a lifestyle of prejudice, hate, and unrepentance. Worst of all, they wanted to stay trapped. I do not want to be a Pharisee, do you? I want to be the follower who says, “I’ll do whatever you do, Jesus,” but I wasn’t always that kind of person. There was a time when I was trapped in a sinful lifestyle. I was miserable but I couldn’t figure out why I wasn’t happy. People probably didn’t want to spend much time with me for fear my sin would rub off on them. I thank God for the people who cared enough to point me to Jesus. They kept on pointing me to Him until I saw my sin as He saw it, repented, and asked Jesus to save me. I shudder to think where I’d be if a few followers of Jesus had not loved sinners like me. Love big and love all. Our world is full of people trapped in darkness, trudging through life with a crushing burden of sin. They need someone to love them out of the darkness and into the light but most of them don’t even know a life of light and love is possible. Unfortunately, many have experienced the judgmental, critical spirit so prevalent in the first century Pharisees. That same ugly spirit is alive and well in our day, too. It does not point them to Jesus, the Father, or His love. Instead, it offers only condemnation and rejection. In a world filled with darkness and hopelessness, we can be the light-bearers. The way-leaders. The hope-givers. If we follow Jesus as a disciple, we not only can be light-bearers, way-leaders, and hope-givers, we must be. It’s not optional. “Love your neighbor as yourself” means we love, even if our neighbor does things we don’t like. It means we love our neighbors even if we don’t like them. (Mark 12:31) “Take up your cross and follow Me” means we follow, even if we don’t like where Jesus wants us to go. (Luke 9:23) How to follow Jesus as a disciple? First, we must understand one basic principle: thehe life of a disciple is not about what we want or what the world offers. It’s about Jesus and what He wants. “Christian” and “disciple” should be