“Worship of Jesus is rather harmless and risk-free; actually following Jesus changes everything.” – Richard Rohr

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Listen to my song “Mercy Reigns” on YouTube by clicking HERE.

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1 John 2:4-6

Whoever says, “I know Jesus,” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him. This is the way we may know that we are in union with him: whoever claims to abide in him ought to live just as he lived.

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What strikes me is that many people may know a lot about religion, but know very little about Jesus!

You can know all about rituals, doctrines, dogmas, beliefs, etc., and go to church regularly, but be fairly clueless about who Jesus was.

To know him requires knowing how he lived and what he said.

Reading the gospels would be a must!

But as today’s scripture points out, to know Jesus requires that we have more than knowledge alone.

It requires action!

Jesus was always instructing people to follow him.

By following him, we make an attempt to live as he lived.

Jesus was someone who stood up to the powerful and stood for the poor and marginalized.

Do we?

Jesus reached out to sinners with compassion so as to restore them to wholeness.

Do we?

When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, he replied: “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39).

You cannot love God if you don’t love your neighbor (meaning everyone).

Following Jesus requires changing the way you live your life.

You cannot change Jesus to fit your politics and economics.

You are called to change your politics and economics to fit Jesus.

As G.K. Chesterton said: “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried.”

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Listen to the song of the day “Mercy Reigns” on the Mercy Reigns album by clicking HERE.

Stream and/or purchase my songs on Amazon Music by clicking HERE.

Purchase my new book “Listen to Your Heart: A Daily Devotional of Calling, Purpose and New Life” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Purchase my book “Mercy Reigns: A Daily Devotional of Compassion, Comfort and Healing” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Remember: God loves you!