December 8

Prejudice and God’s Love
Bible in a Year :
Daniel 8–10
3 John 1
Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?

Today's Scripture & Insight :

John 1:43–51
“You’re not what I expected. I thought I’d hate you, but I don’t.” The young man’s words seemed harsh, but they were actually an effort to be kind. I was studying abroad in his country, a land that decades earlier had been at war with my own. We were participating in a group discussion in class together, and I noticed he seemed distant. When I asked if I’d offended him somehow, he responded, “Not at all . . . . And that’s the thing. My grandfather was killed in that war, and I hated your people and your country for it. But now I see how much we have in common, and that surprises me. I don’t see why we can’t be friends.”

Prejudice is as old as the human race. Two millennia ago, when Nathanael first heard about Jesus living in Nazareth, his bias was evident: “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” he asked (John 1:46). Nathanael lived in the region of Galilee, like Jesus. He probably thought God’s Messiah would come from another place; even other Galileans looked down on Nazareth because it seemed to be an unremarkable little village.

This much is clear. Nathanael’s response didn’t stop Jesus from loving him, and he was transformed as he became Jesus’ disciple. “You are the Son of God!” Nathanael later declared (v. 49). There is no bias that can stand against God’s transforming love.

By: James Banks

Reflect & Pray
What biases have you faced or wrestled with? How does Jesus’ love help you deal with them?

Help me, loving God, to overcome any biases I may have and to love others with the love You alone can give. Amen.

Humanity NO created 2 B happy NOR 4 SELF but only SELF deny Warrior service 2 Holy Trinity like Heaven's SELF deny Warrior angel's, NOT B "EH" carelessly naked-nude-nudism SHOULD B NON voluntary-NON optionally looked down upon & as paganism-heathenism - THAT of SELF disgracing & shameful, evil-unholy-immoral, misc dust ash human corpse weed's of garden court jestering of-un2 Satan-Lucifer-The Beast-Devil that was Holy retributionarily defeated by Heaven's SELF deny Warrior angel's (& whom arch angel Michael had Devil's head under his foot) & 86-ed / evicted outta Heaven &-but brought the past-2date & STILL is - Holy War 2 us!

Five Steps to Winning the War Within as a Christian - https://www.pursuegod.org/five-steps-to-winning-the-war-within-as-a-christian/

Web keyword search - Christians who had taken the holy war into their own hands

Spiritual Warfare - https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/spiritual-warfare-lesson-1-understanding-the-battle-11554631.html

Does the Bible say anything about holy war - https://www.gotquestions.org/holy-war.html