Hatred in the life of Unbelievers and in Believers (1 John 3:13-15)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 09-02-04

 

My Worship Time                  Focus:  Hatred in the life of unbelievers and believers

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                         Reference:  1John 3:13-15

 

            Message of the verse:  “13 Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you.

14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death.  15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.”  (NAS95)  “13  Don’t be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you.  14 We know that we have crossed the frontier from death to life because we do love our brothers. The man without love for his brother is still living in death.  15 The man who hates his brother is at heart a murderer, and you know that the eternal life of God cannot live in the heart of a murder.”  (PHILPS)

            I believe that verse 13 ties in with verses 11 and 12 for it is talking about a believer who is living for the Lord and because of that the world hates him just as it hated Jesus Christ. 

            In verse 14 John is talking about some evidence that will show that a person is a true believer, and that is that he will begin to love his new brethren instead of hating them.  Hatred is very close to murder, as Jesus explained in Matthew 5:21-26, and so when a person who has given testimony that he is a believer and still has continued hatred in his heart it is provable that he is not a true believer, this is what John is writing about in verse 15.

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  It is not so difficult for me to not have the kind of hatred in my heart that would want to see someone dead, but getting mad with fellow believers is a harder thing to avoid.

 

The Word of God has brought conviction to my heart as I read it this morning.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  I believe that there needs to be some serious prayer time in our lives about our trip to Aruba.   

Murder of the Righteous Cain (1 John 3:11-12)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 09-01-04

 

My Worship Time                                                      Focus:  Murder of the righteous Cain

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  1John 3:11-12

 

            Message of the verse:  “11 For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another; 12 not as Cain, who was of the evil one and slew his brother. And for what reason did he slay him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother’s were righteous.”  (NAS95)  “11 This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.  12 Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous.”  (NIV)

            John is reminding his readers of the story in the first book of the Bible, where Cain did not offer to God the proper sacrifice and his brother Able did, and thus Cain killed Able and then lied to God about it.  John writes that believer should love one another, and this message has come from the early part of the Scriptures.  He then tells us why Cain killed Able in the last part of the verse, where he writes, “—his deeds were evil, and his brother’s were righteous.”

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  The Pharisee’s killed Jesus for the same reason that Cain killed able, and that is that they could not stand the light that was shinning upon them, for that light showed their evil deeds, and they could not handle it.

As I think about this it reminds me that I am to do what is right all of the times no matter what the consequences are to me.

 

The Word of God brought some conviction to my heart this morning.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  Trust the Lord to get me through the situation that I face this morning in driving down to Sharon Center to get my passport paper taken care of.

We Live a Holy Life Because the Holy Spirit is in Us (1 John 3:9-10)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 08-31-04

 

My Worship Time                  Focus:  We live a holy life because the Holy Spirit is in us

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  1John 3:9 & 10

 

            Message of the verse:  “9 No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.  10 By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.”  (NASB95)

“9 People conceived and brought into life by God don’t make a practice of sin. How could they? God’s seed is deep within them, making them who they are. It’s not in the nature of the God-begotten to practice and parade sin.  10 Here’s how you tell the difference between God’s children and the Devil’s children: The one who won’t practice righteous ways isn’t from God, nor is the one who won’t love brother or sister. A simple test.”  (Message)

            The seed that John is writing about in this section is the new nature that God gives to all who trust Him as Savior and Lord, and once a person is given this new nature he will not want to sin.  It is good to remember that all true believers have two natures that live within them and only one of them has a desire to do what God’s will is for them, the other one only wants to do wrong things.  It is also important to remember that the one who is feed the most will dominate the life of the believer.

            John contrasts the true believer with the non-believer in verse ten: the children of God will live a righteous life because of their new nature and because the Spirit of God lives within them, and the children of the devil will not practice righteousness, and this will show because they do not love their Christian brothers.

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  In Warren Wiersbe’s commentary on these verses, he points out that these verses are not written for the believer to judge and see if a person is a believer or not, other than themselves.  As believers we are told to check and make sure that we are in the faith.  It is the work of the Holy Spirit to convict people, and sometimes I forget that it is His job and not mine.

 

The Word of God has brought conviction to my heart as I read it this morning.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  Trust the Lord to show us how to get ready for this trip, and also trust the Lord to give us the grace we need in living in another country for two and a half months.  To also trust the Lord, so that I can be a help to HRSG in getting this job done on time, and that I can be a blessing to those I work with.  Also that I may see the importance of doing things correctly and following directions of those in charge of this job.

Christ has Defeated the Devil (1 John 3:7-8)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 08-30-04

 

My Worship Time                                             Focus:  Christ has defeated the Devil

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  1John 3:7-8

 

            Message of the verse:  “7 Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it is because they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous.

8 But when people keep on sinning, it shows they belong to the Devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy these works of the Devil.”  (NLT)  “7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.  8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”  (NKJV)

            John starts out verse seven by writing about deceit, and there were people in John’s day who were saying that it is okay to practice sin after you become a believer because God will forgive you.  When a person is born of God he will sin, however it will not be his desire to sin, and when he does sin he will feel badly about sinning, because that is not his nature anymore.

            John is saying in these two verses that those who follow the Lord will not practice sin; however those who do not belong to the Lord will practice sin.  He goes on in the last part of verse eight to say that Jesus Christ has defeated the Devil, and this was done at the cross when Jesus died for my sins.  Satan is still a powerful foe, yet he is a defeated foe.  The word destroy means to render inoperative, or loss of power, but it does not mean that Satan has been annihilated.

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  It is good to realize that Satan is a defeated foe, even though he still has power, yet he can not do anything unless the Lord allows him to do it. God is still in control of planet earth, even though at times it does not seem like that is the case.

 

The Word of God was refreshing to my heart as I read it this morning.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  Trust in the Lord with all of my heart and lean not upon my own understanding, in all of my ways acknowledge the Lord and He will surely direct my paths.

In the Past Jesus Died for Me (1 John 3:4-6)

SPIRITUAL DIARY For:  08-27-04

 

My Worship Time                                          Focus:  In the past Jesus died for me

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                         Reference: 1John 3:4-6

 

            Message of the verse:  “4 Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.  5 You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin.  6 No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him. (NAS95)  4 Those who sin are opposed to the law of God, for all sin opposes the law of God.  5 And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, for there is no sin in him.  6 So if we continue to live in him, we won’t sin either. But those who keep on sinning have never known him or understood who he is.”(NLT)  “6 The man who lives "in Christ" does not habitually sin. The regular sinner has never seen or known him.”  (Philips)

            I would first like to make the comment that verse six has been somewhat of a mystery to me for some time and the things that I have learned from Dr. Wiersbe’s book has certainly been most hopeful in understanding this verse.

            In verse four John gives one of the definitions of sin that are in the Bible; he writes that sin is lawlessness.  Sin is disobedience to God and to His Law, and it is an attitude problem.  The person who is an unbeliever sins because that is all he can do for it is in his nature to sin.  Another point that is needed to be made here is that there is a difference between sin and sins.  “Sins are the fruit, but sin is the root.”

            In verse five John states that the reason for Christ’s visit to planet earth was to take away sin for those who are believers, and he also states that Jesus was completely without sin. 

            “When a person is born into the family of God he cannot practice lawlessness.  For one thing, Jesus Christ was without sin, and to abide in Him means to be identified with the One who is sinless.  And even more than that, Jesus Christ died to take away our sins!  If we know the person of Christ, and if we have shared in the blessing of His death, we cannot deliberately disobey God.  The whole work of the cross is denied when a professed Christian practices deliberate sin.”

            Verse six in the NAS95 uses the work abide in it and says that “no one who abides in Him sins.”  To abide in Christ means to have fellowship with Him, and there are times in the life of the believer when he is not abiding with Christ.  Jesus gives us the picture of how to abide in Him in John 15 when He talks about the vine and the branches.  John is writing about two people here in verse six those who are believers and do not sin habitually, and those who are unbelievers who can do nothing but sin, for that is their nature.

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I am glade that I understand this section better than I have in the past, and understand why it is that I sin, and now I need to practice being in fellowship with Christ by knowing how to abide in Him.

 

The word of God was convicting to me as I read it this morning.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  Continue to trust the Lord to lead and direct me in the way that I should go.

 

 

 

 

Helps For Living a Holy Life (1 John 3:1-3)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 08-02-04

 

My Worship Time                                                      Focus:  Helps for living a holy life

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  1John 3:1-3

 

            Message of the verse:  “1 See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.  2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is.  3 And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”  (NASB)  “1 See how very much our heavenly Father loves us, for he allows us to be called his children, and we really are! But the people who belong to this world don’t know God, so they don’t understand that we are his children.  2 Yes, dear friends, we are already God’s children, and we can’t even imagine what we will be like when Christ returns. But we do know that when he comes we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. 3 And all who believe this will keep themselves pure, just as Christ is pure.”  (NLT)

            In verse one John tells his readers what they are, and in verse two he tells them what they shall be, and in verse three he tells them in light of what they shall be, what they should be.  1John 3:1tells of the great love that the heavenly Father has for His children, and of the wonderful privilege of being called the children of God.  He goes on to write something that Jesus said in reference to Himself, and now this is in reference to His children, and that is that because His children are called His sons the world does not know the true believers, and the reason they do not know true believers is because they do not know God.

            In verse two John tells his readers that because of the great love the Father has for them that one day they will be like Jesus, when they see Him face to face.  This seems to be speaking of Christ’s second return and at that time all true believers will have their new glorified bodies just like the one Christ has had since His resurrection.

            In light of God’s love for his children, and in light of one day in the future when all believers will be like Him, then all true believers should live a holy life, as John puts it they should purify themselves just like Jesus Christ is pure. 

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  One of the things that I have been struggling with is putting into practice the things that I have learned for doing my daily devotions each day.  I seem to have a good time around the Word of God each day, yet putting into practice the things that I have learned has been a bit of a struggle for me.  John has been talking about abiding in Christ, and Jesus spoke of this in John 15, when he talked about the vine and the branches.  I also think that meditating upon the verses that I memorize is a good way to be living a holy life.

 

The Word of God has brought conviction and hope to me as I have read it this morning.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  Trust in the Lord with all of my heart and lean not upon my own understanding, in all my ways acknowledge Him, and then He has promised to direct my path.

 

Memory verses for the week:  1Cor. 13:8-11

 

Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.  For we know in part and we prophecy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.  When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.    

Abide in the Lord (1 John 2:28-29)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 08-01-04

 

My Worship Time                                                                  Focus:  Abide in the Lord

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  1John 2:28-29

 

            Message of the verse:  “28 And now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.  29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him.”  (NASB)  “28 And now, dear children, continue to live in fellowship with Christ so that when he returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame.  29 Since we know that God is always right, we also know that all who do what is right are his children.”  (NLT)

            This is a repeat of these two verses, do to the fact that I had to back up my computer to before the time when I did this on the 31st of July, and so it erased that spiritual diary.

            These two verses are a bridge between the first theme of this letter, which is the fellowship portion of the first two chapters, and the second theme of this letter, which is the sonship (born of God), portion of this letter, and the remaining chapters in the letter.  There are three words I wish to focus in on at first, and they are abide, appear, and ashamed.  The Greek word that the English word abide comes from has this meaning, “a primary verb; to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy): — abide, continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain, stand, tarry (for), X thine own.”  John writes that the believer is to abide in Jesus Christ, and one of the reasons that he is to abide in Jesus Christ is so that when He returns to collect His Church those who have been abiding in Him will not be ashamed.  The word appear is referring to the rapture of the Church, which is the snatching away of the Church by Jesus Christ at the end of this Church age, and one of the things that will take place shortly after this will be the “Judgment Seat of Christ,” and in that event all of the believers from the Church age will be judged, not for sin, but for faithfulness to the Lord with the things He has given them to do.  If the believer has been abiding in Christ so that he has been faithful to the things that He has called him to do, then he will be rewarded, but if he has not been faithful he will not be rewarded, but will be ashamed. 

            In verse 29 John writes about how one can identify a true believer, or at least one of the clues to identifying one, and that is if he is practicing righteousness just as the Father is righteous.

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  If I want to understand what the Lord has for me to do in this walk with Him, then I need to abide in Him at all times to find out what His direction is for me.

 

The Word of God has brought conviction to my heart as I read it this morning.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  I think that this abiding in Christ is what goes on for the rest of the day after my personal devotions with God in the morning. 

 

Memory verses for the week:  1Cor. 13: 8-11

 

Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.  For we know in part and we prophecy in part; but when the perfect comes the partial will be done away.  When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.

The Holy Spirit is our Teacher (1 John 2:26-27)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 07-26-04

 

My Worship Time                                          Focus:  The Holy Spirit is our teacher

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  1John 2:26-27

 

            Message of the verse:  “26 These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.  27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.”  (AV)  “26 I have written these things to you because you need to be aware of those who want to lead you astray.  27 But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you all things, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So continue in what he has taught you, and continue to live in Christ.”  (NLT)

            The first two chapters of 1John focus on fellowship, and in order to be in fellowship believers must “abide” in the Holy Spirit of God.  In this section of 1John that is being looked at the word abide is used four times: 2:19; 2:24; 2:27; 2:28.  It was also used four times earlier in this letter.  The last three chapters in this letter focus in on the sonship of the believer, or being born of God.  Verses 27-28 are bridge verses that connect the two subjects.

            John, from time to time tells his readers why he is writing certain things to them, and he does this in verse 26, where he says that he has written to his readers because they need to be aware of those who want to lead them astray.  He then goes on to tell them why they should not be led astray, and that is because of the anointing of the Holy Spirit that all true believers have.  In the OT anointing was done to priests, kings and prophets, and pouring oil on their heads did it.  It meant that these people were set aside to be used by God, thus anointing means to be set aside for being used of God.  The anointing in the NT is done by the Holy Spirit of God to all who are true believers, and this sets him aside for the ministry that God has for him to do.  All true NT believers are priest of God, as seen in 1Peter 2:5&9.

            The Holy Spirit also teaches the believer “all things” and these things are true, and not a lie.  True believer does not need anyone to teach you the things that are true, because He does this.  Now this does not mean that believers are not to attend church and be under the teaching of an under shepherd, for the Bible teaches us this should be done, but when we are taught by teachers the Holy Spirit will show us any error that they may teach.  The bottom line is that the Holy Spirit of God is our true teacher. 

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  While attending Sunday school yesterday I think that Dr. Turnbull was teaching an error in one of his points on Psalm 109, when he said that when David wrote this that it was a mistake some of the things he was writing.  After some research on the matter I have come to the conclusion that this was not a mistake what David wrote for there are no mistakes in Scripture.  This lesson from God’s Word today has reinforced this to me today.

 

The Word of God has challenged my heart as I read it this morning.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  I want to prayerfully consider how I am to confront what Bruce Turnbull taught yesterday.  I need to have facts, as best I can, to show him that he was in error.  This needs to be done prayerfully and in the spirit of love.

Memory verses for the week:  1Cor. 13:8-10

 

 

Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.  For we know in part and we prophecy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.

Keep on Doing what is Right (1 John 2:24-25)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 07-23-04

 

My Worship Time                                                      Focus:  Keep on doing what is Right

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                         Reference:  1John 2:24-25

 

            Message of the verse:  “24 For yourselves keep faithful to what you heard at the beginning. If you do, you will be living in fellowship with both the Father and the Son.  25 And that means sharing his own life forever, as he has promised.”  (Philips) 

            In verse 23 John is writing about those antichrists who have denied the Son, yet they expect to have fellowship with the Father, which John tells them that is not possible.  Now John is reminding them of the truth that they had learned when they first were saved, and encourages them to build upon that, and if they do that they will be having continued fellowship with both the Father and the Son.  In the AV the word fellowship is not used, but the word “in” is used in its place, and in another version the word “abiding” is used.  If I understand the meaning of the Greek word used here it means that once you are in Christ you are in Him forever.  With that being said, I do think that this passage is teaching that we are to continue to grow in our walk and fellowship with the Lord, and that may be why the other versions use that word, “fellowship” in this verse.

            Verse 25 goes on to enforce this meaning of continued growth, but stating that we will be sharing in the life of Christ forever.

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today: The last thing that Peter wrote to those he was writing to was that as believers we need to continue to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and that we are to bring glory to Him forever.  These thoughts kind of summarize what I get from these two verses.

 

The Word of God was refreshing to my heart as I read it this morning.  They also brought conviction to my heart too.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  Continue to trust the Lord with the things that go on in Canada with our investments, and to continue to trust the Lord with finding a new pastor for our church.  Continue to trust the Lord with whether or not He would want me to work for Tim in the event he finds a job. 

Memory verses for the week:  1Cor. 13:8-10

 

Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease, if there is knowledge, it will be done away.  For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes the partial will be done away. 

 

 

Jesus is Gold's Son, And the Only way to Him (1 John 2:22-23)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 07-19-04

 

My Worship Time                              Focus:  Jesus Is God’s Son, And Only Way To Him

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  1John 2:22-23

 

            Message of the verse:  “22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.  23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.”  (NKJV)

            John goes right after these false teachers in these two verses by saying that if anyone denies that Jesus is the Christ then he is antichrist, or against Christ.  And not only that John does not give those who say that they only worship the Father a way out because he says that if you deny the Son you also deny the Father.  Jesus Christ, God’s only Son came to earth to demonstrate who God really is, and thus He has said that he who has seen Me has seen the Father.  “14:9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how do you say, ‘Show us the Father’?”  John goes on to write more about this in verse 23, where he wrote that whoever denies the Son does not have the Father, but he who acknowledges the Son has the Father.  The word for acknowledge in the Greek means to confess, or to say the same thing about something.  In other words when we confess the Son and the Father we are saying the same thing about them that they have said about themselves. This cannot be done in a casual way in order to become a believer.

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  A note in the Life Application Bible spoke to my heart this morning when is said that Jesus Christ is God’s way of revealing Himself to the world.  I think that I can take that a step further by saying that I, as a believer in Jesus Christ are His way to reveal Him to this lost world that I live in. 

 

The Word of God was refreshing to my heart as well as a challenge.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  Continue to trust the Lord with the things going on in Canada concerning Andrew, and our investments.  Continue to trust the Lord to use Ann and Paul Mack in bringing closure to this storm that has come to so many people.  Trust the Lord to bring out those to the prayer meeting tonight that he wants there.

 

Memory verses for the week:  1Cor. 13:8-10

Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.  For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes the partial will be done away.

AS Believers You Know the Truth (1 John 2:20-21)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 07-16-04

 

My Worship Time                                                                  Focus:  You know the truth

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  1John 2:20-21

 

            Message of the verse:  “20 But you are not like that, for the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and all of you know the truth.  21 So I am writing to you not because you don’t know the truth but because you know the difference between truth and falsehood.”  (NLT)  “20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.  21 I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth.”  (NIV)

            In these two verses John is comparing those false teachers who “went out from among us,” to the true believers that he is writing this letter to.  The difference is that the true believers have the anointing of the Holy Spirit, and they know the Jesus Christ is God come in the flesh, where as the false teachers will not confess this truth and do not have the Holy Spirit.  The false teachers thought they had something different and better, but that was a lie too, for when they were exposed to the truth they did not accept the truth, but rather believed the age-old lie of Satan, that they could be as God.  That was the same lie he told Eve in the garden.

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I am thankful to know the truth and am also thankful that the Holy Spirit lives in me.  The more that I learn about the truth the less likely I am to believe any of the lies that are out there.

 

The Word of God was challenging to my heart as I read it this morning.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  Continue to trust the Lord with the things that are going on in Canada, and also with the possibility of a job in California, and with the health of Irene, and also with what Steve will decide about me giving my testimony to our church.

Memory verses for the week:  1Cor. 13:8

 

 

Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.

They Were Not Really Ours at All (1 John 2:18-19)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 07-15-04

 

My Worship Time                                          Focus:  They were not really ours at all

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  1John 2:18-19

 

            Message of the verse:  “18 Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen; from this we know that it is the last hour.  19 They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, in order that it might be shown that they all are not of us.”  (NASB) 

            This section starts a new chapter in Dr. Wiersbe’s book, and in his book he explains the three meanings of the word “antichrist.  1.  A spirit in the world that opposes or denies Christ.  2.  The false teachers who embody this spirit.  3.  A person who will head up the finial revolt against Christ. 

            Another term that needs to be explained here is “last hour.”  It seems when you read that we are in the last hour that believers will wonder why Christ has not returned yet.  The term means that because we are in the Church age that we are in the last hour of history.  Jesus Christ has completed the plan for salvation on the cross and all that remains is for those who have been called to be saved. Christians have always lived in the last hour, and this is a crisis hour so believers must know what they believe.

            In verse 19 John is saying that these antichrists or false teachers have come out of the local church, yet they were not part of the worldwide Church.  They were in the church but not of the church, for they were never true believers, and thus were doing what actually came natural for them because they were never saved in the first place. 

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today: Two things come to my mind as I read these verses and they are that I need to be sure of my salvation as Paul urged believers to do, and that it is possible that people whom I think are believers are really not believers at all.  Only God knows for sure. 

 

The Word of God was challenging to me as I read it today.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  Continue to trust the Lord with the events that are going on in Canada and also in Washington D. C.  Trust the Lord with the wittiness that was given to Irene and her roommate yesterday, that the Lord would use it for His glory. Trust the Lord with my attitude.

Memory verses for the week:  1Cor 13:8

 

Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away, if there are tongues, they will cease, if there is knowledge, it will be done away.

Believer's are not to love the world because it will pass away (1 John 2:17)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 07-13-04

 

My Worship Time      Focus:  Believers are not to love the world because it will not last.

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  1John 2:17

 

            Message of the verse:  “7 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”  (NKJV)  “17 The world and all its passionate desires will one day disappear. But the man who is following God’s will is part of the permanent and cannot die.”  (Philips) 

            In this short verse John brings out some wonderful truths. John first tells his readers that this present world system that we live in is not going to be around forever, he says it is passing away along with all of its passionate desires.  Believers are to be in the world but they are not to be of the world, and there is a big difference.  In Jesus’ high priestly prayer of John 17 He mentioned to His Father that His children were not to be taken out of this world system, but He asks protection for them from Satan.  Moses is a good example of one who realized this truth, for he had a chance to be the leader of the most powerful nation in the world, yet Hebrews 11: 24-26 says, “ By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; 25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin; 26 considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.”  Moses also knew what the will of God was for his life as he spent much time with God and with the Word of God so he would be able to prove and understand what God’s will was for him.

            There are three ways that God can show a believer what His will for there life is:  First He shows His will through His Word.  A believer must read God’s Word each day so he can be feed from it and also by doing this he will begin to understand what God’s will for his life is.  Believers are to read, study, meditate, and put into practice the Word of God in their lives.  The second way God shows His children what His will is for them is by circumstances.  God opens doors for His children that He wants them to go through; however He will never open a door that is contrary to what His Word teaches us.  Prayer is the third way that God shows His own His will for them.  It has been said that prayer is lining up heavens will with our will.  When believers begin to pray to God and ask Him what He wants them to do then there walk with the Lord has become very close with Him. 

            The first thing that a believer has to do in order to do the will of God is to surrender everything to Him, and by doing this he will begin to realize that his Heavenly Father will never do anything to hurt him, but will only do what is best for Him, and that that will bring honor and glory to God.  This is not saying that believers will not have trials in their lives, yet even these trials are allowed to bring maturity to the child of God.  Romans 12:1-2 are verses that can be repeated to the Lord each day.  “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.  2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  It is most important to me to understand and to do the will of God in my life.  It is at times hard to understand but the rewards are out of the world.

 

The Word of God was very challenging to my heart this morning as I read His Word.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  Continue to trust the Lord with this burden, and message that He has laid upon my heart, and to also trust the Lord with what is going on in Canada.

Memory verse for the week:  1Cor. 13:8

 

Love never fails, but if there are gifts of prophecy they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.

Belivers Do Not Love the World Because of Who They Are (1 John 2:12-14)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 07-12-04

 

My Worship Time      Focus:  Believers do not love the world because of who they are.

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  1John 2:12-14

 

            Message of the verse:  “12 I write this letter to you all, as my dear children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake.  13 I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who has always existed. And to you young men I am writing because you have defeated the evil one.  14 I have written to you, dear children, because you have known the Father; to you fathers because you have known the one who has always existed, and to you young men because you have all the vigor of youth, because God’s truth is at home in you and because you have defeated the evil one.”  (Philips)  “12  I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.  13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.  14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.”  (AV)

            In these three verses John writes about the different levels of the Christian life by using the illustration of different names.  He first talks about the “little children,” and this refers to those who have been born into God’s family through the new birth, which are all believers.  He goes on to write that all believers have had their sins forgiven through what Christ has accomplished on the cross.  Next he writes to the fathers, and this refers to those who are mature in the faith.  Next he writes to the young men who are growing in their faith and the proof of this is that they are defeating the evil one.  Satan is the head of the world system, and he tries to get God’s children to get satisfaction through his counterfeit system. These young men that John is referring to are defeating the evil on by the Word of God just as Jesus did.  In the last portion of verse 13 the phrase “little children” is used again, however this is not the same Greek word as used in verse 12, and this word is referring to immature believers, those who have known the Father for sometime, yet they are not growing closer to Him as they should be.  John summarizes whom he has been writing to in verse 14 by again repeating all of these types of levels of those in the faith.

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  John’s words are very sobering to me as I have looked at the different levels of the believer’s walk, or maturity with the Lord and wonder where it is that I fit.  The world is not nearly as astrictive to me as it once was, and one of the reasons is the trials that the Lord has seen fit to send my way.

 

 The Word of God was very challenging to my heart as I read it this morning, and it was also very refreshing, and convicting too.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  Trust the Lord with the different doctor appointments that Sandy and I have today, that He will see us through them and the results will bring honor to His name.  Trust the Lord as I prepare for the devotion for this evenings prayer meeting, and also for those He will send out to pray for our Church. Continue to trust the Lord as to where He would have me present the message He is giving to me. 

Memory verses for the week:  1Cor 13:8

 

Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.