Category: I John

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Grateful for Unconditional Love

Unconditional love and loving-kindness walk hand in hand.

We saw over the last week that the loving-kindness of God is His love in action. His protection, provision, peace and forgiveness. Forgiveness is certainly paramount in my life and thoughts.

For years, I felt I had to earn God’s love. I needed to be reading my Bible every day, praying according to some set standard, going to church by man’s standard, doing as many good works as possible and giving, not only finances but my time, according to a standard.

I couldn’t! I didn’t measure up to the standard of a good Christian.

“My dear children, I am writing this to you so you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, there is One Who will go between him and the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the One Who is right with God. 2 He paid for our sins with His own blood. He did not pay for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world.” I John 2:1-2 NLV

My sins – past, present and future – were paid for by Christ. We were on His heart before He went to the cross and willingly gave His life. We were forefront in His thoughts. He died for us. He wanted us to have an unbroken relationship with His Father.

“I do not pray for these followers only. I pray for those who will put their trust in Me through the teaching they have heard. 21 May they all be as one, Father, as You are in Me and I am in You. May they belong to Us. Then the world will believe that You sent Me. 22 I gave them the honor You gave Me that they may be one as We are One. 23 I am in them and You are in Me so they may be one and be made perfect. Then the world may know that You sent Me and that You love them as You love Me.” John 17:20-23 NLV

This was just part of the prayer Jesus prayed on the night He was arrested and taken to trial. His thoughts weren’t on the persecution He was about to face, He was thinking of us!

“The Lord says, ‘I love you people with a love that continues forever. That is why I have continued showing you kindness.'” Jeremiah 31:3 ERV

Forever!

“We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. 23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 24 Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.” Romans 3:22-24 NLT

I want to spend my time walking and talking with Him each day. My Father loves me. All those things I said I felt I had to do to earn and deserve God’s love, I now do because of my love and gratitude for His unconditional love!

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Letters of Love

Don’t you love getting personalized gifts? Something that was made or designed just for you…

It could be something to wear, eat or decorate with but you know that it is specifically for you. Cards made by your kids, grandkids or your spouse are the most treasured items we have.

Now let me ask you this. When you read the Bible is it just a book that you read because you think you should or is it a personalized love letter that you can’t put down?

If it’s the former let’s change it to the latter. God inspired its writing so He could tell you how much He loves you.

Take this passage in Ephesians 2.

“Once we were also ruled by the selfish desires of our bodies and minds. We had made God angry, and we were going to be punished like everyone else.

4-5 But God was merciful! We were dead because of our sins, but God loved us so much that he made us alive with Christ, and God’s wonderful kindness is what saves you. 6 God raised us from death to life with Christ Jesus, and he has given us a place beside Christ in heaven. 7 God did this so that in the future world he could show how truly good and kind he is to us because of what Christ Jesus has done. 8 You were saved by faith in God, who treats us much better than we deserve. This is God’s gift to you, and not anything you have done on your own. 9 It isn’t something you have earned, so there is nothing you can brag about. 10 God planned for us to do good things and to live as he has always wanted us to live. That’s why he sent Christ to make us what we are.” Ephesians 2:3-10 CEV

Please go back and read those verses again but this time substitute the words I, my, me for the words we, our, us and you. Now, go back one more time and read it again only this time read it out loud. I want you to hear, really hear, the message of God’s love with your own ears.

Personalize God’s word. Let it sink down deep into your heart and let the Holy Spirit begin to reveal to you just how special you are to your heavenly Father.

“You were (I was) saved by faith in God, who treats us (me) much better than we (I) deserve. This is God’s gift to you (me), and not anything you (I) have done on your (my) own. 9 It isn’t something you (I) have earned, so there is nothing you (I) can brag about.” my paraphrase

I have several different places I read in the Bible each morning. Each of them reminds me of God’s goodness and love. I don’t want to start the day without that being my foremost thought.

“This is how God showed his love to us: He sent his only Son into the world to give us life through him. 10 True love is God’s love for us, not our love for God. He sent his Son as the way to take away our sins.” I John 4:9-10 ERV

Amen!

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Blessed Assurance

Another morning started with praise!

There is a time and place when completely alone, no noise – only the sound of my own breathing, that from the depth of my heart a song rises up.

“This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.”

That’s the chorus to a hymn written 150 years ago by Fannie Crosby, “Blessed Assurance”. Miss Crosby wrote hundreds of hymns of faith. She was a woman who faced hardships, not the least being that she was blind from the early age of three. Her mother and grandmother raised her to know and trust God’s word and it’s evident in her music.

The first verse of this hymn goes like this:

“Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.”

Heir of salvation, purchased of God, Born of His Spirit, I’m washed in His blood. What a marvelous truth, a truth to give strength, hope and resolve. The premise for this song comes from a verse in Hebrews.

“So let’s come near God with pure hearts and a confidence that comes from having faith. Let’s keep our hearts pure, our consciences free from evil, and our bodies washed with clean water.” Hebrews 10:22 CEV

The writer of Hebrews spent the whole book comparing the sacrifices and duties of the Old Testament priests with the blood sacrifice of Jesus. The sacrifice of animals had to be done every year to cover sin but the blood sacrifice of Christ was done once and for all, cleansing us completely.

“But Christ offered himself as a sacrifice that is good forever. Now he is sitting at God’s right side, 13 and he will stay there until his enemies are put under his power. 14 By his one sacrifice he has forever set free from sin the people he brings to God.” Hebrews 10:12-14 CEV

A sacrifice that is good forever, never needing to be repeated, offered by the sinless Lamb of God; one sacrifice setting us free from sin!

“ Christ is the sacrifice that takes away our sins and the sins of all the world’s people.” I John 2:2 CEV

This sweet assurance is mine and is available to all who receive the sacrifice that Christ made on our behalf. This is my story, this is my song…Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!

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What’s Missing?

When you get up in the morning do you feel things are missing in your life? Or do you get up with a smile on your lips and a song in your heart knowing that life is good?

Too often we are focused on the wrong things – what we need, what we want, what we don’t have. Instead, we should be seeing what we have been given – it’s definitely more than enough.

“ I always thank my God for you because of the grace that he has given you through Christ Jesus. 5 In him you have been blessed in every way. You have been blessed in all your speaking and all your knowledge. 6 This proves that what we told you about Christ is true. 7 Now you have every gift from God while you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to come again. 8 He will keep you strong until the end so that on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ comes, you will be free from all blame. 9 God is faithful. He is the one who has chosen you to share life with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” I Corinthians 1:4-9

Did you see that – God is faithful!

We have every gift from God, now, while you wait. Heaven will be glorious, but God has a plan while we’re here. These verses were written by the Apostle Paul, but Peter said the same thing.

“Jesus has the power of God. And his power has given us everything we need to live a life devoted to God. We have these things because we know him. Jesus chose us by his glory and goodness, 4 through which he also gave us the very great and rich gifts that he promised us. With these gifts you can share in being like God. And so you will escape the ruin that comes to people in the world because of the evil things they want.” II Peter 1:3-4

We have been given EVERYTHING we need – we have been given the Father’s great and precious promises!

If Peter and Paul aren’t credible enough, let’s look at what John has to say on the subject.

“So we know the love that God has for us, and we trust that love. God is love. Everyone who lives in love lives in God, and God lives in them. 17 If God’s love is made perfect in us, we can be without fear on the day when God judges the world. We will be without fear, because in this world we are like Jesus. 18 Where God’s love is, there is no fear, because God’s perfect love takes away fear. It is his punishment that makes a person fear. So his love is not made perfect in the one who has fear.” I John 4:16-18 ERV

In this world we are like Jesus! I didn’t say that, the Apostle John did. Jesus had the promises of God and lived by them and expected to see God’s word work in His life. He lived a life of love – loved by the Father and loving the Father. There was no fear in Him. We have the same promises; we have the same Father’s love and so we can live in this world with the same power and blessing.

That pie, with the missing piece, should serve as a reminder of the “goodness of God” that we have already enjoyed. It should also be an indication that there is more than enough left to nourish us each day.

When we let the Scripture be our source of authority it will overrule our circumstances and fill our days with His power.

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Under the Circumstances

Too many times people become overwhelmed by the circumstances that surround them. I remember once I taught a ladies Bible Study on “Are You Under the Circumstances or A World Overcomer?”

This was a six week study so suffice it to say that I won’t be doing the full teaching here…

The enemy tries to get us to focus on the circumstances. Daniel had to face lions, David went up against a giant, Peter was in a small boat on a stormy sea, Paul was shipwrecked, beaten, bitten by a poisonous snake, stoned and imprisoned.

However, I continually find myself going back to these verses and principles, putting myself in remembrance of what God says my life should be. The Father wants us to look up, above the circumstances, to His promises, power and peace.

“I have told you these things so that you can have peace in me. In this world you will have troubles. But be brave! I have defeated the world!” John 16:33 ERV

“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” I John 4:4 NKJV

“Every child of God can defeat the world, and our faith is what gives us this victory. 5 No one can defeat the world without having faith in Jesus as the Son of God.” I John 5:4-5 CEV

So when you are feeling overwhelmed or under the circumstances do what King David said.

“God, hear my cry for help. Listen to my prayer. 2 From a faraway land I call to you for help. I feel so weak and helpless! Carry me to a high rock where no one can reach me. 3 You are my place of safety, a strong tower that protects me from my enemies.” Psalm 61:1-3 ERV

I can almost hear someone say, “that’s fine and good for you but my lifestyle isn’t close to God. He probably doesn’t want anything to do with me and wouldn’t help me if I asked.”

Let me remind you of a young man who felt that way about his father. He had squandered his money – lived with prostitutes, gamblers and didn’t care about anyone but himself. Then when he got to the bottom, he thought he would try to go home and work as a hired hand.

The Father had other plans. He saw his son coming from a long way, ran to him, hugged and kissed him and restored him to right standing. And so, He WILL do it for you too.

Don’t be overwhelmed by the world instead overcome it in Jesus!

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Held in Bondage

A new day! A fresh start – opportunities, potential, promise all lay ahead of you today. How will you spend the time that God has given you today?

If there are obstacles in your way do what Moses did:

“And the LORD said to Moses, “Rise early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh as he comes out to the water. Then say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Let My people go, that they may serve Me.” Exodus 8:20 NKJV

Speak to that situation that is trying to keep you enslaved and tell it the Great I AM has freed you from its power. You have been moved to a place of victory through your relationship with Christ.

Is there a particular fear or apprehension that has you weighed down? Has anger and bitterness kept your emotions locked in chains?

“Loving God means obeying his commands. And God’s commands are not too hard for us, 4 because everyone who is a child of God has the power to win against the world. 5 It is our faith that has won the victory against the world. So who wins against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.” I John 5:3-5 ERV

Joshua told us we would have good success if we kept our thoughts centered on God’s word day and night. Our faith strengthens when we are focused on His word.

“Always remember what is written in that book of law. Speak about that book and study it day and night. Then you can be sure to obey what is written there. If you do this, you will be wise and successful in everything you do. 9 Remember, I commanded you to be strong and brave. Don’t be afraid, because the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:8-9 ERV

King David told us to rise early and seek God.

“Show me your faithful love this morning. I trust in you. Show me what I should do. I put my life in your hands! 9 Lord, I come to you for protection. Save me from my enemies. 10 Show me what you want me to do. You are my God. Let your good Spirit lead me over level ground.” Psalm 143:8-10 ERV

Don’t despise getting up early. It’s God’s time of preparation, getting us ready for the day and a walk of victory!

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What Great Love!

This morning I was thinking about the events of yesterday. Sending and receiving emails with friends and neighbors. Phone calls with the kids. Truly a day bathed in love.

In all of this I was telling the Lord “I love you dearly”. And then I heard, “why”. Why…why do I love you? The answer that first came to mind was because You are worthy.

Wrong!

We don’t love based on worthiness. If we do, that isn’t true love. We don’t love because we “fall in love” because that would mean we could fall out of love.

In our relationship with the Lord we love because we take on His nature and follow His commandments

“Jesus answered, ‘The most important one (commandment) says: ‘People of Israel, you have only one Lord and God. 30 You must love him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.’ 31 The second most important commandment says: ‘Love others as much as you love yourself.’ No other commandment is more important than these.” Mark 12:29-31 CEV

“If we truly love others and live as Christ did in this world, we won’t be worried about the day of judgment. 18 A real love for others will chase those worries away. The thought of being punished is what makes us afraid. It shows that we have not really learned to love. 19 We love because God loved us first.” I John 4:17-19 CEV

Love in its truest form isn’t a verb but a noun. As a verb it would imply action and so if I choose not to act, then I could choose not to love.

However, when I recognize that love is a noun – the name of a person, place or thing, then the only way that love would cease to exist is if the person of love, God Himself, ceased to exist.

So let’s ask the question again. Why do I love you Lord?

Answer: You loved me first and Your love never fails or comes to an end. You gave me Your DNA when I was born again into Your family so I take on Your character and nature and I love.

Thank you Father for being the personification of love – for taking love from an action, making it a person (Christ) and for giving me the command and the ability to be a living example of Your love!

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Grasshopper Syndrome

Have you ever heard of “grasshoppers syndrome”? If you have, I’d be surprised because I think I just made it up but it’s possible someone else has had the same witty thought I have. Grasshopper Syndrome was first diagnosed in Numbers 13.

Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt and God said He had given them the Promised Land. All they had to do was go in and possess it. Moses chose twelve men to go in, spy out the land and bring back a report. Ten men came back with Grasshopper Syndrome and two men, Joshua and Caleb, came back “considering” only the good that God had revealed to them.

The ten men said this:

“And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.” Numbers 13:33

The problem wasn’t the giants in the land, it’s that they were considering the giants and not God and saw themselves as grasshoppers. Their misconception kept them wandering in the wilderness area for years to come.

Years later we find a second outbreak of Grasshopper Syndrome. It occurs in I Samuel 17. The story of David and Goliath. The army of Israel had heard Goliath taunt them for 40 days.

“And the Philistine said, ‘I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together’. 11 When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.” I Samuel 17:10-11

Goliath was the largest man around. He came out twice a day mocking the armies of God. Grasshopper Syndrome had spread throughout the entire army, and they were filled with fear.

Then David, a shepherd boy, showed up. He heard Goliath’s defiant cries, and asked but one question “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine?” David didn’t concern himself with Goliath’s size. No, he considered God’s promise of protection to the Israelites.

Circumcision was a sign that God had promised to always be with the Israelites. It meant I will give you My all and when you need Me, I will be there.”

David said to the Philistine, ‘You come to me using sword, spear, and javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD All-Powerful, the God of the armies of Israel. You have said bad things about him. 46 Today the LORD will let me defeat you. I will kill you. I will cut off your head and feed your body to the birds and wild animals…Then all the world will know there is a God in Israel…The battle belongs to the LORD, and he will help us defeat all of you’.” I Samuel 17:45-47

With one shot from David’s sling, Goliath was dead.

What kind of Goliath is standing in front of you today – unemployment, illness, personal relationships, financial hardship – whatever it is, do like David. Consider God and not the giant.

“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” I John 4:4

Take God’s word and destroy the giant, remove Grasshopper Syndrome from your thinking, let God’s word have final authority in your life. You are and will be victorious in this life!

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Well, Then…

O give thanks unto the Lord for He is good!!

End of sentence, end of paragraph, end of story! To keep our peace, we MUST keep our focus – God is good. So far this year the Lord has had me share on His amazing grace, His unconditional love, the power of His word and now, on His peace.

“Never stop praying. 18 Whatever happens, always be thankful. This is how God wants you to live in Christ Jesus. 19 Don’t stop the work of the Holy Spirit.” I Thessalonians 5:17-19 ERV

It took me a while to understand the verses written above. Growing up I would hear verses like this, and it would be followed with a comment like “we just never know what God’s going to do so we have to be thankful for whatever it comes our way”. No! Rape, murder, divorce, financial devastation, cancer – no, I don’t have to be thankful for those.

But, I do need to be thankful that no matter what comes I have Jesus in my life and greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world. I can be thankful because this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. I can and will be thankful because Jesus said, in this world you will have tribulation but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

“For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. 5 And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.” I John 5:4-5 NLT

Focus, Kristi, focus.

When my life is in Christ Jesus, it doesn’t matter what comes my way, I can give thanks knowing that I won’t be going through it alone. God, the Father, has sent the Holy Spirit to guide me through successfully.

“14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.” Romans 8:14-16 NLT

Yes!

Now this is what I can be thankful for. I can be at peace because my mind is stayed on the Father and on the truth that He is good. It is God’s Spirit, the Holy Spirit, who empowers me each day, reminding me that I have been adopted and my Father has caused me to inherit His nature and His blessings.

Jesus is my example. He faced hard times – persecutions, riotous mobs, hunger, betrayal, a cross but He was victorious!

“The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.” Romans 8:11 NLT

Well, then…since the same Spirit who raised Christ from the dead now lives in us, we can be at peace and trust the Father in every circumstance. God is good!

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Begging or Believing

This morning I was reminded of a time, not so very long ago, when I was talking with the Lord about a situation that needed to be changed. Yes, I was complaining and even started to beg. It didn’t take me long to realize that the Lord was not impressed by either.

I had this thought come up – are you a beggar or a believer? What! A beggar or a believer? Show me how to stop begging because I really thought I was believing.

Jesus is the perfect example of a “believer”. He never doubted God’s word or His power. We need to follow his instruction. Jesus’ disciples asked for examples on how to increase their faith, their ability to believe, and this is what happened.

“The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Show us how to increase our faith.'” Luke 17:5 NLT

Jesus went on to tell the disciples about a man that had a slave who worked for him. He said that the master doesn’t compliment the slave for doing what he’s supposed to do. No, he expects the task to be done.

The way I read this is Jesus was telling them that they didn’t need to beg for faith, they simply needed to put it to work. And then Jesus gave them an example.

“As he entered a village there, ten men with leprosy stood at a distance, 13 crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14 He looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy.” Luke 17:12-14 NLT

The lepers “begged” Jesus for healing. Jesus put his faith to work and “believed” God and it was accomplished. Faith was working to bring about the will of God.

Another example is the lame man at the Gate Beautiful who had been there begging alms all his adult life. He saw Peter and John coming to the temple and began begging from them. Peter said “We don’t have any silver or gold to give you today but what we do have we’ll give to you. In the name of Jesus, rise up and walk”. (Acts 4) Immediately he jumped up and began walking.

“You see this man, and you know him. He put his faith in the name of Jesus and was made strong. Faith in Jesus made this man completely well while everyone was watching.” Acts 4:16

Begging indicates a lack of faith, an uncertainty that what we are asking will get done. But faith is confident belief.

“ We can come to God with no doubts. This means that when we ask God for things (and those things agree with what God wants for us), God cares about what we say. 15 He listens to us every time we ask him. So we know that he gives us whatever we ask from him.” I John 5:14-15 ERV

That’s the way it is with our heavenly Father, we simply tell Him about the need and believe in faith that it will be taken care of. There’s no need to be a beggar, we are called to be believers.

Have faith in God!

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