Be Still… – Relevant Reflections to Let God's Word Back Into Your Hands and Heart

1 John 5:1-21 – Rewards of Faith

If you ever wondered if you could love God more, John gives us some direction. “Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome.” How are you doing at obeying God? It seems logical that when we love God, we should want to please Him. When we are truly devoted, we shouldn’t balk at the commandments but cherish them as a way of showing our allegiance.

Over the years, plenty of people have commented to me about all the “rules” we have to follow as Christians. Those are usually the people who are self-absorbed and have a hard time with any authority standing in their way of “fun.” When I look at God’s commandments, I see first the love of a parent wanting the best for his children. What do you see? Continue reading “1 John 5:1-21 – Rewards of Faith”

1 John 4:1-21 – What the World Needs Now

Read 1 John 4:1-21

John gives us quite a lesson on love after he warns us about false prophets. We’re supposed to love fellow believers and test every prophet to make sure they are in alignment with the truth about Jesus. Verse 4 has some reassuring news for us in terms of these false prophets. “But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.” John has a lot to say about both topics, but let’s focus on love because the world could use a reminder of what love means.

John tells us a couple of things about love that make sense to us as believers. He says that love comes from God, and that God is love. Take a moment to let that sink in just a bit. Love is a gift from God, and our ability to love has a purpose. Many people distort love into something it is not intended to be, totally missing the point of such a gift. Continue reading “1 John 4:1-21 – What the World Needs Now”

1 John 2:28-3:24 – How We Act

Read 1 John 2:28-3:24

John welcomes us into his community of believers, calling us “dear” on several occasions. As you read the qualifications of being a child of God, are you a 100% onboard, or do you feel like a “work in progress”? Either way, you have chosen to know more about God and draw closer to Jesus. John’s words give us the assurance we need to know how.

If you’ve ever felt like an outcast in this world, you are not alone. It can be lonely when we find our devotion to Jesus creates a wedge between a friend or loved one. Each day is a day closer to forever with Jesus, and I continue to choose Jesus over any of the shiny objects the world offers. Life can be a slippery slope of temptations. Continue reading “1 John 2:28-3:24 – How We Act”

1 John 2:7-27 – Who to Love

Read 1 John 2:7-27

Think of John as a close friend, sharing this wisdom with you over a hot beverage. He opens today’s passage with “Dear friends,” after all. John gets right to the point by telling us to love one another, a commandment that has been around for generations. John was privileged to see love lived out before his eyes in the person of Jesus. John encourages us to love like that when we let the light of Christ dispel the darkness in our lives.

The darkness of this world will always scream for our attention. When I speak of the “world,” don’t think I’m referring to the beautiful earth and stars that God created, or the people God loves so much. The “world” refers to the attitudes and distractions that pull us away from Jesus, and a sinful humanity, enticing us to ignore and rebel against God. Continue reading “1 John 2:7-27 – Who to Love”

1 John 1:1-2:6 – Who is Jesus?

Read 1 John 1:1-2:6

The book of 1 John starts out in a similar fashion as John’s gospel, identifying Jesus as having been present at creation as well as calling out his identity as the Word. John also masterfully testifies on behalf of himself and others as to having personally seen and touched Jesus. To me, that fact alone is mind-boggling. This author hung out with Jesus and knew Him well.

How else does John describe Jesus to his audience? Jesus is: (1) “life itself,” (2) “the one who is eternal life,” (3) “with the Father,” and we can fellowship with Jesus and the Father, just like John and the others. John hopes that by knowing and experiencing Jesus, we can know and experience the same joy. It’s true what we’ve heard that there is joy in the Lord. Even Nehemiah proclaimed, “For the joy of the Lord is your strength!” (Nehemiah 8:10) Continue reading “1 John 1:1-2:6 – Who is Jesus?”

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