To Him Who is Able

Even though Jude, Jesus and James are brothers...Jude describes himself as James' brother...and Jesus as "our only Sovereign and Lord."  Even though he grew up in the household with his brother Jesus... after seeing Him "crucified and resurrected" ...Jude describes his identity in life as "servant of the Jesus Christ."  He realized that he was a sinner and recognized Jesus was his only hope for forgiveness and eternal life.


James is warning his audience not to follow the heresy of men  "who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality."  What is he talking about?  Jude is writing about persons who keep on sinning in the face of God...and teaching others to do the same. "These men are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage."


Sin is never acceptable with God. That is why He gave His One and Only Son to die and attone for our sins. So what is our response....not to keep on sinning...but to surrender to God and repent of our sins.  We must follow Jesus our Lord and Savior into a new life of Holy Living. God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit come to lives with us....and we walk daily with Jesus.


Will we sin again?  Probably....but we keep following Him...because He is our Lord and the one who saves us.  "To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore!"


And everyone says, "Amen."

Whom I Love in the Truth

Write an Encouraging Letter, today!

When you can't talk to someone face to face....you might write them a letter or email them.  This is what John does with his good friend, Gaius.  He writes him an encouraging note to tell him that he was praying for him ....reminding him how faithful that he had been....and warning him about a certain gossiping church member.

The Elder, John is doing what Jesus called him to do..."love one another".  He is showing his care and concern for a brother in Christ.  Have you considered how you can encourage a brother or sister in the Lord?  Write a letter in love... or an email...or go talk to someone face to face in love...and you are "loving one another."....you are also following Jesus!!!!!!

I Ask That We Love One Another

John's audience has been discussed and debated....so let's listen to his message as if it were to us....because it is.


John starts by encouraging: "It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth..."


John then appeals to us..  "I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another.."

This is not a new lesson...this is a lesson from God since the beginning.... Love one another.


So John helps us to define love...."And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love."


So the lesson is simple:  "walk in love"...How do we do that?  Be about others...not self. 

His Commands Are Not Burdensome

"Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God..."


When you believe...is it just an intellectual exercise? Or does belief drive a person to action?  John preaches action with belief...."This is love for God: to obey his commands"


"And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God."


We will all sin...but continuing in a life of sin is not believing....believing is following...following is obeying commands. If we obey Him...we love Him.

We Also Ought To Love One Another

I think John took a wonderful approach....he wrote to his friends in a most sincere manner...pleading for them to understand:
"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God."


He is appealing to them to put into action...the very essence of God...which is love.  "God is love."says  I John 4:16.  John explains to us why we should love each other...he does  it in a very logical argument: 

•  "for love comes from God."  -verse 7
•  "God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him" -verse 9
• "since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another"  - verse 11
• "We love because he first loved us"  -verse 19
• "Whoever loves God must also love his brother"   - verse 21

If God loved us so much by sending His only Son to die  for us...then our response should be to love Him...and to love others.

God is Love

I love the word John uses to describe how God loves us... "Lavished"  


 .....undue, exorbitant, extravagant,extreme, inordinate, intolerable,excessive are synonyms of the word....."Lavish"


"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!"  This is a statement...not a question.


Yes...God's love for us is incredible....He has included us as His children...His heirs....and what does He expect from us?  "This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another."


Finally...we should not just hear the words and speak them...we must put our love into action..."Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth."

Do Not Love the World

"I write this to you so that you will not sin."


John is passionately urging his listeners to not use their new found grace as a license to sin.  In verse 15 he restates his challenge in different words, "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him."


Love of this world is the root cause of sin. John continues in verse 16 with the three categories of sin, "For everything in the world
     1. the cravings of sinful man
     2. the lust of his eyes 
    3. and the boasting of what he has and does
—comes not from the Father but from the world."


Scholars have long categorized these sins as:
   1. The lust of the flesh
   2. The lust of the eyes
   3. The pride of life


John is urging us not to be people of this temporary world...caught up in the desires that the world tempts us with....but to be children who do the will of God...to follow Jesus, "The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever."

God is Light

God is light;in him is no darkness

"This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. "


In I John 1, elder statesman John gives testimony about Jesus to assure his listeners and us of our salvation in Christ.  This first chapter deals with God is light.....remember John was an eyewitness to Jesus being transfigured before him on the mountain....Jesus was a glowing bright light before him and Peter and James. "There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light." (Matt 17:2) He could passionately speak to God being light!!!


"If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin."


Sin is darkness.  John says we are kidding ourselves if we claim to be following Jesus...and we still "waller like a pig" in sin.  There is a huge contrast between light and darkness!  But if we denounce sin and follow Jesus...walk in the light....we have assurance that Jesus' blood will purify us of our sins.


We will also be part of God's family of believers....we will be part of the family of God. Will you be a child of the light or a child of darkness?  Run to the light.  Run to Jesus.  He illuminates life.  He is the source of light and love and life.  God is light....God is love....God is life.  John will tell us about love and life in the next few chapters.

Where Is This 'Coming' He Promised?

Sometimes it is easy for people to wrongly think that a day of judgement is not coming at all...It hasn't come in 2,000 years people think....but that is wrong. The Lord has promised such a time.


Simon Peter reminds us not to forget this statement...."With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.  The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."


There is a day of judgement is coming.  The Lord has promised this....but He has also promised us grace for our surrender and repentance.  We think that time is a long time coming....we live like it may never happen....but it is not because of God's slowness...it is that God is patient...He is allowing more of His creation to come to repentance...salvation.  This statement shows God's great love for us...his great patience with us...His great mercy given to us....He is faithful...to keep His promises...on His time table...not on our time table!!!

There Will Be False Teachers Among You

Simon Peter warns us ...just as he warns the listeners of his time about false prophets among the people: "But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.  In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up."


After telling how these false prophets operate...Simon Peter says,"They are like brute beasts, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like beasts they too will perish.


Yes there will be justice for these "brutes and beasts". They will perish. God will not let them get away with this lifestyle of deceit. Even if they know the Lord...if they return to a life of sin...they will have the darkest place reserved for them.   Returning to sin is like the Proverb:   “A dog returns to its vomit,”


How gross and graphic is that?  Returning to vomit....is natural for an animal.... and repulsive for someone made in God's image. If a person returns to a life of sin after professing the Lord....it might beg the question...Did they ever really know the Lord....did they ever really know of God's love. 

Wives, In The Same Way Be Submissive To Your Husbands

"Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands...."


I guess I am crazy for even commenting on this passage...but I trust the Holy Spirit.  And we never want to shy away from any passage. Over the last few years...this passage has been a lightning rod for a culture riddled by divorce, abuse and broken lives. All persons are seeking themselves...not God. No one really wants to accept the Word as truth....they want to bend it for their own advantage.  Everyone is politically correct...because we don't want to make anyone feel inferior. Everyone is striving for personal interest... not for servant hood....but what does Jesus command?


In Matthew 23:10-12...Jesus says,"The greatest among you will be your servant."


When our culture tells women..."this teaching is out of date...this is not really what the bible says"....


I think they are robbing women of the highest role...the servant's role.  The world says that we all have rights...we all should strive to be leaders...rulers.  The world says being a servant is not a honorable position.  But Jesus says that from His perspective...servants are His kind of people...for He is the "Suffering Servant."


So let's listen to a larger segment of this passage: "Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives,  when they see the purity and reverence of your lives.  Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.  Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.  For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear."


Wow...What a beautiful passage of scripture.  God shows that "His way" is ...gentle...quiet... holy...submissive....it is the life of a servant.  Don't let the world rob you of servant hood...no matter if you are man or women. In His Kingdom ...serving others is the "highest" role that we fulfill. 

Crave Pure Spiritual Milk

"Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,  now that you have tasted that the Lord is good."


Above is the second sentence of I Peter 2. I have never really read it as"following " the first sentence.  I have always read them separately.  I think one can read it either way....but if you think about it...Peter probably meant this to be connected.


Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk.  Paul is saying for us to go after  our spiritual nourishment.....the  "elementary truths" of the gospel...the "basics" of scripture...and go after them like a little starving baby. A growing little baby is almost always hungry...they need a great deal of simple milk...for their bodies to grow. We need the basics of the Word to begin maturing as Christians.  So what is pure spiritual milk?


If we take the 2 sentences together....we notice the first to say: "Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind."


Could it be that pure spiritual milk includes "repentance"? This sure would make sense.  Rid yourself...purge yourself of the sin in your life.  Get rid of it...denounce it...run from it (flee).  Repentance was always the starting point for a relationship with God.  All the Old testament prophets preached repentance....so did Jesus.


When we fear God....repent...believe in Jesus....surrender to Him/follow Him...suddenly we start growing as new Christians.  When we delight in these elementary truths...then suddenly God begins to show us a better, more mature way....LOVE.

Your Faith—Of Greater Worth Than Gold

Peter is the guy who Jesus said..."And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it."  Then later ...Peter was the same disciple who denied knowing Jesus before His crucifixion.  Is this a guy we should take investment advice?  He seemed to "blow with the wind."  One minute He is Jesus' pick to anchor His new church...then the next thing he is denying he even knows Jesus.


"...your faith—of greater worth than gold..."    Paul is explaining in I Peter 1:6 that our faith is worth far more than any earthly thing. Even though your faith gets refined by the fires of trials...
"you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls."  Wow...this investment of faith has a terrific payoff....eternal life!!!  Maybe Peter has some terrific advice here.

“Friends, Haven’t You Any Fish?”

 It was full of large fish, 153

"So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing."


Do you ever try to do things in your own strength?  How does that work for you?  The disciples were fishing...and at the end of the night...they had nothing.  Then Jesus comes on the scene. He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.”


Instruction from Jesus...I want it...don't you?  When we follow Jesus...we will succeed in what ever He tells us to do.  And so these fisherman followed Jesus' instruction...and what happened? When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. The results are better than we ever dream...Jesus plan is better than ours.


So the next time the Holy Spirit whispers instructions in your ear...through the Word...or through another Christian...or through a circumstance....PUT  IT  INTO  PRACTICE!!!!  You will be glad you did!!!!

Stop Doubting and Believe

In Chapter 20..John tells his account of Jesus appearing to several people after His crucifixion.

This is the reason we Christians celebrate.  Jesus conquered death.  The grave could not hold Him. He is not a dead prophet.  He lives. He is who He said He was... He is God's Son. 


John reports Jesus words to Thomas, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."


Then to close this section of his gospel account John testifies, "Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name."


The Holy Spirit continues to speak to persons through John's eye-witness account.  He was there with Jesus and told what He saw and experienced. Only God knows how many have believed through the ages from John's testimony. 

“Crucify! Crucify!”

So what did Jesus endure for you?

John 19 gives us pretty graphic detail of the pain and suffering Jesus went through up until His death....
1. He was flogged (Verse 1)
2.Jesus was repeatedly mocked and taunted...then He was slapped in the face (Verse 2&3)
3.Crown of thorn jabbed onto his head (verse 5)
4.Shouted at by the mob..." “Crucify! Crucify!” (verse 6)
5.The mob again shouted: “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!” (verse 15)
6.Soldiers forced him to carry his cross all the way to Golgotha  (verse 16)
7.Jesus was crucified (nailed to the cross) (verse 23)
8.Soldiers threw dice for His clothing  (verse 23)
9.He suffered pain of Crucifixion in front of His mother, brothers and disciples.  (verse 25-26)
10.They gave Him vinegar to drink  (verse 29)
11.They thrust a spear into his side   (verse 34)


All along the way He was repeatedly tried...questioned...ridiculed...taunted....berated...mocked...and made fun of....
This does not even count on being "crushed by the Father" for our sin's!!!!!


He did this because He loves me...because He loves you....that we may spend eternity with Him.

Seek Truth

 “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”


This is Jesus' answer to Pilate in John 18:37.  If you reread this verse...it is Jesus' mission statement:  "the reason I was born"....."is to testify to the truth."


Jesus came into the world to speak truth...and just as He said...." Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."  This explains why the religious folk did not listen to him.  They figured they already had there way of doing things....they were not interested in seeking truth... and especially from a guy claiming to be God's son...the long awaited messiah.  


Jesus not only came into the world to speak truth...He is the Truth.(remember John 14:6?)  He is the very essence of truth...where truth begins ...He is the only way...He is God's Son...He is life.  Jesus was who the religious folk had been waiting on...the Messiah...but yet they failed to listen to Him..."The Truth."  Are you willing to seek out the Truth? (The One who came to bring us truth.)

That I Myself May Be In Them

John 17 is known as the "Priestly Prayer."


This whole chapter is Jesus praying to his Heavenly Father for:
1.Himself   (John17:1-5)
2.His disciples  (John17:6-19)
3.All believers  (John17:20-26)


 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you."


Jesus repeated prayer seems to be that we (Christians) would be one, like the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Unity is his request and His theme.  So why don't we get it?  We bicker and argue over theology...and forget to love one another. His passion in this prayer is that we will experience the unity of the Holy Trinity.  He wants the best for us.  We need to set that as our passion, too....to love one another.

He Will Guide You Into All Truth

Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa

If you were going to climb a mountain...especial Mt Everest...you would want to take a guide.  The most famous guides in the world are the "Sherpa."  The Sherpa are local Tibetian men employed as guides for mountaineering expeditions in the Himalayas (particularly Mt. Everest.) They are highly regarded as elite mountaineers and experts in their local terrain.


As you navigate life on earth...would you not want the best guide that you could get? Jesus wants to give you such a guide....His guide is the Holy Spirit.


"Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment"


A mountain guide keeps you on the right path no matter the conditions.  He encourages you when you are discouraged.  He reminds you of the truth....when you want to lie to yourself or take what seems to be the easy route. He protects you. He guides you. He is a resource of knowledge.


The Holy Spirit is God in us....He guides us...He protects us...He leads us into all truth....He makes known God's message for us.


“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.  But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.  He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.  All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you."


I want and need a guide in life...don't you? The Holy Spirit is the best guide...He is God...so He is faithful and He is able!!!!  He delivers God's message to us...His people.