God Speaks
The Apostle John Writes of God’s Love and Ours
Verse of the Day: Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. (1 John 4:8-9 NIV 2011)
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We Respond
1 John 1
Reflection: I call this chapter small but mighty. These 10 short verses contain some of the most powerful truths of scripture. They tell of the Apostle John’s firsthand experience with Jesus. Jesus is, was, and always will be the Word of God, Light of the world, the God who became a man. John’s interaction with Jesus was increasingly intense. It involved hearing from a distance; seeing, closer but still just providing a general impression; beholding, close enough to study the expression on His face; and touching, actually having physical contact. Over the course of about three and a half years, John, who was one of the Twelve, came to know that Jesus of Nazareth truly was one with God the Father and the Holy Spirit. the only source of eternal life. John was declaring in this letter that we too can have fellowship (close interaction) with God the Father and Jesus Christ, His Son and complete joy in Him. The problem is: God is light (holiness), and we are darkness (sin). For us to walk with Him in the light, we must be cleansed by the blood of Christ Jesus. We must own up to our sinful thoughts, words, and deeds (to Him and to other people when appropriate). If we say that we have not sinned, we are calling the holy God a liar.
Prayer: Dear Father God, thank You for sending Jesus, God the Son, to show us what You are really like and what You think of us human beings despite all our faults and sins. Through the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit, may I have a firsthand experience with Jesus like the Apostle John? Jesus, You are, were, and always will be the Word of God, Light of the world, the God who became a man. May my interaction with You, Jesus, be increasingly intense. I have heard preachers teach about You. I have seen You work in other people giving me a general impression of Your power and love. As times, I have felt close enough to sense You were smiling at me. Right now, I really need a touch from You, actual physical contact. May I and others come to know that Jesus of Nazareth truly was (and remains) one with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, the only source of eternal life. May we too have fellowship (close interaction) with You, Father God and Jesus Christ, Your Son and experience complete joy in You. O Lord God, You are light, resplendent in holiness and purity. We human beings are darkness, full of sin and debauchery. For us to walk with You in the light, Holy Spirit must cleanse us with the blood Christ Jesus shed at the cross. I own up to my sinful thoughts, words, and deeds (to You and to other people when appropriate). If I say that I have not sinned, I am calling You, the holy God, a liar, and I certainly don’t want to do that. I want to live to bring You pleasure and glory because I love You, Lord. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will build into my schedule a time each night to ask God to review the day and show me where I sinned or displeased Him. I will confess that, plead the blood of Jesus over it, and thank Him for His forgiveness and grace.
- I will build into my schedule a time each night to ask God to review the day and show me where I have done the right thing or pleased Him and celebrate that with Him.
- I will find a trusted friend (or two) with whom I can meet at least once a week with whom we can confess our sins, celebrate our victories, pray for each other, and be healed.
- I will try to develop that kind of accountability friendship with my spouse (if married to a believer).
1 John 2
Reflection: The Apostle John is very tender here as he writes to his children in the faith, both instructing and encouraging them. He addresses three levels of maturity: fathers, young men, and little children. It’s not certain if he means spiritual or physical maturity. John did not want these people he loved to sin. But he knew they would. He wrote how they could be forgiven. He told them about Jesus speaking to the Father on their behalf. Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross wasn’t just for those to whom John was writing but was for the whole world. How could they know if someone really knew the Lord? They should ask, “Does this person obey God’s commands? Do they speak and act like Jesus, doing what He would do?” John was not giving them a new command from God; he was referring to what Jesus called the Great Commandment found in Leviticus 19:18 and Deuteronomy 6:5. When he was asked, “Of all the commandments, which is most important? Jesus replied, “The one that says, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only God. And you must love Him with all your heart and soul and mind and strength.’ The second is: ‘You must love others as much as you love yourself.’ No other commandments are greater than these.” (Mark 12:28-31 The Living Bible) As we seek to obey these commandments, the darkness in our lives will dissipate. That doesn’t leave any room for hatred, jealousy, blaming, or shaming: doing so means you are not walking in the light of Christ. John wanted his children to always remember that their sins have been forgiven in the name of Jesus our Savior. The key things John wanted his children in the Lord to know were these: 1) Christ has existed throughout eternity. 2) The war with Satan has been won. 3) We can know God as our Father. 4) We can really know the eternal God. 5) We can be strong and overcome the wicked one by staying in the word of God. 6) We need to avoid craving physical pleasures, craving to possess everything we see, and boasting about our possessions and accomplishments. These cravings are not of God, but only draw us away from Him. 7) The last days are near when there are more and more against-God people even in the church. 8) With the help of the Holy Spirit we can know and stand up for the truth. 9) We can and should maintain fellowship with the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, and other believers. 10) Jesus is coming back, and we should continue living in Christ, avoiding sinning until He does.
Prayer: Dear Holy and Righteous God, You do not want the people You created to sin (rebel against You), but because You knew we would, You provided a way for us to be forgiven. Thank You, Jesus, for speaking up for me to Father God. Your sacrifice on the cross wasn’t for just a select few but was for the whole world. Holy Spirit please take over my thoughts and actions so that I obey God’s commands, like Jesus did. May I live out the two great commandments in some way every day. Please forgive me for the ways I have not loved You or others as I should today. Help me to always remember that my sins have been forgiven in the name of Jesus my Savior. Jesus, help me to walk in Your light. Thank You, Jesus, for winning the war with Satan for mine and others’ souls. Thank You God for being such a good father to me. I am so glad for the privilege of knowing You. Help me to overcome the wicked one by staying in the word of God. Please give me the proper perspective on my possessions and finances. Holy Spirit, please help me and others to know and stand up for the truth. Thank You that I can have fellowship with You, the triune God, and other believers. Come back soon, Lord Jesus. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will memorize one or more of the following verses in a translation or version I find easiest to remember: Leviticus 19:18, Deuteronomy 6:5, Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:30, 33, Luke 10:27.
- I will spend time daily in the word of God so that I can combat Satan’s lies in mine and others’ lives.
- I will confess my sins to God as soon as I am aware of them and claim the forgiveness Jesus obtained for me through the cross.
- I will maintain fellowship with another believer by extending the grace and mercy God has shown me.
1 John 3
Reflection: In this chapter the Apostle John teaches his children in the faith about their relationship to God (verses 1a, 2a, 19-24); their relationship to other believers (verses 11, 16b, 17-18, 23b); and their relationship to the world and the devil (verses 1b, 4, 8a, 12a, 13, 15). He also instructs them as to the role that Jesus Christ (verses 2b, 5, 8b, 16a, 23a) and the Holy Spirit (verse 24). have in obtaining and maintaining our relationship to God. He further mentions what our response should be (verses 3, 6, 7, 17, 18, 24a) and how we can tell if a person is a child of God or not (verses 6-8a, 9, 10, 12b, 14, 15b, 19a). The point of this chapter is conveyed in verses 23-24: “And this is His commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us.” (New Living Translation)
Prayer: Dear great and awesome, loving God, thank You for lavishing Your love on me. Thank You for allowing me to be Your child. Like a child who knows that they are loved, I want to be like my Father, pure and holy. Holy Spirit, please continue to work in and with me so that I will be just like Jesus when He comes back. Please help me to continue doing good, which shows I belong to You, God, not sinning which shows I still belong in Satan’s darkness. But praise be to God, Jesus, the true Son of God, came to destroy the works of Satan. Because I have been born again into Your holy family, I don’t have to keep on sinning. I can now love my brothers and sisters not hate, belittle, slander, abuse, or murder them. Jesus, Your dying on the cross for me is my example. Please help me to “stop just saying [I] love people; let [me] really love them and show it by [my] actions.” (1 John 3:18 The Living Bible, italics in the original) Loving people is what You do; my really loving them will prove to me and other people that I truly belong to You. You already know. So, what do You require of people who want to be Your beloved children? Believe on the name of Your Son Jesus Christ, love one another, and do what You say. If we do that, then we can be confident that we’ll get what we ask You for in prayer. We will also know that we are living in You, and You are living in us by Your Holy Spirit. Thank You, Father God. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will memorize 1 John 3:18 in whatever translation or version I find easiest to remember. Then I will try to put it into practice.
- I will write a thank you letter to God, thanking Him for lavishing His love on me and making me His child.
- I will sit quietly and listen to God, then carry on a two-way conversation with Him.
- I will find someone who needs to know God loves them, then do whatever He shows me to demonstrate His love for them.
1 John 4
Reflection: In this chapter, the Apostle John addresses some basic questions. What is the truth? Where does it come from? Who decides what is true? How can an ordinary person determine what is true? How can we know a message is from God? What is love? Where does it come from? What does it look like? Who is the best example of true love? John answers these questions. Truth is what God says it is because He created and is sovereign over everything. It comes from Him. He is the one who decides what is true. Knowing this foundational truth requires us to ask whether any statement, action, or ideology lines up with the statement that Jesus Christ, God’s Son, actually became a man with a human body? Any person or teaching that does not accept this is against or anti-Christ. They may seem good on the surface or for a time, but they will have no positive, everlasting results. Those who have the Holy Spirit working in them will recognize His voice, know if a message is true to His character and being, and will respond to His message and messengers. Those who don’t won’t. They will reject it instead. God-like love is giving to another for their benefit even at the cost of our own (See John 3:16 and 1 Corinthians 13:4-7).
Prayer: Dear great God of truth and love, thank You that ultimately all truth and love can be traced back to You. Please help me not to be gullible and naive, accepting everything a supposed “authority” says is true, be they human or spirit. Help me to turn to Your word and Your Holy Spirit for clarification or confirmation. Help me to be diligent in asking, “Does this statement, action or ideology line up with the statement that Jesus Christ, God’s Son, actually became a man with a human body? Does it line up with the ten commandments? Does it promote love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control? Is it for or against godly living? Is it true, helpful, inspiring, necessary, and/or kind?” Help me to seek after the truth. Thank You that the Holy Spirit who lives in me is stronger that any evil person or teaching. Please use me to spread the truth to others as well. Teach me how to truly love people, like Jesus did, not just think or say that I do. This will prove that I truly know and belong to You. You, Lord God, are love. Your Son voluntarily came into this wicked world to bring us eternal life through His death. That’s real love. It doesn’t begin with human beings. It comes from You, Lord God. Because You loved me in this way, I can and should love others as well. Thank You for putting Your Holy Spirit in me so that I can live in You and know that You live in me. Thank You that I no longer have to cringe in fear of You, but now, I can come to You with confidence knowing that You love me, and I love You. Help me to love others by telling them that Jesus, through all that He is and did, loves them, too. By not telling them, I’m really hating them–I definitely don’t want to do that. May the story of Jesus’s love be so purveyed in this world that millions come to know, love, and be with You forever. AMEN
Action: (Ask the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will pray that God’s truth will be revealed in every area of influence in this country. [Areas of influence: religion, business, government, education, families and sports, entertainment, and the arts.]
- I will search out the truth in the area of influence with which I have the most contact.
- I will quit hating someone and instead seek to love them to Jesus.
- I will spend time with Jesus telling and showing Him how much I love Him and thanking Him for loving me.
1 John 5
Reflection: Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ, the Son of God. Do you really believe and live as if that is true? Then You are a child of God. If you love Jesus, you will love Father God and love His other children as well. You will demonstrate your love for God by obeying His commandments, especially those that relate to how you treat other people. As you keep on obeying, He will make it easier to keep on doing it. Every child of God will defeat their three enemies: 1. the world: the way those who don’t know and love God think and act; 2. the flesh: the way they themselves used to think and act before they belonged to Him; and 3. the devil: Satan and all of his forces who rebelled against God early on and have continued to do so throughout the ages as well as those human beings who, conscious or unconsciously, have cooperated with him. Just as the testimony of three witnesses is a strong defense in human courts, the testimony of the Spirit, the water, and the blood supply a strong defense that Jesus of Nazareth is God the Son. Whoever says He is not is calling God a liar. Whenever a person has Jesus Christ indwelling them, they have eternal life. They can know that they have eternal life and God listens to them. He will grant them whatever they ask for that pleases Him. They will avoid doing, saying, or thinking things that are wrong (sin), especially anything that would lead to death. Because Jesus–God’s Son–holds them securely, they can know that the evil one, who controls the world around them, cannot do them ultimate harm. They have an ongoing, interactive relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. They will seek to avoid anything that might try to take God’s place in the control center of their lives.
Prayer: Dear God who is the Father of Jesus who is the Christ, thank You that because I truly believe this, I have been made Your child as well. I do love Jesus, and I love You, Father God. Please help me to demonstrate that by obeying Your commandments and loving Your other children as Jesus did. You promise that the more I obey, the easier it will be to do so. Because Jesus has conquered the world, the flesh, and the devil, I can and will overcome them, too. I affirm that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah. Also, since I have Jesus Christ indwelling me, I have eternal life. Now I know that I have eternal life and God listens to me. He will grant me whatever I ask for that pleases Him. Please help me to avoid doing, saying, or thinking things that are wrong (sin), especially anything that would lead to death. Because Jesus–God’s Son–holds me securely, I know that the evil one, who controls the world around me, can’t do me ultimate harm. I now have an ongoing, interactive relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Please help me to avoid anything that might try to take Your place in the control center of my life. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will spend significant time today thanking God that Jesus is God’s Son and that, by truly believing this, I am His child, too.
- I will read and study the following passages which give the testimony of God confirming Jesus as His beloved and obedient Son: Matthew 3:16-17; Matthew 16:16-17; Matthew 17:5; Matthew 27:54; Mark 1:9-11; Mark 3:11; Mark 15:39 (even demons and a Roman centurion acknowledged Jesus as the Son of God)
- I will pray with confidence because I know God is listening and He will grant whatever pleases Him.
- I will search and destroy anything that may be trying to take God’s place in the control center of my life.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.