1 John
Test Every Spirit
| 1 John / 22 |
It is easy to get confused by all the different voices and viewpoints that try to convince us that this way or that way is right. We are constantly exposed to different teachings, different ideas, fake news and misleading stories. John warns us to test every spirit - every teaching, every idea. Make sure it agrees with the truth of the Gospel. Let the Holy Spirit guide you to truth. Read more
It is easy to get confused by all the different voices and viewpoints that try to convince us that this way or that way is right. We are constantly exposed to different teachings, different ideas, fake news and misleading stories. John warns us to test every spirit - every teaching, every idea. Make sure it agrees with the truth of the Gospel. Let the Holy Spirit guide you to truth. Read more
How do we know we belong to God?
| 1 John / 13 |
John wanted to reassure the Church that they belonged to God and could rest secure in His presence. “This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us.” Our conscience, our hearts often tells us that we cannot possibly come before God because we have messed up too much or too often. But John reassures us that we can come with confidence before God because He has saved us. Read more
John wanted to reassure the Church that they belonged to God and could rest secure in His presence. “This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us.” Our conscience, our hearts often tells us that we cannot possibly come before God because we have messed up too much or too often. But John reassures us that we can come with confidence before God because He has saved us. Read more
I want to know what love is
| 1 John / 12 |
We are made to love. God created us for relationship with Him and with others. And yet, our understanding of love is flawed. The band Foreigner sung a song saying “I wanna know what love is, I want you to show me. I wanna feel what love is, I know you can show me”. John tells us, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us.” Read more
We are made to love. God created us for relationship with Him and with others. And yet, our understanding of love is flawed. The band Foreigner sung a song saying “I wanna know what love is, I want you to show me. I wanna feel what love is, I know you can show me”. John tells us, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us.” Read more
How we should live
| 1 John / 11 |
John returns to what seems to be his favourite topic - love! And he reminds us that the core theme in our lives should be to love others. Jesus told us that others will know we are His disciples because we love one another. We are given the wonderful privilege of having a family of Christ to walk this journey of faith. Are we walking together with love? John also gives us a cautionary tale about how we should not live. He points to the story of Cain and Abel and says, Do not be like Cain. Cain allowed jealousy and envy to take over leading ultimately to Cain murdering his brother. Hatred is the beginning of murder. So we need to be on our guard against such things entering our hearts. Read more
John returns to what seems to be his favourite topic - love! And he reminds us that the core theme in our lives should be to love others. Jesus told us that others will know we are His disciples because we love one another. We are given the wonderful privilege of having a family of Christ to walk this journey of faith. Are we walking together with love? John also gives us a cautionary tale about how we should not live. He points to the story of Cain and Abel and says, Do not be like Cain. Cain allowed jealousy and envy to take over leading ultimately to Cain murdering his brother. Hatred is the beginning of murder. So we need to be on our guard against such things entering our hearts. Read more
You are a child of God
| 1 John / 10 |
God’s love is awesome. Words cannot describe how great God’s love is. It is a love that is out of this world and nothing we know comes close to His love. And this love adopts us into God’s family. Through Jesus’s awesome love, His sacrifice, we are given the right to become children of God! When we accept Jesus, God changes our identity and status. Where once we were lost, now we have a home and family. We are new creations, born again as children of God. This change in identity affects the way we live. It affects the way we think. No longer does sin reign in our lives - now we have God’s Spirit to help guide us. Read more
God’s love is awesome. Words cannot describe how great God’s love is. It is a love that is out of this world and nothing we know comes close to His love. And this love adopts us into God’s family. Through Jesus’s awesome love, His sacrifice, we are given the right to become children of God! When we accept Jesus, God changes our identity and status. Where once we were lost, now we have a home and family. We are new creations, born again as children of God. This change in identity affects the way we live. It affects the way we think. No longer does sin reign in our lives - now we have God’s Spirit to help guide us. Read more
