Road Maps

638.  "Road Maps"            October 29, 2012
2 John-Part 1    
The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth; For the truth's sake, which dwelleth in us, shall be with us for ever. Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.   2 John 1-3

LET IT GLOW

A month ago, my granddaughter's schedule changed. She is now going to preschool three mornings a week and speech therapy two mornings. I drive her 30 miles on Tuesdays. The first time I took her, I held a road map with dirctions in my hand while I drove. There were so many rights and lefts that I didn't want to miss a one and get lost. I am happy to say, I drove right to the place, and with ten minutes to spare.
In John 14:6, he quoted Jesus saying, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to Father except through Me.
Jesus has taught us the way to live, the way to go, given us the road map for the Christian life. He gives the Holy Spirit to guide us step by step to do God's will. If I am listening, I will be driving right to and through God's will for my life. I certainly won't get lost or on the wrong road.

Background:
The apostle John is writing a second letter. He pastored a church in Ephesus many years, with the interruptions of being exiled to the island of Patmus, where John wrote Revelation. This was a time when false teachers and the beginning of Gnosticism threatened the church. Several commentaries agree that John is writing to a local church and her members to warn them of such deceivers. Probably, 2 John was written around A.D. 90-95.

MacArthur says that the theme of this letter is biblical guidelines for hospitality.

Falwell said the purpose for the letter was to warn believers not to give indiscriminate hospitality to strangers or traveling evangelist-teachers.  Those who did not meet the sure test of sound doctrine were to be refused hastily. Since inns in the first century were notoriously flea-infested, where could a Christian stay while traveling?

If the authorities intercepted this letter and they knew to whom it was written, it could have meant death for those people. David Guzik says that is why John does not identify the lady and her children.

John uses the term truth five times in the first four verses.
Thayer's Lexicon says truth, as taught in the Christian religion, respecting God and the execution of His purposes through Christ, and respecting the duties of man, opposed alike to the superstitions of the Gentiles and inventions of the Jews, and to corrupt opinions and precepts of false teachers even among Christians.
John uses truth 37 times in his writings in the New Testament.

Truth refers to the basics or fundamentals of the faith that John has discussed in 1 John (sound belief in Christ, obedience, love), as well as the truths expressed in 2 John. Truth is the necessary condition of unity and, as a result, the basis of hospitality. (MacArthur)

Can I truthfully say that truth refers to the gospel of Jesus Christ, His teachings and His Word?

LET IT GROW

If I am a real believer in Jesus, what will I be doing?

•  I will love other believers because the indwelling truth, which is the Holy Spirit of Truth.
•  I will be showing grace, mercy, and peace, which I receive from God the Father and Jesus, the Son of God.

LET IT GO

Stay in God's Word for the road map of life.

Listen to the Holy Spirit as He leads my steps.

Obey Jesus' directions.

Keep the Truth ever before me.

* FYI-In 11 days I will be traveling on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic for a week of team teaching the Truth. Please pray for us while we are there and salvation of souls. So I probably will not be posting Nov. 12-16. If I take my laptop and there is internet service, I will update what is happening.

Water

637.  " Water"             October 26, 2012
1 John Summary


LET IT GLOW

What, no work shirts clean? But I had no water in which to wash them and besides, I was gone visiting at the hospital last night with you. When did I have time and water? (hubby was only kidding me)
When we got home from church Wednesday night, I turned on the kitchen faucet and discovered we had no water flowing, zilch, not a drop. I was not prepared for this. I figured it would have happened earlier, in the summer, when we had a month of no rain and over 100 degree temp. At least I had bought a case of water earlier in the day. The next morning, I went to our son's house for a shower and brought home 2 gallons. Laundry was all caught up. I wasn't reacting to the situation with anger. God will provide, I knew in my heart.
When we got back from the hospital visit Thursday night, the man who works on pumps and wells was there-a good sign. He and our son got me water, after an unexpected purchase of a new pump. He was kind to install it instead of going home after dark.
That man also said that we must have a river under us, for it was only 30-50 feet down to the water. What a blessing! Others have to go down 1,500 feet. Parrellel to my country road is a stream that never runs dry.
God is good, all the time! So the cows got water to drink after a dry day and I got to flush!

I know of another well, one that never runs dry because it flows from the throne of God-His stream of love, mercy, and grace.

Pardon me if that has nothing to do with a summary of 1 John. It was on my heart.

LET IT GROW

John pastored in Ephesus. He may have written these 3 letters from the Isle of Patmos, where he was exiled because of his faith in Jesus.

Remember the outline from Liberty Bible Commentary:

• Walking in the light, in sin, with the advocate, under commandment, in love, with apostates.
• Concerning believers-identifying them, living with them, warning them, loving them.
• Assurance of victory, eternal life, and answered prayer.

When these 3 (sound faith, obedience, love) operate in concert together, they resulted in happiness, holiness, and assurance. They constitute the evidence, the litmus test, of a true Christian.
(MacArthur Bible Commentary)

How should  I be walking?

• in joy (1:4)
• in light (1:6)
• in confession (1:9)
• in truth (1:10)
• keeping His Word (2:5)
• in the love of God (2:5)
• as Jesus walked (2:6)
• loving my brethren (2:10,3:11)
• not in the world, the flesh, lust, pride (2:16)
• in the will of God (2:17)
• as a son, child of God (3:1)
• in hope (3:3)
• in righteousness (3:10)
• laying down my life for the brethren (3:16)
• praying (3:22)
• pleasing God (3:22)
• abiding in the Spirit (3:24)
• not in fear (4:18)
• in victory (5:4)
• in confidence (5:14)
• with understanding (5:20)

LET IT GO

Check my walk.

Continue to love others.

Live in victory with eternity in mind.

My Pincher

636.  " My Pincher"        October 25, 2012
1 John 5-Part 6   (verses 18-21)
We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and the wicked one toucheth him not. And we know we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. 1 John 5:18-21 KJV


LET IT GLOW

Other moms gave their children the eye, but not I. When my son was a boy, talking in church instead of listening, I had a way of telling him to be quiet with just my touch. I called it my pincher, pronounced peencher. I didn't have to say a word, just pinch his shoulder. He got the message, sharp, loud and clear. When the pincher was touching him, I had control. He obeyed.

It is good to know that Satan can't touch, grasp, lay hold of, nor control my soul. God is protecting me. Toucheth means assail (which means attack).

The word suggests "to lay hold of" or "to grasp" in order to harm. Because the believer belongs to God, Satan must operate within God's sovereignty and cannot function beyond what God allows, as in the example of Job (2:5). While Satan may persecute, tempt, test, and accuse the believer, God protects His children and places definite limits on Satan's influence or power. (MacArthur)

People's New Testament says Satan can't lay hands on him, so as to hold him. (him is the Christian)

It means to lay hold of or grasp rather than a mere superficial touch. (Robertson)

Satan has nothing to fasten his deadly temptations on; nothing to grasp hold of because my soul is free in Jesus; his pincher can't pinch, so to speak, therefore he can't have my soul. He can only tempt me to sin.
Jesus is the one who holds my soul, who touches me.

What are some certainties a Christian has?

• victory over sin and Satan (verse 18)
• belonging to God (verse 19)
• Christ being the true God (verse 20)

Sometimes I need God to use His pincher on me, so I stop doing what I'm doing wrong and obey Him.

LET IT GROW

What is the last thing John tells us in this letter?
Keep yourselves from idols.

The MacArthur Bible Commentary says:

John contrasts the term idol with "the true God" of verse 20. He has reference here to the false teachers who withdrew from the brotherhood with which they had been formerly associated (2:19). Their false beliefs and practices are the idos from which the readers are commanded to protect themselves. The false teachers upheld the world's philosophy as superior to God's revelation as demonstrated in their perversion of basic Christian teaching (faith, love, and obedience).
 

Idols refers to a false god; to guard one's self from all manner of fellowship with heathen worship.

Do I seperate myself from heathen worship? I used to participate in Halloween. Was that a heathen practice? It certainly isn't honoring God.

LET IT GO

Allow God to touch me.

Turn from the ways of the world.

Watch out for false teachings.

Straying Cows

635.  "Straying Cows"                     October 24, 2012
1John 5-Part 5   (verses 16-17)
If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.  1 John 5:16-17


LET IT GLOW

Whenever the cows or calves break through the fence, we had to go get them. Sometimes it happens where they go next door at the neighbors, sometimes it happens on the back side of our farm and they stray into another's field, and sometimes it happens in my own yard. (They seem to like to graze in unforbidden territory.)  No matter where they got out, these straying ones had to be rounded up and brought back home, to their own fields. So it is with straying believers. When a brother or sister in the faith gets outside of the boundaries that God has established, they must be rounded up, brought back into the fences established in God's Word.

Since John has been talking about prayer, I assume the first thing I should do for the straying, wandering, back-sliding Christian living in sin is to pray for them. When I pray, I seek God's direction as to when and how to approach them. It may only be a "Missed you Sunday" as a hint or it may be a visit to discuss the seriousness of the situation. However God leads, I should pray for that stray and God's convicting them.

God disciplnes His children. (Heb. 12:6) I can pray for His mercy, interceeding for them. Sometimes the sins are not unto death, unintentional, accidental, light and trivial.
Do I have my spiritual eyes open to the needs of others?

LET IT GROW

John does say that there is a sin unto death. Of course, there are many opinions on this subject. Most of the commentaries say that it is blaspheming against the Holy Spirit, not believing in God. The result is spiritual death, seperatioon from God for eternity.

God is the God of life; He gives it when and to whom He pleases, and takes it away either by His constitution or providence, or both, as He thinks meet. (Matthew Henry)

John tells us to not pray for this one. After all, God knows all things and can look into the heart.
Romans 6:23 says, For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Concerning these verses, Liberty Bible Commentary has this to say:

Sin unto death would be rejection of God's truth to the point that one died in unbelief. Therefore, a living person need never fear that he has already committed the sin unto death, since he is still alive. Only total rejection and rebellion against God, and rebellion to God's laws, may cause one to sin unto death.
 

I am responsible for sharing the Gospel, not predetermining who will accept or reject it.

Romans 3:10 states, There is none righteous, no, not one.

Romans 3:23 ssays, For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

Romans 10:13 instructs us, For whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD shall be saved.

Friends, I must ask if you have confessed your sins to God, believed in Jesus' dying for you, and asked Him to forgive you of your sins, come into your heart and be your Savior? If not, won't you stop right now and do so?

LET IT GO

Confess my sins to the Lord and ask His forgiveness.

Pray for the straying.

Pray for the lost.






 

Tire Alignments and Prayer

634.  "Tire Alignments and Prayer"                   
 October 23, 2012
1John 5-Part 5     (verses 14-15)
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoecver we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.  1 John 5:14-15 KJV

LET IT GLOW

My husband and I bought a tire shop several years ago. One of the services we offer is alignments. I have learned that tires need to be in line with each other so they function at their best. Otherwise, if they are not aligned correctly, it will effect the way the automobile travels, the wear on the tires, as well as the gas mileage. I sure want my car running the best that it can. So it is spiritually speaking. Am I aligned with God's will?
God has appointed us to work with Him and that brings our will into alignment with His will. He wants us to care about the things He cares about, enough to pray passionately about them. (Guzik)

How can I have the certainty of answered prayer?
We Christians can know with absolute confidence that God answers prayer when we approach the throne of grace, according to Hebrews 4:16, Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Here's what I have learned concerning these our key verses:

• God wants us to ask in prayer. He is a loving God and a generous giver.
• We should pray about everything. (1 Thess. 5:17-18) God cares about our whole life. Nothing is too small or too big to pray about.
• God wants us to ask according to His will. He wants us to see and discern His will through His Word and to pray His will into action.
• When we ask according to God's will, praying His promises, we can know we have the petitions we have asked of Him.
• If God's will is our will and we are abiding in faith, our prayers will be accepted.
• To pray according to God's will is to pray in accord with what He would want, not what we would desire or insist that He do for us (John 14:13,14).
• John specified that answered prayer also depends on obedience to God's commandments and avoidance of sin (3:21). Genuine believers know God's Word and practice those things that are pleasing to Him, they never insist on their own will, but supremely seek God's desire (Matt. 27:39-42). He asnswers so the Father may be glorified in the Son.
• God always hears the prayers of His children (Ps. 34:15-17), but not always in the manner they are presented.
• We have confidence with God at the throne of grace.

[Resources: The MacArthur Bible Commentary, David Guzik's Bible Commentary]

LET IT GROW

What am I to do so God answers my prayers?
Obey His commands, avoid sin, seek His will, then ask according to His will, not mine.
Ask.Seek. Knock. (Matt. 7:7-8)
Ask in faith, nothing wavering like the winds of the sea tossed. (James 1:6)
Ask in faith, believing, and with confidence, when it is in accordance with His will.
In everything give thanks, no matter the answer-yes,, no, wait.

LET IT GO

My desires and will must be let go of and seek, ask, then do God's will.

Ask God to place His desires in my heart.

Thank my heavenly Father for His answer and give Him the glory.




  

Flat Biscuits

633.  "Flat Biscuits"                       October 22, 2012
1 John 5-Part 4     (verses 11-12)
And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.  1 John 5:11-12


LET IT GLOW

Saturday morning, I wanted some hot, fluffy, biscuits for breakfast. So I opened up a can of storebought jumbo ones to bake. I got out the last jar of yummy, sweet, homemade blackberry jelly to put on the biscuit when it was done. My mouth was watering as I awaited the delicious taste. Okay, I suspected something was wrong whenever the can wouldn't pop open. Then the biscuits were wierd looking, with each layer coming apart, like they had gobs of shortening. (Four days were left on the expiration dated.) But I wanted a hot biscuit with jelly so much that I was hopeful that it would bake up all right. Fifteen minutes later, my expectations were shattered. They were as flat coming out of the oven as going into the oven. Yeah, flat biscuits. No, that was not my reaction. Did I throw them away? No, of course not. Instead of eating one fluffy, hot biscuit with sweet blackberry jelly, I ate three crispy, flat bottoms of a poor imitation of a biscuit with my sweet jelly. Worse of all, I forgot to give thanks for my breakfast. What a way to start a day! Thank You Lord for flat biscuits and Your teaching me life lessons. Sometimes life seems flat, unexciting, doesn't it? I know it shouldn't, since I have heaven as my journey's end.

How are my expectations of eternal life? Am I expecting heaven?

Record refers to a testimony; through the Holy Spirit, in the Christian's blessed consciousness of eternal life and of reconciliation with God, obtained by baptism and the expiatory(atonement) death of Christ. (Thayer's Lexicon)

Thayer's Lexicon has this to say about life: life real and genuine, a life active and vigorous, devoted to God, blessed, the portion even in this world of those who put their trust in Christ, but after the resurrection to be consummated by new accessions (among them a more perfect body), and to last forever.

What is God telling me through John?

• God has given me eternal life. I can expect to spend eternity with Him. It's His gift to me.
• Since I have His Son Jesus in my heart, I have life.

Am I showing that I am happy about going to heaven? Do I tell others? Is my life active and vigorous? Is it devoted to God? When I am blessed, do I share it with others? Am I showing others that my life is in Jesus?

LET IT GROW

Did you catch the last part of verse 12? He that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
It is plain, right there is black and white.

In John 14:6, Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

It's either Jesus or nothing; eternal life with Jesus or without Jesus; whole hog or zilch.

(My conclusion about the biscuits is that the baking powder was either not put in, or they were left out of refrigeration too long and it died.)

LET IT GO

Thank God for eternal life in heaven.

Thank Jesus for enduring the cross so I could have eternal life and a way to the Father.

Live an active, vigorous life, devoted to God.

Loosen the chains of sin that bind me to this earth.
 

Witnesses

632.  "Witnesses"          October 19, 2012
1 John 5-Part 3     (verses 6-10)
And Jesus Christ was revealed as God's Son by his baptism in water and by shedding his blood on the cross-not by water only, but by water and blood. And the Spirit, who is truth, confirms it with his testimony. so we have these three witnesses-the Spirit, the water, and the blood-and all three agree.  NLT 1 John 5:6-8


LET IT GLOW

I have shared it before, that I served on a jury one time. They had witnesses which testified about the accused. The jury believed the young man broke the law, and sentenced him. I listened very carefully to the witnesses, even took notes. I wanted to make sure I understood the truth as it was told.  John was a witness that Jesus was real. Who else did John say was a witness? Shall we check it out?

WHO IS JESUS?

You know I had to look up  witness in Thayer's Lexicon, which said:
Witness means to give testimony; through the expiation (atonement) wrought by the baptism and the death of Christ, and the Holy Spirit giving souls assurance of this expiation. Jesus was sent by God, is said thoughout the Scriptures. the Scriptures testify that.

The testimony of two or three witnesses establish the truth of a particular matter, according to Deut. 17:6.

The truth is, Jesus is deity. He is part of the Trinity-Father, Son, Holy Spirit. John writes to show that God has given testimony to the deity of Jesus through both His baptism and death.

Who is a witness of Jesus' Deity and Messiahship in heaven: the Father, the Word, the Holy Spirit.
What was a witness on earth: water at His baptism, blood on the cross, the Spirit. (Matt. 3:16-17)

The Father's testimony can count as three witnesses' testimony-His, Son, Holy Spirit.

(David Guzik gives us four views of what John means in these verses, but I won't go into them.)

The important thing is, do I agree in who Jesus is said to be? Yes indeed. Do you?

LET IT GROW

If I can receive the witness of men, apostles and Paul, shouldn't I accept the witness of God's Word, His Spirit, and His Son?(verse 9)

I, a believer, have the witness of the Holy Spirit within me. (verse 10)
Therefore, I can be a witness of Jesus Christ, also. Am I a witness? Do I share the Truth?


LET IT GO


Keep a strong faith in Jesus Christ forever.

Share His love and Word, what He has done for me on the cross.