Month: June 2015

For everything that belongs to the world – the lust of flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s lifestyle – is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does God’s will remains forever. 1 John 2:16-17 HCSB

We often think that external actions such as places we go and activities we participate in are the major sins, but our internal actions are just as sinful if not more so because they begin with our hearts and minds.

These verses point out three major internal sins: lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride. The lust of the flesh is associated with our preoccupation with physical desires and pleasures. The lust of the eyes is craving ownership of the things of the world or materialism. Pride in one’s lifestyle is the obsession with one’s status or position in life. When the devil tempted Eve (Genesis 3:6) and when he tempted Jesus (Matthew 4:1-11), he used these three temptations. By contrast, God encourages people to have self-control, a spirit of generosity, and humble service to others.

Challenge: With which lust do you struggle most? Which values do your thoughts and actions represent – God’s or the world? Pray that God will help you control your lusts and help you to overcome the temptations of the devil. Read 1 Corinthians 10:13.

Do not love the world or the things that belong to the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. 1 John 2:15 HCSB

While living in Missouri and working for the Missouri Baptist Convention, my family and I lived in a home on a small lake. We had a small flat bottom boat and my boys and I enjoyed fishing from the boat and from our dock. To catch fish we would use a variety of bait. Sometimes it was worms and other times we used balls of bread. At other times we used lures that looked like small fish. The lures were designed to attract the fish and deceive them into thinking the lure was a meal.

The things that belong to the world are nothing but lures. They seem to offer fame, fortune, and success that will make us happy, but once we take the “bite” we find out that we have been deceived and what we thought would bring us happiness is nothing more than cotton candy. It tastes sweet for a while but then the pleasure is gone. Only God offers true happiness. The ways of God are in contrast to the ways of the world.

Challenge: Jesus said, “No one can be a slave of two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot be slaves of God and of money.” (Matthew 6:24) Are you being lured by the things of the world? Focus on God and make Him the Master of everything in your life.

This is how we are sure that we have come to know Him: by keeping His commands. The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” yet doesn’t keep His commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly in him the love of God is perfected. This is how we know we are in Him: The one who says he remains in Him should walk just as He walked. 1 John 2:3-6 HCSB

Just about every believer has questioned his or her salvation at some point. As a former student pastor I have counseled many teenagers who made a decision to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior as a child and then questioned if they were really saved.

John tells us how a person can really know that he is saved – by keeping His commands. Holy living and obedience does not save a person. Salvation comes through faith and believing in Jesus. Doing what Christ says and living for God are the fruit of salvation. Holy living is evidence that a person knows Christ and belongs to God. How a person lives each day is an indication that he or she is a child of God.

Challenge: We cannot copy Christ’s life. To walk as Christ did, we must obey His teachings and follow His example of complete obedience to God. Serving and loving others is a great way to walk as He walked. Determine what you can do this week to follow Christ’s example.

My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father – Jesus Christ the Righteous One. He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world. 1 John 2:1-2 HCSB

At the bottom of my professional resume I have listed some references of people who know me well and can speak to others honestly about my strengths and weaknesses. Naturally, I listed people who would have sufficient knowledge of my work ethic and Christian walk to be able to give me a good recommendation. These references are my advocates. They have my back and are supporting me.

These verses tell us that Jesus is our advocate with the Father. Advocate can also be translated as “Counselor”, “Helper”, and “Comforter”. Jesus speaks to God on our behalf. Jesus is also our propitiation for sins. He is our substitute. He died in our place. We deserve death, but He paid the price that God demands for sin. Jesus did this so all people could be forgiven and have a relationship with God the Father. Because of Jesus, God looks at us and only sees a perfect person without sin.

Challenge: Thank Jesus for being your advocate before God the Father. Thank Him for taking your place and dying on the cross for your sins.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 HCSB

It is almost time for Vacation Bible School. A pastor with whom I worked in the past would always share the Gospel message with the children by using an old grease-stained T-shirt to illustrate how dirty we are as a result of our sins. He would then use a new clean white T-shirt to illustrate how God cleanses us and makes us clean when we accept Jesus as our personal Savior.

This verse is one that I have memorized. It is comforting to know that God is faithful to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. All of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). We are all “dirty” with sin in our lives. There is only one perfect person who has lived on this planet and it is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He lived a perfect life and then gave His life as a ransom for many so our sins could be forgiven. He has already paid the price for our sins. It is because of Him that God will forgive our sins. The only thing we have to do is accept Him as our personal Savior and confess our sins (admit that we have sinned against God). Just because we accept Christ as our Lord does not mean we stop sinning, so we must continually confess our sins. Confession does not save us; but rather our faith in Christ saves us. Confession is something we should do as a way of admitting we have strayed away from God and need His mercy and
forgiveness.

Challenge: Confess your sins to God and ask for forgiveness. Thank Him for His faithfulness to forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness.

If we say, “We have fellowship with Him,” yet we walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth. But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:6-7 HCSB

Years ago while on a camping trip with a friend, we decided to take a hike in the woods of a state park we were visiting. The hike took longer than expected and it started getting dark. We walked faster, but the sun was quickly going down. We did not have any flashlights, food, or jackets. We knew we needed to get out of the woods before it got dark so we walked even faster. As it got darker and darker we began to stumble on rocks and roots that we could not see. Finally, we reached the road but then we had a couple miles to hike back to our car. Had we not made it out of the woods before it was completely dark, we would have had to spend the night in the woods.

We went from walking in the light to walking in the darkness. John continues to use the metaphor of light and darkness in these verses. Christianity is similar to a hike – it is a journey. When we walk in the light (a life controlled by the Holy Spirit), we have fellowship with God. But when we walk in darkness (a life controlled by sin), we break our relationship with God and our fellowship with other believers.

Challenge: Are you stumbling in the darkness of sin or are you walking in the light of Jesus Christ? Ask God to help you walk in the light and away from the darkness of sin.

We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. 1 John 1:4 HCSB

At the first church I served after graduation from seminary I was responsible for the bus ministry and children’s church. One of the songs that we sang regularly was,

“I’ve Got the Joy In My Heart”. The lyrics are:

I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart
Where?
Down in my heart!
Where?
Down in my heart!
I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart
Down in my heart to stay

And I’m so happy
So very happy
I’ve got the love of Jesus in my heart
Down in my heart
And I’m so happy
So very happy
I’ve got the love of Jesus in my heart.

My two year old granddaughter has recently learned this happy tune and sings it with heart-felt joy. As believers in Jesus we have “joy” in our hearts. “Joy” is also used to describe the seventy that Jesus sent out when they returned (Luke 10:17). “Joy” is the response of the angels when one sinner repents (Luke 15:7). “Joy” is what a woman experiences in the birth of her child (John 16:21). Jesus also spoke of “joy” being complete in John 3:29; 15:11 16:24; and 17:13.

Challenge: Do you have the “joy” of Jesus in your heart? With Jesus you can experience joy even when difficult situations come your way. Thank God for the joy you experience in serving Him and doing what is pleasing to Him. Listen to the song, “I’ve Got the Joy in My Heart” on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z29h7HUcJus

What we have seen and heard we also declare to you, so that you may have fellowship along with us: and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His son Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:3 HCSB

Most churches have a large room called “Fellowship Hall” that is large enough for people to gather for a meal together or enjoy a program. Fellowship is important to building relationships. On Tuesday nights I enjoy playing golf with a group of men from our church. We play a two-man scramble and play for points. At the end of the season, the person with the most points wins the Little Flock cup. The main purpose of the Tuesday night golf league is fellowship. We all enjoy the time with one another as we experience friendly competition.

As believers we should desire to have “fellowship” with other believers. As we spend time with fellow believers, it helps us to become more like Jesus Christ. In this verse, John is proclaiming that people can have fellowship with God the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ if they understand and accept Jesus as personal Savior.

Challenge: Accept Christ as your Lord and Savior and you can enjoy fellowship with God. Get involved in a small group Bible Study where you can enjoy fellowshipping with other believers and growing in your relationship with Christ.

What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have observed and have touched with our hands, concerning the Word of life – that life was revealed, and we have seen it and we testify and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us – 1 John 1:1-2 HCSB

Have you ever watched an illusionist and wondered how they did a certain illusion or trick? I went to seminary with David Garrard. He is a minister at a church in Louisville, Kentucky and also a Christian illusionist. He uses his talents to entertain people and to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ. David does not want to reveal the secrets to his tricks because that would ruin his show. The art of being good illusionist is making people think they see something that in reality is something else.

The secret of eternal life was revealed to John. As with most Jewish people, John had always hoped that the Messiah would come. Now the Messiah, Jesus Christ, was present and he had actually seen and touched him. At first John believed as he had been taught that the Messiah would come and create a perfect world where the Jewish people would be freed from the oppression of the Roman government. John was looking for an earthly king, but now it had been revealed that Jesus did not come to be an earthly king but rather to provide abundant life (see John 10:10). This abundant life was not only for the present but also for the future when all believers will receive eternal life.

Challenge: You can have the promise of abundant life right now and the promise of eternal life in the future. It is only available through Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God. Pray that God will reveal His perfect plan for your life; a plan to prosper you and not to harm you (see Jeremiah 29:11). Learn more about David Garrard at http://davidgarrardmagic.com (http://davidgarrardmagic.com/)

What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have observed and have touched with our hands, concerning the Word of life – 1 John 1:1 HCSB

Several years ago my father went to Augusta, Georgia and actually attended one of the practice rounds for the Masters Golf Tournament. He described to me the beauty of the golf course and even showed me pictures of the course and some of the golfers he saw that day. I have seen the Masters Golf Tournament on television, but I have never been to Augusta, Georgia nor have I had the opportunity to experience the Masters Golf Tournament firsthand. Maybe someday…

In this verse John is proclaiming that he had actually seen Jesus with his own eyes; he had observed and even touched Jesus after His resurrection from the dead. He was validating that the account he was writing was true. John had actually walked with Jesus and was reporting that he had experienced Jesus firsthand. Jesus appeared to his followers at least ten times after His resurrection, including Mary Magdalene, who held His feet at the Tomb and Thomas, who touched his hands and side. It is reasonable to think that many people observed and touched Jesus after His resurrection. This helped to dispel any thought that Jesus was a ghost or spirit of some type.

Challenge: Thank God that Jesus lives today. You may not have experienced Jesus Christ face to face, but as a believer you have a special relationship with a living Savior. Someday you will have the opportunity to experience Jesus firsthand in heaven. What a glorious day that will be!