1 John 3-Do you have true faith or are you lying?

7Little children,b let no one deceive you: The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as Christ is righteous. 8The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very start. This is why the Son of God was revealed, to destroy the works of the devil.

It was true in John’s day as it is in ours, just because you go to church doesn’t mean you are saved or righteous. You need to accept what the blood of Jesus did for you and continue to be washed with it all week long.

Spurgeon says it best;

Well, labor under no mistake, sir. ‘He that committeth sin is of the devil.’ It is no use making excuses and apologies; if you are a lover of sin, you shall go where sinners go. If you, who live after this fashion, say that you have believed in the precious blood of Christ, I do not believe you, sir. If you had a true faith in that precious blood, you would hate sin. If you dare to say you are trusting in the atonement while you live in sin, you lie, sir; you do not trust in the atonement; for where there is a real faith in the atoning sacrifice, it purifies the man, and makes him hate the sin which shed the Redeemer’s blood.” (Spurgeon)

Do you have true faith or are you lying?

Blessings, David 

Steps Of Faith. Genesis 19:12-26 NLT

When the Lord called David and I to adopt, we jumped right in with both feet. When the Lord told me to go Gospel Rescue Mission and volunteer, I hesitated. For three months. It took His continued gentle prodding to get me to finally step out in faith. Why did I hesitate? Fear. A homeless shelter was out of my comfort zone. It was someplace I had never gone and something I had never done. I'm glad He kept pushing. 

The angels told Lot to leave Sodom. It was a matter of life and death. Yet, Lot hesitated. Why? Maybe he was comfortable in his sinful surroundings. Maybe he didn't want to give up his wealth. Once the angels forced Lot out of the city, he again resists the angels instructions on going to the mountains. He negotiates for a better option. 

Are you hesitating? Are you resisting? Are you trying to negotiate with the Lord? Have you become comfortable wuth your surroundings? Maybe it's time to step out in faith and obey the Lord. 

Genesis 19:12-26 NLT

12 Meanwhile, the angels questioned Lot. “Do you have any other relatives here in the city?” they asked. “Get them out of this place—your sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone else.  13 For we are about to destroy this city completely. The outcry against this place is so great it has reached the LORD, and He has sent us to destroy it.” 

14 So Lot rushed out to tell his daughters’ fiancés, “Quick, get out of the city! The LORD is about to destroy it.” But the young men thought he was only joking. 

15 At dawn the next morning the angels became insistent. “Hurry,” they said to Lot. “Take your wife and your two daughters who are here. Get out right now, or you will be swept away in the destruction of the city!” 

16 When Lot still hesitated, the angels seized his hand and the hands of his wife and two daughters and rushed them to safety outside the city, for the LORD was merciful.  17 When they were safely out of the city, one of the angels ordered, “Run for your lives! And don’t look back or stop anywhere in the valley! Escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away!” 

18 “Oh no, my lord!” Lot begged.  19 “You have been so gracious to me and saved my life, and you have shown such great kindness. But I cannot go to the mountains. Disaster would catch up to me there, and I would soon die.  20 See, there is a small village nearby. Please let me go there instead; don’t you see how small it is? Then my life will be saved.” 

21 “All right,” the angel said, “I will grant your request. I will not destroy the little village.  22 But hurry! Escape to it, for I can do nothing until you arrive there.” (This explains why that village was known as Zoar, which means “little place.”) 

23 Lot reached the village just as the sun was rising over the horizon. 24 Then the LORD rained down fire and burning sulfur from the sky on Sodom and Gomorrah.  25 He utterly destroyed them, along with the other cities and villages of the plain, wiping out all the people and every bit of vegetation.  26 But Lot’s wife looked back as she was following behind him, and she turned into a pillar of salt. 

Blessings, Cecilia

1 John 3- Why do WE continue in sin?

3And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

4Everyone who practices sin practices lawlessness as well. Indeed, sin is lawlessness. 5But you know that Christ appeared to take away sins, and in Him there is no sin. 6No one who remains in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has seen Him or known Him.

Yesterday during the last lesson in the series “End Time Battles” we learned several tings about the New Millennium, the One thousand years of Jesus’ reign on earth.

Who are the people that are with Christ on earth? They are the ones that came to Christ during the Tribulation.

Will they have children? Yes

Why does God let Satan loose after 1000 years? Because mans heart is inherently evil and Satan convinces some of the people that lived with Jesus in the New Millennium to follow him.

Isn’t it interesting that some of these people live in a perfect world with Jesus as king still become tempted by evil when Satan is loosed?

http://www.miefree.org/end-time-battles.html

Why do WE continue in sin?

I pray that we repent and sin-less!

Blessings, David 

1 John 3- Are you reflecting His light?

2Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears,a we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is.

Romans 8:16 (NKJV)

16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.

“If I may use such an expression, this is not the time for the manifestation of a Christian’s glory. Eternity is to be the period for the Christian’s full development, and for the sinless display of his God-given glory. Here, he must expect to be unknown; it is in the hereafter that he is to be discovered as a son of the great King.” (Spurgeon)

God’s ultimate goal in our lives is to make us like Jesus, and here, John speaks of the fulfillment of that purpose. (Guzik)

We can say that this happens by reflection. “When a man looks into a bright mirror, it makes him also bright, for it throws its own light upon his face; and, in a much more wonderful fashion, when we look at Christ, who is all brightness, he throws some of his brightness upon us.” (Spurgeon)

Spurgeon has a way with words!

You are the son of the great God, and His goal is to make us more like Jesus. He throws some of his brightness upon us so we can reflect some of His light on others so they can find their way out of darkness and become a reflection of Him!

Are you reflecting His light?

In other words; Do people see Jesus in you?

Blessings, David 

Please Pray!

Please pray for a group of men going this weekend to Prescott Arizona for
the Calvary Chapel Statewide Men's Conference. This will be my 17th year,
and over the years I have had joy, brokenness, surrender, hope, fellowship,
and so many other experiences. I think of Jesus taking the 3 for their
mountaintop experience and am desiring the same type of a mountaintop
experience for all who go as well. *Mark 9:2 Six days later, Jesus took
with Him Peter and James and John, and led them up on a high mountain by
themselves. And He was transfigured (changed in form) before them [and
began to shine brightly with divine and regal glory]; 3 and His clothes
became radiant and dazzling, intensely white, as no launderer on earth can
whiten them...7 Then a cloud formed, overshadowing them, and a voice came
out of the cloud, “This is My beloved Son. Listen to Him and obey Him!”*A
Biblical mountain top experience involves your mind, your heart, your
emotions, your desires, and your will, all in complete surrender to the
Lord Jesus. There is something special in getting away from the cares of
the world to focus on God. My desire is to truly hear from God with clarity
and understanding for the plans that He has for me. Thank you all for your
thoughts and prayers. Jesus loves you and I love you too.

Douglas 

Compromise. Genesis 19:1-11 NLT

Compromise. This is the second time this week this concept has come up for me  in studying the Bible. We take a small step toward sin and the next small step is easier. We begin to compromise our values and beliefs, we begin to accept sin. Next thing we know we are approving of it and celebrating it. And then, we lose everything we held dear. 

Lot saw the well watered plains and took a step toward it. Soon he wasn't satisfied with living outside the city so he moved into it. Next, he becomes a civic leader, sitting at the gate, settling disputes among the people. His acceptance of the sin around him will lead to his loss of everything. 

All because he was willing to compromise his values and beliefs. 

Are you willing to take that small step? Are you willing to lose everything? Think about it next time the well watered plains look enticing. 

Genesis 19:1-11 NLT 

1 That evening the two angels came to the entrance of the city of Sodom. Lot was sitting there, and when he saw them, he stood up to meet them. Then he welcomed them and bowed with his face to the ground.  2 “My lords,” he said, “come to my home to wash your feet, and be my guests for the night. You may then get up early in the morning and be on your way again.” 

“Oh no,” they replied. “We’ll just spend the night out here in the city square.” 

3 But Lot insisted, so at last they went home with him. Lot prepared a feast for them, complete with fresh bread made without yeast, and they ate.  4 But before they retired for the night, all the men of Sodom, young and old, came from all over the city and surrounded the house.  5 They shouted to Lot, “Where are the men who came to spend the night with you? Bring them out to us so we can have sex with them!” 

6 So Lot stepped outside to talk to them, shutting the door behind him.  7 “Please, my brothers,” he begged, “don’t do such a wicked thing. 8 Look, I have two virgin daughters. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do with them as you wish. But please, leave these men alone, for they are my guests and are under my protection.” 

9 “Stand back!” they shouted. “This fellow came to town as an outsider, and now he’s acting like our judge! We’ll treat you far worse than those other men!” And they lunged toward Lot to break down the door. 

10 But the two angels reached out, pulled Lot into the house, and bolted the door.  11 Then they blinded all the men, young and old, who were at the door of the house, so they gave up trying to get inside. 

Blessings, Cecilia

1 John 3- Are you a child of God?

1 John 3

Berean Study Bible

Children of God

1Behold what manner of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God. And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. 

The unsaved are not children of God because of sin. When you are "born again" your sin is cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ and you are adopted into the family of God.

The world doesn't know us or understand us because they don't know Him. 

Go deeper; 

https://www.gotquestions.org/all-God-children.html

Are you a child of God?

Blessings, David