1 John 5-Are you keeping yourself from idols?

20And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true—in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

21Little children, keep yourselves from idols.d 

Do you have this understanding? We taught our son (Jesus) about Him who is true, and we were in Him  who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. It was God that led us to adopt him but unfortunately our son didn’t keep himself from idols. He idolized his birth family, the gang culture, drugs and alcohol. Satan used this idol to draw him away from Jesus. 

Please pray that Gods will be done in His life and that He uses this time he has in prison to draw his heart back to Him.

Are you keeping yourself from idols?

Blessings, David 

Good Impressions. Genesis 26:26-33 NLT

I haven't always displayed my best in public. Sometimes I get down right frustrated and get in my flesh. I'm guilty. But I am trying to do better. Isn't that what being a Christian means, in part? We put off our old ways and put on the ways of Christ. We make mistakes, we ask forgiveness, we ask God for guidance and strength to do better and we move on. 

Your behavior in public, the way you treat others may be the closest some people ever get to meeting Jesus. Leave a good impression. 

Genesis 26:26-33 NLT

Isaac’s Covenant with Abimelech

26 One day King Abimelech came from Gerar with his adviser, Ahuzzath, and also Phicol, his army commander. 27 “Why have you come here?” Isaac asked. “You obviously hate me, since you kicked me off your land.”

28 They replied, “We can plainly see that the LORD is with you. So we want to enter into a sworn treaty with you. Let’s make a covenant. 29 Swear that you will not harm us, just as we have never troubled you. We have always treated you well, and we sent you away from us in peace. And now look how the LORD has blessed you!”

30 So Isaac prepared a covenant feast to celebrate the treaty, and they ate and drank together. 31 Early the next morning, they each took a solemn oath not to interfere with each other. Then Isaac sent them home again, and they left him in peace.

32 That very day Isaac’s servants came and told him about a new well they had dug. “We’ve found water!” they exclaimed. 33 So Isaac named the well Shibah (which means “oath”). And to this day the town that grew up there is called Beersheba (which means “well of the oath”).

Blessings, Cecilia

Can't We All Just Get Along? Genesis 26:12-25 NLT

It seems every house David and I have ever lived in we've had a contentious relationship with at least one of our neighbors. In Arizona, bigotry prompted the relationship with a neighbor to turn sour. Objecting to our adoption of a 10 year old Hispanic boy, they began complaining about everything we did after he moved in. Currently, the people behind us complained vehemently when we fenced off what he and others used as an ATV and snowmobile trail that runs through our front yard. You've probably had your share of disputes with your neighbors too.  

Jealousy seemed to plague Isaac as he tried to find a place to settle. It's not as easy to pick up and move somewhere else like it was for Isaac. Although, moving with all his possessions was no small task I'm sure, today we have property deeds, mortgages and a financial investment in our homes. So what do you do in those instances where you just can't get along? Pray. And maybe try again to calm the waters. 

Please pray for our neighbor Bud. I believe he is just not a happy man. And pray this Christmas season I will have the courage to try to calm the waters with him once again. 

Genesis 26:12-25 NLT

Conflict over Water Rights 

12 When Isaac planted his crops that year, he harvested a hundred times more grain than he planted, for the LORD blessed him.  13 He became a very rich man, and his wealth continued to grow.  14 He acquired so many flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, and servants that the Philistines became jealous of him.  15 So the Philistines filled up all of Isaac’s wells with dirt. These were the wells that had been dug by the servants of his father, Abraham. 

16 Finally, Abimelech ordered Isaac to leave the country. “Go somewhere else,” he said, “for you have become too powerful for us.” 

17 So Isaac moved away to the Gerar Valley, where he set up their tents and settled down.  18 He reopened the wells his father had dug, which the Philistines had filled in after Abraham’s death. Isaac also restored the names Abraham had given them. 

19 Isaac’s servants also dug in the Gerar Valley and discovered a well of fresh water.  20 But then the shepherds from Gerar came and claimed the spring. “This is our water,” they said, and they argued over it with Isaac’s herdsmen. So Isaac named the well Esek (which means “argument”).  21 Isaac’s men then dug another well, but again there was a dispute over it. So Isaac named it Sitnah (which means “hostility”). 22 Abandoning that one, Isaac moved on and dug another well. This time there was no dispute over it, so Isaac named the place Rehoboth (which means “open space”), for he said, “At last the LORD has created enough space for us to prosper in this land.” 

23 From there Isaac moved to Beersheba,  24 where the LORD appeared to him on the night of his arrival. “I am the God of your father, Abraham,” he said. “Do not be afraid, for I am with you and will bless you. I will multiply your descendants, and they will become a great nation. I will do this because of my promise to Abraham, my servant. "  25 Then Isaac built an altar there and worshiped the LORD. He set up his camp at that place, and his servants dug another well. 

Blessings, Cecilia

1 John 5-What will your sentence be?

19We know that we are of God, and that the whole world is under the power of the evil one.

This verse is evident, just look at the news. The other day Cecilia was checking up on our son (Jesus) and discovered he was in jail awaiting sentencing. We tried to teach him actions have consequences, we tried to break the domino effect when we adopted him by teaching him the ways of his birth family were wrong. But he found his birth mother and she claimed she undid everything we taught him. 

Jesus said in Mark 9:42 Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be thrown into the sea.

Remember, “the whole world is under the power of the evil one”. 

And, actions have consequences.

There will be a Final Judgement! 

What will your sentence be?

Blessings, David 

Charm & grace are deceptive, are you?

It is estimated that over 93 million selfies are taken everyday. Have you
ever looked at someone and thought, that person is one of the most
beautiful/handsome people I have ever seen. They have everything, looks,
charm, grace, natural sex appeal, and talent. Everything that the world
admires. I look at the scriptures to see what God thinks. It is written in
*Prov31:30 Charm and grace are deceptive, and [superficial] beauty is vain,
But a woman who fears the Lord [reverently worshiping, obeying, serving,
and trusting Him with awe-filled respect], she shall be praised.* I saw a
post that asked what people love about you, "I love your____?" and think,
what matters more, what the world loves about you or what God see's in your
heart that truly matters. It is written in *1Sam16:7 But the Lord said to
Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature,
because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees; for man
looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”* What do
people in your world love about you? Do they see something that might
inspire them to draw closer to the Lord? My life as a Christian has had
mountains and valley's, success' and failures. My desire is that people are
inspired by my devotion to God, my fear of the Lord, and being filled with
the Holy Spirit. Brethren, the praise that we seek should come from the
Lord, not from people or even ourselves, and we must remember that God
looks at the heart. I pray that above all, that you "love my" Jesus.

Douglas 

1 John 5-Whom do you listen to?

18We know that anyone born of God does not keep on sinning; the One who was born of God protects him,c and the evil one cannot touch him.

Do people see Christ in you? Or, when you leave church on Sunday do you become one with the world again?

Remember, people are watching you! Don’t be a hypocrite!

Do you remember the Book of Job? Satan had to ask God for permission to touch Job. When you become a Christian, God puts His seal on you and Satan can’t touch you, but he can still whisper in your ear. 

Whom do you listen to, the Holy Spirit or Satan?

Blessings, David 

1 John 5-Corrective Judgement

16If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he should ask God, who will give life to those who commit this kind of sin. There is a sin that leads to death; I am not saying he should ask regarding that sin. 17All unrighteousness is sin, yet there is sin that does not lead to death.

The context of the letter is written to a “brother”, one who has salvation. 

If you see your brother sin the first thing you need to do is pray for him as this demonstrates that the love of Christ is in you.

David Guzik surmises that is possible that a person with salvation who sins badly enough it is possible that God may say; it’s time to bring him home. “sin that leads to death” a earthly death.

“This is a difficult concept, but we have an example of it in 1 Corinthians 11:27-30, where Paul says that among the Christians in Corinth, because of their disgraceful conduct at the Lord’s Supper, some had died (many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep). This death came not as a condemning judgment, but as a corrective judgment (But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.” (Guzik)

“John takes pains to recognize that not every sin leads to death in the manner he speaks of, though all unrighteousness is sin.” (Guzik)

John describes the type of sin that leads to earthly death (corrective judgment) and sin that does not lead to earthly death.

If we commit the type of sin that requires “corrective judgement “, are we committing suicide?

Blessings, David