I am continuing my journey in 1 John 3: 1-24 "See what great love the Father has lavished on 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. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. All who have this hope in Him purify themselves, just as He is pure. Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that He appeared so that He might take away our sins. And in Him is no sin. No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen Him or known Him. Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as He is righteous. The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.
For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in His presence: If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and He knows everything. Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from Him anything we ask, because we keep His commands and do what pleases Him. And this is His command: to believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as He commanded us. The one who keeps God’s commands lives in Him, and He in them. And this is how we know that He lives in us: We know it by the Spirit He gave us." Amen and may the Lord add a blessing to the reading and hearing of His Word.
Wow what a powerful message! When we give our life to God through Christ we HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT that Christ left for us and to be with us. That is the PRESENT tense! We don't have to ask for the Holy Spirit we already have Him and His FRUITS!! They go hand and hand. We don't have to strive to display these FRUITS we just have to get out of the way and let the Holy Spirit REST, RULE AND ABIDE. When we take over and sin enters the picture, God and sin cannot occupy the same space at the same time so therefore we are unprotected--however we need only repent and we are back with the Holy Spirit again. We cannot earn God's love and Mercy. We became God's love and mercy when we accepted Christ as Savior and His blood sacrifice wiped us clean. We are clean forever -- we need nothing else except to CELEBRATE this new life daily. When we pray, we are to pray as if our prayers have already been answered. The price has been paid. When we live we are to live a victorious life.
If you are struggling then get out of the way of your true life. If you have anger then get out of the way and let God's love shine through you. If you have insecurities then get out of the way and let God's victorious life be your life. Our life with God through Christ is right here and right now and forever. We don't have to wait. We don't have to plea--just get out of your own way. Christ has already paid the price for your victorious life. Waine told me this story about this couple who saved up for 2 years to take a cruise. They were finally able to pay the fare but didn't have any money left so they brought crackers, cheese, fruit and peanut butter so that they would have food to eat. On the second day of the cruise, a cruise worker asked why they were eating cheese and crackers on the deck of the boat. The husband replied that they had enough money to book passage but not to pay for the food. The cruise worker informed them that the food was included in their fare and they could eat all they wanted. The PRICE HAD BEEN PAID IN FULL!
If you are on the deck eating cheese and crackers when a banquet awaits you then get to know the God you serve better. Satan is the father of lies. You are already seated at the bountiful table of the saved because of the sacrifice of Christ. Enjoy your life so that others may come to know and serve the God of Abraham , Issac, Jacob and you!
Now may the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
Stephanie
For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in His presence: If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and He knows everything. Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from Him anything we ask, because we keep His commands and do what pleases Him. And this is His command: to believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as He commanded us. The one who keeps God’s commands lives in Him, and He in them. And this is how we know that He lives in us: We know it by the Spirit He gave us." Amen and may the Lord add a blessing to the reading and hearing of His Word.
Wow what a powerful message! When we give our life to God through Christ we HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT that Christ left for us and to be with us. That is the PRESENT tense! We don't have to ask for the Holy Spirit we already have Him and His FRUITS!! They go hand and hand. We don't have to strive to display these FRUITS we just have to get out of the way and let the Holy Spirit REST, RULE AND ABIDE. When we take over and sin enters the picture, God and sin cannot occupy the same space at the same time so therefore we are unprotected--however we need only repent and we are back with the Holy Spirit again. We cannot earn God's love and Mercy. We became God's love and mercy when we accepted Christ as Savior and His blood sacrifice wiped us clean. We are clean forever -- we need nothing else except to CELEBRATE this new life daily. When we pray, we are to pray as if our prayers have already been answered. The price has been paid. When we live we are to live a victorious life.
If you are struggling then get out of the way of your true life. If you have anger then get out of the way and let God's love shine through you. If you have insecurities then get out of the way and let God's victorious life be your life. Our life with God through Christ is right here and right now and forever. We don't have to wait. We don't have to plea--just get out of your own way. Christ has already paid the price for your victorious life. Waine told me this story about this couple who saved up for 2 years to take a cruise. They were finally able to pay the fare but didn't have any money left so they brought crackers, cheese, fruit and peanut butter so that they would have food to eat. On the second day of the cruise, a cruise worker asked why they were eating cheese and crackers on the deck of the boat. The husband replied that they had enough money to book passage but not to pay for the food. The cruise worker informed them that the food was included in their fare and they could eat all they wanted. The PRICE HAD BEEN PAID IN FULL!
If you are on the deck eating cheese and crackers when a banquet awaits you then get to know the God you serve better. Satan is the father of lies. You are already seated at the bountiful table of the saved because of the sacrifice of Christ. Enjoy your life so that others may come to know and serve the God of Abraham , Issac, Jacob and you!
Now may the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
Stephanie
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