Tag: love of God
Victory in Jesus!
Scripture reading for October 4th: 1st John 5, Psalm 48, Proverbs 12
1st John 5:1-5 “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey His commandments. For this is love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. For everyone born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that overcomes the world–our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one that believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of God?”
John has a way of making salvation and new birth very simple and easy to understand. He states simply that everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. To believe means to have faith. Faith is the confident trust that Jesus Christ is God’s Son Who came to earth to save us from our sins as the ‘Messiah’–‘Anointed One’. If we believe that Jesus is the Christ, we love other children of God and we love God. We demonstrate our faith by acting on what God has said, pleasing Him, and turning away from all that God hates. Through faith, by grace, we overcome the world and the god of this world. By faith we love God and obey His commandments with joy because they are not burdensome, but a delight!
Psalm 48:12-14 “Walk about Zion, go around her, number her towers, consider well her ramparts, go through her citadels, that you may tell the next generation that this is God, our God forever and ever. He will guide us forever.”
Prayer: Father God, thank You for the Holy Spirit to live in us and guide us in obeying Your Word and loving You and others each day. Thank You for Your righteousness, that I might be a guide to my neighbor in love of his soul. Use me to tell the next generation that God is my God forever and ever! I claim victory over the world, flesh, and devil through Jesus Christ, the Son of God, my Savior and King!
Proverbs 12:26 “One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.”
God’s protection through faithfulness
Scripture reading for June 23rd: 2nd Thessalonians 3
Key Scriptures: 2nd Thessalonians 3:3-8 “But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things we command. May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ. Now we command you, brothers, in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and burden we worked night and day that we might not be a burden to any of you.”
Paul closed this second letter with encouragement and warning to the believers. He was confident in the Lord that the believers would follow Christ Jesus and obey His Word as taught by Paul and the elders. He prayed that the Lord would direct their hearts deeper into the love of God and the steadfastness of Jesus Christ Himself. Paul had preached Christ and also set an example of faithfulness and love for these brothers and sisters. He had provided for his own needs and those of the ministry team by working and providing for their needs, even though he could have taken offerings and assistance. He asked these believers to imitate his example. Then he warned them to avoid those who were idle and living off others. This temptation came from the evil one and lead to other sins. Some of these used the pretext that Jesus was coming soon. This is not how believers are to wait for Christ’s return. We must be about the Master’s business and work to provide for our needs.
2nd Thessalonians 3:10-11 “For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies.”
Faith confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for Your example of active ministry as well as this record of Paul’s life and work ethic. Help me to imitate Your example and work at providing for my needs and also having abundance to give to Your work. May my example inspire others and lead them deeper in the love of God and the steadfastness of Your Word, which will protect them from the evil one.
Proverbs 24:30-31 “I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of a man lacking sense, and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns; the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down.”