Let's finish this very black and white testimony of John.
1 John 5:18-21 We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in {the power of} the evil one. And 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. This is the true God and eternal life.
Little children, guard yourselves from idols.
Father-
We know no one is perfect, but as John tells us here we must look at our pattern of life. If the pattern of our life is sin, we are not Your child. We are not "born again" as Jesus said in John chapter 3. A changed life is the proof of something happening internally to the believer. My family knows me Lord and if they will only remember back before 5 years ago they will remember a young man who was very different from the person You have made me. Help them to remember and help them to see my wickedness. We all know that something has happened. No one can convince me something serious did not change in my direction and pattern of life. This is a change I did not pursue or want. You chased me down like the hound of heaven and set me on a new path. If we think Christ has died for our sins, let our pattern of life be our evidence to ourselves. Do we pursue and desire to be more like Christ? Your Word says this is the evidence of our salvation that we love You and hate sin. There is a very sharp contrast between the one who belongs to You and one who belongs to satan.
Again as Psalm 1 says there are only two possible types of people in the world, the righteous and the wicked. John says "that the whole world lies in {the power of} the evil one" The whole world is under satan's dominion. How else could he say to Jesus....Luke 4:5-8 And he led Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, "I will give You all this domain and its glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. "Therefore if You worship before me, it shall all be Yours." Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD AND SERVE HIM ONLY.' " Who handed it over to satan Father? Adam in the garden of Eden took the power and control You gave him in his submission and obedience to You (theocracy) and handed it to satan by obeying a lie. May we heed Christ's words as He quotes the first commandment to satan.
Funny Lord that satan the evil one would have the audacity to quote scripture to the eternal Christ, the creator of even satan, lucifer himself!
As John closes this book with a great proclamation of the Gospel...
"And we know that the Son of God has come, Father the virgin born set aside His pre-existing glory and became like us...to die a human death we should have died...to feel the separation and bear the punishment along with the required blood sacrifice to cover sins as You established long ago with Israel...even before that Lord! A death had to occur even in the garden of Eden to cover Adam and Eve's sin. You killed and provided the covering for them even then!
"and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true;" We do not love You and want to draw near and learn more about You because we are smart. It's only because You have GIVEN us understanding so we CAN know You. Does anyone want to know You? Let them pray and ask for understanding.
"and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ". Father if we are "In Christ" who can take us out of Christ? As Romans 8 says:
| [There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. |
Rom 8:38-39 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
"This is the true God and eternal life." Lord just as Jesus said Himself "I am the Way the Truth and the Life...no man comes to the Father but by Me."
"Little children, guard yourselves from idols." Here Father John's final words to us may seem like an abrupt closing, but in light of the verses before....what else is there to say? We should belong to and be fully dedicated to Jesus Christ our Savior who created us and died for us and will save us will His might hand from death! Will we foolishly give ANYTHING in this life more importance than that? Will we still sin and forget that first commandment? YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD AND SERVE HIM ONLY. What do we serve before You. What will we enjoy before You? Football on TV? Our possessions? Our careers? Our families? What will come between us and our Lord? What is the price that can purchase our attention away from the greatest commandment?
This is a hard book Father because it is so black and white. I know I have beat myself up over it several times over the last five years. Help us to remember this: It's the PATTERN OF OUR LIVES Not one sin and we are terrible heathens who hate God, but we strive for holiness. Our flesh will never be able to serve You as our new hearts desire to. Only when we arrive in heaven will we be perfect. But help us to examine our life to see if we are "in Christ" then help us to walk. Daily may we take one step forward with slow steady progress towards holiness. Like a child we will stumble and fall, but will we get up and run away to the evil one who is waiting with a sweet smile and open arms to devour us? Of course not, we will continue towards the Good King the Great God and Savior who died for our sins and who truly loves us.
Father for Aubrey hear our prayer. Heal her kidneys and help her to stop throwing up. Give the doctors wisdom and bring this family we love so much back home to us. We miss them so much at church, but understand they are away at work for You.
For baby Thaddeus, we pray for continued positive news. May each trip bring more and more good news. Victoria was telling me of a baby with a large hole in the same spot as Thad's and by some way the doctors can't understand it healed itself completely before the baby was born. We know it was You and You can and are willing to do these good things in accordance with Your plans. We hope we have a great story like them to tell one day. May we always tell the story of how God healed our baby boy's heart!
For this weeks Thanksgiving travels I pray for our safety. It's not looking too good Lord for our making it home. I will just leave this in Your hands and go where You want me. I also give You thanks for the opportunity to preach in Mt. Hope this Sunday. Please give me careful words and discernment as I handle Your Word. It's a job I will do with great care and concern for Your sheep.
In Your Name Lord Jesus we ask the Father...and to Your Name Lord Jesus we give all our love and worship....amen!
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