Insight Into the Scriptures
1 John was written by John. The time John wrote this was around 85-90 AD. At the time John may have been the only remaining Apostle. This was written before he was banished to the island of Patmos.
This letter was written to a new generation of believers to reassure their faith and warn of false prophets. Notice the opening and closing of the letter, it is different than the ones we have been reading.
As I was reading one word kept on coming up; Love.
1 John 2:4-6,4:20,18
"The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did."
"If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother."
"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."
Thought for the Day
OK.... pop quiz time. What are the first two greatest commands in the Bible? Right, love the the Lord your God with all you heart mind and soul, and Love you neighbor as yourself. You know that LOVE word keeps on showing up all over.
The first one should be easy, but a daily process. It is easy to love someone who loved you first and loves you no matter what. But, what about our human brothers and sisters who are sinful by nature?
Who are your brothers and sisters? The people you pick and choose? The people that are your friends? Family? Yes, it is all of the above and everyone on this planet. The dirty one, smelly ones, hateful ones, the ones with the wrong motives, greedy ones..... OK you get the idea, everyone. It is so easy to love people that love you back, but what about the ones that curse you?
What does in mean to you to LOVE your brother or sister? To me it means to put every one of my judgement feelings aside and LOVE that person. To honestly care about the well being of that person. Put away my pride and let them be right, when I know they are wrong. Really LOVE that person's spirit. I know that we have talked about this before, but this is one of the only things that separates us. We can talk all we want to, but our actions of LOVE speak louder than anything else can.
If you are having a hard time loving those who are hard to love, what do you need to do to get to that mind set?
Closing Prayer
Dear Jesus, Thank you for loving me. Thank you loving me no matter how good or bad I am.
Dear Jesus I will never understand your perfect love, I try to show love to everyone, but there are some people that I just have a hard time with, it is hard to show them love. Please Jesus help me to put away all my human feelings and let Your perfect love shine though me.
Thank you Jesus, please be with me during my busy day. I love you.
In Your amazing name, Amen
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