[2 John, Proverbs 19]

H – 2 John 8, “Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward.”

E – Watch Out!

2 John is an interesting letter, from all standpoints: whom the letter is written to, the purpose the letter is written, and the warning behind it. 

The letter is written to a woman and her children. They are known as “the elect,” which means that they had put faith in Christ. The purpose was to remind them to abide in the truth they had received, and the warning was to be on the lookout for anti-christ that sought to influence them through deception. 

This lady was called to “love one another.” John describes to this lady, once again, what real love was. Real love is surrender to the light of truth, Jesus. Real love is obeying or abiding or walking in His teachings. Real love is teaching these truths to those you have influence over; ie: your children (Deuteronomy 6). This “real love” is discipleship at its finest. For John, it began with this lady, personally, and then flowed to her family. (Reminds me of the saying, you can disciple the world, but if you fail to disciple your family, you fail). 

Not only is real love surrendering, abiding in, and teaching truth. Real love is watching out for deception that attempts to come into our lives and homes. This is a huge statement by the writer, “do not receive (deception) into your home (v.10).” WOW! Think for just a moment about all the ways anti-christ look to get into our homes through electronics, games, television, movies, music, other avenues of entertainment, books, literature, school (even homeschool), clothes, brands, and so on and so forth. We could go on and on on the extensiveness of deception. 

The enemy is using culture so much right now to guilt and shame people into being receiving and accepting of the culture around them. But for Christ followers raising other Christ followers, that is not love. Love is loving others, but not allowing deception to deceive others away from the “right” things one has worked for. Oh Christian, we need to heed this. We don’t need to be influenced by culture. We need to be influenced by Christ. Watch out for this type of deception. 

A – Watch out, surrender anew, abide in the truth and teachings of Christ, teach His truths out of love, guard against deception, don’t let unholiness have a foothold in my house. 

R – Lord God, thank you for salvation. Help me be watchful. Open my eyes to deception. Allow me the opportunity to teach your truths out of a holy and reverent love. Lord, guard my home, my family, and our faith family. Give us the boldness to say ‘no’ to the things that attempt to turn us away from truth. 

In Jesus Name!

[1 John 3, Proverbs 14]

H – 1 John 3:6, “No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.”

E – One Or The Other!

There is only one way to slice it. Those that are in Christ abide in Him. Those who are not in Him keep on sinning. 1 John captures this truth over and over again, in everyday possible it could be covered. 

Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness (3:4). The practice of sin is the habitual, going back to, needing in my life type of sin. All sin is lawlessness, regardless of how major or minor one thinks the sin is. The person that continues to practice sin is of the devil (v.8). 

No one who abides in Him keeps on sinning. The person that abides in Christ practices righteousness (v.7), hopes in the Lord and purifies themself (v.4), opens their heart to see others needs (v.17), loves others well (v.18), and keeps his commandments (v.24) because they are guided by the Holy Spirit of God (v.24). 

It becomes clearly evident what you are and who’s you are by who and what you abide in (v.10).

A – Don’t just talk the talk, walk the walk (v.18). Be sensitive to the Holy Spirit to lead and guide. Allow the Word of God to transform my heart and mind, each day. Applicably live out His Word in and through my life. 

R – Lord God, thank you for allowing me to be a child of God. Help me to take this adoptive honor seriously. Lord, I want to be the person who desire me to be. Continue to lead and guide me to your purpose. Help me to love and lead others well. Help me to persevere when others hate me because of the word that you are doing. Lord, I desire to see people saved. Give me the boldness to proclaim the Gospel. 

In Jesus Name!

[1 John 1, Proverbs 12]

H – 1 John 1:6, “If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.”

E – 2 Types of People!

There are two types of people. Those who walk in darkness and those who walk in light. This reality simplifies the way we should view ourself and look at people. And, the reality is that your not the type of person you are by what you claim, but the evidence of proclamation through the expression of your life. 

John testifies that they had heard Jesus, seen Him, looked upon Him, touched Him. They had a front row seat to witnessing the manifestation of God in flesh. Knowing this truth they could not keep silent or remain placed. They had to go and tell, proclaim, and testify. What they had experienced changed them in such a way that they know longer practiced the things they use to. What they had experienced changed them in such a way that they had forsaken their occupations in order to go in proclamation and testify of “The Light”. 

But, what is it that they experienced that changed them to this degree? That had experienced absolute truth, revealing light, forgiveness from all sin, cleansing from all unrighteousness (v.9) that came from one man, Jesus. 

Just one of those things would be enough to go and tell what they had experienced, but to experience a totally changed life, well, that is worth complete surrender. Yet, this is what Jesus does when a person genuinely receives Him by faith, walks in (practices) His truth, is guided by His light, fellowships with the saints, and seeks forgiveness from their sins through repentance. JESUS TOTALLY CHANGES EVERYTHING. 

A – Be the person who walks in light, being daily changed by the truth of His Word, fellowshipping with others believers in fellowship with God the Father through Christ the Son, and proclaiming and testifying of His goodness for the glory of His great name. 

R – Lord God, you are good. You are Truth. You are Light. Help me today to walk in your truth and light. Lord, guide me in righteousness for your name sake. Change me anew for your glory. Use me to testify and proclaim the glory of your great name for your Kingdom. 

In Jesus Name!

[John 17, Proverbs 5]

H – John 17:3, “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”

E – What is Eternal Life?

Knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he sent. It is interesting when you begin to break this verse down and study it for what it is. 

The word “know” emphasizes an experiential relationship rather than just necessary information. The verb also appears here in the present tense, suggesting a continuing personal experience and contact with both the Father and the Son. In other words, it’s more than just something you talk about in the form of information. This knowing is continual life change through a personal relationship. 

Ones knowing “the only true God,” means that the knowledge of God gives enduring satisfaction, because God alone is eternal and only God can provide abundant and eternal life. This knowing of the life gifted by God, through His Son leads to daily guidance in the truth He gives. 

It’s not good enough just to claim to know about or even know God. The knowledge of the eternal God is granted through the evidence of “Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” Through Christ death, burial, and resurrection. 

1 John 5:11–12, “[11] And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. [12] Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”

Eternal Life can only be grasp through faith in Jesus Christ; the One in whom God sent to display His love for humanity; that if any would believe, repent, and follow Him would have this eternal life. (John 14:6)

Therefore, eternal life is knowing God through faith in Jesus, having evidential knowing of Him through a personal relationship, and following Him in obedience. 

A – Surrender each day, by faith, to The Lord. Make it a priority to be filled with Him, anew, through the reading of His Word, the manifestation of His Spirit, and obedience to apply His truths. 

R – Lord God, thank you for the evidence of your great love for us, in that while we were still yet sinners, you sent Jesus to die for us (Romans 5:8). By faith, through the grace of Christ death, burial, and resurrection we have life abundantly and eternally. Lord, I don’t want to get over that. Lord, I praise you for allowing me to know you. 

In Jesus Name!

[John 15, Proverbs 3]

H – John 15:9b, “……. abide in my love.”

E – Abide!

The word abide means continual enduring in an accepted decision one has made. There is no greater picture of this than from John 15. The word abide appears 11 times in the first 17 verses. 

The imagery used to display the meaning of abiding is fruit. If you are not connected or abiding in the vine you will not bear fruit. If you are connected and abiding in the vine you will bear much fruit. (It was interesting as I read this morning, you do not find the words “bear fruit.” You see the words “bear MORE or MUCH fruit” (v.2,8). Yet, fruit is not what we do. Fruit is the overflow of the relationship I’m grafted in to. Which means Jesus calls us to more that just going through the motions, but Him working in and using our lives in every way, for His glory (much fruit).) 

So, for one that has made an accepted decision to follow Christ (“The Vine”), there should be a continual enduring of abiding in Him. To abide in Christ means to keep His commandments (v.10), continually. And, to abide in Christ speaks of our love for Him. In other words, to passionately love God means that we abide in Jesus. Jesus himself proclaimed in the previous chapter, John 14:15, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments,” (you will abide in me). Here in John 15, Jesus reiterates this truth by stating, “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, ……” (v.10). 

Yet, for the one that has claimed acceptance to follow Christ but has never endured in abiding in Him, reveals that they were never plugged in to “The Vine” to begin with. The deadly reality is that they will prove to not be of Him, taken away (v.2), gathered with other useless branches and thrown into a fire to be burned (v.6). 

If you have come to the realization that you can’t do this life on your own, abide in Christ. You and I can do nothing of any eternal significance without Him (v.5). To help in our enduring, Jesus gave us some clear applications to abiding in Him: 

1. I abide in Christ Personally – v.4-5, “I in you,” Abiding in Christ personally can only come from a personal love relationship with Christ livingin us. And, if it is He in us then it is a clear reminder that the Christian life is not me living for Jesus, but Jesus living His life in and through me, personally. 
2. I abide in Christ Daily – v.5, “remain in me.” Remember to abide in Christ is to live or remain continually. Abiding in Him is an everyday surrender be learning from Him, “His Words” (v.7), communing with Him, “ask the Father” (v.7, 16), and taking up our cross and following Him, “my disciples” (v.8). 
3. I abide in Christ by Connecting – v.5, “you are the branches.” One of the great qualities of a Christ follower is connecting with other Christ followers. Other Christ followers should encourage us and hold us accountable to keep abiding. We were never called to “bear fruit” alone. It is utterly impossible to abide in Him without connecting with “the branches” of “The Vine.”
4. I abide in Christ by Loving – v.12, “love one another.” I can not abide in Christ without unconditional love in my heart towards other. This means that I’m willing to show grace, mercy, forgiveness to others, because that’s what Christ has shown me, “as I have loved you.” This loves proves that you are of Him and His disciple (v.8, John 13:35). 
5. I abide in Christ by Going – v.16, “you should go.” This is the call for every Christ follower. “GO THEREFORE” and make disciples. This is the Great Commission. The response for all Christ followers is to “Go” and make disciples. If I’m not “going” I’m not abiding. 
6. I abide in Christ by Serving – v.15, “I call you friends.” This is interesting. Jesus says he no longer calls us servants, but now he calls us friends. However, that does not mean that we do not serve. It means that we are no longer under Christ. I means that we are in Christ, therefore we serve with Christ, as a friend. Even to the point of laying down our life (v.13), which is how Jesus served us. 

Here is a great truth. When I am abiding in Him there is great JOY (v.11). I don’t have to work in conjuring up happiness. I abide and walk in His joy, which surpasses any other emotional feeling I could possible experience.

A – Remain, continue, persevere in being connected to The Vine. Bear much fruit for His Glory. Walk in the joy of the Lord. 

R – Lord God, thank you for life. Thank you for sustaining me. Thank you for providing for me and meeting my needs. Lord, thank you for producing in me what only you can produce. Lord, use my life for your Glory. Help me to walk in your joy. I pray people would see you in me and through me today as I attempt to serve others. We need you. I need you. You are our only hope. Give me the strength to persevere. 

In Jesus Name!