Oh my goodness! I don’t want my study of First John to end. Oh, I’m sure the Lord will bring me back to this living, breathing, part of the Bible. He has so much more to teach me. But once again, I’ve come to the close of a book of the Bible with an increasedContinue reading “The study is ending —but we’ve got a Savior to keep seeking as we need Him every moment!”
Tag Archives: 1 John
He’s still good. Even in this uncomfortable thing to discuss.
Just after John writes about praying with confidence and believing God hears our prayers, John writes about seeing sin in the lives of other believers. Surely you’ve seen sin in others, and surely others have seen sin in us! When this happens, we have to resist the urge to talk to others about this beforeContinue reading “He’s still good. Even in this uncomfortable thing to discuss.”
Where else would I go?
This is hard stuff. Are you ready for some hard stuff? I’ve been paused on this verse for several days. I’ve been wrestling. I’ve been reading commentaries and thinking about all I’ve seen God do and know Him to be. Still, I can’t fully wrap my mind around these words God had the beloved disciple,Continue reading “Where else would I go?”
You are an OVERCOMER if you BELIEVE this…
And YOU are an overcomer…if you are born of God, if you believe— “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:4-5) InContinue reading “You are an OVERCOMER if you BELIEVE this…”
Want to love others well? Obey God.
One way we love others,yes LOVE others well,is by loving Godand OBEYING Him. “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” (1 John 5:2-3) Our sinContinue reading “Want to love others well? Obey God.”
Only Two Types of People
“Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.”I John 5:1 John has been talking extensively about loving others but reminds us that loving others does not earn our salvation when he says, “whoever believes that JesusContinue reading “Only Two Types of People”
Don’t leave others wondering at your funeral. Live like you love Jesus!
We love Him because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19) This love for God is a result of Him loving us first. But this result, this love for God, should be tremendously apparent in our lives. No one should be left to wonder at your funeral if you loved God or not. Our loveContinue reading “Don’t leave others wondering at your funeral. Live like you love Jesus!”
Love me anyway?
I have known and believed God loves me and THAT keeps me going. THAT changes how I live. “And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.” (1 John 4:16) The Enduring Word commentary says,Continue reading “Love me anyway?”
How easily are you offended?
If I know God, I ought to live like I know Him. I should live with a confidence but also with love and grace toward others. “By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that theContinue reading “How easily are you offended?”
Have you seen God?
If someone tells you they’ve actually seen God, this is a big RED FLAG this person is not speaking truth. Our human eyes could not behold Him and live. John reiterates this when he clearly says, “No one has seen God at anytime.” (1 John 4:12) But we can often see God in others, can’tContinue reading “Have you seen God?”
Are you growing in your love for others?
Am I growing in my love for others? As John moves on, and says, “Beloved let us love one another,” (1 John 4:7), it may seem as if he is switching gears from talking about discernment between spirits of truth and and spirits of error but he is actually saying this is a good testContinue reading “Are you growing in your love for others?”
Calling Wrong Things Right & Ice Cream.
They are of the world.We are not.And there are spiritual forces at work among us. Remember, in this ancient letter we are studying, John “presented the world not as the global earth or the mass of humanity, which God Himself loves (John 3:16). Instead it is the community of sinful humanity that is united inContinue reading “Calling Wrong Things Right & Ice Cream.”
Truth. Not just a wishful hope!
“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4) ❤️ It’s not you “will” overcome them. You HAVE overcome! This isn’t a motivational speech. It’s truth! It’s a done deal.It’s certain.It’s finished. Not because of youContinue reading “Truth. Not just a wishful hope!”
He who is in us is greater-but first this…
I can’t wait to get to 1 John 4:4! It’s one of my favorite verses! It’s honestly part of the reason I was drawn to this letter by this beloved disciple. But I can’t just rush to the hope of 1 John 4:4, “He who is in you is greater than he who is inContinue reading “He who is in us is greater-but first this…”
We can lose things and not lose hope.
This is God’s commandment-believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ (1 John 3:23). Stop. John is talking to believers and he says God commands you believe? Don’t they already believe? When we dig deeper (I pulled out a commentary), we understand this means believe and keep believing on the Name of Jesus Christ.Continue reading “We can lose things and not lose hope.”
Mad at God and believing Satan’s lies
Whatever we ask, we receive! That’s sounds a lot like a genie in a bottle kind of prosperity God—not the Most High Holy of Holies. So what does John mean when he writes, “And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in HisContinue reading “Mad at God and believing Satan’s lies”
Don’t fall for the lie that you are defined by your past.
Yesterday, I wrote briefly about how sometimes our hearts, and the enemy, condemn us for things God has already forgiven but that God is greater than our hearts (from 1 John 3:20). The evil one is masterful at deceiving even God’s children into believing God can’t possibly forgive them and that they will always beContinue reading “Don’t fall for the lie that you are defined by your past.”
God is BIGGER than our feelings!
God is bigger than our feelings! We’ve been talking about asking the Lord to show us sin; but sometimes, some of us, can take this too far. Our hearts condemn us when they shouldn’t. Sometimes, we feel guilty and ashamed not because of unconfessed sin, but for sins God has forgiven, or because we haveContinue reading “God is BIGGER than our feelings!”
Are you really helping others if you never speak truth?
John keeps going on about loving others and he reminds us of how Jesus loved us —“He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” (1 John 3:16). Now, you likely won’t be asked to die for someone else, but John says if you seeContinue reading “Are you really helping others if you never speak truth?”
Loving & Forgiving Others is part of Following
John says if you don’t practice righteousness, you’re not a child of God. He then goes on to say in that same verse “nor is he who does not love his brother” (1 John 3:10) John is emphasizing that loving others is an absolute basic characteristic of a Christ follower (1 John 3:11). He pointsContinue reading “Loving & Forgiving Others is part of Following”
Kim Jaggers Ministry 