Get the Body You Have Always Dreamed Of...

 

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!  And that is what we are!  The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.  Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known.  But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." I John 3:1-2

What an awesome hope this verse gives! Having not seen Jesus' resurrected form, I cannot envision what my "eternal" body  will look like.   We know  he could just appear out of nowhere, he could still cook and eat.  But yet he did not seem bound by time or space.  What a supernatural wonder it will all be.  Whatever form he took, we shall be like him!

We will see him just as he is.  There is no greater hope in all of Scripture.  He walked on this earth, he was brutally murdered for our sins, and God supernaturally resurrected him and bought him back to life.  The he ascended up into heaven while the disciples looked on.  We were not alive to see all this transpire, but we can know it occurred because our infallible Word of God tells us this.  But I am looking forward to the day that I can see him just like Peter did.  I can see what "Doubting Thomas" saw and I can rest in his presence knowing he will always be there and available to me for time immemorial. 

This world really is not our home.  Our home is in heaven with Christ. Until then we are completing the work he left us to do.  Take some time today and reflect on the hope we have of seeing our blessed Redeemer face to face.

Dear Lord, thank you for giving me the opportunity to walk with you in faith in this life and in reality in the life to come.  Help me to hold on to my hope.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

Sherri

Spoiled Child

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!  And that is what we are!  The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him." I John 3:1

 

Who is your worst enemy?  Someone who has said bad things about you, hurt you, mistreated your kids, stabbed you in your back, spit in your face...  Now that we have stirred up all the bad feelings you may still have, imagine adopting that person as your child.  Taking them in, feeding and clothing them, giving them medical care, taking them shopping for catcher's gear and prom dresses. Does this sound ludicrous to you?

That is basically what God did for us.  We lived as sinners, enemies of the cross, despising his sacrifice, blaspheming his holy name. And then one day, we acknowledged that we were sinners, accepted Jesus' sacrifice and we went from enemy status to full-fledged children of God.  It would be lavish love if he just canceled the stuff that makes us his enemy.  But he did so much more!  He made us his sons and daughters.  He gave us the right to use His name, his resources, his Word.  What a Father!  What a Savior!

Because we are affiliated with Almighty God, there will be people who will not like us.  Why?  Because they do not like him.  There will be people who will reject us, ridicule us and persecute us.  But this is a small price to pay given the sacrifice he made for me.

When we behave like the Lord, sinners will be baffled and possibly mock us.  It makes no sense to keep the peace when revenge is called for.  No one understands us taking annual leave to take a missions' trip or to work youth camp.  Giving more than 10% of our income to the church is insanity to the world.  So  much of the Bible is a counter culture to the world.  Because of that, we can expect to face our fair share of being misunderstood.  But never lose sight of the benefits of being associated with the Lord- salvation, peace, joy, and eternity in heaven with him.  When you weigh it all out, serving the Lord is the best deal you will ever make in this life!

Dear Lord, thank you for adopting me as your daughter.  Thank you for canceling my sin and giving me rights that I will never deserve.  Help others to see the image of the Father in me.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

Sherri  

The Right Stuff

 

"Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come.   This is how we know it is the last hour.  They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us.  For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.  But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.  I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth.  Who is the liar?  It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ.  Such a man is the antichrist- he denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.  See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you.  If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is, what he promised us- even eternal life.  I am writing  these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray.  As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you.  But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit- just as it has taught you, remain in him.  And now, dear children, continue  in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming. If you know that he is righteous you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him."  I John 2:18-29

Confident and unashamed.  Are those two words you would use to describe yourself?  I personally come up  short with regards to confidence- especially when it comes to the things of the Lord.  I have a hard time feeling satisfied with my "performance"  as a Christian.  I fall so short of what I purpose in my heart to do.  I fall so short of the requirements of the Bible. 

But notice what this passage says.  If we "continue in him..." this is what will result in us being confident and unashamed before him at his coming.  Here is a little secret that has revolutionized my walk with the Lord- my confidence comes from Him being good enough.  It has very little to do with me (or you.)  He looks at my heart, not whether or not I am perfectly carrying out all he wants me to do.  Remaining in him.  Walking in him.  Seeking after him.  That is what  he is looking for.  He made us.  He knows what we are capable of and the things that we could never accomplish apart from him.

God grades on the curve.  He sees what we do, then he notes the difference that Jesus makes in our life.  In our weakness, he is strong. That lets us off the hook quite a bit.  Rather than trying to never lose my temper or think a bad thought, I can concentrate instead on loving him with all of my heart, mind and strength.

But notice too, that the verse goes on to add that, "everyone who does what is right has been born of him."  Because we love him, we will begin to have the right stuff showing up in our lives.  I love what Joyce Meyer says, "When I was a sinner, I was a full-time sinner.  Occasionally I would mess up and do something right.  Now that I am a Christian, I am a full-time Christian.  Sometimes I mess up and do what is wrong."  (This is my paraphrase, but you get the point!)  As Christians we do not need to strive for works to make us OK with God.  Only Jesus' blood can make us righteous.  But because he is good and we love him, as we spend time with him, we become like him.  As we read his Word and obey it, we learn new truths and our character is transformed.  In due time, we should be exhibiting "Christian fruit."

Dear Lord,  help me to remain in you, becoming more and more like you.  Thank you for forgiving my failure.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

Sherri

 

The Teacher

 

 

"Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come.   This is how we know it is the last hour.  They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us.  For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.  But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.  I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth.  Who is the liar?  It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ.  Such a man is the antichrist- he denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.  See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you.  If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is, what he promised us- even eternal life.  I am writing  these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray.  As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you.  But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit- just as it has taught you, remain in him."  I John 2:18-27

 

When Jesus was  preparing to depart this earth,  he encouraged the disciples to remain in Jerusalem until they were imbued with power- with the promised Holy Spirit. (Acts 1:4)  We need the Holy Spirit in our lives for so many things.

When the disciples walked this earth with Jesus, they were able to observe him,  learn  from him, and hear his opinions and theology.  When he was leaving, he knew that they could not do the job he had for them to do on their own.  If they were going to carry out the Great Commission, they needed a mentor, someone to walk beside them as Jesus had done.  Thus, the Holy Spirit was sent as companion to the New Testament Church (and for modern believers as well).  He comes to teach us and make us holy.  He is the Real Deal.  He knows the heart of the Father and he knows the Bible through and through.  What better teacher could we have?

When interpreting Scripture we must always interpret it in light of other Scripture.  Other places in the Bible, we see the importance of teaching within the Body of Christ, so much so that the office of the teacher is one of the "five-fold ministry" gifts.  Instructions are given to teachers, and if the disciples were to follow Jesus' example of reproduction, they would have to tell people the Good  News of the kingdom, then disciple them on how to follow.  They would become teachers  to the new convert.  So what does this passage mean when it says you do not need a teacher?  There is no human that can take the place of the Holy Spirit in your life.  No matter who instructs you, you still need the anointing from the Holy Spirit to discern the Bible.  It is spiritually discerned.  Furthermore, no person can be with us at all times and in all situations.  But Thank God (!) the Holy Spirit can-and is- always  with us.  He can tell me don't say this, don't do that.  He can show me when some teacher is teaching me things in contrast with the truth of the Word of God.

You need the Holy Spirit's anointing for everything in your life.  He is available to help us have godly marriages, relationships, businesses and testimonies.  Listen to the Teacher, he will show you the path to walk in!

Thank you, Lord, for providing a companion, a teacher and an imparter of power into my life.  Help me to have a teachable spirit and to receive all that you have for me.  Thank you for the Holy Spirit.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

Sherri

 

The Promise

 

"Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come.   This is how we know it is the last hour.  They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us.  For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.  But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.  I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth.  Who is the liar?  It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ.  Such a man is the antichrist- he denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.  See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you.  If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is, what he promised us- even eternal life."  I John 2:18-25

 

I'll admit it. I like to make a production of things.  I like to build up suspense for surprises, occasions and holidays.  I work hard, and I want to celebrate hard as well.  I like to give teasers to the kids.  Like, "Ooh, we are going to do something fun today.  You are going to like it a lot!" And my promo's go on and on.  That is why, you can imagine my disappointment, when after planning a big outing for the boys, one of them said to me, "This is it?  This was the surprise?"  (This was said incredulously and with disappointment.)  I felt lower than a snake's belly.  What I thought to would be a wonderful afternoon for them, bombed.  One such surprise was when I took them to see "The Nutcracker" ballet performance as a field trip. My oldest let me know next time, he would prefer to stay home and do his schoolwork!  Then he reminded me that they were boys!

Sometimes we build things up, but in the end, they are not all that great.  The jaw-dropping truth of Jesus' promise to us, is just as fabulous as we can imagine and more! He has promised- and delivered on- eternal life.  We are promised eternity in heaven in the presence of Almighty God!  A place where we will never be sick, we will never be stressed out, we will never be grieved or disappointed.  Heaven is a glorious place and beyond our wildest imagination of its grandeur.

My grandmother suffered for years with Parkinson's disease which left her beautiful expressive face, mask-like.  But in heaven?  She is whole and grinning from ear to ear!  My step-dad lost his eye as a child, in heaven he is beholding all of the beauties of glory with perfect vision! My great-grandmother was  so stooped over she would need a Sears catalog to see over the dashboard of the car.  But in heaven, she is standing tall.

What Jesus has saved us from is more than we will ever comprehend, but what he has saved us to will take an eternity to fully take in!

Take some time today to reflect on these great and precious promises.  Eternity of joy, peace, love and worship.  A time to be rejoined to loved ones who went on before us.  We have much to look forward to!

Dear Lord, thank you for the promise of eternal life.  Your matchless gift of salvation is beyond what my mind can comprehend!  Thank you for loving me so much.   In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

Sherri

 

Unity in Spirit

 

 

 

 

 

"Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come.   This is how we know it is the last hour.  They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us.  For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.  But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.  I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth.  Who is the liar?  It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ.  Such a man is the antichrist- he denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.  See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you.  If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father."  I John 2:18-24

God the Father and God the son are so unified in heart,  purpose and character that they are inseparable.  This is true also of the function of God, the Holy Spirit.  People have struggled with the mystery of how the Trinity works.  This verse explains the inseparability of Jesus and the Father.  You cannot deny Jesus and have the Father.  If you receive the Son, you have the Father as well.  And of course, the Holy Spirit convicts of sin and is actively engaged in carrying out the purpose of the Father and Son.  All three are distinct, yet unified to the purpose of being One.  This is one of the divine mysteries, that we will only fully understand in heaven one day when all is revealed to us.

Why am I belaboring the point about the united purpose of Father, Son and Holy Spirit? Because in our ego-centric world, we fail to understand the unity that is contained within the Godhead.  And consequently, we do not perceive the type of unity which should be  demonstrated in the body of Christ (the Church) as well.  Jesus said that his meat was to do the will of the Father.  He never had a competing vision from God.  He received his purpose and satisfaction from carrying out what God desired.

I wish that I could say that this is  always true of me, but sadly I  fail in this area.  There are times that doing the right thing in God's eyes is in contrast to my desires.  I war with crucifying my flesh.  I struggle to lose sight of fighting for my rights, my hopes, my dreams.  My character fails to reach the high level of excellence that the Father demonstrates.  But thank God, when the Father looks at me, he sees my heart above my performance.  He sees my salvation rather than my sin.

We must hold on to the truth that we know.  If  we lift Jesus up, we will please the Father and remain in him.

Dear Lord, remove the mixture from me.  Please remove the competing desires and visions that I have and replace them with your purpose and desires.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

Sherri

 

 

Demolition of Walls

 

 

"An offended brother is more unyielding than a fortified city..."  Proverbs 18:19

 

(Bear with me today, as we take a little side road from the book of I John...)

 

Have you ever noticed in your own life how quickly hurt can turn to anger?  I am not sure what the reason is. Perhaps the emotions associated with being offended make us feel weak and vulnerable, so we choose to be angry instead, a more "empowered" feeling.  (Psychologists refer to this as reaction formation ; ) )  Or maybe the level of hurt just tends to evoke a more passionate response.  Either way, offense builds walls.

In my own life I have gone through situations that can cause old anger and hurt to be reignited.  Sometimes after the offender is long gone from this world.  What an awful feeling to be mad with someone who is no longer here to work it out.  Especially if it is over situations you have long ago chosen to forgive and forget.

God gives us emotions to help and protect us, but if we do not keep them in check, they can take on a life of their own.  One of "The Santa Clause" movies had plot where a fake Santa was designed to fill in while the real one was gone  back to real life to handle some business. Before long, Fake Santa turned into a tyrant and destroyed everything at the North Pole.  That is the way offense can be for us.  We build a wall, we put up a defense, we embrace anger.  All of this is done to help us handle things.  But before long the fake us takes over and destroys all of our good.  The hurt evolves into a life of its own.

I have heard it said that "forgiveness  is a gift you give yourself."  It's true.  Letting going of offenses frees us to be happy and re-enter our lives.  What are you struggling with today?  Do you have hurts and wounds that are festering in your life?  Make a decision to start tearing down your fortified walls.  Your abundant life is awaiting you on the other side.

Dear Lord, help me to not be a person who is offended, unyielding or surrounded by walls.  Help me to be authentic and trust you to protect me.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

Sherri

Deal Breaker

"Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come.   This is how we know it is the last hour.  They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us.  For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.  But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.  I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth.  Who is the liar?  It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ.  Such a man is the antichrist- he denies the Father and the Son."  I John 2:18-21

 

Some things in life are just deal-breakers.  Picking your nose at the dinner table?  Deal-breaker.  Having animals walking on the kitchen counter during meal preparation?  Deal-breaker. Having a child shout "I hate you" as they storm from the room?  Deal-breaker.  Once these things happen, the number of likely outcomes reduces a great deal.

What you do with Jesus is one such thing.  If you accept who he is and all that he has to offer, you gain eternity in heaven with him.  If you deny him, you close the door on the one way to salvation.  Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Promised One.  He fulfills all righteousness and perfectly paid the price for our sins.  When a person chooses to reject Jesus, they are rejecting God's Son.  They are rejecting his gift and therefore close the door to a relationship with the Father.  This passage says that a person who refuses to acknowledge him as Christ is a liar!

Some religions says Jesus was a righteous man, a prophet or teacher.  But they categorically deny his deity.  This is the true litmus test of a faith based upon the Bible or some other man-made teaching.  What will you do with Jesus?  Will you accept or deny him?  Those really are the two choices available to all mankind.  He paid the price for every one of us.  He opened wide his arms upon Calvary bidding all to come as he willingly gave himself as a sacrifice for our sin. The next move, so to speak, is on our side.  To deny Christ is to become anti-Christ.

We are taught that tolerance is a highly desirable virtue.  And to a certain extent, it is.  We should respect everyone's  right to their own opinions and beliefs.  God allows them that room.  But tolerance should not go to the point that we deny the basic fundamental principles of Christianity.  The Bible clearly teaches that all roads do not lead to God.  Rather, the narrow way is found in Jesus.  The one way.  Are you pointing others to Jesus?

Dear Lord, please help Christians arise and stand for truth.  Help us boldly and lovingly profess truth to a lost world.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

Sherri

Truth or Lie?

 

"Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come.   This is how we know it is the last hour.  They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us.  For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.  But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.  I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth."  I John 2:18-21

The enemy of your soul is constantly working, trying to find some entrance into your life to shipwreck your faith.  He tries to discourage you, deceive you and flat out lie to you.  He will, too, if you let him...

It is our job to hold fast to the truth that we know and to add to our knowledge base daily.  The Bible is a wealth of information, wisdom, knowledge and direction for your life.  When we neglect to invest in knowing the Word of God, we swing wide open the door of our hearts and mind to our enemy to come in and deceive us.  No matter how much you respect a teacher, preacher or evangelist, if their words are not based on the Bible, in their entirety, you cannot afford to accept their message.  There are false teachers out there and we must be armed with the truth to disarm a lie. But not only that, there are men and women who are honestly confused or deluded and believe that they are sharing the truth, the whole while propagating partial truth or a whole lie.  The only way to discern those teachers is from knowing your Word.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but the Word of God will stand... will you be standing on the Word of God?

A few years back I had some really important prayers answered differently than I had prayed.  That caused me to begin to question things I had always believed and even some passages of the Bible.  (Don't judge me too harshly, I was walking through a horrible season of death on every side.  I believe it was seven loved ones in one year.)  When I would read passages about God's healing, I would find myself saying, "unless he decides not to..."  There came a day the Lord called me on the carpet about my unbelief.  I had to reach a decision that the Word of God  would be truth and everything else a lie.  I refused to exalt my experience above the Bible.  Do I understand why things don't always work out as I hope and pray?  Of course not!  But I have decided to hang my hat- all I believe- on the truth of the Word of God.  From that,  I will not be moved. You know the truth.  Guard it.  Hold on to it.  Do not allow the enemy or anyone else to move you from those precious words!

Dear  Lord, thank you for sharing your Word with us.  Thank you for directing our paths and illuminating our way.  Help me walk all of my days upon the strong, immoveable foundation of the Bible.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

Sherri

Hey, You!

 

 

"Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come.   This is how we know it is the last hour.  They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us.  For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.  But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth."  I John 2:18-20

 

People's lack of loyalty blows my mind sometimes.  They are on your side as long as you do everything like they want you to; if not, they move on and never look back.  If their ball team loses a few games, they change teams. It is hard to understand how people can run from hot to cold so quickly.  This just shows how fickle emotions can be.

In the passage yesterday, it referred to the antichrists, or false teachers, that were spreading things that were not in keeping with the truth.  Today's verses goes on to explain that these false teachers had actually associated with the true church.  But somewhere along the way, they departed from strict adherence to the teachings of the apostles and the Old Testament.  They were not staying within the teachings of Jesus, which was the pattern for the new testament church.  The fact that they went "rogue" proves that they were not really a part of the true church.  We get in trouble when we think we can strike out on our own, not needing the accountability of church.  We fall prey to the enemy when we begin to exalt our own thoughts above the truth of the Bible or of those with more knowledge and experience  in the faith than we have yet experienced.

But I love what John says next, "but you have an anointing from the Holy One."  In other words, enough said about them, you move on, you walk in what you know, you remember the anointing that rests on you and you stay in the truth that you have learned.  We are to care about others; we are to grieve when people wander from the fold.  But at the end of the day, we have to be true to God all by ourselves.  We stand alone before him and cannot allow other people to change our course.  Do not be moved from what you know you are to do, just because no one else will do it with you. Sometimes we are called to stand alone.  But if we are, the anointing arrives to give us the supernatural ability to do  it.

Dear Lord, help me to be true to your teaching and never to wander.  Help me be faithful whether anyone else around me is or not. In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

Sherri

 

Last Minute Strategies

 

"Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come.   This is how we know it is the last hour."  I John 2:18

Recently my son and I both underwent surgery the same week- a week before Christmas.   My job requires me to meet several requirement in order for me to get paid.  Obviously, meeting those requirements before surgery was paramount.   Like many of you, there are several things that I need to do to feel like I had a good Christmas.  I need to make a list, shop, decorate the tree, decorate the house, wrap presents, bake cookies, make candy, get Christmas cards with a family photo made and sent out, attend a Christmas program or two, sing carols and host a party or two.

This year our surgeries' being scheduled came about quickly with just a week or so to prepare.  For me, the recovery period would be six weeks, so everything needed to be done for work and Christmas prior to the surgery date.  Needless  to say, due to the lateness of the hour, I had to make some choices about what of my Christmas to-do lists were truly essential.  Because time was short, I chose not to decorate throughout the whole house, not to make home-made goodies and to send Christmas cards primarily to immediate family.  It pained me to take those short-cuts, but the lack of time necessitated these choices.

Likewise, the hour is late for us in the Spirit.  The time before Christ's return is quite short.  All the events currently happening in the world are emphasizing every end-day prophecy contained within the Word.  Because this is the last hour, what things should you be doing? What are your priorities?  What are your must-do's?  What things can you omit to make room for the necessary tasks?  This may sound radical, but it is nevertheless needful. 

Not only must we order our lives with intentionality, but we must also guard our hearts and minds.  The antichrists referred to in this passage are false teachers that come to lead people away from Christ.  As time draws short, we must guard against being led astray by people teaching things that are not in accordance with the Bible.  To prevent that, we must study our Bible and walk in discernment.  To neglect doing these things is to set ourselves up as prey to these antichrists (which is not to be confused with the antichrist that will arise during the tribulation period.)  We must be on guard and vigilant against the enemy.

Dear Lord, help me order my life in the way that you would choose.  Help me to be discerning and wise and avoid false teaching.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

Sherri

 

Eternal Treasure

 

"Do not love the world or anything in the world.  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For everything in the world- the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does- comes not from the Father but from the world.  The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever."  I John 2:15-17

 

So much of what we strive for are things that are destined to perish or fade.  We work toward physical beauty, but aging works against us.  We seek money, but it takes wing and flies away.  We work to attain gizmos and gadgets  which are out-dated within the year.  It makes me want to say with the Wise Solomon, "Meaningless, meaningless... everything is meaningless."

But that is not eternally true.  Things that we do for the Kingdom of God are immortal.  The souls we lead to Jesus, the people we encourage, the legacy we leave with our children are all things  that will outlive our time in the flesh.  Sometimes we feel that our lives are not having an impact, but some of the quiet things we do are a sacrifice pleasing to the Lord, having more impact than we will know this side of heaven.  I believe some of the most rewarded people in heaven will not necessarily be worldwide evangelists, but rather prayer warriors covering missionaries in prayer, or humble saints encouraging single moms or feeding widows.

God blesses his children while they are living their lives on this earth.  But the greater blessings await us in heaven where we will live with our beloved Savior forevermore.  When Johnny and I announced our engagement, my godly grandfather gave us some sage advice.  He said, "Don't worry about laying up treasure in this life, but lay up treasure in heaven."  That humble saint continued to witness to his neighbors even after Alzheimer's disease begin to altar his mind and lifestyle.  He never had much in the way of wealth of this world, rather, he lived modestly.  But I am convinced that he is living in opulence in the home of his Heavenly Father.  Enjoying abundance with the One he loved to his dying day and through eternity.

Dear Lord, help me to be eternally focused rather than in the present.  Help me to live a life that matters to you, rather than one that brings me momentary pleasure.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

Sherri

What Are You Craving?

 

"Do not love the world or anything in the world.  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For everything in the world- the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does- comes not from the Father but from the world."  I John 2:15-16

Today's verse builds upon yesterday's verse, explaining why loving the world indicates a lack of love for the Father.  This verse almost seems like it was written for America in 2013.  All you need to do is survey the types of businesses that abound, as well as the type of inventory contained within stores to see our tendency toward satisfying the cravings of sinful man.  Day spas, ATV's, amusement parks, movie theaters, high-priced technology stores, designer handbags, i-phones, the list is endless.  All of  these things  exist simply because there is a huge market for these indulgent items.  Are these items  sinful?  Of course not.  Things do not create the problem.  It is the lust for things, the pursuit of things that shows priorities which are skewed.

And let's be honest.  What fun is it to have the latest gadget or style if you cannot show it off?  One person pulls out a cool cell phone, the next person feels the need for one-man-upmanship, displaying an even newer model with higher speed and greater features.  Where does it end?

The truth about lust is that it is never satisfied.  That is why people are always looking for the next big thing.  That is why a person seldom stops with marijuana use, they then move on to harder stuff.  People become acclimated to alcohol, and it takes more to get the same "buzz". Until we learn to be satisfied with what God gives us, we will never enjoy where we are or what we have.  "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'"  This powerful verse says it best.

Everything we have comes from God.  When we show contempt for it, wishing it were more or better, we show ourselves to be ungrateful children.  Humility does not feel the need to exalt self, rather it allows God to remain on the throne of our lives.

Dear Lord, help me to be content with the blessings you have placed in my life.  Forgive me for times of ingratitude and greedy grabbing.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

Sherri

Loving the World

 "Do not love the world or anything in the world.  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him."  I John 2:15

 

What do you love in this world?  Your mate, your kids?  Loving people is a good thing.  Loving the beauty of God's creation, loving good fellowship or time in the Bible are all great things.  This verse is talking about a different kind of love.  This occurs when we become attached to worldly things.  Seeking praise of man, power, prestige, finances, conspicuous consumption- all of these are examples of people having an ungodly attachment to things of this world. 

This passage indicates that if our affection is set on what this world has to offer, then we will not have the appropriate attachment to God.  When we are indulging in worldly pursuits, we are not loving God.  The Bible states that if  we love Jesus, we will keep his commandments.  Love and obedience are very closely linked.  In order to go after the things of the world, we will have to sacrifice obedience to God on the altar of worldliness.  We must pick our allegiance.

This is not to say that a God loving person could never be blessed financially or enjoy success in life. There are many godly  people that have received those blessings.  The distinction comes between people who are going after the "blessing", rather than the "Blesser".  If we are going after God with all of our heart-and he knows he can trust us, he may choose to bless us with material blessings.  But we must not pursue them, rather we must pursue his kingdom.

John 3:16, the most famous of all Bible verses says:  "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son..."  At first glance, this might seem to contradict today's verse.  But when God is loving the world, he is loving the people of the world.  When we love others we are walking as Jesus did and will never go wrong.  Is there anything in your life that you treasure so much, you hope the Lord delays his coming until you can attain it?  If so, you may need to do a heart check-up to make sure that your priorities are in order.  Loving God comes first, loving people comes second.  The secret to a victorious life comes in fulfilling both of these pursuits.

Dear Lord, help me to see the world as you do- in light of your redemptive plan for mankind.  If I am pursuing something in exclusion to you, please show me and change me.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

Sherri

Keep it in the Family

“I write to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.  I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning.  I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one.  I write to you, dear children, because you have known the Father.  I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning.  I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.” I John 2:12-14

As we discussed in verse 12 yesterday, the passages for today continue in the same vein.  John is writing to “children”, “fathers”, and “young men”.  He is writing to those little ones in the Lord, the youthful believers, and the mature believers.  Oh, how I love the Word of God!  The Bible is such a balanced book.  Every word is instructive and educational.  John is trying to help those that he is mentoring in the faith to be reminded of what they know already, what they have overcome, and what they need to know to continue on.

We, in the body of Christ, need each other.  It bothers me when people tend to want to only hang out with people their age, in their economic bracket with other families of similar composition.  There is so much that we can learn from the older, more experienced in the faith.  There is so much we can pass on to those younger in the Lord than we are.  We are called the “family of God” for a reason.

The movie “The Lion King” talks about the circle of life with regards to animals.   Although some of that “theology” does not really apply to Christianity, there is a circular order to life.  Our parents give us life, raise us and we become independent adults able to go on and start our own family.  But later in life we find our parents beginning to age, weaken and look to their children for help. In the family unit, we have times of strength and vigor and times of weakness and vulnerability.   Not only that, but in friendship, there are times that I am down in my faith and my friend is on a mountain.  Later that same friend may need my support as I am walking in great victory.  We need each other for support, instruction and to ensure that the Church continues to grow and thrive.  No one is an island unto himself.  God made us to be relational.

John reminds the readers about the things they have learned about God and about some of their past victories.  Sometimes it is good to take inventory of where we are and where we have been.  One month into the new year, how are you doing with your resolutions?  Especially the spiritual ones?  Recommit today to carry out the things in your heart to do for the Lord.

I had a recent talk with a young person who was very concerned for other young people without spiritual mentors.  We all need someone to help train and disciple us.  If you do not have that within your family, seek out a mentor.  If you have reached the “father” or “young man” level in the Lord, look back and see who is younger and less experienced than you, and give your brother a leg up in Jesus’ Name!

Thank you, Lord,  for all the people who have helped me to know You and grow in my relationship with you.  Lord, help me to be a worthy example to someone following behind me.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Sherri