Month: March 2020

Jesus Is the Christ, Born of God

Scripture: 1 John 5: 1-5

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

Scripture Commentary:

When we become Christians, we become part of God’s family. We all have this in common: we believe Jesus is the Christ, born of God. God determines who the other family members are, not us. We are simply called to accept and love them.

How well do you treat your family members?

Families may have moments of discord but remember, Jesus never promised that obeying Him would be easy. But the hard work and self discipline of serving Christ is no burden to those who love Him.

It’s easy to say we love God when that love doesn’t cost us anything more than weekly attendance at religious services. But the real test of our love for God is how we treat the people right in front of us.

God’s love is the source of all human love, and it spreads like fire.

In loving His children, God kindles a flame in our hearts. In turn, we love others and through us, they are warmed by God’s love.

Christ’s love is immeasurable.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

1 John Chapter 5

Read Other Commentary from 1 John:

Don’t Walk in Darkness, Live in God’s Light

Claim Jesus As Lord

Why Does God Discipline Us?

Scripture: Revelation 3: 19-22

Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

21 To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Scripture Commentary: What is God’s purpose in discipline?

God would discipline this lukewarm church unless it turned from its indifference toward Him. God’s purpose in discipline is not to punish but to bring people back to Him. Are you lukewarm in your devotion to God?

God uses only loving discipline.

God may discipline you to help you out of your uncaring attitude. However, He uses only loving discipline. You can avoid this by drawing near to Him again through confession, service, worship, and studying His Word.

Christ will knock at your door.

Will you be so busy enjoying worldly pleasures that you won’t notice that He is trying to enter? The pleasures of this world – money, security, material possessions – can be dangerous. Temporary satisfaction makes us indifferent to God’s offer of lasting satisfaction.

If you find yourself feeling indifferent to church, to God, or to the Bible, you have begun to shut God out of your life. Leave the door of your heart constantly open to God. Then you won’t need to worry about hearing His knock.

Knock, knock!

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Revelation Chapter 3

Other Commentary from the Book of Revelation:

Let Your Name Be in the Lamb’s Book of Life

And I Heard A Voice From Heaven

God’s Light Cannot Be Hidden

Scripture: Matthew 5: 13-14

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.

Scripture Commentary: Christians are the salt of the earth.

You have prepared a meal but forgot to season it with salt. It’s tasteless. This is what your life is like without God in it. Jesus says you are the light of the world that cannot be hidden. If you do not acknowledge God and don’t share Him with others, you are hiding that light and leading a tasteless life.

If we, as Christians, make no effort to affect the world around us, we are of no value. We are to be a bright light, not something hidden in a dark place. We are God’s children. So let His light shine for others to see and be drawn to Him.

Live the Christ-like life that God has given you.

Be the nourishment that God intended you to be. Study the Word so you can help others. God has given you a large portion of seasoning and light, so go into the world and spread it around. God did not give it to you for you to put it under a rock.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Matthew Chapter 5

Read Other Commentary from the Book of Matthew:

Jesus, Remember Me

Jesus Spoke Plainly About His Purpose

Don’t Fool Yourself by Refusing to Accept the Truth

Scripture: 1 John 1: 8-10

If we say that we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth. 9 But if we confess our sins to him,[a] he can be depended on to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. And it is perfectly proper for God to do this for us because Christ died to wash away our sins.* 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are lying and calling God a liar, for he says we have sinned.

Scripture Commentary: Mirror, mirror on the wall, am I a sinner after all?

We all go through life telling ourselves that we are living a godly life. But honestly, we are only fooling ourselves by refusing to accept the truth.

Don’t lie to yourself. Because you are made in the image of God, lying to yourself is to lie to God. But you may reason and say you weren’t that bad or you didn’t lust after anyone so you didn’t sin.

Confession brings you closer to Jesus.

If you confess your sins, it will free you from your burden and bring you closer to Jesus Christ. True confession is a commitment not to continue in sin.

Each of us is to pray for strength to defeat temptation the next time it enters our lives because we are weak and we need His strength to pull us through.

Jesus did not die for His sins.

Jesus had no sin. He died for your sins and for mine. When you commit your life to Christ and identify yourself with Him, His death becomes yours.

Now look in the mirror and say, “Lord, I am a sinner. Forgive me!”

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

1 John Chapter 1

Read Other Commentary from 1 John:

Know God’s Word So No Man Can Deceive You

Love Is of God; Let Us Love One Another

Unbelievers Follow Their Own Ungodly Desires

Jude 1: 17-24

But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18 They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” 19 These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.

20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.[f]

24 To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— 25 to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

Scripture Commentary:

Effective witnessing saves people from their own ungodly desires and God’s judgement. We witness to some through our compassion and kindness. To others we witness as if we were snatching them from the eternal fire.

Witnessing is serious business. It is a matter of life and death.

To hate even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh means that we are to hate the sin. But we must witness to and love the sinner. We shouldn’t take witnessing lightly. It is a matter of life and death.

When reaching out to others, we must be sure that our own footing is safe and secure. If not, the non-Christian can turn you. Influence them for Christ.

To be sinless and perfect will be the ultimate condition of the believer when he or she finally sees Christ face to face. Coming into Christ’s presence will be more wonderful than we could ever imagine!

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Jude Chapter 1

Read Other Commentary from the Book of Jude

Idols Can’t See, Nor Hear, Nor Walk; Worship the Living God

Have Mercy on Those Who Doubt

You Can’t Always Avoid Pain

Scripture: 1 Peter 4: 1-6

Since Christ suffered and underwent pain, you must have the same attitude he did; you must be ready to suffer, too. For remember, when your body suffers, sin loses its power, 2 and you won’t be spending the rest of your life chasing after evil desires but will be anxious to do the will of God. 3 You have had enough in the past of the evil things the godless enjoy—sex sin, lust, getting drunk, wild parties, drinking bouts, and the worship of idols, and other terrible sins.[a]

4 Of course, your former friends will be very surprised when you don’t eagerly join them anymore in the wicked things they do, and they will laugh at you in contempt and scorn. 5 But just remember that they must face the Judge of all, living and dead; they will be punished for the way they have lived. 6 That is why the Good News was preached even to those who were dead—killed by the flood[b]—so that although their bodies were punished with death, they could still live in their spirits as God lives.

Scripture Commentary:

Some people will do anything to avoid pain. However, as followers of Christ, we should be willing and prepared to do God’s will and to suffer for it, if necessary. Sin loses its power to defeat us in our suffering if we focus on Christ and what He wants us to do.

A person whose life changes radically at conversion may experience contempt from his or her old friends. S/he may be scorned not only because s/he refuses to participate in certain activities but also because his or her priorities have changed. S/he is now heading in the opposite direction.

The basis of salvation is our belief in Jesus, but the basis for judgement is how we have lived. Is your life on the same track as before you were saved? Or have you begun to live for Jesus?

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

1 Peter Chapter 4

Read Other Commentary from 1 Peter:

Would You Curse God When the Devil Is Your Enemy?

Jesus Suffered For Us and Redeemed Us

Beware of False Teachings in the Church

Scripture: 2 John 1: 7-11

Watch out for the false leaders—and there are many of them around—who don’t believe that Jesus Christ came to earth as a human being with a body like ours. Such people are against the truth and against Christ. 8 Beware of being like them and losing the prize that you and I have been working so hard to get. See to it that you win your full reward from the Lord. 9 For if you wander beyond the teaching of Christ, you will leave God behind; while if you are loyal to Christ’s teachings, you will have God too. Then you will have both the Father and the Son.

10 If anyone comes to teach you, and he doesn’t believe what Christ taught, don’t even invite him into your home. Don’t encourage him in any way. 11 If you do, you will be a partner with him in his wickedness.

Scripture Commentary:

We are to do nothing that would encourage the heretics in their propagation of falsehoods. In addition, if believers were to invite them in, such action would show that they approve what the false teachers say and do.

It may seem rude to turn people away, even if they are teaching heresy. But how much better it is to be faithful to God than merely courteous to people!

John condemns the support of those who are dedicated to opposing the true teachings of God. However, he does not condemn hospitality to unbelievers.

False teaching is serious business, and we dare not overlook it.

There are so many false teachings in our world that we might be tempted to take many of them lightly. Instead, we should realize the dangers they pose and actively refuse to give heresies any foothold.

Jesus loves you!

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

2 John Chapter 1

Read Other Commentary from 1 John:

We Are From God and God Is Love

Do Not Believe Everything You Hear

You Can’t See in Darkness

Scripture: Matthew 6: 21-23

If your profits are in heaven, your heart will be there too.  “If your eye is pure, there will be sunshine in your soul.  But if your eye is clouded with evil thoughts and desires, you are in deep spiritual darkness. And oh, how deep that darkness can be!

Scripture Commentary: Can you truly see in darkness?

In darkness you may see an image but not its true features. Satan will let you think the images you see are real and good for you. But in the light you will see the real thing.

Jesus will always place you and keep you in the light. The kingdom of Our Lord Jesus Christ is held before you so you can see His Magnificence.

With Jesus your spiritual vision gives you the capacity to see what God wants you to see and what He wants you to do. With our weak, self-serving desires we will never see what God has for us.

Stop storing up earthly materials.

Don’t spend your life collecting and storing your earthly goods only to die and leave it behind.

Fix your eyes on God. Have only one master in your life: Jesus! Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. Fill your heart with His desires; take His character for your own. Serve and obey Him in everything.

Don’t let worries about tomorrow affect your relationship with God today. Today the light of Our Lord Jesus Christ shines on you!

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Matthew Chapter 6

Read Other Commentary from the Book of Matthew:

Spread the Good Truth

Not Everyone Has a Relationship with God. What About You?

What Favor Do You Ask of Jesus?

Scripture: Matthew 20: 20-22

Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, brought them to Jesus and respectfully asked a favor. “What is your request?” he asked. She replied, “In your Kingdom, will you let my two sons sit on two thrones next to yours?” But Jesus told her, “You don’t know what you are asking!” Then he turned to James and John and asked them, “Are you able to drink from the terrible cup I am about to drink from?” “Yes,” they replied, “we are able!”

Scripture Commentary:

The mother of James and John asked Jesus for a favor. She wanted Him to give her sons special positions in His kingdom. Parents naturally want to see their children promoted and honored, but this desire is dangerous if it causes them to lose sight of God’s specific will for their children.

James, John, and their mother failed to grasp Jesus’ previous teachings on rewards and eternal life. They failed to understand the suffering they must face before living in the glory of God’s kingdom.

We play religious games, expecting God to give us something in return. When you pray, are you looking for gifts in return? Jesus teaches us that the greatest person in God’s kingdom is the servant.

What is your answer when Jesus asks, “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” The “cup” was the suffering and crucifixion that Christ faced. Jesus tells us He is under the authority of the Father, who alone makes the decisions about heaven. Authority is given not for self importance, ambition or respect, but for useful service to God and His creation.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Matthew Chapter 20

Read Other Commentary from the Book of Matthew:

Jesus, When Did I Deny You?

Jesus Fulfilled the Prophecy as King