Love Comes From God Because God Is Love

Scripture: 1 John 4: 7-12

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

Commentary: God is love – He is the source of love

Everyone believes that love is important, but love is usually thought of as a feeling. In reality, love is a choice and an action. God is the source of our love: God is love. He loved us enough to sacrifice his Son for us.

Jesus is our example of what it means to love; everything he did in life and death was supremely loving. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to love. He lives in our hearts and makes us more like Christ.

God’s love always involves a choice and action. All love should be like his. How well do you display your love for God in the choices you make and the actions you take? Can you look in the mirror and say to yourself, “I love everything you do?”

Read the Entire Chapter:
1 John Chapter 4

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

Scripture: Matthew 7: 21-23

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

Scripture Commentary: Not everyone will enter the kingdom of heaven

People often talk more about themselves than about how Jesus took on their sins and restored them. Not everyone wants to do what is right – they’d rather talk the talk than walk the walk.

Jesus is more concerned with our walk than our talk. He wants us to do right, not just say the right words.

Your house will withstand the storms of life if you do what is right instead of just talking about it. Beliefs and actions aren’t separable. Jesus exposed those people who sounded religious but had no personal relationship with him. Many people think if they are “good” and say religious things, they will be rewarded with eternal life.

Faith in Christ is what will count at judgement. On “that day” only our relationship with Christ and our acceptance of him as Savior will matter.

The final day of reckoning is when God will settle all accounts and reward faith to those who truly deserve it.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Matthew Chapter 7

Repent and Let God Clean Your Spirit

Scripture: Ezekiel 36: 25-27

Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgements, and do them.

Scripture Commentary: Let God make you clean

God is telling us He will make us clean if we come to him and repent. We go through life sinning, but God will forgive us.

God will restore you physically and spiritually. No matter how impure your life is right now, God offers you a fresh start. You can have your sins washed away. Receive a new heart for God, and have his Spirit within you, if you accept Him as your Lord and Savior. If you try to go through life alone, you will fail.

Do not lose all sensitivity to sin. Regain sensitivity by recognizing your sin for what it is. Repent and ask for forgiveness from God. If we do this, the Holy Spirit will guide us, making us responsive and receptive to God’s truth. Be thankful. God’s invitation is open to all of us.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Ezekiel Chapter 36

Rejoice! His Coming Is Promised

Scripture: 2 Peter 3: 3-4

Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? For since the father fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.

Scripture Commentary: Jesus’ return is promised

God is not slow; he is not on our timetable. Scoffers will say that Jesus is never coming back, but that is Satan talking. Jesus is giving us time to repent and turn to him. God gave us a promise – Jesus is coming back for His own.

The Christians who accepted Christ but returned to their sinful way of life have been given a chance to realize their error. Do not be like a person sinking in quicksand who refuses to take the rope thrown to him. Don’t turn away from Christ and refuse the only way to escape eternity in hell.

What would you like to be doing when Christ returns? Are you working for our Lord Jesus Christ? Or are you working for worldly things? We must not sit and wait for Christ to return. We should live with the realization that our time is short. There is work to do in His name.

This world will end, so put your confidence in what is eternal. Do not be bound to this earth’s finite treasures and pursuits.

Are you spending more time piling up possessions? Or are you striving to work for God?

Do the work God has called you to do. His return is promised.

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2 Peter Chapter 3

God Has Made It Plain

Scripture: Romans 1: 18-20

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

Commentary: God has revealed himself in and through his creation

Does anyone have an excuse for not believing in God? God makes His truth plain.

The Bible answers with an emphatic no. God has revealed what he is like in and through his creation. Every person either accepts or rejects God. Don’t be fooled. We all have an inner sense of what God requires, but many of us choose to ignore it. Our moral standards are always better than our behavior.

Suppressing God’s truth in order to live our own way is no excuse. We know the truth, so we know the consequences. Some will ask how can a loving God send anyone to hell.

Paul says God has revealed himself plainly from creation to all people. We know when we are doing something wrong because that is the Holy Spirit within us. To be in denial of our spirit is to be in denial of God.

God graciously gave us his word and the Holy Spirit within us so that we might fully believe in him and live the life of his love.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Romans Chapter 1

Can a Man Have Faith Without Works?

Scripture: James 2: 14-18

What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

Scripture Commentary: True faith always results in a changed life

When someone claims to have faith, what he or she may have is intellectual agreement with a set of christian teachings, and as such, it would be incomplete faith. True faith transforms our conduct as well as our thoughts. Faith brings us salvation; active obedience demonstrates that our faith is genuine. True faith always results in works/deeds but the deeds do not justify us.

While it is true that our good deeds can never earn salvation, true faith always results in a changed life and good deeds. In your new life you are asking Christ to change your old ways to His ways, and saying I will obey you Lord and live as a christian.

If our lives remain unchanged, then we don’t truly believe the truths we claim to believe. Have you allowed Christ into your life? If you have, are you are living as Christ asks?

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James Chapter 2

Jesus Came Into the World to Save Sinners Like Me

Scripture: 1 Timothy 1: 12-15

And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

Scripture Commentary: We are all sinners saved by grace

Paul wrote this letter to Timothy saying that he was a sinner, a blasphemer, a hunter of God’s people, and a murderer. We are all sinners.

When you look at Paul’s past and see how God forgave and used him, think of yourself -and ask God to forgive you, and to use you for His kingdom.

No matter how shameful your past, God can and will use you if you ask for his forgiveness. Do not feel that your faith in Christ is inadequate. Once you place yourself in His hands, He will help your faith and love grow.

Jesus’s purpose for coming into the world was to save sinners like us. No sinner is beyond His saving power.

Paul never forgot what he was before Christ saved him. Do you remember what you were like? Humility and gratitutde should mark your life as a christian. Never forget that you are a sinner saved by grace.

Read the Entire Chapter:
1 Timothy Chapter 1

Seek Christ Above All Things

Scripture: Colossians 3: 1-5

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

Scripture Commentary: What will you say when you stand before Christ?

We are a very weak group of people because we have so many things to distract us. Satan is a powerful foe. He puts distractions in our path so we go astray. The lottery, casinos, money – all of the things that if you have Christ in your life, you do not need.

If you think about it, the Lord Jesus Christ has given you a roof over your head, food on the table and clothes on your back. Anything else is greed, not need. Forget about the temporary things of this world and focus on the permanent life with our Lord Jesus Christ.

Consider the pharaohs who buried their treasure to take with them to the afterlife. It is still here.

The question is what are you taking to God? Are you studying His Word, spreading His Word, living His Word?

The things that you have – home, car, clothes, and money are not needed in God’s house. What are you going to say when you stand before Our Lord Jesus Christ? Hopefully you’ll say, “I served you!”

Read the Entire Chapter:
Colossians Chapter 3

Be Strengthened in the Faith as You Were Taught

Scripture: Colossians 2: 6-8 (NIV)

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.

Scripture Commentary: Be strengthened by your faith in Christ

Receiving Christ as Lord of your life is the beginning of life with Christ; however, you must follow his leadership by being rooted, built up, and strengthened in the faith.

Christ wants to guide and help you with your daily problems. You can live for Christ by: (1) committing your life and submitting your will to him; (2) seeking to learn from him, his life, and his teachings; and (3) recognizing the Holy Spirit’s power in you.

Just as plants draw nourishment from the soil through the roots, so we draw our life-giving strength from Christ. The more we draw our strength from him, the less we will be fooled by those who falsely claim to have life’s answers.

Many man-made approaches to life’s problems totally disregard God. To resist heresy, you must use your mind, keep your eyes on Christ, and study God’s Word.

If Christ is your strength, you will be free from human regulations. He will always bring you through any situation, good or bad.

His love makes the bad good. That is how you learn.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Colossians Chapter 2

It Is by Grace That You Are Saved

Scripture: Ephesians 2: 1, 3, 8-9

And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;(1) Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.(3) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:(8) Not of works, lest any man should boast.(9)

Scripture Commentary: By grace you are saved – it is a gift of God

Be thankful to God for having mercy on you and for saving you from the life you were living before. Be thankful that by grace you are saved through faith in Jesus Christ.

Did you, or do you thank Him?

We go about our everyday lives, sometimes not realizing where we have come from. Some of us were in Satan’s hands, living his lifestyle, and then Jesus Christ rescued us. Have you ever thought why?

If you have, then the question is, what are you doing with this new life that Christ has given you? God gave His son for you and I. What are you giving?

We go about our daily lives – we go to work, church, grocery shopping, and visiting with friends, etc. Are we helping others to come to Him when we do these things?

Christ destroyed the barriers that people build between themselves, and now we can have real unity with people who do not know the Lord. Tell your story to others about how Jesus Christ has change your life, about the light that shines in you. Because of His love we are saved, but now we must serve in His name.

When He saved you, your spirit became lighter, happier. When you serve Him, you will be complete.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Ephesians Chapter 2