Jude

Harsh words for those who hang around "God's people" but only have their own agenda in mind! People described as "discontented grumblers, walking according to their own desires."  Do you know people like this? Are we people like this?

Unfortunately it seems that caring about others more than ourselves is a thing of the past! Most "christians" I know do whatever seems best for them. We spend our time, our money and our votes on the things that bring us the most personal satisfaction and gain. If we don't like something…we grumble and complain about it! We will seldom do what is inconvenient to us.

I wonder how many so called "christians" would be the audience of this book for Jude? Would he be pleased with our lives? Is this book for us or is it addressing someone else? Tough things to consider.

3Jn

Hospitality is a lost art in our culture, and unfortunately, also in our churches! When was the last time you invited a friend, much less a stranger, to have a random dinner at your home? 

John writes that hospitality is a sign of faithfulness, especially when we offer it to strangers! Can you remember the last time you were invited to a friends house for dinner? We have exchanged hospitality for "eating out". Our homes have become sanctuaries and not welcome centers. 

Recently, Pam and I invited a man and his daughter to our home for lunch. He specifically told his daughter, "this is a rare thing today and a true sign of christian hospitality." Although we thought the comment was a reach, it made me think of how rare this practice has become. 

The apostle John would not be commending the loss of hospitality (which literally means "lover of strangers"). In fact, I believe he would encourage us to "bring it back!"

Invite someone to your home for dinner…even someone you don't actually know! It is an act of faithfulness.

2Jn

Happy Thanksgiving! We have much to be thankful for today. 

To "believe" is the seeds of the gospel taking root in our lives. To continue to believe is the evidence that it did.

This short letter is both encouraging and challenging. John was greatly encouraged to hear that "some of his children were walking in the truth", and to those same people, he encouraged them to "remain in Christ's teaching". In fact, he urged them to do so.

Faith is a journey that last a lifetime. Choose Christ every single day. He is the One we should be most thankful for today.

1Jn5

Loving God and keeping His commands is a privilege not a burden. If "loving" God and "obeying" Him is a burden, we need to reconsider our faith.

I am not saying it is easy to obey, but I do believe John is saying that when faith is real, there is a sincere desire to do so. Obedience is the overflow of faith. Maturity is the overflow of obedience.

God has blessed us with His commands. We will be blessed as we obey them. This is His command: love one another.

1Jn4

Who is the "antichrist" and how can we recognize him? John makes it clear that "antichrist" is coming and has already come. He says, in fact, many of them have come. Anti-christ could be anyone or everyone! Many have participated in the "spirit of anti-christ".

John points out three questions to ask to determine if it is of anti-christ:

1. What does one say about Jesus? Anyone who says that Jesus is not God or anyone who diminishes the deity of Christ is of the Antichrist.
2. Is it popular thinking in "this world"? John points out that anytime the "world" accepts the teaching it is of Antichrist. Jesus clearly said that "the world" rejects His teaching. If it is highly accepted by all, it is likely not of Christ.
3. Is it new? I was once told that any "new" teaching is NOT "true" teaching. For centuries christians have been teaching, preaching, writing and studying the truth of scripture. There is nothing new under the sun. Any new teaching is false teaching.

These three questions will definitely guide us as we seek to follow Christ and appose everything that is anti-christ.

1Jn3

The apostle John was overwhelmed by God's love that enables us to be called, "sons of God". There is no gift that compares to it and there is no gift that has ever cost the giver more. We should feel loved and valued because of this great gift.

Today I am traveling home from Albania having spent over a week working with churches there. I got to celebrate with two different "Cornerstone" churches. The church in Shkodra celebrated its second anniversary and the church in Tirana its 20th. It was an incredible blessing to have the opportunity to celebrate with them both. (We could learn from them how to celebrate better.)

God is doing amazing things around the world with His children. My prayer is that all of us will get vitally involved with what He is doing. He gave us the amazing gift of salvation so that we could get vitally involved with His amazing work.

1Jn2

The "confidence" we have that we have "come to know Christ" is that we obey His commandments. The one who claims to know Jesus should actually act like Jesus! Imagine that.

Like James, John was confident that faith in Christ looks like something. It is one thing to say that we "know" Jesus, it is a completely different thing to actually obey His teaching and live like He matters. Many people claim to know Jesus, but very few people actually live like He is the most important thing.

If it was the "last days" over 2000 years ago, how much closer are we to the actual "last day"? Whatever our answer, today is another day closer to our last one. Will I live today as though I know and love Jesus or will I live today as a "lover of this world"? My desire is to  pursue the former.

Live for what matters today. What we live for is truly what we love.

1Jn1

Do you ever think about what it would have been like to be living when Jesus lived? It would have been crazy to have actually seen Him, to have heard His voice, to have touched Him! This was John's experience. This is how John begins this letter.

Notice what was of first importance to John. God is light…sinless. Those who walk with Him, must deal with their sin. It is possible for all of us to have fellowship with God through Jesus. This fellowship is impossible unless we are willing to confess and forsake our sin.

Dealing with our sinfulness should be the regular daily habit of our lives. When we confess our sin, He forgives our sin. Fellowship is maintained not through sinlessness, but rather through confession.

Don't cover sin today…confess it.

2Pt2

Freedom is not the ability to do whatever we want, but rather the power to do what we should. Are you free today? Then live for Jesus.

"These people promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves to whatever defeats them." They are enslaved to the very sins they boast of enjoying! They cannot NOT sin.

God's grace teaches us to say no to such things. 

2Pt1

Salvation is the work of God. Godliness never comes without great effort on our part.

On the one hand, godliness is a "gift" from God. There is nothing we can do or say to earn it. God supplies His righteousness through faith in Jesus. We cannot add to or subtract from what Jesus did. Without the work of Christ we could in no way have a relationship with God.

God calls all christians to live "holy lives" and to "make every effort" to grow in godliness. Salvation is not obtained by our godliness, rather, maturity in our salvation is evidenced with our godliness. No matter how long we have been christians, we naturally drift away from "godliness". Maturity takes more than time. It takes effort.

Put in the work today to be godly. God has already done His part.

1Pt5

If you feel like God is resisting you, check your motives. Do you want God for Him? Or do you want God for you?

A proud person seeks God for their own selfish ends. They want God to make their life better. God exist for them, they don't exist for God. This is the heights of pride! Pride is nothing more than focusing on self! This is the type of person God resists!!

On the other hand, "God gives grace to the humble." Humble people see themselves as God's servants. They seek God for His glory and they desire to see Him exalted. Humble people want the best for others. They rejoice in the success of others more than their own selfish ambition.

The posture we have with God has everything to do with His response to us. Let's examine our hearts today.

1Pt4

Have you ever "suffered" for being a christian? I have sought to follow Jesus for over 35 years and I can't remember a time that I had to "suffer" because of Christ. There have been times that I was made fun of and times that I just didn't fit in, but I have really never had to suffer.

Christians all over the world are "suffering" for their faith. Many are being beaten, imprisoned and even killed. It is hard to imagine, but true. In fact, more christians are suffering today than even in the first century. Are we praying for them?

God has blessed us. Are we living boldly for Christ even though we don't have to "suffer" because of our faith? We should be.

Live bold today.

1Pt3

Nothing reflects God's design better than a highly functioning family! God made us male and female. Same in value, different in responsibility. We are to compliment each other in the way we function in obedience to God.

The bible is full of specific but different instructions for men and women. These instructions are a part of God's original design. As we fully embrace our roles, God is honored and the gospel is adorned in culture. 

Christ died for us all equally. He instructs us to live according to our genders in a way that honors Him. When we fight against these basic instructions we are actually fighting against God.

1Pt2

We are to be "living stones", working together to build a "spiritual house" that offers "spiritual sacrifices" to our God who is the "Chief Cornerstone and the Shepherd of our souls".

Paul uses the term, "living sacrifice" and now Peter describes us as "living stones". Two oxymorons to bring to light deep spiritual meaning. We are the building blocks of the church. Solid yet alive. Firm and secure. With Jesus as our example and the foundational "Stone" on which all of our lives are set.

God is the architect and we are to be cooperating with all He is doing as His "chosen race, royal priesthood, holy nation, personal possessions, and proclaimers of His praise." Our lives are to reflect the realities of all He has done for us.

This is a great challenge. It brings new meaning to being "rock solid"!

1Pet1

To all you "temporary residents" of this world…live holy lives. We were made to live in obedience to Christ. Easy to say, hard to do.

I have lived in Ames for almost 40 years. That is most of my life. In 30 years of marriage, my wife and I have lived in 11 different homes. All in Ames. Recently, while filling out a new passport application, I was asked to give my "permanent residence". Without hesitation I put my new address! I could almost guarentee I will be living somewhere else when my new passport expires.

Peter thought about his life on this earth as "temporary". His permanent address was heaven. He lived this life in a manner that reflected that he knew where he would live "permanently". He instructed all of us who have placed our faith in Jesus to live in the same way. 

His theme: Why live our lives for the things that won't last, when we can be living our lives for things that will never fade. We have an inheritance in heaven. Live in the light of that reality.

 

Jm4

If we can read this chapter and not be convicted, we likely are not actually engaging our minds with what we are reading!

Consider this verse 4. "Adulteresses! Don't you know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God?" What does that mean? Who are we living for? Are we living for God and what matters forever? Or, are we wanting God to make our earthly lives better?

Earlier in this chapter James clearly says that when we ask God for things so that our lives will be better, our motives are "evil desires". God does not exist to make our lives in this world great. He exist for His glory.

We are to "draw near to God, and He will draw near to us." He is the One who satisfies all of life. He is the One we should pursue. I love what John Piper writes in his books. He says, "God is most satisfied with us when we are most satisfied with Him."

Lots to think about.

Jm3

Don't have dull ears and a sharp tongue! Rather, let your actions speak the truth about your life. These two sentences would summarize James 1-3.

I always get to James 3 and feel so much conviction! Since I am a teacher and since I tend to speak a ton of words, I often feel guilty after reading this chapter.  NOT controlling my tongue is immaturity and sin. God help me be more guarded in the way I use words.

Our words can either build up or destroy, encourage or discourage, bring peace and unity, or division. Jesus said we will give an account for EVERY word that comes out of our mouth.

So convicting. Let's watch our words. Let's use words to help others not hurt them.

Jm2

"You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone."

This is a verse likely not in our memory packs! Why…because it causes us to struggle. So is salvation by works?! Absolutely not. In fact, James is making it clear that faith and works are inseparable. Later he will say, "For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead."

I love the tension that exist in James! I love the conviction that exists in James! James, the half brother of Jesus, was already frustrated by so called "Christ followers" who were not following Christ at all. No different than Paul who wrote on many occasions about the same kind of people. 

Faith has substance. It brings life. It is "perfected by works". It brings obedience into the lives of believers.

Hopefully, this brings tension into our world. Not doubt. But obedience.

Js1

"Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger, … be a doer of the word and not a hearer only."

I have often used this verse without considering closely the context. Listening is a great skill and we all should be better listeners. But, listening to what? Clearly James is wanting us to listen to the "word of God"! And not only to be listening but to be "doing" it.

Think about the things we have heard lately from the scriptures. Are we doing them? Are we working hard to put into practice the things we are hearing? If we are, we will be blessed. (v. 25)

Only fools hear what God says to do and then don't do it! Be doers today.