Day 28                      The Necessity of Brotherly Love                                         

1 John 4:7  Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

             It is fitting to end our family devotions on this note.  Love is the most essential quality for any home.  Love bears all things,  believes all things,  hopes all things,  endures all things.  Love never fails.  There are families that do not experience this type of love,  but at least in the church,  we should experience a love that is unexplainable   (to know the love that passeth knowledge).  It is greater than anything in this world.  “Now abides faith, hope and love,   these three,  but the greatest of these is love.”  

         John exhorts the children to love one another.  Love is the central characteristic of God.  God not only shows love,  He is love.  If we belong to Him,  if we have been born into His family,  then this characteristic should sum up our lives.  Those who love God are born of God, and they are the ones who know God.  If a man does not love,  he does not know God. 

         Our church family knows who belongs to Christ by the way that we show love.  The world also judges us and sees the reality of our faith by the way that we love each other.

John 13:35  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

          If we are going to make an impact on this world,  then we must love one another in order to show the world the love of Christ.

          Today is Easter Sunday.  It is the last day of our 28 day devotions.  When Christ came to this earth,  he showed His love to His disciples. 

John 13:1  Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

He loved His own people.  When He entered Jerusalem at the end of His ministry he said,

Matthew 23:37  O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

When He died on the cross,  Jesus showed that He loved the world. 

John 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

He also showed this world that He loved them; not because they were good or because they were lovely or loveable.  He loved them while they were sinners. 

Romans 5:8  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

We trust that you know the love of Christ, that you have received Christ as Savior.  If you have not put your trust in Christ,  why not do that this Resurrection Sunday?

Day27                      God’s kids,  the Devil’s kids  -  Who is stronger?                      4:4-6

1 John 4:4   Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

5  They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.

6  We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

         Boys are different from girls.  Boys have to find our who is stronger.  Boys seem to always be competing in something.  They have to find out which things they are best at,  in which things that they are stronger.

         When I was a youth pastor,  my youth group would always challenge me to an arm wrestle,  to a race,  to a wrestling match.  There was one time I thought they were going to kill me by trying to get me under water.  It was what boys are like. 

          The world does not see the Lord.  They only see the natural things that are around them.  They don’t understand where we get our strength.  They call us names.  They make fun of us and they criticize us for being ignorant.  But for all of their attacks,  a child of the devil can never overcome a child of God.  We have a strength that they can’t understand.  Our strength is able to overcome the spirit of antichrist.  The one that dwells in us (the Holy Spirit), is greater than the one that dwells on this earth (the devil). 

         No Christian can be indwelt by a demon because all Christians have the Holy Spirit.  As Christians we can’t be controlled by the devil or his angels unless we give Him our permission.  We do not need to be afraid of the devil or his power.  We only need to fear the one that we pray to.  John wrote in the book of Revelation,

Revelation 2:10  Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

          We are told and we are promised,  “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”  The only possible way that we can overcome the devil is with a power that is greater than his.  Jesus said, 

Matthew 12:28  But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.

29  Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.

          In that illustration we understand that since Jesus cast out demons,  He had to be stronger than the devil  (the strong man)  in order to spoil his house. Since we have the Holy Spirit of God dwelling in us,  we have the power that created the universe,  the power that raised our Lord from the dead.  It is not our power,  but nonetheless,  it is available to us. 

Day 26                      God’s kids,  the Devil’s kids - How to tell them apart?   

1 John 4:1-6

             Counterfeiting is a greater problem in our country than every before.  Last year the Secret Service confiscated 261 million dollars in counterfeit currency.  At a McDonalds three young men ordered a Big Mac Meal and paid for their food with a twenty dollar bill one after another.  The one thing in common,  they all made the money on their own computer,  with their own scanners and ink jet printers.   The Secret service admits that even though 261 million was confiscated,  many more millions still exist in circulation because the paper is easy to purchase and the copies are so good with the latest technology that the money often is in circulation a long time before it is detected as counterfeit.

         In like manner,  the devil delights in making his children look very similar to the children of God.  They are found in most churches and in positions of leadership.  They are “good” people.  They talk the talk, and they live good lives.  Without the correct definition,  it is difficult for many church people to discern the difference between a child of God and a child of the devil.  I John gives this as a definition. 

1 John 4:2  Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

3  And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

         The difference is not in the knowledge of God. The difference is in the relationship with the Father.  A man who knows Jesus personally,  knows that He is God.  He has come in the flesh to pay for the sins of mankind,  and more specifically for me, for that man.  Christ died is history.  Christ died for me is salvation.

         My little brother used to have friends over for a meal all the time.  One boy in particular lived at our house more than at his own house.  Even though he ate the same food and sat at the same table,  he was not my father’s son.  He knew of my father,  but he did not have the relationship with my dad.  He could not address him as “dad.”  The difference is in the confession.  The difference is in the birth.  Have you truly been born again because you have received the death of Jesus Christ as payment for your sins?  Is your faith solely resting in Him or is it in your own goodness and works.  This is the “litmus test of Christianity.”

2 Corinthians 11:15  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

         His ministers are counterfeits of righteousness,  but the difference is “according to their works.”  Not just that they can not produce the works of the Holy Spirit,  but that they rely on their own works for their righteousness.

Romans 9:32  Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;

DDL  

Day 25- April 2

God’s  Plan

I John 3:5-10

     “And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins; and in him there is no sin.  Whoever abides in Him does not sin.  Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.  Little children, let no one deceive you.  He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.  Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.  In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.”

God’s plan is this: “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16.

When we trust God’s plan and accept Jesus Christ as our own personal Savior, we now abide in Him.  When we abide in Him, we should no longer live in sin but in the light of the glorious gospel of Christ.  The general rule, then, is that the Christian does not habitually practice sin, and the person who does continually engage in sin has never come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

There is a reminder in verse 7 for “Little Children” of God to let no man deceive you into sinning.  The world, (The Devil), wants to convince us that it is no big deal to sin.  Everyone is doing.  We should want to fit in.  Well, that’s just not the truth!  We are to be set apart from the world.  We are to be different from the world.  We cannot serve two masters.  These are all truths from God and His Word.  Sin is incompatible with the Christian life as stated in 3:8 “He that commits sin is of the devil.”  Here again, we are talking a practice of sin.  Since sin finds its source in the devil, it is manifestly inconsistent for the believer to engage in its practice.  God’s child does not engage in the continual practice of sin because, by reason of his spiritual heredity, it is contrary to his nature.  In fact, John (in our passage) declares that he “cannot sin, because he is born of God” (3:9).  As a member of the family of God, may we be known by the characteristic practice of righteousness.  God’s plan = “do not sin.”

- GM

April 1- Day 24  
The Devils Plan

I John 3:4-7

“Whosoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.  And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins; and in him there is no sin.  Whoever abides in Him does not sin.  Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.  Little children, let no one deceive you.  He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.”

Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. - 1 John 3:4.           

The Devil’s plan is for us to sin.  Not just that one occasional sin, but for us to continue in sin.  In our passage for today, the apostle gives us reasons why sin is not compatible with the Christian life. 

The first concerns the sin nature, which is described as lawlessness.  The word “Sin” (3:4) refers to the transgression of the law.  The statement in verse 4 makes sin and lawlessness identical and interchangeable.   In other words, anyone who commits sin acts in defiance of God’s Holy law.  Lawlessness does not refer to the mere ignorance of the law but rather it speaks of action in direct opposition to the law.  John uses the Greek present tense verb when he speaks of committing sin, in other words – continually in sin.  Inasmuch as sin is in violation of the law of God, it should not be a characteristic of one of God’s children.  It is inconsistent for a member of God’s family to practice sin. 

The second reason why sin is incompatible with Christian life concerns the person and work of Christ (3:5-7).  We are told that “He was manifested to take away our sins.”  The word “He” is literally referring to “the One” which is Christ.  Jesus Christ came to abolish or destroy sin.  It should seem clear then, that it would be inconsistent for followers of Christ to continue in sin.

The “our sins” is a possessive term and rightly so.  They are yours and mine!  How great is the inconsistency if a believer is continuing to practice the very thing Jesus Christ came to destroy!  For this reason we are told to “abide in Him who does not sin.”  To be abiding in Him is referring to an eternal relationship that we as believers have in Christ.  Those who have never trusted Jesus Christ as personal Savior do not experience this abiding In Christ.  He who abides in Christ sins not!  This does not mean that we will never commit an act of sin, but what this does mean is that we will not be practicing sin or living in sin habitually.

The Devil has a plan for our life – But God also has a plan for us!  As a member of the family of God, His plan is what brings Him glory and brings to us the peace and happiness we want, need and deserve because we are abiding in Him.

- GM

Day  23                       What a Family!   -  Seek to be like Him!                                

1 John 3:3  And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

              Pastor Logan preached on this passage on Sunday night.  He was talking about the importance of knowing that hope.  If that hope is in us,  then we will be able to purify ourselves.  Purifying then comes from having this hope.  The hope that John is writing about is the hope of being the Sons of God and being like Him when He shall appear.

       You will notice that the definition of purity in this passage is Christ.  We are to be purified as He is pure.  We are to be holy because He is holy.  We don’t have to come up with a man made standard.  The standard is not even the law.  The standard of purity is Christ.   We will be like Him and therefore, we need to become pure as He is pure in our daily walk.   How does a man purify himself?  We are pure before God in the salvation that Christ has wrought for us.  But God also desires us to be pure day by day.  Psalm 119 gives us a couple of principles that help us with daily purity.  The Psalmist wrote, 

Psalm 119:9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

         The word “way” is not the normal word,  derek.  This word means a “well traveled,  well beaten path.”  It is a path that has been taken many times.  It is a problem area that we are prone to follow.  It is what the book of Hebrews calls,  “the sin which doth so easily beset” you.   Every one of us struggle in certain areas where we are prone to sin.  Some sins are easy to overcome.  Perhaps you have no desire for drinking or drugs. They are not a temptation to you.  You have never used them.  But there may be another area that causes you to fall and is a constant area that you confess to God. 

         The answer to this addiction in verse 9 is “taking heed thereto according to thy (God’s) word.”  Again,  the word “taking heed” is the word that is most often translated “to guard,”  “to protect.”  The Word of God is not a rabbit’s foot or a talisman.  The Word of God must be taken and put in its proper place in our lives.  It is not enough simply to read a portion each day.  A person must “take heed.”   He must guard each verse and protect it.  It is too important to let it fall to the ground.  The Word of God can change us,  but only when we truly see each of the words of the Bible as the very Word of God. 

Day 22- Monday, March 30th
CBC Family Devotions- 1 John

1 John 2:29-3:2

If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.  Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called the children of God!  Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.  Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

WHAT YOU BELIEVE IS REVEALED BY HOW YOU LIVE AND WHO YOU LOVE

Read 1 John 2:29-3:2

Read 2:26 and then 3:7- Do NOT let anyone deceive you!

It appears that at the heart of this portion of text is the idea that your confidence and boldness (2:28) and your hope (3:3) to not be deceived is to be reminded of what it means to be a child of God.

It seems that God has put into the heart of every child a desire to come to resemble some character quality of their father.  The identity of the child that is found in the context of their family will play itself out in how they conduct their life.  In the earthly sense, a child will grow up seeking those thing that were lacking.  However, our Heavenly Father supplies ALL that is lacking when we abide in Him (2:28).  The experience of having a Father that satisfies all that is “missing” gives a child HOPE (3:3) and a desire to live purely.  This child truly understands who their family is and they are motivated to come to resemble the character qualities of their Father.  For there is coming a day when the children of God will see Him in all of His glory.

If we lose sight of that glorious day, then we lose sight of our true identity in Christ, as a child of God.  When we lose our sense of identity we find ourselves discouraged (without hope), and lonely (without confidence).  In these moments, the child will find themselves very prone to the enemy’s attacks and deceptions. 

-          What are some of the character qualities of God that you have encountered in your study in 1 John- or perhaps in other studies you have been doing?

-          What do you think God has been trying to show you about Himself?

-          As you consider being a Child of God, is there anything that you would be ashamed of?  Something that you know is hurting your Father?

Take some time to have a Father-Son or a Father-Daughter Talk.