Too often I treat my spiritual life like a charging station. I refuel every morning (or at least as often as possible) through a study of the Bible or a devotional reading. But then I act like I’m an electronic device and I unplug, trusting in my fuel to get me through the day. But the Lord Jesus himself has told me to constantly abide in him.
Jesus
Be Confident in Prayer: Go Ahead and Ask
The apostle John speaks often about confidence, boldness, assurance. He wants believers to know that they know they are in Christ. But he also exhorts us to know that we can come to God with our requests. Because we know that we believe in Jesus and have eternal life, we can approach God confidently.
The What, Why, and How of Agape from the Apostle of Love
The apostle John is the real expert on true love. He writes about it more than any other author in the Bible. He alone records Jesus's new commandment to love one another in a new way—like Jesus loves us (John 13:34–35). In 1 John 4:7–21 alone, love (agape in Greek) is mentioned 27 times.
Recognize the Spirit of Truth vs the Spirit of Falsehood
Because many false teachers abound, the apostle John teaches us how to recognize the spirit of truth versus falsehood.
Love for the World vs. Love for the Father
The Apostle John tells us in his first letter, "Do not love the world" (1 Jn 2:15). One of the biblical definitions for "world" is ornament. In other words, all the shiny stuff that attracts our attention. John calls these things, the lust of the flesh, the longing of the eyes, and the pride of life.
The ‘One Anothers’ in Scripture Characterize Community
There are over fifty "one another" verses in Scripture (the exact number depends on your translation). One anothering describes how those in the kingdom of God function. It characterizes community, friendship, fellowship, koinonia. I decided to do a fresh study of these exhortations in scripture. Here are my observations.
A Light to the Ends of the Earth
Around sixty years ago, my parents sailed (literally) from the US to the ends of the earth—the island nation of Papua New Guinea. They did this because they understood that God offers salvation to everyone and they wanted to give God’s Word to some who might otherwise never hear. Likewise, my husband and I answered the same call thirty years after my parents did, moving to Indonesia to share this good news. We understood that God planned from the very beginning to save all peoples, not just the Israelites.
Not Forsaken
Was Jesus forsaken on the cross? Educated and religious Jews used a unique technique to recite memorized psalms. And so did Jesus when passers-by yelled insults at him as he hung dying on a cross. He wanted his people to know he was fulfilling a prophecy that predicted his specific suffering.
Pondered Treasures 