1 John ....

1 John

This Epistle ; Whilst anonymous, it is strongly linked to 'John'. It is widely regarded that 'John' spent his later years in Ephesus, and thus was written around AD: 90.

1. That they might be 'Happy'   1 v4
2. That they might be 'Holy'      2 v1
3. That they might be 'Safe'       2 v26
4. That they might be 'Know'    5 v13

Key Words of this Message are . . 

Happy ~ Holy ~ Safe ~ Know ~ Fellowship

The Joyful Life

1 John 1 4    “. . These things we write unto you, That your joy might be full . .”

1) The joy of forgiveness is the beginning of joy

   What John is trying to tell us here is, the fellowship with Him causes us to walk in the light, in the fellowship with other like-minded believers in the one-true-God, who is light.

John 11 9/10   “. .Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve

hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not

stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But

 if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the

light is not in him . .”

   I believe what Christ is alluding to here is that, if we have Christ living in us shining bright, His love & joy will spill out into our daily lives, thus illuminating all the shadows that cause us to stumble. This will give us Joy in the fellowship of other believers. From here we can find strength to . . forgive.

( I grew up knowing the Lord’s Prayer as thus) ..

“. . Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who

Trespass against us . .”

When, in all but he ‘Message’ version of the Bible it reads ..

“. .Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. .”

. . debts does not always me ‘monetary, we’re being told to forgive those who have wronged us, and them us. Day after day it will become harder, not only this, but slowly but surely, it will consume us from within, and destroying any and all Joy. Turning us into hard hearted and bitter, ending up, consuming all our Joy.

2) The Joy of fellowship is in fullness of Joy

   In the Joy of fellowship there are 4 elements that are key, they are ..

A.  Walking in the Light

B.  The Confession of Sin

C.  The forgiveness of Sin

D. The Cleansing of Sin

A)      Walking in the Light.. This will never be easy, always   testing you metal. Another way is to put a ‘fish’ on the back of your car. This tells everyone you live in the light, striving not to be wrong, only living right.

B)      The Confession of Sin .. Bringing you wrong doings to God, for His forgiveness. As we may tell others of your doings.

C)       Forgiveness of Sin. . Now we have ‘confessed our Sin, we can move on by asking for Forgiveness, as we have to ‘Forgive’ those who have wronged us.

D)     Cleansing of Sin. . When we are saved there comes a time to be ‘Baptized’. Here we submerged in water. Thus mimicking being born, or born again, cleansing us of ‘All’ Sin.

John 3 5/7  “. .Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to

you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit,

he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is

 born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of

the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you,

‘You must be born

again.’. .”

                                 i.            Without new birth there is no ‘New-Life’.

                              ii.            New Birth gives new perspective, as we can now see the Kingdom of God

                           iii.            Through our new birth we are introduced into a new realm, allowed to enter the Kingdom we have been born-again into. Being born-again is more than just being ‘Saved’. It has re-qualified us and opening us up, waking us up to our new life and its possibilities.

The Victorious Life

1 John 2 1 “. .My little children these things Write I 

unto you, that ye may not sin. . “

   How many of you have children and constantly telling/warning them against doing things that are going to harm them? But, no matter what you say they go ahead anyway?  “My little children” were warned.

1.     The message “. .My little children. .” Was aimed so’s, to those who had already became so through Christ Jesus saving them.

2.   Bring Gods children through Christ Jesus, now meant that their lives were Victorious and now had become their own possession through Faith.                                                                

1 John 2 13  “.. I write ..because ye have overcome the wicked one..”                                            

3.   We must always remember that when we sin, and we will sin                   because we are made of flesh. So sadly we will always sin, take comfort in that there is an advocate for us.

4.   Advocacy is for ever at work for us through Jesus Christ. For those sinning saint (us), of which He carries unto the father. Where He restores the saint because of the sacrifice He has already paid.

5.    Dr Griff Thomas once said. “If any man sin, we have an advocate. There is no allowance for sin, but there is a perfect provision in case we do sin, no need to sin ~ no right to sin ~ no compromise with sin ~ no licence, but a provision in case we do. All ships have life boats these days, whilst no ship sails with the intention of sinking. We have 2 yes 2 advocates..

                     i.            Is that the Lord Jesus Christ is the direct advocate with the Heavenly Father.

                  ii.            The Holy Spirit in John’s gospel means also we have an advocate within us all.

   

   Before we move on tell me this ‘What do you term as Victorious? Is it where you follow your childhood dreams and become that Fireman/Nurse? Or, is that you design something that turns you into a multi-Billionaire? Or, Is it you train hard for a race, of which you win a Gold medal at the Olympics?

‘What do you term as Victorious?

The Safe Life

1 John 2 16  “. .These things I have written to you concerning

those who try to deceive/seduce you. .”

   How is it possible in today’s society to stay safe? When kids are able to take gun, and the like, into our schools, with the sole purpose to kill your friends & class mates. Or as in Paris and France that with thousands of people attending a concert and recently on Bastille Day, where a very large lorry was driven into a crowded area and killed 75. As well as those on that ill-fated night in Paris end up dead because of individuals who have had their heads turned. Thus they end up killing many many people.

Where and who is truly Safe?

1.     Heresy has been around since way before Jesus’ Christ time. Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many anti-christs have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. (1 John 2 18)

   Who and what is the ‘Anti-Christ’? It is not only a mythical creature. With horns on its head and has a tail. Why do we draw in our minds images of him this way? I feel we do this so we can spot them in a crowd, thus giving us a fair warning.

2.   Psalm 119 117  “. .Hold me up and I shall be safe . .”  

   So we believers shall be safe, because we are guarded by His Holy anointing.

3.   As Christians we have the whole Armour of God as told us in Eph 5. This is as well as His Holy anointing.

1 John 2 20   “. .But you have an anointing from the Holy one you all know these things. .”

   Having the Holy one in our lives, giving us untold protection, from the common cold, to the anti-christ.

The Knowing Life

1 John 5 13 “. . These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. ."  

   In each verse there are key words showing what is meant in this particular verse. Here we see John is pointing towards the ‘Know’.

How can we be sure that we know Him? Even if

we were to keep ALL His Commandments?

   The more we read/study the Bible, the more we grow (spiritually), the closer the walk with Him we will have. Being able to have a closer spiritual relationship, again the more we grow, as well as the better we will be able to read the bible; interpret the message; have more sign posts which will help keep our lives on track.

1 John 4 1  “. . Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. .” 

   I have been on both sides as, ‘Prophesying’ over someone, &, to receive word from God through someone else. I have been told, not long after being saved, when I was taught that when one receives a word/message to pray and wait for confirmation of this personally from the Bible. As this would show if the word brought was true of false.

   Knowing is believing in God’s word, and His Son, The Holy Spirit, and of His word.

1 John 4 13    ". .By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. ."

1 John 4 2    ". .By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God. ."

1 John 5 13  ". .These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may that you have eternal life, and you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. ."

   Once we are saved, Baptized, we ‘Know’ because inside of us is different. Why & How because we know that the Holy Spirit is now in us. Because of this everything about us & in us, became different as the belief ‘The Holy Spirit is in us. This is how we can tell our friends without saying a word because His light shines forth, giving us . .

Happy ~ Holy ~ Safe ~ Know ~ Fellowship

. .Of all things hence forth.

Helping by Prayer

Helping by Prayer

   God has put it in our power to help each other in many ways, sometimes by deeds that lift away burdens; sometimes by sympathy that halves the sorrow. But, there is no other way in which we can serve wisely, so effectively, so divinely, solely interceding for them.

   Our hands are clumsy and awkward, and often life would heal with our touch or strength . . .

“. .Not by my strength but by thine alone/own. .”

. . .but in prayers we can reach our friend through God’s grace. Because God’s hand has an infinitely more gentle touch that would NOT hurt but only heal us in our time of need. We know that our wisdom, and at times the help we give is untimely (we offer help after the horse has bolted, yet only then do we think to close the stable door), or unwise. When we try and fix that which is no longer broken, thus making mess. We need to learn when to let go.

   There are times we think we are helping by lifting a friends burdens, that God needs them to carry by themselves. You might be forgiven that by doing this we are making his burdens lighter. But it was Gods intention to make it harder for our friend for his own good, for his own development of his powers.

   Don’t be disheartened that by not saving our friend from the burdens & . .Hardship ~ self-denial ~ Perilous-duty ~ Exhausting-Service . . when these are the very paths with which God will lead him to . .

·       The paths to Honour

·       To Longer Usefulness

·       To Nobler Life

. . all be it at times our love is short sighted.

   This goes to show that we may all think we are helping our friend, when we really are doing anything but. When we are actually hindering him in the very things that deeply concern his life. Instead of hindering in the flesh, we can use a tool that will be far more effective. In prayer we can let God know we have faith in our belief that our prayers will be answered in fullness.

   In our prayers we can ask for help in which our friend will feel His divine healing. Who so ever fails to pray for ones whom we love, is a miss, in the most sacred duty of God’s Grace, not to mention His divine healing power.

“A prayer less love may be  tender

And may speak murmuring words of sweetness

Sound, but it leaves the deepest expression

and the noblest of speech. We never want

To help our dear ones so well as when we

Pray for them.

Romans 8 26 “. .  Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groaning’s which cannot be uttered. .”

   

   As Christians we should know how to pray. The thing is how many of us, as newly saved Christian’s, were taken aside and over a number of weeks, were taught how to pray, using the Bible as direction? “pray for as we ought”. This is something sadly lacking, the only true direction for those just saved is called the ‘Alpha Course’.

   We truly have a gift/tool to help us if only tapped into. There are some ‘Evangelists’’, some have a good reputation. There are 2 that who are known even out of Church circles. .

1.     Billy Graham

2.   Benny Hinn

 . . it has been reported both have a good & bad reputations for ‘Healing’. Jesus healed many ailments. All He asked for was ‘Faith & Belief’, which sadly many today will lack one or both.

Luke 8 49-50  “. .While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, “Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher.”But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well. .”

   When a man can do nothing else, he would do well to remember this little saying to the great river of intercessory prayer which is always flowing up to the throne of God. The river is made up of such sayings as the Ocean is of drips . .

“A praying man can never be a useless man”

. . it is also well, that we think carefully of the things we ask for our friends. There is a danger that exists in prayer for ourselves, that we press only our own will for them and request for them only of an earthly kind.

Philippians 3 19   “. . whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. .”

  Another form of prayer is that of a Mother’s. Her prayer for her children will always be first, that may win Earthly honour, but, that they be complete in God’s will, and become what God has intended them to be. The best place they can reach in this World is that which God designed them when He gave them life.

·       “What shall our prayer be”?

·       “That our friend may recover”?

   Isn’t that what we want otherwise, do we pray and not mean it?   Prayers should always be offered up in love, or we may ask aimlessly. Jesus prayed 3 times that His cup of sorrow might

pass. .

This must not be all what He’s about!

We should ask. .

This must not be all what ‘It’s’ all about!

   It would be sad if our friend were to get well and NOT to get some blessing out of his sickness. Once he has made full recovery, we pray that he may be enriched in spiritual experiences. .

   Also ~ that he be in a closer relationship with Christ our Lord..

   Also ~ that his life may be purified..

   Also ~ that he made more thoughtful, gentle, unselfish, more Christ like..

   Also ~ that he be made more perfect and complete in the will of God. .

. . it may be needful to qualify the power that our friend will recover. It may also Gods will that our friend should now go home. We may still give vent to loves yearning that he will get better, but at the close of our supplication we must submit it all to Gods wisdom in the refrain. .

“never the less, not as I will, but as though wilt”

. .if love be true, it’s always the best thing that we ask for our dear ones when we pray. Heaven will be the crowning glory of our lives in Immortal Glory & Blessedness. As we begin to pray we remember that the truest and most loving prayer for Him be, that our friend must stand most perfect and complete in all God’s will. Possibly his load is part of God’s will to bring out the best that is in him.

   Here’s something to think of in that, when we decide to pray for our friends, we need to first and for most, pray of their spiritual good & wellbeing. In doing so we must seek above all things that the prayer and supplications offered up will sustain and lift them, so they will grow into the beautiful person in Gods eye’s and help them to have a wonderfully perfected Christian character.

   Surely you will have a poor and thoughtless friendship which desires the utter most Earthly good. It is asking of you a stone instead of bread or perhaps a scorpion instead of an egg, or a serpent instead of a fish.

‘Archdeacon Farrar, was once quoted in saying

‘There are 2 things to remember about prayer for

Earthly things. .

1.     That too ask for an Earthly blessing is a dreadfully dwarfing and an vulgarization of the grandeur of prayer, as though a handful of grass, when you might ask for a handful of Emeralds.

2.   You must always ask for Earthly desires with complete and absolute submission of your own will, to Gods’.

   We are to make sure that these things be as true of prayers, as for our friends as for ourselves. We do our friends a grave injustice as well as sin against our loved ones when we seek for them merely the things of our frail short-sighted judgement may desire for them.

“. .love is true only when it comes and rises up to

Heavenly heights, craves for those who are

dear to the things of Gods own blessed

& perfect will. This is and will always never

Be easy. .”

   It will always be hard for us to say ‘Thy will be done’. NO one will relinquish the reigns to their life to Jesus Christ. Knowing that it means our loved ones must endure some pain or walk in deep shadows, or be humbled under Gods hand.

   No matter whether for ourselves or for our friends, we dare not in prayers press our own wishes against Gods. .”Even though it be a cross that raiseth”. .this must be our own cry for our friends as well as for ourselves. . .

“The strength of pleading must be the same”

. . .someday we shall know that our love was the truest, when it was asked in pain and loss for one who was dear, and Why?.

   May be this poem will go to answering some of the questions you might have…

I sometimes think Gods tender heart must ache

Listening to all the sad complaining cries,

That from our weak, impotent souls arise, Because

 we don’t see that for our sake, He answers

not, or answers otherwise, Than seems the best

 to our tear-blinded eye, This is loves hardest task,

to hard things For loves own sake, then bear the

murmurings Of ignorance to dull to judge aright.

The love that rises to this wond’rous height

He wearies not, but bears complaint and moan

And shields each will heart against His

Own knowing that some glad day we too

Shall know.

Making Life a Song

Making Life a

Song

Psalm 33 3  “ . . Sing to Him a new song; Play skilfully with a

shout of joy. .”

   It would be amazing to be able to write a song that everyone sings for years to come. But, oh to have composed such Hymns such as

•      Rock of ages, Or
•   Jesus lover of my Soul . .

   It would been far better than to say, build a Pyramid, for such a large percentage of us can’t write a songs. Most of us are not poets, able to weave words that create the most amazing tapestry. Words that are sweet thoughts that are rhythmic verse that will charm even the hardest of souls. For the of us are unable to make Hymns which shall become angels of peace – Comfort – or give Joy – or give inspiration to weary lives. Only the select few in a generation are blessed with such incredible gifts.

NKJ - Ephesians 5 19  “ . .speaking to one another in psalms and hymns

and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart

 to the Lord . . “

MESSAGE - Ephesians 5 19  “. .Don’t drink too much wine. That cheapens your life. Drink the Spirit of God, huge draughts of him. Sing hymns instead of drinking songs! Sing songs from your heart to Christ. Sing praises over everything, any excuse for a song to God . .” 

   There is a way  in which may all make songs. We don’t need to be poets either. We all can make the sweetest music with our lives. We only need to true & loving, from there will the music flow. There many among us who live in circumstances and conditions that seem to make no music. Their lives devoid of all sentiment which has no place amid the severe toils and burdens in their daily lives. Yet even the likes such as these, that seem doomed to hardness, dreariest toil, may and often becomes songs which can minister blessings to many others. You may not see it or feel it, but others in a similar plight will gleam strength and encouragement, just to know someone else is a similar boat as them.

   As a Christian we told not to hide our light under a bushel. I was told of a story about this guy went to Church out of the blue. When asked at the end of the meeting, what it was that brought him along, ‘ was a Sermon he had heard? To which he replied NO. Was it a ‘word’ he had read? he replied NO. Then to what it was that lead him to church?

   The guy said it was in fact a fellow worker. For years the guy has seen his fellow workman had been so true, so faithful, so Christ like in his character & conduct, that his influence had brought himself to Church. His fellow workman’s life, amid all the hardness, was a song of nothing but . . . Love.

   God want all our lives to be songs. How I hear to still say do we get these songs, as well as get the words for the songs? The Lord gives the words, through the duties and life’s experiences which come to us day by day, and is our part to set them to music, in our daily obedience’s and sub-missions. It’s our duty, however the notes may be God gives us, whatever the words He writes for us to sing, to make harmonious music. 

  

Jesus said . .

“My peace I give unto you .”

. . An Inspired promise reads . .

“The peace of God shall keep your heart and mind through Christ Jesus”

A Heavenly Counsel is. .

“Let the peace Of God rule in your heart”

   Whatever the notes, or, the words, therefore the song which we sing should always be of peace.

Our lives are songs, God writes the words 

and we set them to music at pleasure 

and the song grows glad, or sweet, or sad, 

as we choose to fashion the measure 

we must write the music, whatever the song.         

Whatever the rhyme or metre and if 

     it is sad we can make it glad or, 

if sweet we can make it sweeter.

   A perfect Holy life would be a perfect song. But our lives are anything but perfect, hence why the harmonies, through our lives are off key. Being disciples of Christ, we should be learning new harmonies all the time. They then in turn will grow sweeter day-by-day, Month-by-Month, as well learn to do Gods will on Earth. Only the Masters hand can bring out of our souls the musical harmonies that slumber.

   Without our Masters tuition, we are likened to that of a Violin. We lift off the table, and bow in hand, we draw the bow across it’s strings. It will let out a sound that of 2 cats fighting. That is till a master Violin player lifts it up, strokes the bow across the strings. With that the sweetest sound fills the air. We must never give up, as giving up is saying to GOD, you don’t know how to do this with my life, my soul. In essence calling our Lord Jesus Christ a LIAR, are you really ready to this??

   I learnt of a tale concerning the a composer Mendelssohn. He once visited to the great ‘Frieburg Organ.’ Its old custodian refused him permission to play upon the instrument, not knowing to whom he was speaking asking to play. At length Mendelssohn kept asking, whoever he did after a few minutes grant him some time to play on the Organ. Mendelssohn took his seat and soon the most wonderful music was coming from the Organ. The custodian was spell bound. At length he came along side Mendelssohn and kept asking the strangers name? The custodian, upon knowing the his name just stood there humiliated, self- condemned. Saying, after Mendelssohn had stopped playing, and ‘I refused you permission to play upon this old organ’.

   There comes One to us and who desires to take our lives sand helps our souls to make the sweetest music. But, we keep with holding our selves back from Him.

    When, if we would but yield ourselves to Him, He would bring forth the most Heavenly music our ears would have ever heard.

We are but organs mute, till a master 

touches the keys. A vessel 

of Earth into which pours the wine,  

harps are we, silent harps that have 

hung on willow trees, dumb till our 

heart strings swell and break 

with a pulse divine.

   No matter our lives, we should make our lives songs. We have no right to add to the out tunes in the World. Or, to sing, any but sweet strains in the ears of others. We should no longer sing out of key, about sadness in the World which, is already over flowing with songs of sadness. We need to be adding songs of Joy, songs of Peace, and songs of Love.

“If we are truly Christ’s, and daily are 

walking with Him, we should no longer hold back these songs”