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Christian Devotional – June 8, 2014
Read 1 John chapter 2 VERSE: 1 John 2:16–For everything in the world–the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life–comes not from the Father, but from the world. TRUTH: God is the creator. However as we are living in the world, we have perverted the perfection of God’s creation. Lust and pride came into the world and tempts us to value God’s creation more than we value the Creator Himself. Those temptations come in three categories: the flesh, the yes, and the pride of life. Are we being drawn away from the Creator by the temptations that come and appeal to us in…
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Christian Devotional – June 7, 2014
Read 1 John chapter 2 VERSE: 1 John 2:15–Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. TRUTH: This is an either/or situation. We either love God or we love the world. Since they stand for exactly the opposite things, we cannot love both of them. When we love something, we are committed to it and will do whatever for it. Are we focused on God and on loving God? Anything else is simply going against God. RESPONSE: Father, You are my Only love. I will love You and through You, You are able to show…
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Christian Devotional – June 6, 2014
Read 1 John chapter 2 VERSE: 1 John 2:14–I write to you dear children, because you know the Father. I write to you fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one. TRUTH: The believers that John were writing to knew God and because they did, they were strong and the Word of God lived in them. Because the Word of God lived in them, they were able to overcome the evil one. How do we overcome the evil one? We overcome through the…
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Christian Devotional – June 5, 2014
Read 1 John chapter 2 VERSE: 1 John 2:12-13–I am writing to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning, I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. TRUTH: Our sins have been forgiven, Jesus has been constant from the beginning, and through Him, we have overcome the evil one. These are the reasons that John lists for why he is writing this letter to the people. We have such great and immeasurable hope! Circumstances can weigh down on us, but we are…
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Christian Devotional – June 4, 2014
Read 1 John chapter 2 VERSE: 1 John 2:10-11–Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them. TRUTH: The way we treat other believers is very telling. we can say all we want, but unless we are allowing our actions to demonstrate love toward other believers, we are not truly walking in the light ourselves. As Christians, we each have Christ in us and Christ will…
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Christian Devotional – June 3, 2014
Read 1 John chapter 2 VERSE: 1 John 2:9–Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. TRUTH: Our relationships with others matter. We cannot claim to be followers of Jesus Christ and then hate the people we are around. We can’t say we love Christ, but hate going to church. Christ is the light and we must see others in that light if we are truly allowing Christ in our life. How do we treat and respond to others? RESPONSE: Father, You are truly the light in the world and in my life. I will use Your light to…
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Christian Devotional – June 1, 2014
Read 1 John chapter 2 VERSE: 1 John 2:7–Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. TRUTH: They needed to be reminded of what they already knew. God had commanded them to love others, this was not new. However, they needed a reminder and a refresher. God had provided them a new example of love through Jesus Christ, which we’ll talk about tomorrow, but the command to love one another was old. Are we doing what we know to do and what we have been told to do, or…
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Christian Devotional – May 31, 2014
Read 1 John chapter 2 VERSE: 1 John 2:5-6–But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did. TRUTH: As we obey God more, we love God more. This is a ratio that is constant. When we love God more, we will obey God more. As we obey God more, we will love God more. We can use this as a measure to know and understand how to live like Jesus did. When we are living each day fully obedient to God, we demonstrate love…
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Christian Devotional – May 30, 2014
Read 1 John chapter 2 VERSE: 1 John 2:4–Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. TRUTH: Do we know God? More important than how we verbally answer that question, is how our life answers that question. Do our actions confirm the truth of our words, or do they prove we are a liar? Our words are important and our actions must match the words that we say. RESPONSE: Father, my words and actions must go together. I will follow Your commands and will ensure that my actions convey the truth of my words. I…
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Christian Devotional – May 29, 2014
Read 1 John chapter 2 VERSE: 1 John 2:3–We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commandments. TRUTH: We have a way to check ourselves and make sure that we know God. If we are keeping His commands, then we know Him. If we aren’t, we don’t. This sounds simplistic, but yet it is absolutely true. As we go through the day, if we are acting out the things we have heard and learned from Jesus Christ, then we truly know Him. Our actions must line up with our words, which all must line up with Christ. RESPONSE: Father, I will learn more about You…