Tag Archives: John

Slathered with Love

When I think about the word “lavish” the first thing that comes to

English: Cinnamon roll as produced by cinnabon (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

mind is Cinnabon. I know, I know, you’ve never actually eaten one of these – just looked at them as you went by… Right. But if you work for Cinnabon, you need to know how to lavish. You need to lay on the cinnamon and butter and icing without any restraint! That’s my point.

Think about what “lavish” means as you read this next line from 1 John:

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. (1 John 3:1)

God lavished His love on us by bringing us into His family as His loved children. Perhaps your experience with your dad was not ideal. God’s version of fatherhood is perfect. So much so, He encourages us to come to Him whenever we are in need, without formality or hesitancy (Hebrews 4:16). He told us to call Him “Papa” (Abba, in Hebrew – Romans 8:15). Most people, if they accept the idea of being a child of God at all, think of the relationship portrayed in the von Trapp family in the beginning of “Sound of Music,” with the kids all in uniform, standing at attention and responding to signals from a captain’s whistle. God’s version is a lot more like the family interacts at the end of that musical.

John says “the world does not know us” and that is true. Believers and followers of Jesus are commonly misunderstood and criticized. They don’t get it because they are not (yet!) in the family. When the family gets together things go on that those in the world have never experienced. I remember my childhood family, the kids lying around on the floor in front of a crackling fire, with my dad sitting in his favorite chair, reading a story. Things happen in God’s family that are much, much better.

Such as Papa’s love, lavished on His children…

Greeting Jesus

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The monk hammers on the old wooden door, waking the abbot. Blustering and stammering, he says, “There’s a man downstairs who says he is Jesus and has returned! What should we do?” “Look busy!”

Old joke, but it raises a good question. If Jesus returned and came up to you, what would your reaction be? If you knew that you were face to face with the Son of Almighty God, the Savior, what would you feel? Fear? Regret? Shame? Embarrassment? Any of those strike a chord? Quite probably so. But what if you could be sure it was appropriate to run to meet Him with complete confidence and joy, without a trace of sheepishness or shame? Turns out, that is what is intended for us, who have placed our trust in Jesus:

And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming. (1 John 2:28)

You have seen the videos: a child is in school, going through her daily activities, when suddenly Dad appears, home from his service in Afghanistan. How does she respond? She runs to him, embraces him with joyful tears. That’s the idea for our response when Jesus returns!

But how? How can that be possible? I mean, … the Son of God…? John shows us how. First, our relationship to Jesus is that of a “dear child.” By faith in Christ, we have been given the right to become a child of God.

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God... (John 1:12)

[Jesus said,] “I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” (Mark 10:15)

As a child of God, when you see “Papa,” run to Him! He will be so glad to see you coming.

Secondly, John says “continue in Him.” The word translated “continue” is the same word previously translated “remain.” It means to make your permanent home in Him. Abide in Him. There’s more on this word in “Stay Home.” You make your home in Jesus and He will make His home in you. When you see Him coming toward you, it will be like coming home!

Chew on that… The more you do, the more you will taste of its deep truths. You are meant to sing this song as your own: “Joy to the world! The Lord is come!”

Stay Home

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It’s been mighty cold here in Colorado. When I come home on subzero nights, I like to fix a warm mug of tea, kick off my boots and flop down into my easy chair. I’m home. Once I’m settled in, I’m secure. I don’t have to keep checking to see if this really is my home, to see if I’m really still here, or to see if it is still here. I live here. To use the Bible word, I “remain” here (some Bible translations say “abide”). This is my natural place of rest, my default position, the place in which I make my home. That’s what the word “remain” means.

John writes:

See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is what he promised us—even eternal life. (1 John 2:24-25)

“What you have heard from the beginning…” is the simple, uncomplicated truth about Jesus. Jesus is the Son of God, Whose death has purchased the gift of eternal life for all those who will believe it and accept it. John says, See that this simple truth “remains” in you, that it makes its home in you. If it does, he says, your home will be in Jesus. You will be at home in God.

If that sounds confusing, think of what happens when you move. At first, your new house or apartment, isn’t really “home” yet; you are still getting used to it. Gradually, as you allow it to become “home” in you, you find yourself “at home” in it, right? John says, as Jesus’ simple truth begins to be at home in you, you will discover that you are “at home” in God. This two-way relationship is reflected in Jesus’ teaching:

On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. (John 14:20)

John writes to remind and reassure his brothers and sisters in Jesus because, right from the first, some people have tried to twist the message of Jesus, to complicate it and make it say what they want. In doing so, they attempt to lead people astray.

I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray.

John says, Remember where your “home” is and stay home. By “staying home,” he says, you don’t need to worry about being led astray. Why not? Because you have the Holy Spirit to guide you. He makes His home in you, and you in Him:

As for you, the anointing [the Holy Spirit] you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him. (1 John 2:26-27)

So, wherever you go, stay home.

No Small Detail

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On Peachtree Industrial Boulevard, near Atlanta, GA, a new billboard now invites people to “Find Jesus in the Quran.” Surprised? Don’t be. Most of the religions I checked have some form of belief in Jesus. The problem is not what these religions (Muslim, Jew, Hindu, Buddhism, Baha’i, and even some watered down versions of Christianity!) believe about Jesus, but what they do NOT believe about Him. They believe He was a prophet, an angelic being, a wise teacher, an incarnation of love, etc. But they do not believe that Jesus, as the Son of God, is the human manifestation of God.

What difference does that make? It’s no small detail, but a make or break essential. Here is what this “wise teacher” said about Himself:

Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. (John 14:9b)

I and the Father are one. (John 10:30)

Don’t avoid the meaning of this second, simple statement; the people who first heard it did not misunderstand what He meant. As they picked up rocks to bash His brains out, they said they were doing so:

“… because you, a mere man, claim to be God.” (John 10:33b)

To say that Jesus was merely a “wise teacher” is to ignore Who He claimed to be. You can’t have a watered down version of Jesus without denying that He told the truth. To deny Who He is, is to oppose Who He is. Here is how John stated this blunt truth:

Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist—he denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. (1 John 2:22-23)

You might find someone called Jesus in the Quran, but you will not find The Son of God, The Savior in that book. Make sure you know Who He really is!

Personal note: Thanks for waiting; we had a great time visiting kids and grand-kids for Thanksgiving, arriving back in Colorado just as the state became freeze-dried by an arctic blast. Brrrrrrrr…

Spotting a Fake – Part 2

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This world is full of false preachers, scam artists who seem to be following Jesus but who in reality are working to become wealthy and famous. John calls these guys by the right name: “antichrists.” Last time we considered one of the clues to look for in spotting this type of charlatan. John says watch out for those who do “not really belong to us.” (See Spotting a Fake). But there is a better way:

But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. (1 John 2:20-21)

God designed humans to be intimately connected to Him by His Holy Spirit. Sin destroyed that connection. Jesus came to restore it. (There is more detail about this in many of my earlier posts. Click on the “New Here?” link above.) To all those who would believe in Him, trust Him and follow Him. He said:

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-17)

The reason Jesus called the Holy Spirit the “Spirit of Truth” is because:

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. (John 16:13a)

John says, if you truly follow Jesus, He has “annointed” you (given you, filled you) with the Holy Spirit, the One Who guides you into all truth. Listen to Him! He will show you how to spot a fake!

I appreciate your tuning in to this “blog,” chewing over neat things from the Bible with me. I hope you will share it with people you know who have never developed a “taste” for the Bible. Let me wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving! God is so good. His blessings, His faithfulness are experienced new each day. I’ll be taking a few days off from writing this as I spend time with family.

Spotting a Fake

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I’m going to be a millionaire! All I have to do is send my bank account information and social security number to a prince in Nigeria, and he is going to send me 5 million bucks. Or not…

Don’t believe every email you get; there are bad guys out there who are trying to deceive you. Don’t believe every preacher you hear, either, for the same reason. Lots of preachers – even famous preachers with huge followings – are bad guys, trying to deceive you. If this surprises you, it should not. We were told to expect it:

Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. (1 John 2:18 )

The “last hour,” as John uses the term, is the time between Jesus’ first coming and His second coming. No one knows how many years will be included in the “last hour” but we have been told several things to expect during that time. One of them is false preachers, who seem to be following Jesus, who claim to be following Him, but who are in fact working against Him. John calls these guys “antichrists,” whose work opposes Jesus. They follow the same spirit and same purpose as the antichrist, who will come one day. There were many antichrists in John’s day and there are many antichrists today.

How can you spot a fake preacher? Just as with email scams, there are telltale signs to watch for. The first thing John mentions is that a fake preacher, one who is working against Jesus, won’t be one of us. He will separate himself from the rest of us.

They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained (made their home) with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. (1 John 2:19)

If you see a preacher who is larger than life, who holds himself aloof from the rest of the people, who struts about on the stage as though people should worship him, who adopts an opulent lifestyle that few in his congregation could match – watch out. He a fake. He is an antichrist. Here is what Jesus said about these guys:

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them.” (Matthew 7:15-16a)

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:21-23)

It’s no proof of authenticity for a preacher to seem to pull off miracles or to boldly prophesy. A real preacher will make his home (remain, abide) with us who follow the One who was humble, was gentle, who had no place to lay His head. A real preacher will be filled with humility because he is overwhelmed by Jesus.

But let’s face it: some of these guys seem really persuasive. That is true. But there is another way to discern who is real and who is antichrist. Stay tuned.

How to Live Forever

Don’t Settle for Stuff

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A very loving, generous and wealthy man invites you to come live with him as though you were a member of his family. If you take him up on his offer, you can occupy one of the homes on his country estate, eat his food, and use his stuff. You can ride his horses, race his ATV’s, swim in his pool, sail his boats; it’s all available to you. Why? Just because he loves you like a natural child. He wants to wrap you into his family.

I know, I know, it’s not likely, but just humor me for a few lines here.

You take him up on his offer and move in. For awhile it is wonderful, but eventually you become discontent. You would like different food, a faster ATV, more expensive horses. And you really would like to own a few of these things. Or a lot of them… So, you watch for opportunities to steal from this man. You are not caught – at least he doesn’t say anything about your theft – but now you don’t really like to see him anymore. It makes you feel bad to be with him. But you love your stuff. It makes you feel superior. You go to town and brag about how much you have. Now others are envious of you and that makes you proud.

Who would do such a thing? Anyone, John says, who becomes dissatisfied with what he has and obsessed with getting more and better stuff. Anyone, says John, who forgets the love and generosity of God who blessed him with everything he ever had – including life itself. Anyone, says John, who thinks better stuff makes him more important. Here’s how he said it:

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. (1 John 2:15-16)

When someone ignores the One Who invited him (or her) to live in His “estate” and focuses instead on getting better stuff, he loses his love for his Father. He trades in his relationship with his loving Father for a bunch of stuff. That may sound like no big deal, until you realize that he also has traded in life for death. John says:

The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. (1 John 2:17)

There’s a story in Genesis about a guy named Esau, who gave up his birthright as the firstborn son so he could have something to eat (Genesis 25:34). He could have had it all forever, but he exchanged his place in his father’s family for a temporary helping of stuff. Dumb. Don’t settle for stuff instead of life. Jesus taught this principle with these words:

Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” (John 6:27)

For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” (John 6:33)

Don’t settle for stuff.

Changing the Rules

For Spiritual Teenagers

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When a person discovers the truth about Jesus and surrenders to Him, the first few days and weeks of new life is filled with wonder — and also doubt. Is it really true my sins are forgiven? Is God really accessible to me as my Father? In John’s first letter he “sings a song” to those who experience those doubts. He calls them “dear children” and reassures them of the truth of those promises. (See: No Doubt)

But following Jesus isn’t just about coming to faith in Jesus, it’s a lifelong process of learning to consistently live according to Jesus’ “upside-down” understanding of reality. Jesus’ teachings tend to contradict the knee-jerk reactions we learn from the world. His command to love with self-sacrifice is perhaps the most stark example of that (See: John vs. John Lennon). Living by Jesus’ teachings is only possible by the power of His Holy Spirit within us.

Most of us are like spiritual teenagers. We have passed the excitement and wonder of new life in Christ and are now experimenting and learning how to live this new life. Frequently we stumble with painful awkwardness. John “sings his song” to us, too. He says:

I write to you, young men,

because you have overcome the evil one (1 John 2:13b)

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. (1 John 2:14b)

Addressing us as “young men,” John repeats his most urgent reminder: “you have overcome the evil one.” Peter, from first hand experience, knew that “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a restless lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Lions look for the weak and the frightened. They don’t waste their energy on those who know they are strong. That’s why John wants us to know, in the adolescence of this new life in Christ, that we have overcome the evil one.

How did we do that? Jesus did it, on our behalf, on the cross. Without meaning to diminish the sacred significance of the crucifixion in any way, it was the ultimate “rope a dope.” Jesus allowed Satan to take his best shot. And then He got back up. In Him we have overcome Satan.

It doesn’t feel that way, though, does it? In a fight, or in most athletic contests, there are many things that happen that cause us to feel as though we have lost. But the person that knows he will win, the one who can feel it in his bones, generally does win. In our case, John says, we have already won!

John also reminds us “adolescents in Jesus” that we are strong. How so? It’s not in our own strength, but “…because the Word of God lives in you.” He doesn’t mean we have memorized a bunch of Scripture, although that is a good thing to do. It is the “logos” of God, the mind and mindset of God that lives in us by His Holy Spirit.

If you have not yet surrendered to Jesus, keep looking and investigating until you become convinced of Who He really is. None of this will fully make sense to you until you experience it in Jesus. If you have surrendered by faith, if you have received the new life of the Holy Spirit, then John wants you to understand that the struggle you experience is a normal part of the deal. It’s as normal as a teenager’s voice cracking when he tries to ask a girl to go to the prom. But, as you struggle with these various, normal temptations, remember these truths: you have already won the fight against Satan, and it is the Spirit of God, the Living Word of God in you in Whom you are strong.

FRESH BREAD OF LIFE

Chewing on the Bible in a fresh, nourishing way…

Tag Archives: John

Slathered with Love

Greeting Jesus

Stay Home

No Small Detail

Spotting a Fake – Part 2

Spotting a Fake

How to Live Forever

Don’t Settle for Stuff

Changing the Rules

For Spiritual Teenagers

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