Letters from the Beloved: Got Life?

Have you ever heard someone say, “Get a life!”? It typically means that the person saying it has gotten frustrated with the nosiness or interference of someone being too much “in their business”, and implies that if they had things in their own life that took up their time, there would be no time to be a busybody or to live vicariously through another person.

Frankly, there have been times in my life when I thought “I have no life”. The years when my children were young, and I felt that I had no life outside of childcare comes to mind. Sometimes, when we get old and less able to get out without assistance, or have a major illness, or are overworked on the job, we can feel that we don’t have a life. We need friends and family; we need connection to others for our mental and physical health. So, if you are feeling that you don’t have a life, I encourage you to reach out to a family member or friend for a chat or invite someone over for coffee. Another Mom might be very grateful for that – or another lonely single person or shut in.

But if you want real life – an eternal life – you need Jesus.

1 John 5:11-12 [NKJV] 11 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

I sometimes feel frustrated that Christians focus on the differences in how we worship or believe over the things we have in common. I see Christians posting about their faith and particular beliefs or practices and that is great. I see Christians posting negative things about other Christian denominations, and I often wonder why it seems necessary.

Do we need to prove someone wrong when we don’t even know that person? Could we not just start with what we have in common? Yes, I am sure of my current understanding of the Bible, but I am also looking to grow. I’m open to learning from others.

I just don’t see the benefit of (or really any success in) beginning a conversation by doing the verbal equivalent of poking someone in the chest. But I guess that is the problem with social media. People (even Christians trying – they think – to preach the gospel) believe that they have to stand out, shout a warning, correct and so forth. I’ve got news for you: you are not Elijah. AND he was sent to the people of God, not to the non-believers anyway.

I worry that this is because they don’t have a life in Jesus – one that is truly connected to His message of love and hope and peace. So, they try for a mini war on social media, as if slashing people with the sword of the Spirit is how we were meant to change the world.

1 John 5:13 [NKJV] 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.

The armor of God is meant to fight of Satan in my life, NOT to slay non-believers or believers who “don’t know the truth as I do”.

Hebrews 4:12 [NKJV] For the word of God [is] living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Notice that the scripture does not say that the word of God is a sword for slaying non-believers. The scripture does say that we are to divide our souls (human life, not immortal soul) from the Spirit. That is to cut out the human in favor of the divine.

If I have a life in Jesus (and I do), why shouldn’t I start with connection to others who have that same love of Jesus, who know Him to be Savior and Redeemer?

I believe in starting with connection – with what we have in common – and really getting to know someone. Only after I have connected to the parts we have in common can we truly discuss any variances in our understanding or knowledge.

1 John 5:13 [NKJV] 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.

If John, the beloved, can choose to focus on belief in Jesus, even when instructing fellow believers with the same knowledge, why can we not do the same with those whose beliefs are somewhat different?

Anything else might come across as being too much in another’s business before you even know them.

The connection that I am suggesting is, of course, a starting point. But, sweet sisters, we will never get the opportunity for anything more if we try to start the conversation with our disconnections instead of our connections.

Can I offer a challenge? Would you join me for the next 7 days in posting messages of life – posts about the love of Jesus, belief in Jesus, gratitude for salvation/His sacrifice, and faith in God. Nothing negative. No differentiators. Nothing about news or politics or things other Christians might do differently. And I don’t mean “if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything” like you momma might have told you. The challenge is to proactively and deliberately post positive things. Like me, you may also need to post things for work. I get that. But will you join me in a deliberate attempt to connect on a positive level and put love and hope out there for others to connect with you and to “get a life”?

See how you feel afterwards. And please write to me about that.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the chat or at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

Joy to the World

Today, I’m taking a break from our series with John, the beloved, to focus on joy.

Are you someone who selects a word of the year each year? I’ve never done it before. However, this year I felt inspired to choose the word “joy” for 2024.

The scripture that came immediately to mind is Matthew 25 – the parable of the talents – where we find the two profitable servants being told “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.”. [See verses 21 and 23]

It is the Lord’s great joy to bring us into His Kingdom. Shouldn’t we also experience great joy in knowing that this is our future?

John 16:24 [NKJV] "Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”

In fact, all of heaven’s inhabitants rejoice when we repent – at the start of our walk with Christ, not just at the end. Luke 15:7 [NKJV] "I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.” When we accept the call, long before we find final rest in the Kingdom, there is joy.

There are many more places where we find joy being outlined as a big part of our Christian walk. We are not just to experience joy at our initial calling or when thinking about what the future holds. We have a whole life between those two events in which we should be experiencing joy.

God and Jesus are not waiting for the fulfillment of their plan in order to experience joy either.

Jesus’ earthly ministry began with great joy.

Luke 2:10 [NKJV] Then the angel said to them {the shepherds}, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.”

We can rejoice every day because Jesus came to this earth – was born into human flesh – so that He could die for us – for our sins – and we could become, through His precious blood and the Holy Spirit, begotten children of God as well.

Where else should we, as Christian, find reasons for joy?

In being persecuted for righteousness’ sake. Luke 6:23

In receiving the Word of God. Luke 8:13

In receiving answered prayer. John 16: 24

In knowing that some of the last words of Jesus before He suffered and died for us included a request that we have joy.

John 16:24 [NKJV] "Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”

Sweet sisters, I pray that 2024 will be a year in which you are “filled with joy and the Holy Spirit”. [Acts 13:52 NKJV]

I’d love to hear if you have a habit of selecting a word for the year and, if so, what you have selected for 2024. I welcome all your comments and questions. You can write me in the chat or at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

Letters from the Beloved: Love, Love, Love – Part 3

Today, we wrap up our-three part “Love, Love, Love” series from the book of 1 John. We know that John, the beloved, was all about love. He ended chapter 4 of 1 John with admonitions about love and he begins chapter 5 talking about the connection between love, obedience, and victory. That is a LOT to pack into just the first 5 verses. Let’s see if we can follow the arrows that John provides to chain these together.

1 John 5:1-5 [NKJV] 1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

John says:

1.      If you believe, you are a begotten child of God and you love all the others who are begotten, especially Jesus.

2.      Our love for others drives us to keep God’s commandments.

3.      Love not only drives us to keep the commandments but also causes them not to be burdensome to us.

4.      If we are begotten or born of God, we overcome – through faith.

5.      We cannot overcome unless we believe.

Okay, that is not a chain. That is a circle. We are going to have to dive into this one concept at a time.

1 John 5:1 [NKJV] 1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.

We’ve explored this theme before, following John, the beloved. He repeated makes the point that to love God is to love others whom He created, whom He has begotten, whom He also loves.

2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.

Jesus also taught that love drives obedience in Matthew 22: 36-40. Jesus said that all the law and commandments hang on love. I’ve often heard preachers say that the first four of the 10 Commandments of Exodus 20 teach us how to love God and the last six teach us how to love our fellow man.

3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.

If we really love God we don’t find His commandments to be a burden. Jesus had this to say about the burden He puts on us: Matthew 11:30 [NKJV] "For My yoke [is] easy and My burden is light." Our love for God and His love for us make obedience a light requirement and not a burden.

4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith.

Once again, John provided continuity in his writing by pointing back to a quote from Jesus recorded the Gospel of John.

John 16:33 [NKJV] "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

Just as Jesus overcame the world by His obedience to and faith in the Father’s laws and plan, sacrificing Himself for us, our faith in Him and His sacrifice, plus our obedience is what allows us to overcome the world as well.

5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Rote obedience gets us nowhere. It is belief that makes the difference. It is belief that drives true change. It is belief that then leads to obedience from the heart.

Mark 16:16 [NKJV] "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”

3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.

What must we believe in? The love of God for us.

As John, the beloved said in his Gospel: "For 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 [NKJV]}

And so, we circle back to love. Love, love, love. It is the start of everything.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the chat or at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

Letters from the Beloved: Love, Love, Love – Part 2

We are focusing on love for a couple of blog posts because John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, focuses on it so much.

1 John 4:20-21 [NKJV] 20 If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God [must] love his brother also.

Do you feel, like me, that there seems to be an awful lot of hate in the world? In the USA we’ve had many mass murders that are based on hate of an entire group, race or religion. It happens around the world as well. The human race seems to be unable to disagree without spewing hatred.

Proverbs 31:26 And on her tongue is the law of kindness.

But that is the world. Satan’s world. We can hardly expect anything different than hate in a world led be the top hater of the human race (Satan). What about the body of Christ?

It is not for me to judge the hearts of my brethren. That is, when I hear meanness and see unforgiveness, I cannot say it comes from hatred. But I can point out that John, the beloved, has some pretty strong words about it.

When sermons and articles include name-calling, mocking and belittling of politicians and their followers, I don’t know if it is hate, but it certainly doesn’t come across as love.

Sadly, I’ve had more than one non-believing relative tell me that they don’t think much of Christianity or Christ Jesus because of what they see and hear out of those who claim to be followers of Jesus. Ouch.

To be clear, they are not faulting me (as one who calls myself a Christian) for sticking with the 10 commandments or for keeping the Sabbath or because I am anti-abortion or because I have asked that they not take God’s name in vain in front of me. No, they actually respect me for that.

Their disgust for those who call themselves Christians has everything to do with divorced parents who don’t pay child support and leave their own children to struggle, ministers who molest children or commit adultery and get a pass to continue leading a church (just in another city or state), with those whose politics include hateful words, and with those whose self-righteousness shows no compassion on children at the border or those who struggle with addiction.

We are Jesus’ representatives on earth. If we are not known for loving PEOPLE in word and deed, it doesn’t matter how much we love God.

Sweet sisters, I know you are loving. I am pained that there are not enough Christians out there whose primary focus is showing love by caring for others and speaking with kindness. [See Matthew 25:31-46 and Proverbs 31:26]

We have to work harder and be more public about it. We must ask God to help us always speak kindness, letting it be the law to us. We must show love in giving to and visiting the needly.

It isn’t fair to be judged by association. Our response to that must be to redouble our efforts to show the love that we have for God BY the love we show to our fellow man. Inside the church and without.

We cannot be with God and Jesus in heaven right now. We love them from afar in that sense, though they are with us in mind, heart and spirit, IF we show love to others.

I urge us all, then, to take on a purer version of the Stephen Still song, “If can’t be with the One you love, honey, love the one you’re with” and love the ones we are with on this planet. Every one of them.

They are sinners, every one of them – just like us. They are also the beloved children of God who just don’t know Him as well as we do (or at all) right now.

Love them anyway. How else will they believe that we love God?

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

Letters from the Beloved: Love, Love, Love – Part 1

John, the self-titled “disciple whom Jesus loved” talks a LOT about love in his letters. We’ll be focusing on that too for a couple of blogs.

We can understand how the love of Jesus and His example impacted John, by recalling that Jesus called John one of the “sons of thunder” for wanting to call down fire from heaven on some folks [Mark 3:17] and noting that later John used the word “love” 35 times in just the five short chapters of his first letter. What a change!

1 John 4:17-19 [NKJV] 17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 19 We love Him because He first loved us.

I have often heard it implied that “perfect love casts out fear” in every circumstance. If that were true, then why does it seem that Jesus feared the severe trial He was about to endure in brutal beating and torturous death He knew He faced? He certainly had mental torment, if you don’t want to call it fear.

Of course, God’s love makes us less afraid of many things, and the more we grow in love and in understanding God’s love and plan for us, the less we will fear those who can destroy only the body. That is because we learn that what is ahead for us is so much greater and more wonderful than anything this current world has to offer.

I like the way the New Living Translation puts this segment because of the way it addresses the issue more frankly and in a more direct manner.

1 John 4:17-19 [NLT] 17 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. 18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. 19 We love each other because he loved us first.

But let’s not miss that John is specifically discussing judgement day. Those with the love of God in them, need not fear standing before the Father on judgement day. In fact, John says, we will boldly face that day and our loving Judge specifically for two reasons:

1.      Because love has been perfected among us – that is in the example of Jesus we have witnessed perfect love in action.

2.      Because, as the NLT puts it, “we live like Jeus her in this world”.

The fear of judgement comes when “we have not fully experienced His perfect love”.  If we are afraid of judgemen,t then we have not let the love of God into our hearts and minds. We don’t fully comprehend or understand it.

Maybe we are holding back on forgiving ourselves when Jesus, out of His perfect love in action, has already paid the price for our sins. Maybe we think that God cannot or will not forgive something, when He sent His son to die for us so that He could forgive ALL sin.

That is exactly what the sacrifice – the brutal, undeserved death of Jesus – was for.

1 John 4:17 [NLT] 17 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.

If we, as Christians, fear judgement day, then we are doing love all wrong. Maybe, however, it isn’t that we don’t understand God’s love for us, but that we don’t understand His love for everyone else.

If “we have not fully experienced His perfect love” it may be that we are not extending that love to others. Maybe we fear judgement because we condemn others whose sins are different than our sins. If we are doing that, sweet sisters, then we do have reason to fear judgement day.

Maybe we are fearful of judgement because of what we read in Matthew 7:1-2 [NKJV] 1 "Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 "For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.

These should be chilling words to us IF we are judging others, whom Jesus also died for and whom the Father also loves and forgives. We ought to live with care, and, as John advises us, “love others because He first loved us”. That is how we “live like Jesus in the world”.

More on love to come…

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

Letters from the Beloved: Has anyone seen God?

No one has seen the Father, except Jesus, as He tells us in John 6:46 [NKJV] "Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father.”

Or have they?

John 14:9 [NKJV] “Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?”

No, no human has seen the Father, but those who walked with Jesus during His earthly ministry have seen the Father in and through Him.

But Jesus has gone back to heaven to be with our Father. So, are we left with no way of seeing the Father? Of course not, as we will see in the passage of 1 John we will reflect on in this blog.

Once again, John, the Beloved, reinforces a message he first heard from Jesus and report in his gospel.

1 John 4:12 [NKJV] “No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.”

John repeats that no human has seen God. But, through showing love, love that is perfected in us by God dwelling in us, we are showing God to the world around us.

In 1 John 4, verses 7-9, the beloved tells us more than once that God is love. Then, in verse 17, John says, “Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.”

“Because as He is, so are we in the world.” Love is perfected when we live like Jesus lived on this earth.

When others see us, they should see Jesus and, thereby, see the Father as well.

But, sweet sisters, I must report with great sadness that too many people see ugliness like polarizing political rhetoric that has replaced the message of His soon coming Kingdom. They hear the gospel of name calling, condemnation and sin ranking instead of the gospel of peace. They see churches greedy for riches and ornate buildings with leaders who accumulate great wealth instead of humble servants who share the riches of the Kingdom and help the poor. They see warmongering justified by the tenuous thread of a single scripture conveniently interpreted to their side in the conflict.

Jesus said, “My Kingdom is not of this world”. John 18:36

Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more”. John 8:11

Jesus ate with sinners and was their friend. Matthew 11:19.

Jesus taught us that tragedy cannot been linked to someone being a greater sinner than us. Luke 13:2-4.

Jesus said, “My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:30

Jesus said, “the Son of Man has no place to lay His head”. Luke 9:58

Jesus warned against leaders accumulating wealth at the expense of the needy. Matthew 23:14.

Jesus taught us that we will be judged by how much we help the needy. Matthew 25:31-46.

Jesus said, “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven”. Matthew 6:20.

Sisters, we can work toward righting the focus and reputation of the modern New Testament Church, through prayer and fasting, by setting a fight example both in the church and in our work/home/community, and by holding church leadership accountable, as Jesus did [See Matthew 23:15 and others].

1 John 4:12 [NKJV] “No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.”

Sweet sisters, we were not called to judge others or get into political arguments or to build fancy church buildings.

But the most impactful thing we can do is to truly walk as Jesus walked on this earth. Setting that example – being the salt and the light in this world – is what we were called to do. Matthew 5:13-16.

Clothe the naked. Feed the hungry. Visit the sick and imprisoned. Let’s each be an army of one to spread love and peace by fulfilling the needs of others. We may not be able to turn around the reputation of the church, but we each have to opportunity to be an impactful example of Christ and the Father by being in the world as Jesus was when He was in the world.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

Letters from the Beloved: This is a Test

In 1 John 4:1, the beloved disciple tells us, “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.”

We would do well to test the words of prophets and preachers against the inspired word of God, as John instructs us to do. Even in this age of ready access to information, those bringing false doctrines or false predictions sometimes creep into our congregations.

It would be good for us to be like Bereans, who, according to Acts 17:11, “received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.”

However, there is another thought about testing the spirits that I’d like to explore.

The word translated “spirit” in this passage is the Greek word pneûma. It can mean a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze, mental disposition, or (superhuman) an angel, demon, or (divine) God, Christ's spirit, the Holy Spirit, mind.

While this word is the one often translated “Spirit” in “Holy Spirit”, it is interesting to me to note that it could mean “mental disposition” or “mind”.

It may be important to some of us to not believe everything that comes into our own minds. For many women I know (me included) negative self-talk is a habit we need to break. We might need to test our own thoughts to see if they are true.

When we are tempted to believe we are not worthy, we should recall that the scriptures tell us that the Worthy Lamb (as Jesus is called in Rev. 5:12) gave His life for us. How can we be unworthy when the Worthiest One was willing to be sacrificed for us?

Acts 17:11, “received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.”

If we are tempted to believe God does not care, we should read that prayer of Jesus found in John 17, to see how our Savior, on the eve of His arrest, trial and death, asked the Father to watch out over us. Some of His last words and thoughts were focused on caring for us. John 17:15 [NKJV] "I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.”

If we are tempted to think that God either doesn’t see or has forgotten the good things we have done, we should recall Hebrews 6:10 [NKJV] For God [is] not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, [in that] you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. Scripture tells us that He remembers and rewards even the smallest of good deeds, as we are told in Matthew 10:42.

If we are feeling that our future prospects are bleak or things seem dark and troubled, we should recall Jeremiah 29:11 [NKJV], where God says, For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. He is thinking of good, peace, a future and hope for us.

Of course, we can and should work to become more like Jesus and our Father. But when we undervalue ourselves, we disrespect His greatest creation – US!

Satan wants us to devalue ourselves. He’d like us to think that God has evil intentions or is holding out on us. That’s the first lie we see him using on mankind in the Garden of Eden. [See Gen. 3:5]

Test the words of the preachers and the prophets, sweet sisters, to ensure that they are true and God-inspired. And, please, be sure to test your own thoughts to see if they are from the Lord or a trick of Satan.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

Letters from the Beloved: How to Abide

John, the Beloved, uses the word “abides” 5 times in his gospel. In every instance he is quoting Jesus teaching us the importance of abiding in God or God in us.

It’s no wonder, then, that John frequently talks about abiding in God and Jesus or having them abiding in us. He uses the word abides 13 times in 1 John.

Today, sweet sisters, let’s see what the beloved has to say about how to abide in God and how to have Him abide in us.

·        We must walk how He walked. 1 John 2:6 [NKJV] He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

·        We must not sin. 1 John 3:6 [NKJV] Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.

·        We must keep His commandments. 1 John 3:24 [NKJV] Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

·        We must confess that Jesus is the Son of God. 1 John 4:15 [NKJV] Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.

·        We must abide in (or live in) love. 1 John 4:16 [NKJV] And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

John also said that we know He abides in us because of the Holy Spirit He has given to us. [1 John 3:24, latter part] The Spirit is the proof of God in us. But a life of love and obedience, plus confessing Jesus is how others will know that we abide in Him.

The Greek word translated “abide” or “abides” in these scriptures is also translated “remain”, “tarry”, and “dwell” (or forms of these) throughout the New Testament. I find one especially touching.

In Matthew 26:38, Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, as He was about to wrestle in prayer in the garden, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.” [KJV] The New King James uses, “Stay here”. But the use of “tarry” hits me differently. To me it brings a little more weight to how human He was in that moment and in need of His friends to wrestle with Him, support Him and just be with Him as He was about to pray, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me…” (verse 39)

1 John 2:6 [NKJV] He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

Jesus very much wants us to be in the struggle to save this world with Him. He is the only Savior, of course, but we are His laborers in the work.

And He is very much willing to tarry with us when we need a faithful friend to just be with us through troubling circumstances.

Abiding in God and Jesus is part of day-to-day walking the Christian walk. But oh how sweet it is to know that when we need Him to just be with us in those tough moments, He is there.   

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

Letters from the Beloved – Sit. Stay. Abide.

1 John 2:28 NKJV] And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.

The word “abide” here is a Greek word that means “to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy)”.

When your children were little, did you ever tell them that if they got separated from you in a store or park, they should stay where they are and you will come find them? Well, John, the beloved, seems to be giving us similar advice, when he tells us to “abide in Him”.

We are to stay in a place of proximity to Jesus. We are to stay in a state of closeness to Him. We are to stay in a state of expectancy for His return.

Abiding or staying can sometimes be as tough and counterintuitive to we adult humans as it is to a panicked 5-year-old at a city park. When trouble comes, we can be tempted to try something different. Or, more likely, to think something different.

Psalm 46:10 [KJV] Be still, and know that I [am] God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

When we feel lost and disconnected, we may resist just staying in Him. But that is exactly what we need to do. Sit with the word of God, and the principals we have learned. Sit and meditate on what we know to be true. Sit and wait to feel His presence back with us.

You see, He does not move from us. He abides with us, as He promised.

John records this teaching of Jesus in a couple of places in his Gospel message.

John 6:56 [NKJV] "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.”

John 15:5 [NKJV] "I am the vine, you [are] the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”

When I feel lost and disconnected, I may sometimes be tempted to believe He is not there, and that I must go look for Him. When the thing I really need to do is sit still, abiding in the promise that He made to be in me if I abide in Him, and wait to feel His presence again.

The Old Testament addresses this concept of abiding as well, using the words “be still” in many cases. The most recognized of those is found in Psalm 46:10 [KJV] Be still, and know that I [am] God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

The Hebrew word translated “be still” can mean to sink, relax, sink down, let drop. If we are fearful, worried or over burdening ourselves with “to do” lists, we can come to a time when the best thing we can do is lay our self-inflicted burdens down, relax and wait. This reminds me of the wisdom of the phrase “let go and let God.”

When things don’t seem to be going the way we want, rather than taking on more, shouldering more, hanging on to the things we think we must do, that is when we should be still and just abide. He promises to take up the burdens when we are willing to let go of them.

Matthew 11:28 [ESV] Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.He’s not gone from me when my prayers are not answered as I hoped.

He’s not gone from me when I suffer because those I love are struggling. It’s just that it is time to let go and be with Him.

He’s not gone from me because I have tripped and fallen and am frustrated with myself. It’s just that it is time to let go and be with Him.

He’s not gone from me when I feel overwhelmed with life’s burdens. It’s just that it is time to let go and be with Him.

And I should not be gone from Him when these things occur either.

He promised to abide in me if I abide in Him. So, I must stay – stay in a state of obedience, stay in close relationship to Him by reading the Word and praying, stay in expectancy of feeling His presence again. I must be ready to let go and just be with Him.

If I feel lost and alone, it is time to just stay until I feel Him there again. He promises that He is there always.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

Letters from the Beloved – As He Is Pure

We are exploring the “He is” statements found in the book of 1 John, which was written by John, the self-titled disciple whom Jesus loved. We have already explored 1 John 1:7, where we are told “He is light”, and that we must walk in His light.

Today, let’s examine “He is pure”, found in 1 John 3:3 [NKJV]. “And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”

Let’s review the previous verses to see just what hope it is that causes us to do the work of purifying ourselves.

James 1:27 [NKJV] Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, [and] to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

1 John 3:1-3 [NKJV] 1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore, the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 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. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

These verses tell us that it is the hope of knowing that we are now the children of God and that we will become like God in the future. It is hope underpinned by the overwhelming love of the Father, freely given to us. This is what drives us to purify ourselves.

But exactly how do we do that? That’s kind of a trick question. We cannot make ourselves pure from sin. We are initially made pure by being washed by the precious blood of Jesus.

Revelation 1:5 [NKJV] (latter part) …Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,

And we are washed by the water of baptism into the body.

Hebrews 10:22 [KJV] Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

1 Corinthians 6:11 [NKJV] And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

Then, being washed by His blood, and by the water of baptism, we must work on staying pure.

It begins with what we think about. Philippians 4:8 [NKJV] tells us that we should purposefully choose to think about pure things, Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things [are] noble, whatever things [are] just, whatever things [are] pure, whatever things [are] lovely, whatever things [are] of good report, if [there is] any virtue and if [there is] anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things.

Then we act on it - we practice pure religion as outlined in James 1:27 [NKJV] Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, [and] to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

We obey. 1 Peter 1:22 [NKJV] Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,

We love. 1 Timothy 1:5 [NKJV] Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, [from] a good conscience, and [from] sincere faith,

Doing all that, our focus and outlook ultimately changes. 1 Timothy 1:15 [NKJV] To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled.

And we are blessed. Matthew 5:8 [NKJV] Blessed [are] the pure in heart, For they shall see God.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

Letters from the Beloved – As He Is Light

John, the beloved, uses the phrase “as He is” (mostly referring to Jesus) five times in his first letter. [See 1 John 1:7; 3:2, 3, 7; 4:17]

John tells us that:

·        Jesus is light, so we should walk in it. 1 John 1:7 [NKJV] 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light…

·        Jesus is pure, so we should purify ourselves. 1 John 3:3 [NKJV]. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. ...

·        Jesus is righteous, so we should practice righteousness. 1 John 3:7 [NKJV] 7 ... He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.

·        Jesus acted a certain way while in the world, so we should act the same. 1 John 4:17 [NKJV] 17 …because as He is, so are we in this world.

It seems like an important distinction that Jesus is light, pure, and righteous, whereas we should “do” or “act” accordingly.

Today, we will start a series on these “He is” teachings of John, the beloved, beginning with light.

You and I know, sweet sisters, that we are not inherently “the light”. We are not born as light. The only One who walked on this earth as the light in and of Himself is Jesus.

John 9:5 [NKJV] "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." He shined that light into the world while He was here, through His example, His teachings and the miracles He performed.

We can become light by walking in the light.

In John 8:12 [NKJV] Jesus tells us how to become light, Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." We have the light when we walk as He walked – that is, when our example, teaching/words and actions are in line with His.

We gain more insight from John 11:9-10 NKJV] 9 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. 10 "But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him." So, we must walk as He walked and that means always walking in His light. We cannot do His work by walking in the night – that is by following in the steps on Satan (the father of darkness) and unbelievers.

Picture an old movie, where someone is standing in a circle of light provided by a streetlamp. Yes, the world is in darkness. But, when we walk in His light, it is like we are within that circle of lamplight. Only, unlike in the movies, the lamplight moves with us as we move through the world. It shines a light on the next steps we should take and allows us to walk in the light without the darkness ever touching us. Just like we are told in Psalm 119:105 [NKJV] Your word [is] a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.

Knowing the word of God, the Bible, and the Word of God (Jesus), is what allows us to understand where the light is but we must live within that light – that is follow the steps of Jesus and obey the word of God – in order to ensure we walk in the daylight like brightness of His lamplight.

Matthew provides important insight into why we must work to become a light in the world. Matthew 5:14-16 [NKJV] 14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 "Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all [who are] in the house. 16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

We don’t walk in the light to expose our own greatness. Like the moon, our light only exists because of the light of the Son (in our case – sun in the case the moon). Ours is a reflected light.

In fact, the better analogy might be that we are like solar panels. It is our job, sweet sisters, to become like solar panels. We are to absorb the light and then use the power it gives to provide light, warmth and goodness into the world so that the world praises the source of that light (and not we solar panels). We don’t praise solar panels, do we? They are just a conduit. A solar panel sitting in a warehouse is not doing its job – cannot provide energy or light to anyone. It must be set out where it can absorb the light.

Psalm 119:105 [NKJV] Your word [is] a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.

And so we must walk in the light of His word, His example and His love, absorbing and internalizing it so that we can then provide the same into the world. Then the world has the opportunity to see the light we produce and praise the Son for sending the light through us.

If we walk in His light, purify ourselves and act in righteousness, we are walking in His footsteps in this world. We’ll learn more about this, focusing on purifying ourselves, in the next blog in this series.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

Letters from the Beloved – Decepticons

My three-year-old grandsons are into Transformers these days. So, I occasionally end up watching a cartoon with them as we are settling down before nap time. The bad guys – a “ruthless faction of robots who seek to conquer the universe and destroy the Autobots (good guys) – are called “Decepticons”.

It is interesting to note that John, the beloved, was worried about “decepticons” of his time – that is deceivers and con men.

1 John 2:26 [NKJV] These things I have written to you concerning those who [try to] deceive you.

I like the New Living Translation for 1 John 2:26-27, because it is so frank in the more modern language.

1 John 2:26-27 [NLT] 26 I am writing these things to warn you about those who want to lead you astray. 27 But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don't need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true--it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ.

And here is the thing, I hear from church leaders worrying about the world’s view coming into the church. I actually had a minister’s wife tell me she worried about if someone from the LGBTQ community might come to church how they would try to influence, especially the young people, to “accept their lifestyle”. That is not going to happen. First of all, people from the LGBTQ know that they are largely unwelcome in the Christian community and that they would not be well received in the first place. That is a subject for another time.

However, I bring this up because what I HAVE seen happen is someone bringing in a false doctrine that sounds righteous. Like something about how to “keep the Sabbath better” – that is better than the Bible even indicates. Another one I have seen is someone trying to tell the church how to say the name of God the “right way”. It is these things – these pseudo spiritual, but really human-engineered, discussion points – that I have personally seen split up churches. I have never yet seen an incident where a specific type of sinner coming into a congregation has split the church or done significant damage.

Yes, that is a bit of a tongue-in-cheek statement. Why? Because we are all sinners. So, whether a person comes into a congregation as an adulterer or as a one who bears false witness through gossip, or one who steals, whether by taking supplies from work or by not paying tithe to God, the fact remains that we all come to church as sinners. All of us. Every week. So, it is particularly self-righteous to point out that one person’s sin is a threat and your own is not.

1 John 2:26 [NKJV] These things I have written to you concerning those who [try to] deceive you.

Recently, I heard a young, baptized member of our congregation say that she no longer serves the church in the choir because she “has not yet forgiven herself for having sex before marriage”. That is so wrong on so many levels but is not the focus of today’s blog. So, I won’t get further into why it is false. The real issue I want to focus on is that when someone who has this broken, Satan-inspired idea about sin and forgiveness tries to convince others to feel the same false, and Jesus’ sacrifice denying, sense of unworthiness it can do significant damage to a congregation. A church can lose members over this kind of dart to the heart of love, hope, and peace.

I like the way that the New Living Translation puts 2 Timothy 2:23 as well. It says, Again I say, don't get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. So, what do we do when someone tries to bring up an argument or personal belief that is false, foolish or shows that they are ignorant of the scripture?

My husband Wes has counseled even the teens in our church to learn to say, “Show me that in the scriptures” when a church member brings some “you should” or “we should” to them. If the person is open to it, this phrase can help them (or help you help them) to get a better understanding of what the Bible actually says about the subject.

However, there is another scripture that directly addresses this issue. Proverbs 26:4-5 [NKJV] 4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Lest you also be like him. 5 Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own eyes.

It is up to us, more seasoned believers, to use wisdom to decide which of those two Proverbs is the best response given the person, their current state of willingness to learn, the particular statement they made and the general health or maturity of the congregation where the silly or ignorant belief is being brought up.

It is important to note that not everyone who steps into deception is willfully ignorant or deliberately trying to deceive the church members. We should not assume that their motive is to do damage. Any one of us can be tricked by the arguments of others or by Satan’s influence on us, especially as he uses personal trauma or weakness to draw us in. So, a member should be treated with patience and kindness, just like God treats us, unless or until we find that they have a the motive of a “Decepticon” – that is they are with deliberate intent trying to do harm and present false information.

As John points out, our guide to getting this right and not being drawn into foolish arguments, our guide to knowing what is God-inspired and true, is the leading of the Holy Spirit. In order for the Spirit to be an effective tool for us, we must remain close to God and His Word. We need to have our noses in the scriptures. We need to pray for the wisdom from above [See James 3:17] and stay humble ourselves.

We need to always remember this saying, “Ships do not sink because of the water around them, ships sink because of the water that gets into them”. And remember that it is the Holy Spirit in us that helps us to keep the water of foolish arguments out of our own hearts and minds and, therefore, out of our congregations.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

Letters from the Beloved – Internalize and Run

Before I even opened my Bible app this morning to begin to write, I was thinking about the fact that if I am not changing because I am in church every week, read the Bible every day, go to devotional, Bible study, women’s group study, listen to Christian podcasts, etc., then I am doing Christianity wrong.

Perhaps God wanted me to really get the point that John, the beloved was making when he wrote this: 1John 2:24-25 [NKJV] 24 Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that He has promised us--eternal life.

Being a Christian is about becoming more Christ-like. It’s about God the Father and Jesus our Savior abiding in us through the Holy Spirit. Being Christian is about abiding in them as well – in the words of the Bible and in the center of their will for my life.

Hebrews 12:1 [NKJV] Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares [us], and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

This abiding should change me.

If I am the same person that I was when I was baptized decades ago, then I may have a problem. To be clear, I may still struggle with certain sins, but I ought to have overcome some of them and also be winning more battles with the ones that still have the power to trip me up. There must be some trials or daily stresses that I handle better than I used to. Or what is the point of my commitment to a life lived in obedience?

Sisters, let me be clear, I know I will not become sinless in this life. In fact, my experience has been that our merciful Father waits to reveal some things I must overcome until I have made progress on other things. In other words, He did not/does not lay all my sins on me all at once. That would be overwhelming. But He reveals them as we walk together and I make progress in my journey toward greater obedience.

The process is similar to any goal we go for in this life. For example, if I want to run a marathon, I cannot just read about running and hang out with people who run. I need to actually lace up my tennis shoes and hit the trail or track. I will build up my stamina by pushing myself to do better. I may work with a trainer or training program for months before undertaking my first 26.2 miles.

And, make no mistake about it, this Christian walk is not really a walk. It is a race. Hebrews 12:1 [NKJV] Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares [us], and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

Our Christian race comes with a prize = eternal life, as John said, 1 John 2:25.

1Corinthians 9:24 [NKJV] also uses the race analogy: 24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain [it].

We must practice abiding or living in the Word and having the Word live in us. We must internalize it and walk the walk as well as talk the talk.

The Word of God is active, as we are told in Hebrews 4:12. It is a living, moving thing – not a moving changing target but a think that moves us forward toward that goal, that prize of eternal life.

So, run, sister, run!

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

Letters from the Beloved – I Don’t Know Him

We are still working on the section of 1 John 2 that is titled (in the NKJV) “Deceptions of the Last Hour” and discussing antichrists. We know that anyone who teaches anything that is false, conflicts with or adds to scripture is antichrist because he/she is working against Christ’s message.

We know that the sheep hear and respond to the voice of our Good Shepherd so that we are not fooled by antichrist rhetoric, by the power of the Holy Spirit living in us and creating that connection. And John has assured us that it

1 John 2:22-23 [NKJV] 22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

When we think about denying Christ, we may be tempted to assume John is talking about the Jewish people of his day or ours, as well as those of other faiths like Muslims, Hindus and so forth, and, of course, atheists.

We’d be mistaken to focus on that list, though. John is writing to believers.

Similarly, we’d be wrong to focus on the kind of denial that Peter committed as outlined in passages like John 18:27. We don’t have to say, “I don’t know Jesus” to deny Him.

Our words and actions can show that we don’t really know Him – or at least that we don’t know Him as well as we should.

I must ask myself questions like

•   “Am I known for honesty and openness, or do I tell ‘white lies’ to get out of trouble or hide a mess up?” James 5:12 [NKJV] (latter part) tells us, “But let your "Yes" be "Yes," and [your] "No," "No," lest you fall into judgment.” Can people trust my word to be my bond?

•   “Am I a worker who gives my boss my best?” Colossians 3:23 [ESV] tells us, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,”. We work for a higher power than our immediate supervisor or the corporate leaders. My performance at work should reflect that.

• “Am I faithful in tithing?” [Lev. 27:30] And also, “Am I more focused on tithing than the weightier matters of the law?” [Luke 11:42]

•   “Am I setting a good example at home?” [Eph. 6:4; Col. 3:21]

You see, if I am not a living example of Jesus, if I am not living Matthew 5:16 [NKJV] "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”, setting an example of light at home, at work, at school and in my community, then I am denying Christ.

Why do I say that? Because Christ not only came and died for us, but He was resurrected so that He could send the Holy Spirit back to dwell in us. If the Holy Spirit is dwelling in us, we should be becoming more like Christ. To do anything else is denying the whole plan and purpose for which we were created. To do anything else is to deny “Christ in us” by showing no evidence that we are becoming more like Him.

Colossians 3:23 [ESV]“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,”

Sweet sisters, we are always going to have more to do to be more Christ-like. We are not going to achieve perfection in this life. But it would be denying Him if I my life is not visibly reflecting some continued growth toward being more like Him.

Yes, there are religions that deny Christ Jesus is the Son of God and our Savior. But our greater worry is how our lives either show proof of His indwelling or deny His work in us.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

Letters from the Beloved – The Voice

Are you familiar with the international TV show called The Voice. Four music superstars, like Kelly Clarkson (who got her start on a competitor to The Voice: American Idol in 2002), Jennifer Hudson (who was a finalist on American Idol in 2004), country legend Blake Shelton and rock star Adam Levine, act as celebrity coaches to singers that they initially select based on voice alone.

Listening to “the Voice” – the right voice – is just as important to we believers.

1 John 2:20-21 [NKJV] 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

Having just talked about people who are antichrist because they preach things that are not the truth, John speaks pretty emphatically about what the rest of the believers know = all things? Really? At this point there was nothing they didn’t know?

The Greek word used here can also mean “to see” or to perceive, notice, discern, discover. This seems like the more likely meaning John sought to portray. It seems as though he wanted the congregation to realize that they should be able to discern or perceive those people and their beliefs that were antichrist.

They ought to be able to discern a lie and differentiate it from what they knew to be true.

Sisters, we should be able to do the same. We ought to be knowledgeable about the truth of the Bible and of God that lies are easily seen. We ought not to be taken in by false teachings.

But both Matthew and Mark warn of the very real possibility of the elect of God being taken in by false “christs” and false prophets.  

Mark 13:22 [NKJV] "For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”

How can we be sure that we, even having the Holy Spirit and the discernment it gives us, won’t be taken in by the false ones?

For that we swing back to the Gospel record of John, the beloved. [Mar 13:22 NKJV] 22 "For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

John 10:27 [NKJV] "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”

The word “hear” in this verse can man “harken” or “to attend to”, or to “understand” or “perceive the sense of what is said”.  In other words, the sheep to the voice of the Good Shepherd only. They pay attention to and perceive or understand what is coming from the voice of Jesus. It is His voice alone the they will heed and respond to.

We know that some are prevented from seeing in this age. [John 9:39; 12:40; Romans 11:8] But that is not true of the children of God, the sheep of the Good Shepherd.

1 John 2:20-21 [NKJV] 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

Sisters, if we are listening only to the voice of our Shepherd, and working toward discerning or knowing His voice and His teachings, we will definitely know the difference between the true teachings of Christ and any teaching that is antichrist.

Through John, the beloved, Jesus may be asking us, “are you listening to Me?”. “Is it My voice that guides you?” This is the only way to discern the true teachings of God.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

NCL Blog – Letters from the Beloved – Deceptions Past, Present and Future, Part 2

Last week, we discovered that there is no such person as “THE” Antichrist in 1 John 2:18-19, and that anyone can be actually be antichrist in behavior. We don’t want to do anything to earn the title of antichrist.

This week we are going to look at a different lesson nestled into verse 19.  

1 John 2:19 [NKJV] 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but [they went out] that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.

John tells us that antichrists do eventually leave the body of believers and their leaving is proof that they were never really part of the body anyway.

I do get sad when people leave our fellowship. Sometimes they simply move and I know I will miss visiting with them at potlucks.

But if someone leaves because they have been acting “against God” with false doctrines or self-made regulations that add to the loving, righteous law of God but their pet beliefs have not gained traction, they John tells us they were never really part of the body.

When someone tries to add to the law of God or promote some unique interpretation of scripture, we should gently correct them and encourage them to study further. However, if they persist in promoting erroneous interpretations or false doctrines, we have a responsibility to show them that this behavior is not allowed in our congregations.

1 John 2:19 [NKJV] 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but [they went out] that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.

To be clear, these brethren do not necessarily have to change their beliefs. If a brother or sister believes, for example, that they should not eat out on the Sabbath, then that believer and those of their household should not eat out.

As Romans 14:23 [NKJV] says, But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because [he does] not [eat] from faith; for whatever [is] not from faith is sin.

Our brothers and sisters should avoid what they truly believe to be sin. But they should not feel the need to convert everyone to that belief. I have seen more than one church split over opposing opinions about eating out on the Sabbath. I’ve known brethren who left a group because the church would not accept this personally held belief as a doctrine.

That is sad because we will miss them.

If they find a new congregation that feels the same about eating out on the Sabbath or incorporates their belief into the congregation’s core values, then there is no real harm done. And we can rejoice that they’ve found a new church home.

All too often, however, these brethren leave to begin just having church in their own homes – a family setting themselves apart from fellow believers. That is not good. We need each other.

Proverbs 27:17 [NKJV] 17 [As] iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

Far worse, would be leaving the faith altogether because they did not get their way in promoting an opinion or personal belief as a doctrine.

To be clear, differing opinions or personal interpretations can abide in one congregation, as long as neither side is sewing discord with promoting their belief. However, if one is promoting a false doctrine, say they decided the Sabbath had been done away with, that person must be lovingly taught the truth and, hopefully, brought around by more seasoned and knowledgeable brethren.

Sometimes when people leave our congregations it is because they were not of us. If he/she leaves and finds a new church home in another congregation we can be glad they’ve found a home where they are comfortable. If that brother or sister leaves the body of Christ entirely, we may need to realize that he/she was not called in this age – is not currently one of us.

However, in all cases, we must pray for those who have left, no matter the reason.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

Letters from the Beloved – Deceptions Past, Present and Future, Part 1

In my Bible, the next section of 1 John is titled “Deceptions of the Last Hour” and includes verses 18-23. There is so much here to unpack that it’s going to take me more than one blog to cover it.

1 John 2:18-19 [ESV] 18 Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.

Before we consider the message of these two verses, I think it is important to note that John refers to antichrist, not THE antichrist as the New King James has it (and a few other translations). The implication that a “the” exists – that is a specific, single, greater of note than the other “many antichrists” person on entity exists – clouds John’s message, in my opinion.

“Antichrist” means “against God”.

Before our calling we were “against God” and, I think, we would be even now, as believers, if we commit any sin willfully.

Unfortunately, there have been times when I have experienced Church doctrines that are “against God”. How can that be? Well, like the Pharisees and Sadducees of the New Testament times, church leaders - preachers, teachers and administration, but also those that have been given (or have taken) places of authority because they are rich – can bring in opinion or false doctrine that is not underpinned and solidly supported by the Bible and the Holy Spirit’s guidance or vetted by elder, experienced believers.

These same folk, men and women alike, can add burdens to the congregation’s walk with Christ that are unnecessary and push people away from walking in love and freedom. Read Matthew 23:4 and compare it to Isaiah 58:6.

Sadly, I have also seen members and ministers use tactics in trying to bring in new members to the faith that are ultimately “against God” in that they present a false idea of what is needed for baptism or because they focus on threatening the sinner with hell or penalties in this life or other fear tactics.

Again, these tactics tend to push people away from God in that they present Him as cruel, angry and threatening, rather than as a loving Father who seeks to draw us toward Him, to bless us and show us how much better life can be.

God has standards. He gave us the 10 Commandments to show us the things that should and should not be a part of our lives. When Jesus came to earth to dwell among us, He modeled the 10 Commandments perfectly and showed time and again (by words and actions) that the 10 Commandments are spiritual, of the heart, and firmly founded on love of God and fellow man. Read Matthew 5:17-48 and Matthew 22:34-40.

Finally, I have seen that when these self-appointed leaders of the brethren don’t get what they want – when a loving pastor or congregation says, “let me show you a better way” or “let us help you understand the love and law of God more perfecting”, finding that they will not get their way, they leave either for a new congregation to try these pet doctrine on or to create congregation that will follow them. Worst, they may give up and go back into the world because the image of God that they created just isn’t working for them the way they hoped.

To be clear, any time we sin we are anti-Christ. When we repent and are forgiven, we are no longer anti-Christ because of our sins.

However, John, the beloved, was right to warn the church of God about those who will step in “against God” with false doctrines or self-made regulations that add to the loving, righteous law of God.

1 John 2:18-19 [ESV] 18 Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour

Sweet sisters, watch out for those who do this – no matter what “authority” they bring (or think they bring) to the argument for their “against Christ” doctrines.

Be like the people of Berea. Who, “were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.” [Acts 17:11] Lean on the Bible and the Holy Spirit, plus seasoned, humble brethren, to help you spot the people and the doctrines that are actually “against Christ” so that you will not get fooled or trapped into being anti-Christ yourself.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

Letters from the Beloved – Who You Love

The world will tell you “Love is Love”, but John, the beloved, warns us about what you love.

1 John 2:15-17 [NLT] 15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. 17 And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.

Loving this world and the things it offers is a “no go” for Christians. Loving the things of this world in not true love. First, let’s acknowledge that John is not contradicting Jesus, the other apostles, or himself. We are told to love the PEOPLE of this world (including enemies). John is telling us not to love what the world offers. Why?

1.      It results in only wanting more – more pleasure, more things. The love of the world is not a love that is ever content or complete. It will have us always wanting and striving for more.

God tells us to learn to be content with the blessings we have in life. 1 Timothy 6:8 [NLT] 8 So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. [See also Philippians 4:11 and Luke 3;14 for further examples.]

Proverbs 27:20 [NLT] 20 Just as Death and Destruction are never satisfied, so human desire is never satisfied. If we are led by human desires, we will not learn to be satisfied with or to focus on appreciating what we do have.

2.      It results in pride at what we do, have or achieve.

Proud and pride show up 98 times in the Bible. A quick scan showed me that none of them speak of pride or being proud as a good thing for us. 

Proverbs 11:2 [NKJV] 2 When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble [is] wisdom. Mark 7:21-23, Jesus lists pride as one of the things that come out of man and defile a man. [See also Proverbs 16:5; 2 Timothy 3:2 and Romans 1:30 for just a few examples.]

When we focus on pride in what we have, get, can do or achieve, we miss out on the peace that appreciation for God’s blessings offers us. We lose all the good that comes from understanding that life’s blessings are for sharing. We can lose out on grace.

James 4:6 [NKJV] 6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."

3.      All these things the world offers do not last.

Matthew 6:19-20 [NKJV] 19 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 "but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

If you have a retirement plan/401K that is dependent on the Stock Market, you have likely experienced how things you work hard for and do your best with get destroyed by decisions you had no part in making. We have all seen natural disasters wipe out a home and all its contents. Maybe you or a loved one have experienced that.

But, of course, the greatest loss is after we die. Then all we have acquired goes to our heirs or the government or the next in line at work or into decay. We cannot take any of our money, success, power, or possessions into the Kingdom.

Matthew 6:20 [NKJV] "but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.”

Sweet sisters, we must love those in the world, even our enemies. We can love things about this world, like sunsets and the taste of a vanilla latte and art created by talented people. However, when we love things and power, success and glory, we find that this love has no positive benefits for us, as it results only in wanting more, human pride, and eventual loss of all that we acquired.

Thank you, beloved John, for this important message.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DyanmicChristianMinistries.org

Letters from the Beloved – This Letter is for You, Listen Up

1 John 2:12-14 [NKJV] 12 I write to you, little children, Because your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake. 13 I write to you, fathers, Because you have known Him [who is] from the beginning. I write to you, young men, Because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, Because you have known the Father. 14 I have written to you, fathers, Because you have known Him [who is] from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one.

This passage always seemed odd to me. Why go back and forth in 3 verses between “little children”, “young men” and “fathers”? Why didn’t John just give the full instruction to “little children”, and then to the “young men” and finally to the “fathers”? And why sometimes say “I write” and other times “I have written”?

Well, Strong’s concordance answers the latter question. I’m not sure why the translators went back and form between “write” and “have written”, but John used the same Greek word every time. It is a word that can reference the lettering style of the writing or the contents of the writing. So, there seems to be no mystery in John’s choice of words.

Little children = literally a little child or the kindly address of disciples by a teacher

Young men = youth under forty, or a young attendant or servant

Fathers = literally: nourisher, protector, upholder and is also use for male ancestor

To “little children” he reminds them that they are forgiven and have known the Father. This “have known” could mean “have knowledge of”, which seems like the appropriate use of the word, given the John addresses this group as his young disciples.

When we start out in the faith, getting to know the Father is one of the greatest first steps in our path to Christian growth. If we don’t seek to know Him, we cannot grow in faith or learn to walk in His ways. Even before that, understanding that we are forgiven draws us to the Father, to Jesus and to Baptism.

To “young men” he writes, “because you have overcome the wicked one”, and then “Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one.” As we grow in faith and obedience, we seek to grow in grace and in knowledge [2 Peter 3:18] of Jesus. Thereby, we become stronger in our faith and overcome the hold of the wicked one on our lives. We sin less and no longer fall for his devices.

To the “fathers” John writes, “Because you have known Him who is from the beginning”. This, then, should be the result from moving beyond a spiritual child and spiritual youth to being a “father” or “elder” in the faith – that we have come to know the Father, who has always existed.

John seems to be saying that regardless of the stage of my Christian walk that I find myself to be in – or that I feel myself to be in – his letter, his message is for me.

“Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one.”

In addition, the terms John uses for each stage seem to show affection and respect for those in that stage. In other words, there is no condemnation for being new to the faith or being in a growth stage or having been in the faith long enough to feel I am a spiritual elder. He writes to all to instruct and encourage continued growth.

The reason John’s style of repetition isn’t clear. It could be a writer’s style, emphasizing something that I cannot figure out because I don’t know Greek. I don’t find anything in commentaries to fully explain it, except to say that John is emphasizing what he is saying within this letter, not what he has written in the past (his epistle).

So, I envision it something like this: whether you are a babe in Christ, someone who is working on your growth, or an elder in the faith, I am writing to you, referring both to what he has already said in this letter and what he is about to say. It seems to be a call to “listen up” and a way to emphasize that this message is for me, no matter where I am in my walk with Christ.

John has so much to say in this letter – so much instruction and guidance that this is a good time to take note and to be reminded of its application to everyone in any phase of Christian growth.

Let’s keep that in mind as we continue to study the book of 1 John.

Sweet sisters, John the Beloved wants you to know that his message is for you.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DyanmicChristianMinistries.org

Letters from the Beloved – One degree from Jesus, Part 2

Last week, I wrote about how we know that we are “one degree” from Jesus, as part of exploring this segment of 1 John: 1 John 2:3-6 [NKJV] 3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

This week, I’d like us to consider how others know that we are one degree from Jesus.

When I am one degree from Jesus, others whom I work with, live with and come into contact with should enjoy the benefits of being only two degrees from Jesus (e.g., “I know someone who knows Jesus very well.”)

How will they know? We head to John’s Gospel book for the answer.

John 13:34-35 [NKJV] 34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

Yep. Love. That’s the key. So, key, in fact, that in the last hours before His arrest and crucifixion, Jesus repeatedly gave His disciples this message of loving one another.

John 15:12, 17 [NKJV] 12 "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ... 17 "These things I command you, that you love one another.”

Between these two verses, Jesus outlines that they is no greater love than laying down your life for others (as He was about to do), tells His disciples they are no longer servants but now are friends, and points out that they are chosen by God to bear fruit. These things would be the evidence of that love.

1 John 2:3-6 [NKJV] 3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

It was important to Jesus at the end that He remind them of being called to love. But He spoke about love throughout the His earthly ministry. In my last blog I reminded us that all the law and the prophets are based on loving God and loving our fellow man.  [Matthew 22:36-40]

Jesus also gave us an idea on how we will be judged regarding love = not that we loved, but how we showed evidence of that love. We find it in Matthew 25:31-46. Love pours itself out of us in acts of service to others: visiting the sick, feeding the hungry, clothing the poor, etc.

When we do these acts of service and kindness to others, they will know that they are two degrees from Jesus. When people see us doing those things, they will know that I am one degree from Jesus. They will see us loving as Jesus loved – Jesus who healed the sick and feed the hungry Himself.

Did you notice in John 13 and John 15 quoted above that Jesus said, “as I have loved you.” Natural, human love will not be enough. We must have Christ-like love for others in order for them to see that we are so close to Him. We must imitate His way of forgiving even those who hate and harm us, if others are to understand how close we are to Him.

Our Christ-like love will convince others that we really know Jesus. Love put into actions – to acts of service and acts of forgiveness – will be the evidence that you and I are one degree from Jesus.

Yes, love is keeping the law, because all the law and the prophets hang on love. [Matthew 22:36-40] But keeping the law is not what will convince others, nor is it listed in how Jesus will separate the sheep from the goats on judgement day. [Matthew 25:31-46] Christ-like love is found in the doing of good things toward others.

Let’s all go out and do some love today. Not so that we can say, “I am one degree from Jesus”, but so others can see it for themselves. Do it so that others, through our acts of love can say, “I was just two degrees from Jesus today.”

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DyanmicChristianMinistries.org