Connection: Connect to your Creator via Creativity

We are the children of God. He is the great Creator, not only of the universe and all that it is in, but also of His work in us.

As His children, we are also creative beings. He has gifted us with creativity that shows up in a variety of ways.

Today, I invite you to connect to the Creator via creativity of your own. Ideas: Draw, paint, write a poem, color a picture, sing praises instead of praying them, thus creating your own music for God to hear, make a macaronic necklace or create something from playdough. Or even just take a photo of God’s beautiful creation. Your creation doesn’t have to be “good” in your eyes or the eyes of others, it just needs to be inspired by joy or thanks or love.

If you dare, I invited you to share it with us here - or at least tell us about it.

Blessings to all my sweet, creative, fellow children of God out there!

You can respond in the chat/comments section here or write me at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org.

Connection: Connect to Nature, God's Creation

Today, I invite us to connect to nature, with a walk in the woods, or time sitting on a porch or focusing on the sunset.

Romans 1:20 [KJV] tells us that we can find a deeper understanding of God in nature. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

The beauty of God’s creation is all around us, even if we find ourselves in a city. Let’s focus today on finding a way to focus a little more on the beauty of nature, wherever we find ourselves today, sweet sisters.

Connection: Reconnect to Someone

Today, I invite us to reach out to someone we have lost touch with or that we feel disconnected from at this time. Could be an estranged family member, someone who used to attend church with you, a friend who is not as close as he/she used to be.

You could simply say, “I miss you” or “I love you” or “I’m thinking of you and I am thinking of you and I hope you are well”. Ask God to give you the words that will reach them and to reconnect you IF it is His will to do so.

We are to be light and hope, joy and peace, sewers of seeds - just like Jesus Himself when He walked this earth. We don’t know what will happen as a result of making the connection. Perhaps you will just momentarily brighten someone’s day. Whatever happens, you’ll know you made the effort and so will God. He will be pleased.

If you feel so moved, please share your results, or why you chose who you did, or why you are disconnected. I always love hearing from you. You can post a comment on this blog site or email me at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

Connection: Go to a new place with God.

Sometimes, even the most spiritual of us find that there are certain places we don’t go with God. Maybe it is that this part of us feels to broken to offer up to our perfect God. Maybe we are so disappointed in ourselves that we can imagine nothing more from God than His disappointment. Maybe it feels to damages for His healing, so we think “why bother?” Or maybe we feel a wish, want, dream is too small or “worldly” and don’t want to take up God’s important time with something like that.

Sweet sisters, please don’t prejudge God’s interest, willingness, love or forgiveness.

Today I challenge us all to go there - to open up to our loving, very interested, faithful Father about something new. Something you’ve held back for whatever reason.

He seeks to know and be known by us intimately. He wants to hear about every aspect of our lives, hopes, dreams and fears.

So “go there” with God today. I invite you to share you thoughts and feelings about it here on this blog or any time at Nancy@DyanmicChristianMinistries.org

Connection: Unplug to Reconnect

This week I am OOO, at a church retreat. I’ll be unplugging from my day-to-day work, out of my normal routine and seeking to reconnect with the things that really matter in life.

I invite you to join me on this 8-day journey of connection and reconnection.

I will be posting a daily scripture and suggested connection. I invite you to try the activity and post a comment about what it felt like or what you learned, or just tell me how you like to connect.

Today, I invite us all to unplug from distractions (especially electronic ones) and plug into the sights, sounds, smells and people around you. When we disconnect from Social Media, from TV, games on our phones, and such, we can really see how much of our time is spent on them. It may be just minutes at a time - a quick two-minute game of solitaire or one round of Wordle, but it adds up for me. Do you find the same to be true?

So, sweet sisters, let’s take the challenge together and put our phones, iPads and such aside a little more today so that we can reconnect to God, nature and the people around us - an maybe also get a little more reconnected with ourselves.

You can connect with me anytime 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

Letters from the Beloved – One degree from Jesus, Part 1.

Have you ever played the game (or seen it played) called “Six degrees of Kevin Bacon”? It’s where you try to link any other actor to Kevin Bacon in 6 steps or less. Well, recently I found myself to be just three “degrees” from the former President, Donald Trump. Why? Because I have met and been in the NYC offices of a couple of employees of the former president’s good friend, David Pecker, who was the CEO of American Media. Pecker is so close to the former president that his offices were raided as part of an investigation into alleged wrongdoing by Trump. Yep. Kind of crazy.

Matthew 5:48 [NKJV] "Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

But that association means nothing to me. It’s just an interesting fact. What is more important is to be “one degree from God” by being someone who knows both the Father and the Son. I am not out to prove anything by being two degrees from Trump. But I have everything to prove by being a real connection to God and Christ.

John, the beloved, talks about this in 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.

Who is the “He” in this passage? Is it God the Father or Jesus? I believe John is speaking of Jesus because of the last sentence “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” Jesus walked this earth and set an example for us as to how we should live/walk on this earth.

So, how do we know that we “know” Him? Verse 4 tells us that it is by keeping His commandments. First, let me say that here is no degree of separation between the Father’s commandments and those Jesus. I don’t want anyone to get the impression that Jesus had different commandments than the Father. When people try to separate them, they forget that Jesus was the one who spoke the 10 Commandments to Moses and wrote them with His own finger onto the tablets of stone. Jesus spoke the statutes and the laws to Moses as well.

So, following the commandments of Jesus is following all the commandments He outlined. In Matthew 19, we read that someone asked Jesus what to do to have eternal life. Jesus’ response was, “But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” And of course, that was not the end of the discussion. I’m not sure if this guy was looking for an out, a lesser list of some sort, or really was unclear, but next we read this: Matthew 19:18-19 [NKJV] 18 He said to Him, "Which ones?" Jesus said, "'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,' 19 'Honor your father and [your] mother,' and, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' " Jesus lists a few of the 10 Commandments from Exodus 20 and then adds “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Clearly, He is enhancing the 10 Commandments. And this is not the only place where Jesus shows His followers, then and now, that more is required of us than just not doing sinful things.  This is not the only place where Jesus shows us that we must not limit ourselves to the strict letter of the law if we want to “walk as He walked”.

We find this exchange in Matthew 22:36-40 [NKJV] 36 "Teacher, which [is] the great commandment in the law?" 37 Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38 "This is [the] first and great commandment. 39 "And [the] second [is] like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 "On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

Love is not a lesser keeping of the law. Rather, it is a deeper and greater commitment to the law. This is the message of Matthew 5, beginning in verse 17, where Jesus says, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.”

The definition of this Greek word, which is translated “fulfill”, is “to make replete, i.e. (literally) to cram (a net), level up (a hollow)”. And our Saviors next words show that His intent in to make the law replete (filled or well-supplied) by taking it from a law that could be observed in the letter and teaching us that God wants so much more than just refraining from acts of sin.

The scribes and the Pharisees prided themselves on keeping the letter of the law, but Jesus says, in Matthew 5:20 that we must do better than that.  Matthew 5:20 [NKJV] "For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds [the righteousness] of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.”

How do we exceed the scribes and Pharisees in obeying the law of God? By internalizing it. Do just refrain from murder – don’t call names, don’t let anger separate you and a brother, and don’t let conflict get in your way. [Matthew 5:21-26] Don’t just refrain from committing adultery – control your mind and thoughts so focused on your mate and not others to the point where you are willing to cut off anyone or anything that pulls you astray. [Matthew 5:27-30] Don’t rely on swearing on sacred things to prove you are truthful – instead let your word be so reliable that you don’t need to swear at all. [Matthew 5:33-37] Don’t take even just revenge, rather give generously and love your enemies. [Matthew 5:38-47]

According to Jesus, our goal should not be strictly seeking to obey the law, but rather living a life that is just like our perfect Law Giver. Matthew 5:48 [NKJV] "Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” This is how Jesus walked and how He taught us to walk – in perfect alignment with our perfect Father.

How do YOU know that you are only one degree from the Father and Jesus? You know it by the fact that you walk as He walked, keeping not only the letter, but also the heart and soul of the law – that is, loving God above all and every human as much as yourself.

It’s a tall order, sweet sisters. But it is so much more important to ensure that we live one degree from Jesus than it is to know any leader or celebrity in this life. So, each day we rise and do our best, with the help of the Holy Spirit to walk as He walked.

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

Letters from the Beloved – Do Process of the Law

Do you like court-based shows, like “Judge Judy” or “Hot Bench”? Or police shows like “Cops” or “Live PD”? Or maybe you like fictional shows that are a big part of TV. For example: Law & Order, which has been around for years. If you watch any of these shows you know that when you break the law there is a process that includes accusation and arrest and judgement for the crime in a fair court with legal representation to plead your case. You also know that the court date may end in penalty of some sort – jail time or a fine or both.

God’s process for sinners is not so different.

Psalm 35:24 [KJV] Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.

After concluding chapter one of his letter by reminding us that we are all sinners, the beloved disciple opens chapter two on a similar theme.

1 John 2:1-2 [NLT] 1 My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. 2 He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins--and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.

John states that he is writing so we don’t sin. But quickly follow that statement with the remedy if we do sin. And we know we do sin because he just told us in chapter 1 that we all sin.  

Step one: We sin by breaking God’s law.

[1Jo 3:4 KJV] 4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

Step two: We are accused of sin by the Accuser of God’s people: Satan.

Revelation 12:10 [KJV] And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

Step three: We are brought in for judgement. A quick search showed me more than 50 scriptures the reference the Father God as Judge in some way, including this one where King David asks God to judge him:

Psalm 35:24 [KJV] Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.

Step four: John tells us in 1 John 2: 1-2, that we do not appear before the Just Judge alone. He tells us we have an “advocate” who “pleads our case”. This is precisely what the Greek word used here means - "one who pleads another's cause before a judge, a pleader, counsel for defense, legal assistant; an advocate".

Jesus stands with us before the Father, the Just Judge, and pleads our case for us. What might He say? Well, John indicates that Jesus reiterates that He has already paid the penalty for our sins.

While the outcome of any trial-based TV show might be up in the air until the judge rules on the case, we have no such worry or suspense in our own trials and judgement for sin. Remember, John the beloved, tackled the guaranteed outcome of any trial before the Just Judge: 1 John 1:9 [KJV] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

We have a Just Judge and a strong Advocate. We deserve death, but our Advocate is faithful and so is our Judge. Pardon is guaranteed.

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

Letters from the Beloved – Everyone is a Sinner

1 John 1:8-10 [NKJV] 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

This passage in 1 John reminds me of the Oprah Winfrey show. But, instead of saying “You get a car! And you get a car! And you get a car!”, John tells us “You are a sinner! And you are a sinner! And you are a sinner! Everyone is a sinner!”

In fact, he tells me that if I say I have not sinned, then I am a liar. And we all know that lying, even if it is bearing false witness about not being a sinner, is a sin. So, I’m guilty anyway.

Psalm 103:12 [NKJV] 12 As far as the east is from the west, [So] far has He removed our transgressions from us.

But don’t miss out on the important point that comes after acknowledging that we all sin. That important point is that, if we confess our sin instead of covering it up or denying it, God WILL forgive us and cleanse us from that sin. Acknowledging our sins, being willing to admit them, is the prerequisite to that promised forgiveness. This realization, that forgiveness and cleansing is a given, should make us more willing to confess our sins to God. Also, we should remember that God already knows them. So, we might as well fess up.

Psalm 103:2-3 tells us, [NKJV] 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: 3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases,

Forgiveness is one of the great benefits of trusting in and obeying our God. He doesn’t just forgive, He removes the sin from us.

He is merciful toward we sinners. Psalm 103:11 [NKJV] 11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, [So] great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;

And He doesn’t just remove sin a little bit. He takes it far away. Psalm 103:12 [NKJV] 12 As far as the east is from the west, [So] far has He removed our transgressions from us. That’s as far away as you can get!

Why does He do this? Psalm 103:13 [ESV] As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him. He does it because He has compassion on us or, as the King James version says, He pities us.

We cannot fool ourselves, sweet sisters, we are sinners, and we need to confess our sins to God our Father. We don’t need to be afraid to do that because:

1.      He already knows about our sins.

2.      He will faithfully forgive those sins if we confess them.

So, sweet sisters, take some time today to confess your sins to God. Forgiveness is promised. Our God is faithful to forgive.

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