by lighthouse | Apr 7, 2023 | Uncategorized
I John 5:5 “Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” Today you and I recall the saddest day in the history of the world. Jesus died. Why? Because of the second saddest day in the history of the world–Adam and Eve fell. Maybe those two days are equal in sadness. It’s somewhat of a pointless discussion. However, what is not pointless is having a faith believing Jesus lives. We celebrate Easter on Sunday. Jesus. our Savior has bought each of us to be His heir to eternal life. Because of Him you and I have life. The saddest very soon becomes the happiest. We’re sad this weekend–we are very happy this weekend!!
by lighthouse | Apr 6, 2023 | Uncategorized
I John 5:3-4a “This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome. For everyone born of God overcomes the world.” Who on this earth do you love? A spouse, a child, a friend, a boyfriend, a girlfriend, a parent?? Would you ever abuse them or ignore them or in any way find it burdensome to live with them? Never! Let’s apply a little human thinking to God thinking. Do you love God? Absolutely you love God. Then let your love for Him show. Enjoy His disciplining and enjoy His Words– whatever they are. Whatever they are? Absolutely–all are written out of love and insure you and I live lives of abundance. Enjoy!!
by lighthouse | Apr 5, 2023 | Uncategorized
I John 4:15 “If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God.” Question: Do you believe and confess that Jesus is the Son of God? This question is not asking for some words of explanation. This question is asking a question requiring a simple yes or no. A no answer has extreme consequences. A yes answer has extreme benefits. Imagine: your yes answer gives you the most blessed life possible. Your yes answer makes you a child of God with the security and peace only God can freely give. Live knowing your answer. Live both on this earth and eternally with a joy and comfort which is beyond our understanding.
by lighthouse | Apr 4, 2023 | Uncategorized
I John 4:10 “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” Natural human thinking is the opposite of natural God thinking. Human thinking is: We have some lovable trait which is attractive to another person. Some feature of ours is desired. We have something to offer. God thinking is just the opposite: God loves us even though we offer nothing. There is nothing we can do to attract God’s love. We are only loved because of God’s great mercy and desire to call us His child. You and I can do nothing to earn God’s love. His love is a free and undeserved love. That is the epitome of love. How could we not love Him in return?
by lighthouse | Apr 3, 2023 | Uncategorized
I John 4:2 “This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God.” John wants to tell us what true doctrine is. He gives each of us an easy test to decipher truth from error. Does the person or religious belief believe Jesus, God, came to this earth and became a human man? Simple question with a yes or no answer and the answer determines truth. Other truth facts follow, but this basic truth is the foundation of true faith.
by lighthouse | Mar 31, 2023 | Uncategorized
I John 4:1 “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirit to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” When you listen to any person talk about God you have to evaluate—-Are they referring to God as presented in the Bible or are they referring to a god of someone’s imagination. There is only ONE true God. There are endless gods worshipped and unfortunately many, many people who listen and place their eternal future on false hope. Numbers never make a statement true. Always test religious thought with Scripture for therein lies absolute truth and all hope for our present and eternal future. Have a great weekend.
by lighthouse | Mar 30, 2023 | Uncategorized
I John 3:21-22 “Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him.” Have you ever thought—Are you serious? After reading this passage, we have to ask—-God, are you serious? When our hearts are focused on our Savior, You are saying—ask Me and I will abundantly bless you? Are You serious? God’s reply—I couldn’t be more serious! Well, it seems to me, you and I have one option–keep our hearts focused on our Savior 100% of the time. Would you agree?
by lighthouse | Mar 29, 2023 | Uncategorized
I John 3:18 “Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” Our ultimate example of love is the love our Savior has for each of us. For God to take on human form, be humiliated, tortured and killed solely because He wants you and me to live with Him is the epitome of love. The least we can do in response is to honor Him, study His Word, learn, do as He says and serve our fellow man. How are you and I following the instruction of this verse?
by lighthouse | Mar 28, 2023 | Uncategorized
I John 3:1a “The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” Jesus is the Savior of the world. If a person disagrees with that truth there cannot be an understanding of a Christian. God forces no one to believe in Him. Christianity is the only faith which believes one can do nothing to gain eternal life. Good works are a direct result of a strong faith, but there is no such thing as self-righteousness. All religions which require man to do something–like tithe, like pray a certain number of times per day, like anything to earn eternal life, like follow a set of rules, like failure to believe Jesus lived, died and rose. Without this understanding a person simply does not know what Christianity is all about and does not understand what being a child of God is all about. There is no such thought in Christianity which agrees with—-there is only one God however you see Him. The true statement is: There is only One True God as He describes Himself in Scripture.
by lighthouse | Mar 27, 2023 | Uncategorized
I John 3:1a “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God!” When children are raised by loving parents they live in a beautiful world. Security, love, discipline and a very bright future are gifts which are wonderful—never seen, always felt.When we are raised by our Heavenly Father all the above happen in perfect form. In addition, the one important item also included in the above are the gifts of inheritance. The most important gift: however, which only our God can give is the gift of eternal life. How wonderful it is to be children of our Heavenly Father. You and I can never thank Him enough.
by lighthouse | Mar 24, 2023 | Uncategorized
I John 2:25 “And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.” None of us need to doubt that Jesus is coming a second time. Christians can appear berfore Him with all the confidence anyone can have. Never look at yourself as being unworthy—if you do, you do not understand the entire purpose of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. Jesus has made you and me worthy. He has redeemed us. He has made us perfect. That is very hard for our human nature to believe. Reread our passage for today—-God’s Word is absolute truth. You are beyond alright— God sees you as perfect. Believe and Praise God. Have a great weekend.
by lighthouse | Mar 23, 2023 | Uncategorized
I John 2:26 “I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray.” There is no such thing as absolute truth. Everyone has a right to their own opinion. Who are you to insist your opinion is correct? These are three thoughts which dominate the world’s thinking and if you don’t accept God’s authority they seem to be logical conclusions. However, as soon as one accepts God’s authority as absolute authority these statements become incorrect and meaningless. Now the question becomes very personal–Are you swayed by the conclusions of the world or do you look to our God as absolute authority? As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
