1 John 2:15-17

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world - the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does - comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

This section raised several convicting questions for me. Am I satisfied with what I have, or do I harbor thoughts of "if only I had _______, I'd be content"? How tight is my grip on my possessions, health, even family? How would I react if God decided it was best to take these blessings from me? Have I been crying out for the world to recognize my efforts? How much of this worldly culture has already soaked into the attitudes of my heart?

The Holy Spirit calls us back to the One Thing Needful.

Hebrews 12:1-3

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary or lose heart.

Our Jesus is sufficient.

1 John 2:15-17

Yesterday's readings are giving me a lot to turn over in my heart. To what am I giving too much love and attention? Where do I boast in myself and not in the Lord? What goals am I aiming for without God's guidance and approval? What media influences am I lured to and do I give in to?

Where does my heart need to be yanked back from worldliness and onto Christ? 

These are all hard questions and raise an important awareness in me this morning! I read in an extra study by Charles Spurgeon that, "Obedience to the will of God is the pathway to perpetual honor and everlasting joy."

It may not bring immediate gratification or attention from a whole skew of people in our lives, or bring us wealth or success in our jobs, but it will bring eternal, worthwhile benefits! To have purity, humility, and trust that God will bless us for continually turning, day after day, from the sinfulness of the world to Him - those are my prayers today. We're called to be in this world, not of this world - and he will help us in this! 

Praying for God to bring you the joy associated with being in love with Him and following in His footsteps on the path to obedience to his will!

Have a great weekend! :)

~Cait

1 John 2:12-14

Good morning gals!
I want to say thank you right away for so many of you keeping up with regular postings and refreshing and encouraging those of us struggling to make time to share what we learned at Jesus' feet! I admit that I have been having a really difficult time of it these last couple of weeks to get my distraction-free time on the computer to share with you all. I have enjoyed following our study from my kitchen table, reading and writing my way through these last few days. But my computer has seemed to have wings lately! My husband is on the prowl for another job now and so he has been taking the computer with him to the library or shutting himself away in our study to diligently look for jobs. I have only had snippets of time during the days lately to catch up on work emails or pop onto Facebook, or glance through our online banking account. And by the time the day's over, I have just been so. exhausted. Mentally mostly, in the last few weeks. Of course it's credited to my schedule going a mile a minute and having too many appointments put on my calendar FOR me, when normally (because I work from home) I ought to be able to control the timing of my meetings and appointments. Example: I was preparing to have my quiet time yesterday morning, because a contractor was supposed to come to our property by nine to work on a project. I was up by 7 and had plenty of time to get ready and have my Bible Study. However, he rang my doorbell at a little before 8am and I have no choice but to go, right then and there. That happens a lot with my job. I'm learning slowly to say no to people, or to shut off my phone, or to "hide" for awhile, from time to time, simply because, like lately - I am desperate for it. I am stretched to the nines by struggling with patience over my husband not having gotten any steady or real work since we moved to Wisconsin - that's just about 6 months ago now. I have a few aching holes in my heart where familial relationships are hard and "weird" right now. My dad hasn't had a job for close to a year now, which is so hard for me to watch happen to such a hard-working and diligent individual. And of course the daily pressures we all experience to varying degrees can just seem to mount up sometimes like a big intimidating monster that could eat you alive.

There's my real life right now - it's not so pretty, and ashamedly, neither has been my attitude. I have been slow to patience, quick to frustration, lacking in gratitude, and lazy on many fronts. This transition in mine and my husband's life has been hard on me and yet I know God is growing me through all of this. It's almost obvious in many ways that he's trying to teach me new things and attitudes at every turn, but I haven't always been the best student.

So for John to write like he did this week so far, like Kerry mentioned yesterday - in a circular fashion - it reminded me of a broken record where that part of the song gets stuck in your head. Maybe he is trying to get it STUCK in my heart and mind -

That God's word lives in me...so I have truth at all times and help whenever I'm weary and burdened.
That my sins have been forgiven, and I have overcome the evil one...so I don't have to live in the miry mess of my shortcomings and doubts and weak faith.

This time, like any other hard time in the past, God will use to form me and use me better in the future. He will use it to open wider my eyes to his greatness and what he can really do. His plans and power are boundless! If any of you are going through similarly trying times, I am praying for you as well. I am understanding your tears when it all seems like too much and we keep the heavy load instead of giving it to God. I do not judge your weak and wobbling faith at this time, instead I pray that the Lord would build you up with his promises and truth and would uphold you in future battles. I pray you would find comfort in his house and at his table more often, because ironically, it's always harder to draw near to God when feeling this way. I encourage you to break through the needs of your schedule, your job, your finances, whatever is seeming more urgent - and get to a quiet place and let the Lord get your heart right. He wants to assure us of so many loving, COMFORTING promises when we're shaky and insecure like this. I pray you rest in his arms.

Thankful with all of you that John said what he did these last few days, as repetitive as the words seemed. Because I think God knows we needs things repeated a few times before we let the words sink in, don't you? :)
I am grateful for trustworthy women like you to share with. You all have such amazing faith every day - God gives so generously. Praying you all have a wonderful day!
Love,
Cait

I John 2:12-14

"I write to you...because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one."

I, too, wanted to read ahead to get to these encouraging words. I like it how John says that he is writing purposefully to remind us that we are strong in the Lord. This struck me as a model for my writing and talking with Christian friends, not just to empathize with them or express concern, not just to remind them that I am encouraged by our shared faith, or that everything will work out for their good, but that they ARE strong! because of the word living in them. God, working outside of time, seeing the end that we cannot, already defeated Satan in the garden. Just his word was enough to seal our salvation. And his word is enough now to overcome our battles--with sinful self, rocky relationships, recurring temptations, doubts and fears, all of it. He has already won!! You are strong in Christ!

John 16:33
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Exodus 15:2
“The LORD is my strength and my defense ; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

1 John 2:12-14

I write to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. 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 evil one. I write to you, dear children, because you have known the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

John seems to write in a circular fashion, spiraling back to the same ideas and at the same time deepening his point. This section offers us courage and reassurance as we "fight the good fight" of faith.

I don't know how you girls were feeling as we read previous verses, but I would occasionally get a little discouraged. I thought - here I am walking in darkness, claiming to know Jesus but not living as He did (does!) and giving in to the devil's schemes at every turn.

In come John's beautiful reminders - Yes, BUT your sins have been forgiven for Jesus' sake. Yes, BUT you do know the Father he who is, who was, who ever will be. Yes, BUT Christ has already conquered all your enemies, including the devil.

Let's soak up this Spirit-sent comfort!

I John 2:7-8

"Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one...its truth is seen in him and you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining."

My Bible notes gave three explanations for the "newness" of this command:

1. the new and dramatic illustration of divine love on the cross

2. Christ's exposition of the OT law (Matthew 5)

3. the daily experience of believers as they grow in love for reach other.

Sometimes I wonder what it might have been like to live in different cultures, families, or eras. Secretly, I have often counted the "Anne of Green Gables" moments in my life, because I think it would be awfully romantic to be that character. haha!! But when I think about how we are living in this "new" covenant of love, that we came after Christ's victory on the cross and can benefit from the teachings he gave to his disciples, I am so thankful for that. We didn't see him, so we cling on in faith as OT people did to the promise of him to come, but we have his words and his actions to read of, and I'm really glad for that.

It is a daily experience, learning and growing in love. I pray that this command and the love of him who gave it will be new to our hearts every day.

"Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:23

1 John 2:3-6

Hi everyone!

I apologize for not writing for awhile, I have been a busy girl, but that's not a very good excuse. These last two weeks have been full of stress for me, and unfortunately I haven't been leaning on my Savior like I should have been doing! A few weekends ago, my family's friend died of a sudden heart attack. Him, his wife and 6 year old son were on a little vacation when it happened. Even though it is very sad that his wife and son don't have him anymore, the worst part is that they aren't a Christian family. I would just ask that you keep them in your prayers, and pray that maybe this situation is the awakening they need for God to come into their lives. Thank you all! :)

Reading these verses remind me that I am not perfect, and it's something I will never be until I get to Heaven. I hate the moments where you realize that you just did something that you were trying so hard not to. For me, it's when I am home for the weekend, and I tell myself over and over again that I am not going to get upset with my younger brother even if he gives me a reason to. Even though I am a sinful creature, I know that our Lord will always take away my sins, over and over again. There's nothing I can do to get myself to Heaven, because that's why Jesus lived a perfect life and died for all believers! So thankful that our Savior is a forgiving God! I want to live my life for Him in everything I do. :) Praying for you all!!

1 John 2:3-6

"We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did. "

These three verses reminded me of three verses we studied in James that I wanted to share.

James 1:23-25: Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror ²⁴ and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ²⁵ But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

I want to live like Jesus, but I need to look in that mirror each day and see that I am not, so I can lean on him once again, because I cannot live like him, without him. And I am reminded that his perfect law gives freedom! It seems backward, but it isn't. The law isn't just to show us our sin, it is also meant as a blessing to us. It is light for our path! :)

1 John 2:1-2

...He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the WHOLE world!

I love this truth--that God died for everyone and wants all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. At the secular univ. I attend, three of my teachers this semester emphasize a God who doesn't care, or a God who demands your love and forces you to not care about certain people. It's so untrue. Zoyia and I somehow got on to the topic of Rahab this weekend, and we couldn't remember the details, so we looked her up. We read that the people of Canaan KNEW about the Lord and his many wonders. But just this Rahab believed, and God saved this prostitute and her whole family. He promised other times--like with Abraham--that he'd save the city if there were believers, and, true to his word, he rescued Lot and his family (sans his wife, because she disobeyed and turned back). He gives so many chances (like our pastor reminded about Judas--he said that someone would betray him--he gives us so many chances to repent). I'm praying that I will heed those calls to repent this week, because Jesus will speak in my defense to the Father, and he will forgive, just as he promised!

P.S. A few prayer requests. Do you have any??

*Liz is traveling a bit this week.

*Kerry is pregnant! Kerry, when are you due?

*prayer that I would get my butt to the doc. I think i have a sinus infection

Love you all! God bless you this week.

ArtPrize Winner 2011 (he always wins!!!)

Side Note: Just to let you know, after I complained about ArtPrize, the art that won was an image of Jesus. :) He lives for us. In Bible study this weekend, we merged with the New Life in Christ class, which was focusing on the topic of the fall. It was encouraging to be reminded that God is outside this thing called Time. He--the Beginning and End--knows all outcomes. He had already conquered Satan before Christ even came. When Jesus rode on that donkey before he went to the cross, he'd truly already triumphed. It was comforting for me to be reminded that Satan isn't some ruler of hell, but that God is in control of even him and he will not let us fall (especially for me, because I was up to my ears in Puritan readings that perceived Satan in all kinds of different ways last week). Pastor described him as a pit bull on a chain. If we get near, he'll bite. I pray he is far from us this week! Love you girls.