A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold is as pictures of silver.(Prov.25:11) It is so important to speak the right words to people at the right time to produce the right results. When you think of apples of gold in pictures of silver, then you are thinking of wealth and excellence. When we speak wisdom into the lives of others we are making them wealthy. Therefore we must seek God for He is the source of all wisdom and He will give us just the right words needed at the right time.
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#He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8
Happy Valentine's Day as we are in the midst of the coldest weather of the winter, so hug your loved ones to stay warm and protect the pipes, plants, as well as pets from this bitter cold. We are hitting the apex of the apostle John's teaching on righteousness and wickedness. Love is the fulfillment of the law, while whosoever commits sin is of the devil cause the devil sins from the beginning. This is why Jesus was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. God is love and whosoever is born of God sins not. He that is a child of the devil does not stop from sinning. The devil was created by God the beautiful son of the morning star and led the praise and worship in heaven but was lifted up in pride, then kicked out of heaven. He managed to persuade one- third of the angels to follow him, and these are the demons that we have to fight against. Put on the whole armor of God so that you may be able to stand against all the wiles of the devil. Jesus destroyed the devil on the cross when He totally disarmed him and defeated him. Now we have victory in Jesus and the devil has no power over us.
#Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 1 John 3:7
Little children is a term of endearment used by the apostle John to address the Christian people and the evidence that one is righteous is by a life of practicing righteousness, even as he is righteous. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is where we receive imputed righteousness. The Holy Spirit sanctifies us through the reading of the word and through prayer. As we fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ we are cleansed daily of all sin by the blood of Jesus. Jesus said when two or three are together and agree on anything I am in their midst. This allows us to have fellowship twenty-four-seven in the Spirit. This is a blessing with this coronavirus pandemic that we are living in which has caused many churches to meet virtually and this is the foreknowledge of God that knew we would need to fellowship while being physically apart, while being together in the Spirit virtually. So no one has to be deceived as righteousness is possible even in a virtual setting.
#Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, either known him. 1 John 3:6
The evidence that one abides in Christ is that they do not practice sin: when one practices sin he has not seen him, either known him. To have an abiding faith in Jesus Christ is the scope of the Christian experience and fellowship with other brothers and sisters is the evidence of that. I pray in these days of the coronavirus pandemic that we will show our fellowship to others who are isolated due to the virus by calling them to show your love and respect for them. We as Christians must even have a good relationship with those who are outside of the body of Christ
#And ye know that He was manifested to take away our sins and in him is no sin. 1 John 3:5
Jesus was manifested to take away our sins and He is without sin and we have imputed righteousness by placing our faith in His shed blood for us on the cross. John 3:17 tells us He did not come into the world to condemn the world, but that we would be saved. This is why we celebrate communion looking back at that faithful day when Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose the third day for our justification. While we were yet sinners Christ died for us; the just for the unjust. This is the essence of grace the unmerited favor of God and this is why Christ was manifested. John 14:6 Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life no man comes to the Father except by Him. Critics of Christianity say that we are narrow-minded: well there is a narrow road that leads to life, and few there be that ever finds it.
#Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. 1 John 3:4
Really serious how people sin against the law of God and we do this by sins of commission as well as omitting to do the right thing to our neighbor. Jesus said we must love God with all our heart, mind, and soul: this is the great commandment. The second is like unto it: we must love our neighbor as ourselves. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
#And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. 1 John 3:3
The blessed hope of the epiphany of the Lord Jesus Christ purifies us as we are pure by the blood of Jesus and through prayer. This is the work of the Holy Spirit in sanctification as we read the word of God the Spirit interprets that word to our spirit by making us more like Jesus every day. Paul said he would receive the crown of righteousness and all those also who love the appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ. Even so, come for us Lord Jesus, and take us away to be with you in glory. As we wait on the Lord to come for us, we must continue to share the love of Jesus to a hurting world suffering from the coronavirus pandemic. There is hope in the midst of our suffering as Jesus will soon come to take us to heaven where there will be no more weeping, or dying for the former things will be passed away and Jesus will wipe away all our tears of our loved ones who died and are now resurrected. What a glorious day that will be when my Jesus I will see, that will be heaven to me.
#Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. 1 John 3:2
As ineffable as it may be, we are the beloved sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like Him; cause we shall see Jesus Christ as He is. What a promise for all of us who look forward to the coming of the Lord, whether we wake or sleep, Jesus Christ will come in the epiphany to take us to heaven where He is. This is the blessed hope of the church that purifies us, even as we are pure. Jesus saves and we have a message to preach to the nations that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life, no man comes unto the Father but by Him. There are not many ways to heaven, but one way through Jesus Christ the only begotten of the Father.
#Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not. 1 John 3:1
Thank God that we are loved by the Father, O how He loves us that we are called to be sons of God and because of that the world knows us not because it knew Him not. This is agape love in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us and adopted us as sons of God. So the world hated Him and they will hate us. Nevertheless, we are the beloved sons of God and that is generically speaking in that daughters of God as well.
#If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him. 1 John 2:29
The apostle John uses if ye know that He is righteous, speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ, ye know that everyone that does righteousness is born of Him. This is the epidemy of Christianity as Jesus told Nicodemus ye must be born again and the evidence of that is the fruits of the Spirit working in our lives. Righteousness is a by-product of Christ and those who are walking in the Spirit.
#And now little children, abide in him that when he shall appear, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming. 1 John 2:28
The apostle John tells the Christians to abide in Jesus so that when he appears in the epiphany to call his children home we will not be ashamed before him at his coming. So how do we do that? The anointing of the Holy Spirit allows us to live a spirit-filled life pleasing the Father in all we do and by loving our neighbors. We must put away racism and love unconditionally everyone. This is what we call agape love which is the fulfillment of the law