Tag Archives: Bible study

THOUGHTS FROM THE 21 DAYS, DAY 21

Posted on by under Pastor Wrinkles

In January our church held its annual congregational fast. For 21 days we prayed together, fasted together and meditated on 1 John . Here are my thoughts from those times of devotion in 1 John.

I am writing to you who are God’s children

because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus.

13I am writing to you who are mature in the faith

because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.

I am writing to you who are young in the faith

because you have won your battle with the evil one.

14I have written to you who are God’s children

because you know the Father.

I have written to you who are mature in the faith

because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.

I have written to you who are young in the faith

because you are strong.

God’s word lives in your hearts,

and you have won your battle with the evil one. 1 JOHN 2:12-14

MEDITATIONAL THOUGHT:Be strong in your faith; you know the one who is from the beginning.

MY THOUGHTS: Most of God’s children are stronger than they know. Most of us who are people of faith settle for thinking something like “I am just a sinner saved from grace.” We think of ourselves in terms off worms, bugs and grass of the field. Here today gone tomorrow leaving barely a mark on the Earth to let anyone else know we were ever here. Meanwhile God has intended for us to leave a legacy! We have the Word of God dwelling in us and we need to begin to use it….apply it…believe it….act on it. I am convicted more and more that the time is short and we need to move forward into the world with all the love and mercy of Christ radiating from our hearts. That is how we win our battle with the evil one. Be strong in love and mercy and the Word of God!

THOUGHTS FROM THE 21 DAYS, DAY 20

Posted on by under Pastor Wrinkles

In January our church held its annual congregational fast. For 21 days we prayed together, fasted together and meditated on 1 John . Here are my thoughts from those times of devotion in 1 John.

I am writing to you who are God’s children

because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus.

13I am writing to you who are mature in the faith

because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.

I am writing to you who are young in the faith

because you have won your battle with the evil one.

14I have written to you who are God’s children

because you know the Father.

I have written to you who are mature in the faith

because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.

I have written to you who are young in the faith

because you are strong.

God’s word lives in your hearts,

and you have won your battle with the evil one. 1 JOHN 2:12-14

MEDITATIONAL THOUGHT:. You have overcome the evil one through the power of God’s Word abiding in you.

MY THOUGHTS: There is incredible power in the Word of God when it meets our will and bends that will to HIS. That is the nature of the Bible. The more we are practicing it the more we are changed by it to become the Overcomers of the evil one. That right there is the key. It is not how much we read it or listen to it. It is how much we practice it that gives us the victory. Practicing begins by reading and listening and knowing, but it only becomes practice when we do what the word says… So today….what part of the Word of God does God have you practicing?

THOUGHTS FROM THE 21 DAYS, DAY 19

Posted on by under Pastor Wrinkles

In January our church held its annual congregational fast. For 21 days we prayed together, fasted together and meditated on 1 John . Here are my thoughts from those times of devotion in 1 John.

I am writing to you who are God’s children

because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus.

13I am writing to you who are mature in the faith

because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.

I am writing to you who are young in the faith

because you have won your battle with the evil one.

14I have written to you who are God’s children

because you know the Father.

I have written to you who are mature in the faith

because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.

I have written to you who are young in the faith

because you are strong.

God’s word lives in your hearts,

and you have won your battle with the evil one. 1 JOHN 2:12-14

MEDITATIONAL THOUGHT:Your sins are forgiven for His name’s sake, a foundational truth for all believers.

MY THOUGHTS: I have been in this meditational space lately where I am captured by the thought of how much God loves us and why that love is so solid. Jesus avidly desires the salvation of every man and woman on the planet, because that is who HE is. HE is the Savior of the world. That is HIS name and HE will not deny HIS identity. We are forgiven because HE is a the FORGIVER OF SINS. HE is true to HIS name in a way we have never been true to our own names. The trick in our Christianity is to become like CHRIST and to become as true to the name HE has given us as HE is to HIS own name.

THOUGHTS FROM THE 21 DAYS, DAY 18

Posted on by under Pastor Wrinkles

In January our church held its annual congregational fast. For 21 days we prayed together, fasted together and meditated on 1 John . Here are my thoughts from those times of devotion in 1 John.

Beloved, I am not writing to you a new commandment, but an old one, which you have had from the beginning. This commandment is the message you have heard. 8Then again, I am also writing to you a new commandment, which is true in Him and also in you. For the darkness is fading and the true light is already shining.

9If anyone claims to be in the light but hates his brother, he is still in the darkness. 10Whoever loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no cause of stumbling in him. 11But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness. He does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

MEDITATIONAL THOUGHT:The true light is already shining, empowering you to live a life of love.

MY THOUGHTS: I think it’s so important to remind ourselves daily that Jesus’ light is already shining in the world…in us. We do not have to wait for Heaven to walk in His true light. In fact, we should not wait for Heaven to begin walking in His true light. We need to begin walking in that light now. We need to become the change God is working in us.

THOUGHTS FROM THE 21 DAYS, DAY 17

Posted on by under Pastor Wrinkles

In January our church held its annual congregational fast. For 21 days we prayed together, fasted together and meditated on 1 John . Here are my thoughts from those times of devotion in 1 John.

Beloved, I am not writing to you a new commandment, but an old one, which you have had from the beginning. This commandment is the message you have heard. 8Then again, I am also writing to you a new commandment, which is true in Him and also in you. For the darkness is fading and the true light is already shining.

9If anyone claims to be in the light but hates his brother, he is still in the darkness. 10Whoever loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no cause of stumbling in him. 11But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness. He does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

MEDITATIONAL THOUGHT:Walking in love is walking in the light; hatred keeps you in darkness, stumbling aimlessly.

MY THOUGHTS: I feel like most of the world is stumbling around aimlessly. We are now in a time when so many are saying, “Love is hate and hate is love.”

That is mostly Because in this world we are not working with an accurate definition of love. Paul the Apostle gives us God’s definition in 1 Corinthians 13.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails.

If it’s not patient, it’s not love.

If it’s not kind, it’s not love.

If it is jealous because it feels insecure in itself, it’s not love.

If it calls attention to itself, it’s not love.

If it is based in self promotion or protection, it’s not love.

If it steals honor from others, it is not love.

If it is about you, it’s not love.

If it is based in an angry attitude, it’s not love.

If it calls up the negative past, it’s not love.

If it is attracted to or motivated by sinful behavior or thinking, it’s not love.

If it denies the truth of Scripture to have its own way, it’s not love.

If it protects self over the needs of the one supposedly loved, it’s not love.

If it doesn’t trust the person to be who they are and can’t love them as they are, it’s not love.

If it doesn’t keep God’s future plans in mind, it’s not love.

If it gives up, it’s not love.

If it’s not all those things together, it’s not love.

THOUGHTS FROM THE 21 DAYS, DAY 16

Posted on by under Pastor Wrinkles, Uncategorized

In January our church held its annual congregational fast. For 21 days we prayed together, fasted together and meditated on 1 John . Here are my thoughts from those times of devotion in 1 John.

Beloved, I am not writing to you a new commandment, but an old one, which you have had from the beginning. This commandment is the message you have heard. 8Then again, I am also writing to you a new commandment, which is true in Him and also in you. For the darkness is fading and the true light is already shining.

9If anyone claims to be in the light but hates his brother, he is still in the darkness. 10Whoever loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no cause of stumbling in him. 11But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness. He does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

MEDITATIONAL THOUGHT: The commandment to love one another is both old (from the beginning) and new (embodied in Christ).

MY THOUGHTS: St. Augustine of Hippo said, The New is in the Old concealed; the Old is in the New revealed.”

Here in John 2 we see that love and restoration has been God’s point all along. From the Old Testament to and through the New Testament love is thread that runs and hems everything together. Restoration of a whole is the point. There can be no salvation without love and there can be no salvation without restoration.

Hate is a separator and so it has no place in the body of Christ because it has no place in God where people are concerned. The only thing God hates is sin itself because it has the potential to separate God from the ones He loves.

THOUGHTS FROM THE 21 DAYS, DAY 15

Posted on by under Pastor Wrinkles

In January our church held its annual congregational fast. For 21 days we prayed together, fasted together and meditated on 1 John . Here are my thoughts from those times of devotion in 1 John.

3 We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. 4 Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. 5 But if anyone obeys his word, love for God[a] is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did. 1 JOHN 2:3-6

MEDITATIONAL THOUGHT:Holiness is an unmistakable byproduct of God’s grace in your life.

MY THOUGHTS: Holiness comes from salvation not vice versa. I am shocked by how much I have changed over the course of my life. I am equally shocked by how much more I see needs to be changed as I move forward into the future. When I was a young Christian man I thought I truly knew myself . I truly thought I knew what in me needed changing. The longer I have lived in Christ the more I have seen of myself that God would change. Life experience and Life with Jesus has shown me things in my deepest heart that needed changing. Many of these things I wasn’t even aware were a part of me way back when I was a young man. They were there, but they were hidden… asleep until life circumstances brought them to the surface.

Yet here is something else I have learned. Jesus is still the remedy for all my sin of thought, word, and deed. His mercies are new every morning!

THOUGHTS FROM THE 21 DAYS, DAY 14

Posted on by under Pastor Wrinkles

In January our church held its annual congregational fast. For 21 days we prayed together, fasted together and meditated on 1 John . Here are my thoughts from those times of devotion in 1 John.

3 We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. 4 Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. 5 But if anyone obeys his word, love for God[a] is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did. 1 JOHN 2:3-6

MEDITATIONAL THOUGHT:Whoever claims to abide in Christ must walk as Jesus did, following His example.

MY THOUGHTS:

Whenever I hear the word “abide” I think back to John chapter 15:7 “If ye abide  in me, and my words abide  in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”

Verse 6 uses the word “abide”. Here in our translation it is translation as “live” but the Greek work “meno” is the same word used in John 15.

Here is John is answering the question that everyone who reads John 15:7 asks …”How do I abide in Christ?”

He who wants to abide must live like Jesus lived, literally “walk like Jesus walked.”

Jesus walked at the direction of His Father. He was always about His Father’s business. He was always watching to see what His Father was doing and joining Him in that work. We must do the same.

WHAT DO YOU SEE GOD DOING AROUND YOU? WHAT IS THE FATHER’S BUSINESS YOU SEE BEFORE YOU RIGHT NOW?

THOUGHTS FROM THE 21 DAYS DAY 13

Posted on by under Pastor Wrinkles

In January our church held its annual congregational fast. For 21 days we prayed together, fasted together and meditated on 1 John . Here are my thoughts from those times of devotion in 1 John.

3 We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. 4 Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. 5 But if anyone obeys his word, love for God[a] is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did. 1 JOHN 2:3-6

MEDITATIONAL THOUGHT:

. Keeping God’s commands is the evidence that you truly know Him, not just an intellectual acknowledgment.

MY THOUGHTS:

Here we come to the juxtaposition of thoughts. Salvation is not about the works we do…but knowing Him does depend on the works we do and eternal life is knowing God…therefore salvation is about the works we do? How does that work?

Well Scripture is clear, our salvation does not depend on our good works. You cannot earn salvation. It is a free gift from Jesus to you…but you must receive it…and when you do the gift itself will automatically begin to change what you do and how you do life.

No one who truly knows Jesus stays exactly as they are, because truly knowing Jesus changes a person at the root of their existence. It’s not the change that saves us. It is salvation that changes us.

THOUGHTS FROM THE 21 DAYS DAY 12

Posted on by under Pastor Wrinkles

In January our church held its annual congregational fast. For 21 days we prayed together, fasted together and meditated on 1 John . Here are my thoughts from those times of devotion in 1 John.

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 JOHN 2:1,2

MEDITATIONAL THOUGHT:

Strive for obedience, but rest in the grace that covers your shortcomings through Christ’s work.

MY THOUGHTS:

I have spoken with many people who have created for themselves lists of the changes which are necessary to get into Heaven. The list generally looks something like this:

IN ORDER TO GET INTO HEAVEN, I NEED TO STOP….

AND IN ORDER TO GET INTO HEAVEN,I NEED TO START…

With almost everyone the need to stop list comes first and then the need to start. There are several problems with the list. First, we need to realize we can’t do a negative so as long as we are focused on the stopping of something without replacing it with something else we never actually get to the I need to start list. The lists need to be inverted. When we start doing the things God wants us to do they take up the space and time for doing the things we aren’t supposed to do.

BUT

The real heart of the issue with these statements and therefore the real problem is with the word “I”. The idea that by starting or stopping anything “I” can get myself into Heaven or earn it goes right back to the works righteousness model of Christianity which is not the true core of Christianity at all. My getting into Heaven is not based on anything I do or don’t do. Getting a soul into Heaven is based on the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. The only thing needed to get to Heaven is confession of your sin to Jesus and repentance from that sin and that is a heart condition not based in the works we do but in the belief we hold.

Our repentance causes us to begin to strive or move towards righteousness and holiness…BUT… it is the Holy Spirit at work within us that gives us success in that striving not our own effort…AND.. that work of building success is progressive.

I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS MATTER, BECAUSE THESE WORDS HERE ONLY BEGIN TO EXPLAIN IT.