1 John 2-5, 2 John, 3 John, and James 1-4
There are a lot of good statements in these readings. I am going to list a few that grabbed me. Let me know which verses struck you as interesting...
1 John 2:11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him. (Christine Caine www.equipandempower.org had an amazing message about the darkness of human trafficking in her message to the Global Leadership Summit today. Wow!)
1 John 3:1 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God! And that is what we are! (Do they have exclamation points in Greek?)
1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love casts out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
1 John 5:19 We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.
The issue addressed by 2nd and 3rd John is that of wandering missionaries. Roman Inns were notorious for being dirty and flea infested. It was hard to distinguish between false prophets and angels. Look up the word Didache. It was an early church manual that suggested rules for the reception of itinerant ministers. A prophet who stayed longer than 3 days, or asked for money, was a false prophet.
Beads of wisdom in James. "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has withstood the test, he will receive the crown of life..." (James 1:12) and "Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry" (James 1:19).
James 3 is about taming the tongue. The tongue is like a small bit in a horse's mouth or the rudder on a ship, and is "full of deadly poison" (James 3:8). Maybe today we should change tongue to fingers. Email has a tendency to be very misunderstood. Just call me if you don't understand something I have written. It takes too long to type.
James 4:1 "What causes fights and quarrels among you?" Oh that we would "humble ourselves before the Lord" (James 4:10a) so that he could lift us up (4b).
Remember - "You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14b).
I love the book of James!
“Love Not The World”
ReplyDelete”For the WHOLE world(not just a portion) is under the control of the evil one”.......(I John 5:19)
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world will pass away, and the lust thereof: but he that does the will of The Only True GOD will abide for ever.”(IJohn2:15-17)
“If you were of the world, the world would love it’s own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his Master. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept My saying, they will keep yours also.” (John15:19-20)
“Where do wars and fighting among you come from? Do they not come of your lusts that war in your members? You lust, and have not: you kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: you fight and war yet you have not, because you ask not. You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts. You adulterers and adulteresses, don’t you know that friendship with the world is to be at enmity with The Only True GOD? Therefore whoever will be a friend of the world is the enemy of The Only True GOD.” (James 4:1-4)
“The world cannot hate you; but the world hates Me, because I testify that the works of this world are evil.” (John 7:7)” and “The Messiah gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of The Only True God, Our Father.”(Gal 1:4)
The Messiah testified: “If the world hates you know that it hated Me before it hated you.”(John 5:18) Truly, Truly, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone: but if it die it brings forth much fruit. He that loves his life in this world shall lose it; and he that hates his life in this world shall have it unto life eternal.” (John 12:24-25)
John testified: “Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hates you.” (I John 3:13) “ James testified, “Whoever would be a friend of this world is the enemy of GOD”(James4:4)
The “earth and it's life forms” are The Creation of The ONE and Only True GOD, Father of ALL! The “worldly” systems are the creation of, and under the dominion of “the god of this world”, he who is “the father of lies”, he who “has blinded the minds of those who believe not The Messiah”! All the nations of this world are under the dominion of, and serve, the “god of this world” for he provides the fuel that feeds mankind’s “imag”ination. And sadly, mankind’s “imag”ination is destroying Creation(air, water, land vegetation, creatures) and perverting that which is Spirit(Truth, Light, Life, Faith, Love, Peace,, All that is Truly Good) ;-(
Those who “love this world” all serve “the god of this world”, and have their portion in the processes that are progressively destroying The Creation of The Only True GOD. And The Only True GOD will "destroy them who destroy the earth.” (Rev 11:18c)
Global warming, polluted air, land and waters, toxic wastes, sexual perversion, evil inventions of destruction, greed, hate, carnal warfare, dis-ease(no-peace),,etc,, are destructive processes that have their root in “the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life” all of which fuel the fires of mankind’s “imag”ination ;-(
"Come Out of her, MY people"!
Peace, in spite of the dis-ease(no-peace) that is of this world and it's systems of religion, for "the WHOLE world(not just a portion) is under the control of the evil one" indeed and Truth......
Truth IS, a lie is not.......
Abide in The Truth....... francis
ElderChild - Deep thinking. Not sure what you are saying in regard to the comments I made on the readings. Any clarification would be appreciated. Is your real name francis?
ReplyDeleteYes my given name was francis.
ReplyDeleteAs for what i was saying?
i posted because of your referencing 1John5:19.
Seems everyone reads, and then reads again, and again, and,,, yet there are few indeed who realize and testify that "the WHOLE world is under the control of the evil one"! That's the WHOLE World, not just a portion!
So it is that multitudes play what i call the "gevid(good and evil)" game. And all who play are losers ;-(
They compare one nation of this evil world to another nation of this evil world, and because one nation appears to be more "righteous" than the other to them, the lesser "evil" nation becomes their version of "good" ;-(
And so it is they do not abide in The Truth that testifies "the WHOLE world is under the control of the evil one" ;-(
The Testimonies make it quite clear why those who follow The Messiah were exhorted to "set their affections on things above(Heavenly things)" for their "citizenship(Life) is in Heaven".......
For "the god of this world" is 'd'evil, he who is "the father of lies", "the angel of light", "the author of confusion" and "every evil work".......
"Come out of her, MY people"!
Father Help! and HE does.......
ElderChild - HE does help. Thanks for your prayers.
ReplyDeleteSimply sad for all held captive by the religious systems of this world ;-(
ReplyDeleteFor they but serve 'time' in the prison that is this wicked, evil world ;-(
"Come Out of her, MY people"!
Father Help! and HE does.......
Hello ElderChild, I noticed you are a fan of Ishmael also. Now I see what you mean by reading the quotes you chose, and your signature. The her you are referring to in "Come Out of her, MY people" is mother culture?
ReplyDeleteAll religious systems are based on some belief or faith. They are all different, but have one common theme, a belief system. The story told by Ishmael is also a story, and reguires belief in it, which also makes it a religious system.
For me, the best way to break out of the prison mother culture has created is to put other's first. The New Testament lights the way out of this wicked world. Do you agree?
Good Day ZeroG,
ReplyDeleteNo, i am not a "fan" of, yet i did appreciate "ishmael" and i appreciate any and all writings that bear witness too the foolishness of mankind and their ongoing destruction of Creation(air, water, land, vegetation, creatures) and perversion of that which is Spirit(Truth, Light, Life, Love, Peace, Faith, Grace, Mercy, Wisdom,,,, ALL that is Truly GOOD).......
Of course such was prophesied some two thousand years ago.
The "her" in "Come Out of her, MY people" would be both this world(beast, babylon) and it's systems of religon(whore).
For those who would follow The Messiah are "in, yet not of, this wicked world". So it is that the brethren of The Messiah are but "aliens and pilgrims while on the earth" for their "citizenship(Life) is in Heaven".......
Yes, The New Testament reveals The Light that is The Messiah and exposes the darkness that is in and of this evil world. Yet only those who have received "the love of The Truth", truly "see" "The Light".
And Our Father, HE yet communes with HIS Children and continues to reveal that which is needful unto them.......
As for "some belief", there are many who profess a 'belief' in something. i would consider such to be of one's fleshly mind or desires("imag"ination").
Yet Faith is grounded in Substance(Experiencing The Messiah and The Power that raised Him from among the dead) and Evidence(for Miracles do happen).......
Father Help! and HE does.......