Do you know the Truth? In His Word
1-21-19
The day
is so beautiful! We have sunshine on a day off from work here in America. It
would be so easy to try to get everything done today and forget to give God
some time. There are weeds to pull, dishes to wash, and laundry to get caught
up on. If you are working today you have Monday madness to work on and piles of
files to get through. Stop for a moment and get in His Word today!
Do not
love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the
love of the Father is not in him.
For all
that is in the world—the lust
of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the
Father but is of the world. And the world is passing
away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
Dear
children, the last hour is here. You have heard that the Antichrist is coming,
and already many such antichrists have appeared. From this we know that the
last hour has come. 19 These people left our churches, but they never really
belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left, it
proved that they did not belong with us. But you are not like that, for
the Holy One has given you his Spirit, and all of you know the truth.
So I am writing to you not
because you don’t know the truth but because you know the difference between
truth and lies. 1 John 2:16-20
When
we forget to spend some time in God’s presence and in His Word we do just that.
We get in the mind focus of the world, its heaviness can come down on us an our
thinking can be distracted easier. Sometimes we can even get fuzzy thinking and
not realize we are listening to lies. We need to keep in connection with God
daily and consistently; though He is with us wherever we go our focus is
clearer when we keep our mind on Him.
Remember?
He will keep in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Him? Isaiah 26:3
ho is a
liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who
denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father
either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also. Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from
the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you
also will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that He
has promised us—eternal life. 1 John 2:22-26
It is
all pretty much summed up in this last set of scriptures in 1 John 2; the Holy
Spirit within us will show us what is to be learned, what is important and what
to avoid. Rather who to avoid that could draw us into a scam, or a lie. Stay
connected with Christ, and other believers; fellowship and love one another. He
will reveal the truth, and your spirit connection to the Lord God will help you
know who is telling lies and who is carrying the Truth within them. I mean just thinking about the people we have
preying on the innocent and unwary people out there today can cause some
consternation. We don’t need to worry though, as Christians we have the Holy
Spirit as our guide. He will show us the truth from lies, and direct us and
keep us in peacefulness even in the middle of a crisis. Just stay alert in the
Truth, the Word of God. Hide it in your heart that you will not get fuzzy
thinking and lead into sin.
I am writing these things to
warn you about those who want to lead you astray. But you
have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need
anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you
need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has
taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ. And now, dear children, remain
in fellowship with Christ so that when he returns, you will be full of courage
and not shrink back from him in shame. Since we know that Christ is righteous, we also know that
all who do what is right are God’s children. 1 John 2:26-29
Know God? Know peace! I have seen this on a bumper sticker,
you probably have too. As we get to know Him more and more the peace will flow
over us and through us and we will find more and more often that we do not
worry or feel anxious.
Focus on the Positive Influence in your life! Jesus is that
Positive Influence via the Word and the Holy Spirit.
Dear Heavenly Father, help us to keep our mind on your by
staying in the Word consistently. Bless us in all we put our hearts, minds and
hands to today. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Suggested reading: 1 John 1: 1- 10, 1 John 2: 1-29, 1 John
3:1-24, and 1 John 4:1-21