Thursday Dec 09, 2021

Episode 60: 1 John 4

Today's meditation is based on 1st John Chapter 4 from The Passion Translation

I am delightfully loved by God, and as his child, I have learned not to trust every spirit. But I carefully examine what they say to determine if they are of God. I know that many false prophets have mingled into the world. It's a simple test, really, those with the genuine Spirit of God confess Jesus as the Christ who has come in the flesh. If they do not acknowledge that Jesus is from God, they have the spirit of antichrist, which is already active in the world.

But of this I am certain, I belong to God and have conquered them, for the One who is living in me is far greater than the one who is in the world. They belong to this world and they articulate the spirit of this world, and the world listens to them. But I belong to God, and listen to those who speak from the genuine Spirit of God. That's how I can know the difference between the spirit of truth and the spirit of deceit.

I am loved by God, and I let his love continually pour from me to others, because God is love. I am fathered by God and experience an intimate knowledge of him. The one who doesn’t love has yet to know God, for God is love. The light of God’s love shined within me when he sent his matchless Son into the world so that I might live through him. This is love: He loved me long before I loved him. It was his love, not mine. And he proved it by sending his Son to be the pleasing sacrificial offering to take away my sins.

Because he loved me with such tremendous love, “loving others” is my way of life! No one has ever gazed upon the fullness of God’s splendor. But as I love others, God makes his permanent home in me, and I make my permanent home in him, and his love is brought to its full expression in me. And he has given me his Spirit within me so that I can have the assurance that he lives in me and that I live in him.

I can testify to the truth that Father God has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. I give thanks that Jesus is the Son of God. I live in God, and God lives in me. I have come into an intimate experience with God’s love, and I trust in the love he has for me.

God is love! Those who are living in love are living in God, and God lives through them. By living in God, love has been brought to its full expression in me so that I may fearlessly face the day of judgment, because all that Jesus now is, so am I in this world. Love never brings fear, for fear is always related to punishment. But love’s perfection drives the fear of punishment far from my heart. Whoever walks constantly afraid of punishment has not reached love’s perfection. My love for others is my grateful response to the love God first demonstrated to me.

Anyone can say, “I love God,” yet have hatred toward another believer. But this would make me a phoney. If I don't love a brother or sister, whom I an see, how could I truly love God, whom I cannot see? He gave me this command: Whoever loves God must also demonstrate love to others.

Episode 60: 1 John 4

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