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Jude - Bless who?

"God bless you." If we were raised in the American culture, it is something that we automatically say when another person sneezes in our presence. But why? Do we really expect God to bless them? I like what comedian Brad Stein had to say about sneezing. It was something to the effect of, "A person just blew germs all over you and you ask God to bless them? I think that if someone yawns in your presence you should say it. After all, they just sucked in a large quantity of air that was near you, and it containing germs." What he is saying is that we are verbally giving a blessing to those that are potentially harming us. Mr. Stein says that instead, we should be blessing those that help us. Makes sense doesn't it?

Jude 21 Live in such a way that God's love can bless you as you wait for the eternal life that our Lord Jesus Christ in his mercy is going to give you.

Just like us not blessing a germ factory, God will not bless us if we are not living according to His standards. If you want blessings, do good.

Bless you. Jan
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3 John - To be continued...

My bride and I watch very little television. In fact almost none. However, there are two shows that we watch on a regular basis when they are in season - Stargate SG1 and Stargate Atlantis. They are well produced sci-fi dramas that manage to keep the plot fresh and interesting despite being on the air for many seasons. Occasionally there are shows that end with, "To be continued...". You can almost hear the collective groan when we see those words on the screen. If it is mid-season we will have to wait an entire week to see the outcome. However, if it is the season finale, we must wait months! How frustrating is that?!

I have always had a bit of frustration with the Apostle John for the very same reason. He left us with two unfinished episodes.

3 John 13-14 I have much to tell you, but I don't want to do it in a letter. For I hope to see you soon, and then we will talk face to face.

2 John 12 Well, I have much more to say to you, but I don't want to say it in a letter. For I hope to visit you soon and to talk with you face to face. Then our joy will be complete.

John, you're killing us here! We aren't waiting months, we must wait our entire lives to find out the results of your, "To be continued..." writings.

In the same way that popular shows can live on nearly forever if they are, "To be continued...", our lives are to be continued. This is only the first season. We have an eternity of seasons to go. What will yours look like?

Thank You Father that if we are Christians we will eventually see the continuation. In Jesus' name, Amen.

To be continued... Jan
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 2 John - Circular Logic

The following is a quote from Wikipedia.

It is important to note that circular-logic arguments are logically valid. That is, the conclusion does in fact follow from the premises, since it is in some way identical to the premises. All circular arguments have this characteristic: the proposition to be proved is assumed at some point in the argument.

Let's look at an example from John.

2 John 5-6 ...we should love one another. This is not a new commandment, but one we had from the beginning. Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning.

Love one another - a commandment. Obey commandments is to love. We are commanded to love.

Thank You Heavenly Father that loving You and others is something that we can do by following the example of Your Son Jesus. He loved us even when we didn't even know Him. If He could do that for us, we can certainly love those that we do know. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Obey, Love, Jan
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1 John 5 - Confident Knowledge

Math has a tendency to paralyze me. As a teenager I would freeze up in middle school when taking tests. The reason was because I had never memorized the multiplication table. My only saving grace in high school and college was algebra and geometry. You see, these are abstract concepts, and we were allowed to use calculators for any actual mathematical work. For some reason my brain just does not want to learn how to properly deal with calculating real numbers. As a result of not having memorized the multiplication table, I have very little confidence when dealing with math. But, thank God for calculators! They are never wrong and I can trust their answer.

In the same way that a calculator is always true, I can trust God to always be true. Whatever He says is fact.

1 John 5:9a, 11a, 13-14 Since we believe human testimony, surely we can believe the testimony that comes from God... And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life...  I write this to you who believe in the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. And we can be confident that he will listen to us whenever we ask him for anything in line with his will.

John clearly says that God is trustworthy, and since He has said that we have eternal life, we can believe it. Not only that, but we can be confident that God will listen to our requests.

Because a calculator is always correct, I use one so that I can have a confident knowledge that my answers are correct. Because God never lies, John wrote his letter so that we can have a confident knowledge that God has given us eternal life.

Thank You Father for the gift of eternal life. Likewise thank You for Charles Babbage. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Eternal life, you can count on it! Jan

p.s. Charles Babbage invented the first successful mechanical calculator (difference engine). Although not built in his lifetime, one was built to his specifications (using 19th century tolerances and technology, to be authentic) in about 1991. It weighed in excess of 15 tons and had over 25,000 moving parts. It functioned perfectly and computed numbers to 31 digits.
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1 John 4 - Abolition of Fear

There are many people that live in fear. You can see it on their faces. Life has beat them down so many times that they are even afraid to look up. But that isn't how we are supposed to live. Jesus came to proclaim liberty to the captive!

1 John 4:17-19 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we are like Christ here in this world. Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of judgment, and this shows that his love has not been perfected in us. We love each other as a result of his loving us first.

As we continue in our Christian walk we should get to know God more and more. The result of that is that we understand His love for us. When we get it, when we understand, then we do not need to live in fear of judgment.

Thank You Father that You grant us Your love so that we in turn can love others. Thank You that the result of that is the abolition of fear. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Live in grace, not fear. Jan
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1 John 3 - Actions

"Actions speak louder than words", it is an age old adage, but it is so true. John describes it below.

1 John 3:18-20 Dear children, let us stop just saying we love each other; let us really show it by our actions. It is by our actions that we know we are living in the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before the Lord, even if our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.

What I find of particular interest is that John says that even if we don't feel justified, God knows what is truly in our hearts. It seems to me that he is saying that what we do is much more important that how we feel or what we think about it.

Lord, may my actions be in line with my words. May my actions more often than not substitute for words. In Jesus' name, Amen.

In the words of St. Francis, "Preach always, use words only when necessary."

Peace, Jan
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1 John 2 - God's Commandment

How does someone know if they belong to God?

1 John 2:3-4 And how can we be sure that we belong to him? By obeying his commandments. If someone says, "I belong to God," but doesn't obey God's commandments, that person is a liar and does not live in the truth.

Ok, so we are to obey God's commandments. Otherwise we are lying to ourselves. So do we know if John is writing about any specific commandments?

1 John 2:7-8 Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment, for it is an old one you have always had, right from the beginning. This commandment to love one another is the same message you heard before. Yet it is also new. This commandment is true in Christ and is true among you, because the darkness is disappearing and the true light is already shining.

John is showing in the verses above that if we love one another we are following God's commandment. Does John say any more about this?

1 John 2:11 Anyone who hates a Christian brother or sister is living and walking in darkness. Such a person is lost, having been blinded by the darkness.

The verse above is pretty powerful. If we hate another Christian, we are walking in darkness and are lost.

Heavenly Father, please give me the grace to love those that rub me the wrong way. Please keep me in Your love. In Jesus' name, Amen

Love the unlovable. Jan
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1 John 1 - We Saw It

Today I started my first day as a juror. Not much has changed in legal proceedings since the beginning of recorded justice. There are two opposing sides. There is a judge, sometimes there is a jury. Nearly always there are witnesses and evidence. I see that being described here today.

1 John 1:1-3 The one who existed from the beginning is the one we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is Jesus Christ, the Word of life. This one who is life from God was shown to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and announce to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was shown to us. We are telling you about what we ourselves have actually seen and heard, so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

John is clearly saying to his readers that he is living evidence or proof that Jesus is who He claimed to be, for he was there. He himself saw, heard, and touched Jesus. Just look at all of the italicized words! John is not a mere historian, he is a witness.

Thank You Father for the testimony of John. Thank You that because of men like John we can have fellowship with You. May I also be willing to tell others about what I've seen, heard and touched. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Be a witness. Jan
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