1 John 4
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.
4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them,
for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
5 They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us.
By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.
8 Anyone who does not love does not know God,
because God is love.
9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.
15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.
21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.
This morning I woke up and was very busy. I wanted breakfast and thought of many breakfasts, fast, sleepy, unaware - with people I love. Some are asleep in the Lord, some are Home with the Lord. Some I spoke with today at home and on the phone.
We moved 2,000 lbs of rocks and 800 lbs of dirt on a project for the yard and this will create a flower bed and better drainage in the back yard. Hard day? I Love to Garden and this was pure Joy. I surely bought small flowers and herbs living in the sub-tropics and seeing spring emerge on the new-leaf green tress.
I gathered my family and we headed out to arrive at a crowded restaurant - bone deep tired and hungry - this would not do. We traveled on to quieter Crisp - where they had their weekend Brunch going. Perfect. I was as happy as Bilbo Baggins, Hobbit before Long Lake arrival. Food has never tasted as good as anticipated and surprised with Joy and accompanied by Love.
View from John's residence, Patmos, Greece.
What we want to come Home to. The Scriptures tell us of our destination. Father of The House. Father God's Kingdom.
Quite a view.
John, the Beloved Disciple had lived seeing Jesus. Infused, soaked, satiated with the ability and loving understanding to stay with Jesus. Remain with Jesus. Placed by Jesus to care for the only woman to take a group up - several times, in the life of Jesus - to save the life of Jesus.
When we see John's view of Jesus - we have - an eyewitness of God. God's witness. John survived seeing evil kill God's Son. He has a real understanding of evil. Better by far - John begins with Genesis - the Light of the World. Incredibly complex beginning to place the Light of the World feet on the ground. To the 21st Chapter - amazing feet on the ground becoming the Fulfillment of God's Word.
John can take a complex story and make Solomon's Hubble Cloud in the Temple alive and seem as if we can see Jesus this day.
When we read John, we see Jesus. Merciful. Good. Where we want to be. God's Love. And in the warmth of God's love, we want more.
Blessed Father,
Bringing us Jesus - to be able to see You.
Let us have more of God.
Jesus our Wonder, Joy, Love and Savior. Amen.
♔ Lord Jesus Saves †
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