1 John

Friday Oct. 16th I John 3- God's children

12:00 PM

 

Friday October 16th   

I John 3

Children of God!

 





Have you ever really stopped and thought about being a child of God?  We are loved by a faithful, loving heavenly Father, Who is intimately acquainted with us and we are part of His family. 

In Psalm 139 , He knit us together in our mothers’ womb.  He is intimately acquainted with all of our ways. There is no where we can go that He is not there.  I encourage you to go and read this psalm today and let it sink in who you really are as a child of God. 

See what an incredible quality of love the Father has shown to us, that we would [be permitted to] be named and called and counted the children of God!  And so we are!  For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.  :1 [Amp. Bible]

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We are born again.

John 3:16-For God so loved the world, that He gave His  only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

One of the primary benefits of becoming a Christian is that we also become part of God’s family.

 






Eph.4:4-6-There is one body [of believers] and one Spirit-just as you were called to one hope when called [to salvation]-one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God the Father of us all who is [sovereign] over all and  [working] through all and [living] in all.

As His children we practice righteousness in our lives. We are continually striving to live a consistently honorable life-in private as well as in public and to conform to His will.  We do not habitually practice sin.   We are set apart for His purpose and live to please Him.  As we spend time in His Word each day we get to know Him and to know who we are in Him.  We hide His word in our hearts so that we might not sin against Him. 

God does not come and go in our lives.  He carries on a permanent relationship with us because He is always there for us and in us.  We sense His presence primarily through the work of the Holy Spirit. As we abide in Christ, He nourishes us spiritually the same way a vine gives nourishment to its branches. [Amp Bible notes]

We are also warned about the schemes of the devil, who practices sin, separating himself from God. 

: 8 [Amp. Bible]

Practicing sinfulness- separating himself from God and offending Him by acts of disobedience, indifference, or rebellion is of the devil and takes his inner character and moral values from him, not God for the devil has sinned and violated God’s law from the beginning. 

The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.

Some warning signs to look for:

Disobedience

Indifference,

Rebellion,

Not seeking His will in thought, action and purpose.

The evil one is crafty and sly wanting to destroy and kill and we need to be on our guard esp. during these difficult days we are living in.  Don’t let the tactics of the devil deter you from walking with the Lord. 

Remember the Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.

Are we spending time in His Word daily?  Do we run to Him for everything and I mean everything?  Does He has first place in our lives?  What do you practice day in and day out of our lives?

Fight the good fight of faith and stand firm in His armor and let us encourage one another from His Word.   

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.  II Cor. 13:14

Lyn

 


a Child of God

A Child of God (Galatians 4)

12:30 PM



 For Thursday, March 12: Galatians 4

“But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.” (4:4-5)

When I read these verses, I think about an orphanage where little children wait expectantly for their circumstances to change. Although they are provided food, water, shelter and clothing, they long for more. They want to be chosen, they want to feel valued, considered love worthy, and to be given a life with a special family. They dream about and long for their “adoption day”!  
Being “under the Law” was similar to being in an orphanage, waiting expectantly for the One who would be our Messiah to come and save us from our current circumstances. That Messiah would be Jesus, sent by God, because He wanted to choose us and give us the special love and acceptance we dreamed of and longed for. 
The Law was a reminder that man was alone and separated from God by sin. There was no way that man could change that situation. He couldn’t earn his acceptance. He couldn’t change who he was. But, He didn’t have to. God, decided to extend his love and acceptance and adopt man, calling him a son, and giving him everything his own son had been given. 

“ And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” (4:6-7)

What an amazing privilege to be called “ a child of God”. We get to have a personal relationship with God. It’s so personal that we get to call him “Abba” which is the same as “ Father”, or “ Daddy”. It’s so personal that His very Spirit indwells our hearts to empower us, teach us, and communicate His Will and desires for us. And that’s not all for we are also given an inheritance. This inheritance means we have eternal blessing and privilege. There is no greater gift that we could be granted than to spend eternity basking in the love and acceptance of our Heavenly Father. 

Are you still stuck in the orphanage of separation and loneliness, longing for something more? Have you had the joy of an “ Adoption Day” and the privilege of being accepted by God into the family of spiritual believers. And, if you are a “child of God”, are you valuing and cherishing the intimacy of that Father- child relationship He wants to have with you? 


Who am I that the highest King
Would welcome me
I was lost but He brought me in
Oh His love for me

Who the Son sets free
Oh is free indeed
I'm a child of God
Yes I am

Free at last He has ransomed me
His grace runs deep
While I was a slave to sin
Jesus died for me
Yes He died for me

Who the Son sets free
Oh is free indeed
I'm a child of God
Yes I am
In my Father's house
There's a place for me
I'm a child of God
Yes I am

I am chosen, not forsaken
I am who You say I am
You are for me, not against me
I am who You say I am
I am chosen, not forsaken
I am who You say I am
You are for me, not against me
I am who You say I am
I am who You say I am