Wednesday December 28, 2022

Wednesday – December 28th – 1 John 2:9-11     -----      
 
2:9) If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is still living in darkness.
10) Anyone who loves a fellow believer is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble.
11) But anyone who hates a fellow believer is still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by the darkness.
 
The Daily Walk Bible inspirational thought for today:
     WHERE THERE IS NO FAITH IN THE FUTURE, THERE IS NO POWER IN THE PRESENT.*

     Welcome to Wednesday and our final mid-week check in for 2022. What a great opportunity to reflect on all of the past fifty-two Wednesday’s and all we have anticipated, endured, or achieved for the Kingdom of Heaven. On multiple scales of 1-100 how would you evaluate your spiritual growth in 2022, what about the amount of fruit you helped produce for the Kingdom, where would you rate your seizing opportunities to witness, serve, and express generosity? The end of the year provides time to reflect on the past and time to plan for the future. I hope you are excited about SunRise 2023 as I am. God is way ahead of us working into the plans He has for us!

     In our pick verses today, John continues his teaching about walking in the light of Jesus. The mark of the person who lives in the light of the gospel message is expressed in and through their love for others. While love enables God’s people not to stumble into sin, unchecked hate can so blind a person that all of their life becomes a stumbling block to true peace and contentment. Is John saying that if you dislike someone you are not a Christian? These verses are not talking about disliking a disagreeable fellow Christian. There will always be people we will not like as well as we do others. John’s words focus on the attitude that causes us to ignore or despise others, to treat them as irritants, competitors, or enemies. Christian love is not a feeling but a choice. We can choose to be concerned with people’s well-being and treat them with respect, whether or not we feel affection toward them. If we choose to love others as God has loved us, God will help us express our Christian love to even those who are a challenge to us.

Blessings
   Pastor Jim
Thursday – December 29th – 1 John 2:12-14

*The Daily Walk Bible NLT: Explore God's Path to Life (p. 4537). Tyndale House Publishers. Kindle Edition.

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