1 John 3:11-24, 4:1-21
Love One Another
11 For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12 We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
19 By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; 20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.
Chapter 4
Test the Spirits
1 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.
God Is Love
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.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Dear Heavenly Father,
We know that God is love because you first showed us what true love is by sending your son Jesus . So whoever believes in him will have love and be loving. Only those who love God will hear him and will strive to please him. One of the first memories of my childhood was learning that God is Love and singing “Love Him , Love Him all you little children God is love,God is love “. I still sing that to my little school children that I teach . May we all endeavor to show God’s love. Amen.
God is love so may we strive to love one another because JESUS was our example. Praise the LORD for his love and kindness to us while we were yet sinners. Love our enemies and those that do evil against us because they will receive a crown of righteousness if saved. God has a plan.
I will love others well.
I BELIEVE!!
O God, defend your cause.
As the devil roams seeking whom to kill,
He and his minions seek to destroy your people,
And to steal the joy from those that serve you.
May we return love for the hate they pour out.
Empower us to stand against the onslaught.
O LORD, may your light of love shine in us today
Leading lost souls to the throne room.
Thank you, Father, for loving me.
Amen.
Thank You, Lord, for first loving us and giving Your only Son to fully pay for our sin and give us Your very life, our new life, making us Your children. Your life and Your love in us enable us to love others and to obey Your word, giving assurance and joy that we are truly Yours, as we pour ourselves out to share Your love and serve others and meet needs. May we so live out Your truth and love that You are clearly seen and known and glorified, Lord.
Lord Jesus thank you for loving me a sinner. May I show others the love You have for them also. If not me then who will show love to the unlovable. Thank you Lord Amen.
If you can see the invisible, you can do the impossible because greater is HE that is in you. (4:4).
“We love because He first loved us.” Thank you Lord for loving me & dying for me. In Jesus Name, Amen.