1 John. .week 1. .Discussion

Hello Friends!!

Hope you are all enjoying your first week in 1 John. .

 

Today, I wanted to share what has spoken to my heart so far this 1st week out of 1 John. .

I also wanted to share a little excerpt on John from one of the study bibles that we have here at the house. . 

The letter of 1 John was written by John, one of Jesus’ original 12 disciples. He was probably “the disciple Jesus loved” (John 21:20), and along with Peter and James (Johns brother), he had a special relationship with Jesus. This letter was probably written between AD 85 and 90 from Ephesus (like where the Ephesians lived) before John’s exile to the island of Patmos (Rev 1:9. .this island was where he was given the REVELATION from GOD dealing with the end times). Jerusalem had been destroyed in AD 70 and Christians were scattered throughout the empire. By the time John wrote this letter, Christianity had been around for more than a generation. It had faced and survived severe persecution. The main problem confronting the church at this time was declining commitment (sound familiar with our culture today?) Many believers were conforming to the WORLD’S standards, failing to stand up for Christ, and compromising their faith. False teachers were plentiful, and they were accelerating the church’s downward slide AWAY from the Christian faith. John wrote this letter to put believers back on track, to show the difference between LIGHT and DARKNESS (or truth and error), and to encourage the church to grow in genuine love for God AND one another. He also wrote to assure true believers that they possessed eternal life and to help them know that their faith was genuine-so they could enjoy all the benefits of being God’s children.  (commentary from Chronological Life application study bible NLT translation. .with a couple little added parts courtesy of me)

Some fast facts. .

These books of Johns weren’t addressed to their audience the way Paul did in his writings. .

scholars believe that he was writing to several congregations that he had served throughout the region (which is modern day Turkey).  He wrote the letter to be read TO the churches so everyone knew what he wanted to say. .

because he never told the audience who he was, it was assumed that the churches were so familiar with him that he didn’t need to tell them it was John. .

especially since the one that delivered the letter would have told them. John was quite an old man by this time. He was believed to be the ONLY apostle who died of old age instead of being martyred for his faith (except Judas Iscariot, who ultimately hung himself after betraying Jesus).

For the last 10 years or more, I have read the New Living Translation. .

Jeremy bought one for me after I had tried to read a more original version that I didn’t understand at all. That original bible is all marked up. .

and this summer I decided it was time to try a new version. .

I had bought an English Standard Version study bible last winter on clearance for a great price and thought someone in our house might use it sometime. .

It is closer to the original language, but it is harder to understand. .

 

That’s what I have been reading this week. .

I am a highlighting, underlining, box or circle drawing, star making, scribble in the margin kind of reader. .

so after I had read the book a couple times. .

I went back and looked at the scriptures that I had underlined and starred. .

and thought that I would share those with you this week. .

Rest assured. .

there are only 4!

Verse 2:5-6 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is PERFECTED

(I LOVE that. .God is perfectING us. .we are not, nor ever will be perfect. .EVER. .it’s a process).

By this we may know that we are IN HIM: whoever says he ABIDES in him ought to walk in the SAME WAY in which HE walked.  (emphasis mine)         

My interesting correlation that I spoke of earlier this week stemmed from the word abide in this verse. .

I will offer a longer monologue on that concept later. .

(in the translation I read last night, the word was fellowship rather than abide)

My bible used the word abide some 13 times in the 5 chapters. .

important??

What hit me about this verse, was the fact that. .

if we are claiming to be OF Jesus. .

part of Him and His family. .

we OUGHT to be walking like He did. .

striving to PERFECT the characteristics that HE possessed. .

humility, honesty, loving etc. And the "perfected" word, reminded me that even though we OUGHT to be walking like Jesus. .

we still won’t get it perfect. .

but we should be setting our goal on that. .

and we’ll NEVER get there with the pitiful way WE try as humans. .

but GOD will perfect us to walk like He did if we ask Him/let Him/ABIDE in Him. .

Along the same line 3:9 speaks similarly No one born OF God makes a PRACTICE of sinning, for God’s seed (Jesus) abides in him, and he CANNOT (C-A-N-N-O-T) keep on sinning because he has been born of GOD!!

Awesome, huh??

Probably my favorite verse of the week is 3:18

Little children, let us not love in WORD or TALK BUT in deed and truth. .

I think it is easy for us to SAY we love people. .

but our actions. .

or maybe our LACK of actions. .

tell a different story. .

God is telling us to put our money where our mouth is!! We also need to be aware. .

that we can tell others and ourselves one thing. .

All. Day. Long. .

but at the END of the day. .

God KNOWS our hearts. .

He KNOWS whether we are all talk. .

or not.

Finally. .

4:4 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. .

It is always a well needed reminder. .

that no matter who does what to me. .

or what I do to myself with lies I let myself believe. .

God WINS. .

on the last day. .

the day that is THE most important. .

God WINS. .

and as a child of Him. .

so do I!!

 Most of the book of Revelation is spent telling us how God defeats “he who is in the world” Satan!! Our job?. .

confess our role as sinner. .

and hand over our WHOLE life to Jesus. .

learning how to ABIDE in Him. .

He does the rest. .

In fact, we can NOT do it for ourselves. .

he MUST do it and WILL do it!!

We may not be without hardship, loneliness, troubles, sickness. .

but He does spend a lot of time reminding us through His Word, that He will hold onto us. .

and hold us UP!!

FRIENDS. .

we have to TRUST in that!!

So. .

there ya go. .

that was where it was at for me this week. .

Am, hoping that someone will share their hearts from their reading this week. .

I would also be interested in knowing what translation of bible you use regularly. .

and whether you have a bible with study notes at the bottom, or little biblical “things to think about” sections within it’s pages. .

sometimes that helps to understand things. .

but always remember, those notes are someone’s interpretation. .

not from Jesus! Sometimes reading from a different translation will help. .

 

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts, discussions, and scriptures and how they impacted you this week!!

 

Talk soon!!

Melanie

 



Fast Fact Wednesday

Good morning. .

Hope you are already being intrigued by what the apostle John is bringing to our attention through his divinely inspired writing. .

A few more items of housekeeping. .

You can expect to find posts to the blog 3 times a week. .

 

Monday will include the goal of the week through the readings. .

Wednesday will include some "extras". .

 

extra notes, sometimes extra scriptures to check out, and once in a while a visit to youtube to view a great Christian song. .

Wednesday will also be a little special. .

because it will include a "fast fact" about yourself. .

If you are doing the study online. .

just add your comment on. .

It's actually been a fun thing for the email group. .

and we've learned a lot about who each one of us really is!!

 

Fridays will include the "what have I learned this week" response time. .

I hope you choose to respond without inhibition at that time. .

It may be easier to type your response in a Word doc or even just an email draft. .

And copy and paste it into the comment section. .

If you are doing this on your own rather than publically. .

Be SURE you answer the questions for yourself in a notebook. .

I would say that the ladies that just finished this study via email. .

Learned as much as they typed their thoughts. .

just by acknowledging the answers and seeing what they wrote. .

 

So here's our food for thought for the day. .

For those of you that know me WELL. .

You will not be surprised to hear me say that my mind is BUSY. .

I don’t mean just busy from life. .

but busy. .

always working. .

ALWAYS!!

And I find it easy to get distracted. .

or find my mind has wandered. .

sometimes I don’t even realize that it had gone away. .

If you find that occurring with you as you read your bible. .

one thing that has helped me TREMENDOUSLY is to read it aloud softly to myself. .

When I can hear it and see it at the same time, my learning is usually enhanced! If you are not in the habit of reading regularly (and sometimes I think that when I am on the brink of reading something really important to ME) Satan tends to start sending monkey wrenches to me. .

phone calls, kids that get up a million times to bother, someone that didn’t turn the volume down on the computer and I heard my “got mail” ding,  interruptions, etc. .

Know it will happen. .

Expect it to happen. .

and be ready to persevere DESPITE them!!

Satan doesn't want you to spend time learning God's word. .

So HE will be strong at work to frustrate you, confuse you, and discombobulate you!!
Hang in there! 

I am also encouraging you to get a notebook handy. .
I think you will benefit greatly from that. .
In a week or so when I am encouraging you to make some lists and read the scripture looking for certain aspects within it, you will REALLY want that. .
But even as I read the first night. .
I found myself digging for one. .
and writing on it my favorite few verses. .
the ones that really hit my heart this week (that is actually our “assignment” for this week) and I will write about those later in the week, as I want you to do also. .
BUT. .
I also found myself listing a section that was titled “further study.” There are 3 passages listed on it that I just flat don’t understand. .
I will seek over the month to do some online studying. .
thru scholars, thru other translations, thru cross referencing with my study bibles. .
I encourage you to list out the areas that are just like “what????” to your mind/heart. If I feel like I get a grip on mine, I may bring those to the table. .
I also realize that only in TIME will the Spirit help my understanding. .
and if I just can’t get it. .
I won’t despair. .
I will put it off until God’s time is right.

 

I also listed a few things that I picked up through the chapter that I found just cool. .
for instance. .
John is sooo sweet!!
Note that he calls the audience he is writing to (and us ultimately)
 Little children. .
children. .
and beloved. .
He LOOOOVVVVVEEEEES those people. .
and uses their names. .
beloved. .
to show their importance to him, John. .
He is being so TENDER to them. .
How do we talk to those that we really love and really want to understand. .
or maybe those that we feel sorry for because they just aren’t getting it. .
honey, sweetie. .
sort of soft spoken, in their face with tenderness in our eyes. .
maybe a hand on their shoulder or patting their arm. .
you get my drift. .

 

And finally. .
I am praying for you all. .
and what God will reveal to you each through your commitment to study His word and apply Him in your lives. .
BUT. .
I also have been praying for ME. .
each time I begin to read the passages (and I encourage you to pray for wisdom and understanding each time you read it to). .
My prayer has been. .
God. .
Please show me how I can lead these people through your word. .
show me what YOU want pointed out and discussed. .
and would you believe (I am always a little ashamed to admit when I am surprised that He answered) that by the 2nd chapter. .
God was already putting a theme on my heart. .
that I SWEAR I hadn’t noticed the day before!!
 I’m pretty excited about that. .
But you will have to wait a few more days to hear it. .
because I DON’T want you to miss what God has for YOU. .
because you  are focused on what He was saying to ME!! I believe that the theme He was pointing out to me NEEDS to be highlighted later so you can wrestle through that with God yourself in the next few weeks!!

My point is this. .
I asked God for direction. .
He provided it. .
Don’t just read it to fulfill your daily duty. .
ask God to speak to you THRU it. .
I’ll say. .
I’ve done it both ways. .
just last week to be exact. .
It ALWAYS works out best for me when I come to God, without distractions, seeking to find. .
not just seeking to DO. .
there IS a difference. .
and I’m going to guess, that each of us will still have those days this month. .
when God speaks because our hearts are ON. .
and when we just read the same sentence 14 times because our head and our heart. .
is flat out somewhere else that moment! Don’t get discouraged. .
come back the next day ready to go. .
and if you CAN’T get yourself quieted enough to get into it. .
Ask God in EXPECTANCE that He will quiet you. .
He will, even if it is at 3 in the morning!!

 

I want you to know I am PUMPED!!
I’ll admit. .
that after having contacted some people. .
and had some commitment back. .
I had some fleeting thoughts like. .
Yikes, what have I done?? (this happened both with the email study as well as this blog study!)
 I have to tell you. .
that I learned a while ago. .
that as God puts something in my head. .
and then He is gracious enough to form the plan in my head, even if over the course of a day (as this study developed) I jump ON it. .
because if I don’t. .
I will quickly be able to completely STIFLE His voice of direction right on OUT of my head!! I have missed a LOT of opportunities over the years because I didn’t move when God said MOVE or speak when God said SPEAK!! I assure you that it was only my human fear. .
and the thoughts were truly fleeting. .
I am not scared of this. .
because God is in control of this group and where we are headed. .
and as I had my glimpse of what He is going to do in MY life through this. .
I am READY for the ride!! By now you might think that I am just plain CRAZY. .
but I hope you shortly find yourself JUST as excited as I am to dig in!!

 

I am praying for a BLESSED week to you all in His living. .
and life-giving word. .

SOOO. .
Fast fact for the day. .
With the change of seasons upon us soon. .
What is YOUR favorite season. .
And why??

I'm a fall kinda girl. .

I love the cool, crisp mornings. .

the fall colors. .

the promise of holidays. .

and sweaters!!

 

Your turn. .

GOOO!