Podcasts about apostle john

Jesus Followers Should Fear, Respect, and Praise God's Power, Sovereignty, and Holiness; but in Life's Trials They Should “fear not for I {Jesus} am with you always” MESSAGE SUMMARY: You should fear, respect, and praise God's power, Sovereignty, and Holiness; but, as a Jesus Follower, you should “fear not” in life's trials and tribulations or at your time of judgment. As David's praise tells us in Psalms 103:13: “As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.”. David models again and again, in Psalms, how we should praise God. For example, in Psalms 146, David says: "Put not your trust in Princes; Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, Oh my soul!". When we are wondering how to praise the Lord, we can read one of David's Psalms to God like David's praises to the Lord in Psalms 112:1-2: “Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.". Also, we learn in Proverbs 1:7, the “fear of the Lord” and “wisdom” are closely linked: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.". These verses from the Old Testament point to the fear, respect, and praise that God warrants and demands from His power, sovereignty, and Holiness. On the other hand, as we see when the Apostle John quotes Jesus from Revelation 1:17-18, when Jesus, in all His power and Glory, reassures us of God's Grace and His plan for working out the Salvation and Eternal Life for all those that have accepted Jesus as their Savior: “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, ‘Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.'”.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, Sabbath rest is truly an unbelievable gift! Thank you that there is nothing I can do to earn your love; it comes without any strings attached. As I close my eyes for these few minutes before you, all I can say is, thank you! In Jesus' name, amen.  Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 133). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM A CHILD OF GOD. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. John 1:12f SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Revelation 1:17-18; Psalms 118:1-20; Proverbs 1:7; Psalms 73a:1-14. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “A Word from the Cross” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/    DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

In this carefully crafted text, the inspired Apostle John lays out very clearly some powerful truths about Christ - namely that Jesus is God.

Get the notes!Understanding the Foundations: An Introduction to 1 JohnAs we begin a new journey through the First Epistle of John, we must first lay a firm foundation. Before diving into a verse-by-verse exegesis, it is vital to understand the “why” and “who” behind this powerful letter. In our latest teaching at Let's Talk Scripture, we explore the apostolic authority of John and the urgent historical context that prompted this writing.The Apostle of Love and TruthThe evidence for the Apostle John's authorship is overwhelming. From the linguistic parallels with the Fourth Gospel to the intimate, eyewitness perspective of the “Word made flesh,” this epistle carries the weight of one who personally leaned on the breast of Jesus. John doesn't just teach theology; he testifies to what his own hands have handled.Combatting the Spirit of AntichristThe primary battleground of 1 John is the defense of the Incarnation. In the first century, a heresy known as Docetism (an early form of Gnosticism) began to infiltrate the church. These teachers claimed that because matter is evil, Jesus could not have possessed a physical body.John's response is definitive: If Jesus did not have a physical body, He could not die. If He did not die, our sins are not paid for. The physical death of Christ was “absolutely necessary and critical” to satisfy the wrath of God against sin.A Circular Journey of FaithUnlike a linear argument, 1 John is circular. It repeatedly returns to three foundational pillars:Truth: Maintaining a correct Christology (Jesus is God in the flesh).Love: The essential requirement of loving the brethren as a mark of true faith.Fellowship: Walking in the light by acknowledging our sin and relying on the Spirit.New Release: 1 John Comprehensive Lesson PackageTo help you, your small group, or your congregation dive deeper into these truths, we have released a complete 1 John Study Package. This resource is formatted for professional publication and is ready for immediate use in any teaching environment.What's Inside the Package?Publication-Style Outline: A comprehensive, numbered breakdown of the entire introductory lesson.Complete Bible Study Lesson: A detailed teaching manuscript following the NASB 1995 Updated Edition. Teacher &  Student Guides: Tailored resources with discussion prompts, key Greek terms, and reflection questions. Interactive Quiz &  Answer Sheet: A 10-question assessment with full theological explanations for every answer.Video Integration Notes: This entire package is meticulously timestamped to our “Introduction to 1 John” video, making it an ideal companion for digital learning or classroom settings.[Download the Complete 1 John Lesson Package Here]Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/lets-talk-scripture/donations

The Dismantling of the Religious Self Four Lenten Reflections on Delusion, Abandonment, and the Life That Remains in God “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” John 12:24 Second Reflection The Violence We Call Righteousness On the Ego That Survives Inside Virtue “They being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” Romans 10:3 When the man sees that fulfillment cannot be found in religious life itself, he turns toward righteousness. He disciplines himself. He purifies his conduct. He restrains his passions. He orders his thoughts. He seeks purity. Outwardly, transformation occurs. Inwardly, something remains untouched. The ego survives. It survives inside virtue. St. John Climacus writes that vainglory completes every virtue the man performs. It attaches itself to fasting. It attaches itself to prayer. It attaches itself to obedience.
 It whispers: This is yours. Virtue becomes possession. The man begins to live from righteousness. He experiences himself as stable because he is righteous. He trusts his righteousness. This trust separates him from God. Because union with God requires the loss of trust in oneself as source of life. The Pharisee stands before God and speaks truth. He fasts. He obeys. He lives faithfully. And remains separate. Because he still exists as the center of his own existence. The tax collector possesses nothing. He cannot lift his eyes. He does not trust himself. Christ says he goes home justified. Because justification belongs to the man who has nothing left to preserve. St. Isaac says that until the soul despairs of itself, it cannot rest in God. Not emotional despair. Ontological despair. The knowledge that one does not possess life. Righteousness that preserves the ego prevents union. Because union requires death. Not moral improvement. Death. The man must lose the self that lives apart from God. Virtue cannot substitute for this death. Virtue can conceal it. The ego can survive indefinitely inside righteousness. And remain alone. ⸻ This is the most dangerous stage of the spiritual life. Because sin is obvious. But righteousness can conceal separation. The sinful man knows he is sick. The righteous man believes he is alive. Christ said to the church of Laodicea, “You say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not knowing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.” Revelation 3:17 This is not addressed to pagans. This is addressed to believers. To those who have acquired religious identity. To those who possess righteousness and draw life from it. They do not feel their need. They do not cry out. They do not seek life because they believe they possess it. This is why Christ says, “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Luke 5:32 Not because the righteous do not need Him. But because those who believe themselves righteous cannot receive Him. They are full. And God only fills the empty. St. Sophrony writes that the greatest tragedy is when man begins to live from himself rather than from God. Even if this life is clothed in virtue, it remains separation. It remains death. Virtue can purify behavior without destroying autonomy. It can cleanse the exterior while leaving the center untouched. Christ speaks with terrifying clarity about this. “You clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self indulgence.” Matthew 23:25 The outside can be purified. The inside can remain intact. The ego does not resist virtue. It feeds on virtue. It incorporates virtue into itself. It expands through virtue. It becomes righteous. And this righteousness becomes its shield against God. Because God does not come to improve the ego. He comes to crucify it. St. Paul says, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” Galatians 2:20 This is not metaphor. This is the destruction of the autonomous center of existence. As long as the man lives from himself, even virtuously, he remains separate. Because life belongs only to God. St. Silouan the Athonite saw this with terrible clarity. He had labored greatly. He had prayed. He had struggled. He had purified himself. And yet the Lord allowed him to descend into hell. Not because he was sinful. But because righteousness had not yet been shattered. And Christ said to him, “Keep thy mind in hell, and despair not.” Not because hell was his destination. But because only in the destruction of self trust could union be born. As long as the man stands on his own righteousness, he stands alone. Only when this ground collapses does he begin to stand in God. Archimandrite Zacharias writes that God allows even the virtuous man to see his utter poverty so that he may cease drawing life from himself. This is the blessed despair that gives birth to true life. This despair is not psychological collapse. It is ontological revelation. The revelation that without God, one does not exist. Christ says, “Apart from Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 Not less. Nothing. Not even righteousness. When this is seen, virtue loses its power as identity. It remains. But it no longer belongs to the man. It becomes the life of Christ within him. Before this death, virtue belongs to the ego. After this death, virtue belongs to God. This is why the saints do not trust their righteousness. They fear it. They flee from it. Abba Poemen said, “A man may appear to be silent while his heart condemns others. Such a man is talking constantly.” Outward virtue. Inward autonomy. Separation remains. Another elder said that even if a man raises the dead but trusts himself, he has lost everything. Because union is not achieved by virtue. It is achieved by death. This is why the saints see themselves as sinners even when they are purified. Not because they deny reality. But because they do not live from themselves. They live from God. St. Isaac writes that the man who has truly seen himself is greater than the man who raises the dead. Because he has seen the truth. He has seen that he does not possess life. He has seen that all righteousness belongs to God. This vision destroys the ego at its root. And only when the ego dies can God become life. Until then, righteousness remains violence. Violence against truth. Violence against union. Violence against love. Because it preserves the illusion of existence apart from God. The elder Sophrony says that as long as man attributes righteousness to himself, he remains enclosed within the prison of his own being. He cannot escape. He cannot breathe. He cannot live. Only when righteousness is lost as possession does it become life. Only when the man ceases to exist as source does God become his existence. This is why Christ says, “Whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” Matthew 16:25 Not improves it. Finds it. Because it did not belong to him before. This is the second dismantling. Not the destruction of sinful identity. The destruction of righteous identity. Not the loss of vice. The loss of ownership of virtue. The loss of oneself as the one who lives. Until this death occurs, the ego survives. It survives inside prayer. It survives inside obedience. It survives inside humility itself. It survives inside righteousness. And remains forever alone. --- Text of chat during the group: 01:28:35 Danny Moulton (Lakeside, Ohio): I'm wondering how fear and ego interplay in producing unhealthy religiosity. It seems to me ego and fear are two sides of the same coin. Ego is fed when we think we are righteous and doing religion right, but fear calls the shots when we think we are unrighteous and doing religion wrong. It seems both can lead to obsession with something other than Divine love. The Apostle John says that perfect love drives out fear. I believe this is absolutely true, but fear sure can put up a good fight at times. 01:32:27 Fr Martin, Arizona: What do you think of this? Shortly after arriving at my first parish, I told my spiritual father about all the things I would change. He said, “Check with God. He didn't give you the football and tell you to run with it. What if God send you there to fail?” 01:33:46 Jaden Abrams: Father, bless! I was really impacted by these last two talks, thank you very much. What change can I make today to die to myself and stop sitting next to the vine. 01:35:31 Kate: When you speak about the death of the ego, is it more like a process of dying rather than something that is accomplished once and for all?  And I find my self asking how, how does the ego die?  Is it a simultaneous process of the dying of the ego and the soul growing in union with Christ? 01:40:29 Una: I was a complulsive A-getter in college, too. Thank you for sharing. 01:41:05 Angela Bellamy: Reacted to "Father, bless! I was..." with ❤️ 01:42:47 Shannon: It feels must bleed out our ego and diappear into the darkness in order for God to turn light.  Not knowing where the next step, but trusting in God.  We disappear into prayer/ looking through window with lamps lite hearts 01:44:16 Fr Martin, Arizona: Today's retreat convicted me. I'm not sure where to begin poking at my sense of self-identity and autonomy. My anxiety reveals to me that I harbor some delusions about myself. I used to visit a Romanian monk who was imprisoned and tortured by communists. Surprisingly, he never complained about that. Rather he said to me once, “Before I was imprisoned, I knew God in my books. After I was alone in prison, I found God in my heart.” 01:45:02 Jaden Abrams: How do I go about finding a spiritual Father? Am I supposed to choose, discern, let him "come to me", combination of all? I have fallen in love with the east in general and am immersing myself as much as possible please pray for me. 01:47:13 Julie: Reacted to "How do I go about fi…" with

March 3, 2026Daily Devotional:"More than Words"1 John 3:18“Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” We live in a world of "cheap talk." It's incredibly easy to double-tap a post, send a heart emoji, or tell someone, "I'm thinking of you," without actually moving a muscle. While kind words have their place, the Apostle John, often called the "Apostle of Love" challenges us to move past the surface. At its core, this verse means that love is a verb, not just a feeling or a claim. The apostle John isn't saying that our words don't matter; he's saying they aren't enough. Genuine love which is the agape kind isn't just a sentiment or a poetic phrase; it is a choice that costs something. It's the difference between saying "I'm sorry you're hungry" and actually sharing your lunch. The ultimate example of this is the Cross. God didn't just shout "I love you" from the heavens; He stepped into our mess, took on human flesh, and demonstrated His love through the most radical action in history. If the Creator of the universe proves His love through action, we- as His children are called to do the same. To love "in truth" means to be sincere. It means our external actions match our internal claims. Ask yourself today; Is there someone I've promised to help but haven't followed through with? Does my "love" disappear when it becomes inconvenient or expensive? How can I make my affection visible to someone who is struggling right now? The challenge is don't just tell someone you care today. Show them. Whether it's a tangible gift, a sacrifice of your time, or completing a chore for a weary brethren in need let your actions do the talking. When your life is marked by tangible acts of kindness and sacrifice, it serves as "proof" to your own heart that your faith is alive and real. It moves Christianity from a philosophy in the head to a transformation of the hands.

The book of Revelation is not a coded timetable, nor a speculative map of the end-times. It is a letter written by the Apostle John to first-century Christians living in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). It aims to bring encouragement and hope to disciples of Jesus living in turbulent times. As G.K. Beale puts it, “Revelation is the Bible's battle cry of victory.” Through dramatic symbols drawn from the Old Testament, Revelation equips the church with the heavenly perspective needed to persevere in faith until the end. In this series, we will see:-Jesus rules from the throne.-The church is spiritually protected even as it suffers.-Evil is judged and defeated.-God's mission advances through the witness of His people.-The Lamb will return to renew creation and dwell with His people forever.Revelation calls the church not to fear, but to faithful endurance, confident that the Lamb is victorious and His victory is ours.

When we're travelling through a dark and scary patch in our lives, there's a strong temptation to do the wrong thing, to save our skin. But there is another way….   What We do in the Dark Well, it's great to be with you again this week. I'm not sure if you were able to join us last week but we began a new series called "Dark Night, Bright Light". Darkness, well, we all travel through darkness in our lives. There are times when, I don't know, the storm clouds just come rolling over the top and maybe we've been sick or maybe we have lost someone we love or maybe we have been hurt and it's not to say that we are a bunch of losers. I don't mean that, it's just the reality of life. Jacqui, my wife, was talking to a long time friend of hers and their children are growing up and there are lots of challenges and problems and she is just exhausted. Or a dear friend of mine whose son committed suicide and he and his wife are still reeling from that. Or a friend who has been retrenched and he's in his fifties and it's hard to find a job. Stuff like that happens – dark times; difficult times, well, in those darknesses, we just can't see where we are or where we are headed. I have had them, you've had them and that's life. Jesus said this amazing thing – He said: "I am the light of the world," and one of the things we saw last week is that He is in the "light" business and that's good news for anyone going through a dark patch. The very first thing that God created in Genesis chapter 1 was "light" – a trillion, trillion stars, at least – God is definitely in the "light" business. Halleluiah! Don't you think? And we spent some time last week with King David in a Psalm; Psalm 34. If you have got your Bible, grab it, open it up – we are going there again today. Psalm 34 is kind of a retrospective; a hindsight look at the dark times that David has been through where he was afraid and God showed up. Let me just read the first part of it again. Psalm 34, beginning at verse 1. David says: I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears. Those who look at Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called and the Lord heard him; He saved him from all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him and He delivers them. Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him. You see, what David is saying here is that God is a God who shows up in the dark times and delivers us. And David is not saying that off the top of his head or out of a text book; he is saying it from having experienced God in all the dark times that he travelled through in his life. He spent such a long time on the run from Saul who was trying to kill him. He lived in dark places and lonely places, in fear for his life. He fought so many battles where he was hard pressed and he should have been killed but God was there for him – God showed up. And one of the things that we touched on last week was fear – the bad fear that we have and the good fear. The bad fear is the fear that David talks about in verse 4 of this Psalm. He says: I sought the Lord and He answered me; He delivered me from all my 'fears'. And we do get afraid and it immobilises us but the good fear he talks about in verse 7: The angel of the Lord encamps around those who 'fear' Him and He delivers them. The fear of the Lord – we are going to have a look at that some more today because it's what the next part of Psalm 34 is all about. I want you to come with me now as we read just the next five verses of this Psalm. Psalm 34, verses 9 to 14 which is where we are going to spend our time together today. This is what David writes – he says: Fear the Lord you His holy ones for those who fear Him will have no want. The lions may grow weak and hungry but those who seek the Lord will lack no good thing. Come my children, listen to me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. Turn from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it. This is a really important part of the Psalm. The first part told us all about God and what He is like and that's fantastic but this second part; it's about the part that we have to play in those dark times. I want to tell you something about darkness. People will do things in the dark that they won't do in the light. Let me say that again because it's really important: people will do things in the dark that they won't do in the light. Think about it – we are much more careful about where we walk and what we do out there in the dark; in the night time than we are by day. Robberies, muggings, murders are all more likely to happen under the cover of darkness than they are in day light where the criminal might be seen and get caught. The same thing is true in our lives – dark times – well, those are the times where we are far more likely to do things that we know are wrong. Let me just give you a few practical everyday examples. Things are tough; we are feeling down – you know what a lot of people do? They over eat – comfort food, they call it. They put on weight; they feel a whole bunch worse about themselves than when they started. Or a husband and wife – they are going through a tough time in their marriage and their minds and eyes start to wander; they start looking around; that's how adultery begins – instead of holding each other close and working through the issues. Or perhaps there is conflict at work – someone is just not treating us well and we are feeling under pressure. It's really getting to us; the boss is being just horrible and we take that as an excuse to justify being lazy or stealing something or gossiping behind their backs or not servicing a customer properly so that the firm will lose some money. Or perhaps money is really tight; there is real financial pressure in our lives and we are tempted to lie and cheat on our tax returns, or when the shop attendant makes a mistake and gives us too much change we just slip it in our pockets. Do you see how easy this stuff is? In the dark times; in those hidden places the temptation to do wrong is far greater than when the times are good." "No one is going to notice! After all, times are tough – I have to look after number one – me; I have to justify myself or protect myself or provide for myself." That's how we rationalise this stuff. And notice the central theme through all of that – me, myself and I. In those dark times we often experience fear – the times when we are afraid and in those dark times we often experience the temptation to sin; to turn away from what we know is right because no one will notice. And we just have to; we have to sin to save our skin. And the devil loves it this way; he's so delighted to see this. The Apostle John puts it this way in First John chapter 1, verse 5 – he says: This is the message we have heard from Him and declare it to you: God is light. In Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to walk with Him and yet we walk in the darkness, we are lying and we don't live up to the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin. So today, we are going to take a look at the wisdom that comes from David's experience in those dark times – the wisdom about how we behave. What he learned to do when temptation came in those dark times.   Let's Take a Closer Look Well, we are going to take a bit of a closer look at this part of Psalm 34 because that's how we learn what God is teaching us through David's wisdom. Let's read just a few verses again. Psalm 34 verses 9 to 11, David writes: Fear the Lord you His holy ones, for those who fear Him will have no want. Sure the lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord will lack no good thing. Come my children, listen to me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord. I love this because it's a place where God gives us His solutions to our problems. See, it's not good enough for Him to rap us over the knuckles with a ruler when we are doing the wrong thing. We need to know how not to repeat the mistake and that's what this piece of wisdom is all about. Let's look at verse 9 again: Fear the Lord you His holy ones, for those who fear Him will have no want. Last week we saw that the fear of the Lord has two parts. The most obvious definition of 'fear' is to be afraid but it also means to reverence and to honour. And I want to talk about those today – it's important. You know, it's really easy to imagine that somehow, God is just our buddy; like another friend, And to be sure, He is our friend but God is also an awesome God and ultimately, He will see justice done. There will be a day of judgement; there will be a day when we have to give an account before Him for all that we have done and all that we have said. Jesus made that really clear in Matthew chapter 10, verse 28 – we can read this. Jesus said: Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul, rather be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. We need to never lose sight of that – there are consequences to our sin; there are consequences to rebelling against God and if we just go on wantonly, stealing or lying or grumbling or hating or undermining or living in sexual sin or whatever it is, and we think to ourselves, "Well, that's ok. God's my buddy", then let me make this clear: we are completely missing the point. Yes, Jesus died for your sins and mine – absolutely. And when I get something wrong, I go to God and admit it and say, "Lord, I just got this wrong. I don't want to go there again. Please forgive me God," and He does. But that attitude is one that comes out of the fear of the Lord, I have to tell you. A casual attitude towards God; that thinks that we can just keep on sinning, is not on – He won't honour it. Why? Because if you believe Jesus, His plan is for you and me to be holy; in other words, to be clean and pure and set apart exclusively for God's use. Listen again to verse 9: Fear the Lord, you His holy ones, for those who fear Him will have no want. See, we are not our own, we are bought at a price and God has this awesome plan to use us just as He pleases and the devil knows that. That's why, when times are tough; when we are travelling through a dark place, he wants to smear us with that darkness. He is the deception – things are difficult, therefore I have to bend the rules to set it right – money is tight so I have to steal to provide for myself. The boss is giving me a hard time so I have to stab him in the back to set things right. My husband or my wife isn't everything they should be, I have to start looking around somewhere else to find someone who is everything they should be. The devil will play that rubbish over and over and over again until we swallow it hook, line and sinker and God's answer is exactly the opposite. " Fear the Lord, you His holy ones, for those who fear Him will have no want. The lions may grow weak and hungry but those who seek the Lord will lack no good thing. God's way is to provide for us – not all our wants, but all our needs. And when we fear the Lord; when we fear His judgement and honour Him and reverence Him with what we think and what we say and what we do, God will make sure that we have what we need. What a huge opposite to our natural inclination! "Yes, times are tough; yes, money is tight but I will fill out my tax return honestly. I won't claim expenses from my company that are really personal rather that company expenses. I don't care how tough things get financially, I am going to fear the Lord because I am bought for a price; I am holy; I am set apart for Him and His Word says that in those dark times, if I fear Him, I will have no want and when I seek Him with all my heart I will lack no good thing." Do you get it? David is saying here, "I learned in my dark times just to stand for God; just to do the right thing; to fear Him, to be holy because he will provide for me." And remember David is teaching us from having been on the run from King Saul who wanted to kill him for years – sleeping in dark caves; fearing for his life. This is what he learned in his dark places and that's why he is telling us this stuff. He is saying, "Listen to me for I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Come my children, listen to me." In other words "Listen to me – this works – I know it does because I have been there."   Where the Rubber Hits the Road I hope you are being blessed as I am as we work our way through the wondrous Word of God. Imagine the God who created the whole universe speaking to you and me through His Word; through something that was written about three thousand years ago. I want to finish off with just the next few verses of this Psalm because they contain a specific challenge – a challenge that God is making to you and to me today. Have a listen – Psalm 34, verses 11 to 14: Come my children, listen to me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. See, sometimes we wonder "Well, how do we live out this fear of the Lord? Do I sit in a corner and tremble?" No, not at all! David remember, this David who is speaking to us from his own difficult, dark experience – he is throwing down a challenge – he is teaching us how to live in the fear of the Lord. Quite simply; paraphrasing, he is saying "Do you want to live a good life? Do you want to live a great life?" Well, here's how to do it – by living out the fear of the Lord through what you say and what you do. Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies, turn away from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it. Now, we are all different – we are all prone to different forms of the same thing that God calls "sin". For some people it's grumbling, for others it's gambling or lying or stealing or carrying around hatred in our hearts and "speaking it out behind peoples" backs, or gossiping or sexual sin. You name it, the list goes on – overeating, getting drunk, closing ourselves off from other people and family – over and over again – the list is really long. And my hunch is that we each know which one or two are the particular ones that we are prone to. And here's the challenge: if we are in a dark and fearful place; a place where there is a temptation to stop doing good and to do wrong; to turn away from God and to sin so that we can save our skin – here's the challenge: to turn away from that stuff and do good instead and put our faith in God. That's what it means in practical terms to "fear the Lord" – that's how we live out the fear of the Lord, with our lives. See, we delude ourselves if we somehow imagine that in that dark place, God can't see what's going on. Wake up! Listen to what the Apostle Paul writes to his friends in Galatia – you can read it in Galatians chapter 6, beginning at verse 7. And if you have a Bible, come here with me and share in God's Word with me. I was with a group of Christians recently and they just paid lip service to God's Word. Let's be serious about getting God's Word into us – Galatians chapter 6, verse 7: Don't be deceived – God cannot be mocked. You are going to reap what you sow. If you sow to please your sinful nature, from that nature you will reap destruction. The one who sows to please the Spirit, however, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Don't become weary of doing good for just at the right time we will reap a harvest if we don't give up. Therefore, as we have the opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of God. That was written about a thousand years after David and it's saying the same thing in a different way. In those dark places it is so tempting to grow weary of doing good; to sin in order to save our skin; to provide for ourselves in our own strength. Paul is saying, "Just keep going. Don't become weary of doing good because in God's time you will reap the harvest." That's the challenge! It's the challenge for each one of us in difficult circumstances in dark place to stop making excuses. They are the very places where the devil wants to tear us apart. That's the very place where we have to vigilant – to bow down our lives; to fear the Lord; just do the right thing day after day after day and His light will shine in that place. It has too – that's who He is – God honours those who honour Him. And in those dark places, when step by step, we discover His light, that is such a precious, awesome and mighty thing – it changes us like nothing else. That's why David starts his Psalm off with such gusto of praise because he knows all this stuff through his own experience. I will bless the Lord all the time. His praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in the Lord – let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt in His name for I sought the Lord and He answered me; He delivered me from my fears. Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called and the Lord heard him; He saved him from all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him and He delivers them. Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him. Fear the Lord you holy ones, for those who fear Him will have no want. The lions may well grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. Come my children, listen to me. I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. Isn't it amazing how we can rationalise and complicate and make excuses in those dark places? When you and I are walking through the dark the devil sees what is going on and God's see what's going on and in that dark place, God is so ready; so willing to shine His bright light on that dark night. Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, just keep your tongue from evil; just stop your lips from speaking lies; turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. God is in that place with you no matter how dark the night is; His bright light will shine in your heart.

Do You Believe that “He {God} gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life”? MESSAGE SUMMARY:  You have got to believe; but until you get your thinking right, your life will not change – you have got to believe! It is hard for some people, today, to believe in the miraculous birth of Jesus celebrated on Christmas day. Ok, just start where you are in what you believe. Can you believe that you are a sinner? Can you believe that you are not perfect? Can you believe that you have violated God's laws? Despite this life background, can you believe that God loves you just as you now are? Can you believe that God sent His Only Son, Jesus, to save all that believe in Him so that you would not perish but have eternal life? Maybe this is where you start in believing in the miraculous birth of Jesus; you need to start where you are. Jesus' life was defined by His death on the cross and by His resurrection, thereby, living up to the translation of His name, Jesus – “Salvation”. The Apostle John succinctly summarized the purpose of Jesus birth in John3:16-17: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.".   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, fill me with the simple trust that even out of the most awful evil around me, you are able to bring great good — for me, for others, and for your great glory. In Jesus' name, amen.     Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 91). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because I am in Jesus Christ, I will entrust to Him my future. I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.  From 2 Timothy 1:12  SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): John 1:1-18; Luke 1:27-38; Luke 2:1-22; John 20:27-29; Psalms 69b:13-24. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Essentials Part 5 – The Holy Spirit” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

In this fourth part of The Way of Love series, Matt reads the Apostle John's beautiful understanding of the essence of God and the motivation and action of God all being love. The love that supersedes feeling, emotion where He has chosen to love and demonstrate that love to us. In turn, we are invited to live in His love and share it with others. This is the way of love, choosing to love others from the overflow of the love that has filled us.

Today, we are focusing on how the sword of theSpirit—the Word of God—is our greatest defense against the false teaching ofthe cults and heresies that are so prevalent in the world today. This is veryimportant. At the same time it is our best weapon against the false teachingthat Paul warned would take place in the last days (1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy3:1-9). Thebest answer to secular humanism is the Word of God. If there was ever a daywhen secular humanism has infiltrated even Christianity, it is today. Sadly, weare witnessing what A.W. Tozer called a humanistic Christianity. How true thatis. It becomes all about me—what I feel, what I can have, what is in it forme—instead of asking, What do we learn about God? How can we be holy like God? TheApostle Paul warned even the young church at Ephesus. You must understand thatfalse teaching has been present since the very beginning of the early church.It was already creeping in. Peter dealt with it. The Apostle John dealt withit. We find Paul addressing it as well when he spoke to the elders of thechurch at Ephesus In Acts 20:29-32. He said: “For I know this, that after mydeparture savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also,from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw awaythe disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for threeyears I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. So now,brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able tobuild you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” God's Word, Paul said, is what will build you up, set you apart, and give you courage and wisdom to deal with the false teachers. Today,people are not asking, “What does God say?” Instead, they are asking, “What doI feel?” We hear phrases like, “Follow your heart.” “What does your heart tellyou?” “What do you think the Bible is saying to you?” But that is not the mostimportant thing. The most important question is: “What is God saying”? Period.Godhas spoken. Whether you believe it or not, His Word is settled. Yet todaypeople ask, “What do I prefer? What do I think is true?” Paul warned that inthe last days people would have itching ears—they want their ears scratched andtickled (2 Timothy 4:3-5). They want to hear things that are not true but makethem feel good. Peterwrote in 1 Peter 3:15, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and alwaysbe ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope thatis in you with meekness and fear.” John also warned in 2 John 7–8: “Formany deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ ascoming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.”  Theirreligion is a do-good religion. Do the best you can and you'll get to heaven.Try to keep the Ten Commandments. Then there's good God, good devil, goodeverybody. All you have to do is do what you feel like is the best thing foryou to do. In the end, God will have mercy on you and we're all going to get toheaven one day. I've actually heard these pastors quote Romans 8:35-39 atfunerals telling the people that “nothing can separate us from the love of Godthat's in Christ Jesus our Lord. Everybody's going to end up in heaven one daybecause nothing can separate us from His love”. Myfriend, these are lies of the devil. That's why Jude also warned in Jude verse3, "... I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contendearnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. Forcertain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for thiscondemnation, ungodly men who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and denythe only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ."  Myfriend, we must know the Word of God! It is our best weapon against the falseteachers and their heresy. Jesus said, "Sanctify them through thytruth. Thy word is truth" (John 17:17).

Today we celebrate St. Polycarp, who was a disciple of the Apostle John. St. Polycarp is a good example that you are never too old to serve God. How so? Father highlights more on the life and words of St. Polycarp on today's reflection.

The book of Revelation is not a coded timetable, nor a speculative map of the end-times. It is a letter written by the Apostle John to first-century Christians living in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). It aims to bring encouragement and hope to disciples of Jesus living in turbulent times. As G.K. Beale puts it, “Revelation is the Bible's battle cry of victory.” Through dramatic symbols drawn from the Old Testament, Revelation equips the church with the heavenly perspective needed to persevere in faith until the end. In this series, we will see:-Jesus rules from the throne.-The church is spiritually protected even as it suffers.-Evil is judged and defeated.-God's mission advances through the witness of His people.-The Lamb will return to renew creation and dwell with His people forever.Revelation calls the church not to fear, but to faithful endurance, confident that the Lamb is victorious and His victory is ours.

In this sermon, Wayne Conrad explores the foundational evidence for the identity of Jesus Christ as the Son of God, drawing from the Apostle John's "triple witness" in 1 John 5. Navigating the historical and spiritual controversy surrounding Jesus' claims, the message identifies the three divine testimonies—the water of His baptism, the blood of His crucifixion, and the present-tense witness of the Holy Spirit—which together confirm Christ's true humanity and His finished work of atonement. Listeners are challenged to recognize the spiritual battle against the world, the flesh, and the devil, and to find absolute assurance in the fact that eternal life resides exclusively in the Son. This teaching serves as a call to move beyond doubt and embrace the certainty of God's own testimony, reminding believers that to have the Son is to possess life indeed.

Do You Believe that “He {God} gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life”? MESSAGE SUMMARY:  You have got to believe; but until you get your thinking right, your life will not change – you have got to believe! It is hard for some people, today, to believe in the miraculous birth of Jesus celebrated on Christmas day. Ok, just start where you are in what you believe. Can you believe that you are a sinner? Can you believe that you are not perfect? Can you believe that you have violated God's laws? Despite this life background, can you believe that God loves you just as you now are? Can you believe that God sent His Only Son, Jesus, to save all that believe in Him so that you would not perish but have eternal life? Maybe this is where you start in believing in the miraculous birth of Jesus; you need to start where you are. Jesus' life was defined by His death on the cross and by His resurrection, thereby, living up to the translation of His name, Jesus – “Salvation”. The Apostle John succinctly summarized the purpose of Jesus birth in John3:16-17: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.".   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, fill me with the simple trust that even out of the most awful evil around me, you are able to bring great good — for me, for others, and for your great glory. In Jesus' name, amen.     Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 91). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because I am in Jesus Christ, I will seek God's perspective on my situation. For I know that in all things God works together for good to those of us who love Him and are called according to His purpose. From Romans 8:28 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): John 1:1-18; Luke 1:27-38; Luke 2:1-22; John 20:27-29; Psalms 69b:13-24. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Essentials Part 4 – One God, Not Three” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Certain controversies arose during the second century that created problems for the writings of the Apostle John. Some actively lobbied to keep the Gospel out of the New Testament. What was their motivation, what accusations did they raise and who came to John's defense?

Send a textThe writings of the Apostle John gives prominence to the idea of overcoming the devil and world system and the old human nature termed our flesh. We are engaged in a spiritual war consisting of many battles. We can overcome the world, the flesh and the devil in union with our Lord Jesus. We conqueror only because Jesus overcame and our faith is in him. However we cannot be passive in this battle. Our faith must be active in the war. The Lord has gifted us with necessary actions that equip us and build us up. These consist of reading the Bible for understanding of the writer's thoughts, praying which is talking to God as expression of our relationship to him and other believers. A major means is attendance and active involvement in the corporate worship of our God and Savior plus active fellowship with our spiritual family, fellow believers. 1 John 5:3-5 For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, for whatever is born of God conquers (overcomes)  the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith.  Who is it who conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? NRSVBible Insights with Wayne ConradContact: 8441 Hunnicut Rd Dallas, Texas 75228email: Att. Bible Insights Wayne Conradgsccdallas@gmail.com (Good Shepherd Church) Donation https://gsccdallas.orghttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJTZX6qasIrPmC1wQpben9ghttps://www.facebook.com/waconrad or gscchttps://www.sermonaudio.com/gsccSpirit, Truth and Grace MinistriesPhone # 214-324-9915 leave message with number for call backPsalms 119:105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

The writings of the Apostle John gives prominence to the idea of overcoming the devil and world system and the old human nature termed our flesh. We are engaged in a spiritual war consisting of many battles. We can overcome the world, the flesh and the devil in union with our Lord Jesus. We conqueror only because Jesus overcame and our faith is in him. However we cannot be passive in this battle. Our faith must be active in the war. The Lord has gifted us with necessary actions that equip us and build us up. These consist of reading the Bible for understanding of the writer's thoughts, praying which is talking to God as expression of our relationship to him and other believers. A major means is attendance and active involvement in the corporate worship of our God and Savior plus active fellowship with our spiritual family, fellow believers. 1 John 5:3-5 For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, for whatever is born of God conquers (overcomes) the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. Who is it who conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? NRSV

When Jesus Asked You: “Whom do you say that I am?”, Did You Answer Jesus: “You are my God and the Lord of my Life!”?  MESSAGE SUMMARY: The stories of the New Testament tell us that Jesus was no ordinary man. The Apostle John, in John 1:1-5, points out that Jesus, the Word, was the Creator of the Universe: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.". John tells us that Jesus had authority over nature, over creation, and over life itself, and he tells us that Jesus was the life-giver that came to earth for us. In John 20:26-29, Jesus asked the Apostle Thomas a fundamental question that Jesus asks you today– “Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me?'”: “Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.' Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!' Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.'”. When Jesus has asked you: “Whom do you say that I am?”, and how did you answer? Did you tell Jesus: “You are my God and the Lord of my Life!”? Have you, in your life, become a Jesus Follower? If not, why not?   TODAY'S PRAYER: Keeping the Sabbath, Lord, will require a lot of changes in the way I am living life. Teach me, Lord, how to take the next step with this in a way that fits my unique personality and situation. Help me to trust you with all that will remain unfinished and to enjoy my humble place in your very large world. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 129). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FORGIVEN. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): John 1:1-18; Isaiah 7:2-14; Matthew 1:21-24; Psalms 67:1-7. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Essentials Part 4 – One God, Not Three” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/    DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

This chapter gives more detail on the prophecies concerning the coming Medo-Persian and Greek Empires. When we see the detail and find that it was completely fulfilled hundreds of years later, it provides needed confidence in the aspects of Daniel's (and the Apostle John's) prophetic revelations. We can build our life on truth, even when it is hard to hear. And through the leadership of the Holy Spirit, we can be prepared to stand strong in Christ, regardless of what the future holds.

The book of Revelation is not a coded timetable, nor a speculative map of the end-times. It is a letter written by the Apostle John to first-century Christians living in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). It aims to bring encouragement and hope to disciples of Jesus living in turbulent times. As G.K. Beale puts it, “Revelation is the Bible's battle cry of victory.” Through dramatic symbols drawn from the Old Testament, Revelation equips the church with the heavenly perspective needed to persevere in faith until the end. In this series, we will see:-Jesus rules from the throne.-The church is spiritually protected even as it suffers.-Evil is judged and defeated.-God's mission advances through the witness of His people.-The Lamb will return to renew creation and dwell with His people forever.Revelation calls the church not to fear, but to faithful endurance, confident that the Lamb is victorious and His victory is ours.

1 John 3:16-18 - God cares deeply for the poor and demands that His people do the same. In this final message of the series, we consider the Apostle John's call to meet the needs of our impoverished brothers and sisters, knowing that this is a test of true love, and knowing that it flows out of the knowledge that Jesus laid down His own life for you. May we become a church that does justice for the poor, because the poor, the same as anyone else, are image bearers of God. A sermon by Cameron Heger. [Part 5 of our series "Images and Neighbors, Every One"] Questions for reflection: 1) How do you relate to the idea from The Brothers Karamazov that people can be easy to love in abstract while a person can be difficult to love practically? 2) How is caring for the needy evidence of "God's love in you"? 3) How does the Bible describe the causes of poverty? How does this differ from other assessments in our culture? 4) In what ways does poverty lead to additional vulnerabilities? 5) Do you think of yourself as one who "has the world's goods"? What might generosity look like for you in these things? 6) Discuss how Jesus becoming poor was part of his plan to save us. How does this motivate our generosity, care, and acts of justice toward others?

The book of Revelation is not a coded timetable, nor a speculative map of the end-times. It is a letter written by the Apostle John to first-century Christians living in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). It aims to bring encouragement and hope to disciples of Jesus living in turbulent times. As G.K. Beale puts it, “Revelation is the Bible's battle cry of victory.” Through dramatic symbols drawn from the Old Testament, Revelation equips the church with the heavenly perspective needed to persevere in faith until the end. In this series, we will see:-Jesus rules from the throne.-The church is spiritually protected even as it suffers.-Evil is judged and defeated.-God's mission advances through the witness of His people.-The Lamb will return to renew creation and dwell with His people forever.Revelation calls the church not to fear, but to faithful endurance, confident that the Lamb is victorious and His victory is ours.

Watch the Devotion Based on Luke 7:1-10 Under Authority: The Word That Saves A Soldier needed a chaplain, so he sent for a Jewish rabbi. This might have made sense if the Soldier was Jewish, but he was not. When the officer's messengers reached the rabbi they pleaded with him, “This man deserves to have you come immediately. One of his subordinates is very sick and about to die. You need to come with us now!” The Jewish rabbi went with them. While he was on his way the rabbi was met by friends of the Soldier. They said, “Rabbi, the captain wanted us to share this message, ‘I am not worthy to have you set foot in my home. But I am a man of authority, and I understand the chain of command. I give a Soldier an order and he gets after it. I know who you are. I know your authority supersedes my authority. All you need to do is say a word and my subordinate will be saved.” The rabbi was speechless. He said to those around him, “I have not found faith like this in all of the places I have traveled.” The friends rushed back to the home of the Roman centurion and found his servant completely restored to full strength. A Soldier needed a chaplain and he sent for a Jewish rabbi. This Roman centurion knew and believed that this rabbi was not just a rabbi, but the Son of God, Jesus, who came to save him. Jesus came not just to restore the servant's health, but to save his life for eternity. This is what Jesus does. He saves through his words. This week we observe Four Chaplains Day, to honor the service and sacrifice of four US Army chaplains who gave up their own lifejackets to fellow Soldiers as the Dorchester sank into the icy waters of the Atlantic on February 3rd, 1943. In a similar way, Jesus saves. He still carries out his work of saving. He does this by wearing the mask of chaplains. When chaplains open their mouths to speak a word from Jesus to you, Jesus saves through that word. When water was poured and Jesus words were spoken over your head, “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”, Jesus saved you with those words and that water. In baptism he put his name on you, adopted you into his family, saved you from sin, guilt, and the grave. He saved you for a life eternal in heaven after a resurrection from the dead. Jesus opens his mouth to speak: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10). Jesus saves you from fear and anxiety and despair with those words. Jesus opens his mouth to speak through his Apostle John and says to you, “. . . If anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.  He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:1-2). You are part of the world. You are someone for whom Jesus sacrificed himself to save. Take a moment today to pause and thank God for chaplains – those who serve in our nation's military, but also those who serve first responders, EMS, firefighters, police, in hospice care facilities, in hospitals, in schools and corporations, and those who serve the incarcerated. Chaplains serves as faithful masks of God. When they open their mouths to speak the words of Jesus, Jesus saves through his words. His words save you. Prayer: All-holy, all-loving God, provide workers for your harvest field, both inside and outside the walls of the church, so that more may hear the story of your everlasting love and your desire that all sinners be saved; through Jesus Christ, your Son and our Savior. Amen. Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.

You are loved before you perform, before you obey, and before you understand. This Crosswalk Devotional centers on 1 John 4:19, unpacking the freeing truth that God’s love is not earned—it is initiated by Him. In a world shaped by rejection, comparison, and performance-based approval, Scripture reminds us that God’s love picks first, not last, and it becomes the foundation for genuine transformation. Rather than striving to earn affection through obedience or spiritual productivity, this devotional invites listeners to rest in the reality that God loved us while we were still sinners. His love is not the reward at the end of the Christian life—it is the starting point. From that secure place, growth, repentance, and obedience naturally flow. Highlights God’s love is the source of our love, not the result of it We are loved before belief, obedience, or understanding The gospel reverses performance-based love Growth flows from being loved, not striving for love Nothing can separate believers from God’s love in Christ God’s love moves first—even at our worst Obedience becomes a response, not a requirement for acceptance Do you want to listen ad-free? When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts! Sign Up Today! This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt call Trinity today. Trinity's counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org TrinityCredit – Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we're helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments. https://trinitycredit.org Full Transcript Below: Loved First, Not Last By: Sarah Frazer Bible Reading:“We love because he first loved us.” - 1 John 4:19 (ESV) When you were younger, did you ever get picked last for a game? Or did you have your friends leave you out of a fun activity? A sleepover? A party? Even as adults, we get left out, too. Rejection feels horrible. It really does. Even people who might have stepped out of your life can hurt you, and that sometimes feels like a rejection. Over the years, if we let rejection be the narrative by which we formulate our lives, we might not believe the truth we read in 1 John 4:19. “We love because he first loved us.” This kind of love picks first, not last. This love isn’t something we earn. There isn’t something inside our hearts that can earn it either. We are so used to being loved because of what we do. Even in our faith circles, we see language such as “grow, repentance, and sanctification.” All of these are good things, necessary things. But those things have nothing to do with us being loved. What is this kind of love? It is not like a love we have ever experienced before; it is much deeper. In this verse, chapter, and book of the Bible, we get a glimpse of this amazing love. God’s love is not the result of our love for Him; it is the source of it. Notice that the Apostle John uses the word “first.” This means a couple of things. It means we are loved before we believe, before we obey, before we understand, before we cry out to God. God loves first. Romans 5:8 says, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (ESV) There was no fixing ourselves or proving ourselves before God would love us. God loved us first, while we were still sinners. It also means God moved first. He did not wait for you and me to be spiritually or morally ready for his love. It existed before we had a chance to even change. God’s love came towards us when we were at our worst, not our best. Performance-based love focuses on doing better, and then you will be loved. A gospel-centered love says you are loved; therefore, you can change. Growth, repentance, and sanctification come after we experience God’s love! As a perfectionist, people-pleaser, I still find this amazing truth a source of great freedom. Although I had heard it all growing up at church, it never really sank in until later in my life. In my mid-thirties, I came to realize that my productivity, my goodness, and faithfulness never earned me one ounce of God’s love. In addition to that, my failings, faults, and sins could never lose me an ounce of His love either. While I grew up trying to earn the love of those around me, God loved me first. This means I’ll never have to earn more love, nor do I need to fear losing God’s love. Listen to what Paul says in Romans 8 about Christ’s love for us: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” - Romans 8:35-38 (ESV) You might feel crushed, persecuted, unloved, unwanted, and distressed, but none of these things will ever keep you from God’s love. In fact, knowing God’s love comes first means God’s love is not at the end of our spiritual journey, but the beginning. It has always been with us, as soon as we became Christians. It will carry us through until the end. You are not loved because you responded to God; you respond because He loved you first. So if you think back to a time when you were picked last, remember that today, you have been picked first. You have been chosen by God to be loved. Rest in this truth and believe you can walk in obedience because of this love! Intersecting Faith & Life: In what areas of your faith are you still trying to earn God’s affection rather than rest in the love He has already given? How might your daily walk with God change if you believed obedience flows from being loved, rather than working for love? Further Reading:Psalm 103:8-14Ephesians 1:4-5Isaiah 43:1-4John 6:372 Thessalonians 2:16 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Do you want to be motivated and encouraged to serve the Lord faithfully and also receive a special blessing? Then read and study the Book of Revelation. Find out it is the last book in the Bible and tells about what happens at the end. The human author was the Apostle John who was guided by the Lord Jesus Christ. See that the first three chapters are a report given on seven churches in Asia, their accomplishments and their failures. Find out a number of reasons to study Revelation and its prophecies and how it is important to be familiar with the Old Testament in order to understand this book. Learn what it means to be an overcomer and how to please God. During this message Dr. Dean mentioned this book: Sword and Scimitar by Raymond Ibrahim.

Nearly everyone, if they could choose the way they die, would say they want to die warm in their bed, asleep. No pain. Just peace. But an even better choice would be not to die at all. That happened for two men in the Bible: Enoch and Elijah. They were just whisked away by YAHWEH. Why did they get this special treatment? Even Yeshua had to die. There are some who believe that this special exception to the Biblical precept that mortals are appointed to die once was also given to the Apostle John. Some believe that John never died and may still be among us.  Main theme: Crazy For Thrills by Muse Music with Groove Studios

The book of Revelation is not a coded timetable, nor a speculative map of the end-times. It is a letter written by the Apostle John to first-century Christians living in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). It aims to bring encouragement and hope to disciples of Jesus living in turbulent times. As G.K. Beale puts it, “Revelation is the Bible's battle cry of victory.” Through dramatic symbols drawn from the Old Testament, Revelation equips the church with the heavenly perspective needed to persevere in faith until the end. In this series, we will see:-Jesus rules from the throne.-The church is spiritually protected even as it suffers.-Evil is judged and defeated.-God's mission advances through the witness of His people.-The Lamb will return to renew creation and dwell with His people forever.Revelation calls the church not to fear, but to faithful endurance, confident that the Lamb is victorious and His victory is ours.

Join us for a study through the Gospel of the Apostle John, continuing with John 4:42-54, and John 5:1-15. As we finish John 4 we will focus on Jesus' healing of the nobleman's son and we will compare this healing to Jesus' healing of the lame man at the pool at Bethesda in John 5.

Is the God of the Bible a god, or a God, or an all-caps GOD?In this episode Dr. Bruce Becker will explore the meaning behind the phrase used by the Apostle John in his first New Testament letter - "God is light" - and what makes him superior to all the gods and goddesses of man-made religions.If you enjoy this podcast and make it a regular part of your week, would you consider helping us with your support? Thank you! www.timeofgrace.org

The Apostle John is elderly and living in Ephesus. A new wave of false doctrine is slamming into the church. He writes this letter as eyewitness testimony, calling believers to walk in the light, and reminding them of the certainty of Christ.

Jesus Christ was God in human flesh- the physical manifestation of God's perfect character and righteousness. The Old Testament told all about him and pointed to him as Israel's Messiah. Yet the Apostle John wrote, "He came unto his own and his own received him not." Why did the religious leaders and people of Israel reject Jesus and the righteousness of God that comes through faith? Find out on Dr. Barnhouse and the Bible. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/791/29?v=20251111

For Jesus Followers, Jesus Presence Provides Confidence and Light in Times Which Could Bring Fear and Uncertainty into Your Life MESSAGE SUMMARY:  If You are a Jesus Follower, you can live in the presence of Jesus for your life. Living in the presence of Jesus means that you live in personal holiness; therefore, you are living in the light of Jesus. Many times, you are so tempted to walk in the darkness of doom and gloom; and when you go through something difficult in your life, you walk in darkness without the presence of Jesus and His light for your life. The Apostle John, in 1 John 1:5-7, so clearly presents what it means to “walk in the presence and light of Jesus” for those times that bring fear and uncertainty into your life: “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.". One day, the Lord will come in judgment; but for now, you can walk in the light and presence of Jesus through your prayerful personal relationship with Him.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, I have spent much of my life running from pain and loss, medicating my pain, and quickly moving on to the next project — the new urgent demand. I ask for the grace to embrace all of life — the joys and the sorrows, the deaths, and the births, the old and the new. In Jesus' name, amen.    Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 110). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because I am in Jesus Christ, I will seek God's perspective on my situation. For I know that in all things God works together for good to those of us who love Him and are called according to His purpose. From Romans 8:28 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): John 7:12-16; 1 John 1:5-10; 2 Corinthians 3:12-18; Psalms 38b:12-22. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “It's About Time: Part 2 – Overstressed, Overloaded, and Maxed Out Lives” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

The Apostle John begins his Gospel with the poetic statement, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." What is this Word? Christian theology teaches us that the Word of God is several things simultaneously. First, and most foundationally, the Word is Jesus Christ. On a secondary level, as a gift given and proceeding from Christ, the Word of God comes to us in the form of the Scriptures - the Bible. As the Psalmist writes in Psalm 119, this gift is: "sweeter than honey." This week we go back to the basics of the Christian faith to examine the sweetness of the gift of the Holy Bible.

As children of God, made in the image of God and filled with His Spirit, we have love to give. Today, Matt highlights the Apostle John's instruction to not direct our love toward things in the world, but rather toward one another. This is the "new" commandment that Jesus established, to find ways to love one another, fulfilling all of the law. GIVE HERE - https://awake.church/give

The Apostle Paul speaks very plainly to the church atEphesus reminding them of something that they should know. This is somethingthat as believers and followers of Jesus Christ that should be obvious to us.What should we know? “That no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man,who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.  Now,it's interesting that when you read Paul's letters to the churches in Galatiaand Colossae, you find that he says very similar things on this subject. Infact, here in Ephesians 5, we've already seen that we are called to walk inlove (v. 2). In verse 8, we are told to walk as children of light. Then inverse 15, Paul says we are to walk circumspectly—not as fools, but as wise. Inother words, the believer walks a different walk. He walks a different path. Thepath that we are walking is a narrow path that leads to life, not the broadpath that leads to destruction.  Theworld around us is filled with envy, murder, wickedness, lewdness, idolatry,fornication—sins of the flesh, sins of immorality, and sins of the tongue, “filthiness,nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting”. Paul has already told us in theearlier verses that as believers we are saints, and it is not fitting forsaints to live this way (v. 3-4). These sins are to be put off. We are not tocommit them, or for that matter, have anything to do with them. Nowin verses 5 and 6, Paul repeats some of the same sins and makes this truth veryclear, which indicates that this is extremely important. We find the samewarning in Galatians 5:19-21.Myfriend, when we become born-again followers of Jesus Christ, we aretransformed. We are transferred out of the kingdom of darkness, the kingdom ofSatan and evil, and into the kingdom of light, the kingdom of God. Paul wrotein Colossians 1:13, “He has delivered us from the power of darkness andconveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love”.  Jesus Himself said in John chapter 3, “Excepta man be born again, he cannot see or enter the kingdom of God.” When weare born again, we receive a new life, and we now belong to a new kingdom. Inthis kingdom, we should now live to please the King. We honor the King. Wehallow the name of Jesus Christ. We pray, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will bedone on earth as it is in heaven.” And because of that, we do notparticipate in the deeds that belong to the kingdom of darkness. Now, Paul isnot saying that if a believer commits a sin—such as adultery, fornication, orsome form of sexual immorality—that they automatically lose their salvation.That is not what he is teaching. What he is saying is that if a personpractices these sins—if they continually walk in them and live in them—itproves that they have never truly been brought into the kingdom of light. Jesusspoke of this in Matthew 7:21-23, when He said, “Many will say to Me in thatday, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not done many wonderful works in Your name?' And thenI will declare to them, ‘Depart from Me, you workers of iniquity; I never knewyou.'” My friend, not everyone who claims to be a Christian truly is one.Some may talk like Christians at times, but their deeds and their works revealthat they do not belong to Christ. The Apostle John addresses this clearly in 1John, when he says, “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for ifthey had been of us, they would have continued with us.” We who are truly bornagain have been transferred, transformed, and brought into the kingdom oflight. We no longer walk in covetousness or idolatry. Ifind it interesting that Paul repeats the same words in verse 5 that he usedearlier in verse 3—fornication, uncleanness, and covetousness. He says thesethings are not even to be named among us. Then he adds that the covetous personis an idolater. This same truth is taught in Colossians 3:5, where we are toldthat covetousness is idolatry.

On Sunday January 18, 2026 Pastor Michael Brunzo continued the message, "The Apostle John". Be blessed as you listen to this teaching.

The book of Revelation is not a coded timetable, nor a speculative map of the end-times. It is a letter written by the Apostle John to first-century Christians living in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). It aims to bring encouragement and hope to disciples of Jesus living in turbulent times. As G.K. Beale puts it, “Revelation is the Bible's battle cry of victory.” Through dramatic symbols drawn from the Old Testament, Revelation equips the church with the heavenly perspective needed to persevere in faith until the end. In this series, we will see:-Jesus rules from the throne.-The church is spiritually protected even as it suffers.-Evil is judged and defeated.-God's mission advances through the witness of His people.-The Lamb will return to renew creation and dwell with His people forever.Revelation calls the church not to fear, but to faithful endurance, confident that the Lamb is victorious and His victory is ours.

John 1:4-13 – The Light of the World Please turn in your Bibles to John 1:4-13. We started this new series in the Gospel of John two weeks ago. Remember the 5 “J”s of John. John, the apostle who is the author; Jews who were John's primary audience; Jerusalem where much of the setting took place; Jesus, of course, the focus of the book; and Jehovah – the emphasis that Jesus is God in the flesh. Then last week, we jumped in to verses 1-3. John's Gospel account doesn't begin with Jesus' genealogy nor the angels announcing of his coming, nor his birth in a manger. No, rather, John begins much earlier. He goes back to creation itself - the beginning of time. He reveals that Jesus is the very Word of God. He has always been and continues to be God. He is One with the Father and the Spirit. He has always existed. He is Christ, through whom God created all things. He begins there because he wants his readers to know that Jesus is truly God and creator. That brings us to verses 4-13. Instead of focusing on Christ's identity, we now learn about his purpose. The Word, who is Christ, is the light of the world. You'll hear that in our text. As I read, you will also hear a reference to a John. This John is not the Apostle John, but rather John the Baptist. He was sent by God to testify to Christ. Let's now come to God's Word Reading of John 1:4-13 Prayer Light is essential for life. I think you would agree with me.Without light, we cannot see. It exposes reality and reveals our surroundings. It purifies and penetrates. Light carries information across galaxies. The light of the sun warms the earth and perks us up. It gives energy to plants and trees. Really countless organisms use light to sustain life. It's no wonder that light is used in Scripture to illustrate God and his goodness and purity. And it's no wonder that darkness, the absence of light, illustrates sin and evil. That's because we intuitively know what light is. We understand it's illuminating nature. When it is dark outside and we need to walk or drive somewhere, we know we need light to see where we are going. We understand that evil and unrighteousness often happens in the dark. Take the Psalms for example. God's Word is described as being a light to our path. Elsewhere, God is described as being light. In our call to worship, we read that “The Lord is our light and our salvation, whom shall we fear?” We're also told in the Psalms that blessed are those that walk in the light of the Lord. And in them, we're given the contrast between light and darkness. God's light dawns in the darkness for the upright. And that is just the Psalms. So, when we get to John 1 and we read in these verses about the Word being the light of men and the darkness not overcoming it… and John the Baptist witnessing to Christ's light, we can understand it. The light of truth and righteousness in contrast to the darkness of sin and evil. We are to see the light of Christ and walk in his light. By the way, we are still in the opening verses of John's Gospel. We call this John's prologue. He's setting the stage by revealing the various themes in his book. And one of those themes is light. It's actually one of the apostle John's favorite themes. He speaks of light not just in this book but also his three letter and in the book of Revelation. In your bulletin on page 4, you'll see an outlin. We'll consider 3 things about this light. #1. The Revealing and Overpowering Light of Christ (verses 4-5) #2. Witnessing to the Light of Christ (verses 6-8) And #3. Receiving and Rejecting the Light of Christ (verses 9-13) 1. The Revealing and Overpowering Light of Christ (verses 4-5) Again, number 1 - the revealing and overpowering light of Christ. As John continues to reveal who this Word of God is, he says this in verse 4: “in him was life.” Prepositions are important. The preposition used here is “in” and not “through.” “In him was life.” It's speaking of Christ's life. It's not talking about the flesh and blood life of Jesus' human nature nor is it talking about our life in him. Rather, it's talking about Jesus' divine nature. We know that from the next few words. His life was shining forth and was penetrating the darkness. So the life spoken of here is Christ's being and existence as God. Notice it's the same verb that we considered last week - “was”. It's imperfect active. Christ's life always was and continues to be. I like how one commentator described Christ's life:  "[it] refers to the fulness of God's essence, his glorious attributes: holiness, truth, …love, omnipotence, sovereignty. This full, blessed life is said to have been present in the Word and this from all eternity…" It is that life – the fulness of God in Christ – which is the light of men. And it makes sense. Christ's righteousness and holiness and truth and love is our light. It is the source of light for all humanity. I mentioned that this theme is all through this book. Let me highlight three instances. ·      In chapter 3, Jesus said, "the light has come into the world, but people loved darkness rather than the light because their works are evil." In those verses he goes on to describe what it means to walk in the light. ·      In chapter 8, the most famous one, Jesus said, "I am the light of the world, whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" ·      And in chapter 12, Jesus said, "while you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light" In these different passages, Jesus is calling us to #1 see his light; #2 believe his light and #3 walk in his light. As we work our way through John, we'll have plenty of time to consider all the aspects of light applied to Jesus, but as an introduction, verses 4-5, give us two of them. 1. First, the light of Christ's life is there for all to see – verse 4. And it emanates from his life. SO, his eternal being and nature are being displayed to us through his light. His goodness and truth and righteousness are there for us to see. And when we see it, God is revealing to us, Christ's nature. We see him when we see his light. Through his light, God reveals Christ and shows us that we need his light. He is our light… which includes of course, the path we are to walk in his goodness and righteousness and truth. So, his light reveals his life and our need for his light. 2. Second, verse 5, his light reveals darkness. Did you notice in verse 5 that the verb is now present tense. The light, it says, "shines in the darkness." The light of Christ IS revealing unrighteous and evil. That's what light does - it reveals what is in the dark. By the way, this is another parallel to Genesis. This time John 1 recognizes that creation has been corrupted by evil and sin – that is the darkness mentioned. Elsewhere in John, we read about the "works of darkness." Darkness is that which is opposed to the light of Christ. It's anything contrary to his light – That would include wickedness and foolishness and unrighteousness. And notice that the darkness has not overcome the light. Other translations use other words there like the darkness has not apprehended the light… or comprehend it or extinguished it. Indeed, darkness cannot put out the light. I shared this once before, but back when I was in college, I spent several days on a mission trip to Sweden. We were ministering to kids from eastern Europe who had come to a camp. For one of our outings, we went to a very large cave in the area. It was safe. You know, it had railings and the such, and you could go way back into the cave. And so we did, we went as far as we could. And then we all decided to turn off our flashlights. It was dark. I mean like dark dark. You couldn't see your hand in front of your face. One of the other leaders had brought a lighter – you know a small butane lighter. And he lit it. That little flame lit up the cave. It was quite amazing how such a small light could illuminate the darkness. We could see one another and we could see the cave around us. And then we read some of the Scriptures about light. I think we read from John 1 – I don't know for sure, but it makes sense. “In him was life and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it” Darkness cannot overcome light. Darkness is, in fact, the absence of light. So, when light is revealed, darkness will be exposed. And that is what Christ has done. His love and justice and holiness and truth has revealed the darkness – evil and sin. It not only reveals it, but it cannot be overcome by it. It's really the other way around. The light overcomes the darkness. Christ has triumphed over the darkness. And that triumph has come through the cross and in his resurrection. Evil and sin have been fully exposed. The light of Christ in his life is in the act of overcoming darkness and revealing the path of life and purifying our hearts and minds. And one day soon, evil and sin will be defeated forever when the light of Christ comes to full fruition… when Jesus' return in Glory for all to see. Well, there is a lot more to say about light, which we'll get to as we work through John. The summary of point 1 is that Christ's light reveals his nature, shows us our need, and exposes sin and evil. 2. Witnessing to the Light of Christ (verses 6-8) Number 2. Witnessing to the light of Christ. In verses 6 and following, the Apostle John begins to transition from the lofty truths about the Word of God to that Word who has come in human flesh. We're told of another John, as I mentioned, who was sent to bear witness to the light. Notice that the word "witness" is used three times. His role is to testify to the light. We call John the Baptist the last Old Testament prophet because he was sent as the final prophet before Christ. John's purpose in being sent was to point to Jesus as the Messiah – the Savior – who was promised to come. And I want you to notice the contrast in verses 6-8. The contrast is between Christ, the Word of God, and John the Baptist. ·      John was not God, but rather, as verse 6 says, he was a man. ·      Furthermore, John was not eternal nor do things find their existence in him. Rather, he was sent by God, as it says. ·      And as verse 8 puts it, He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light." ·      Later in this chapter, John the Baptist himself will say, "I am not the Christ." It appears from these verses that some were confused about the difference between John the Baptist and Jesus. We're not told the specifics, but perhaps some saw John and Jesus as equals. Or perhaps there was competition between their respective followers. Maybe some said, "I am a disciple of John" or maybe even, "I was baptized by John." Or, I was baptized by one of Jesus' disciples. Isn't that human nature? John Calvin is my boy. Oh yeah, well, Charles Spurgeon is mine. Well, neither of them can come close to Augustine or the early church fathers.  It's what we do, isn't it. We don't know what dynamic was at play. But we do know what these verses make absolutely clear. John the Baptist was not the light. Rather, he was a witness to the light. In other words, he was verifying that Jesus was the true light. By the way, the theme of being a witness runs throughout the book. I did a search on the word "witness" and it is used 27 times in the Gospel of John. The first several are about John the Baptist bearing witness to Christ. But that is not the only witness. God the Father and God the Spirit bear witness to Jesus as the Son. Jesus' works and miracles bear witness that he is Christ. Jesus himself bears witness that he is God the Son. Jesus's disciples bear witness to him as God in the flesh. That will definitely be a theme we come across over and over In a couple of weeks, we'll come back to John the Baptist. If you scan down to verses 19 and following, you'll see that we're given specifics of how John witnessed to Christ. But the bigger point is that John the Baptist was not pointing to himself. Rather, he was witnessing to Christ as the light. John was like a mirror, you know. He reflected the light of God and directed people to the source of God's light. And that source was and in Christ – the light of world. 3. Receiving and Rejecting the Light of Christ (verses 9-13) Which brings us to #3. Receiving and rejecting the light of Christ. A couple of weeks ago, we considered the purpose statement of John's Gospel. That was in chapter 20 verse 31. We read that John wrote these things… do you remember why? so that we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing, we may have life in his name. In chapter 1, when we get to verses 9-13, it's here that we get the first glimpse of John's purpose in writing. He wants people to see Jesus for who he is as the light. He wants people to believe. And in these verses, John sets up the major conflict that almost every single chapter confronts. Who will believe? In verse 10, John writes that the light is in the world, and then he reiterates that the world was made through him. But then he makes two important statements. #1. End of verse 10 - The world did not know him and #2. Verse 11 - his own people did not receive him. The Jewish people didn't receive Jesus, even though they had been given the covenants, the law, the prophecies, and the promises. All of those things were witnessing to the light, yet, when the light came, many of the Jewish people did not recognize him. Yet, he was the very one who created the world and whom they had been waiting for… for centuries. He had come, but they, as it says, received him not. This is why John is writing. He wants people to see the light and believe. He wants #1 the world to see the light.  AND #2 he wants to confront the Jewish people about rejecting the light. We see that theme throughout the book. John writes that many did receive Jesus, include many of the Jews. In fact, the word “many” is used many times. Let me highlight a few. ·      Chapter 2 – "many believed in his name who saw the signs he was doing" ·      Chapter 4 – "Many Samaritans believed" ·      Chapter 6 and Chapter 7 and Chapter 10 each include the phrase “many believed.” ·      Chapter 11 – listen to this one: "many of the Jews who… had seen what he did, believed" ·      Chapter 12 – a similar thing – "many on account of [Lazarus – who Jesus had raised]  were believing in Jesus." And also in 12, "many of the authorities believed in him" It's quite pervasive. Yes, many rejected him, and we are going to see that, but many would come to believe. He wanted his readers to know that… because he wanted his readers to likewise believe. I want to take a brief tangent and talk about application. You know, in the last 2-3 years we have studied Proverbs, 2 Corinthians, and Malachi. Think about the different kinds of life application in each – they are very different. ·      In Proverbs, it was about applying the wisdom of God in the rubber-meets-the road decisions of life. How do we follow God's path? ·      2 Corinthians included many things, but a big one was living with Gospel hope in affliction and pain and conflict. ·      Malachi, if you remember, was very different. It dug deep into our heart idols and our worship and our marriages… and it called us to repent. Isn't that quite a diversity of life application? But let me ask, what is the primary application of John? What does John's Gospel emphasize over and over for his readers… including us? The answer is, we're called to believe. Yes, we are going to see ways in which our lives do not reflect the light of Christ. But the main application of John is to believe. Believe in Christ. Believe in the Word of God. Believe in his promises. Believe in the Salvation that he offers. Believe in the Father and Spirit and Son as One God. It's to turn from our unbelief in whatever ways we haven't believed, and to believe. And that applies to all of us. As the father who had a child with an unclean spirit said – said to Jesus, "I believe, but help my unbelief." That captures our hearts. Briefly in closing, verses 12 and 13 reveal the blessing that those who do believe will receive. It says, "…to all who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born not of blood nor of the flesh nor the will of man, but of God." New life in him. There's a lot in there in that last sentence. I almost shortened our sermon text, again. We don't have sufficient time today to cover it. However, it's yet another theme that will come up in the book - being born again and becoming children of God. It's a big emphasis in chapter 3. So, we'll get there soon. But the summary is that those who believe in Jesus as the light of the world, will be given new life. Will become God's children, born anew in him. So, may we believe in Jesus Christ, who is the light of the world. The darkness will not overcome his light. He has come and has offered his life so that we may live. May we believe in his name.

The closest disciple to Jesus and the one who received the greatest revelation from Jesus is the Apostle John. John's writings proclaim the revealed Jesus, His words, His commandments and His joy for us to receive through the way of love. In this sermon series, explore this way of love that Jesus lived and invited us into with Him. GIVE HERE - https://awake.church/give

Thank you for joining us for the first message of our new series, Built to Last. This series is based on the book of 1 John, written by the Apostle John near the end of his life, so John shares his perspective on how God has been faithful in building believers, churches, and ministries that can stand firm. In this worship service, we example how God leads us to build our lives to last by focusing upward, inward, and outward. If you prayed to make Jesus your Lord today, we want to rejoice with you! If you would want someone to pray with you, we are eager to do so! If you would like more information about our church, we're want to share. Please text the word "NEXT" to 407-77 so we can engage with you. For more information about our in-person Sunday morning services, visit https://horizonwestchurch.com. You can also learn more about our midweek events at https://horizonwestchurch.com/events.

On Sunday January 11, 2026 Pastor Michael Brunzo began the message, "The Apostle John". Be blessed as you listen to this teaching.

Join us for this week's sermon!Whether you're seeking hope, direction, or a deeper connection with God, this message is for you. Each week, we open God's Word together to find truth, encouragement, and strength for the journey.

The book of Revelation is not a coded timetable, nor a speculative map of the end-times. It is a letter written by the Apostle John to first-century Christians living in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). It aims to bring encouragement and hope to disciples of Jesus living in turbulent times. As G.K. Beale puts it, “Revelation is the Bible's battle cry of victory.” Through dramatic symbols drawn from the Old Testament, Revelation equips the church with the heavenly perspective needed to persevere in faith until the end. In this series, we will see:-Jesus rules from the throne.-The church is spiritually protected even as it suffers.-Evil is judged and defeated.-God's mission advances through the witness of His people.-The Lamb will return to renew creation and dwell with His people forever.Revelation calls the church not to fear, but to faithful endurance, confident that the Lamb is victorious and His victory is ours.

The Apostle John reveals three key marks of true Christianity: believing in Jesus, walking in obedience, and loving fellow believers. In 1 John 3:11-18, he exposes two dangerous lies about love that our culture promotes. First, that love comes later after we get our doctrine right, when actually love has been foundational from the beginning. Second, that love comes naturally, when true Christian love is actually supernatural and only possible through God's Spirit. Real love follows Christ's example of laying down His life for us, moving beyond words to concrete actions that serve others in practical ways.

Join us for a study through the Gospel of the Apostle John, continuing with John 4. In John 4 we will focus on Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well and see how the revelation of Christ as Messiah turned an outcast and a sinner into an effective evangelist in a single day.

By Fred Reeves - Inspired by Jesus Christ, the Apostle John recorded seven letters to seven churches. Separated by geography, these churches also represent successive church eras, culminating at Christ's return.

The book of Revelation is not a coded timetable, nor a speculative map of the end-times. It is a letter written by the Apostle John to first-century Christians living in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). It aims to bring encouragement and hope to disciples of Jesus living in turbulent times. As G.K. Beale puts it, “Revelation is the Bible's battle cry of victory.” Through dramatic symbols drawn from the Old Testament, Revelation equips the church with the heavenly perspective needed to persevere in faith until the end. In this series, we will see:-Jesus rules from the throne.-The church is spiritually protected even as it suffers.-Evil is judged and defeated.-God's mission advances through the witness of His people.-The Lamb will return to renew creation and dwell with His people forever.Revelation calls the church not to fear, but to faithful endurance, confident that the Lamb is victorious and His victory is ours.

Comparison is the silent killer of joy. It steals your confidence, shifts your focus, and leaves you spiritually drained. In this episode, we dive into 1 Samuel 18 to look at the lives of Saul and David. David's victory over Goliath should have been a moment of national unity, but instead, it exposed the dangerous power of comparison in King Saul's heart.Join us as we explore how to break free from the "sideways energy" of jealousy and find true confidence in your identity in Christ.Key Takeaways:Comparison Strangles Your Joy: Saul had every reason to celebrate, but he let a song of praise for David turn into personal insecurity. When we look sideways at what others have, we forget the goodness God has already given us.Comparison Stunts Your Growth: Jealousy is like "cancer in the bones" (Proverbs 14:30). It keeps you from being mentored by or mentoring others because you view everyone as a threat rather than a partner in God's kingdom.Comparison Steals Your Focus: You cannot follow Jesus effectively while watching someone else's calling. What you stare at is what you steer toward—if you stare at others' success, you'll steer toward envy.Episode Highlights:[00:00] The Celebration That Turned Into Jealousy David's victory was celebrated by the nation, but Saul fixated on the lyrics: "Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands!" (1 Samuel 18:7). Saul heard a threat where he should have heard a victory for God.[04:30] The Modern Comparison Trap Social media has made comparison effortless. We discuss how "scrolling" affects our spiritual health and why Psalm 34:10 is the antidote: "Those who seek the Lord will lack no good thing."[09:15] Sideways Energy Saul spent more time watching David than ruling his kingdom. We look at Jesus' words to Peter in John 21:22: "What is that to you? As for you, follow me."[15:45] From Competition to Confidence The Gospel replaces insecurity with identity. Like the Apostle John, we can move from chasing status to resting in the love of the Father (1 John 3:1).Scripture References:1 Samuel 18:7-12 – Saul's jealousy of David.Psalm 34:10 – Lacking no good thing in the Lord.Proverbs 14:30 – The physical and spiritual toll of jealousy.John 21:22 – Jesus' command to focus on our own walk.1 John 3:1 – Our identity as children of God.Mentions & Resources:Learn more about David's life and biblical leadership at pursueGOD.org.Start a Conversation: Use this episode to talk with a friend or small group. Find the full discussion guide at pursueGOD.org/david.

In this Bible Story, John has been exiled after being dipped in a vat of boiling oil. As he sits on the shores of Patmos, God comes to him in a vision. John writes in poetry and metaphor to describe his vision of God’s throne room. We are taken up with John, beholding God’s majesty and glory. This story is inspired by Revelation. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is Revelation 4:2 from the King James Version.Episode 242: The Apostle John, now exiled on the island of Patmos, became startled as he heard a powerful voice behind him. The voice told him to write down what he was about to see. He turned around to see who was speaking to him and saw that it was the risen Jesus. His appearance was full of majesty as He gave John a message for each of the seven churches. But the vision did not end there, John was then called up into the throne room of God where he saw it filled with the beauty and majesty only God can bring. Beautiful colors, many thrones, and massive living creatures which all shouted the praises of God Most High, and the Lamb that was slain now lives!Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world’s greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd HaberkornSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.