1 John 4:7-12 Christian Standard Bible
Knowing God through Love
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 God’s love was revealed among us[a] in this way: God sent his one and only Son into the world so that we might live through him. 10 Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice[b] for our sins. 11 Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also must love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God. If we love one another, God remains in[c] us and his love is made complete in us.
Word of God for the Children of God
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
As you scroll through social media, you will notice everyone is talking about manipulation, narcissism, gaslighting, avoidant attachment, and emotional unavailability.
It feels like we are living in a time where the primary relationship skill people learn is how to protect themselves with utmost diligence.
We are trained to look for red flags, to not be “too trusting,” to stay guarded, in control.
And sure, some of that is necessary. But we do not realize that we have become very good at protecting ourselves…and very bad at connecting with each other.
I have been blessed with a couple of “close” friends. It wasn’t always that way, though. There was a time when I didn’t share much about myself with others.
I went to great lengths to hide the “not pretty” part of my life in a figurative Fort Knox strong bank vault, with the bad memories boxed up on the top shelf.
There were things I had learned that you do not talk about.
All of this changed when I started a new season of small group at church.
Within those safe spaces, I learned I could risk sharing my life with others and be fully accepted.
This surprised me.
I realized the vault doors had to be opened, and the memories, one by one, taken off the shelf, boxes opened, and shared with others. What I learned was that friendship is a blessing and absolutely essential to the Christian life.
In friendship, we encourage each other and help each other grow.
I have a friend with a gift for encouragement. He has a great way of encouraging me in the Lord and reminding me of the Lord’s truth not my own. I can come with my hard circumstances and prayer requests and leave with a sense of hope.
In 1 Thessalonians 5, it says, “So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:11).
1 Thessalonians 5:9-11 Amplified Bible
9 For God has not destined us to [incur His] wrath [that is, He did not select us to condemn us], but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died [willingly] for us, so that whether we are awake (alive) or asleep (dead) [at Christ’s appearing], we will live together with Him [sharing eternal life]. 11 Therefore encourage and comfort one another and build up one another, just as you are doing.
It is so critically important to encourage each other because life can get chaotic.
We need each other’s help to keep going.
As friends, we also help each other grow.
In Proverbs, it says, “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend” (Proverbs 27:17).
We make each other better in Christ.
We help each other in times of need.
John 13:34-35 Amplified Bible
34 I am giving you a new commandment, that you [a]love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too are to love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love and unselfish concern for one another.”
1 John 4:11-12 “Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.”
As we put our love into action, we show each other trust and the love of Christ.
We confess our sins to each other.
In Galatians 6, Paul says, “Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:1-2).
1 John 1:5-9 Amplified Bible
God Is Light
5 This is the message [of God’s promised revelation] which we have heard from Him and now announce to you, that God is Light [He is holy, His message is truthful, He is perfect in righteousness], and in Him there is no darkness at all [no sin, no wickedness, no imperfection]. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness [of sin], we lie and do not practice the truth; 7 but if we [really] walk in the Light [that is, live each and every day in conformity with the precepts of God], as He Himself is in the Light, we have [true, unbroken] fellowship with one another [He with us, and we with Him], and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin [by erasing the stain of sin, keeping us cleansed from sin in all its forms and manifestations]. 8 If we say we have no sin [refusing to admit that we are sinners], we delude ourselves and the truth is not in us. [His word does not live in our hearts.] 9 If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just [true to His own nature and promises], will forgive our sins, cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness [our wrongdoing, everything not in conformity with His will and purpose].
What I found in surrendering, sharing these hard things with friends is we begin to confront, reality check, fight this battle together—I am no longer by myself in it. It also removes the shame that I feel, which causes me to hide sin.
Coming further into the light, my friends have been waiting and ready to help.
In James, it says,
“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results” (James 5:16).
When we stop hiding our sin from each other and from God, He can heal us.
Intersecting Faith & Life:
As I’ve continued to learn about friendship, I’ve found that friends help pick each other up.
In Ecclesiastes, it says, “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10).
The writer continues, “A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:12).
I pray that you find these things to be true in your friendships as well.
Genesis 2:18-25 Amplified Bible
18 Now the Lord God said, “It is not good (beneficial) for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper [one who balances him—a counterpart who is] [a] suitable and complementary for him.” 19 So the Lord God formed out of the ground every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. 20 And the man gave names to all the livestock, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for Adam there was not found a helper [that was] suitable (a companion) for him. 21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam; and while he slept, He took one of his ribs, closed up the flesh at that place. 22 And the rib which the Lord God had taken from the man He made (fashioned, formed) into a woman, and He brought her and presented her to the man. 23 Then Adam said,
“This is now bone of my bones,
And flesh of my flesh;
She shall be called Woman,
Because she was taken out of Man.”
24 For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. 25 And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed or embarrassed.
In Genesis 2 we find a close-up of the first wedding ever celebrated.
It took place in Paradise at the beginning of history, and it was one of the most impressive events ever.
The setting was more beautiful than at any other wedding.
The first bride and groom, Adam and Eve, were surrounded by the unstained, breathtaking beauty of God’s creation.
No modern-day florist or outdoor photographer could begin to capture the beauty of that setting.
Most impressive about that first wedding, though, was God himself conducted the ceremony: “the LORD God made a woman … he brought her to the man.”
This is the Bible’s way of teaching us coming together, being brought together, is from God, established as a creation ordinance.
1 John 1:1-4 Common English Bible
Announcement about the word of life
1 We announce to you what existed from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have seen and our hands handled, about the word of life. 2 The life was revealed, and we have seen, and we testify and announce to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us. 3 What we have seen and heard, we also announce it to you so that you can have fellowship with us. Our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We are writing these things so that our joy can be complete.
Fellowship was not invented by a human being; it was instituted by God when he created “male and female” (Genesis 1:27) brought Adam and Eve together.
Disciples of Jesus aren’t lost when they are right where God has told them to be.
And God the Father has told us to enjoy fellowship with him and Jesus and with the community of believers.
We are never really lost when we are connected in fellowship with God and with other Christians. We become lost when we think we can go it alone in this world.
God didn’t create us as an island to be alone or to walk out this life by ourselves.
In all sincerity I pray that God will bring you the right people at the right time to empower, inspire, prosper and strengthen the relationships you already have.
In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit ….
Praying ….
Acts 2:42-47 English Standard Version
The Fellowship of the Believers
42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe[a] came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 