BUT and old one (1 John 2:7-11)

Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command 

BUT an old one, 

which you have had since the beginning.

 This old command is the message you have heard. Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining. 

Anyone who claims to be in the light 

BUT hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. 

 Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light,and there is nothing in them to make them stumble.

 BUT anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.

1 John 2:7-11

Do you want to have a great year? Sometimes the best way to do this is to stick with the basics. This verse is pretty clear, if you want to walk without stumbling you need to let go of any hatred you are feeling. Take time today to really ask God to help you forgive and forget. Approach people if that is what it takes to move on for you. You may say I can't forget- well forgetfulness has several stages. To start moving in the right direction stop dwelling on the people who have hurt you even for a moment, then an hour, before you know it you haven't given them your valuable time for a whole day, a week. You have forgotten! Replace the angry feelings with thoughts of God and His love towards you.

BUT with actions and in truth (1 John 3:18)

Dear children,

let us not love with words or speech

BUT with actions and in truth.

1 John 3:18

What if today we stop talking about Jesus love and started putting it into action!

BUT that He loved us (1 John 4:10)

This is love: not that we loved God, 

BUT that He loved us and sent His Son

as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

1 John 4:10
I realize that God loves me no matter what BUT of late I realize that my sacrifices do make  a difference in my relationship with Him. What am I willing to sacrifice? TV time, personal time, my wants, desires? Even in our personal relationships I have found that the more I am willing to sacrifice my own desires the closer I feel to my love. 
Think about it?

BUT that He LOVED us (1 John 4:14)

This is love: not that we loved God, BUT that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

1 John 4:14
Happy Valentines day!

BUT... if we love one another (1 John4:12)

No one has ever seen God,

BUT

If we love one another,

God lives in us and His LOVE is made complete.

1 John 4:12

As we begin the Love month of February this is a great verse on Love.
 GO our there this month and show people GOD by the way you treat them! 

BUT if we walk in the light (1 John 1:7)

BUT…

If we walk in the light, as He is the light,

we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all our sins…

 1 John 1:7

This takes effort on our part. We must make the decision every day, every moment to walk in His light. To let His thoughts be our thoughts.

I find this interesting when we are in fellowship with God it results in fellowship with others. You can’t love God and hate people around you. This is a hard pill to swallow, you say “these people drive me crazy, you have no idea how they have treated me” BUT God knows and loves them too. Maybe they don’t know it yet or may they are not living in the light and your love to them will be what reveals God to them.

BUT... If we walk in the light (1 John 1:7)

If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness,

 we lie and do not live out the truth.

BUT

If we walk in the light, as He is the light, we have fellowship with one another,

and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.

1 John 1:7

Ask yourself today if you enjoy your time with God. Not just your prayer time but just the thought that He is with you where ever you go. At the same time do you find your self negative? Then you may not be walking in His light. This verse reminds us to have fellowship with one another.

BUT...perfect love drives out fear (1John 4)

God is love...There is no fear in love,

BUT perfect love drives out fear...

We love because He first loved us.

  1 John 4

Are you worried about something today? 
Well you do not have to anymore. God's got this!

BUT... anyone who does not love (1 John 4:7-8)

Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.

BUT…

 anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
1 John 4:7-8 (NLT)

This verse can be easily misinterpreted that if someone does not love they are not a child of God. BUT that is not what it says.It clearly states that someone who does not love does not KNOW God. Our Fathers greatest attribute is LOVE try today to really get that… think about it He sent His son for you because He wanted you to be able to LOVE Him. When you get this it is much easier to love others.   

BUT... He loved us and sent His Son (1 John 4:10)

 This is love:

not that we loved God,

BUT…

that He loved us and sent His Son

as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

1 John 4:10

Oh if only you could get this concept! There is NOTHING you can do to earn God’s love. If we could be good enough or love enough then Jesus did not need to die on the cross.

 We are human thus we are imperfect. We need God. Accept His love this Easter and be free to love God and live at peace with yourself. 

BUT ...perfect love cast out fear (1 John 4:18)

There is no fear in love; 

but...

 perfect love casts out fear, 

because fear involves torment. 

But...

 he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

 (I John 4:18 NKJV)

As I was doing my daily reading today at 3:20 am. I read this verse for what seems like the first time. Today is Valentines Day and as we examine this verse on love my first thought is what's fear got to do with it? Think about it... Once you have experienced God's love He truly does cast all your fears away. You can totally trust Him with every aspect of your life. This is PERFECT LOVE!

BUT.. go on living in spiritual darkness (1 John 1:6)

So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God

 

BUT…

Go on living in spiritual darkness,
we are not practicing the truth.
BUT...

If we walk in the light, as He is the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all our sins…
1 John 1:6  ESV

Are you trying to hide something from yourself, others or even God. 

It is a lie that you are telling yourself. God is the light and He reveals the truth when we are living in the spirit.

This takes effort on our part. We must make the decision every day, every moment to walk in His light. 

To let His thoughts be our thoughts.

I find this interesting when we are in fellowship with God it results in fellowship with others. You can’t love God and hate people around you. This is a hard pill to swallow, you say “these people drive me crazy, you have no idea how they have treated me” BUT God knows and loves them too. Maybe they don’t know it yet or may they are not living in the light and your love to them will be what reveals God to them.

BUT... the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2)

He (Jesus)is God’s way of dealing with our sins,
not only ours

BUT…

The sins of the whole world.

1 John 2:2

When we first read this it sounds really good. BUT I want you to think about it, this means even the people who have wronged you. And if God can forgive them He can give you the freedom to forgive them as well.
Do it today and Free yourself. 

BUT... if anyone does sin (1 John 2:1)

My little Children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin.

BUT…

If anyone does sin we have an advocate with the father. Jesus Christ the righteous.

1 John 2:1  (ESV) 

The Lord is not pleased when we intentionally act in a way that we know is not pleasing to Him.

An advocate is defined as one that pleads the cause of another

. Jesus is in heaven and when God is not happy with us He simply says BUT daddy I took care of that.