1 John 3: 13-21

Today I am meditating on 1 John 13 to 21 (NIV)

13 Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. This is very interesting to me. If I am reading this right the more we love the more this world hates us! Not a real good motivational point! But I understand that this world has a hard time with unconditional love. Everything has to have something in it for me, everything has an hidden agenda! It is true love that is in Christ does have a hidden motive to show and introduce people to even more love than they can imagine! In a world of hate and self centered culture people that love will not be welcomed to easily.

Once we decide to follow Christ one of the ways we know we have changed is that we love our “brothers” for it says those that do not remains in “death” that in my opinion means sin or with out God. The question I have is how we define the word “brother?” If it means humanity at large than that means the church in America has a problem. We drop the ball in loving those that chose not to follow God or to follow God in other than our way. We have to love the people but not their actions but how many churches really draw those that are seeking or just wondering about God? We look at them as projects to fix not people to love.

What if we define brother as fellow Christ followers? Then we have lot of work to do to stop the internal hate of other Christ followers. We get this one, normally ours, church is right mentality maybe not on purpose but it is what happens. 15 Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him. These are strong words! They are right from the bible their not mine! If we hate our brothers than we lose eternal life or does it mean we never really had eternal life? I will let you talk to God about that one for yourself but it is what the Bible says! Over all I think Jesus REALLY wants us to love a whole lot more than we do in most church communities, both internal and externally of the community we are part of!


16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18 Dear children let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. You see Jesus saw us in need of love and forgiveness! He then gave the most precious material possession He had, his body. His example was extreme for us but His love was embodied not only in words but ultimate action on the cross. What more should we be willing to see those in need and give of that what we have to share with those that do not have. I do not suggest that everyone we meet we have to or can we help but there are time the Jesus walks into our path those we SEE and KNOW we can and are supposed to help. Those are the times that “I” think God watches us to see if we get it. To see if we understand what love really is!

19 This then is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence 20 whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. I like this and at the same time REALLY do not like it! It hits vary close to home unfortunately. I am speaking for myself but I know that there have been times where my heart was not at peace and I knew that there was something out of place in my life between God and me. I knew that He knew but I did not want to admit it because then I would have to admit to be ALL too human. Once I quit being a mule headed jack*** and admitted my stubbornness to Jesus, my heart some how felt a peace over come it. I do not claim to understand this but it is like when a really bad thunder storm suddenly clears from the sky. There is that amazing feeling of change, the sky breaks and the sun seems so amazing because of the difference that you are feeling. That is what it is like for me.

21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. Once I have cleared my heart and life in raw openness to God than I do feel like I can approach God with a confidence that I did not have when I was holding on to that (whatever) I was holding. I remember when I wanted to ask my (human) father for something I never did it when I had a guilty conscious or if I had to I was really hard, compared to when I had nothing to feel guilty about, like staying out to late and knowing he knows but is just not saying anything to make all the worse!

23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. This seems like a no brainer but is can be so hard when people judge you or put you down. It can be so hard when they think you are wrong for a personal belief that you feel is right before God! We have to remember the word is not playing around here WE have to love people or you will have to deal with Vs. 15!!!

I pray the God will help me and all that read this, truly love all people and do so because it is only through that love that comes from a relationship with Jesus that others to may come to know just how awesome this relationship is and consider joining the journey with me!!!