GOD IS LOVE
Today’s Reading: 1 John 4-5
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
Many believe that Jesus was crucified at this location in Jerusalem just outside the city walls. It is known as Golgotha, The Place of the Skull, or Calvary. This rock is the north face of a rock quarry from which the stones were taken for the construction of the various Temples. It is dug into Mt. Moriah, the mountain where Abraham was about to sacrifice his son Isaac when God intervened and provided the sacrifice. God’s provision of a ram was a symbol of the final sacrifice for sin when God would sacrifice His only begotten Son, Jesus, on Moriah or in this quarry. The Temples were built on Moriah just south of this location.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verses: 1 John 4:8-9
He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.
The words “love,” “loved” or “loves” appear 28 times in today’s reading, 40 times in all in the book of 1st John! John quoted Jesus in what is probably the most well-known verse in the entire Bible in John 3:16. We may want to read all of Jesus’ message to Nicodemus, a man who was a Jewish leader (John 3:9-21). In John 20:2, John refers to himself, not by his name, but as the “other disciple whom Jesus loved.” No wonder John is known as “the Apostle of love.”
Because John loved with God’s love, he was compelled to write the most serious warnings about sin and its consequences for all who do not repent and turn from sin. In 1 John 1:8-10, he confirms that we are sinners, including himself. We cannot at any time say, “We have no sin” (present tense), nor can we say, “We have not sinned.” Then in his closing words we read, “Whoever is born of God does not sin.” Is John contradicting himself? No! This is an example of a place where we need to remember Peter’s statement warning us against “private” interpretation of Scripture. Church scholars have consistently interpreted the “does not sin” words with an understanding of the Greek language, in which these words were originally written, to mean, “does not sin deliberately without remorse and confession of sin.” It may be well for us to read again 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (the word “cleanse” in Greek is in a grammatical tense which means a constant, ongoing cleansing). Amen!!!
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, You have made provision for forgiveness and for an ongoing washing of my life from sin. I pray for a consistent attitude of repentance and trust in Your promise that, as long as I walk in the light of Your Word, I know that the blood of Jesus Christ, Your Son, cleanses me from all sin (1 John 1:7). In the Person of Jesus Christ, and because of His blood, I have confidence that You hear me and that I am righteous in Your sight. Amen!!!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
I have struggled over the years with John’s love letter to all believers because of the statement, “There is a sin leading to death” (1 John 5:16). What is this? I’m convinced that the only sin which cannot be forgiven is that of rejecting Jesus right up until and including the moment of death. I’ve met people who think they have committed the “unpardonable sin.” If we have any desire whatsoever for God’s forgiveness, we can be forgiven when we pray the sinner’s prayer, “God be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13). I know this because there is no contradiction in Holy Scripture, and Jesus said, “The one who comes to Me I will by NO MEANS cast out” (John 6:37b)! These are the Words of Jesus that led me personally to believe that Jesus received me and saved me when I was a 16 year old. John writes, in the final words of the Bible, these Words, (click here for Revelation 22:17-21) “Whoever desires” may “Come!” The word “COME!” is repeated twice. It is God’s will that all should be saved, but God will not force anyone to believe. He does not turn people into mindless robots or puppets. I decided to believe God’s promise of salvation, and He did not turn me away!!! According to the words of the Apostle Peter, God is “not willing that any should perish but that ‘ALL’ should ‘COME’ to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9b).
Yours with a fervent prayer that anyone reading this who has not “COME,” will do so now and that you might be helped through the Crossroads telephone prayer number 1-866-273-4444 or e-mail address, ministry@crossroads.ca. A non-judgmental person, who cares deeply about you as an eternal, precious never-dying person, is waiting for the phone to ring or an e-mail to arrive indicating a desire to COME TO JESUS! YES!!!!!!! God answers prayer, but it’s too late after death. Please, please, make the call on God and also call the prayer lines.
David
P.S. If you’ve come to Jesus today, we have some helpful literature to send you, which will help you have complete assurance that you are right with God for time and for eternity. Just ask when you call or write, and May God bless you in a special way on this Good Friday!
I am not sure all saints will appreciate this song/video because it shows Jesus on His way to the cross and all the suffering He endured and sacrificed on our behalf. It is painful to watch but I think so important of a reminder to us, on Good Friday, the morning/day when this occurred, thousands of years ago. Oh precious Jesus, worthy You are, oh Lamb of God. We owe You–our everything! Let us rejoice in praise of You, this morning, at Good Friday services. Amen!
“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5
The Passion of the Christ, Worthy is the Lamb
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YknGRYPJxXQ
P.S. This video link runs into The Gospel of John movie. Excellent timing to go with the Gospel of John, Apostle of love, with this morning’s scripture reading. God’s blessings, dearest fellow saints in the Lord.
I had a neighbor who was in her eighties and no matter how many times I explained the Gospel message to her, told her of my experiences with our Lord, she couldn’t believe it was true. She passed away a number of years ago, never accepting our Lord. It is painful for me to believe someone like her being condemn to eternal suffering simply because she didn’t really understand what she was rejecting.
I was raised as a Christian believed there was a God, but it wasn’t until my twenties that I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. So why was I able to finally understand in my twenties what I was taught since childhood?
And then there are some who just have to hear the message once and they are on knees in repentance and asking our Lord into their hearts. Why was it so easy for them to accept it?
So the whole process on why and how we come to believe is a mystery to me. I know after we accept our Lord when we receive the Holy Spirit it all makes sense — but the process before acceptance, why is it so easy for some to believe and others like my neighbor could not?
Today is Good Friday, many around the world will be marking the day, fully believing Jesus was the Son of God who died for all sins so we all might be with Him for all eternity, but many will watch the news and think how silly we all look worshipping this Jewish carpenter.
So my prayer today is for all those who hearts have been harden that the Lord will find a way to reach them, to open their minds and give them a chance to fully understand the choice they need to make and why? Also today I will be weeping not only for the lost, but like one who weeps at a sunset, because what our Lord did on the cross was an act of such profound love, it is beauty defined. God bless all of you on this most Holy Day
Amen Donna. It is difficult to not take it personally when we believe that we are doing God’s will through the Holy Spirit in us and the end result does not appear to glorify God…
In remembrance of Christ’s crucifixion for all of us – God Bless.
God Bless you Pastor David for faithfully encouraging people to “Take the Gift of Life in Jesus Christ” Eternal salvation!!!
Words of Love given to us through today’s scripture, thank You Father God for your Great love for us. THANK YOU JESUS, YOU DID IT ALL FOR US!!!
SINGING….
I LOVE YOU LORD, AND I LIFT MY VOICE TO WORSHIP YOU OH MY SOUL REJOICE, TAKE JOY MY KING IN ALL HEAR LET IT BE A SWEET, SWEET SOUND IN YOUR EAR!!
God Bless you all on this Good Friday!!!
I love that song, Irene! Here it is:
I love you Lord – Maranatha Singers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLK8eG2JcB8
Hi Donna M. You mention in your comments today,-” twice” that your friend COULD NOT believe and you were confused as to why she “COULD NOT” where as “others” were able to easily accept the LORD even after hearing the gospel once. The bible says FAITH “cometh” by “hearing” and hearing by the word of GOD. Might I suggest that “IF she did not accept CHRIST, it was probably because she “WOULD NOT” BELIEVE as opposed to “COULD NOT’ believe the gospel.. When the plan of salvation is presently properly and I’m sure you explained the gospel to her plainly and fervently from your heart; still an individual must “choose” between acceptance and rejection. According to the word of GOD, the lost cannot be saved without a witness and you certainly were that witness. They must have a witness to hear and they must hear to believe; they must believe to call and they must call to be saved. (Romans 10:13) But they cannot call until they believe and they cannot believe until they hear and they cannot hear without a witness. We are NOT born with saving Faith; it comes to us ONLY when we hear the GOSPEL. Do NOT beat yourself up on this. Be faithful in your witness; after you share the gospel using bible scriptures; begin to PRAY for them and (vocally) invite them to accept CHRIST into their heart. Say something like this: Mary, will you kneel with me in prayer as I ask the LORD to save you right here, right NOW?- YOU simply lead the way- take the initiative. If it’s a NO GO, don’t force it .Pray a short prayer and the LORD will convict her of her sins and bring her to repentance. Make an appointment to return for another witness session. Always remember- we “win” souls and the BLESSED HOLY SPIRIT does the “saving”. That’s how we train to become mighty soul winners for CHRIST. She probably made it to heaven and accepted CHRIST into her heart because of your faithful witness. When death begins knocking on a person’s heart’s door, people begin to take this salvation seriously and we do not always know it. Remember the thief- he spoke to JESUS saying- “REMEMBER ME WHEN THOU COMEST INTO THY PARADISE” and JESUS said TODAY THOU SHALT BE WITH ME IN PARADISE. God bless you Donna M. HE (she) that winneth souls is wise.
Rev. Terrence (Terry) FELVUS – Grassie.
Leviticus 24:16
Verse Concepts
‘Moreover, the one who blasphemes the name of the LORD shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall certainly stone him. The alien as well as the native, when he blasphemes the Name, shall be put to death.
The above does not say “eternal death”.Below is a very good explanation that sounds reasonable.Blessings
https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/ivp-nt/Sin-unto-Death-Sin-not-unto-Death
Amen, He paid it all for us. Bless His Holy Name! I am home due to icy driving conditions but may the Lord bless all the Good Friday services across this nation and around the world! God Bless you dear saints!
Today is a good day to share this poem.God bless
In A Poet’s Mind
They opened my flesh to the bone,
Harder still when they heard no moan,
As meat was torn from my ribs;
For my clothes they claimed dibs
As the cross was still on the ground,
A mother’s sobs were the only sound,.
My body ached in so much pain,
From the whips that fell like rain.
They drove the spike through my hand,
As my Father’s shadow covered the land,
Then they raised the cross up high
To where my body would soon die.
Each breath then came in bolts of pain
As Satan sought this world to regain.
But he knew I would do it again
Just to break his worldly reign.
That is why I broke the serpent’s sword
And became your loving,willing Lord,
For to step down off the cross,
The world then would be My loss.
GW (Bill) Marshall
Thank you Pastor David I agree with your comment re “1John 5:16” There is a sin unto death. To be “rejecting Jesus right unto death” for without Jesus’ salvation, we have no life.
When John writes,”the one born of God does not sin,” he is saying that one who is born of God does not continually practise sin. The verb in the Greek language is in the present tense and in the Greek language that is a continual action (“does not continue to sin”). We do not have such a tense in our English language.
When it comes to the “sin unto death” we know that that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is a sin that will never be forgiven neither in this life nor in the world to come.
But this sin unto death is difficult to interpret. If one …see(on any particular occasion) a brother sin a sin(in the act of sinning and continuing to sin). This seems to me that we as believers are not to seem more generous than God by seeking the unrepentant sinners forgiveness. This sin is the very serious sin of denying Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of God( in constant to those who confess the truth. 1John 5:1, 5). Such wilful deniers are not even to be welcomed into our home as one who have life. I also would be willing to concede that this is not just an act, but perhaps a state, the state of apostasy; the state of a soul where once there was life, that life has now been extinguished. (I realize this may not be in keeping with those of the Calvinistic tradition. Sorry!). But when it is the deliberate rejection of the grace so freely offered, how can another procure life for such a one. Matt 12:31,32; Jam 5:15
If we pray for an impenitent, it must be done with reference to the will of God not with an intercessay prayer we would offer for an erring brother.( I do not necessarily offer this as the final answer to this question of the,”sin unto death”).