Dear Church Family, We have been having a great (virtual) Sunday evening class for the last several weeks! Thank you to those who have participated – and thank you for your patience as we all try and navigate meeting and learning in an online setting. I recognize that it is
Dear Church Family, This week we come to the final four verses of 1 John and the conclusion of our study of this epistle. If you’ve been following along in our study, then hopefully by now you might remember the three main themes or emphases of this letter. The Christian
Dear Church Family, As we near the end of this first epistle from the Apostle John, God’s Word focuses us in on the power and privilege of prayer. And, if you give full weight to the meaning of these words, and take God’s Word to heart – it is, indeed,
Dear Church Family, As we enter the fifth and final chapter in our study of 1 John, we find that the Apostle John wishes to conclude this letter by encouraging and building up the assurance of faith of his readers, “those who believe in the name of the Son of
Dear Church Family, Continuing in our study of 1 John, we come to a section in chapter four (1 John 4:7-12) in which John once again takes up the topic of love, specifically, a call for believers to love one another. In fact, that phrase, “love one another,” is repeated
Dear Church Family, The Apostle John begins the fourth chapter of his first epistle with a call for discernment, a call for believers to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). As we noted
Dear Church Family, In our study of 1 John, we’ve taken note of how the Apostle John emphasizes the three key elements of the Christian life: right doctrine (what you believe), right relationships (who you love), and right morality (how you live). As we come to chapter four of this
Dear Church Family, How would you answer this question: “As a child of God, what gives you confidence before God in prayer that He will give you what you ask for?” I suspect that there are many answers to that question, but I doubt that I would get the answer
Dear Church Family, When C.S. Lewis’ wife died, he kept a journal of his grief. Later, these observations were published in a book, A Grief Observed. In that book, Lewis describes how God feels so very distant in times of mourning and loss, something with which most everyone can relate: “Go
Dear Church Family, We’ve seen how God’s love in Christ for His people causes hate (1 John 3:11-15) – how the world hates those who are born of God. And, we’ve seen also how God’s love in Christ for His people causes change: “We know love by this, that He