Does Jesus love me?
How would I know?
Wait, what song am I singing?
Experiences of discovery, responsibility, celebration and challenge fill our entire lives from birth until the day we die. Time flies whether fun or frustrating. When have you noticed Jesus trying to get your attention? If you haven’t noticed yet, watch for it; most likely, He’ll try to connect. When you die, He wants you to join Him in heaven in His pure Truth.
Not everyone, yet some children grew up hearing and singing, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong. We are weak but He is strong!”. During family devotions, church, Sunday school and vacation Bible school, some of these kids heard the Bible actually backs this up, “Yes, Jesus loves me!”. Excited about what they heard, about what Jesus did for us, they may have told friends who seemed confused or had questions like, “what happens after we die?”. Some people are always hoping someone brings up the topic they love to talk about.
The simple Truth: God’s gifts of grace in Christ point to His True Love. Messing up, on our part, is what we believe occurred after the fall. Error happens when we corrupt the True Faith. Under the guise of so-called truth, it’s possible to imagine false things such as thinking it’s okay to
- make up a distorted version that twists and misses the fullness of Scripture
- take specific things in the Bible out of context
- pick-and-choose only bits and pieces of the Word while ignoring other parts
- support a selfish agenda, or that of others
- add human opinion to so-called faith which actually suppresses Truth
- add the false idea that there’s more needed on our part—as though the Grace-filled gifts of God-given Faith, Word and Christ alone aren’t enough for salvation
God is the only Way for us. Possibly by now, most people have heard of Jesus. They’ve noticed a Bible app, a friend’s integrity, a pastor, or a church. Some are curious to receive the Word, yet, for whatever reason, some choose to reject the Church, perhaps thinking only for now and considering, maybe later. Even for those who got the Truth and walked in it, it’s just as possible to believe for a while and fall away, as it is to reject Truth in the first place.
Moms and anyone who tenderly taught us about the faith, compassionately want nothing more than that their children remain and grow in the Truth; or, return to Truth which guarantees the place together with Jesus. Apart from Jesus, the eternal alternative is a fearful and horrible situation.
3 John 4
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| I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. 3 John 4 |
True or False?
People in the faith regularly hear, are inspired to live by, and trust dependable Truth spoken for us with nothing new added and nothing taken away from it. The unchanging all-knowing, all-powerful and ever-present Creator is generous to give faith for us. The faith receives Christ in gifts of perfect love, discernment, mercy, repentance, grace and peace. The moment we’re Baptized in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—the gift of saving faith believes Truth which is the very Word of God for us in the Bible. Entirely undeserved, received by no work of our own, the faith from the Holy Spirit is for all nations—every dependent child. By miraculous powerful adoption into our Creator’s family, the Almighty Father’s beloved children of all ages discover joy in the Truth. Strength to remain in Truth is fed by receiving Jesus at the Lord’s Table whenever and as often as possible. Our Savior’s blessings for the Church extend into unending life with Him.
Ever since our original free will was lost at the fall, we began to naturally rebel against God. Struggling with pride is a place God never intended for us; yet, before creation, He had a plan to restore us with new liberty in the Gospel. Our Mediator Jesus keeps us in Truth. The Holy Spirit’s power within us repents, stands up for the faith, and resists being mislead. What’s against Christ is promoted by those who, rejecting Jesus, have chosen to have ears plugged to Truth and eyes blinded to Light.
I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church. Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God. Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. We also add our testimony, and you know that our testimony is true. 3 John 9-12
Evil, wicked nonsense, lies—set us up for separation from the Lord who hates these destructive ways leading to everlasting death. Satan’s deceit aims to pull the faith away. Using shifty schemes to erode Truth, he falsely declares grace as a license to sin. Satan promotes selfishness, slander, blaming, minimizing and denial of error. He wants these behaviors to distract and divide from the Truth. Evil spirits are out to lure, snag us into a confused frame of mind which, purposely, disregards the entire Bible as authoritative Truth. Caught without accountability to Truth, the breath of life is being suffocated. The state of disrespect deposits heaps of hot, heavy, unhealthy energy which drowns people in despair and destruction. Self-inflicted deprivation of the Holy Spirit’s nourishing Word for Life, lack of guidance, depletes minds to put others in danger as well. Twisted-truth rejects God’s presence for believers in the means of grace. Lies are always competing for our bodies and souls, trying to manipulate us in order to prevent or steal away the faith. Betrayal and hypocrisy stoop low, thriving on malicious hostility toward people who are actually walking in Truth. The loser Devil, who fell away from Truth into hell, strategically calls such darkness good. He plots to fool us into following him into trouble and eternal miserable suffering.
Truth—is Good News for us. To willingly and lovingly save us, Jesus was born, suffered, died, resurrected from the dead and ascended to the Father. The Holy Spirit is always near and is for us. Truth is all about rescue, healing, strength, change, and hope in the Light. Our Helper has purpose for us. Our Savior is waiting in heaven for all who
- trust and humbly seek Him
- receive His discipline
- take refuge in Him
- receive His forgiveness
- are stilled by Him
- receive His encouragement
- are stirred by Him
- receive His protection
- sing about Him
- receive His patience
- are sustained by Him
Is the Lord showing you something? Is Jesus putting a new song in your mouth?
I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face. Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends, every one of them. 3 John 14-15
Pray
Dear Jesus, thank you for warning us that the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. Patiently hold our hands as you discipline, lead and draw us near. Thank you for the Spirit helping us trust Your wondrous merciful Way through the gate home. When we ask for relief and comfort, You mercifully embrace us in our sadness, pain, and distress. Thank you for reminding us to take refuge in the shadow of your wings. You’re keeping Your children safe, so far. Guard and deliver us from evil. Redirect us away from everything false and haughty. You notice us when we’re walking away from Your Truth. You desire us to turn toward You. You are gentle with correction, always for our good. Thank you for supplying an eagerness to hear Truth. Give us a quiet strength to resist affirmation of every sin, our own and that of others. Remind us how short our time here is, so we may let go of stubbornness and get a heart of wisdom. Thank You for genuine teachers who help us absorb Your Word. Establish our work and capabilities to glorify Your Name. You open up opportunities to connect all people for whom You died. Under Your protection and guidance, let us show our joy and gratitude by doing good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the faith. Set our minds on the beauty and peace that is to come with You. Thank you, Jesus! Amen.
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