ALL YOU NEED IS - Devotional
1st John Devotional
Week 9 - Day 5
June 30, 2023 • Michelle Sullivan • 1 John 5:21
Day 5: “American Idol” – Michelle Sullivan (Women’s Ministry Team Member) Read: 1 John 5:21 Review: John wraps up 1 John warning believers to protect themselves with watchful attention from idols. What exactly is an idol? The Amplified translation describes idols as false teachings, moral compromises, anything that would take God’s place in our heart—an object of extreme devotion. In America, we have countless potential idols—not little statues of bronze, metal, or stone, but anything that can slowly take God’s place in our heart. Social media, sports teams, gaming, kids’ activities, television, hobbies, career, possessions, our bodies, etc. For example, I love to play pickleball. It’s great exercise, gets me out in the fresh air and I can socialize with friends—all good things. However, if I begin to accept invitations to play on Sunday mornings and skip church or play so often that I don’t have time for my morning devotions with the Lord, then pickleball has become an idol. Guard yourselves, dear ones. Reflection: Is there anything in my life that God is nudging me to guard myself against because it is, or is slowly becoming, an idol? Satan is crafty at converting an innocent interest into an idol to get us to worship something other than God. Take steps now to guard yourself.
Week 9 - Day 4
June 29, 2023 • Jeremy Burd • 1 John 5:19–20
Day 4: “Who We Are” by Jeremy Burd (Mens’ Small Group Leader) Read: 1 John 5:19-20 Review: The more I live the Christian life, the more I realize that the right mindset is paramount. I’m not talking about the power of positive thinking but seeing ourselves rightly and then living from a mindset that coincides with that identity. Physically, who I was 20 years ago is a far cry from who I am now. I weighed almost double what I weigh now. When I moved here, I lost a lot of weight. That drastic weight loss required a new mindset: instead of always choosing the big stall in the bathroom, I had to remind myself that I’m not that guy anymore and choose the smaller one. It’s a weird example, I know, but I’m convinced it translates. Spiritually, we are of God and in Christ. While we were once swayed by the evil one and are currently surrounded by people who continue to be swayed by him, we must remember who we are. We must have a mindset that coincides with our identity in Christ. Reflect: Colossians 3:7 is a verse that some have put to memory to remember to live from their true identity. Is there a verse or set of verses that I can meditate on and possibly memorize in order to remember who I am?
Week 9 - Day 3
June 28, 2023 • Ralph Acerno • 1 John 5:18
Day 3: “Tenaciously Kept” - by Ralph Acerno (Retired Pastor) Read: 1 John 5:18 Review: Our new birth has permanent privileges and obligations. First, we do not sin. While we may at times fall into sin, we do not live in it. Before Christ, Christians were once "dead in sin", now we are "dead to sin." Once sin was our companion, but now our enemy. This is because God keeps him through the abiding presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Thus, the "evil one" (Satan), no longer has power and possession over us as he once did (Ephesians 2:1-3). The CSB translation for "touch" (haptetai) is far too mild. A better translation is to "cling" (John 20:17). In other words, while Satan's clinging on the unsaved is tenacious and strong - like the clinging claws of a lion - Jesus' hold on his own is far stronger, making the Lord's prayer, “Deliver us from the evil one” and Jesus' promise “My sheep shall never perish” a lasting reality. Reflect: A new popular phrase today is "Reverse engineering." (Interfacing with a new system.) For us, this interfacing is the new birth and lifestyle by which we are transformed into a new creation. Do I see myself in this way? How does that affect the way I view and respond to sin and Satan?
Week 9 - Day 2
June 27, 2023 • Mordecai Jasper • 1 John 5:16–17
Day 2: “Pray for Each Other” – by Mordecai Jasper (ACC Elder) Read: 1 John 5:16-17 Review: What was the sin that leads to death that John mentioned? Is the death physical death or eternal death? Ananias and Sapphira committed a sin that led to physical death (Acts 5:1-11). Paul talked about sickness and even physical death being the consequences of partaking of the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner (1 Cor. 11:27-30). Jesus said speaking against the Holy Spirit would not be forgiven (Matt. 12:32). We have no way of knowing when a person has committed sin that leads to death, i.e., choses to harden their heart to the point that praying for them is futile. Yet it does and will happen. (See Jer. 7:16; 11:14; and 14:11). What are we to do? Pray for people who commit sin that doesn’t lead to death and pray that people do not commit sin that leads to death, while realizing that praying for the latter will eventually be futile. Reflect: Read James 5:19-20. John said pray for Christians who sin. James said that we should meet with a Christian who is going astray to encourage them to repent. How would knowing God, making friends, and adding value make it easier have such a discussion with a fellow Anthemite?
Week 9 - Day 1
June 26, 2023 • Jim Schultz • 1 John 5:14–15
Day 1: “According to His Will” – by Jim Schultz (ACC Member) Read: 1 John 5:14-15 Review: We all want something and often work very hard to acquire it. We sometimes take our requests to God in prayer, and we do not get what we want. The question is, what was your motivation for asking? Was it for selfish reasons, or was it for God’s purposes and glory? In these two verses, John says that your request should be according to His will, and when we ask in that way, He hears us. Now be assured that He always hears our prayers, but He responds to prayers with the proper heart and motivation. The answer will be a response to what God desires, not necessarily what we expect, so we should trust Him with the result. In the book of James we read, “You ask and don’t receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures” (James 4:3). Reflect: Heavenly Father, keep my heart focused on You and Your activity. I want to experience You fully as I walk in the Spirit. Show me what You're doing in my life and in the lives of Your people so I can make the adjustments necessary to join You in your activity.
Week 8 - Day 5
June 23, 2023 • Clay Graham • 1 John 5:11–13
Day 5: “Already Have” – Clay Graham (Small Groups Coordinator) Read: 1 John 5:11-13 Review: Verse 12 says that those who have the Son, have life and those who don’t have the Son, don’t have Life. Those who believe in the name of the Son of God already have eternal life. Eph. 1:11-14 says we are included in Christ when we believed the gospel message and marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance. The Bible says our spirits are eternal and will live either with God in eternal joy, with no more sorrow or pain or apart from him in an everlasting state of torment. We don’t really understand what eternal joy or eternal torment fully means but the contrast is easy to understand. We need to continually thank God that we already have that promised inheritance of an eternal life that will be full of unspeakable joy and no more pain. Reflection: Lord, help me not to worry about the future because I have an eternal life of great happiness with you guaranteed already. Help me to be concerned about how I should act now as I go through this temporary life, keeping my eyes on that which is eternal.
Week 8 - Day 4
June 22, 2023 • Michelle Sullivan • 1 John 5:9–10
Day 4: “Nothing but the Truth” by Michelle Sullivan (Women’s Ministry Leadership Team) Read: 1 John 5:9-10 Review: My son placed his hand on the Bible swearing to tell the truth, and nothing but the truth. Testifying in a murder trial—key witness in the shooting of a gang member. In our quiet gated community, the career criminal walked into a teenage party allegedly to shoot attendees. Steven witnessed his friend grab the man’s gun and when the thug lunged for it, he was fatally shot. Steven’s testimony changed an attempted murder conviction to involuntary manslaughter. Testimonies matter. The truth they reveal have the power to change the outcome of the individuals affected by it. If human testimonies have that much power, how much more power does the testimony of Mighty, Holy God wield? In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God … The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. (John 1:1,14) Believe the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Reflect: But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, a curse be on him! (Galatians 1:8). Many religions who knock on our doors don’t believe Jesus is God. Am I believing false testimony, or do I trust God’s testimony?
Week 8 - Day 3
June 21, 2023 • David Johnson • 1 John 5:7–8
Day 3: “Discerning What to Trust – an Ages Old Dilemma” – by Dave Johnson (ACC Elder) Read: 1 John 5:7-8 Review: I was listening to a podcast the other day that was presenting some information as fact. Many of the facts that were presented seemed slanted or outright inaccurate. After a bit of careful fact checking I realized just how much of what I heard was not accurate or reliable. This is a constant tension that people have been managing forever, but the pace and amount of information available to us today exacerbates the issue. In 1 John we know the same types of inaccuracies had crept into this new body of believers. John quickly brings them to three things from God in order to be a witness to Jesus true identity; the Spirit, Water and Blood. This is a fantastic example for us today. Using God’s truth to sift through the confusion this world presents, prepares us to live out and defend the one true faith. Reflect: When confronted with “facts” do I test and approve with Gods principles or my own understanding? How might this reading convict you to ensure what you already believe has come from the one true God?
Week 8 - Day 2
June 20, 2023 • Jim Schultz • 1 John 5:6
Day 2: “100% God. 100% Man. 100% True.” – by Jim Schultz (ACC Member) Read: 1 John 5:6 Review: Scholars have debated this verse for some time, but the generally accepted interpretation is that the “water” refers to Jesus’ baptism and the “blood” to His death on the cross. At the time, there was false teaching of dualism: 1) that the physical was evil or corrupt and 2) the superiority of the spirit. There was also a teaching that God’s spirit departed from Jesus just before His death and was denied the bodily resurrection. John counters this false teaching and speaks to external, objective signs of Jesus and His humanity. Earlier in 1 John 4:2, John states that someone with the Spirit of God will acknowledge that Jesus came in an actual body. Many people today believe Jesus was real, but the number drops considerably when asked if they believe He was fully human, fully divine, and led a sinless life to serve as the perfect sacrifice for our eternal life. Reflect: How about me? What do I believe about Jesus, and does it match 100% with what the Bible teaches?
Week 8 - Day 1
June 19, 2023 • Matt Olin • 1 John 5:5
Day 1: “All Together, All at Once” – by Matt Olin (Discipleship Pastor) Read: 1 John 5:5 Review: John’s use of “but” in this verse should be read as “only”. Only the ones who believe that Jesus was the Son of God are able to conquer the world. That is the faith that is the victory mentioned in verse 4. Faith in Jesus is also one of the two requirements for one to be considered “born of God” and loving others is the evidence of that. John’s message hasn’t just come full circle, it’s everything IN the circle! Love, faith, remaining, obedience, and victory all together, all at once. John has been presenting an entangled network of conditions, specifications, inclusions, exclusions, and outcomes throughout his letter. However, these are not just joined together, but supportive of one another and serve as both the means and the result of a life lived in true obedience to the one true faith in the one true God. Reflect: Christ is in the business of conquering the world (Jn. 16:33). Being of one spirit with Christ means that the same goes for me. How well does my daily agenda align with Jesus’ agenda of “overcoming”? Holy Spirit, teach me today what it means to overcome.
Week 7 - Day 5
June 16, 2023 • Dana Burd • 1 John 5:1–4
Day 5: “Faith & The Trinity” – Dana Burd (ACC Member) Read: 1 John 5:1-4 Review: This rich passage explains how the active love for the Father that a born-again Christian has will have very real fruit in their church life. The born-again Christian will experience the love of the triune God and in turn not only obey His commandments but love the fellow child of God who also has the Holy Spirit within them. This Holy Spirit connects them. John writes that our faith in Jesus is what propels this relationship with God, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This faith is firstly a gift and is best exercised with full surrender. As the passage states, this faith is the victory that has conquered the world. God does the doing; we do the surrendering, accepting, and obeying. We can exercise our faith by resting in the fact that God makes all the fruit happen. Faith comes first and then the fruit. Reflect: So, what would Jesus do? He would spend time with God & the Holy Spirit and then genuinely love others with his overflowing love & joy. With this in mind, where is your source for loving others?
Week 7 - Day 4
June 15, 2023 • Mordecai Jasper • 1 John 4:18–21
Day 4: “No Middle Ground” by Mordecai Jasper (ACC Elder) Read: 1 John 4:18-21 Review: Living the truth of Jesus in everyday life in John’s day must’ve been very challenging. Life was characterized by ethnic division, hatred, and indifference. Unity and love, when practiced, were likely within ethnic groups and occasionally between individuals from different ethnic groups. The Church likely consisted of more non-Jewish than Jewish Christians resulting in a situation characterized by fear, distrust and apathy rather than love and unity. Do fear, distrust, and apathy still divide the Church today? Breaking that divide required an act of God and courage back then and may require the same things today. God’s command to love our brother and sister was not and is not optional. “If anyone says, “I love God,” and yet hates his brother or sister, he is a liar.” So, what’s the state of the Church today? We either love God and others or we’re liars? There’s no middle ground! Reflect: How might remembering that we love because God first loved us make it easier for me to love my brothers and sisters? Besides ethnic division, hatred, and indifference, what other stumbling blocks need to be addressed if the Church is to be known for its love and unity?
Week 7 - Day 3
June 14, 2023 • Ralph Acerno • 1 John 4:15–17
Day 3: “A Mutual Love” - by Ralph Acerno (Retired Pastor) Read: 1 John 4:15-17 Review: Way back in 1964, before I was a real Christian, I could have told you that Jesus is the son of God just as easily as saying Mickey Mantle was the Yankee's star batter. But it made no difference in my life since I did not, as John states, "Know the love of God." It was only many years later that I realized and recognized Jesus as- not only the Son of God-but the one who died and rose for me. That truth made all the difference in my love for God and His love for me. Love is not meant to be a one-sided affair. John tells us it must be a mutual relationship with God and ourselves if it is to "remain" and be "complete." In a secular world where me-ology has replaced the-ology, John's words are timelier than ever. Reflect: How many relationships have I had that I thought were complete and final only to later see them tragically end: broken and unfulfilled? How would I respond if I were asked, "How can anyone be confident of anything in this transient world of brokenness, heartache and tragedy?”
Week 7 - Day 2
June 13, 2023 • Paul Bodine • 1 John 4:11–14
Day 2: “The Love Given to Us” – Paul Bodine (Mens’ Small Group Leader) Read: 1 John 4:11-14 Review: John commands us to "Love one another" echoing Jesus recorded in his gospel. He should know something about that as he refers to himself as the "the other disciple whom Jesus loved" indicating something special in this relationship that he seems to want to help us to understand and to share in. But he makes clear that the love starts with the Father, to the Son and then to us. Being the objects of this love, we should, in turn, love each other. It seems that we need to get in touch with the love being bestowed upon us in order for us to be able to love one another. Another way of describing is to abide in His Love which Jesus says twice John 15:9-10. The beauty of this revelation not only fortifies us emotionally, but positionally we can be assured that we abide in Him because of the witness of the Holy Spirit who guides us into this and all truth. Reflect: This scripture may seem to present a high bar for us to live, but in the context of what John is teaching us throughout this book, it starts with God's love for us. What kind of things keep me from experiencing fully the love the Father has for me through His Son?
Week 7 - Day 1
June 12, 2023 • Brandi Nelson • 1 John 4:7–10
Day 1: “Dancing in Heaven” – by Brandi Nelson (Worship Team Vocalist) Read: 1 John 4:7-10 Review: As a young dancer, my dream was to be on Star Search (Gen X’s version of AGT). I carefully studied tv dancers, comparing myself for progress to see if I had become like them. Was I “good enough” yet? As human beings, if we compare ourselves to Jesus, are we ever “good enough?” Nope. Apart from Christ, our hearts produce evil. So how does a loving God forgive sin and remain loving? John tells us, “God is love" If this is true, he must punish the sin/evil that destroys people (or he wouldn’t truly love them). God so loved the world, that he sent his only Son to become the sin (2 Cor. 5:21) that must be punished: an “atoning sacrifice.” As Christians, God conforms us to the image of Christ. Through faith in Him, I am mercifully declared “righteous/good enough” and may live (perhaps even dance) in eternity! Reflect: God remained both loving and just by taking our punishment upon himself. Why do I even need an atoning sacrifice to have eternal life? Do I compare my sin to the sins of others or do I compare my sin to the sinless example of Christ?