1 John 5: Are You Praying In God’s Will?
Verse of the Day: (V14) “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:”
1. Water (V1-8)
V6 “This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.”
God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are the Trinity who witnessed Jesus coming to earth by both water and blood. Jesus is indeed Water because water represents God’s Word, the Bible. Jesus is also Blood because He left the splendour of heaven to live, minister and eventually gave His life on earth and shed His blood for the sins of the world. Whoever believes in Him shall never perish, but have everlasting life with Him in glorious heaven.
V7 “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.”
2. Witness (V9-12)
V9 “If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.”
In the court of the law, the judges base their verdicts on evidences and eye-witnesses, and sometimes they do err because of corruption or even human error. However, in Christianity, God is our Judge and Witness and He shall never err because He is God, the Truth. Therefore no one, not even the Devil, can dispute God when He testifies that He gave His Son, Jesus, to live, minister and eventually die for the sins of the whole world.
V10 “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.”
3. Will (V13-21)
V15 “And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.”
God shall answer all our prayers only when they are according to His perfect will. This is why our hearts must be in tune with God’s heart so that all our prayers are in fulfilment of His will. Let us therefore flee from idols, or anyone, or anything that shall hinder us from worshipping God, and doing His will, so that all our prayers shall be answered.
V21 “Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to flee from idols, and pray according to Your will.
1 John 4: Do You Love God?
Verse of the Day: (V19) “We love him, because he first loved us.”
1. False (V1-2)
V1 “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”
To really know the true currencies from the false, we must study the characteristics of the true currency as well as handle it daily so that when the false ones come, we immediately can discern and detect that they are counterfeits. This especially applies to the discernment of God’s preachers. To discern the false preachers, we must truly know and daily apply God’s Word in our lives, so that when false ones come, we immediately know that they are false. One of the most common false teachings is when they deny Jesus as the very man of man, and the very God of God, though He truly is God’s Son.
V2 “Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:”
2. Flesh (V3-6)
V3 “And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.”
Besides denying that Jesus is not come in the flesh, many of the false preachers either add to or subtract from God’s Word and thus leading many souls to eternal condemnation. Let us pray that God’s true preachers and Christians shall share the gospel of Jesus Christ that He died on the cross and shed His blood for the sins of the whole world and whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life with Him in glorious heaven.
V6 “We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.”
3. Fear (V7-21)
V8 “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”
We love God because He is love and He first loves us, and we shall also love all including our enemies who hurt and harm us. Indeed, God’s perfect love cast out all fears, and let us stay in His perfect love, and we shall fear nothing not even death, and no one not even the Devil, and shall always enjoy this life on earth as well as life everlasting!
V18 “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, thank You that I love You because You first love me as You are love.
1 John 3: Do You Have Compassion?
Verse of the Day: (V17) “But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
1. Compassion (V1-18)
V16 “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
Jesus, the Son of God, demonstrated to us that real love demands real action as He loved the world so much that He laid down His life on the cross for the sins of the whole world - for yours and mine. Indeed, we know we are God’s children by our love for others. Just like an apple tree produces apples, and so the God of love produces His children of love!
V18 “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”
2. Confidence (V19-22)
V21 “Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.”
We shall have confidence in God and know that He answers our prayers when we truly love others and do what is right before Him. This is why many times we lack confidence in God and our prayers are not answered because we fail to demonstrate our compassion and love for others. When people offend and hurt us, we get angry and bitter, and fail to forgive and love them as Jesus would have done. Indeed, how can we say we are the children of the God of love when we cannot even love all including our enemies? Before Jesus died, He demonstrated His love for His enemies when He prayed to God, His Father, to forgive those who persecuted and eventually crucified Him. Let us therefore be like Jesus, our Saviour and Lord, to truly love all including those who hurt and harm us!
V22 “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.”
3. Commandment (V23-24)
V23 “And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.”
Loving others is not just God’s commandment, but it is the evidence that we are His children. When we truly love others we shall know that we dwell in God and He dwells in us. Indeed, once we receive Jesus Christ as our Saviour the Spirit of love indwells in us!
V24 “And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, thank You that I have compassion because Your Spirit indwells in me.
1 John 2: Will You Abide In God?
Verse of the Day: (V6) “He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.”
1. Advocate (V1-5)
V1 “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:”
What a privilege and honour to know that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is our Advocate and Comforter in time of our troubles and trials, and even when we sin, He shall plead with God, His Father, to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Indeed, we may not be sinless, but let us sin less, as we trust and obey God and His Word.
V5 “But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.”
2. Abide (V6-19)
V14 “I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.”
Let us abide in God, and let God and His Spirit abide in us by studying and applying His Word in our lives. Many professing Christians fail God because they do not truly believe in Him with their hearts and have never abide in His Word and Spirit. Let us therefore, whether we are young or old, truly abide in God and His Word, and do His will, so that He shall bless, protect and keep us from the Devil and the lusts of our eyes and flesh.
V17 “And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”
3. Anointing (V20-29)
V20 “But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.”
The Holy Spirit shall anoint and teach us His holy Word as we abide in God. Indeed, only the Spirit who indwells in us can truly illuminate and enlighten us so that we can fully understand His Word and apply them in our lives. Though we have anointed pastors and preachers to teach and minister to us, yet without the unction from the Spirit, we can never have the spiritual insights, understanding and application of His Word in our lives.
V27 “But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to abide in You as You are my Advocate and Anointing.
1 John 1: Is Your Joy Full?
Verse of the Day: (V4) “And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.”
1. Full (V1-6)
V3 “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.”
Our joy can only be full when we walk in close fellowship with God, who is the Light, who brightens our lives in this world of darkness that is filled with sins and wickedness. Today, there are many in this world who have no real joy in them, because they do not believe in Jesus, the Son of God, and are living day by day without purpose and meaning in life. Though they seem to enjoy life as they eat, study, work and sleep, yet deep down in their lives they know that their lives are empty and hollow. Indeed, the only way to have a meaningful and purposeful life is to know Christ, and to make Him known to all.
V5 “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”
2. Fellowship (V7-8)
V7 “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
Indeed, our joy can only be full, and we can have great fellowship with God and His people, when we confess and repent our sins and wrongdoings, and believe and receive Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour and Lord. However, many in this world refuse to admit and acknowledge that they have sinned or done anything wrong though we have inherited our sinful and depraved nature since the fall of our first parents, Adam and Eve.
V8 “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
3. Faithful (V9-10)
V9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Let us confess and repent our sins, and let Jesus come into our lives, so that our joy may be full, because only He can forgive our sins, and only He can give us the real joy in this life and for all eternity. Let us therefore come boldly to Jesus daily confessing our sins, because He is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all wrongdoings.
V10 “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to confess and repent my sins so that my joy is full.
2 Peter 3: Will You Flee From Lusts?
Verse of the Day: (V3) “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts.”
1. Own Lusts (V1-9)
V4 “And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.”
Those who profess to believe in God but have never believe in Him with their hearts will eventually walk after their own lusts and face His judgment as in the days of Noah when He destroyed all, except eight souls, with a great flood. However God is longsuffering and is always waiting for all to come to repent their sins and believe in Him with their hearts, so that they shall escape eternal condemnation and be with Him in heaven forever.
V9 “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
2. Own Destruction (V10-16)
V12 “Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?”
God promised the people that He shall not destroy the world with the great flood again, but shall destroy them with great heat if they continue to rebel against Him. Indeed, God shall not only judge and destroy the unbelievers but also the professing believers who seemingly know His Word, yet refuse to obey them, and thus face their own destruction.
V16 “As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”
3. Own Stedfastness (V17-18)
V17 “Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.”
Finally, Peter, who denied Jesus thrice, repented his sins and became an Apostle of Jesus, admonished all who believe in Jesus to grow in grace and in His knowledge so that they shall not fall into wickedness but shall be stedfast and abounding in His work and Word.
V18 “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to grow in grace in You, and flee from lusts and sins.
2 Peter 2: Wells Without Water
Verse of the Day: (V17) “These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.”
1. Wages Of Unrighteousness (V1-16)
V1 “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.”
God through Apostle Peter warns His people that there shall be false men of God who preach everything except His Word to enrich themselves like Balaam the false prophet. These false preachers were for the love of money than souls, and instead of leading souls to God, they lead them to fiery hell. However, God shall severely judge and destroy these false preachers. Let us stay faithful to God’s true preachers, and flee from the false ones.
V15 “Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;”
2. Wells Without Water (V17-19)
V18 “For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.”
God reminded His people that there are false preachers who serve themselves, and are like wells without water and clouds with great storm that deceive people to eternal hell. Indeed, wells are to provide water for people, but if there is no water, it is a useless well!
V19 “While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.”
3. Way Of Righteousness (V20-22)
V20 “For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.”
Let us be men of God who preach and teach His Word, and lead and show the people the way of His righteousness. Let us fully trust and obey God and His Word, than to pretend that we are His people, and eventually He shall judge and cast us to eternal damnation!
V21 “For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to be the well with water that preach only Your Word.
2 Peter 1: Is God Pleased With You?
Verse of the Day: (V17) “For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
1. Precious (V1-8)
V1 “Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:”
2 Peter was the last letter of Apostle Peter, inspired by the Holy Spirit, before God promoted him to glorious heaven. As with all last letters, it summed up what God has for His people, through Peter, that they must believe in God’s precious promises, and continue in their precious faith in Him amid intense persecution and worldly temptation.
V4 “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
2. Purged (V9-12)
V9 “But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.”
Though we are saved by grace through faith in God, yet we are still in our old nature of flesh and sins, and the only way to know that we are truly saved and called of God is when we keep confessing and purging our sins, and abounding in the fruit of the Spirit.
V10 “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:”
3. Pleased (V13-21)
V15 “Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.”
Again, God, through Peter, reminds His people that since we have only one life, and soon it will pass, only what is done for Jesus will last. Therefore, let us please God in our words and works just like Jesus, God’s Son, whom God was well pleased with Him. Let us continue to trust and obey God’s Word because this is the only best way to please Him.
V19 “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to please and glorify You by trusting and obeying You.
1 Peter 5: Will You Cast All Your Care Upon God?
Verse of the Day: (V7) “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
1. Crown (V1-4)
V3 “Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.”
Christians, especially the pastor or the under-shepherd of the church, let us not be weary in well doing as God, our Chief Shepherd, knows all our labour of love, and He shall reward us with crowns when we get to His glorious home in heaven. Let us be examples of God’s holiness and righteousness, and keep on sharing the Gospel of Christ, that all may come to know Christ as their personal Saviour, and in turn make Christ known to all.
V4 “And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.”
2. Care (V5-9)
V6 “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:”
As much as God is real, the devil is also real and he is the enemy of God. The devil knows that he has limited time on this earth as God shall ultimately condemn and cast him into fiery hell in due time because of his pride and wickedness. Therefore the devil seeks to destroy God’s people so that all will go to hell with him. However, God is greater than the devil, and He shall protect and preserve His people. Let us therefore humble ourselves, and be vigilant, and cast all our care upon God who truly cares for us.
V8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”
3. Call (V10-14)
V10 “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.”
Let us thank God for His amazing grace as He calls and convicts us of our sins, so that we repent of our sins, and turn to Him. The God of all grace has not called and promised us lives without suffering, but He assures us that He is with us through all our sufferings. Let us therefore be humble and faithful, as one day, we shall be delivered from all our sufferings when we are promoted to glorious heaven to be in God’s presence forever!
V12 “By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, I suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to cast all my care upon You as You truly care for me.
1 Peter 4: Are You Living In God’s Will?
Verse of the Day: (V2) “That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.”
1. Will Of God (V1-10)
V1 “Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;”
Many times God allows us to suffer in our fiery trials so that we will draw ourselves close to Him and His Word and prayers, and cease to sin against Him. Indeed, when we live in God’s will and love, we cease to live in our lusts and flesh. Let us therefore love all the people including our enemies, so that we sin less, and stay in God’s perfect will.
V8 “And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.”
2. Oracles Of God (V11-16)
V11 “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”
Let us stay close to God’s oracles and words as only in them we shall know His perfect will for our lives. It is sad that many Christians know God’s oracles, yet they choose to disobey them and eventually suffer the consequences of their sins. This is why God has to send fiery trials to His children so that they repent their sins, and return to His perfect will.
V12 “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:”
3. House Of God (V17-19)
V17 “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?”
Let us take heed that God shall judge His house or children first as they are precious in His sight. Though God’s judgement is severe, yet it is beneficial to His children as it will draw them close to Him. If God severely judges His children, it is even more severe when He judges the unbelievers as they shall be condemned to fiery hell because of their sins of belief. Let us therefore flee from sins, and obey God’s gospel, and live in His perfect will.
V18 “And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to live in Your perfect will even in great suffering.
