Collected or prepared by Pastor Wilfred Chung

August 2 - August 8, 2009

August 2, 2009 - The Object Of Your Love

Meditation on 1 John 2

Another requirement for Christian fellowship (koinonia) is that we love one another as Christ has commanded us. When we love brothers in the Lord we are in the light. If we hate our brothers then we are in darkness. (v. 8-10) And darkness has blinded our eyes and caused us to stumble. (v. 11)

A new Christian would be able to deal with his sins of hatred by asking the forgiveness of Jesus. And a growing Christian is able to keep God's word so he can have the love of God and overcome the devil who wants us to hate one another. An experience and mature Christian is the one who knows the eternal God intimately. His fellowship with God is deeply rooted in the written Word which reveals the Word from the beginning. (v. 11-14, ref. John 1:1 and 1 John 1:1)

However we should not love the world, the Apostle John says, "If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in Him." (v. 15b NASB) What are the things in the world that we should not love? They are the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life. (v. 16) For these will all pass away. (v. 17)

The love of the Father and the love of the world cannot co-exist together. Which one do you choose?

August 3, 2009 - What Is The Meaning Of True Love

Meditation on 1 John 3

We are commanded in the New Testament to love God and one another. Paul gives the famous description of what love is in 1 Corinthians 13. But I think that the concise definition of love (Agape in the Greek) is found in 1 John 3:16, "We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." (NASB)

True love then is to lay down one's life for others. If one can lay down his body or breath for others, it means that he can sacrifice his own interest, ambition, enjoyment for the benefits of others. That is love.

John continues to emphasize that this kind of true love demands action rather than just words. (v. 17)

You may have seen a famous painting of an elderly man's folding hands in prayer. The story behind this painting was that the painter was able to pursue his painting carrier because of the sacrifice of this man in prayer who was his best friend. This dear friend gave up his own interest of pursuing the same carrier in order to make money to support him to go to a painting school. Eventually the painter became successful. One day he came home to discover his friend was praying for him. So he silently drew this picture which became famous.

That is true love which models after Jesus.

August 4, 2009 - THE MARK OF CHRISTIANS

Meditation on 1 John 4

What do Christians have to love one another? The word of God says that love is from God. All those who have love are born of God and know God. For Gospel of John says, "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:35 NIV) Your love for other Christians is a mark that you are a true Christian.

This passage is not just for a married couple or the people in your own physical family, but is definitely for all of us who are in the family of God.

From the devotion yesterday, we know that Jesus has shown us what true love is. That is that He has laid down his life for us so we may have life. He first loved us so now you and I must love one another. (v. 19)

The great thing is that when we love one another, we show that God lives in us (v. 16). And there is the prospect that his love will be perfected in us. Moreover, we will not fear judgment when we face God. (v. 17)

August 5, 2009 - Is It Too Hard To Carry Out God's Commandment Of Love?

Meditation on 1 John 5

Since we are commanded to love one another with God's kind of love (Agape), can we carry out His command? God's word tells us in this chapter that it is not a burden for us to do so. (v. 2) There are couple reasons we know that is true,

First, once we have received Jesus into our life, we have His life in us. (v. 11-13) God wants us to know for sure that Jesus' eternal life is in each of us. As we have the life of Jesus in us, we can have the love of Christ to fill us.

Secondly, God's word also promises us in this chapter that if we ask God any thing according to His will, He will hear us. Since to love one another is His command, it is according to His will then. So when we ask His help to love other Christians, He will answer our prayer.

Therefore we can draw the conclusion that you can begin to love brothers and sisters around you if you have not done so. I am very sure that God will bless you in a very great way. And you will be surprised how he will use your life to demonstrate His love. Praise His name.

August 6, 2009 - Love In Truth

Meditation on 2 John

God’s kind of love, Agape is sacrificial but is not limitless. His love has purpose, content and boundary.

When the word of God commands us to love one another, it also teaches us to love in truth. The second letter of John emphasizes the importance of knowing the truth and practicing truth of God. Only this way will make the servants of God glad. (v. 4)

One of the most important truths is that we recognize and confess that Jesus Christ is the son of God who came in the flesh. Today as in the day of Apostle John, many people who claim to worship Jesus but do not admit the full humanity of Jesus Christ. These people, the word of God points them out, as deceiver and the antichrist. (v. 7) These are very strong word. But we must accept.

The word of God tells us that we should not even receive them into our house and give them greeting. The reason is that when we greet them and entertain them, we participate in their evil deeds. (v. 9-11) If we entertain them, we are giving room for their deception and encouraging them to share their false view to others. That is dangerous in the view of God’s kingdom.

August 7, 2009 - Some Wants To Control Others All The Time

Meditation on 3 John

The Apostle John told us that there was a lay leader in the church named Diotrephes who wanted to control everything in the church. He wanted to be head of everything. This guy would not even allow members of his church to entertain other travelling preachers. If anyone wanted to show hospitality to these Christians, he would drive them out of the church.

It seems that some lay leaders in our churches do like to assume control of their own church one way or another. If a decision is not what they have approved, they would use any means to halt it from being carried out in the church. Even though that decision is biblically sound and is good for the church or for helping others in the church. These lady leaders need to be dealt with. They just want to have authority.

May God give the church courage to deal with them. Otherwise the church will never grow.

August 8, 2009 - Contend For The Faith

Meditation on Jude

In this short letter by Jude, the brother of James, he warned the Christians in his day that they must contend for the faith because some people who slipped into the church were using the grace of God as license for immorality yet they actually denied the sovereign Lord Jesus in reality. He described these people in details for the church to identify them as follows:

They were like the unbelievers who were destroyed in the wilderness after Exodus, like angels who rebelled against God's authority, and like the perverted people in Sodom and Gomorrah. They did not respect any authority, took spiritual matters lightly, and utilize spiritual matter to make money. They participated in Christian banquet and fellowship, yet they were the bad apples who contributed no good influence except false promises and images.

They were unstable like comets wondering in darkness waiting to perish. They were grumblers and fault finders, scoffers, boastful but flattering others for their own advantages. They follow their own evil desires and natural instinct. They divided Christians.

We should all learn from Jude's warning and study to deal with people like that in the church.