From: "Phil Rembleski" <PHIl@rescuechurchofchrist.org>

To: "1111RESCUEMEMBERS"

Cc:

Sent: Wed, Dec 6, 2023 at 5:51 AM

Subject: 12-6-23 THOUGHTS

12-6-23 THOUGHTS

We continue our love thoughts from yesterday.  It seems that our having eternal life has something to do with our actively being LOVE in this world we live in.  In simple words, “whoever loves the Father loves the child born of him. (vs 1 below)”   Luke 10:25-37 (Good Samaritan parable) begins with the question “and who is my neighbor?”  The child born of God is anyone you meet!  Key Words in our reading: Love, observe, overcomes, faith, testimony, believe, eternal life.  John is a “who you are” writer more than what you do!  What we do must come from who we are!  We must add Eph 3:16-19  “that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, 17  so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18  may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19  and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.”

1John 5:1-13    Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him.  2  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments. 3  For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. 4  For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith. 5  Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of  God?  6  This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7  For there are three that testify: 8  the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.  9  If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for the testimony of God is this, that He has testified concerning His Son. 10  The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. 11  And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12  He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. 13  These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

My Prayer:
Father God, teach us Your love, true love.  Embed within our innermost being, a comprehension of Your love in the design of Your creation.  May the joy of Your salvation come from our pure hearts loving the children born of You.  We know that You will bless us if we will serve.  Increase our faith to magnify Your name as we love in Your love.  Fix our eyes on Jesus, who so fully showed us this love.  Help us to live in the shadow of the cross.        In His name,      Amen.