Jason Son of Jerome

1 John 4 is chalked full of amazing quotes and things to note and remember.  It is broke up into two parts. Part one talks about being aware of the spirit world and knowing how to test the spirits.  This chapter reminds us to be on our toes and always test the spirits and things that are told to us.  The best way I believe to test a spirit is to see if it goes along with God's Word completely.  God's Word will never contradict His Spirit. Even if something sounds great to us and we think, "hmmm.. thats a great idea or thought" but it is contradictory to the Word of God run from it. My ESV study notes remind me that, "Christian faith is not spiritual gullibility.  Test the spirits. The unseen spiritual influences that guide people's speech and actions can be "tested" by observing their doctrine and conduct as well as by the gift of spiritual discernment."  It is not ok to judge a person, but it is perfectly ok to judge fruit!  Test the spirits...

God always tries to get us to look through the lens in which He looks.  I truly believe that if we did this constantly our view of everything would drastically change. God focuses in this chapter about loving our brothers and hating sin enough to stop allowing it in our lives.  When we look at love through God's lens it is truly remarkable.  God willingly gave His best, His only beloved Son, Jesus to die on our behalf.  He did this while we were still sinners and ENEMIES of God.  Would you or I lay down our lives for our enemies?  No, but in view of God's mercy He wants us to have that same heart.John reminds us that this is the same message we have heard from the beginning that we are to love our brothers.  God promises us through Johns letter that if we abide (obey, observe, follow, keep to, hold to, conform to, adhere to, stick to, stand by, act in accordance with, uphold, heed, accept, go along with, acknowledge, respect, defer to) that we will h...

In 1 John chapter 2, John continues this letter to the church by reminding them of what to do with their sin. John wants to remind us that Jesus is the atonement and full payment for our sin so we do not have to carry it with us.  Repentance is something that is a daily continual thing.  It isn't something we do once and are good for life.  I am repenting of somethings right now this morning as I write this... Our sins are forgiven for His name's sake as it says in 1 John 2:12.  As Matt Chandler says in Explicit Gospel, "the Scriptures reveal that the foremost desire for God's heart is not our salvation but rather the glory of His own name."  God's name is very important to Him and how we live as a representative of that name is very important to Him.  1 John chapter 2 reminds us that we show how much we love God by keeping His commands.  Every decision we make and how we live our daily life is a choice to either follow the Light or the Darkness. ...

I have grown to have a fascination with studying John.  Not just his writings in the Bible but his life.  John was the youngest of the Disciples.  Most theologians believe he was around the age of 20 when Jesus met him and invited him to become a Disciple.  Most theologians also believe that John was likely a cousin to Jesus.John was not only a disciple but he was apart of the inner circle of Disciples and was often referred to as "the one Jesus loved". John was apart of all the miraculous things that Jesus did.  He had a front row seat.  One of the most amazing things was what happened at the Cross of Jesus.  Most of the other Disciples had ran away... but not John.  John was right there consoling and holding up Mary as she watched her son receive the worst death imaginable.  Then Jesus gave John a very important job.  He asked John to take care of his mother.  This is a job that you give to someone that you trust completely. ...