‘LIGHT, LOVE, AND LIFE’

5 Weeks, 8/5/2013 – 9/6/2013

Overview – Sometimes a brief letter can be misleading because of its brevity.  Yet the letter can contain a powerful, important message.  Such is the case with the book of First John.  It’s not long like some of Paul’s letters, yet it contains a most important message of who Jesus was and is.  There were false teachers of the day who didn’t recognize the deity of Christ.  Morally, those teachers minimized the seriousness of sin. In First John, the apostle deals directly with both issues.  John says that I cannot deny the sin in my life, but need to acknowledge it to the One who can forgive.  This Jesus not only has the power and authority to forgive the sin, but He has the power to cleanse me of all unrighteousness.  That’s no small thing! John would go on to say that everyone who confesses (affirms and believes) that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God.  Every spirit that does not confess that Jesus is who He claimed to be is not from God.   Forgiveness through Christ the Messiah is our greatest need!

 

LIGHT, LOVE, AND LIFE

Week 5 – 09/02/2013

Real Life Change

The greatest change in a man or woman’s life comes not from the outside of our lives but from the inside where we live.  Jesus is in the business of changing lives, by providing the victory over life itself.  He is the victory that overcomes the world!

 

Monday – Part One – When you write a letter or an email, and sign your name, you just created a legal document.  Today we read an actual letter from the 3rd century about life in that day.

 

Tuesday – Part Two – Life is not only hard, life is hopeless without the Lord in your life.  Find out today why that is.  It may surprise you!

 

Wednesday – Part Three – Spiritual rebirth is the ultimate life change.   It only happens through knowing and loving Christ. Most people don’t get that!

 

Thursday – Part Four – Today we read a statement by an agnostic who came to believe in the One who could ultimately change his life.  What happened to him is really powerful.

 

Friday – Part Five – The “heartbeat” of Christianity is two words:  resurrection and forgiveness.  Everything else flows out of those two words.  You and I will die as a “resurrected and forgiven” person, or something less, a lot less!

 

LIGHT, LOVE, AND LIFE

Week 4 -08/26/2013

It Is What It Is

There is a spirit of “Truth” in the world today.  There is also a spirit of “falsehood”.  How do we recognize the difference?  We talk about that all this week on “CrossHope”.

 

Monday – Part One – Relationships take time to develop.  So do ideas or belief systems.  There comes a time however, when one makes the decision to believe in Christ.

 

Tuesday – Part Two – Very few things in life are spiritually neutral.   Behind every teacher, book, movie, or TV show is “Spirit”.  Seriously?  Yes, seriously.

 

Wednesday – Part Three – Is there a litmus test for religious beliefs?  Yes, there is.  Today we talk about what that test is.

 

Thursday – Part Four – We live in a world that is spinning out of control ethically, morally, and spiritually.  Where do we get stability in life?

 

Friday – Part Five – Does God ever lead us into wrong doing?  Some people think that is so.  Let’s talk about that.

 

LIGHT, LOVE, AND LIFE

Week 3 – 08/19/2013

What Love Is

The best definition of love is not from Hollywood or from the current best seller.  It’s from the word of God.  This week we look at what the Apostle John said about love in your life.

 

Monday – Part One – We share a true story about a stranger at the door during the Depression at my grandmother’s house.   It is a powerful illustration of love!

 

Tuesday – Part Two – First John 3:16 says, “This is how we know what love is.”  Find out today what that definition is.  Would anyone point to you as an example of love?

 

Wednesday – Part Three – Love is not just something you give.  Love is a force that enables you to give other things to people.  It is a cause, not a result.

 

Thursday – Part Four – What do you do out of love, because you decided to do it?  Love is a decision, an act of the will.  What has love prompted you to do?

 

Friday – Part Five – Today we share a verse that is a summary statement for what it means to be a Christian.  We close with a dramatic story of love in a family.  Listen to CrossHope today!

 

LIGHT, LOVE, AND LIFE

Week 2 – 08/12/2013

Power of Hate

Overview – People speak of the power of love.  Unfortunately, hatred has power in our world today.  Hatred has power in the lives of people like you and me!  All this week, we discuss the power of hatred as described in the Letter of First John.

 

Monday – Part One – Money has power, the media has power, and the President has power.  We look at a passage that says hatred has a power in my life, a power that I’m not willing to acknowledge.

 

Tuesday – Part Two – “He who hates his brother is walking around in darkness.”  That’s what God’s Word says.  Haltered equals blindness!  We talk about that today on “CrossHope”.

 

Wednesday – Part Three – “Hatred makes me a murderer.”  Really, you say?  Murder is the natural extension of hatred.  Today we talk about that.

 

Thursday – Part Four – Hatred is a decision.  So is loving!  What have you decided to do with the people around you?

 

Friday – Part Five – Today we share a story that powerfully illustrates the power of love, overcoming the power of hatred.  Listen to “CrossHope” today!

LIGHT, LOVE, & LIFE

Week 1 – 8/05/2013

Into the Light

Overview – This week, the first message of a brief series from the epistle or letter of First John, near the end of the New Testament.  It contains one of the most quoted verses in the entire Bible, “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  That verse is a “game changer” or perhaps a “life changer” for you!

 

Monday – Part One – There’s a personal message for you today about the most sensitive subject in your life and mine- our sin and how Christ forgives that sin.

 

Tuesday – Part Two – What’s the one thing in the universe that is not tainted or sullied by that which it touches?   Find out today!  The answer may surprise you.

 

Wednesday – Part Three – Today we talk about the verse that could keep someone from losing their mind in guilt.  It really can!

 

Thursday – Part Four – What does it mean that Jesus died for the sins of the world?  What does it mean that He died for your sins in particular?

 

Friday – Part Five – Today I confess one of the stupidest things I think I have ever said in my life and how I was corrected.

 

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