Valentin de Boulogne
Jesus and young John
Snowing again, music wafting, reading my Bible and being changed.
John is one of my favorites in scripture. Calling Jesus the word, speaking of handling him, knowing that he was the disciple who was loved,
when deep friendship and camaraderie amongst men was not suspect but the place where the vision for life and discipleship was passed on,
penning the vision of our glorious ending with Him in Revelation, who tells us He is the light that illumines every man.
Oh to have conversations with John.
This morning in my quiet time, John's words pierced my heart--
His authority: "What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life— and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us
I John 1:1-2—
He who walked with Jesus and was loved, wants so much to teach us so that we can really know what He knew--the personal one who deeply loved Him.
These words burning in my mind today:
Do not love the world nor the things in the world.
Popularity, things that I can own, voices of the world, kingdoms of this world, fitting in,
If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
I cannot truly love the Father if I am in love with the world--
the things, the longing to fit in, the love and promotion of self--
He did not value the world, He humbly lived and served and washed feet and gave up His kingship to serve-If I am to love Him, I cannot love the world.
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh,
Eve saw that the fruit was pleasing to the eye
and the lust of the eyes
And Eve saw that the fruit was good for food
and the boastful pride of life,
Eve saw that the fruit was desirable for gaining wisdom,
is not from the Father, but is from the world.
May I resist temptation--and not see my life as Eve saw hers when she was tempted.
What are my idols--those things which I look to for comfort, for fulfillment, thinking it will bring me happiness--those idols that promise to satisfy but leave me empty in the end
The world is passing away, and also its lusts;
but the one who does the will of God lives forever.
I John 2: 15-17
The world is passing away--oh may I remember. That I may invest in eternal values and people and Him and His word.