1 John 2 (HCSB)
1 My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ the Righteous One. 2 He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world.
God’s Commands
3 This is how we are sure that we have come to know Him: by keeping His commands. 4 The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” yet doesn't keep His commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly in him the love of God is perfected. This is how we know we are in Him: 6 The one who says he remains in Him should walk just as He walked.
7 Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old command that you have had from the beginning. The old command is the message you have heard. 8 Yet I am writing you a new command, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.
9 The one who says he is in the light but hates his brother is in the darkness until now. 10 The one who loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11 But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and doesn’t know where he’s going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
Reasons for Writing
12 I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven because of Jesus’ name.
13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you have come to know the One who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have had victory over the evil one.
14 I have written to you, children, because you have come to know the Father.
I have written to you, fathers, because you have come to know the One who is from the beginning.
I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, God’s word remains in you, and you have had victory over the evil one.
A Warning about the World
15 Do not love the world or the things that belong to the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. 16 For everything that belongs to the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s lifestyle—is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does God’s will remains forever.
The Last Hour
18 Children, it is the last hour. And as you have heard, “Antichrist is coming,” even now many antichrists have come. We know from this that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they did not belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. However, they went out so that it might be made clear that none of them belongs to us.
20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you have knowledge. 21 I have not written to you because you don’t know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie comes from the truth. 22 Who is the liar, if not the one who denies that Jesus is the Messiah? This one is the antichrist: the one who denies the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son can have the Father; he who confesses the Son has the Father as well.
Remaining with God
24 What you have heard from the beginning must remain in you. If what you have heard from the beginning remains in you, then you will remain in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that He Himself made to us: eternal life. 26 I have written these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you.
27 The anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you don’t need anyone to teach you. Instead, His anointing teaches you about all things and is true and is not a lie; just as He has taught you, remain in Him.
God’s Children
28 So now, little children, remain in Him, so that when He appears we may have boldness and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. 29 If you know that He is righteous, you know this as well: Everyone who does what is right has been born of Him.
PERSONAL JOURNAL:
SIN (verse 6): Father, please forgive me for not glorifying You by failing to truly internalize Your word and walking just as Jesus walked. Help me to follow Him and His example far better than I have been.
PROMISE (verse 25): You promise us that if we follow Jesus that we will have eternal life through Him.
ATTITUDE (verses 15-16): Father, please help me to have an attitude like Jesus. An attitude that does not put the world and the things of the world above Him. Help me to combat the lust of the flesh and the eyes as well as the worldly pride of a worldly lifestyle.
COMMAND (verses 3-5): Lord, please help me to walk as Jesus walked by always keeping Your commands. You tell us that those who claim to be Your followers but do not follow Your commands are liars. Help me to no longer be a liar so that Your truth is glorified!
EXAMPLE (verses 1-2): God, please help me to follow Your example through Jesus of a sin-free life. If and when I do falter, however, thank You for the advocate we have in Christ Jesus to cleanse us of those sins!
*DAILY NOTE: I have failed so much and so often in my walk with Jesus ever since I began my faith journey in God and was born again. I am so very grateful, however, that He is faithful in His grace towards us as believers because without that grace and the sacrifice of Jesus, I would deserve nothing except death and eternal damnation! Thank you, Jesus!
*GENERAL NOTE: I always "sandwich" my quiet time with God in prayer and do it in a location that I will not have any distractions so that I can be focused on my quiet time with God. Do not worry about how short or long your journal entries are for that day's quiet time. Just focus on the actual quiet time and relational conversation with God through the Holy Spirit and His Word. The journaling is an enhancement to your quiet time conversation with God, but also to allow you to reflect on things later as you can look back on your journal entries later when you do the chapters again in the future to see how you have grown. See the FAQ for more detail on how I do my quiet time.
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