4 Dear friends, don’t believe every spirit. Test the spirits to see if they are from God because many false prophets have gone into the world. 2 This is how you know if a spirit comes from God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come as a human is from God, 3 and every spirit that doesn’t confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and is now already in the world. 4 You are from God, little children, and you have defeated these people because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5 They are from the world. So they speak from the world’s point of view and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God. The person who knows God listens to us. Whoever is not from God doesn’t listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.        1 John 4:1-6
 
In John’s first letter, he warns Christians of be cautious about all spiritual claims, because not all of them are from God. He tells us to consider who is bringing these claims and what they are saying. The most important thing to consider is this : if any of them deny Christ and The Good news of His salvation , then they cannot be believed or trusted.  It is then that we should return to the basic truths that God brings through His Word !!
 
Let us pray please :  Father God, Abba……..We read Your Word , we hear it preached and we know that it is Truth. Help us to be a people who can discern and understand when false prophets try to sway us in other ways, ways that are not Yours. Help us, God, to stay in the Light and Truth of Your love, Your grace, Your wisdom. We pray all this in Jesus’ name ……. Amen.
 
Yours in Christ  ,  Rollie

24 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like someone who planted good seed in his field. 25 While people were sleeping, an enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat and went away. 26 When the stalks sprouted and bore grain, then the weeds also appeared.  27 “The servants of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Master, didn’t you plant good seed in your field? Then how is it that it has weeds?’  28 “‘An enemy has done this,’ he answered.
“The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and gather them?’
29 “But the landowner said, ‘No, because if you gather the weeds, you’ll pull up the wheat along with them. 30 Let both grow side by side until the harvest. And at harvesttime I’ll say to the harvesters, “First gather the weeds and tie them together in bundles to be burned. But bring the wheat into my barn.”’”     Matthew 13:24-30
 
The parable of the wheat and the weeds is actually a Sunday School lesson I remember, as this was one parable that was confusing. The wheat from the “good seed” are the believers ( the good seed being God’s Word and instructions for us). The weeds are those who do not believe, who still want the desires of the heart. On the final judgement day, all will be harvested – God’s children will have the promise of life everlasting , while the others will be bound and burned – i.e., eternal death !
 
Let us pray please – Blessed God of Love, You are our God and we are Your people ; we love You , and we know that You love us. Help us, LORD, to stay strong and resolute in our belief and our faith, that one day we will all be gathered home to eternal rest in Your kingdom !!   It is through Jesus we pray all this……Amen
 
Yours in Christ  ,  Rollie

18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”         Matthew 13:18-23
 
The Parable of The Sower is one that many of us are quite familiar with. The Word falls on different people ( different types of “soil” ) with different results. There are those who simply don’t understand and reject it ( hard soil). There are those who do receive it, but fall away from it when life’s pressure show up or the worries of the day overwhelm them ( rocky and thorny). The good soil represents the ones who receive and spread it to other ( i.e., reproduce it ).
 
Let us pray please – Holy and Wonderful God …… help us to continue to be good soil , to nurture the seed of Your Word , so that we can in turn be The Sower of that seed to others , spreading the beauty of Your love and grace to all who will receive. Through Jesus we pray…..Amen.
 
Yours in Christ  ,  Rollie

6 What we say is wisdom to people who are mature. It isn’t a wisdom that comes from the present day or from today’s leaders who are being reduced to nothing. 7 We talk about God’s wisdom, which has been hidden as a secret. God determined this wisdom in advance, before time began, for our glory. 8 It is a wisdom that none of the present-day rulers have understood, because if they did understand it, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory! 9 But this is precisely what is written: God has prepared things for those who love him that no eye has seen, or ear has heard, or that haven’t crossed the mind of any human being. 10 God has revealed these things to us through the Spirit. The Spirit searches everything, including the depths of God. 11 Who knows a person’s depths except their own spirit that lives in them? In the same way, no one has known the depths of God except God’s Spirit. 12 We haven’t received the world’s spirit but God’s Spirit so that we can know the things given to us by God. 13 These are the things we are talking about—not with words taught by human wisdom but with words taught by the Spirit—we are interpreting spiritual things to spiritual people. 14 But people who are unspiritual don’t accept the things from God’s Spirit. They are foolishness to them and can’t be understood, because they can only be comprehended in a spiritual way. 15 Spiritual people comprehend everything, but they themselves aren’t understood by anyone. 16 Who has known the mind of the Lord, who will advise him? But we have the mind of Christ.         1 Corinthians 2:6-16
 
Today’s reading from Paul’s letter speaks to the subject of what true wisdom is. The true wisdom being from God, as opposed to our earthly wisdom. Where our wisdom comes from reasoning and knowledge gained in life, God’s wisdom is revealed through The Holy Spirit. The Spirit’s role is very important (v. 14, for ex.). It is because of the Spirit’s help within us as Christians that are indeed able to gain insight and wisdom of our God. Hallelujah !!
 
Let us pray, please – Holy God, Our Deliverer…….thank You for You, thank You for creating us, for loving us so much You sent a Redeemer, Jesus. That You for the Sustainer of our souls, The Holy Spirit. It is that loving and giving spirit, O Sovereign One, that helps us to know You better, to gain insight and wisdom of You. It is this and so much more that helps us be the people, the church You desire here in this world. It is this and so much more that we pray to You in Your Son’s great name…….Amen
 
Yours in Christ  ,  Rollie

The story of Daniel in the Lion's Den is familiar to those of us who grew up in the church.  It is a story of Faith and miracles.  These verses that proceed Daniels' arrest and important, yet we do not often read them.  Daniel was a slave, captured by the Babylonians.  No matter how long he had lived in slavery, he had remained faithful to his God, by eating habits and prayer.  He was an excellent worker and loved by the King.  All of these traits did not endear him to those he who worked with him.  They were jealous, simple as that.  They plotted against him.  These are human conditions that this story warns us about.  But more importantly, Daniel had faith that his God would protect him and he did. 
 
Prayer: Gracious God may I be like Daniel and never hide my faith in you.  May I always keep your laws and commandments.  Give me a prayer life like Daniel.  Amen
 
Roz

13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.
16 If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that.17 All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.
18 We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them.19 We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.20  We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.21 Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.     1 John 5:13-21
 
Today’s reading from 1 John focuses on assurance of salvation. The goal of John's letter is to provide believers with a way to knowing, for sure, that they have eternal life. Those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ can be sure that they are saved. Despite our failures and sins, God is all forgiving. And, through Christ, we have the power to overcome the world's temptations to sin.
 
Let us pray please – Loving and Forgiving God :  Your love is all around us, it surrounds our lives, our minds, our hearts. It is deep within us. We thank You so much for that. Your grace and incredible goodness abounds in our lives. Again, we thank You. Most importantly, we thank You for Your Son, our Savior Jesus, in whose name we pray…….Amen.

Yours in Christ  ,  Rollie

Faith in the Incarnate Son of God
5 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
6 This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the[a] Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 9 We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.          1 John 5:1-12
 
In today’s reading, we see there are words that encourage believers in The Gospel to examine their lives as it relates to their relationship with Christ. The reading does some comparisons – on testimony ( accepting God’s or not) , on believing or not believing, on accepting Jesus or not.
 
Let us pray please :    Loving god , it is because of You that we can say we live !!  Without You to show us kindness, blessings, Your amazing grace, and Your gift to the world, Your only son – we could not make this statement. You loved us so much that You did not abandon us or give up on us – Your Son made the ultimate sacrifice – His own life – to wipe the slate clean and conquer sin and death once and for all !  Thank You God, it is in Your Son’s name we pray……. Amen.

Yours in Christ  ,  Rollie

44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”
45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”               Luke 24:44-49
 
Before Jesus Left the disciples to ascend into Heaven, the disciples were able to truly hear and understand in a clearer way what He had been telling them in His earthly teachings : the scriptures of old – those dealing with The Law, the works of the prophets and the great writings such as the Psalms spoke of Jesus’ coming into the world and of Him suffering and dying at the world’s hands.
 
Let us pray please : Eternal God, it is from You that all was made – the heavens, the waters, the earth, the creatures, everything ……. We thank You for that great creation. We also thank you for the great love You showed the world – You brought Your only begotten son into the world , He preached and taught the people, the world in many cases rejected Him, and put Him to death , where He was victorious over that death, once and for all !! Hallelujah ! He is LORD , He is our Savior , we pray all this in His Name…Amen.
 
Yours in Christ  ,  Rollie

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. 15 Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. 16 For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for[a] those who make peace.       James 3:13-18
 
In this reading the idea of what true wisdom and understanding is discussed. James answers that the really wise and understanding person is the one who has faith in God, and in so doing, treats others with kindness and respect. Earthly knowledge and understanding can lead to self-serving attitudes ( v.15-16).
 
Let us pray please :  Faithful Father, we are a people that desires to know You better, to learn Your precepts more and more. We want to be a people that loves, not hates ; a people that wants justice , not iniquity ; a people that has compassion and caring for others, not for self. We want to be faithful to You and You alone. Help us, God, to be that way at all times. Great and Gracious One, we pray all this in Jesus’ Name…….Amen.
 
Yours in Christ  ,  Rollie