Paul opens this letter to a church he did not plant and had never met giving his usual greeting and then expressing thankfulness for their genuine faith, love, and hope rooted in Christ. The gospel they had heard had taken root, was bearing fruit, and growing. In them and throughout the world.By Jarrod Hawthorne

John ends his letter with the spotlight on Jesus and what makes Him unique as God's Son, the True One, who has come to give us understanding that leads to knowing Him, living in Him and receiving eternal life. Because we worship Jesus - we don't worship idols. So fight the idolatry in your own heart!…

As those who are born again, born of God, born from above we are unique to this world. We don't live in habitual sin, we are kept by Jesus from the Evil One and we live lives distinct from the world that is under the sway of the Evil One. Enjoy and embrace what makes us unique as God's people.By Jarrod Hawthorne

Does Sin automatically lead to death? Physical or Spiritual? Is this true of believers or non-believers? This passage opens up alot of questions that we can answer that help us see that sin is deadly and must be addressed in our lives seriously.By Jarrod Hawthorne

By Joseph Stogner

The Father, Spirit, Son and born again believer all testify to the same thing - eternal life comes through Jesus - believing in Him and what He has done for our salvation.By Jarrod Hawthorne

By Jesse Beard

Knowing how loved we are by God through Jesus as seen in His atoning sacrifice for our sins allows us to face the end of all things without fear as well as freely and fully love others.By Jarrod Hawthorne

God is seen in how we love one another. We can be assured of who we are being we experience intimacy with God's Spirit who lives in us, because we believe in who Jesus is and what Jesus has done and because we enjoy being loved by God and sharing His love with others.By Jarrod Hawthorne

God is love, God lives in us and so we love others as evidence and assurance that we are His. Those who are easy to love and those who are hard. Our motivation to love those who hard to love is seen in what Jesus had to do to show God's love for us.By Jarrod Hawthorne

Truth and right doctrine matter. Not everything said or taught is from God. If from God - we can fully embrace. If not from God - we can fully reject. But in all things - don't just believe - but test first.By Jarrod Hawthorne

Condemning hearts can crush us and we need the assurance of the presence of God's Spirit. Confident hearts can be a blessing but squandered if we don't turn the blessing into sharing the blessing with others.By Jarrod Hawthorne

By Jesse Beard

Our faith is rooted in the reality of the physical resurrection of Jesus. Come and examine the evidence and celebrate the reality with us this EasterBy Jesse Beard

What kind of evidence do we have to build confidence that we've received a faith handed down and we don't practice blind faith? The essential question that must first be answered is - is it all true? If it isn't - it means nothing. If it is all true - it means everything.By Jarrod Hawthorne

Unlike our enemy and his offspring who hate, divide and seek to destroy in death - we should love one another and share the life and love we've been given through our eternal life in Christ Jesus.By Jarrod Hawthorne

While sin in our lives should never be dismissed as insignificant, our identity doesn't flow from what we do, but from what Christ has done.By Jesse Beard

As God's children, we've been adopted and lavished with His love; we are incomprehensible to the world; we will one day mysteriously be made like Jesus; and thus we live with a lifestyle of hope and purity.By Jarrod Hawthorne

The return of Jesus is a sure thing coming and so how can we live now not afraid but eagerly anticipating and ready for His return because we can honestly deal with our sins now.By Jarrod Hawthorne

There will be those who walk away from Jesus and our faith because they never really belonged. Be warned about them. But be encouraged as those that remain! By God's grace we have been given everything in Jesus and our new life in Him.By Jarrod Hawthorne

By Jesse Beard

By Joseph Stogner

By Joseph Stogner

Considering the image of God inherent in all humans, how does that guide how we love and care for others of all ethnicities.By Jarrod Hawthorne

By Jesse Beard

As we treasure the Word for what it is, we will reap the blessings of being changed in supernatural ways through the WordBy Jarrod Hawthorne

By Jesse Beard

By Joseph Stogner

Jesus and His presence in our lives is the inexhaustible and indestructible joy that no one can take away from usBy Jarrod Hawthorne

Today we learn from the life of Simeon and Anna how faith in God gives hope through all of life's circumstancesBy Jarrod Hawthorne

By Joseph Stogner

Knowing God is an intimacy with God that only His people experience and is related to our obedience to His commands and walking as He walked and experiencing the fullness of His love.By Jarrod Hawthorne

As God's people we have been given a freedom from sin and a remedy for sin through Jesus that we enjoy and we share with everyoneBy Jarrod Hawthorne

By Jesse Beard

God's people are a fellowship of light and confession of sin and trusting in Jesus' sacrifice to atone for our sins. We are not a people who indulge and hide in our sins.By Jarrod Hawthorne

Through Jesus, the historically and tangibly revealed and declared God in the flesh, we are brought into fellowship with one another and with the Father and the Son for our ultimate joy.By Jarrod Hawthorne

By Jesse Beard

Our enemy is real. To deny that is to deny the clear teaching of Scripture. Instead of denying his reality, how instead should we respond to his desire to devour us?By Jarrod Hawthorne

By Jesse Beard

By Jarrod Hawthorne

By Joseph Stogner

How do we obey this command - be humbled? By trusting our Mighty God who cares for us. How do we do that? We throw our cares and anxieties on Him and let Him carry the load for us.By Jarrod Hawthorne

Peter speaks to the young people in the church and exhorts them to follow the leadership God has provided. And then to everyone - live a life of humble serve to one anotherBy Jarrod Hawthorne

For those called and desiring to Shepherd God's flock, what heart do we need to do this well for the good of God's people and the shepherd?By Jarrod Hawthorne

To the followers of Jesus, how can we prepare for the inevitable persecution and/or push back we'll receive because we are living a life that demands a gospel explanation. Peter gives us 6 ways to be ready in this passage.By Jarrod Hawthorne

In light of the fact that Christ can return soon or we can go to Him soon, how should we now live? Along with verses 7-9, we are given spiritual gifts to serve one another and live lives that glorify God in Christ Jesus. Let's get to it!By Jarrod Hawthorne

By Jesse Beard