The Following Prayer Starter is shared from “Prayers to Start Your Day” by Criswell Freeman, Smith Freeman Publishing.
Good morning ☀️ for the sake of peace I almost skipped this particular prayer starter – but seeing how it feeds so perfectly into our current “Know Love” study I am trusting it is meant to be shared. I am praying for openness as you read and an understanding that this is not meant to bash “the media” – not to focus our attention in the media but rather to remind us where our true focus is to be. I believe that media can be, and is often, used for good. However, there is no denying the truth of the statement that it can distort the truth and draw our mind to focus on the world. In this “2020 culture” may our prayer daily echo this mornings starter: “Lord, help us to focus not on the world’s [message], but on the message of Your Son.” 
Question for thought and for reply: Why do you think John would rather have visited them than write to them? To encourage others and help us grow in our faith and understanding please be sure to read and/or share your comments about today’s passage or the above question in the reply bar at the bottom of the page. Let’s spur one another on to love and good deeds.
9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not remain in the teaching of Christdoes not have God. The one who remains in this teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house and do not give him any greeting, 11 because the person who gives him a greeting shares in his evil deeds.
Conclusion12 Though I have many other things to write to you, I do not want to do so with paper and ink,but I hope to come visit you and speak face to face, so that our joy may be complete.
To encourage others and help us grow in our faith and understanding please be sure to read and/or share your comments about today’s passage in the reply bar at the bottom of the page. Let’s spur one another on to love and good deeds.
The Reading Plan and Focus/Memory Verse are pictured above. This week’s challenge: Who are some people in your life who demonstrate faithfulness? What types of things do they do for the church? What can you do to support them this week? Take action this week to support those in your life who are the hands and feet of Jesus and who demonstrate great faithfulness.
Warning Against False Teachers 5 But now I ask you, lady (not as if I were writing a new commandment to you, but the one we have had from the beginning), thatwe love one another. 6 (Now this is love: that we walk according to His commandments.) This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning; thusyou should walk in it. 7 Formany deceivers have gone out into the world, people who do not confess Jesus as Christ coming in the flesh. This person is the deceiver and the antichrist! 8 Watch out, so that you do not lose the things we have worked for,but receive a full reward.
NEW: Prayer Focus for this week – Spend time praying for your church.
According to verse 4, why did John rejoice greatly? Share your answer or a comment on today’s reading in the reply box at the bottom of the page. Or, simply let me know you’re participating in the study so that I can rejoice over you and encourage you along the way.
Introduction and Thanksgiving1 From the elder, to an elect ladyand her children, whom I love in truth(and not I alone, but also all thosewho know the truth), 2 because of the truth that resides in us and will be with us forever. 3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
4 I rejoiced greatly because I have found someof your children living according to the truthjust as the Father commanded us.
John wanted believers to be confident in coming before God. What reason does he give for this confidence? Share your answer or a comment on today’s reading in the reply box at the bottom of the page.
That You May Know 13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to his will He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him.
16 If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.
18 We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.
19 We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
20 And we know 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, in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. 21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
According to today’s passage, what is the testimony God has given us? Leave your answer in the comment box at the bottom of the page. OR, share your favorite part of the passage.
5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
Testimony Concerning the Son of God6This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. 9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. 11 And this is the testimony, that God gave 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.
To encourage others and help us grow in our faith and understanding please be sure to read and/or share your comments about today’s passage in the reply bar at the bottom of the page.
20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot[a] love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.
Overcoming the World 5:1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
To encourage others and help us grow in our faith and understanding please be sure to read and/or share your comments about today’s passage in the reply bar at the bottom of the page.
Challenge: This week think of someone in your life with whom you can share the testimony of Jesus (1 John 5:11-12). Who in your life needs to hear this truth? Ask God to give you a clear opportunity this week to share your faith with this person and ask Him for boldness to share when the time arises.
NEW: Prayer Focus for this week – Spend time praying for your friends
12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and His love is perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in Him, and he in God. 16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in Him.17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as He is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because He first loved us.
Good morning ☀️ for the sake of peace I almost skipped this particular prayer starter – but seeing how it feeds so perfectly into our current “Know Love” study I am trusting it is meant to be shared. I am praying for openness as you read and an understanding that this is not meant to bash “the media” – not to focus our attention in the media but rather to remind us where our true focus is to be. I believe that media can be, and is often, used for good. However, there is no denying the truth of the statement that it can distort the truth and draw our mind to focus on the world. In this “2020 culture” may our prayer daily echo this mornings starter: “Lord, help us to focus not on the world’s [message], but on the message of Your Son.”
Me From the Inside Out 