If We Love One Another

1John 4:12
…if we love one another, God abides in us and His love is perfected in us.

Perfecting love is not our job, when we take that upon ourselves the result is the exact opposite, we end up in the center. When love is selfless and simple, when its roots are in Him; our love is not perfected, His love is perfected in us. This is the kind of love that touches difficult people, this love allows us to love those that disagree with us, this love puts individuals above issues and this love can change the world again.

Unlike Him

We’ve been talking about being like Jesus lately and today I came across a thought from E. Stanley Jones, Mr. Jones contends that if our standard of goodness is Jesus (and it should be), then any departure from that goodness is sin or in other words anything that is un-Jesuslike is sin. Which brings us back to abiding; He’s in us we just have to get better at less us.

Abide / Abode

Jesus is our home, when we are instructed to abide in Him scripture is telling us to live in Him. It’s true that this world is not our home but we don’t have to wait till we get to heaven to dwell in Christ. He is here now and we can be right at home with Him.

The Spirit of Truth

1John 2:27
But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.

The Holy Spirit is our teacher and He teaches that we need to allow Him to reveal the truth of scripture, to not depend on others for this and for us stay close to Jesus.