1 John 1:18-19, 22-23 Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us…22 Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist — he denies the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
 
I believe every Christian must affirm the urgency of belief. Each of us have experienced the sudden death of a loved one or friend. We all know life is fragile. Death on earth can come at any minute. In effect, we all live in a last hour, knowing we could physically die at any moment.
    That is the last hour meaning in Scripture. Jesus has prophesied his return in this way. Luke 12:40 “You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”  This is the time, the hour of salvation for those who believe. This is the hour of condemnation for those who reject Jesus. Luke 12:46 “The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.” This is why true witness of Jesus requires true warning. We must live with an urgency and expectation. Who knows when death will come? What hour will our Lord Jesus appear in power?
    But false teachers – antichrists – have stained the church to deny this absolute truth since its beginning. The greatest threat were those who had begun with a contrived “faith” with the apostles. They determined to reject Christ. So they went out from the apostles’ teachings in spiritual disguise. People believed they had learned from the apostles, so many believed the antichrists’ lies. One false teaching was that Jesus was not a real man. Another was the way of salvation was through keeping the Jewish law. Some taught that just being a Jew was enough. Some antichrists even had demonic powers to do miracles. Matthew 24:24 “For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect – if that were possible.” These are the Father’s warnings, too, in Revelation.
    Today there are too many antichrists who come from seminaries and Bible schools denying the Bible. They are dangerous liars, purposed to destroy the church. People believe them because they are learned teachers with degrees to show they have passed the courses.
    But sadly they have failed God’s test. They are of the devil. They tell others, “Do not believe Jesus. He is not Savior, the Son of God.” “Did God really say?” Satan asked Eve. They have heard God’s true word; yet, they deny say, “Do as you desire.”.
    Be on guard. Know – determine – the truth is written in God’s Word. The world wants you to follow its way into destruction. In love and truth, God calls you to follow his Word into the light.
 
Life Thought: Know the true Christ points you to eternal truth.
 
 

 John 2:3-6 We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. 4 The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.
 
“KNOW” appears 33 times in 1 John. Eighteen of those occur with the phrase “we know”, indicating the teacher and his church have the same knowledge of Jesus. To know is to accurately determine the truth of Jesus as Savior and Son of God. How does this happen?
    John, the apostles and the church know Jesus because they have experienced Jesus’ transforming power. John was an eyewitness. He has told them of his personal experiences with him. John obeyed Jesus’ commands. Jesus’ life power is at work in hearts and minds. All living as Jesus lived has transformed their lives. To know Jesus means they can say, “I have determined Jesus’ ministry, his resurrection and ascension have made known – have demonstrated – God’s power on earth.”    
    Years ago, author and minister Henry Blackaby wrote a book and study guide called “Experiencing God”. This work points you to the ways we determine God is affecting our lives. Dr. Blackaby teaches we hear God through his Word, others in the church speaking to us, prayer and the gifts we have to minister. These four areas unify to focus your mind to know – to determine – God is impacting your life through real-life experiences.
    Jesus said it this way: John 14:7 “If you really knew (determined my character) me, you would know (determine the character of) my Father as well. From now on, you do know him (have determined who he is) and have seen him.” He could say this to his disciples because they had personally experienced his life for three God-empowered years. They experienced God.
    Knowing Jesus, the apostles readily obeyed his commands. They were true to him. God used them to begin an extraordinary change in the entire world. The same is true for you. When you truly determine Jesus is your Lord and Savior, you will readily obey his commands. The more we obey, the more personally we will know his presence in your life. Even more, you will show him to the world yet to know him. John 13:35 “By this all men will know (determine) that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Your life will witness the risen Christ.
    This is absolute: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.   
 
Life Thought: Live true to th One you know.
 

1 John 1:5-7 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
 
TODAY it is very easy to receive a message, isn’t it? In fact, we likely receive far too many messages each day through email, text, social media and mail. Many messages contain information useless to our circumstances. Some messages are essential. We will know the difference when we are sure of the messenger.
     In all he declares to you, John is very determined you know his source is true. John has personally heard God, the Son, speak. Even more, John has seen the power of God’s message through the visible displays of his light in the world..
     With authentic power and conviction, John messages God is light. God is not like light. He is light. God’s character is light that will not allow darkness. He Darkness can never be where God is. John heard Jesus speak it, “I am the light of the world.” (John 8:12 & John 9:5) In those passages, Jesus’ contrasts himself with both spiritual and physical darkness. In the first, he proclaims his light and forgives an adulteress woman. In the latter, he proclaims light and heals the darkness of a man’s blind eyes. Darkness cannot be where God is.
     You walk out of the darkness into Jesus light as you believe in faith and believe his commands. Walking in light is to obey God’s commands. “Go and sin no more. Go, wash in the pool and see. Go, testify to God’s power to change your life, to become new in his light.
     This is what Jesus wanted for the woman before him, for the blind man, for his apostles and for you. In essence, he says to all of us, “Walk with me.” We are privileged that God would give us an such an authentic personal message from heaven, so we would walk in the light evermore.
 
Life Thought: Offer true messages to people. Have integrity to do as you speak. Display faithfulness to God’s message to live as you confess.

1 John 1:3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.
 
DO you see one reason John proclaims – he preaches – his eyewitness testimony of Jesus Christ? It is for unbelievers to “have fellowship with us (the church)”. It must be important to John, right? Is John, then, preaching at risk, even as he is being persecuted, so that people join with him for food, light conversation and a few laughs? In our church lives today, that’s what we see as “fellowship”, don’t we? After all, isn’t that what occurs in the “fellowship hall” (a place of meeting with others not in a church sanctuary) or the “time of fellowship” in a church? Is John testifying to the gospel, so he can shake hands in church and greet others with “Good to see you.” while his eyes are on the next person to talk with? Is this the purpose preaching? Is that what the Bible means by fellowship?
     No, emphatically, it is not! Fellowship is a very personal, active relationship with God the Father, Son and Spirit. This relationship then extends to and influences all who believe.
     Fellowship is one of the reasons the church gathered in Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. In the Greek language, “fellowship” points to a God-centered, God-empowered active relationship. In fellowship with God, we learn from him. We seek his wisdom and remember his sacrifice. We worship. We thank him and praise him. In true fellowship, we serve God and serve one another with spiritual gifts of help, mercy, love, forgiveness and prayer. Fellowship is acting with a servant’s heart as Jesus exhibited particularly in John 13 when he washed his disciples’ feet.
     And note, fellowship Is not based on your comfort level. Fellowship is not wondering, “What benefit do I get in this?” This intimate relationship exists only because God the Father through the Son and in the Spirit has graciously established a new, personal relationship with mankind. The gospel declares we have full access to the Father. In this, the Holy Spirit’s fellowship is so personal, he dwells within those who believe the gospel of Jesus’ resurrection. He draws all believers into a sacred community, dedicated to the learning and doing of God’s Word in the power of Jesus’ resurrection.
     I hope you see, then, fellowship is not causal relationships and meaningless conversations. God purpose is to call you into himself, so you can actively love God and love one another as yourself.
     Fellowship is a real, active relationship with God. Fellowship is a real, active relationship with others. Fellowship is glorifying God.
 
Life Thought: Love God above all, and you will enjoy a Spirit-empowered, joyful fellowship with God and with his people.