Discipleship Point and Prayer
1 John 5:1-5,19-20
Experiencing the True God
1 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.
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.
Pondering Point
The goal is not simply to know about God, but rather to know God and be in Him. This is what Jesus defines as life (John 17:3 next week’s theme). You can miss out on life without Truth. Let the Scriptures reveal the character and heart of God, and His attitude toward His creation.
Discipleship Point
What is our primary purpose for
immersing in God's Word?
Our chief goal with God’s Word is to bring about an encounter with the Living God, known as the Father of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ – our Father in Heaven – Abba. We know God uses such encounters to create, sustain, or grow faith in His people and complete work He aims it to do in and through us.
Discipleship Prayer
Father God, I want to be free – free from sin’s power and the Enemy’s lies. I want to know the truth that sets me free, to know Jesus as Truth, as Savior and to know You as the One True God. I want to follow Jesus as Lord, willing to count the cost, denying myself and identifying as a disciple. To this end, help me immerse in Your Word and Spirit consistently; in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Micro-Meditation
Psalm 146:1-6
- Praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord, my soul. - I will praise the Lord all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. - Do not put your trust in princes,
in human beings, who cannot save. - When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;
on that very day their plans come to nothing. - Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord their God. - He is the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them—
he remains faithful forever.
Read the versus of the Psalm.
Mark the words or phrases that catch your attention.
Meditate: talk (or better, write) with God about those words. Ask him to impress things upon your heart and mind; expect responses.
Teaching or Command of God
Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
The Promise
2 Timothy 2:13
If we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.
Pondering Point
Hope is one of the Advent themes each year. Where do you put your hope? Do you believe God to be faithful? If not, you will likely put your hope elsewhere.