 Let's get into our study. We're gonna be looking today at at first John chapter 3 verse beginning at verse and you know what? I did I wrote the wrong? Verse 11, I'm gonna have to move this real quick Because I put the wrong scriptures on my on my Whatever this is called anyways, so I'll begin. I'm actually gonna read verse 11. We stopped at verse 10 last time I'm gonna read verse 11, but I'm gonna You know, I do and I'm gonna basically give you an introduction by referring to a little bit prior to that but we're we're gonna begin here in verse 11 and Review some things and then move into our study. So in first John chapter 3 verse 11 It says this is the message that you heard from the beginning that we should love one another Now last time we were together when we closed our last study John had made a very important point He had said in verse 10 in this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God Nor is he who does not love his brother and so to those who? Those who belong to the devil he said and it's very clear He said they do not practice righteousness In other words the unbeliever doesn't desire to live a life that is pure and a life that's set apart That's a holy life Those who belong to the devil and this is the language that John is inspired to use those who belong to the devil Sin, but they sin habitually It's not as if if we believers we who believe in Christ are Sinlessly perfect we John isn't teaching that and and and that's not what we believe because that's not what scripture teaches It's just that we don't live a life of habitual sin Practicing it and enjoying it you see in in the life of an unbeliever John is making it clear That unbeliever sees no reason to cease living the life that they're living So they can lie or they can steal they can hurt others they can gossip they can fight They can get drunk they can hate and they have no remorse. There's no concern or care in their heart for them It's natural and because it's natural They don't care and not only that and we see this and Jesus made it clear, but they can see us as believers as their enemy and When they look at us as their enemy, they feel it right that they should hate us And so John was saying that that kind of life reveals them for what they are They are children. He said of the devil in Opposition to this a believer does not practice sin instead. He says a believer will practice righteousness and lives excellently in Philippians chapter 4 verse 8 Paul said it like this. He said finally brothers and sisters Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure Whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable If anything is excellent or praiseworthy Think about these things and so when I was preparing this and I was looking at Philippians 4a I wanted to give you a little bit more what it's what he's saying So obviously in verse 8 when he says whatever is true, we know that what truth is We don't have to look at that much closer than that But he uses the word like noble which is a word we don't use very often normally in normal conversation The word noble speaks of something that is honorable Whatever is right. Well, the word right is speaking of that which is fair Whatever is pure that speaks of modesty Whatever is lovely that speaks of that which is pleasing Whatever is admirable. That's something that is well reported of if anything is excellent That speaks of being upright or praiseworthy, which means commendable. He says think or meditate About such things. That's what believers are commanded in Philippians 4 verse 8 to do is To think on these kinds of things the things that are right and pure and lovely and admirable and all of that And so that is going to be something not only that you meditate on But it's something that through your meditation on and seeking the Lord you're gonna live those ways Though that'll be in other words the elements of your life So righteousness when we speak of that includes a relationship to God as well as your relationship to man Our faith and our love for God is what produces a love for people So instead of hating Christians have brotherly love For other believers That's why in Hebrews 13 1 the writer said let brotherly love continue or Peter in 1st Peter 1 22 Since you've purified your souls by obedience to the truth so that you have a genuine love for your brothers Love one another deeply from a pure heart Love one another deeply John and I were having a conversation. We put it on our whatever that thing's called unfiltered and We were speaking about Just just just the relationships that we have with one another and I was mentioning to him This is something I'll just say quickly, but it's not in my notes, but it's something that comes to mind. I Would encourage you if you have any Bible helps you if you've got a computer you can go to Various sources on the computer and you can find some good Information I use for example Bible hub dot-com I use that But there are others and you can look at it if you'd like to and if you want to approach me and ask me what I use I'll tell you Bible hub dot-com because that's basically it because the other that it gives you several commentaries It gives you exhaustive Concordance, it's a it's a great help for me when I'm preparing studies and all so if you went to a concordance and you began to look up the words one another Especially in the New Testament it gives you insight it gives you insight into what the church is supposed to be There's no such thing as a lone ranger Christian When it's just on your own just bopping from one place to another going from one church here going to that church there I haven't used the word bopping a long time where that come from, but anyway By Jiminy that was an old word, but you know church hopping is Not healthy See the Lord Jesus Christ created the church for a reason so that we could together be what is called the body of Christ and Use the gifts and abilities God has gifted us with to serve him and serve man And so when you read the scriptures just look up in your concordance if you do that the words one another You're gonna see we pray for one another We we exhort one another love one another we have fellowship with one another we have strong Relationships every one of the New Testament epistles Give to you commands as it pertains to how the church is supposed to be and so one of the things the enemy has tried to do Over time is to destroy the fellowship that we have one with another That's why we're not to forsake the Fellowship with one another why because we have been joined together as the body of Christ now I was sharing with John yesterday, of course We take into consideration When we look at such scriptures that there are those who have the inability to be here There are those watching right now online who can't be here. Thank God We have the ability to broadcast and others can be there be with us in that way But it's kind of like having a I was reading this some of you perhaps did too It's kind of like having one of you know a video of a fireplace You know and you're sitting in front of it with your marshmallow I mean it doesn't it doesn't work right because it's just it's just something that some is happening someplace else And so we're called to love one another pray for one another exhort one another Confront sometimes one another the lift one another up We're supposed to do that. Why because that's what the body does the body of Christ works together And as the body of Christ works together it does so by the love of God So an unbeliever doesn't care about other people I'm not saying that an unbeliever doesn't have natural affection. Of course they do Jesus spoke concerning the fact He said even those who don't know him love one another they have a love Yeah, what we're talking about is the love of Christ. They don't have that and that's not the motivation of the things that they do And so what we're called to be is or we're called to be the body of Christ And and how are people who don't know Jesus going to know that we do well One of the ways is through the love that we have for one another so instead of hating people We're to have brotherly love especially for other believers That has been called the birthmark of the Christian In 1st Thessalonians chapter 4 verse 9 Paul said as touching brotherly love You need not that I write to you For you yourselves are taught of God to love one another And so that's the message in verse 11. That's the announcement. He's saying that you have heard from the beginning That announcement that message is the god of love has loved us And that love has been revealed By jesus christ And when we have come into that understanding of the love god has had for us through jesus Then we love each other Now that message is not new notice how he said again in verse 11 This is the message that you heard from the beginning. It's not a new message It's something he's saying, you know, well All the way back in the gospel of john in chapter 13 verse 34 Jesus said a new command, but I give to you that you love one another as I have loved you That you also love one another so this isn't a new idea This is something that has been part of what god has commanded for us to have to towards one another And so he says this is the message that you heard from the beginning and we should love one another Not in verse 12 as cain Who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother and why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brothers Righteous why did he murder him? Because his his deeds were evil his brothers works Were righteous now when it speaks in verse 12 of cain who was of the wicked one and the murderer that that Is recorded in genesis chapter 4 for those of you who take notes The bible tells us in genesis chapter 4 verses 1 through 16 that cain One of the sons of adam and eve was a tiller of the ground He had a younger brother his name was abel and he was a shepherd It speaks of the fact that they both had come and offered sacrifices to god The scripture says that cain offered the fruit of the ground, but abel Rather yeah able but abel offered the firstborn of his flock So cain offered the fruit of the ground able the firstborn of the flock it says in verse 12 though that john John says that cain murdered his brother abel Now that word murdered if you take notes, it's a strong word. Obviously the word murder is a strong word But it literally means to slaughter Or to butcher That's a very strong word That he he he cut the throat of his brother. That's the literal translation He butchered him Because he says cain's works were evil and abels were righteous Now here's the thing. Why were cain's works declared evil? Why would john refer to that? Why would god not accept one and accept the other? What was the difference between the two god offer? You know, you can offer god grain sacrifices in the law of moses There were offerings that you made of the grain there were offerings made that way So why would he declare one to be acceptable and the other not? Well cain's were not done with faith He was 11 verse 4 says it like this by faith abel offered to god a more excellent sacrifice think cain By which he obtained witness that he was righteous god testifying of his gifts And by it he being dead yet speaks so Cain gave the work of his hands But abel gave the first of his flock And that sacrifice gave to him gave a uh an understanding that he knew that his offering was not by works But was by faith Both of them are religious Both made an offering to god Again cain offered the fruit of the ground abel the first slings of his flock But god accepted abels and rejected cain's it says in genesis 4 verses 4 and 5 the lord respected abel in his offering But he did not respect cain in his offering Cain was very angry and his countenance fell So each of these men represent a different approach to god and man Now what's the difference in their sacrifice? I mentioned it already their faith by faith abel offered to god a more excellent sacrifice than cain Well, what made abel sacrifice to god acceptable again? It was approved because he was obedient god had instituted blood sacrifice. He brought Out of his flock an offering cain came in his own way offering the sweat of his work And so anybody who's trying to live a religious life in their own power Will be rejected because you come to god by faith not by works You're not saved by your works Now secondly abels offering was approved because he had a right heart He brought the first slings that meant he represented that represented the best offering that he could give In proverbs 3 9 and 10 it says honor the lord with your wealth with the first fruits of all your crops Then your barns will be filled to overflowing and your vats will brim over with new wine A third thing is abels offering was approved as mentioned already because it was of faith Cain's offering was motivated by a desire to come to god on his own terms And god refused his offering because works will not bring you to god So cain is still looked at And abel is still looked at But abel is regarded as righteous And though he is physically dead his faith is still living as a witness and is still spoken of But cain is remembered as a murderer So as he's saying this you love one another. He don't be like cain. He goes on to verse 13 He says do not marvel my brethren If the world hates you Do not marvel don't be amazed if the world detests you The world the people who live in what has been called a pagan death culture That's what we live in. I I've got so much to go through. I don't want to spend too much time in this But the world I mentioned to you in first john chapter 2 when it speaks about love not the world neither the things of the world I mentioned to you that the way the word world is used there is speaking of a death system a pagan cultural death System and and that may sound kind of like odd to you But tell me if this isn't true In our recent elections that took place. One of the main issues one of the main issues was abortion And there are those who were saying that because one candidate favored it while the other rejected it That a lot of votes went to the candidate who accepted it That is a visible picture of what i'm trying to say. It is a pagan death system That's what it is. It celebrates death and not life And that's why the world will hate you because you disagree with their Assumptions that these are the proper things and freedoms that people have a right to So he says don't be marveling at this. Don't be marveling if the world hates or detests you In john 15 18 jesus said if the world hates you understand that it hated me first In matthew 10 22 you will be hated by everyone Because of my name That the one who perseveres to the end will be saved And again, I've said this so many times it comes to mind every time I read matthew 10 22 We have those little treasure chests of scriptures and scriptural promises How would you feel if you pulled that out as your promise for the day? You know You'll be hated by everyone. I think this is mary's. I'm sorry, baby. I took your I took your promise today I'll give it back to you But that's a fact The people who are members of this pagan culture of death. He said will detest you So he goes on into verse 14. We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren He who does not love his brother Abides in death. We're not like cane We don't hate each other. We love one another A love for others demonstrates we're no longer spiritually dead And by the way that love that you have for others provides an assurance of salvation Notice again in verse 14. He who does not love his brother abides in death Again, not loving others is an airmark of the unbeliever Now verse 15 whoever hates his brother is a murderer You know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him That's an interesting scripture When someone hates they reveal that they are like the first murderer came Someone wrote every degree of hate is revealing the kind of temper that led to murder Now john will make statements In verse 16, he says it like this Well by this we know love Because he laid down his life for us And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren I want to show you something here. Look at verse 16 Notice how he says by this we know By this we know love as we've been going through First john, I'll read some scriptures to you Because he likes to use the phrase by this we know In chapter 2 verse 3 he had said by this we know That we know him if we keep his commandments In chapter 2 verse 5 it says whoever keeps his word in him truly is the love of god perfected by this we know That we are in him Chapter 3 verse 19 by this we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him Chapter 3 24 he who keeps his commandments dwells in him and he in him and by this we know That he abides in us by the spirit which has been given to us Chapter 4 verse 2 by this you know the spirit of god Every spirit that confesses that jesus christ has come in the flashes of god Chapter 4 verse 6 we are of god. He who knows god hears us He who is not of god does not hear us by this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error Chapter 4 verse 13 by this we know that we dwell in him and he in us because he has given us of his spirit Chapter 5 one last one verse 2 by this we know that we love the children of god when we love god and keep his commandments All of those things are important to know By this we know How can I have an assurance he gave me his spirit? How can I have an assurance because I love the brethren? How can I have an assurance? I love his commandments These are things that can help you to understand you're standing with the lord And so now he's saying in verse 16 by this we know love Because he laid down his life for us By this we know love Again, i'm just going to share a little from my heart about these kinds of things at this point Before you got saved and maybe if you're not saved this this may be something that you might want to hear Before you got saved Well, we'll we'll put you in your teen years because that's easier to Kind of illustrate and you met somebody And you were attracted to them I guarantee you you weren't thinking 30 or 40 years from now. I guarantee it You were just thinking of right now Or maybe Whatever the the short future you're not thinking of Of a lot of things I I know that's true because Perhaps i'm over identifying but I think that's just generally true of human beings You know, you're going out on your first date. You're having your first a romantic Feelings, you know, you're you have your first holding hands. You have your first kiss good night You have all those things those are exhilarating. They're new and you and you learn some things about relationships I mean, you're not you're not, you know, you're 16 years old. You're going to the prom You're not going to treat it necessarily like you're getting married. You're fortunate you got a date in the first place So it's not going to be something like that. What it's going to be is just an enjoyable evening or hopefully so But as you get older and you've you've gone out a few times you've had different relationships You begin to to consider what does it really mean to have a relationship? And what am I really looking for in a person because over time you begin to realize that That dating, you know It can be fun exciting enjoyable and all of that But it's not necessarily The the thing that keeps you going the thing that will keep you going you get to know is Is a long-term relationship And so what happened with me is I began to kind of whittle down certain things that at one time I thought were very important and and I began to in the lord I began to actually grow up a little bit and I began to think of the things that really really mattered So I eventually got to the point where I had prayed and sought to sought the lord about relationship and And I had prayed and and said to him. I I don't want to Make a mistake with the most important decision I'm going to make outside of coming to faith in christ, which is to ask someone to love Love me and marry me and Be a mama to our babies and all that I actually started thinking that and so That's when I had asked the lord to put me to sleep to my desires What I was really asking him to do Was to help me to think as a mature person And not as somebody who was just caught up with what I see And not really looking for the qualities that really make a person what they are It isn't that I was asking the lord for somebody that wasn't appealing It was that I was asking the lord to give to me something rather someone who Who could help me to be the best that I would be Because I had come to believe and I still do that That I'm a composite person I I have the holy spirit who has made me whole in him But the two became one flesh I'm and you know I am filled in the in the areas of my life that are that are lacking I've those gaps have been filled by somebody who who can help me to become what I want to be Well, that's been going on for a long time And so love actually Becomes something deeper than just an emotion. It becomes a decision It becomes an action It it actually is something that is not only experience, but it's actually practiced and expressed You know because there are things that you couldn't pay me enough to do that. I did out of love You know when my kids are sick and they're barfing on the ground and I have to go clean that up You couldn't pay me to go clean up that stuff, you know, I But I did it. Why did I do it because Marie wouldn't know I did it I did it because I loved my babies There are things you do out of love that nobody could pay you to do otherwise That's when I started understanding what love really is It's not an emotion. It's the decision Emotions follow the decision You make the decision to do the right thing and the right thing produces the fruit and makes it a beautiful decision to have made And it's not just you know these emotions because as a minister I can tell you over the years That I've met many many many people and and some people have been very pleasant to speak to and and others have been difficult I mean we human beings we have our difficulties and and it's okay I'm not judging but I'm telling you that sometimes people can be real draining. We all know that sometimes we can be draining We all know that But what makes a person not run from somebody who has drained them? It's the love of christ It's the love for that person It's it's a desire to see god move in that person. Where did I learn that I learned it from jesus I learned it from a woman named Marie. I learned it from so many people that I love They've taught me how to do that And so I'm not forgive me. I don't know why I get I get broken up I just do To love Is the mark of a believer To be there when when they need you is the mark of a believer To sacrifice is the mark of a believer To hold on when things are rough and and and it doesn't seem like you're going to make it's a mark of a believer It's it's it's Loving to the end Paul said that husbands are to love their wives Well, that's great Paul. What do you mean by that? Well, let's remember jesus Scripture in john 13 says having loved them he loved them to the end. What did he do? He sacrificed for them Because in john 13 he washed the feet of the the apostles and he ultimately laid his life down for them Love is demonstrated by sacrifice and service Love is not just in emotion Love is experiencing life together Holding fast to one another and that demonstrates that the love we have is of higher quality Because those in the world when it gets tough sometimes they just get going But they're those in the lord It gets tough and you go through that And you grow together and you experience life together the ups and the downs the good times at the sad And so as a church, I think that people bail out On others because they're irritating or they're not perfect Or they're not the kind of person I want to hang around with they're not one of the beautiful people that that i'm used to hanging around I had someone leave this church for that reason They told me that You know, do you have any beautiful counselors? My wife won't go to an ugly one Now i'm serious. I mean So I say you better go Because we're not into that We're into truth and love Not out of appearance We're into that see that's what You know, I was just thinking about that today. He laid down his life for us God's love is demonstrated in that while we were yet sinners christ died for us God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life He laid down his life for us. He laid it down voluntarily In john 10 verse 11. Jesus said it like this. He said i'm the good shepherd The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep In john 10 17 and 18 therefore does my father love me because I laid down my life that I might take it again No man takes it from me. I lay it down of myself I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again This commandment have I received of my father It is also vicarious The death of christ is on behalf of others. It was for us And roman's chapter 5 verse 8. I just quoted that god demonstrates his own love for us in that in this while we're yet sinners christ died for us And then a third thing about the death of christ and because he loved us. It was victorious It was laid down one time for all time In hebrus 10 11 through 14 day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties Again and again he offers the same sacrifices which can never take away sins But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins He sat down at the right hand of god Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool because by one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy Jesus's death is voluntary vicarious and victorious and he says in verse 16 because he laid down his life for us We laid down our lives also Now when he says laid down We laid down that that speaks of a way of life. It speaks of a voluntary continual habit Of laying down your life It's our habit Because family life is sacrificial life We know that too. Don't we family life is sacrificial life My dad taught me that I watched my father My dad never gave me ever in my life Ever a lecture on loving never I my dad was real quiet like many men of his generation He didn't tell me stuff I I to this very day. I was sharing with the men just the other day and in a mentoring class that I do I Was sharing that my father never told I had no idea how much money my father made not not not an idea Not even an idea. I had no idea. I knew he went to work. I knew he came home I knew he paid the bills and he knew he did those kinds of things But I never knew what my dad made my dad never spoke to me about finances I had to learn about that on my own He never lectured me about certain things that I think are real important things to know But my dad never did But the thing that I value I think above everything else about lessons you learn by watching Was my father taught me something that I brought into my own marriage without even knowing it it was it was Something that I absorbed from watching him by observing him and not even Noting that I was doing that and then he taught me how to love a woman My father did my father taught me how to love a wife. I watched him love my mom I watched him. I never saw him I never saw my dad kiss my mom My dad didn't do that. My dad would walk in he'd look at my mom. My mom had these dreamy eyes for him It's kind of a our charm, isn't it baby? But anyway My dad never did that My dad thought certain things are private and his affection for my mom was But as a son I will watch my father And I saw him work hard I saw him feed his family I saw sacrifice all through his life and I've shared this before it comes to mind And when he had a heart attack where he eventually went home to be with Jesus When I when my mom had called me, I'll say this quickly. You've all heard it, but it comes to mind And mom called me and went to the hospital marina and my father Had a heart attack. She said your daddy had a heart attack and I said, yeah, mama You know what he did? I said, what's that? He prayed well, I knew my dad would pray, of course You know what he prayed what? He prayed Jesus take care of my life even when he died His last word that I know he never called my mother by her name forgive me for this emotion I don't know why I'm doing this I'm trying to emphasize something The last word I know my father said was to my mom And she was standing there. They had a remover from his room The doctor said it's unhealthy for his heart. The minute he sees you her his heart starts beating too fast The last word he ever said was to her it was what he called her As long as I can remember which was mama He never used her name. It was always mama And and he taught me these things See so love is something if you're fortunate enough to have somebody in your life That that does it like that You disregard some of the things that were probably things you wouldn't want to do yourself. Nobody's perfect There were things my dad would do that and that's not me But the thing that mattered was love see so my father taught me our father taught us through jesus How to love and love is sacrificial And that's what brothers and sisters do for one another We sacrifice So he makes uh, he makes a point here verse 17 whoever has this world's goods and sees his brother in need and Shuts up his heart from him. How does the love of god abide in him? generosity is is a Uh, a genuine and outward expression of the love of god. It reveals compassion. I'm standing around all of these presents These aren't all of them. These are just some we brought out That the fellowship out of compassion is giving to children who if they didn't receive this wouldn't receive anything Generosity is a genuine expression of the love of god and to refuse to have concern for believers is to prove faithlessness Because material things are shared with those in genuine need Second Corinthians eight seven says it like this, but just as you excel in everything in faith in speech and knowledge In complete earnestness in your love for us See that you also excel in the grace of giving I see it's one thing to talk about love But love is more than just talking It is something that is openly demonstrated He says in verse 17 this person this person shuts up his heart From him in other words lip service and the theory of love doesn't cut it voluntarily Refusing to have compassion reveals that you don't have an understanding of the love of god You see we don't need heroic acts of martyrdom as much as simple daily acts of love And so he goes on in verse 18 my little children. Let us not love in word or in tongue but in deed and in truth Word tongue deed truth philosophic speech about love Will not fill a hungry stomach And so he goes on in verse 19 and he says and by this We know That we're of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him for if our heart condemns us God is greater than our heart and knows all things Beloved if our heart does not condemn us we have confidence toward god By this we know that we're of the truth We know that god gave and we know that jesus gave and when we give We evidence that we are his children The obedience of love demonstrates salvation and that gives to us a proper assurance When he says in verse 20 of our heart condemns us god is greater than our heart He knows all god understands us better than we understand ourselves Some 103 verse 14 says he knows our frame. He knows our framework. He remembers that we're dust He knows who we are You see sometimes we may attempt to serve him and fail And and we feel bad about that but guess what? He already knows us. He's never surprised by my failures He never is I I never do anything that he didn't already know I could and would do In Jeremiah 17 10 I the lord searched the heart I test the mind Even to give every man according to his ways according to the fruit of his doings. You've never done anything That surprised god Nothing He knew what you would do with the gospel when he gave it to you And he gave it to you anyway He knew what I would do And he gave me the gospel anyway He's not surprised But when I fail my heart can condemn me I because I I don't want to it's in I think i'm speaking for us when I say that it's not like I plan to do this like i'm looking to do this I want to do this. I want to fail If there's anything that I don't want to do is I don't want to fail I don't want to fail him But I do I'm not always as loving as I'd like to be. I'm not always as generous as I'd like to be. I'm not always as kind as I'd like to be I'm not always what I want to be But god knows that already My heart will accuse me my heart will say look at you you slug You act as if you're so good and you're not And I always have some cheerleader on the side to let me know how bad I am too I I did a pastors conference one time And a guy walked up to me after the conference and he says you're not that good a speaker That was immediately after I spoke and I smiled at him and I said well, thank you He goes well my gift is the gift of keeping pastors humble I said well, we really need you in the body of christ now, don't we? So, you know what you're never as good as you think you are and you're never as bad as someone says you are You're usually somewhere in the middle You're usually there You're gonna fall You know, I don't I'm not prophesying that you will but you know you will I know I will We're still flesh. He knows our frame We're flesh But we fail less and less over time Because we grow more and more in him And when we yield ourselves to his powerful holy spirit I think that if there's anything lacking in many people's lives today It's the baptism powerful baptism of the spirit where the holy spirit has empowered you Sometimes we try to practice righteousness with fleshly tools God says you're gonna fail That's why I gave you the holy spirit You need to call on me in your time of need and ask me I I do that constantly. I do it every day lord. Just refill me work within me Make your presence known to me use me for your glory I can't do it on my own because you know, we we do fail and my heart will condemn me But god is greater than my heart. He says in verse 21 He says if our heart doesn't condemn us we have confidence toward god Well, we remember that god knows everything and and and our hearts will not condemn you Condemn us as we know that and with that we do approach him With confidence and and when he says that we have confidence toward god, he goes on to say in verse 22 Whatever we ask we receive from him Because we keep his commandments And do those things that are pleasing in his sight And this is his commandment that we should believe on the name of his son jesus christ and Love one another as he gave us commandment Now he who keeps his commandments abides in him and he in him and by this we know That he abides in us by the spirit whom he has Given us we can confidently pray because our hearts are right with god Now when he's speaking in that way we receive from him. That's not a blank check We we pray according to his will we desire to obey him. We want to please him And and and god gives us what is an assurance now the way I can have assurances is one I know that I belong to him and I can come to him as a child And second I ask him to give me purity of heart Because psalm 66 18 says if I regard iniquity in my heart the lord will not hear me And then I ask him in in genuine faith filled anticipation I'm asking lord, but I know that you're going to move like it says in Hebrews 11 6 without faith It's impossible to please him Then there are times you pray with persistence like it says in Matthew 7 verse 7 Ask and it shall be given you seek and you shall find knock and it shall be open to you And the word ask seek and knock are all in a greek tense. That means continue to do so So I ask with persistence But I always want to ask according to god's will We'll see this in chapter 5 verse 14. This is the confidence we have in him that if we ask anything according to his will He hears us So what is this commandment verse 23 that we should believe on the name of his son Again belief and love go together By trusting in jesus and seeing what he's done for us and actually not only accepting it But being fully immersed in the knowledge of the love of god gives to us a compassionate love for other people and Our our assurance of salvation isn't going to come through an imperfect obedience What my insurer my assurance comes from is a witness of the holy spirit It's that holy spirit witness. My mom used to say it like this. I know that I know that I know That's how she would say it David I just know that I know that I know And I'd say well, you know she goes. I just know no The spirit himself bears witness with our spirit We are children of god If I can leave you with anything I'd like to leave you with that tonight The spirit bears witness with my spirit It isn't by works of righteousness, which I've done It's the not the amount of prayer that I pray or the amount of bible reading that I read It's not the amount of teachings that I've done I've been teaching the bible since 1973 49 years Thousands upon thousands upon thousands of bible studies hours upon hours upon hours of Of studying and then teaching Thousands of hours I'm not saved by that I don't have an assurance through that I have an assurance by the holy spirit The holy spirit bears witness with my spirit. No you belong to god That is something you'll never get through works of righteousness That's something that is something you do not get by trying heart. That is something that comes from the inside It's an internal witness I belong to god The enemy has especially at the beginning of my life with christ the enemy tried to convince me that That I was just having some kind of weird experience But in fact, I wasn't any different and it wasn't changed and I was Was just deluding myself But as I grew in the lord and I began to read more I began to study more I began to fellowship more I began to be taught more I began to realize that that sense within me wasn't some kind of false pride or Some wishful thinking the holy spirit is bearing witness with my spirit. I belong to him. I belong to him That's what believers have Is an assurance of the spirit Not by works, but by his holy spirit that has provoked the things that you do And so why do you do the things that you do? Why don't I do what I do? Because of him Because he has motivated me to do that and that's why you do What you do our father