FreshBread

 Good Morning…..It is  a great day to be alive…(unless you are retiring today and all your money is in the stock market!)

Today’s Reading is found in 1 John 2: 18-19

18 Dear children, the last hour is here. You have heard that the Antichrist is coming, and already many such antichrists have appeared. From this we know that the last hour has come. 19 These people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us.

Whenever you hear the word Antichrist you probably think of the book of Revelations and the end of the world.  But John is telling us that many antichrist have appeared….He says they have left our churches.

The word antichrist means against Jesus or not Jesus.  Many people today take their eyes off of Jesus and have agendas of their own.  People get hung up in their own problems and take their eyes off of Christ.  When we harbor bitterness or angry toward a brother or sister, we have our eyes off of Jesus.  With our eyes off of Christ, we march by our own drum beat and head in a direction that is against Christ…the direction of an antiChrist. This is why John says that many have left our churches.

Got your eyes on Jesus today…or is there something in the way?  Many of us at FreshStart have read through the book REVOLUTION by George Barna. In it he makes two statements that I find very powerful and go with what we are talking about today:

1. Does something get in the way of your living like Jesus? Then figure out how to eliminate that obstruction.

2. Does life get so complicated that it’s difficult for you to juggle everything and remain Christ-like? Then simplify your life?

I love you and am praying for you today. Keep your eyes on Jesus and deal with anything that gets in the way of that.  Mark you calendars for this SUNDAY…it is going to be a powerful day of celebration and learning!

Scott

Good Morning Friends –
Today’s reading comes from 1 John 2:15-17
 15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. 17 And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.
 
John reminds us that God has a whole new perspective which leads to a new way of life for us.  If we are caught in the World’s way of success, finances, relationship, or ______________ (you fill in the blank), we do NOT love God.  These are some strong words, that those of us who seek to follow Jesus have to think through. 
I’d love to get your thoughts on the last verse today. In what larger context do you understand this verse?  Drop me your thoughts at Scott@freshstartchurch.com. Talk to you in the AM.
Scott
 
I hope you will be at church this Sunday….we will be taking the Lord’s supper together, and I have some unbelievable things to share with you…we have a lot to praise God about!
 
Scott

Good Morning:
    Ok, so let me ask you a question…..do you HATE anyone?  NO…not hate, just dislike. OK, let’s look at the definition of hate.  Webster says:

Extreme dislike, or intense hostility and aversion deriving from anger or injury.” Ever feel any of those things toward another? Well, read from 1 John with me this morning.

9 If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is still living in darkness. 10 Anyone who loves another brother or sister is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble. 11 But anyone who hates another brother or sister is still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by the darkness.

Ouch….so what do you do? The only way that I know to change feelings is to change actions.  So plan today to do something really uplifting and beautiful for the person that elicits hate in your heart….and then do the same tomorrow.  Pray for them…not to get fixed but to be blessed beyond measure by the Lord, and ask God to see that person like He does.  This is tough stuff, but none said following Jesus would be, it just said that his yoke was easy; but his yoke has two places – one for him and one for you, so you walk with him…that is what makes it easy!  Have a great day and we’ll check in with you in the morning…TAKE ACTION ON THIS TODAY!
Scott