The Beginning and the End

Scripture: Revelation 1

"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." (Revelation 1:8; NKJV).

Where do we begin?

Where do we end?

Every question begins and ends with Jesus.

Jason Cicero

Hidden in My Heart

"And I will delight myself in Your commandments, Which I have love." (Psalm 119:47; NKJV)

Sunday Morning Starters

He arose!

That’s a start.

Jason Moore

A Doxology

Scripture: Jude 24-25

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,

And to present you faultless

Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,

To God our Savior,

Who alone is wise,

Be glory and majesty,

Dominion and power,

Both now and forever.

Amen.

NKJV

Two Types of Sinners

Scripture: Jude 22-23

According to Jude 22-23, there are two types of sinners.

1. Those who need compassion - "And on some have compassion, making a distinction"

2. Those who need something more intense - "but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh."

Pray in the Spirit for the wisdom to know the difference!

Jason Cicero

The Jude 20-21 "To Do" List

Scripture: Jude 20-21

There are four things in Jude 20-21 that the "called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ" are to do...

1. Build yourselves up on your most holy faith!

2. Pray in the Holy Spirit!

3. Keep yourselves in the love of God!

4. Look for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life!

Jason Cicero

Certain Men

Scripture: Jude 3-19

"For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ" (Jude 4).

Verses 5-19 of Jude address God's attitude and plan for "certain men." God has had dealings with folks like this in the past. He is aware of the present state of things. The future doesn't threaten Him.

We can avoid the judgment of "certain men" if we will but "remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Jude 17).

Jason Cicero

Contend Earnestly for the Faith

Scripture: Jude 3-4

Jude, the brother of Jesus, longed to write to his beloved brethren in Christ about their "common salvation." The Holy Spirit prompted him to write about something else. Out of necessity he wrote to them an exhortation: Contend earnestly for the faith!

Some had "crept in unnoticed" and "the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints" was at stake. Those "called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ" are exhorted to contend earnestly for the body of truth that had been delivered to them by the Holy Spirit. The faith must be defended by God's saints!

There is truth and error. There is right and wrong. Contend earnestly for the faith that reveals truth and righteousness!

Jason Cicero

Hidden in My Heart

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." (Matthew 6:33; NKJV)

Sunday Morning Starters

Greet a visitor.

Learn what’s-his-name’s name.

Take time for a little person.

Notice somebody who’s overlooked.

Say “thanks” to someone who needs it.

Jason Moore

Greet the Friends By Name

Scripture: 3 John

"I had many things to write, but I do not wish to write to you with pen and ink; but I hope to see you shortly, and we shall speak face to face. Peace to you. Our friends greet you. Greet the friends by name" (3 John 13-14).

Folks like to be called by their name. We would do well to learn one another's names and use them when we greet one another. Let others know you love them...call them by name.

Jason Cicero

Imitate What Is Good

Scripture: 3 John

“Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God” (3 John 11; NKJV).

We are to do good, to imitate good, because God is good. Evil is not of God. Evil is of the Devil. As the children of God we are to imitate our Father by doing good.

Diotrephes was not of God. He was concerned with things that are not of God: preeminence among brethren, not receiving brethren, prating against brethren with malicious words, forbidding others to receive brethren (3 John 9-10). Diotrephes was of his father the Devil: “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer and a liar from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it” (John 8:44; NKJV).

Demetrius had “a good testimony from all, and from the truth itself” (3 John 12). Demetrius had a good testimony because he imitated God.

What about me? Do I imitate my good God or do I imitate the evil one? Let us see God and imitate what we see for “he who does evil has not seen God” (3 John 11).

Jason Cicero

5 Things About Gaius

Scripture: 3 John

1. He was faithful (5).

2. He was a doer (5).

3. He loved the church (6).

4. He sent forth God's people "in a manner worthy of God" (6).

5. He was a fellow worker "for the truth" (8).

Jason Cicero

No Greater Joy

Scripture: 3 John

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth" (3 John 4).

Greater - still larger (Strong's).

Joy - an inward sacred delight.

Walk - a way of life, a lifestyle.

Truth - that which corresponds to reality, what is in accordance with fact.

There is no greater joy than to play a part in another's new birth. There is no greater joy than hearing of those you taught growing up in Him. There is no greater joy than seeing the babe in Christ learn to walk in truth!

Jason Cicero

Prosperity and Health

Scripture: 3 John

"Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers" (3 John 2).

Prosper - succeed in reaching (Strong's).

Health - to have sound health, to be well (Strong's).

Soul - the soul as an essence which differs from the body and is not dissolved by death (Thayer's).

The better you feel, the more good you can do. Pray for prosperity and health. Use His blessing to glorify Him and edify somebody!

Jason Cicero

Hidden in My Heart

"For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:11; NKJV)

Sunday Morning Starters

Dress appropriately.

Leave early.

Greet cordially.

Smile broadly.

Speak kindly.

Respond thoughtfully.

Study diligently.

Worship soberly.

Behave politely.

Think carefully.

Live faithfully.

Jason Moore

Fellowship and 2 John 7-11

Scripture: 2 John 7-11

1. We must have fellowship with God.

2. We must have fellowship with Christians.

3. We must not have fellowship with false teachers.

Read 2 John and recommit yourself to being a person of truth, of love, and of obedience!

Jason Cicero

This is Love

Scripture: 2 John

"This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it" (2 John 6).

To love the Lord is to "walk according to His commandments." We are to walk with Him in love. We are to walk with one another in love. To love Him is to keep His commandments. To love one's brother is to keep the Father's commandments.

Walk in His commandments for "this is love!"

Jason Cicero

That We Love One Another

Scripture: 2 John

"And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another" (2 John 5).

From the beginning God has had one commandment for His children: "that we love one another" (2 John 5).

Have active good will for all of God's children today!

Jason Cicero

Grace, Mercy, and Peace

Scripture: 2 John

"Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love" (2 John 3).

Grace - God's kindness to the guilty and undeserving.

Mercy - to withhold what one deserves.

Peace - a state of tranquility that comes as a result of being in a right relationship with God.

These three blessings will be with you from the Father and the Son in truth and love if you are in Christ!

Jason Cicero

Truth

Scripture: 2 John

Truth is the opposite of what is false. It corresponds to reality. It is the state of being the case. Truth is in accordance with fact.

The word "truth" is found five times in 2 John 1-4. Our Father would have us "love in truth" (1). He would have us know the truth (1). God would have "the truth" abide in us now and forever (2). Grace, mercy, and peace is promised from above to be with us "in truth and love" (3). The call from above is to walk "in truth" (4).

Rejoice in the truth and walk in it today and throughout eternity!

Jason Cicero

Hidden in My Heart

"With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!" (Psalm 119:10; NKJV)

Sunday Morning Starters

10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.

11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,

12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?

13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

2 Peter 3:10-13; NKJV

Grow

2 Peter 3

"...but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ..." (2 Peter 3:18).

Grow - enlarge, increase, continue!

Grace - the divine influence upon the heart and its reflection in the life!

Knowledge - a seeking to know!

Lord - supreme in authority!

Savior - the deliverer!

Jason Cicero

His Longsuffering

Scripture: 2 Peter 3

"The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as come count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).

There is one thing keeping the Lord from returning in flaming fire to take vengeance on ungodly men: His longsuffering. He is "of a long spirit" with those who have not repented (Thayer's). He does not lose heart with sinners because He is not willing for any of them to perish.

It just may be that Jesus has not returned because He is waiting on you to repent...

Jason Cicero

False Teachers

Scripture: 2 Peter 2

"But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you..." (2 Peter 2:1).

1. False teachers operate "secretly" (2 Peter 2:1).

2. False teachers are motivated by "covetousness" (2 Peter 2:3).

3. False teachers "will utterly perish in their own corruption" (2 Peter 2:12).

False teachers will be among us. Our reponse: be godly! "...the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations..." (2 Peter 2:9).

Jason Cicero

Even to Blindness

Scripture: 2 Peter 1

To lack faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love (2 Peter 1:5-8) is to be...

1. Shortsighted - to see dimly, see only what is near (Thayer's).

2. Even to Blindness - used metaphorically, of the dulling of the intellect (Vine's).

The key to overcoming spiritual blindness is found in 2 Peter 1:9. Never forget the cleasning you received from your old sins! "For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins" (2 Peter 1:9).

Jason Cicero

All Things

Scripture: 2 Peter 1

God has given us "all things that pertain to..." (2 Peter 1:3):

1. Life - "of the absolute fullness of life, both essential and ethical" (Thayer's).

2. Godliness - "denotes that piety which, characterized by a Godward attitude, does that which is well-pleasing to Him" (Vine's).

Rejoice that God has given us everything we need to successfully make our journey from Earth to Heaven!

Jason Cicero

Hidden in My Heart

"The LORD is King forever and ever; The nations have perished out of His land." (Psalm 10:16; NKJV)