Common Sense Conversations

As John continues to talk about the importance of testimony, John states plainly that he is writing the things he is so that the recipients know they have eternal life and that the fullness of God dwells within them in the Holy Spirit. But is Jesus enough, or do we find ourselves longing for more? That’s what this podcast will discuss.

John has said believers are victorious and conquerors because of faith in Jesus. Now he goes into witnesses that state that Jesus is who He says He is. What does that mean for us and how do we apply it? That’s what this podcast will discuss.

John tells the believers, and us, that becasue of our faith in Jesus we are victorious and conquerors. But do we really exert and show our faith in the daily Christian walk? In our prayer life? That’s what this podcast will discuss.

John talks in this passage about how children of God, those saved, are to love. What is the kind of love that John is talking about and how do I know if that’s how I’m loving others? That’s what this podcast will discuss.

John is going to tell us in this passage that we cannot say we love God whom we have not seen and then say we hate our brother or sister who’s right in front of us. So how does this apply to us today? That’s what this podcast will discuss.

In this passage John shows how that fear cannot dwell where Christ’s love is. So what does that mean for us when it comes to fear and worry? That’s what this podcast will discuss.

John is going to move from how we are to show the love of God in us toward others to now how His love impacts us. He wants us to abide in His love so much that we have confidence in that love concerning everything from the world around us to the day of judgment.

John shows us that Jesus is the only way to God the Father. To remain in God’s love is to be in relationship with Jesus.

Most Christians know about the Holy Spirit, but do we really believe the Holy Spirit is God living in us? What does that mean and look like? John is going to show how the Holy Spirit living in us is vital to experiencing God’s love daily in our lives.

John is going to show in this passage that, yes God does love us, but He wants so much more. God wants us to know Him, He wants to dwell with us in a way that causes us to know Him and others see Him in us. That’s what this podcast will discuss today.

Taking the passages from 1st John 4:7-11, where John has told us to love and show love like Jesus has loved us, this podcast will discuss and look at the question of do I love like Jesus in my life toward others?

John dives into God’s love for us in these verses. The starting point for all of us is the Cross. But do we really understand the Cross, the love God showed for us there, and how God loved us at our worst? That’s what this podcast will discuss.

In our culture today, love is a word that has so many meanings that it’s open to the person stating it to define it. However, in this passage from 1st John 4:7-8, we see love is defined clearly. So what is that definition? That’s what this podcast will discuss.

As we close this passage on false teaching, one of the biggest problems Christ followers face today is this word and idea: tolerance. Tolerance is engrained in false teaching. This podcast will discuss the difference in showing compassion verses tolerance.

In this podcast we move from testing and judging in the lives of ourselves and others to what false teaching is, how we recognize it, and what is our role and responsibility in that.

John begins chapter 4 with the topic of testing the spirits and false teaching and false prophets. This is something the young believers struggled with in John’s day and we still do today. So what does it look like to test the spirits? That’s what this podcast will discuss.

Looking at the last few verses of 1st John 3, we will see how John shows that daily deepening in the understanding of learning how much Jesus loves us brings reassurance in our lives.

As John has just finished discussing doubt, now he moves to confidence. However, these verses are those that can easily be taken out of context concerning prayer. What do these verses teach us and what is the right context to view them? That’s what this podcast will discuss.

John continues talking about the difficulty with doubts and the assurance we have in Jesus. This podcast will take a look at misconceptions of doubt, how we walk through doubt, and how we get victory from doubt.

We all face times of doubt and uncertainty. It was no different for the believers in John’s day. John writes this passage to bring some encouragement and reassurance to them in times of doubt.

John describes how that as a Christ follower we can know love and know that we belong to Jesus. That’s what this podcast will discuss.

John gives us a very tough passage here where he states if we do not have the love of Jesus in us and showing through us we are murderers. Does this apply to you and me? How do we handle this passage? That’s what this podcast will discuss.

John is going to talk about where our heart lies, with God or being dominated by self. He will go back to the example of Cain and show how that our decisions are always a choice and matter of where our heart aligns: with God or self.

John is continuing with the distinguishing marks of a Christ follower by pointing to love and a lack of love. He is going to talk about envy as that lack of love. I believe that envy is an “under the radar” sin that more people struggle with than will admit. That’s what this podcast will discuss.

John will talk about the difference between a real believer and a religious believer. There should be characteristics in our life that shows we belong to Jesus, not religion. That’s what this podcast will discuss.