There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear. Fear pervades our society. Some people use fear to try to bring you into their way of thinking. We have seen people make some terrible decisions and do some crazy things in the name of fear. Manmade religions historically have used fear to force people into their system of belief. The world over the ages have tried to bully the Christian into submission by fear. But God’s way for us is a love that casts out fear.1 John 4:16-1916. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.17. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.18. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.19. We love him, because he first loved us.

Though no one has physically seen God with the eyes, we see the effects of God all around us. We, as Christians, see His hand at work, and we see His heart loving us. But the world does not see this as clearly as we do. It is upon us who are born-again Christians to testify of the Father by showing His love to others. They may not see God directly with their own eyes, but they sure better see God when they look at our lives.1 John 4:12-1612. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.13. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.14. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.15. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.16. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

Do you know God? If you did, then you would love others in the way that He loves you. Love is of God: therefore, if you don’t know how to love as God loves then you don’t know Him. You really can’t define love without first knowing God, and you certainly can’t show true love without a personal relationship with Him. It’s like a person who thinks that a fast-food burger is the greatest food out there, but only because they have never been introduced to good, quality food. You might exercise something that you call love, but until you know the love of God, you haven’t even tasted of what love truly is. 1 John 4:7-117. Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.8. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.9. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.10. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.11. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

God is greater! There is nothing in this world or universe greater than God in any sense of thought. God is more powerful, more righteous, wiser, stronger—He is preeminent to all. There is nothing that surpasses God in greatness and goodness. Satan is strong, and the influence of the world is powerful, but we can overcome these “because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” 1 John 4:4-64. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.5. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.6. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

We have all been warned, don’t believe everything you read on the internet. Truly, the warning should go beyond this as 1 John 4 does when it reads, “believe not every spirit.” There is a belief system out there for anything that your heart desires to believe. There is a wide road that contains many lanes of various types of deception that are all leading to destruction. But there is only one way of truth, Jesus. He is the way, the truth, and the life, and He is the only way to the Father. We must put to the test those things we hear, even if your instinct is to believe it, to be sure that we only follow the spirit of truth as we learn from God’s Word. 1 John 4:1-31. Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.2. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:3. And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

Have you ever found yourself under the weight of doubt, even as a born-again Christian? Have you ever found yourself in the gloom that comes from a lack of assurance? Sometimes, a person who is a child of God goes through a season when they don’t feel saved. But I’m thankful to read in the Bible that God is greater than our heart. If we would just give God our whole heart, He can turn it toward Him so that we can have the confidence that we need to follow Him closely.1 John 3:20-2220. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.21. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.22. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

Are you willing to put your life on the line for someone you love? Our very perception of the love of God toward us is the fact that Jesus laid His life down for us, and so we ought to lay our life down for the brethren. It’s difficult to know for sure what we would do until the situation actually arises, but here is a good test: are you willing to lay down this world’s goods for the need of someone else? If we can’t even give of the stuff we have out of compassion for another, how can we seriously expect to lay down our life for others?1 John 3:16-1916. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.17. But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?18. My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.19. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

No love compares to the love bestowed upon us by God our Father. It is a joy unspeakable and full of glory. God’s love, so greatly illustrated in the act of giving His only begotten Son Jesus Christ as the payment of the wages of our sin, has given us a position far beyond mere created-ones, servants, worshipers, and even friends. We have been given the positions, as born-again believers in Christ, of sons and daughters. We are sons and daughters of the one true God, our Heavenly Father.1 John 3:1-61. Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.2. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.3. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.4. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.5. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.6. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

The thing about false teachers is that they have a certain sound and a certain alure that is attractive to the flesh and to our reasoning, and they carry a certain ability to draw people behind them. But they lead people to their own detriment and destruction because they are leading away from Christ. It is vital to us that we understand that in these days there are many antichrists who desire to lead us away from the truth of God. We must be equipped to recognize and avoid the danger. The Bible says that “a prudent man foreseeth the evil and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.”1 John 2:18-23"Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also."

Signs all around us clearly point to the Bible truth that we are in the last times. Just look at the crazy events and the spirit of the day as well as the many false teachers that rise up. Now is the time to act. We must make sure that we are ready and that we tell others how to be ready for eternity to come. Where will you be after this life? Where will others you know spend eternity? Now is the only time we have to prepare.1 John 2:18-2018. Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.19. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.20. But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.

You either love God or you love the world, but you cannot love both. Matthew 6 tells us that “no man can serve two masters: for he will hate the one, and love the other” Did you notice that love and serving are brought together in that verse? You serve the master that you love. That verse concludes, “ye cannot serve God and mammon.” If you think you can love the things of this world AND truly love God, you are deceiving yourself.A study of 1 John 2:15-17, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever."

Do you know that you know God? Do you have the assurance that comes with walking in the light of Jesus? A true Christian will desire to keep God’s commandments. If you don’t have that desire, you ought to ask God to search your heart and reveal your true condition. Keeping God’s Word assures us that we are in Him. Study of 1 John 2:1-6

God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. Unfortunately, we don’t always walk in that light. We are lying to ourselves if we think that we have no sin. But I am happy to report that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

God offers full joy in salvation through Jesus Christ. Every Christian ought to experience this wonderful joy that helps to sustain us and keep us in Him, even in the most difficult of circumstances. And even though this joy can be lost, praise God, it can also be restored. We have access to such wonderful joy, and we have experienced such great things in fellowship with God, that we should want to share this with others also.

The first episode! A study of 2 Timothy 2:1-2. Christians, we need to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus so that we can teach the next generation of faithful leaders who will teach others also.