Your Jesus Journey Daily Bible Podcast with Pastor Thad

543 // 1 John 5:1-12 The Essentials of Christian Life

Ever feel like being a Christian is just a never-ending list of rules, or maybe you're not even sure what it really means to be "born again"? You're not alone. Lots of folks get tangled up in what they think Christianity should be, missing out on the simple, powerful truth of what it is. Today, we're cracking open 1 John 5:1-11 to cut through the noise and get straight to the heart of what it means to follow Jesus. It's about getting back to basics: faith, real love, and the victory that's already yours.
 
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542 // 1 John 4:7-21 The Core of it: God is Love

Are you feeling like your faith journey is more about checking off boxes than truly experiencing God's presence? Maybe you work hard and play hard, trying your best to do what's right, but God sometimes feels distant. You hear about God's love, but it's hard to reconcile that with the tough breaks life throws your way or even your struggles loving people who rub you the wrong way. If you've ever wondered if there's more to "God is love" than just words, this message is for you. We're going to cut through the fancy talk and get down to what God's love really means for real people living real lives.
Today, we're digging into some powerful words from the Bible, 1 John 4:7-21. Don't let the chapter and verse numbers scare you off; this isn't some dusty old text. This is about the very heart of who God is and what that means for you and me.
 
John, the guy who wrote this, was talking to folks who were having a tough time. They were arguing amongst themselves, and outside forces were trying to pull them away from what was true. So, John laid down a foundational truth: God is love. He's not just loving sometimes, or has love as one of his good qualities. No, His very nature, His core being, is love.
 
Think about that. It's not some deep, confusing idea only smart people can grasp. It's a simple, powerful truth. Back in the day, people thought gods were moody, demanding, or just plain absent. But John said, "Nope! Our God is different. He's love, through and through." This was a mind-blower for everyone, whether they were used to a God who made demands or gods you had to constantly bribe with sacrifices. The idea of a God whose very essence is selfless love was revolutionary.
 
John also hammered home this idea of love because some folks were getting sidetracked, thinking that knowing God was all about secret knowledge or fancy theories. But John said, "No way. Knowing God, truly knowing Him, is about love. And not just thinking about it, but actually living it out." True faith, the real deal, shows up in how we love.
 
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541 // 1 John 4:1-4 The Key to Spotting the Fakes

Back in John's day, figuring out who was a real teacher in the Christian crowd was a bit simpler. Think about it: no fancy church buildings, just folks meeting up in homes, courtyards, or down at the public square. If someone wanted to teach or share, they had to actually show up, stand up, and put in the work right there in front of everyone.
 
But even then, some bad apples snuck in. They weren't just a little off; they were trying to pull people away from the core truth: that Jesus was a real, flesh-and-blood person. Instead, they spun crazy tales about him just being some spirit, a ghost that looked human. John, though, gave his crew a simple, no-nonsense test to tell the real deal from the snake oil salesmen: What do they say about Jesus? That was the litmus test.
 
Fast forward to today, and sorting out the true teachers from the frauds is a whole lot harder. Why? Because there are just so many of 'em! You can flip through YouTube, scroll through social media feeds, tune into radio programs, or pick up a book – and suddenly you've got hundreds, even thousands, of "Bible teachers" pouring into your ears and your mind. It's like trying to find a needle in a haystack, figuring out who's actually telling the truth and who's just slinging lies.
 
But here's the good news: John's straightforward test is still the best tool in your toolbox. Want to learn how to use it? Let's take a deep dive into 1 John 4:1-4.
 
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540 // 1 John 3:4-24 Don't get TRICKED into a FAKE faith

Have you ever watched the show "Pawn Stars"? In every episode, you'll see people bringing in different items they want to sell or pawn for money. Inevitably, there is a story behind the item and a claim of authenticity. Predictably, the guys behind the counter will banter over the value and try and talk the seller down. Eventually, they decide that they'll need to call in an expert to see if the item is authentic. Whether it's a rare coin, an ancient document, movie memorabilia, or a painting, they seem to have an expert for everything, which is pretty cool when you think about it. Often, the experts do authenticate the items, and it helps the seller get far more money for the item than they were about to settle for. Well, this idea of authenticating things to see if they are real or a fake didn't originate in the pawn shop. The apostle John was teaching this principle long ago. And today we're going to dive into 1 John 3:4-24 to get a masterclass in how to know if someone is a real Christian or a fake. Welcome to the Apostle John's two-part authenticity test that every Christian should learn.
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539 // 1 John 2:28-3:3 Are You Ready, Or Just Waiting?

Ever feel like you’re waiting for Jesus to come back, but deep down, you're not so sure you're ready? Maybe you’re thinking, “Man, I’ve still got a lot of stuff to clean up before then!” You're not alone. A lot of us Christians wrestle with that feeling – like we’re on a spiritual to-do list that just keeps getting longer, and the deadline is looming.
 
Think about little kids when their dad pulls into the driveway after work. They don't need a lesson on how to be excited; it just bubbles out of them. That pure joy? It's a natural byproduct of the loving time they spend with a dad who provides, cares for, and treasures them. What if our anticipation for Jesus's return could be that natural, that full of pure excitement? What if getting ready wasn't about frantically checking off boxes, but about something much simpler, yet deeper? What if it's about connecting with Him right now, in a way that truly changes how you live? That’s what we're talking about today.
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538 // 1 John 2:18-27 What John Said About the "Last Hour" and the Antichrists

Don't Fall for the Antichrist Hype: Why the Bible's "Last Hour" Matters More Than Predicting a Villain
 
If you've spent any time watching Christian movies, reading end-times novels, or even listening to some pastors, you've probably heard a lot about "the Antichrist." It's often portrayed as one big, bad guy, a single person we need to be constantly watching out for, whose arrival will signal that "the end" is finally here. This idea is everywhere, from blockbuster thrillers to hushed conversations in church hallways.
 
But here's the thing: this popular picture of the Antichrist, as a lone super-villain who kicks off the "end times," often misses the mark on what the Bible actually says. In reality, the New Testament's teaching on the "last hour" and "antichrists" is much broader and, frankly, more practical for us today.
 
The problem with fixating on one future, ultimate Antichrist is that it can lead regular, everyday Christians down some unhelpful paths. We might spend our time anxiously scanning the news for a specific political leader or world figure, constantly trying to "identify" him. This kind of speculation can cause unnecessary fear, distract us from living out our faith right now, and even make us wary of people who don't fit our mold of a "good" Christian. It can also make us blind to the subtle ways "antichrist" ideas are already at work in the world, trying to pull us away from Jesus.
 
Instead of looking for one person to arrive, the Bible points us to something much more immediate and ongoing. It tells us that the "last hour" isn't a vague future event, but a present reality that started with Jesus. And when it talks about "antichrists," it's not just about one distant villain, but about real challenges and deceptions that were already happening in the early church, and continue today. Understanding this changes everything about how we live our faith.
 
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537 // Word of the Week: Meno - Learning to STICK with Jesus

Life throws a lot at you. You work hard, you put in the hours, you get your hands dirty. But what about your faith? Does your spiritual life feel like another endless shift, a never-ending treadmill where no matter how much ground you cover, you just can't seem to get to where you're going?
 
Maybe it's more like a yo-yo: one day you're feeling on top of the world, close to God and clear-headed; the next, you're back down in the dumps, feeling miles away. Or, and this might be the worst, is it just cold? Like you put the kettle on high, walked away, only to come back later and realize you'd somehow set it on the wrong burner, and the water didn't even warm up a degree. No spark, no heat, just… nothing.
 
If any of that hits home, listen up. It's time to ditch the spiritual grind, the ups and downs, the cold shoulder. It's time to discover what it truly means to abide.
 
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536 // 1 John 2:15-17 Time for a GUT CHECK - what are you living for?

The daily grind and endless chase for more stuff, recognition, or whatever the world tells you is important can leave you feeling empty. You might see what everyone else has—the new truck, bigger house, or fancy vacation—and think, "I need that." But deep down, there's a nagging feeling that something's missing, that life has to be more than just chasing the next big thing.
 
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535 // 1 John 2:12-14 Time for a Spiritual Growth Spurt

#535 - In the bustling, often chaotic world of the late first century, the early Christian communities faced a unique set of challenges. They were a diverse group, made up of former pagans, devout Jews, and everything in between, all trying to navigate what it meant to follow Christ in a world that often misunderstood, and sometimes persecuted, them. Imagine living in a society where your beliefs were counter-cultural, and where the very concept of a personal, loving God was revolutionary. It's in this vibrant, yet vulnerable, setting that the Apostle John, an elder statesman of the faith, pens his letter. He's not just writing abstract theology; he's speaking directly to the hearts and minds of people striving to live out their faith amidst a complex backdrop of Roman rule, Hellenistic philosophy, and emerging heresies that threatened to pull believers away from the truth. Understanding this context helps us appreciate the wisdom and pastoral care embedded in his words, as he guides his spiritual children through the different stages of their growth in Christ.
 
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534 // 1 John 2:1-11 What you DO reveals what you BELIEVE

#534 John, when he wrote this letter, had a couple of jobs he was tackling at once. First off, he was calling out the folks who’d walked away from the Christian faith, mixing it up with all sorts of crazy ideas and lies. These guys were trying to sneak back into church, pushing weird notions like your body being no good or that you needed some secret handshake knowledge to get saved. But at the same time, John was also writing to the steady believers, just reminding them of the nuts and bolts of their faith and how Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross really does the job. And let’s be honest, a good reminder of the basics never hurt anyone. So before we dig into this, grab your Bible and read 1 John 2:1-11 in a couple of different versions.
 
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