Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

June 10
Monday


A LETTER FROM
C. S. LEWIS

READ:
1 John 2:9-17
___________________________________________________________________________

I write to you, little
children, because your
sins are forgiven you
for His name's sake.
__1 John 2:12
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In September 1961, Harvey Karlsen, a high school student in Brooklyn, New York, wrote to C. S. Lewis in England. Harvey had read Lewis' book The Screwtape Letters and asked the author, "When you wrote this book, did Satan give you any trouble, and if he did, what did you do about it?"

Three weeks later, Lewis penned a reply in which he affirmed that he still had plenty of temptation. He said that in facing them, "Perhaps...the most important thing is to keep on; not to be discouraged however often one yields to the temptation, but always to pick yourself up again and ask forgiveness."

The New testament letters of John are filled with encouragement to persevere in the face of temptation. "I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake. I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one" (1 John 2:12-13).

Whatever our age or experience, we are in a spiritual battle together. "The world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever" (v.17).

Let us cling to God and keep on! __david McCasland

`````````Lord, I get discouraged when I've give in again to one````````````````
`````````of Satan's schemes. I'm thankful, though, that Christ````````````````
````````paid for that sin on the cross. Help me to confess it and``````````````
````````then to keep on relying on You for my spiritual growth.```````````````
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To master temptation, let Christ master you.

***************Today's Bible Reading __ 1 John 2:9-17*****************

9 He who says he is in the
light, and hates his brother,
is in darkness until now.

10 He who loves his brother
abides in the light, and there
is no cause for stumbling in
him. 11 But he who hates his
brother is in darkness and
walks in darkness, and does
not know where he is going,
because the darkness has
blinded his eyes.

12 I write to you, little
children, because your sins
are forgiven you for His
name's sake.

13 I write to you, fathers,
because you have known
Him who is from the beginning.
I write to you,
young men, because you
have overcome the wicked
one. I write to you, little
children, because you
have known the Father.

14 I have written to you,
fathers, because you have
known Him who is from the
beginning. I have written to
you, young men, because
you are strong, and the
Word of God abides in you,
and you have overcome the
wicked one.

15 Do not love the world. If
anyone loves the world, the
love of the Father is not in
him. 16 For all that is in the
world__the lust of the flesh,
the lust of the eyes, and the
pride of life__is not of the
Father but is of the world.

17 And the world is passing
away, and the lust of it; but
he who does the will of God
abides forever.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Similar to James' statement that faith without works is dead (James
2:17), John reminds his readers that what we say is evidenced by
what we do (1 John 2:9-11). Living in the light is demonstrated by
living differently than the world. This happens because we know
the Father, our sins have been forgiven, and we have overcome the
wicked one (vv.12-13).