Word Servant

“Now little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.”—1 John 2:28 NASB
     A few years ago, I would have definitely been the guy shrinking away in shame. Not only did I lack that abiding confidence, I lacked a significant understanding of the Gospel, of Grace and of who I was in God. I mean, I could have told you something that I thought might have come from the Bible. I probably would have told you that God wouldn’t give you any more than you could handle, too. Although that is not what the Bible says at all.
     I was that guy who eagerly sat in church all the way up to the point when I drifted away from regular attendance. I did the stuff, I worshipped on the drums, I was involved, and I served. But, I didn’t study the Word of God back then. I read here and there, did a topical devotion but it was all high, fly-over glances at the Bible. Broad strokes. I relied heavily on what I heard on Sundays…

“These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.”—1 John 2:26-27 NASB
     Have you ever been lied to? Have you ever been led to believe one thing by someone you trust to later find out that it was not necessarily accurate? I know I have been lied to and definitely misled a time or two. When we hear lied to and misled, we automatically think of the shifty, calculated instances where that employee calls in sick on Friday, only to be tagged on Facebook at the beach. Or, perhaps it is when we are told that our own names are being dragged through the mud by people we trust, who for whatever reason are misrepresenting us when we are not present. That is a different kind of lied to and misled. At least, it definite…