Overcomers (4)

Marks of an overcomer: belonging - passing the love test.

Would people who know you best say, “He really loves God and really loves me”?

… and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.
I John 5:1b-2 (ESV)

Do you open your eyes, open your heart, and open your hand to meet the needs of the needy? Do you love not only in word and talk, but in deed and truth? When we believe the truth about Jesus, we are transformed. We love God. And we love the others who have been born of God, our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Notice that the two loves are really inseparable. If love of God is absent, then our love for others is not genuine. And if our love for others is absent, then we have no love for God. The one leads to the other. If you have one, you will do the other.

The sign that you love God is that you love others, especially other believers. Loving God is the sign that you love his children.

Note: Only those who are born of God can pass the love test.

Everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.
I John 5:1b (ESV)

We believe. We belong. There is no such thing as a solo saint. We live in community. We belong.

I am glad to be in a community group here at CVC. When Maryanne and I were together in Alabama with her sick sister, Kay, our group brought over meals for our boys. That took a concern off our minds. It kept our boys away from Chipotle every night, too! We thank God for our community group.

Questions: If you had a need like that, who would meet it? Who’s needs would you meet?

This is why we want everyone at CVC to be in a community group – to belong. If you aren’t in a group, check out our Group Connect at 5:00 on Sunday, September12.

About two weeks ago, I spent some time talking with someone here at CVC who is struggling with severe depression. They don’t want it to be this way, but this person is obsessing with their own problems, with their own past, with their own future. (My heart breaks for those who struggle with depression. And I know there can be physiological reasons related to depression. That’s why a visit to a doctor is good to do.) And as long as this CVCer is focused on self – on the desire to fix their own problems and their own past – then they can’t be an overcomer. See, winners focus on others, not themselves. They belong to a community of faith and they focus on the others in that community.

Marks of an overcomer? belonging: passing the love test.