{"id":3624,"date":"2023-05-07T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-05-07T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/?p=3624"},"modified":"2023-05-06T10:53:18","modified_gmt":"2023-05-06T17:53:18","slug":"set-your-heart-at-ease","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2023\/05\/07\/set-your-heart-at-ease\/","title":{"rendered":"Set Your Heart at Ease"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Sunday Service MVCOG - 1st John 3:18-22 - Set Your Heart at Ease\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/jjuEYsgYqw0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-file\"><a id=\"wp-block-file--media-372886e5-a2e9-442a-8ed4-9c77837bfded\" href=\"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/1st-John-3-vs-18-22-outline.pdf\">1st-John-3-vs-18-22-outline<\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/1st-John-3-vs-18-22-outline.pdf\" class=\"wp-block-file__button wp-element-button\" download aria-describedby=\"wp-block-file--media-372886e5-a2e9-442a-8ed4-9c77837bfded\">Download<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1st John 3:18-22<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>18 Little children, let\u2019s not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>John says that we should meet each other\u2019s needs; that we should not close our hearts toward one another, but should demonstrate our love through action (similarly to what James said in 2:14-16). The Holy Spirit will not only inspire us to do works to help our brothers and sisters in Christ, but will cause us to have genuine love toward all of our fellow believers in Christ.&nbsp; Real love will express itself through action in meeting needs.&nbsp; If a love is sincere, genuine, it will result in the desire to help in times of trouble.&nbsp;&nbsp; John is saying \u201cInstead of talking about it, do what you know ought to be done!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>19 We will know by this that we are of the truth,<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When we obey the Holy Spirit\u2019s urging and Jesus\u2019 command to love one another by fellowship with each other and meeting each other\u2019s needs, then this has a practical effect:&nbsp; it is proof to us that we are saved.&nbsp; We have convincing evidence of a life spent in service to other believers when we are confronted with the eventual end of our life, and subsequent meeting face to face with our Creator.&nbsp; So, these works motivated by a love for God\u2019s Children because He loves time is the fruit of the Spirit, the \u201cfruit of love\u201d, persuades us of the validity of our relationship with God, which results in a confidence and reassurance when we stand before Him.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>and will set our heart at ease before Him,<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This evidence of following Jesus by listening to the Holy Spirit\u2019s urging to love our brothers and sisters in Christ has the effect of peace deep inside.&nbsp; Our troubled conscience over the areas that God is still working on in our lives; those areas where we are not completely obedient is put at ease by the fact that we see that God is working to mold us, and transform us into the image of Christ.&nbsp; And we see this evidence by the love we have shown in real, concrete ways to other believers.&nbsp; We are \u201cpersuaded\u201d, convinced of our salvation because we see the evidence of our transformed life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our love for Jesus; our faithfulness in obedience to Him as our bridegroom, affects our relationship with Him John 14:23-24 <strong>23 Jesus answered and said to him, \u201cIf anyone loves Me, he will follow My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him. 24 The one who does not love Me does not follow My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father\u2019s who sent Me.<\/strong> There is no shortage of love toward us on God\u2019s end of the relationship, but it can be limited by our lack of faithfulness.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This urging of the Holy Spirit to love and serve one another is so that we can give and receive blessings of God through our mutual service to one another as we use the spiritual gifts that God has given us for this very purpose.&nbsp; And as we live this way, someday we\u2019re going to meet our Savior face to face.&nbsp; And as we have allowed His love to pour through us, as a clean vessel, pouring His true love to those around us, we will be in utter delight and joy.&nbsp; That is what the Holy Spirit is trying to counsel us in these verses.&nbsp; As John says in 1 John 3:2-3 <strong>2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope set on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>20 that if our heart condemns us, that God is greater than our heart, and He knows all things.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Self-doubt is a reality of Christian life.&nbsp; Any Christian who is serious about obeying the commands contained in the Word of God knows that they fall short of that commitment.&nbsp; The Bible teaches that the law, or God\u2019s Commandments were given as a mirror. When we look into God&#8217;s Word, we see what true righteousness is. Any sane person wouldn\u2019t smash a mirror because it reveals our physical defects, but use it to identify them and correct them, if possible.&nbsp; It\u2019s the living out of the word in our lives that causes us to see whether we\u2019ve actually incorporated these truths that we\u2019ve learned into our character and manner of living.&nbsp; James 1:22-25 says<strong> 22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not just hearers who deceive themselves. <\/strong>Sometimes we succeed in this, and sometimes we fail.&nbsp; And when we fail, we cause a confidence problem in our spiritual walk with God.&nbsp; Self-doubt, and a lack of confidence before God enters our lives because of sin.&nbsp; And this affects our prayer life, our walk with God, and our feeling of closeness in relationship with God.&nbsp; So, what do we do?&nbsp; We realize that we are called to examine our own heart, but even more-so to allow God to examine our heart.&nbsp; With David in Psalm 139:23-24 we cry out <strong>Search me, O God, and know my heart: Try me, and know my thoughts; And see if there be any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.&nbsp; <\/strong>We allow God to search us and let us know what\u2019s really going on.&nbsp; When we search our own heart, and judge our actions, it is always for correction, not condemnation. &nbsp;Guilt will paralyze us, if we let it.&nbsp; But in the life of a believer, this sorrow over sin serves a very different purpose.&nbsp; As an example, we read in 2 Cor 7:9-10 <strong>9 yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. 10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. <\/strong>Their guilty consciences have driven them to seek God in the matter, and the Holy Spirit has convicted them that they were truly sinning, just as Paul had said.&nbsp; Conviction of sin is part of the work of the Holy Spirit.&nbsp; And by listening to the Holy Spirit, they agreed with God that they were sinning, and confessed and repented of that sin.&nbsp; They saw that the sins were paid for, and forgiven, not by their actions, but by Jesus\u2019 payment for those sins on the cross.&nbsp; Justice was done, and they were rightly declared innocent!&nbsp; And they, seeing that they were innocent in the eyes of God, could continue in relationship with a Holy and Righteous God, not looking back in shame at sin, but in looking forward in Faith in Jesus.&nbsp; And Paul says that that was great proof that they were Children of God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We can approach God\u2019s throne with boldness, even in confession and asking for forgiveness, not because are sins are not red as scarlet, but because we can trust Him to wash them white as wool, as Isaiah 1:18 tells us.&nbsp; We\u2019re going to fail in our walk with Jesus, and in our expressing love to other believers sometimes.&nbsp; But, when we do, we need to remember that ultimately we\u2019re looking to God\u2019s Work for salvation, not to our own works.&nbsp; And we do this<strong> \u201cbecause God is greater than our heart.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But it is better not to sin in the first place, so that we don\u2019t have to wrestle with our consciences tendency to condemn us, and our heart and the enemy\u2019s accusations!&nbsp; Butwe who have approached God in confession and repentance do not need to even think about those sins when we come before God.&nbsp; When we come into God\u2019s presence in prayer, we can have a clean conscience, knowing that we have approached God with our sins removed from us, having been cleansed from all unrighteousness and forgiven.&nbsp; We have allowed God to deal with our sins.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>22 and whatever we ask, we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We approach God\u2019s throne of grace with confidence!&nbsp; John links this confidence he\u2019s been talking about with answered prayer.&nbsp; Obeying God\u2019s Word and Serving God by serving our brothers and sisters in the spiritual gifts that we\u2019ve been given allows us to have the confidence that we need to have faith that God will answer our prayers.&nbsp; They go together!&nbsp; That\u2019s why the author of Hebrews in 4:16 <strong>16 Therefore let\u2019s approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need.<\/strong>&nbsp; In other words, it\u2019s our confidence in our relationship with Jesus that allows us to approach the throne of grace with assurance that our prayers will be answered.&nbsp; It\u2019s faith in Jesus, and our relationship with Him that gives us the confidence.&nbsp; That\u2019s why Jesus promised us in John 15:7-8 <strong>7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father\u2019s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.<\/strong>&nbsp; God doesn\u2019t want to hold back on us\u2014He wants to bless us and provide for us in the life that He has planned for us, answering our prayers as a result of our abiding in His Will, and confident to come before Him as His Children, as Jesus\u2019 disciples because we obey in Love, and want His will to be done.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>1st John 3:18-22 18 Little children, let\u2019s not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. John says that we should meet each other\u2019s needs; that we&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3624","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-services"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4544,"url":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2025\/07\/27\/pastor-john-brint\/","url_meta":{"origin":3624,"position":0},"title":"Pastor John Brint","author":"Robert","date":"July 27, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"https:\/\/youtube.com\/live\/PlVyhwsZdy0?feature=share","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Services&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Services","link":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/category\/services\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Featured20250727.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Featured20250727.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Featured20250727.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Featured20250727.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Featured20250727.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4074,"url":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2023\/12\/24\/the-king-is-coming\/","url_meta":{"origin":3624,"position":1},"title":"The King is Coming","author":"Robert","date":"December 24, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"https:\/\/youtube.com\/live\/nGNYFwcKGug?feature=share This Christmas Eve Pastor John Brint shares about Jesus. 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In 1st John 4:12 John had told us that God remains in us, and His love is perfected in us.\u00a0 Now, in verse\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Services&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Services","link":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/category\/services\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4038,"url":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2023\/11\/19\/jonesing-for-jesus-turning-our-sin-addiction-into-a-god-addiction\/","url_meta":{"origin":3624,"position":3},"title":"Jonesing for Jesus, turning our sin addiction into a God addiction","author":"Robert","date":"November 19, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"https:\/\/youtube.com\/live\/NwlkeAgTNWU?feature=share Jonesing-for-Jesus-1Download Romans\u202c \u202d7:15\u202c \u202dESV\u202c\u202c For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 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