Old Testament Scripture Reading: Proverbs 3:1 – 12 (KJV)
Pro 3:1 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
Pro 3:2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
Pro 3:3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
Pro 3:4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
Pro 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Pro 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Pro 3:7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
Pro 3:8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
Pro 3:9 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
Pro 3:10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
Pro 3:11 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
Pro 3:12 For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth
New Testament Scripture Reading: 1 John 3:1 – 13 (KJV)
1Jn 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
1Jn 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.
1Jn 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.
1Jn 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
1Jn 3:5 And ye know that He was manifested to take away our sins; and in Him is no sin.
1Jn 3:6 Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him.
1Jn 3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous.
1Jn 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
1Jn 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for His seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
1Jn 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
1Jn 3:11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
1Jn 3:12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.
1Jn 3:13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
Transforming Power Statements:
1) Since the fall of Adam, there have only been two categories of people who descended from the seed of Adam: The believer in God and the unbeliever, which divides humanity into two categories , the Children of Light, or the Children of Darkness. (Consider Cain and Abel <1 John 3:12>)
2) Holy Scripture reveals to the believer the mind of God concerning the differences between light and darkness, such as in Proverbs three, that states that the believer(/Son) is to “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart” ; with the result of this faith in God as providing a “lighted path” for the children of light (/ faith) to walk in life, even though this path is not perceived nor even seen by unbelievers, i.e. the children of darkness. (The children of light perceive and acknowledge God through both natural and spiritual revelation i.e. both consciousness of creation and Biblical revelation)
3) The fruit of believing God is explained by the Apostle John in 1John 3:1 – 13, which states the enormity of God’s love for all mankind as well as the animosity of the children of darkness against God and the children of light by showing that love and obedience is the means to measure our position and direction in Christ Jesus, Who is the ultimate expression of God’s Love for everyone.
