Knowing God For Real- Part 2 (mini series on 1 John)

We explore 1 John 2 and press a simple but searching question: do you know God for real, and does it show in your life. We talk about obedience as evidence, love as proof, and how grace reshapes appetite, attraction, and ego.

• obedience as evidence of knowing God
• grace redefining obedience, not removing it
• living like Jesus in stress, conflict and misunderstanding
• love as proof of light, not extra credit
• rejecting grudges, bitterness and performative love
• guarding desires against lust, pride and worldly pulls
• aligning confession with conduct through honest self-checks
• prayer for forgiveness, formation and courage in storms

Guys, I love you. God loves you. If you do not have a relationship with Jesus, you better get right.

Chapters

• 1:02 Knowing God Vs Knowing About God
• 2:19 Obedience As Evidence Of Faith
• 3:51 Grace That Transforms, Not Performs
• 5:07 Walking Like Jesus In Daily Life
• 7:17 Love As Proof Of The Light
• 8:43 Watch What You Love: Worldly Pulls
• 10:17 Check Your Life Against Your Confession
• 12:08 Prayer, Hope, And Final Challenge

Transcript

Obedience As Evidence Of Faith

Grace That Transforms, Not Performs

Walking Like Jesus In Daily Life

Love As Proof Of The Light

Watch What You Love: Worldly Pulls

Check Your Life Against Your Confession

Prayer, Hope, And Final Challenge

SPEAKER_00 0:31

Hey guys, it's B Rob. It's the Food for Thought Faith Cast, and we welcome you guys back to part two. Um, we're looking at 1 John chapter 2 today, and we're gonna be calling this Knowing God for Real. And in this verse, John is not playing games, he's talking about real faith, not church talk, not religious language, not I grew up around Christians. He's talking about a real relationship with God because a lot of people know about God, a lot of people believe in God, a lot of people talk about God, but John is asking a deeper question. Do you actually know God? John makes it simple. When you really know God, it shows up in your life. Not perfection, not performance, but direction. Because guys, obedience is evidence. Obedience is evidence. First John chapter two, verse three and four. We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says I know him, but does not do what he commands is a liar. And the truth is not in that person. Look at that. That's some strong language. Very strong language. But guess what, guys? It's honest. John isn't saying obedience saves you. He's saying salvation is what changes you. Because grace does not remove obedience, grace redefines it. We don't obey to be loved. We obey because we are loved. Does that make sense? When God really gets in your heart, you will never be the same. I wrote a song about it. Your desires start shifting. Your tolerance for sin starts shrinking. Your comfort with compromise starts fading. It doesn't happen overnight. It doesn't happen instantly. But as long as you practice, it will happen gradually. And guys, you're gonna stumble because guess what happens when you give your life to Christ and you live for God? That big interstate becomes a narrow road with trees, roadblocks, and potholes and mud puddles. You're gonna stumble. But you won't stay comfortable stumbling, I promise. Grace does not make sin easier, it makes righteousness become more organic, more natural. Does that make sense? Because once you give your life to Christ, you you have to walk like Jesus. I mean, John says in chapter two, verse six, whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did. And we're not talking religious language. We're not talking going to church, we're not talking going through the motions. We're talking a lifestyle language, a lifestyle change. That's how you're supposed to treat people, that's how you talk to people, that's how you handle stress, how you handle disrespect, how you respond when you're misunderstood, how you love even when it's inconvenient for you. Christianity is not just believing of facts about Jesus, it's letting Jesus shape how your life is lived. If he saved you, he also gets to shape you. I'm not talking about control you. I'm talking about shape you. I'm not talking about dominating you, I'm talking about transforming you. I'm not talking about crushing you, I'm talking about growing you like a beautiful tree from a seed. Because guess what? Love doesn't lie. Love is the truth and it tells the truth. In 1 John verse 2, 1 John 2, verses 9 and 11, says, anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother and sister is still in the darkness. Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light. But anyone who hates a brother and sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. That means you cannot say you're walking in the light while living with bitterness and hate in your heart. That's hypocritical, that's blasphemy, and that won't work for God. You cannot worship God and hold grudges. Period. You cannot praise Jesus and live with unforgiveness. Period. You cannot claim grace and live with hate. It doesn't work like that. Love is not extra credit. It's not an extra credit activity in the kingdom of God. Love is evidence of God. Because if Jesus lives in you, love has to flow through you and from you. I'm not talking fake love. I'm not talking social media love. I'm not talking performative love. I'm talking real love. Guys, people that know me, a lot of people know me just from social media. So I have a lot of haters. But people that know know me, no, I'm gonna shake a hand, I'm gonna give a hug, I'm going to light the room up with love. That's me. I've always been that way. And if I'm having a bad day and I'm in a bad mood, you can really tell that too. But that's few and far between because I have Jesus in my heart. I have the forgiving love in my heart, I have the patient love in my heart, I have the humble love in my heart, and I have the sacrificial love of the Lamb and the blood of Jesus Christ in my heart. But guys, there is one thing I want to say. John gives a warning. Watch what you love. In chapters 15 through 17, do not love the world or anything in the world. Let me say that again. Do not love the world or anything in the world. That's how that verse starts off 15. That is critical. Critical. Critical. For everyone in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life comes not from the Father, but from the world. The world and its desires will pass away, just like the flesh of your body, the skin suit of your body. But whoever does the will of God lives forever. What I'm talking about is your appetite, your attraction, your ego, what you crave, what you chase, what you flex. So if you're being honest, those three will run your life if Jesus isn't. And you get bombarded with that on a daily basis. I do too. It's hard. You have to stay prayed up all day. Don't let temporary things replace your eternal purpose. Don't do it. Do not do it. I want you to ask yourself something. Is your life lining up with the confessions that we're talking about? I mean, not perfectly, but look at it honestly. Because that's all you have. Look in the mirror and ask yourself, is your life lining up with Jesus? Because when you really, really know him, and it does, it shows on the outside. It's a testimony. Without words. How you treat people, your demeanor, your swag. Are you swagging for God or are you swagging for the world? Huh? That's a question we all need to ask each other. We need to get rid of the appetite, we need to get rid of the attractions, we need to get rid of the egos, we need to get rid of the cravings, we need to get rid of the chasings, we need to get rid of the flexing. Because we ain't nothing in the eyes of this world, in the eyes of other human beings. We ain't nothing. But to God, we are everything. Guys, let's go to the word, Lord, in prayer. Dear Heavenly Father, we come to you today, Lord. We just thank you, Lord, for your word, your blessings, your messages, your son. We thank you for everything you do in our lives and everything you're going to do in our lives, Lord. We thank you for your grace because none of us are perfect. We all fall short and we all sin. We are sinners, Lord, but by your grace and by your mercy, we are saved with the blood of your Son, Jesus Christ. We come to you, we repent all our sins, Lord. We lay them down at the foot of the cross. We ask for forgiveness for our downfalls. Please, Lord, just be with us. Let us get through the rest of this week, this weekend. I pray for everybody in harm's way of this storm. But God will prepare a table for you in the midst of the storm if you give him your heart. Lord, we come to you humbly today. We ask you all these things in your Son Jesus, heavenly holy name. Amen and hallelujah. Guys, I love you. God loves you. It's been a great part two, and I hope you stick around for part three, four, and five. And guys, if you do not have a relationship with Jesus, you better get right.