A teaching by Rev. Barbara Williams, President of the Ministry of the Watchman International
Week of February 12-16, 2024
MONDAY
So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
1 John 4:16
God is love. Anything God does and says is motivated by love. Love matures us. Love perfects us. Love makes us powerful. Fear weakens us. Since we are born of the spirit of God, we have His love inside of us.
As we yield to this love and learn to walk in His love, we find that we achieve a level of maturity that the writer calls perfection. We are perfected in God’s love as we yield to it. We become mature as He is mature. When we dwell in love, we live in God’s life.
We are in God as we are conscious of Him and His love toward us. When we step outside of His love, we lose sight of Him and begin to walk in fear. Fear is an indication that we have stepped out of the love of God.
If you are in need of healing, there is good news! Proverbs 4:20-22 SAYS:
My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
So there is life and health in God’s word. Since God’s word is medicine, we must take it like we would a prescription. I suggest three times a day, like you would your food. Remember, healing is the children’s bread. Consider this your “dose” for today. Remember, read, and meditate three times a day the following:
Rx: Psalm 105:37 ~ He also brought them out with silver and gold, and there was none feeble among His tribes.
“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
2 Timothy 2:15
If you’ve never studied the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, we invite you to join us as we read through the Bible in a year. Read and meditate on these chapters this week:
February 12: Genesis 45, Mark 15, Job 11, Romans 15
February 13: Genesis 46, Mark 16, Job 12, Romans 16
February 14: Genesis 47, Luke 1:1-38, Job 13, 1 Corinthians 1
February 15: Genesis 48, Luke 1:39-80, Job 14, 1 Corinthians 2
February 16: Genesis 49, Luke 2, Job 15, 1 Corinthians 3
February 17: Genesis 50, Luke 3, Job 16-17, 1 Corinthians 4
February 18: Exodus 1, Luke 4, Job 18, 1 Corinthians 5
TUESDAY
Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
1 John 4:17-18
When we allow love to mature us, we shall have no fear, but we have boldness in the day of judgment. This means that we expect reward instead of punishment. Love causes us to live above the level of fear, unbelief, and sin-consciousness.
Love allows us to expect good things and not fear anything. We know that we have peace with God, because love causes us to be at peace with all men. The love of God makes us acceptable in everything that we do.
We are above reproach, because there is no judgment against love. Love never fails and is the most powerful force in the world.
WEDNESDAY
Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
1 John 4:17-18
Love matures us. I am reminded of the many people I have observed over the years. As teens, we all have many fears. We are self-conscious, immature, self-centered, and sometimes not so kind to others.
As we seek out and find our lifetime mate, we find patience and love begin to dominate our thinking. We desire to make that other person happy. We achieve a certain level of maturity because love has come into our hearts for another person.
As we grow in love, our hearts make room for our children, and we mature even more as we give our time and devote more of our resources to the well being of others. Just as this pattern occurs in the natural, so there is a parallel in the spirit.
THURSDAY
Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
1 John 4:17-18
Where fear rules, love is absent. This is a valuable key to identifying healthy relationships. Many times we are trying to love people without acknowledging the presence of fear.
We live in an age of extremely dysfunctional relationships. Because people have such fear of one another, they have a difficult time making commitments based on love. Young people love people who make them feel less fearful. Many people have fearful relationships because they fear being alone. Many persons choose companions who make them feel secure, but whom they inwardly fear.
What’s love got to do with this? These fear-based relationships only foster more fear. These persons have not been made perfect in love. Fear begets fear.
FRIDAY
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.
1 John 4:18-19
We love God because He first loved us. In loving us first, God has shown us that we have nothing to fear. We only know the peace of God that passes all understanding. We can draw nigh to Him without fear because His love has cast fear out. When we allow this love to perfect us, then we are mature as He is mature.
We are perfect as He is perfect.
We are a match for Him in this love because we can stand above the problems and sins that plague us. We can live above the torment and trouble that this world promotes, because we are like He is. When we walk in the comfort and companionship of the Holy Spirit, then we have fellowship with the maturity of God. Fear flees from us, and we are one with the Master.
Love matures us. Let us grow up in Him.