Joy is meant to be shared. I love it when I receive great news from a friend.

“Mr. Right popped the question, and the Lord is joining us together as man and wife.”

“I landed the job of my dreams, and God has opened the door for me to use my gifts in a wonderful place.”

“We thought we were forever infertile, but our Heavenly Father has planted two tiny babies in my womb.”

When God shows up and does something spectacular, we simply cannot stay silent. An answered prayer is like sunshine bursting through the clouds after a very stormy season of darkness.

John began his epistle by sharing joyous news. He could not keep his mouth closed because God had revealed Himself in a magnificent way. His hope was that we would know the Truth and join him in celebrating:

Hallelujah! From the beginning in eternity past, God had a plan in place to rescue us.

Jesus took on flesh and came to rescue us from sin. We are experiencing true life because of our Savior. Yes and Amen!

God the Father is actively present in our lives. All who have received Christ have an abiding, enduring friendship with God this world cannot take away. Thank you, Jesus!

My friends, we have reason to celebrate. We have Good News to share. We will never be the same.

We cannot stay silent because Jesus has come, and He has changed our lives forever.

As we begin our journey through John’s epistles, may our hearts overflow with the joy of the Lord. The enemy of our souls wants us to forget our Savior has conquered the grave and will one day dispel all the darkness in this fallen world, forever. Our adversary wants to fill us with doubt so we stay silent. Let’s resolve to testify of God’s goodness in our lives with every fiber of our being. Good News is meant to be shared.

John heard Jesus speak words of life with his own ears, saw His glory with his own eyes, and touched His resurrected body with his own hands. He knew Jesus was the real deal. He wanted everyone to experience the same joy planted deep in his heart.

Friend, has Jesus forever changed your destiny? Has His Word powerfully transformed who you are? Have you witnessed God answer your prayers and marveled at His wonder? You hold the word of life, and someone near you needs to hear.

If God has touched your life, don’t stay silent. Shout the gospel truth with all your heart: Salvation is here, and His name is Jesus.

Our joy is multiplied when we open up our mouths to share Christ.

Week 1 Challenge:

This week, practice confessing your sin as soon as it happens. Ask God to reveal your sin to you, and be faithful to confess it to Him and to others right away. Take note of how this affects your attitude and actions around sin and also your understanding and belief in God’s grace.

Week 1 Reading Plan:

Week 1 Memory Verse:

Have you purchased your Know Love journal yet? Not only will you find all of the daily reading passages and SOAP journaling pages, but you’ll have each of the daily devotionals in printed form–no need to check the app on your phone while working through your study!

Don’t forget, the new Bridge Reading Plan is only available in the printed journals! The Bridge is a two-week long reading plan designed to bridge the gap between two studies. In the Know Love journal you’ll find the Bridge Reading Plan along with two weeks worth of SOAP journaling pages and daily Scripture reading! This reading plan contains specific passages and themes to help bridge the gap between Know Love and our next study, beginning September 28!

When you purchase a journal, you are helping us reach women around the world with the gospel. By purchasing a journal you help our incredible team of volunteer translators build up leaders around the world. Your journal purchase allows women to read God’s Word in their native language and have access to quality Bible study materials in the language they best understand. We hope you’ll join us on our mission to make God’s Word accessible to women in every nation and in every language!

Order your Know Love and Know Love for Kids journals here!

Lyli Dunbar

Lyli Dunbar enjoys singing silly karaoke in the car with her husband, digging into Bible study with the girls, and reading twelve books at a time. A writer, speaker, and Biblical Life Coach, her mission is to encourage the weary hearted with fuel for a wildfire faith. Stop by lylidunbar.com to grab faith fuel for your day or connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.