So, how do we know that we know Him? (I John) tells us:
I John 5:13 "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and
that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

1. Walk in the light.

I John 1:6 (6) If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in
darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. (7) But if fwe walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. (8) If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (9) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (10) If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

2. Obey His commands:

I John 2:3 (3) Now by this we know that we know Him, If we keep His commandments.

3. Loves Others:

I John 2:9 (9) He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in the darkness until now. (10) He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. (11) But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

4. Stays consistent with their faith:

I John 2:19 (19) They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. (20) But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.

5. Acknowledges that Jesus is God and came in the flesh:

I John 2:22 (22) Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. (23) Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who ackknowledges the Son has the Father also.

I John 4:2 (2) By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh of God, (3) and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. and this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

6. Deals with sin in an ongoing mannor:

I John 3:6 No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen Him or know Him (NIV)

I John 3:9 (9) Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. (10) In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. (11) For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

I John 4:10 (10) In this love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

7. We live in the fullness of the Spirit:

I John 4:13 (13) By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us,

8. our Heart tell us:

I John 5:10 (10) He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in
himself; he who does not believe God has made a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. (11) And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. (12) He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Isn't it interesting this is the last way and not the first. Sadly, it has become the first way and so we ignore those other 7! All 8 need to be there.

First, we fell from the place that God designed for us. "Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your mind because of your evil behavior.
Col. 1:21

Second, we are spiritually empty and seperate from God apart from redemption, we have no relationship with Him.

Third, we share the sin nature.

Fourth, we are on a downward spiral and are lost and will die physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and eternally without Jesus Christ.

Fifth, without God life will never have meaning, purpose, peace and significance that God intended for mankind.

Sixth, there is nothing we can do to save ourselves-only Jesus can. "Reconciled you by Christ."

Dethrone our old gods.
Most of our gods are self made and self centered.

Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the heart. Prov. 21:2

There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. Prov. 14:12

We get our gods from what we fear-for protection.

I John 5:21 (21) little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
Odd verse because its last verse of I John. Ending on idols-why? The biggest sin of the Old Testament, was idiolatry. John, who was the beloved understands that and is now saying the biggest sin is now idolatry.
BUT HE UNDERSTANDS IT IS AN IDOLATRY OF THE HEART
From what we enjoy--for pleasure
From what we inherit--for tradition

Enthrone the one God.
Acknowledge that He alone is God and came as Jesus.
I John 4:2 (2) By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, (3) and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

Acknowledge that there is no other way to God but through Jesus.
John 14:6 (6) Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me".

Ask forgiveness for being a sinner.
I John 1:9 (9) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

RECEIVE
Ephesians 2: 8-10 (8) For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, (9) not of works, lest anyone should boast. (10) For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

REPENT
Matt. 4:17 (17) From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

Act 2:38 (38) Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Make Him Lord of your life.
Romans 10:9 (9) that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (10) For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

"Look out for #1. Do your own thing."
"If it feels good do it--Regardless of what God says about it."
"Its my life and I will do what I please."

The Bible calls this attitude: DISOBEDIANCE

"All of us, like sheep have gone astray, and each of us has turned to his own way." Isaiah 53:6

"If we say that we never sin, we are only fooling ourselves, and refuse to except the truth." I Jn. 1:8
..

Jesus Christ said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except through Me. Jn. 14:6

God Himself came to earth as a human being to bring us back to Himself. If any other way would have worked, Jesus Christ would not have come. The Way is a person.

Jesus has already taken care of your sin problem!!!!

The wages of sin is death, But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 6:23

God did this for us because he loves us and wants us to know Him.

"God demonstrated His love for us in that while we were still seperated from God by sin, Jesus died for us. " Rom 5:8

"God is on one side and all people ar on the other side, and Christ Jesus is betweem them to bring them together, by giving His life for all mankind."
I Tim. 2:5

It illustrates my conversion As a Christian
"When someone becomes a Christian he becomes a brand new person inside. The old life has passed away and a new life has begun!."
II Cor. 5:17

By our baptism then we are buried with Him and shared His death in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead...so also we may live a new life. Rom 6:4

Martin Luther: "I would have those who are to be baptized to be entirely immersed, as the word imports and the mystery signifies."

John Calvin: "The word baptize signifies to immerse. It is certain that immersion was the practice of the ancient church.

John Wesley: Buried with Him, alludes to baptizing by immersion according to the custom of the first church.

All of us have habits - regularly repeated behaviors that shape our lives, for better or for worse. The best habits are those that Jesus, God incarnate, practiced during His time on Earth. Since He designed life, He knew how to live it most effectively.

You can learn a lot from what Jesus taught, but even more from practicing what he did. The more you devote yourself to emulating Jesus' habits, the more God will bless you.

Here's how you can make Jesus' habits your own:

lPractice Seclusionl Withdraw from everyday noise and demands on a daily basis to spend some time with God, to connect with him and recharge your emotional and spiritual batteries.

lPractice Prayerl Choose to pray regularly; don't wait until you feel like doing so. During prayer: praise God, thank god, confess your sins to God, ask God for something on behalf of other people, and present your personal request to God.

lPractice Worshipl Focus on encountering God to: praise Him for who He is; thank Him for what He has done; confess your sin; surrender your mind, will, and emotions; offer him your total life; obey what He tells you to do; ask Him to work in your life; tell others of your love for Him and experience new love for Him and a new commitment to Him.

lPractice Building Relationshipsl Take the initiative to get to know people well for the purpose of making an impact for Christ as well as meeting your own need for relating to others.

lPractice Touchl Affirm people in appropriate ways by touching them, such as through a hug, handshake, or pat on the back. Every day, ask God for the opportunity to touch someone who needs it. Determine to be the hands of Christ wherever you go.

lPractice Confrontationl Be willing to deal with another person about an issue head-on, in a spirit of love and truth, with your sole motive being to help that person.

lPractice Challenging the Status Quol In a spirit of love, choose to challenge that which continues on as a tradition but no longer serves a good purpose.

lPractice Listeningl Focus on what another person is saying with your ears, mind, eyes, and body so that person feels valued by you.

lPractice Lovel Consistently choose to do something that is beneficial, kind, and encouraging for another person before considering your own needs. Be willing to be inconvenienced and sacrifice for the sake of others.

lPractice Thankfulnessl Decide to be grateful to God in any situation-even when facing challenges. Believe that God is greater than any circumstances you face.

lPractice Faithl Choose to trust God and believe what He said in His Word, the Bible-no matter what.

lPractice Motivationl Believe that all things are possible with God, and put all your resources (time, money, energy, etc.) to good use to fulfill your highest potential in His kingdom. Through your example, encourage other people to be and do their best.

lPractice Handling Criticism Effectivelyl Respond to criticism with love, truth, and humility. Demonstrate God's love and allow Him to be your defense.

lPractice Making Family A Priorityl Consistently choose to put your family and their needs ahead of your own needs, other peole, work, recreation, or anything else in life except God.

lPractice Obediencel Decide to act on God's will rather than your own. Strive to discover God's will by reading the Bible and following the Holy Spirit's leading when there is no clear word in Scripture about what to do.

lPractice Asking Questionsl Ask certain things in order to gain knowledge and understanding. Try to ask open-ended questions as often as possible.

lPractice Having Funl Enjoy life. Give yourself permission not to take things seriously all the time. Make laughter part of your daily routine.

lPractice Restingl Relax your body on a regular basis through the right amount of sleep at night and periodic breaks during the day.

lPractice Givingl Embrace a lifestyle of offering yourself and your resources (time, money, etc.) on behalf of others in the name of Jesus.

lPractice Asking Questionsl Ask certain things in order to gain knowledge and understanding. Try to ask open-ended questions as often as possible.

lPractice Kindnessl Be sensitive, understanding, gentle, and compassionate to everyone you meet.

lPractice Keeping Your Wordl Do what you say you will do. Let others know they can count on you to follow through with what you promise.

lPractice Fellowshippingl Spend time with other Christians on a regular basis for the purpose of enjoyment.

lPractice Using Scripturel Study and apply the bible to everyday life situations, whether temptations, trials, or triumphs.

lPractice Using Money God's Wayl Realize that serving God is your reason for living. Strive to fulfill your purpose of making a positive difference for Him in the world.

It was the night before Jesus was going to face a mock trial, that He chose to take his last meal with them.

Matthew 26:26-29
26 As they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread and asked God's blessing on it. Then He broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, "Take it and eat it, for this is my body." 27 and he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, "Each of you drink from it, 28 for this is my blood, which seals the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out to forgive the sins of many. 29 Mark my words-I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father's Kingdom." 30 Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.

Mark 14:22-25
22 As they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread and asked God's blessing on it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, "Take it, for this is my body." 23 And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 And he said to them, "This is my blood, poured out for many, sealing the covenant between God and his people. 25 I solemnly declare that I will not drink wine again until that day when I drink it new in the Kingdom of God." 26 Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.

Then Jesus was facing the mock trial:

Luke 23:14-23
13 Then Pilate called together the leading priests and other religious leaders, along with the people, 14 and he announced his verdict. "You brought this man to me, accusing him of leading a revolt. I have examined him thoroughly on this point in your presence and find him innocent. 15 Herod came to the same conclusion and sent him back to us. Nothing this man has done calls for the death penalty. 16 So I will have him flogged, but then I will release him. 18 Then a mighty roar rose from the crowd, and with one voice they shouted, "Kill him, and release Barabbas to us!" 19 (Barabbas was in prison for murder and for taking part in an insurrection in Jerusalem against the government.) 20 Pilate argued with them, because he wanted to release Jesus. 21 But they shouted, "Crucify him! Crucify him!"

Jesus had established that He indeed was the "Bread of Life"

John 6:22-59
Jesus, the Bread of Life
22 The next morning, back across the lake, crowds began gathering on the shore, waiting to see Jesus. For they knew that he and his disciples had come over together and that the disciples had gone off in their boat, leaving him behind. 23 Several boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the Lord had blessed the bread and the people had eaten. 24 When the crown saw that Jesus wasn't there, nor his disciples, they got into the boats and went across to Capernamum to look for him. 25 When they arrived and found him, they asked, "Teacher, how did you get here?" 26 Jesus replied, "The truth is, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you saw the miraculous sign. 27 But you shouldn't be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend you energy seeking the eternal life that I, the Son of Man, can give you. For God the Father has sent me for that very purpose." 28 They replied, "What does God want us to do?" 29 Jesus told them, "This is what God wants you to do" Believe in the one he has sent." 30 They replied, "You must show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What will you do for us? 31 After all, our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! As the Scriptures say, Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat." 32 Jesus said, "I assure you, Moses didn't givve them bread from heaven. My Father did, And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. 33 The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." 34"Sir," they said, "give us that bread every day of our lives." 35 Jesus replied, "I am the bread of life. No one who comes to me will ever be hungry again. Those who believe in me will never thirst. 36 But you haven't believed in me even though you have seen me. 37 However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. 38 For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do what I want. 39 And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them to eternal life at the last day. 40 For it is my Father's will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life-that I should raise them at the last day." 41 Then the people began to murmur in disagreement because he had said, " I am the bread from heaven." 42 They said, "This is Jesus, the son of Joseph., We know his father and mother. How can he say, 'I came down from heaven'? 43 But Jesus replied, "Don't complain about what I said, 44 For people can't come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them from the dead. 45 As it is written in the Scriptures, 'They will all be taught by God' Everyone who hears and learns from the Father comes to me. 46 (Not that anyone has ever seen the Father; only I, who was sent from God, have seen him.) 47 "I assure you, anyone who believes in me already has eternal life. 48 Yes, I am the bread of life! 49 Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died. 50 However, the bread from heaven gives eternal life to everyone who eats it., 51 I am the living bread that came down out of heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; this bread is my flesh, offered so the world may live." 52 Then the people began arguing with each other about what he meant. "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" they asked. 53 So Jesus said again, "I assure you, unless you eat the glesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. 54 But those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them at the last day. 55 For my flesh is the true food, and my blood is the true drink. 56 All who eat my flesh and drink my blood remain in me, and I in them. 57 I live by the power of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, those who partake of me will live because of me. 58 I am the true bread from heaven, Anyone who eats this bread will live forever and not die as your ancestors did, even though they ate the manna."

What are the benefits of sitting at the Lord's Table.

1 Corinthians 10:16-17
16 When we bless the cup at the Lord's Table, aren't we sharing in the benefits of the blood of Christ? And when we break the loaf of bread, aren't we sharing in the benefits of the body of Christ? 17 And we all eat from one loaf, showing that we are one body.

Examine Yourselves before you come and take of the Communion:

1Corinthians 11:17-34
Order at the Lords Supper
17 But now when I mention this next issue, I cannot praise you. For it sounds as if more harm than good is done when you meet together. 18 First of all, I hear that there are divisions among you when you meet as a church, and to some extent I believe it. 19 But, of course, there must be divisions among you so that those of you who are right will be recognized! 20 It's not the Lord's Supper you are concerned about when you come together. 21 For I am told that some of you hurry to eat your own meal without sharing with others. As a result, some go hungry while others get drunk. 22 What? Is this really true? Don't you have your own homes for eating and drinking? Or do you really want to disgrace the church of God and shame the poor? What am I supposed to say about these things? Do you want me to praise you? well, I certainly do not! 23 For this is what the Lord himself said, and I pass it on to you just as I received it. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took a loaf of bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." 25 In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, "this cup is the new covenant between God and you, sealed by the shedding of my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it." 26 For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord's death until he comes again.
27 So if anyone eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily, that person in guilty of sinning against the body and the blood of the Lord. 28 That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking from the cup. 29 For if you eat the bread or drink the cup unworthily, not honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God's judgement upon yourself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died. 31 But if we examine ourselves, we will not be examined by God and judged in this way. 32 But when we are judged and disciplined by the Lord, we will not be condemned with the world. 33 So, dear brothers and sisters, when you gather for the Lord's Supper, wait for each other. 34 If you are really hungry, eat at home so you won't bring judgment upon yourselves when you meet together.

You are a New creation in Christ!

2 Corinthians 5:16-21
16 So we have stopped evaluating others by what the world thinks about them. Once I mistakenly thought of Christ that way, as though he were merely a human being. How differently I think about him now! 17 What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone, A new life has begun! 18 All this newness of life is from God, who brought us back to himself through what Christ did. And God has given us the task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. This is the wonderful message he has given us to tell others. 20 We are Christ's ambassadors, and God is using us to speak to you. We urge you, as though Christ himself were here pleading with you, "Be reconciled to God!" 21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

Colossians 3:12-17
12 Since God chose you to be the holy people who he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, geltleness, and patience. 13 You must make allowance for each other's faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 and the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love is what binds us all togehter in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are all called to live in peace. And always be thankful. 16 Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17 And whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving thanks through him to God the Father.