1 John 2:18-24

18 Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.
20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. 21 I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. 22 Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

Questions to consider:

• What are the distinguishing characteristics of antichrists?
• To what extent do you know people with similar beliefs in your workplace, campus, neighborhood, etc?

Possibilities for prayer:

John makes quite clear who “the liar” is--anyone who denies Jesus is the Christ. But our end of the situation is a kind of two-for-one deal. When we claim Jesus, we get His Father too. Today, let’s claim Jesus. Maybe that looks like being more diligent in spending time with Him or in the Bible. Maybe that looks like being more open about faith with a friend. Whatever “claiming” Jesus means for you, make an extra effort at it today. Ask God for help in determining what it means to claim Him and for the perseverance to make it so.