Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
The compassionate touch of Jesus that sanctifies
Bible portion 1 John 1:5-10"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness"
1 John 1:9
Devotional Text
We live in a dark world that is dominated and driven by sin. Amid that darkness and depravity, God has redeemed a people through His son Jesus, that He expects and has empowered to be different. Our lives once manifested the works of the world, sin, and darkness. But by the power of grace, the Lord has touched us and delivered us. He has brought us out of darkness into His marvelous light. Jesus says in Matthew 5:14–16 “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
God is light and to have fellowship with Him, we have to live in the light. If we call ourselves Christians but hate those around us, then we are living in darkness. It is impossible for one who hates other believers to claim to have fellowship with Christ. Many a time, it is easier for us to love our unseen God, than to love our fellow believer who lives beside us. Just like Paul says in Romans 7, we often find ourselves in the struggle between fulfilling the desires of our flesh and walking in obedience to the spirit. “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me” (Romans 7:18-20). Paul’s struggle with sin was real; so much so that he cried out, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?” (Romans 7:24).
All believers have a relationship with the Lord through redemption, but not all Christians are in full fellowship with Jesus. The Lord has saved them, and at one time the fellowship was sweet and strong, but the lure of the world or doubt in the mind has damaged the close, loving fellowship with Christ. The relationship remains since it is kept by the love and power of God, but the fellowship is missing due to the Christians not remaining close to Christ. However, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. Just one touch from Jesus is sufficient to sanctify us and bring us back to the light.
God is light (1 John 1:5), and we Christians are to walk in the light just as Christ is in the light (1 John 1:7), the true light is already shining (1 John 2:8), and whoever loves his brother abides in the light (1 John 2:10). We need to make a new commitment to walk in this light, to have true fellowship with Jesus, to enjoy His fellowship and to stay in close communion with Him. This is the only way to live a productive, fulfilling, and meaningful Christian life.
Prayer
Dear God, we constantly face the struggle between our flesh and the Spirit. Help us by your grace to put aside the desires of our flesh that cause us to disobey you and to do wrong to one another. Help us to live in the light to which you have redeemed us.
Thought for the Day
"We are told to let our light shine, and if it does, we won't need to tell anybody it does. Lighthouses don't fire cannons to call attention to their shining- they just shine." - Dwight L. Moody
Anila Eapen
South Florida Mar Thoma Church
We live in a dark world that is dominated and driven by sin. Amid that darkness and depravity, God has redeemed a people through His son Jesus, that He expects and has empowered to be different. Our lives once manifested the works of the world, sin, and darkness. But by the power of grace, the Lord has touched us and delivered us. He has brought us out of darkness into His marvelous light. Jesus says in Matthew 5:14–16 “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
God is light and to have fellowship with Him, we have to live in the light. If we call ourselves Christians but hate those around us, then we are living in darkness. It is impossible for one who hates other believers to claim to have fellowship with Christ. Many a time, it is easier for us to love our unseen God, than to love our fellow believer who lives beside us. Just like Paul says in Romans 7, we often find ourselves in the struggle between fulfilling the desires of our flesh and walking in obedience to the spirit. “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me” (Romans 7:18-20). Paul’s struggle with sin was real; so much so that he cried out, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?” (Romans 7:24).
All believers have a relationship with the Lord through redemption, but not all Christians are in full fellowship with Jesus. The Lord has saved them, and at one time the fellowship was sweet and strong, but the lure of the world or doubt in the mind has damaged the close, loving fellowship with Christ. The relationship remains since it is kept by the love and power of God, but the fellowship is missing due to the Christians not remaining close to Christ. However, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. Just one touch from Jesus is sufficient to sanctify us and bring us back to the light.
God is light (1 John 1:5), and we Christians are to walk in the light just as Christ is in the light (1 John 1:7), the true light is already shining (1 John 2:8), and whoever loves his brother abides in the light (1 John 2:10). We need to make a new commitment to walk in this light, to have true fellowship with Jesus, to enjoy His fellowship and to stay in close communion with Him. This is the only way to live a productive, fulfilling, and meaningful Christian life.
Prayer
Dear God, we constantly face the struggle between our flesh and the Spirit. Help us by your grace to put aside the desires of our flesh that cause us to disobey you and to do wrong to one another. Help us to live in the light to which you have redeemed us.
Thought for the Day
"We are told to let our light shine, and if it does, we won't need to tell anybody it does. Lighthouses don't fire cannons to call attention to their shining- they just shine." - Dwight L. Moody
Anila Eapen
South Florida Mar Thoma Church