I Sinned

 

 

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched- this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.  The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim what we have seen and heard, so that you may have fellowship with us.  And our fellowship is with the Father and with his son, Jesus Christ.  We write this to make our joy complete.  This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light and in him is no darkness at all.  If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.  If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.”  I John 1:1-8

 

Have you ever known a person who believed that they were without sin?  If so, you probably were talking to someone impossible to witness to. Without the foundational principle of knowing there is an inherent sin nature, an individual has a hard time recognizing their need for a Savior.  As in most things in life, admitting the problem is the first step to receiving help.

I remember the first time I realized that my precious little child had chosen to purposely deceive me.  I could not believe it.  I had always told him how sweet he was, how smart he was, how very much he was loved.  I doted on him and tried to make his little world all he could hope for.  Still, naughtiness came from out of the blue.  But was it really?  Of course not; we can trace the root of sin all the way back to Adam.  And to Lucifer even before that.  When my little ones begin to display purposeful, premeditated sin, I know it is time to start talking to them about what sin is and how it separates us from God. 

We are not without sin.  Our very nature is proud, lustful and covetous.  If we will admit that, the truth is at work in our lives.  Where truth is, we find Jesus for he is truth. We have been talking about walking in the light.  The first step to that walk is to confess our sins to the Lord- one by one, and asking for forgiveness.  This occurs at salvation.  But can I tell you a secret? Even after salvation, we must constantly recognize our need for God’s cleansing, healing and restoration in our lives.  Then can we receive that purity and enjoy our day in the sun.

Dear Lord, I am a helpless sinner without you.  I am so grateful that you give me the help I need to overcome sin and become righteous in your sight.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Sherri

 

Little Sin/Big Sin

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched- this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.  The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim what we have seen and heard, so that you may have fellowship with us.  And our fellowship is with the Father and with his son, Jesus Christ.  We write this to make our joy complete.  This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light and in him is no darkness at all.  If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”  I John 1:1-7

 

The Church, the body of Christ, is based upon the foundation of today’s verse.  Because we choose to walk as Jesus did and allow him to purify us from sin, we are granted fellowship- both with one another and with Christ.  The fellowship that we enjoy as the Church (the universal church comprised of all true believers) is more powerful than just having friends.  The corporate anointing has power to have prayers answered, evangelie the world, and strengthen us in our walk with the Lord.  I cannot overemphasie how important fellowship is to the life of a believer.  We were never meant to be lone wolves.  The Bible compares followers of Christ to sheep.  Sheep left to wander alone without the benefit of a shepherd and a flock are easy targets for animals to prey upon.  Protection is found in the flock.

Walking in light also allows to follow in Jesus’ footsteps.  We cannot walk where he walked without being in the light.  Every earthly step he ever took was in the light.  He was 100% human, but never sinned.  All of his dealings were above reproach and blameless.  We cannot go wrong walking in the path of light.

Finally, we must comment on the blood.  The precious blood of Jesus is the remedy to all that is wrong with us:  sin, healing, bondage, and low self-esteem.  I am so grateful for the blood that was shed for me sin.  This passage says it cleanses from “all sin”.  There is a human tendency to classify sin.  Murder- atrocious.  A white lie- acceptable. Stealing- wrong.  Gossip- fun conversation.  By doing this, we make some sins easier to forgive, and others unforgiveable.  The truth is all sin separates us from Christ.  There is no sin too heinous to receive forgiveness in Christ.

Yes, today’s passage is a power-packed verse.  I encourage yuou to take the time to chew on each aspect a little and allow it to sink into your spirit.  Meditate of any areas that ou are struggling in and enjoy the power of the Word to break the yoke of bondage!

Dear Lord, thank you for the Church and for allowing me to be a part of it.  Help me to be an asset to the Church and not a liability.  Thank you for the blood you shed for me and for the love that led you to the cross.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Sherri

 

Black Out

 

 

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched- this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.  The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim what we have seen and heard, so that you may have fellowship with us.  And our fellowship is with the Father and with his son, Jesus Christ.  We write this to make our joy complete.  This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light and in him is no darkness at all.  If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.  I John 1:1-5

 

Ouch.  Today’s verse is a very sobering verse.  If we name the name of Christ- say we are a Christian, we have got to be a Christian.  100%.  If we play with sin, compromise with the world, we are then liars.  This is the Bible-not my words.

Now understand that elsewhere in Scripture it is obvious that we all fail in many ways and when we do, Jesus advocates to the Father on our behalf. We will never know this side of heaven how much mercy God extended to us in our day in/day out shortcomings and failures.  I believe what this verse is talking about is what we call a hypocrite- the person who says one thing but does another.  This is the person sitting on a church pew three times per week but is having an affair with the secretary.  This is the person who claims to be a Christian, but lies on their taxes.  This is a person who smiles to your face, yet stabs you in the back.

The easiest way to describe this is to picture a split TV screen.  On the left it is pitch black with no picture.  On the right is pure blinding light.  If we are walking with Jesus, our character is only ever on the right screen, never on the left one.  All of our dealings, habits, thoughts, and words (to the best we are able) are done in the light of the truth and in accord with the way Jesus lives.  If our character is making frequent guest appearances on the screen on the left, we have a problem.  You have to pick a team.  You cannot play for two different teams.  You are either a Seminole or a Gator.  An Alabama fan or an Auburn fan.  You are for Jesus, or you are against Jesus.

Every decision we make, in essence, is voting for a team.  It is aligning ourselves with one side or the other.  That is why we cannot afford to live sloppily, readily making alliances with the enemy of our soul.

Is there any darkness in your life?  In what you watch, where you go, what you read, what you listen to, who you spend time with?  If so, step into the light in these areas today!

Dear Lord, show me where there is darkness in my life.  Help me to walk in your light and live a consistent Christian witness.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Sherri

 

Shades of Gray

 

 

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched- this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.  The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim what we have seen and heard, so that you may have fellowship with us.  And our fellowship is with the Father and with his son, Jesus Christ.  We write this to make our joy complete.  This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light and in him is no darkness at all.  I John 1:1-5

 

Shades of gray. 

Some things are black and white, others are gray areas.  Is it a lie to tell someone you like their hideous new hairdo?  Is it stealing if you find and keep a wallet with no ID in it?  When you are married is it OK to “look but don’t touch” other women/men?

The world would have you to believe that there are very few absolutes in this world.  Everything is relative.  In fact, that saying has been made into a slogan of sorts.  But is everything relative?  Is it really?

This passage makes it plain that God is absolute light.  There is no darkness; no shadow; now shades of gray.  He is pure, blinding light.  He is altogether glorious, marvelous and beautiful.  As children of God we are called to become more and more like him.  Compromising with the world, adding a dab of darkness here and there, will not really cut it.

Our world is increasingly dark.  The last twenty years has shown a huge moral decline.  The last 50 years shows an even greater contrast.  At one time, sex outside of marriage was a sin and a shame.  Then, it was acceptable if you were in a committed relationship leading to marriage.  Then it was OK if you were dating.  Then it was Ok if both of you were willing, no matter what.  What a huge paradigm shift!  Meanwhile, the truth of the Word of God remains absolute.  Sex outside of marriage?  Sin.  Always has been; always will.  This is just one example, but this can be applied in so many ways.  Do you remember when a handshake and someone’s word was absolute?  Do you remember when people approached little old ladies to help them across the street, rather than to rob them?

Indeed darkness has come to America.  Can you watch a single sitcom or drama that does not display darkness in some form?  Crude and coarse joking, inappropriate dress, blasphemy, taking the Lord’s name in vain.  These things are common, everyday occurrences.  They are the social norm of 21^st Century America.

But the Great I Am- Who is and Who was and Who is to come.  He changes not.  He is absolute light.  And if we want to have fellowship with him, we will have to acknowledge and respect his holiness.

O Lord, please keep me from the darkness of this world.  Help me to be like you.  Help me never to forget who you are or to view you differently than the Bible says you are.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Sherri

Complete Joy

 

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched- this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.  The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim what we have seen and heard, so that you may have fellowship with us.  And our fellowship is with the Father and with his son, Jesus Christ.  We write this to make our joy complete” I John 1:1-4

 

Telling about Jesus, serving the Lord, these things are the greatest joy we will ever know.  Serving the Lord is often presented by the world as a droll, dull, existence.  But the truth of the matter is that serving God is a joy.

There is no sacrifice that we can make that we will not be blessed more than we give up.  Time spent in the Word, time spent praying, worshiping- there is no higher high.  There is no greater peace or joy.  If you have ever had a truly remarkable experience with the Lord, you know that you can never be satisfied with less again.  No matter how much of the Lord we experience, there is always more.  He is infinitely larger than we can imagine.

When the Lord gave us the command:  “Go into the world and make disciples” he said this knowing that we would find great peace and contentment in doing so.  When we begin to operate in the things of the Spirit (living as Jesus did) we begin to walk in his grace and anointing.  We find our affections changing and turning into his affections.  His love desires to flow through us to the world.

Dear Lord, thank you for the joy of serving you.  Help me to be a joyful witness.  Help me to show the world the peace and contentment found in serving you.  Forgive me for the times that I have failed to make Christianity look appealing. In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Sherri

 

Fellowship With Us

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched- this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.  The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim what we have seen and heard, so that you may have fellowship with us.  And our fellowship is with the Father and with his son, Jesus Christ.” I John 1:1-3

 

“So that you might have fellowship with us…”  Human beings are not created to live solitary lives.  We were created for fellowship.  Just ask the shut-in. They will tell you, being alone all the time is lonely, depressing, boring and dull.  Being a part of something bigger than ourselves, feeling loved and accepted are major needs of any human.

When the church fails to evangelize, to tell people the good news, and bring them into fellowship with us, we open the door for problems.  Why do gangs have so many members?  People crave fellowship.  Why are occults booming? Because they are reaching out to people and meeting a real need.  We, as Christians, have to do at least as good a job as gangs and occults.  Something to think about…

Sweet fellowship with the Father and his son, Jesus Christ.  There is nothing in life more fulfilling than enjoying that acceptance and closeness.  It is such a privilege and honor to fellowship with the Lord and to invite others to join us.  Ask the Lord today who you know that could use fellowship.

Thank you, Lord, for your Word.  Thank you for your friendship and the opportunity to fellowship with you and those of like precious faith.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Sherri

To Tell You the Truth

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched- this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.  The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.”  I John 1:1-2

 

Jesus.  He has always been.  When the very foundations of the earth were laid, Jesus was there.  He existed before time as we know it existed.  Prior to coming to dwell on earth, he lived in the resplendence of heaven with the Heavenly Father and with the Holy Spirit.  Jesus did not just come to be when Mary gave birth to him in a stable.

For those of you who have been in church all your life, this may be a “no duh” moment.  These are things you hold to be true.  But for an ever increasing number of Americans, even some who call themselves Christians, these truths are subject to being discounted.  As Christians we can easily fail to see the danger in all of this and not sweat the small stuff.  But the small stuff unravels bigger stuff.  An entire blanket can be unmade by pulling on one piece of thread at a time. 

Jesus was there in the beginning.  He appeared to hundreds of people on this earth with convincing proof that he is Messiah.  The disciples continued to proclaim the truth of all of this even after Jesus had died, been entombed, rose again, dwelled among them and ascended up into heaven.  These truths prove his deity and cannot be dismissed.  In the truth of Jesus lies eternal life.

A day is coming when the church will have to give up on being politically correct and choose to be Biblically correct.  We are tolerating and loving people right into hell.  Yes, we hate sin and love the sinner.  Yes, we respect other people’s right to have a different opinion.  But the church has to decompress the mute button and once again be a proclaimer of the truth about the Bible and Jesus.  He is eternal life.  If people do not know that, they cannot have eternal life.  Join with me in praying that the purity of the gospel would return to the church and to America.  Other countries appear to receive the truth more readily than we do here.  As Christians we must pray and proclaim!

Dear Lord, help me as a Christian to get back to the basics of the gospel.  Help me to get back to my “first love” and the passion that I felt when I first came to know you.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Sherri