John, the only remaining original disciple of Jesus, reminds his readers in I John, about the importance of walking in the light (with God), the benefits of fellowship and the need for cleansing of sin.
In I John 1:7, John writes, "If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin." This verse gives us three ways to stay clean in a spiritually polluted world:
1) By walking in the light. This means striving to be so honest before God and man that you wouldn't be embarassed or ashamed to have anyone read in tomorrow's newspaper , what you did today! Walking in the light means following what is good, pure, holy, right and true = folllowing God! Who or what are you following today? Is it leading you to closer fellowship with God or in the opposite direction?
2) By being accountable. To grow strong in an area of weakness, sometimes you need someone mature enough to deserve your confidence, gracious enough to put up with your inconsistencies and honest enough to confront you. Above all, they should be commited to you in love. Who we fellowship with should make our walk with God stronger. Do you have such a person in your life? Are you this person for someone else?
3) By dealing with your sin right away. The moment that you recognize you have sinned, should be the moment that leads you to confession. You must believe that Christ's blood cleanses us from all sin and that according to I John 1:9 - "If we confess our sins, He (God) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrightesousness." Confess today - then get up and continue your walk with God.
If there's something rotten in your refrigerator you know it every time you open the door. You may not know exactly where it is, but the smell tells you it's in there. Our lives are like that. If there's something wrong within us, those we come into contact with are going to sense it. It gives off an "odor" that's detectable. That's why we must continually open ourselves to God and allow His Spirit to cleanse our hearts and remove whatever is hindering our walk with Him.
What are you going to clean out of your heart and life today? An action that you'd be ashamed of if it were on the front page of the paper? A weakness that continues to overtake your best intentions to change because you are trying to do it all on your own? Unconfessed sin that will continue to rot and cause others to sense somthing is wrong, even if you're doing your best to cover it up?
Make today a cleaning day that will leave you not only clean on the inside but shining bright on the outside :)
Download this week's lesson from I John
4 comments:
I thought this was going to be about spring cleaning, but it ended up being better than that. Getting rid of sin makes you feel fresh inside, like you've spring cleaned on the inside.
Spring cleaning, leaves me with a clear conscience, which in turn, enables me to walk in the Light!
My favorite time of the year: "Spring Cleaning!!!! When we put away old things and bring out the new. That's like our lives. We discard the old ways and bring into our being all that God has in store for us.
A few phrases from Psalms 51:
Wash me clean - Purify me - I will be clean - verse 10: Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me.
Like cleaning house, may we feel the purity in our hearts and sing for joy all that God has done and continues to do in and through us. Sing praises to our God!
How wonderful it is to know that we can cleanse and purify our hearts anytime,anywhere through Jesus Christ our Lord. We don't need a ritual,religious ceremony,priest or formality; we only need to humbly go before the throne of God in prayer and because of Jesus that is possible for all.
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