Daily Devotions – God is Love

Daily Devotions – God is Love

Photo by Emmanuel Phaeton on Unsplash

 

Click this link to hear an audio version of the below text narrated by SOTH member Jerry Rhinehart:

 

1 John 1:1-2:14 NIV
The Incarnation of the Word of Life
1 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. 2 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. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make our joy complete.

Light and Darkness, Sin and Forgiveness
5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him, there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 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. 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. 2 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

Love and Hatred for Fellow Believers
3 We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. 4 Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. 5 But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did. 7 Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. 8 Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining. 9 Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. 10 Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. 11 But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.

Reasons for Writing
12 I am writing to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. 14 I write to you, dear children because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

 

In what ways have you, like John, seen, heard, and touched Jesus?

The ways I have seen, heard, and touched Jesus is through the working of another Christian brother or sister in my life. Those who have come to know Jesus can make Himself felt through their actions.

Lord you did manifest yourself to so many after you conquered the grave, you left witnesses to attest to your greatness and power over death. Help me to share your great news, you have shed your blood not just for me but the whole world, I want to be in fellowship with you and with other believers so that we can strengthen one another and walk in your light. Help me to turn away from the darkness in this world knowing you are always by my side when I confess my weakness to you. Lord, I pray that your light may shine through me as I serve you in this world. Help me to live as you did, with love and compassion for those I meet from day to day. Help my heart be tender so that I may cause no one to stumble as they look for your truth. Keep me strong in your word and fill my mind and spirit with your word as my shield against the power of darkness in this world. Keep me mindful of the reward you have in store for me when I leave this world. Amen

 

Today’s prayer submitted by Jo Schneider