Is it possible to not sin? Be careful how you answer. John the evangelist wrote: “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). Still, it is amazing how many people claiming to be Christians think they do not sin. Solomon taught: “There is […]
Confessing Darkness, Restoring Light (1 John 1:8-9)
Walking in the Darkness or Light (1 John 1:6-7)
Would those closest to you describe you as authentic or phony? Unfortunately, our culture blinds us to pretense: “If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth” (1 John 1:6). Too often, we claim to trust in Christ, but we live […]
God is Light: Flip the Switch (1 John 1:5)
Are you stumbling and bumping into life’s challenges with no clear vision for what lies ahead? One morning, I was late for a 5:30 a.m. meeting. As I rushed out of our bedroom and down the hallway, I bypassed the light switch, choosing to walk in the dark. I reached out with my hand to […]
3 Connections of Life: Others Connect with God in Christ (1 John 1:2)
As with a 120-volt electrical outlet in the United States, God has designed three connections with us to consider each day. The right vertical slot is the hot, or live, wire where the electricity flows into what is plugged in to the outlet, a picture of God first connecting with us in Christ and providing […]
3 Connections of Life: We Connect with Others in Christ (1 John 1:2)
Do you wake up every morning thinking about how to connect with those around you to draw them closer to Christ? After we first connect with God, receiving the electricity of the Holy Spirit, God wants us to connect with others in Christ. Jesus’ disciple, John, focused on this effort: “The life appeared; we have […]
3 Connections of Life: God Connects with Us in Christ (1 John 1:1)
In a world filled with darkness, hate, and death, God is Light, Love, and Life. Jesus Christ’s disciple, John, wrote to those who had fully surrendered their hearts to Christ when it could have cost them their livelihoods, if not their lives. His message is just as applicable for us today. Similar to an electrical […]
Three Habits of Highly Destructive People – Pride of Life (1 John 2:15-17)
How do you keep score in life? We all select some sort of measurement of success that drives our behavior. It might be money, accolades, assets, degrees, vacations, or even our good works. When we keep score of our successes by standards diametrically opposed to God’s, we focus on measuring our record of achievement by […]