Live in the Light
Today's Scripture
"This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin." - 1 John 1:5-7 NLT
Thoughts for Today
God is light. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life” (John 8:12 NLT). When we follow Jesus, we live in his light.
Unconfessed sin breaks that fellowship. When we persist in an on-going sin, refusing to confess it or ask forgiveness, we hinder our relationship with Jesus and begin to walk in darkness. It doesn't mean we have lost our salvation, but it does mean we have temporarily lost our way. To restore that relationship and walk in Jesus' light, we must admit our sin to him and receive his forgiveness.
Consider this …
Walking in the light results in fellowship with God and one another. Sin always hinders true fellowship with our Lord and among believers.
Walking in Jesus' path of light produces holy character. Only in the light can we become all God wants us to be.
Is there sin in your life that is keeping you from God's best? Ask God to search your heart and reveal anything that shouldn't be there. Then admit the sin to yourself and confess it to him. Let him help you change. If you have hurt others, confess your sin to them so your relationship can be healed. And then walk on in the light of Jesus, doing what he has called you to do.
Prayer
Lord, I want to walk in your light. Show me anything in my heart and my life that is hindering that. Forgive me and help me become all you have designed me to be. In Jesus' name . . .
These thoughts were drawn from …
Stepping into Freedom: A Christ-Centered Twelve-Step Program by Jimmy Ray Lee, D.Min. This twelve-step program is suggested for use in support groups, recovery groups and home groups. It offers help for anyone struggling with a life-controlling problem like drug addiction, alcoholism, sexual addiction, gambling or workaholism. Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups and we encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used effectively as a personal study for individuals or couples.
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