Category: The Light

1 John 1:9 (NIV)
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Proverbs 28:13 (NIV)
Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

Confession is more than saying sorry for a wrong or even just admitting sin. The Greek word also means to share a common view or to agree… By confessing our sins, we’re coming into agreement with what God reveals and says to be wrong with our sins but also how he wants to make things right.

“Some Christians fail to confess sin because they are uncomfortable confronting their own failings. But others fail to confess sin because they are all too comfortable with it. Yes, they know it is sin, and they know it falls short of God’s standards, but some sins have become acceptable in their eyes. This might happen slowly, particularly with ongoing struggles that never seem to dissipate. The believer simply gives up. And he or she also stops confessing… While we may be comforted by God’s forgiveness, we should not become complacent about the need for it. After all, our forgiveness came at great cost – no less than the blood of God’s Son, Jesus Christ.” [C. Campbell, 1, 2 & 3 John – The Story of God Bible Commentary, 44-45]

Prayer: Father, we confess our sins to you. Thank you that, as we confess, you are faithful and just to forgive us and to purify us from all unrighteousness. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Let’s worship with “Thank you Jesus For The Blood” by Charity Gale (click here).

– CHH

 

1 John 1:7 (NIV)
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.

“And that blood, that sacrificial death, that God-life given on our behalf and in our place, is available for all who ‘walk in the light’. That doesn’t mean we have to get our act together, morally speaking, before God can do anything. What it means is that when we consciously turn to the light — when we face up to what’s gone wrong in the past and don’t try to hide it, and when we are determined to live that way from now on — two things happen. First, we find ourselves sharing that intimate God-life, not only with God himself but with one another. Second, we find that Jesus’ blood somehow makes us clean, pure and fresh inside. It deals with the nasty stain, the residual dirtiness, the scratchy, ugly feeling that something went badly wrong and we can’t get rid of it. All that is gone when we turn to the light and start to walk in it. All because of Jesus.” [N.T. Wright, Early Christian Letters for Everyone, 135–137]

Prayer: God, we turn to you to cleanse us of our sins, so that we may be restored in the sweet fellowship with you and one another as we live more fully in the light. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Let’s worship with “Grace Is On Our Side” by Vertical Worship (click here).

– CHH

Let’s read aloud from the following scripture and prayer.

John 1:1-5 (NIV)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Ephesians 5:8-14 (NIV)
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said:
“Wake up, sleeper,
    rise from the dead,
    and Christ will shine on you.”

Prayer: Lord, may we behold again the author of our salvation, the wonder of grace, and the answer for all the broken. May hearts and lives wake up to your light through our lives. May your love, truth, and power be on display through your church. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Let’s continue to establish worship and build altars where we live as we sing “Come And See” by Matt Redman (click here).

– CHH

 

 

John 1:4-5 (NIV)
⁴ In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

1 John 1:6, 8, 10 (NRSVUE)
⁶ If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; 
⁸ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 
¹⁰ If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

“In a real sense, the essence of sin is our attempting to take the place of God. We want to be in charge. We want to establish the ground rules and lay out the playing field. And we want to provide our own definitions of what is right and what is wrong, what sin is and what sin is not.

John, on the other hand, is not interested in human opinions on the matter of sin. Divine revelation will set the bar and establish the truth. John seems to be telling us, ‘Let’s hear God’s mind on the matter.’ We will discover that He takes sin very seriously. John rhetorically uses three ‘If we say’ statements to help us see sin as we ought, to see sin as God sees sin.” [D. Akin, Exalting Jesus in 1,2,3 John, 19]

Prayer: God, thank you that we can live where your light constantly shines, where we see more and more of who you are, who we are, your kingdom and your plans. Thank you that your light overcomes darkness and gives us life. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Let’s worship with “How Great Is Your Love” by Passion (click here).

– CHH

1 John 1:5 (NIV)
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.

This verse starts off with not just “a message” but “the message” that the disciples and early eyewitnesses heard from Jesus and were declaring to God’s people. The phrasing “This is the message” occurs only twice in the entire New Testament and they’re both in 1 John, showing how these messages are important. The first message being “God is light.”

John 8:12 (NIV)
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Jesus Christ is our starting point – he is the light that has come into this world and into our lives.  Because of his salvation, we have access and relationship with God – his light floods our lives!  It’s not a spotlight in the darkness, but it’s a completely new day where his light saturates everything. We get to live as children of light and don’t have to be in the dark. We have a choice now because of Jesus whereas before it was only darkness.

Prayer: Lord, may our churches live and proclaim the message that God is light. Fill us with your heart and use us to declare who you are to our cities and campuses. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Let’s adore our Lord who is worthy with “Here I Am To Worship” by Tim Hughes (click here).

– CHH