1 John 1:5-10 – Confess It!

Read 1 John 1:5-10

Here again, we see the recurring theme of darkness versus light. Because of our sinful nature as humans, we are always going to have a toe dipped into darkness. Only God is completely light. We can’t appreciate our salvation and forgiveness of sins without acknowledging that we regularly fall short of God’s desires for us.

Have you ever noticed how people try to avoid the subject of sin altogether? Do we think that if we don’t acknowledge sin, it doesn’t exist? We assume people who don’t attend church or read the Bible don’t even know they’re sinning in the first place. But for those of us who have begun to understand the grip of sin and what that means for us, we still don’t want to talk about it or admit to our failures. But we’re called to confess our sins to God, not sweep them under the rug. Continue reading “1 John 1:5-10 – Confess It!”

Hosea 1-3 – Forgiveness & Love

Read Hosea 1-3

Did you get caught up in this shocking, yet powerful example of faith? You’ve just read three whole chapters; it was only 39 verses. How wonderfully it brought to life the theme of “Salvation, Forgiveness, and New Life”! How does Hosea’s story still resonate with us today?

You can sense God’s disappointment in his people from how he calls Hosea into service. Can you imagine having to marry a prostitute? But God said to do it, so, as degrading or sinful as it would seem, God was leading Hosea in that direction. God’s plan had a purpose and a meaning to convey. Continue reading “Hosea 1-3 – Forgiveness & Love”

Ephesians 2:8-10 – Grace

Read Ephesians 2:8-10

Since we’re talking about salvation, we must mention grace. If you’ve been around a church for even a minute, you’ve probably heard that word bounced around. Don’t mistake God’s grace with how we act when we’re being “graceful.” It’s not about how delicately we walk. Grace is what God freely gives.

Grace is another way to think about forgiveness. When you think of all the sinful things you’ve done and will do, the “secret sauce” that God uses to forgive us, redeem us, and save us is called grace. We don’t deserve such a gift, and yet God stands ready to shower us with this amazing grace. There’s a poem by that name, “Amazing Grace,” written by John Newton in the 1700s and then put to music in the 1800s, and we still sing it in church today. Chris Tomlin recorded my favorite version by adding a powerful chorus. Be moved as you listen here. Continue reading “Ephesians 2:8-10 – Grace”

John 14:1-14 – The Way to the Father

Read John 14:1-14

There are so many gems in this reading. The wisdom Jesus shares may have gotten lost on his original audience because they were so close to him. Maybe they were blinded by the light, so to speak. While we think it would be obvious who Jesus was, his initial followers were held back for some reason. We may wonder how they could be so hesitant.

We’re like that, too, to some degree. We may let influences outside the church distract us from our utmost devotion. We may take Jesus for granted or not give him all the honor he deserves. In those moments, Jesus needs to reel us in and set our minds straight. What insight can we take here from Jesus? Continue reading “John 14:1-14 – The Way to the Father”

John 3:1-21 – How God Loves Us

Read John 3:1-21

Our next theme, “Salvation, Forgiveness, and New Life,” is off to a fantastic start with these verses from John’s gospel. We’ll be seeking a greater understanding of what these mean according to our faith. Just like Nicodemus, we seek truth, and he went right to the source, Jesus. Seeking Jesus would not have been a popular choice for someone in his position, so he had to hide in the darkness of night.

Can you imagine having an audience with Jesus himself! What questions would you ask him? As a religious leader, Nicodemus would have had some “deep” faith questions. I just love that he felt moved to approach Jesus with an openness to learn. We can glean a lot from his example. Continue reading “John 3:1-21 – How God Loves Us”

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