We have nothing that God needs, but everything that He
wants. He desires fellowship with us as His Saints (1 John
1:3). We often forfeit this privilege because our thoughts and behavior
grieve God’s Spirit and block our communication with Him. Under the guise of
grace, we wallow in our sins. However, true repentance cries out to God for
forgiveness and restores our relationship with Him once again (1 John
3:9).
If we live in association with darkness and sin, we cannot
have fellowship with the Father of light (1 John 1:6-7; James 1:17). The more
we associate with our Father, the better we get to know Him and to walk in His
light, as children of the Light (1 Thessalonians 5:5). In God, there is no
darkness at all (1 John 1:5). From our fellowship with our
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, abiding joy flows into us (1 John
1:3).
God’s light reveals our areas of weakness and presents them
to us in a whole different light (2 Corinthians 5:17). We no
longer see sin as acceptable, but as abhorrent and disgusting. We confess our
sins, and He is faithful and merciful enough to forgive us of those sins (1 John
1:9). He gives us His limitless power and authority in the name of Jesus
Christ, regardless of our human limitations (2 Corinthians 4:7; 12:9).
Another benefit or our relationship with God is our
fellowship with His Body (1 Corinthians 12:27). We are here to bless and
care for one another (Philippians 2:4; Romans 12:10). We cry
and rejoice with each other, pray for and with one another, and exhort,
admonish and encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ (1
Thessalonians 5:11). We have purpose and guidance in this life.
Prayer:
Father God, even in the darkest night of any trial You are in the midst of it with us, loving us from the inside out, giving us wisdom and making everything work our for our good (Romans 8:28; Jeremiah 29:11). Remind us to encourage one another and to pray for each other as Your Body. Show us the seeds of Your miracle in the midst of every tribulation.
Father God, even in the darkest night of any trial You are in the midst of it with us, loving us from the inside out, giving us wisdom and making everything work our for our good (Romans 8:28; Jeremiah 29:11). Remind us to encourage one another and to pray for each other as Your Body. Show us the seeds of Your miracle in the midst of every tribulation.
Thought for the Day:
What mankind calls liberty and grace, God’s
holiness calls rebellion and iniquity. Sin breaks our fellowship with our
Father.
