The Lord is your protector, and He goes before you to make your paths clear.
(1 John 3:7-8 ESV) '7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he (Jesus) is righteous. 8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. '
Scripture Thought:
John the disciple is teaching us about what it means to be righteous and also what it means if a person chooses to keep on sinning from a Biblical perspective. He starts off with a term of endearment when he is calling the reader little children. Don't think child-like in age but think child-like in our understanding. He tells us to let no one deceive us. Why? Because some people will tell you it is okay to live a lifestyle outside of the Word of God and think you are saved.
He wants us to understand that we who love and truly have Jesus as our Lord and Savior must practice righteousness, just as Jesus was righteous in every way. I also want you to take note of the word practice. We practice righteousness because we are not perfect. We will all fall short, but at the same time, we will not live in that fallen state. When we fall short, we will choose to repent, which is to move away from our sins and turn back toward God.
In this same portion of scripture, John is letting us know that if we continue sinning, we actually belong to the Devil because this is what he does. Satan makes a practice of sinning, going against the laws and principles of God, and enticing others to do the same. John is giving us an understanding that our continued actions tell us who we truly are. It also lets us know how the Lord looks at our continued actions. If we practice righteousness, then we are righteous; we are like the Lord Jesus. If we practice sinning, we are just like the Devil. So it is our actions that tell us who we are to the Lord, not our mouths. If we are to confess that we are Christians, are actions must follow.
My Thoughts:
This is one of the many portions of scripture that really caught my eye when I first started reading the Bible. Scriptures like this do not allow you to hide behind your own thought process about right or wrong. It clearly outlines that no one will be able to confess themselves into Heaven. It lets us know that our actions are the very thing that defines who we are and who we belong to. Scripture tells us that God is not mocked; we are not able to move Him based on lip service. (Matthew 15:8 NKJ) '‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.'
Challenge:
Challenge yourself to pray and read God's Word on a daily basis. As you understand more, start acting out on what it says. Then you will truly see the blessing of the Word of God in your life.
Prayer:
Ask your Heavenly Father to help you to understand His Word and give you the wisdom and understanding needed to act upon it.
Action:
Leave a comment, thought, or opinion in the comments section. We would like to hear from you! Please like and share with friends, family, and people you believe will benefit from this devotion.
Take Care Family,
Pastor Charles
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