Message Magazine’s Online Devotional for Tuesday, August 9, 2016
We are focusing on getting to know God from the perspective of John the beloved.
Today’s Scripture Focus: “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19)
The Lord, in His loving kindness to us, sent His only Son to this earth to die the sinner’s ultimate death, so that we might live with God eternally. What an immeasurable sacrifice it was for the King of the universe to give us all of heaven in one gift. Jesus is the best gift this world has ever seen.
He has plans for you
While the Lord loves us just as we are, He never wants to leave us in the state in which He found us. He wants to bring meaningful reform into our lives. Many are the sinful tendencies that He wants to root out of us, making us into entirely new creatures. The process of God purging these debilitating elements is painful, but with holy patience, He makes us whole.
In the process of making us whole, God brings to our consciousness, aspects of truth that we have formerly disregarded. He wants us to follow the example of obedience that Jesus gave to us. It is in His strength that we are to overcome our flesh and be renewed in the Spirit. Many become dissatisfied with the loving process that God employs in order to save them. Instead of coming to Jesus by His power, some hide from Him and His people because their deeds are evil. They cannot stand the idea of their own lifestyle issues being revealed as they really are. They wish to remove themselves from God’s presence because His presence is exemplary and they feel inadequate.
Walk into change
The blessing of God revealing to us our true selves is that as we accept the revelation by His grace, we are in prime position to receive a new and pure life with Him. We have no need to cling to old sinful practices that only hurt us. The Lord offers us the privilege to come out of the prison of darkness and live in His light. “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7). It is in walking with Jesus in the light that we receive the much needed life change, and one day we will live with God forever. Don’t hide from the Lord. Rather, come to the light.
