1 John 1:5-9
This is the message we heard from him and proclaim to you: God is light. In him there is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him but still walk in darkness, we are lying and do not put the truth into practice. But if we walk in the light, just as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Dear Lord Jesus,
As John wrote, you are light, and there is no darkness in You at all, meaning there is no sin in You. However, as people, we are plagued by sin. Even Your believers are not immune to temptation and sin; they are all around us wanting to destroy our faith.
By faith, we know that You suffered and died on the cross to remove all our sins. So, while our sins are removed, it does not mean that sins’ temptations will end; instead, as believers, we deal with our temptations and sins. We ask You for forgiveness as we come to You admitting what we have done and ask with repentant hearts for You to renew our spirits back to You. You give us Your light so we can look to You to rescue us. As John said, when we confess our sins, you are faithful and just to forgive us.
We come to You and confess all our sins: our pride, hate, desires for other people’s things, ill feelings and unjust judgments towards others, disrespect, and all other sins of our sinful desires. Please forgive us all sins according to Your grace and mercy, even though we are undeserving of Your love, and assure us that all our sins are forgiven.
Allow our lives to be an example of the love You have shown us that we might be a witness to the world, and they, too, would come to know You as their Lord and Savior. Amen.
Written through Pastor Roger Emmons
Walking according to faith in Jesus results from knowing, trusting, and believing his love for you as heard in His Word. Faith causes a change of heart, and one begins to do things they would have never done before—those things are the fruits of faith.