Our Loving Advocate
By, Toni Smothers
Scripture Reading: 1 John 2:12-17
Scripture Quote: “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” 1 John 2:1 (ESV)
Holiness and happiness are inseparable, just as sin and misery go together. Of course that's easy enough to understand intellectually, yet our lives sweep past all manner of sin and immoral secular standards. It takes deliberate prayer and hunger for the things that the bible tells us matter most. We all mess up. God says, "sin not," and we say, "sure thing," and then slip right on that same old banana. Whether through ignorance or inexperience, or when temptation grabs us off guard, we all fall down. While the whole Scripture tells us not to live so as to promote our own misery, we step off the inevitable plank and suddenly know that we need someone to throw us the lifesaver before we drown in the swelling waves of our own sinfulness.
We have Jesus, our advocate with the Father, who is seated before the throne and who died for our offenses and rose for our justification. He is there for us interceding. He suffered, though He was innocent, so that he could bring us to God's merciful forgiveness. So even if you sometimes think yourself deplorable and hopeless, remember how wonderful and protective your Savior is and never despair.
Today’s meditation: We always have hope in Jesus.
Memory Verse: “Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” 1 John 2:6 (ESV)
By, Toni Smothers
Scripture Reading: 1 John 2:12-17
Scripture Quote: “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” 1 John 2:1 (ESV)
Holiness and happiness are inseparable, just as sin and misery go together. Of course that's easy enough to understand intellectually, yet our lives sweep past all manner of sin and immoral secular standards. It takes deliberate prayer and hunger for the things that the bible tells us matter most. We all mess up. God says, "sin not," and we say, "sure thing," and then slip right on that same old banana. Whether through ignorance or inexperience, or when temptation grabs us off guard, we all fall down. While the whole Scripture tells us not to live so as to promote our own misery, we step off the inevitable plank and suddenly know that we need someone to throw us the lifesaver before we drown in the swelling waves of our own sinfulness.
We have Jesus, our advocate with the Father, who is seated before the throne and who died for our offenses and rose for our justification. He is there for us interceding. He suffered, though He was innocent, so that he could bring us to God's merciful forgiveness. So even if you sometimes think yourself deplorable and hopeless, remember how wonderful and protective your Savior is and never despair.
Today’s meditation: We always have hope in Jesus.
Memory Verse: “Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” 1 John 2:6 (ESV)
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