1 John 2:1-8

God in the flesh in our advocate before God. Old Testament believers like David knew God is our only defense, our only possible refuge:

"Awake, and rise to my defense! Contend for me, my God and Lord. (Psalm 35:23)

The book of Psalms must have been on my mind a lot the last few days, because as I read the final verses of this section about obeying God's commands and living as Jesus did, Psalm 119 came to mind. 176 verses just filled with thoughts about delighting in His decrees, loving His laws, obeying His word. And this love affair with the Word happened centuries before God fulfilled his Garden-promise to send a Savior. How much more beautiful His words are to me now, knowing that my Jesus lived and died for me, rose and ascended, defends and protects not only me but His beloved bride, the Church.

My prayer is that these honey-sweet Gospel promises nourish us and make us bold to be His witnesses to the world, for "the true light is already shining."

"Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell." (Psalm 43:3)

1 John 2:7-8

Thinking today about the old, old command God gave for us to love and how much more that means to us now after we saw the most amazing example of love in Jesus' dying to save us. I believe that God planned this as the greatest example of love to also motivate us to better love each other.
No one, not even I, deserve anything, but God wants me to love everyone (and yes, even myself!) in a manner likened to how much Jesus loved us.
I am asking God today to bring me creativity, humility, and patience to love others in a way that brings the body of Christ greater unity and in a way that witnesses how much He truly does love and care for us as a Father for his children.

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!" 
1 John 3:1


Have a wonderful day ladies,
Love,
Cait :)

Encouraging Sermon

Hello,

I was really encouraged by the verses in chapter 2 and by your comments. I need this truth in my heart and mind throughout the day. The struggle many of us have empathized about lately is this constant distraction by the world, its pulls and lies, and the lies with self that we struggle with. I want to share our sermon from this week (which a couple of you heard, but I know I could be encouraged by it again), because it reminds me that faith is ultimately about Jesus and what he's done for us. This simple, but profound promise. If you find a minute, this is a great sermon...

"The Best Kind of Faith Wants to Know Christ"

http://www.cosrock.org/home/140000244/140000244/docs/Philippians%203.4b-14%20P%2016%20A%20%202011.pdf?sec_id=140000244

Catch Up

If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

I, like Cait, have found other things need "priority" in life and as I sit here tonight, I am ashamed that I have been so neglectful of the word and reflection. I am hopeful that after we get things settled, I will be better about it, but it seems like things are always popping up...so frustrating.

On to reflection, I think about these verses and how they flow together so nicely and perfectly. Ed (my husband) and I are taking the New Life in Christ class at our church and we talk every week about how perfect God has made the world. We are constantly reminded of our sin and how Jesus died to save us! It's so incredible to think about and it seems so silly to think about and focus on all the trivial things that occur during the day that take up so much of our time and energy when there's such an amazing phenomenon right in front of us. I pray that I continue to remember that Jesus has atoned for my sins, that God has created this relationship with him for me and that I am not perfect, he is, and only my recognition of my imperfections and asking for forgiveness can save me. Thank you Jesus, I love you!

1 John 1:8-2:6

Good morning :)

I hope you don't mind me re-hashing what most of you have already been over for the sake of my catching up a bit. I spent this morning firstly dragging myself out of bed to make the coffee, husband's lunch and see said husband off to work, then secondly arranging myself in a quiet patch of sunlight at our kitchen table to sit and just be held by God's words. I remember Paula said "I stand weak and wanting at Jesus' feet this morning" and I am in a similar place too.

"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins, and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense - Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says 'I know him', but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. That is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did."

I read and re-read these 9 verses this morning, urging every ounce of meaning out of them that my frail heart needs so badly. I inwardly prayed for forgiveness and understanding from our Defender, pleading that he would open my eyes to know what to do and think next. I wrote out my worksheets like homework and still, the inside-praying continued. I grasped for any bit of change God would bring to my shaky, wanting heart. I want emboldened truth to replace all the lies and pride and vacillating feelings.

I am seeing how full-to-the-brim these 9 verses are with equal amounts of evidence that we have sinned, boundlessly and will again - but Christ has grace, glorious boundless grace for those yearning - aching - for more faith. There simply are times when our faith seems toned and strong...and times when it appears to be as small as that mustard seed Jesus spoke of. What good am I with faith so small? we wonder. we question our purpose. we, in bewilderment, ask God how we can serve him with such a messed-up life? It all looks wrong sometimes, but I believe God's love and grace is blindingly the more beautiful then, we find in time he is sufficient for us. After all we are from dust, and he knows that. That is why he planned to send Christ. He knew he would find his faithful on occasion in a heap of despair and questions and apathy. He even planned THEN how he would help us in these times NOW.

This is no excuse, or cause for pity. I am just beginning to see again, and be astoundingly full of gratitude, that he rescues my heart again. In this awful-beautiful cycle we run in, of sin and confession, of trying and failing, of time as the prodigal and time as the daughter of a King...he loves us. Of course, he wants us always close and always obediently his. But he knew this would not be the case - and glory be to God for his plan of salvation for us needy mankind!!

I am praying today for the strength to stay His, to know Him better and how to better obey him. And I am praying for greater gratitude for his endless, somehow so patient, grace.

Love to you girls,

Thank you for enduring my transparency. :)

~Cait

Writing this post reminded me of this video I posted last year. Not too ironic it's appropriate again...?:)

Too Long Away...

Hi girls,
I'm sorry I've been away for the last few days. I have been spending a bit of time finishing a devotional/marriage book with my husband. But otherwise I have allowed unexpected work responsibilities, excess worry and so-very-human falterings step in front of my need for comfort and peace in God's Word. I miss it and I miss Him. It's been a few days too long and I owe you all an apology. But I also need to request a small little prayer that I have peace. A lot of things have come swirling through my life just recently, and have kind of hit me upside the head. I have spent the last few days reeling from uncertainty and a certain element of sadness intermingled with ignoring whatever it is I'm feeling. I have been trying to focus on truth and not my feelings, but have been hypocritical in my faith. It's so easy to comfort others and remind those I love of God's promises, but somehow they come across hollow and hard to understand or believe when applied to myself.
I will be back soon, I promise. I just wanted to check in and ask for a little prayer sent heaven-ward - I really am thankful for sister like all of you that I can trust to care and speak the truth in love.
Thinking of you all. :)
Love,
Cait

1 John 1:8-10

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.

When I read these verses at the end of last week, I was struck by the phrase "if we claim to be without sin". My instinctive reaction was - when would I ever claim to be without sin? But as I reflected more on God's words here, I thought of all the "little" sins I neglect to confess and root out of my life. Or perhaps worse, the so-called gray areas I keep at arm's length, not taking the time to see what God's will is (as Paula was writing last Tuesday).

And so, many confessions later, with a humbler attitude, I read these words again and just reveled in God's faithful forgiveness. He never lies. He triumphed over sin, even my sin.

My prayers have been filled with thankfulness for this mercy shown us, and for the opportunity to day by day bury ourselves in the heart of God and listen to his voice in the Word.