1 John 1:6-7 “If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”
There is nothing worse than working hard to accomplish something and finding out in the end it was all a waste.
When Dad and I first got married I was excited about setting up our housekeeping. I had all sorts of new kitchen stuff from bridal showers and gifts. I organized the closets and searched the local newspapers for ways to save money while stocking the pantry. After clipping all sorts of great coupons I grabbed my list and headed to the store.
My heart swelled with pride as I dropped groceries in the cart and thought about all the cash I would be keeping in my pocket. Dad was going to be thrilled. Finally I plunked all the items onto the register belt, and humbly averted my eyes as the dinging of the register announced each item and corresponding coupon to the people around me. Don’t they wish they could be as thrifty as I was?
It wasn’t until I got home and started unloading the car that a devastating thought struck me. Though the register tape said I saved a large amount of cash, in actuality I spent more than I originally planned on. I saved 25 cents on numerous two-dollar items that I really didn’t need and wouldn’t have normally bought. I mean, how much Pepto-Bismol is necessary to keep in your medicine chest? 25 years later and that bottle may still be in the closet! ☺
I can laugh at my experience now and there was really no harm done. I gained a valuable lesson, and over the years have learned to consider carefully if any savings I might receive from a fantastic coupon is really worth my investment. But there are other mistakes that have greater consequences.
There are many people who feel very confident in their relationship with God. They believe they know all the right answers and have done all the right things. If you were to ask them, they would assure you that they have fellowship with the God of the universe, but someday they will find out they were mistaken. What a tragedy that will be!
How can you be sure you are right with God? John gives us the answer.
Only those who walk in the light of God’s presence and have allowed the blood of Jesus to cleanse them from all sin have true fellowship with God. Those who say they are right with God but habitually walk in the darkness of sin are lying to themselves and not practicing the truth. But for the one who confesses his or her sins, God is faithful and just to forgive them and to cleanse them from all unrighteousness. These believers who choose to walk daily in God’s light, will not only have restored fellowship with God but with other believers as well.
It is important to think carefully about spending money even when you have a great coupon. But if you come home with a few extra bottles of unneeded Pepto Bismol it won’t be a major castrophe. On the other hand, when it comes to your relationship with God it is crucial to get it right. Do you really have fellowship with God . . . or do you only think you do? Your answer is a matter of eternal life or death.
Love,
Mama
Do you want to be sure you have fellowship with God? See God’s Free Gift.
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