1 John 2

 [1Jo 2:1-29 ESV] 1 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. 

Oh Lord, as hard as I try I do sin.  I am so thankful for Jesus and how He intercedes for me.

2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 

A big word, propitiation meaning that He appeased Your wrath towards me for my sins and not only for mine but for all people in all times, Genesis through present day.

3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 

You desire that we obey Your commandments of loving You which are expressed by the first four of the 10 commandments and loving our neighbors as we love ourselves which are expressed by the last six commandments.

4 Whoever says "I know him" but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 

When we love someone, we study them and get to know their preferences and try to do those things that please them.  I try to study Your Word often to get to know you and then apply what Your Spirit reveals so I can serve You better.

5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 

I want Your love perfected in me God.  I want to be in You and to have You in me.

6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. 

I say that I abide in You, I want to walk in the same way as Your Son walked.  Help me to do this better each day.

7 Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. 

Lord, I concur.  All You want is for us to have a sincere and loving relationship with You and for us to have sincere and loving relationships with others.  As it was for Adam and Eve, it is the same for us living 6,000+ years later.

8 At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. 

But we should look at the commandment with fresh eyes each day as we battle against the darkness and seek to reflect Your marvelous light.

9 Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. 

Lord, I try not to hate.  I ask You to help me to try and understand those who are more difficult to love.  

10 Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. 

I want to abide in Your light so that I do not stumble in my race.

11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. 

Lord, keep me from darkness and darkness from me.

12 I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name's sake. 

What an indescribable gift.

13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. 

We all are without excuse Lord. Instinctively we know we must be on Your side in this earthly life.

14 I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. 

Lord let Your Word dwell deeply in me always.

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 

I love only those things that are aligned with Your Word Father.  All else, I can do without.  What the world values is so shallow and so exhausting.  I'd rather rest at Your feet.

16 For all that is in the world--the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life--is not from the Father but is from the world. 

Lord, every single day our eyes and ears are assaulted by those appealing to our lusts and our puffed up sense of self.  Your Word says we are to rule over our flesh and to be humble.

17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. 

Lord, let me value nothing that the world offers, let me desire only Your will for my life.

18 Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. 

Lord, we must be in the last seconds before the return of Your Son.  The evil present in this world hurts my heart so.

19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. 

People who once had faith are abandoning their relationship with You. They are stopping short. Lord forgive them, they are not thinking clearly.  Lord, never let me walk away from You.

20 But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. 

I thank You that You have given me a glimpse of Your wisdom.

21 I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. 

Never let me believe a lie, I only want Your truth.

22 Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. 

Lord, let me never deny You or Your Son.

23 No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. 

I want You both, I need You both.

24 Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. 

Your abiding love has changed the course of my earthly and eternal life.

25 And this is the promise that he made to us--eternal life. 

What a precious promise, eternity with You!

26 I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. 

Lord, deception is all the world offers but I want Your truth and Your truth only.

27 But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie--just as it has taught you, abide in him. 

Lord, You are the vine and I am a small little tiny bud on a branch who depends on You.

28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. 

I do not want to be ashamed when You are revealed, I want to run confidently to You.

29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.

I know that You are righteous.  I practice right standing before You because I want to belong to Your godly heritage.  Amen.

Psalm 3

 

1 A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son. O LORD, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; 

Lord, being a parent is hard especially when there is a problem(s) in the relationship.  I know You understand because some of Your children choose not to have a relationship with You.  When you find your enemies within your own family, that is a hurt like no other.

2 many are saying of my soul, "There is no salvation for him in God." Selah 

When others judge your situation and even decide in their own minds "they deserve it", it is so frustrating.  How could they know the particulars.  Lord, restrain me from ever making such a judgment of someone like this.

3 But you, O LORD, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. 

If only everyone could be more like You Lord.  You protect us, help us see a bigger picture and give us hope when we are going through trials that discourage.

4 I cried aloud to the LORD, and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah 

Thank You Lord for always listening to our troubles and always pointing us to comfort in Your Word.

5 I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the LORD sustained me. 

Lord, You provide Your beloved sleep and You loan us Your strength to carry on.

6 I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around. 

You give us courage to face our obstacles because we know that as Your children, You are for us and not against us.

7 Arise, O LORD! Save me, O my God! For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked. 

You alone can preserve us and dispense punishment to those who deserve Your anger.

8 Salvation belongs to the LORD; your blessing be on your people! Selah

What a gift Your salvation is and along with it come showers of blessings.  Praise You! Amen.

1 Peter 1

 

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 

Lord, I thank you for using Paul in such a mighty way for your kingdom.  It gives me such hope because he too was lost and You pursued him.  You choose us to belong to You.  Thank You for choosing me.

2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

So much packed into this verse Lord.  You know everything and everyone.  You provided a way for us through the Spirit to become like Your Son, holy and obedient.  We were redeemed, bought back by His great sacrifice.  I am so amazed!  Like Paul, I hope for Your grace and Your peace be showered on all believers. 

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Blessings upon blessings Lord.  I aspire to be a blessing to You.  I so appreciate Your mercy.  I have received it over and over again.  Being born again has given me such hope.  Your gift of eternal life spent with You is something I anticipate eagerly.

4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 

And how cleverly You arranged it, no one can steal my inheritance.  What a comfort to not have to worry about it.

5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 

Thank You Lord that I am protected by faith in You and that You who began a good work in me will complete it when Your Son comes to receive us unto Himself.

6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 

I do rejoice Lord even though this world with its tribulations, atrocities and evil can sometimes cast me down, You use these things to help me to understand You and my fellow humans better.

7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith--more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire--may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 

Lord, I desire my faith to be genuine and I want my faith to bring You praise, glory and honor when Your Son returns to this earth.

8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 

I have not seen Him, but I will.  I love Him because He is my bridegroom and I know Him through the Scriptures.  He causes me to rejoice and I feel His majesty.

9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 

To spend eternity with Him, loving Him and worshipping Him.

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 

They looked forward to the promise and I am able to look to look back to what He achieved at the cross but I also look forward to His return.

11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.

There was suffering, but He is alive and seated at the right hand of You.  It has been glory since His resurrection.

12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. 

Lord I thank you for Your faithful witnesses since humankind began who have testified of Your steadfast love for Your people.  To think even Your angels are curious about this marvelous mystery.

13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 

You want men and women of action and unwavering belief.  I want to be this kind of follower Lord.  My hope is set and I hasten Your Son's return.

14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 

Thank You for showing me the futileness of my former ways.  I am now only ashamed of former actions that did not glorify You.

15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 

I want to be holy like Your Son. I fail You sometimes but let me never give up in attempting to be better than yesterday.

16 since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." 

You've said it in Your Word, I believe it and will try to do so.

17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 

I do call on You.  You are just and You are fair.  You know everything, our actions, thoughts and motivations.  I don't enjoy being exiled from Your physical presence but just knowing one day I will see You face to face, I will remain content in the meantime.

18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 

I was ransomed by something more precious.

19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

I am overwhelmed that He would do that for me. 

20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 

How amazing that He endured what He did for mankind's redemption.

21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. 

Why would we put our faith and hope in anyone or anything else?

22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 

I only want to live by Your truth.  Help me to love and serve those made in Your image.

23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 

I hate to imagine what this earthly life would look like if I hadn't been born again and discovered the riches and depths of Your Word.

24 for "All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls,

The physical things of this earth do not last.

 25 but the word of the Lord remains forever." And this word is the good news that was preached to you.

But I will live by Your Word for the rest of my earthly days and in the age to come.  Amen.

Psalm 2

 

1 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 

Yes Lord, I wonder why the nations and their people rage.  Why do they see You as a threat to their autonomy?  As for me, I know without your guidance, I make terrible choices about everything.  Thank You, though, You will oppose their shenanigans.

2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, 

It seems Lord that whatever Your Word counsels, leaders say to themselves, "well I will do the exact opposite.  Who does the Lord think He is?"  Then leaders take it further and egg each other on in their obstinacy.

3 "Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us." 

Why Lord? Those of us who follow You are at liberty, but they see You as holding them back.

4 He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. 

How silly humans must be to You!  The creation thinking it knows better than the Creator who bestowed the gift of life to them.

5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, 

Understandable Lord, humans need to awaken to how imbecilic we can be.

6 "As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill." 

Thanks be to You, for the indescribable gift of Your only begotten Son.

7 I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, "You are my Son; today I have begotten you.

Help me to tell others about their need of salvation thru Your Son. 

8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. 

The world and everything that is in it belong to You.

9 You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." 

I look forward to the time when Your righteous rule comes and evil will not even be a possibility.

10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. 

How much they will answer for when they stand before You in judgment.  

11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 

I want to do this to the best of my ability; I will need Your strength to do it well.

12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

I never want to leave You or forsake You.  I want to spend eternity with You.  To those who reject You, open their eyes to what they are risking.  I am blessed Lord by Your presence in my life.  Amen.

1 John 1

 1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life-- 

Lord, I know You have seen all the course of human history because You have always existed and were Creator of all things including humans.  You have been there from my beginning from the moment of conception when You were knitting me together in my mother's womb.  I have heard you through Your Word.  I have seen glimpses of You through those made in Your image and look forward to seeing You face to face in the future.  John had the privilege of walking with You during Your incarnation.  He heard Your voice, saw You in Your human form, touched You and learned from You the meaning and intentions Your Father has for His children.  One day, I will witness Your glorified body and be truly overwhelmed.

2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us-- 

You chose to come from heaven to earth and undergo the process of being human, yet without sinning.  You showed mankind what a life fully submitted to the loving Father looks like lived out.

3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 

What those who walked with You learned, they told to those they encountered and 2,000 years from Your sacrifice we crave fellowship with You, the Father and all of our brothers and sisters who belong to Your family.

4 And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

Indeed, there is an incomparable joy felt when Your lost and broken children reject worldly ways and abandon themselves to You and Your will for eternity.  

5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 

Lord, thank You for your marvelous light. I can not live without Your light.  Even one breath of my life spent in darkness is wasted.

6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 

Do not let me entertain a single thought of dark deeds or thoughts, because that would separate me from You and that is not a pattern I would want to set for my life.

7 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 cleanses us from all sin. 

Lord, help me to purpose to always walk in Your light, so I might enjoy fellowship with You and the Father and my fellow believers.  I thank You that clean me up and transform me to the image of Your perfect Son.

8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

I do not want to deceive myself, I know that I sin daily in my thoughts, in my words and sometimes even in my deeds.  I want Your truth. I need Your truth in my life. If Your truth is not in me, then I am most wretched. 

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Lord, I need to do better at the discipline of confessing and not just utter a blanket prayer - please forgive my sins.  I need to list them and ask for Your help in slaying them because my soul can not tolerate another second in unrighteousness before you. 

10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Lord, I have sinned BIGLY throughout my life, I admit this.  I would never want to make You a liar.  I want Your word in me always.  Your word is my necessary food.  Amen.

Psalm 1

 There is an idea that I cannot seem to escape.  I want to be better at prayer.  So I feel the need to pray through the Scriptures that I read.  Today's Scripture is Psalm 1.

1 Blessed [is] the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

 

Lord, I want to be blessed in my journey with You.  Prevent me from ever giving heed to those who do not acknowledge You or the standards outlined in your Word.  Help me to avoid the same path of those who do not wish to follow you in all things.  May I never blaspheme or mock You or Your Word.

 

2 But his delight [is] in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. 

 

Lord, I do delight in Your law which communicates Your standards and expectations so that I am without excuse when I fail to live up to them.  I want you to be at the forefront of my mind in all that I do every day. 

 

3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.

 

A tree Planted by the rivers of water brings to mind the idea of peace.  Peace grounded in You will bring forth blessings to others that will not shrink or dry up.  I am glad that man's idea of prospering is nothing like Your way.

 

4 The ungodly [are] not so, But [are] like the chaff which the wind drives away.

 

Lord, chaff that blows aimlessly in the wind has no destination and is lost.  I want to be steady for Your kingdom though I face hurricane force winds.

 

5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

 

I want to stand before You in the judgment unashamed because I am covered with Your Son's righteousness.  I am so grateful that He reconciled me back to You.

 

6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

 

Lord thank you for allowing me a chance at the way of the righteous.  I do not want to waste your precious gift.  Please use me to reach those who haven't chosen You so they do not perish. Amen.