As we head into day 12 of the next devotional related to dads and the one that came up is an interesting one as it is one on the topic of being popular and using that influence for the good of others. It was also interesting because even though I searched for “dad” it invites middle school students to join the devotional. I am excited to see how this devotional will play into our series of devotionals for dad and how God will choose to use it through me to help us be the dads He purposed and created and planned for us to be! Even as dads we need encouragement to recognize the influence we have. As dads, we need to also use it for the good of others! Popular is a 15-day devotional! Popular comes to us from a group name reThink Group.
Let’s check out our scriptures for today’s devotional:
‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. ‘
1 John 1:9
God’s Word never returns void! God’s Word is active and alive! Let’s receive what God has to say so that we can live to His fullness!
Let’s be the dads who imitate Jesus! Let’s be the dads who confess our sins because like David speaks to us in Psalm 32, it is what we need to do.
‘Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord .” And you forgave the guilt of my sin. Therefore let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found; surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them. You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you. Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him. Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!’
Psalms 32:1-11
God’s Word reminds us how all have sinned and so let’s be the dads who get in the habit of confessing our sins to God because He is faithful and just to forgive us! Let’s be the dads who grab hold of the truth of God and rather than trying to carry the burden and the guilt of our sins, let’s confess them and give it up to and over to God! Let’s be the dads whoconsider what God has to tells us through the gospels:
- ‘ And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. ‘ Matthew 6:12
- ‘And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” ‘ Mark 11:25
- ‘ Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation. ’ ” ‘ Luke 11:4
Let’s be the dads who forgive others because we know that as we forgive others of their sins, God will also forgive our sins.
‘ For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. ‘
Matthew 6:14-15
Let’s be the dads who give up all our sin and confess it to God and allow ourselves to be purified by the blood of Jesus! Let’s be the dads who understand that we are forgiven through Jesus and also that if and when we win that we should confess our sins to our Heavenly Father because He cares for us! Let’s be the dads who meditate on God’s Word and investigage its meaning like today’s verse and find information like seeking forgiveness and receiving divine forgiveness!
Seeking Forgiveness
The Bible clearly teaches that Christians should seek forgiveness.
Consider this:> In each one of the penitential psalms (Ps. 6; 32; 38; 51; 102; 130; 143), the psalmist is demonstrating the heart of a justified believer when he seeks forgiveness. In each case the psalmist is already a believer, fully forgiven.
> In the gospels, Christ taught believers to ask the Father to forgive their sins (Matt. 6:12; Mark 11:25; Luke 11:4). Some of those to whom He spoke were already born again.
> In 1 John 1, the verb tenses show that confession and forgiveness should be a continuous experience. Verse 7 literally reads, “The blood of Jesus His Son keeps cleansingus from all sin,” and verse 9 likewise says, “If we are continually confessing our sins.” Those to whom John wrote were already fully forgiven believers (cf. 5:13).
But the question remains: Why are you supposed to seek God’s forgiveness if He has already justified you? If justification takes care of sin past, present, and future, so there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ (Rom. 8:1), why pray for forgiveness? Aren’t you praying for something that is already yours?
Divine Forgiveness
The answer is that divine forgiveness has two aspects. One is the judicial forgiveness God grants as Judge. It’s the forgiveness God purchased for you by Christ’s atonement for your sin. That kind of forgiveness frees you from any threat of eternal condemnation. It is the forgiveness of justification. Such pardon is immediately complete-you’ll never need to seek it again.
The other is a parental forgiveness God grants as your Father. He is grieved when His children sin. The forgiveness of justification takes care of judicial guilt, but it does not nullify His fatherly displeasure over your sin. He chastens those whom He loves, for their good (Heb. 12:5-11).
Let me show you the difference:
> Judicial forgiveness deals with sin’s penalty-parental forgiveness deals with sin’s consequences.
> Judicial forgiveness frees us from the condemnation of the righteous, omniscient Judge whom we have wronged-parental forgiveness sets things right with a grieving and displeased but loving Father.
> Judicial forgiveness provides an unshakeable standing before the throne of divine judgment-parental forgiveness deals with the state of our sanctification at any given moment and is dispensed from a throne of divine grace.
If We Confess Our Sins – Verse Meaning of 1 John 1:9 (crosswalk.com)
So the forgiveness Christians are supposed to seek in their daily walk is not pardon from an angry Judge, but mercy from a grieved Father.
Today’s devotional has been provided by reThink Group!
Reading through today’s devotional, here are some takeaways for me:
(check out the devotional on your own too to see if you pick up other nuggets, and please share your findings in the comments)
For more information, please visit http://orangestudents.com (About The Publisher)
Takeaways from Today’s Devotional:
“We all sin. We all make mistakes. We all mess up.“
- Let’s be the dads who aren’t so prideful that we don’t realize that we all sin!
- Let’s be the dads who aren’t so prideful that we don’t realize that we all make mistakes!
- Let’s be the dads who aren’t so prideful that we don’t realize that we all mess up!
- Let’s be the dads who aren’t so arrogant that we don’t realize that we all sin!
- Let’s be the dads who aren’t so arrogant that we don’t realize that we all make mistakes!
- Let’s be the dads who aren’t so arrogant that we don’t realize that we all mess up!
- Let’s be the dads who are so close to God, so trusting in Him, that we don’t get fooled by the lies of the devil that we won’t be able to make our way back!
- Let’s be the dads who are so close to God, so trusting in Him, that we don’t get fooled by the lies of the devil that we won’t be able to get it right again!
- Let’s be the dads who are so close to God, so trusting in Him, that we don’t get fooled by the lies of the devil that we won’t be able have the influence we once had!
- Let’s be the dads who know God’s Word and have a relationship with Jesus and as such are able to receive His promises and truth and not get fooled by the devil!
- Let’s be the dads who grab hold of the reality that through God all things are possible and therefore “we have the potential to be so much more than just our sins and mistakes“!
- Let’s be the dads who grab hold of the truth that “when we confess our sins to God, He forgives us“!
- Let’s be the dads who grab hold of the truth that “when we confess our sins to God, ” “He purifies us“!
- Let’s be the dads who are peacemakers and forgivers!
- Let’s be the dads who have received Jesus and have become a new creation because of it!
- Let’s be the dads who know God and know that “He’ll make us new, wiping out what caused us to mess up and giving us a chance to start fresh again“!
- Let’s be the dads who don’t allow our sins, our mistakes, and our messes to hold us back from being and doing all that God has created and purposes for us to do!
- Today’s devotional concludes with the following challenge:
