Restoring Joy

1 John 2:3-6 - 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. This is how we know we are in him:  Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.

John must really want us to get this…he has already told us once…that we are liars if we do not obey God’s word and walk like Jesus did.  He is saying that when we truly allow God to have control of our lives…we just naturally imitate his loving nature…and begin to walk like the son he gave up for our sins.  He is saying that when we give our life over to God…study his word and pray for his guidance each day…he will transform us into loving …caring…unselfish children of God….just like his son Jesus.

Sin is not normal…sin is the outward sign that God does not have total control of our life.  Sin is sneaky…it disguises itself as good…or fun…or beautiful….it tricks us into thinking that we are doing nothing wrong. But that sin we allow to manifest itself each day…it robs us of the joy that God wants us to have.  That sin we allow to stay in our lives…it separates us from God…just like Adam and Eve in that beautiful garden….when they hid from God …because they disobeyed him and ate the fruit of the tree of good and evil.  Remember that once Adam and Eve sinned..they were banned from that beautiful garden.

Father…give me strong eyes to see through the tricks of Satan and remove all the sin from my life that makes me a liar. Wash me clean each morning as I confess them to you.  Forgive me for keeping these sins in my life….for allowing Satan to trick me into thinking they were good. Thank you for models like King David who wrote…. “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me” ….in Psalms 51:12.  I ask for you to restore my joy today…and help me put out of my life anything that keeps me from experiencing more of you! Amen.