- 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. 1 John 1:2 – Something made manifest is something that has been made clear and obvious to you. So John is saying that this life of Jesus and the love of Jesus was made obvious and clear to him by all that he had seen with his own eyes and felt with his own hands. That’s the type of testimony no one can push aside and also the type that makes things personal for people. For us, we need to constantly be growing in our knowledge of scripture to be able to share and defend our faith, but we also need to be willing to share our story of what we’ve seen and felt when it comes to God. Like how you saw Him come through in the past or how you felt His love in your time of need. Like John, share what’s been made manifest about God to you with others. Take advantage of the fact that people can argue all day about scripture, but they can’t argue with your story of God making Himself known to you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 749
- And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. 1 John 1:4 – They saw Jesus. They heard Jesus’ own voice. They existed with Jesus in ways we can only experience in Heaven some day. How amazing would that have been! Yet here we see them saying they are doing something so their joy may be complete and full. What is that thing? It’s sharing what they saw and heard from Jesus with others so they too could join in. This is what completes our joy in our walk with Jesus, when we share Jesus’ love and salvation with someone else. If we aren’t speaking of Jesus and sharing what He’s doing in our story with someone else we are missing the completion of our joy. We’re missing out on the most joyous part of our walk with Christ, when we help someone else step into their own walk with Him. Today, somehow someway with someone seek to share Jesus with them. You’ll find a joy in that unlike anything else. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1714
- If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 – As I write this devotional, I am up early on Christmas morning, before the all the festivities begin, making sure I find time to be with my Savior this precious morning. I’m reading in 1 John that I have the option to confess my sins to a perfect, no darkness at all, God. I see that if I do, He is good on His end to be just and to forgive every single one of my dark sins. This God of light is making me clean from all my darkness so I can walk with Him and have fellowship with Him. I have forgiveness being offered to me and I have fellowship with God being given to me. All because of Jesus. As we then progress through this day, remember what is now available to your story because of Jesus coming to earth like He did, and giving Himself as a sacrifice for our sins like He did. Today we can have life with God! Sins cast as far as the east is from the west, made pure as white snow, welcomed into the presence and arms of a loving God, and given the promise of paradise with our God for all eternity. So absolutely embrace the day with your family to the fullness, yet weave into this day a heart of gratitude to the Lord for what you have because He chose to give such a perfect gift on such a silent, holy night. We have peace on earth, and peace after this earth, because of Him. We have joy in this world, and joy in the world to come, because of Him. Thank you God for loving us so much and thank you God for the perfect gift of your son Jesus! Merry Christmas everyone! I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2583
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