A Daily Purpose

Bible Study & Devotional 334

Guiding Scripture: 1 John 1:6-7 ”If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 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, purifies us from all sin.”

Headed for Self-Deception

written by: Torrie Slaughter

Before I submit what I believe to be an excellent summary and application for our guiding scripture, let us prepare our hearts to receive the truth.

Can you hold up a mirror while someone confesses their sins?

That was a bit of a trick question because it begs you to choose the reflection direction. I am guilty of self-righteous thoughts and behaviors because my flesh would rather stand silently with you than admit I committed the same offenses. While I struggle to maintain humility, it is a daily battle to keep my focus on Jesus. Oh, how uncomfortable it is to confront our errors, but it is totally liberating when we do!

To combat my desire for self-preservation, I began reading other devotionals about deception and grieving the Holy Spirit. 

I would love to share his beautiful and applicable litmus test from My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers.

{Do Not Quench The Spirit}

“Beware if in sharing your personal testimony you continually have to look back, saying, “Once, a number of years ago, I was saved.” If you have put your “hand to the plow” and are walking in the light, there is no “looking back”- the past is instilled into the present wonder of fellowship and oneness with God. If you get out of the light, you become a sentimental Christian and live only on your memories, and your testimony will have a hard metallic ring around it. Beware of trying to cover up your present refusal to “walk in the light” by recalling your past experiences when you did “walk in the light.” Whenever the Spirit gives you that sense of restraint, call a halt and make things right, or else you will go on quenching and grieving Him without even knowing it. 

Never become attached to anything that continues to hurt God.  

Pretenders

• Self-deception is a process of denying or rationalizing the relevance, significance, or importance of opposing evidence and logical argument. Self-deception involves convincing oneself of a truth (or lack of truth) not to reveal any self-knowledge of the deception.

While praying and meditating today, I hope we will recognize our present faults and sins. We need a living Savior, and He has conquered the grave. Jesus is the incarnation of the preexistent Word, possessing true humanity and divinity. God sent His Son to save our souls. Jesus became part of creation so that we could boldly profess our faith. Let us be careful not to quench the Holy Spirit, Jesus left with us. We can confess our sins because God is faithful and just, He will cleanse us from all unrighteousness including our self-deception. 

Prayer: Dear Father, deliver me from my wickedness because I love you, God, and want to follow Your command. Reveal my iniquities so that I may repent. Please do not allow my pride to overshadow my desire to be your humble servant. Place your words in my heart that I may offer a pleasing aroma through all that I do. Amen

The Bible In A Year Daily Reading Plan

Wednesday, November 30, 2022

Daniel 7:1-28, 1 John 1:1-10, Psalm 119:153-176, Proverbs 28:23-24