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I am clean

Devotional Life

Monday Devotional – January 31, 2022

I AM CLEAN.

‘The words I have spoken over you have already cleansed you. ‘ John 15:3

Read:

John 13:1,3-11

'Jesus knew that the night before Passover would be his last night on earth before leaving this world to return to the Father’s side. All throughout his time with his disciples, Jesus had demonstrated a deep and tender love for them. And now he longed to show them the full measure of his love. Now Jesus was fully aware that the Father had placed all things under his control, for he had come from God and was about to go back to be with him. So he got up from the meal and took off his outer robe, and took a towel and wrapped it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ dirty feet and dry them with his towel. But when Jesus got to Simon Peter, he objected and said, “I can’t let you wash my dirty feet—you’re my Lord!” Jesus replied, “You don’t understand yet the meaning of what I’m doing, but soon it will be clear to you.” Peter looked at Jesus and said, “You’ll never wash my dirty feet—never!” “But Peter, if you don’t allow me to wash your feet,” Jesus responded, “then you will not be able to share life with me.” So Peter said, “Lord, in that case, don’t just wash my feet, wash my hands and my head too!” Jesus said to him, “You are already clean. You’ve been washed completely and you just need your feet to be cleansed—but that can’t be said of all of you.” For Jesus knew which one was about to betray him, and that’s why he told them that not all of them were clean.'

Reflect:

What does it mean to be clean really? Last week we boldly declared God’s word saying “I am forgiven”. How are the two concepts different? In 1 John 1: 9 God promised both forgiveness and cleansing.

Imagine that you spilled coffee all over your friend’s crisp white shirt on a Monday morning right before the major meeting with the executives. You say you are sorry, your friend forgives you but the evidence of the spill is still splattered across what was once a clean shirt.

Forgiveness is the pardon, cleansing is the removal of the stain associated with your shortcomings. God is in the business of not only pardoning our sins but also of wiping our records clean. He remembers our sin no more. ‘“I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins. ‘ Isaiah 43:25.

I believe we sometimes forget that we are not only forgiven but we are cleansed from the things that once polluted our souls. We aren’t dirty anymore. Jesus says my words spoken over you have already cleansed you.

When God sees you he no longer sees or remembers the version of you too filthy for His presence. He sees the Advocate Jesus who died so our filthy rag rendition of righteousness can be exchanged for His cleansed robe.

Today God is giving us an invitation:  ‘Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. ‘ Isaiah 1:18

Song of the Week:

Natalie Grant is one of my favorite Christian Singers. I believe her voice has some direct connection to God. Listen and meditate while you listen to this song: “Clean”

Journal Prompt:

  1. In what area of my life do I feel dirty, stained and or unworthy?
  2. How has God’s word spoken over me provided a way out or a cleansing?

Pray:

Dear Jesus, I thank You that You not only forgive but You wipe our records clean. Thank You Lord for reviving and refreshing my spirit in Jesus name. Amen

Affirmation:

I am clean. My soul no longer bears the stain of my past sin. I am washed and made whole!

Have a great week!

See you next week for another Mocha Monday – a weekly Monday Devotional by Lady Kavan.

To read more from Lady Kavan, check out her blog 

You can find Lady Kavan on Amazon. Follow this link for an overview of her available books

I am forgiven

Christianity Devotional Life

Monday Devotional – January 24, 2022

I AM FORGIVEN

‘I am writing to you who are God’s children because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus. ‘ 1 John 2:12

Read:

John 8:1-11

'Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust. When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” ---------- '

Reflect: 

Guilt is a heavy emotion. I think of it as a pandora box stuffed with other not so lovely ones like fear, anxiety, condemnation, self loathing and depression. There were days when guilt weighed so heavily on me that I was sure at any moment some freak accident would take me out. The truth is, I knew for certain I was guilty of a lifestyle that dishonored God. 

There were times though I felt nothing. It was as if I was unaware of my sin, at least until I got into God’s presence. Like Isaiah I had to declare “woe is me for I am undone. I am a man of impure lips.” I used my own words though. 

Contrast these to the feeling of absolute freedom when God lifts the weight of sin from our hearts. The relief makes you feel like a whole new person. To the sinner (in other words ALL of us) God says… neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more. 

So my friends, let us confess our sins. He is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. The best part is He wants to forgive. The only prerequisites are confession and asking for it.

Song of the Week:

This is a powerful oldie but goodie. The lyrics are are powerful scriptural imagery of how God deals with our sin. The song is: East from the West by Casting Crown

Journal Prompt:

  • Is there any area in my life where I am holding on to shame inducing guilt?
  • Why is it so hard to release the guilt and accept God’s forgiveness?

Pray:

Jesus I do not deserve your forgiveness, yet You offer it. I am extremely grateful! Forgive me for every sin and cleanse me deep within of everything that offends You. I thank You, that once I confess my sins You are faithful and just to forgive and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I accept your forgiveness in Jesus name AMEN.

Affirmation:

I am forgiven. No accuser within or without has the power to condemn me because Jesus has already removed my sins. As far as the east is from the west so far has He cast away them. I AM FORGIVEN

Have a great week!

See you next week for another Mocha Monday – a weekly Monday Devotional by Lady Kavan.

To read more from Lady Kavan, check out her blog 

You can find Lady Kavan on Amazon. Follow this link for an overview of her available books

I am loved.

Christianity Devotional

Monday Devotional – January 17, 2022

Mocha Monday – I AM LOVED.

This is love: He loved us long before we loved him. It was his love, not ours. He proved it by sending his Son to be the pleasing sacrificial offering to take away our sins. 1 John 4:10 (TPT)

Read: 1 John 4:7-13

“Those who are loved by God, let his love continually pour from you to one another, because God is love. Everyone who loves is fathered by God and experiences an intimate knowledge of him. The light of God’s love shined within us when he sent his matchless Son into the world so that we might live through him. The one who doesn’t love has yet to know God, for God is love.

This is love: He loved us long before we loved him . It was his love, not ours. He proved it by sending his Son to be the pleasing sacrificial offering to take away our sins. Delightfully loved ones, if he loved us with such tremendous love, then “loving one another” should be our way of life! No one has ever gazed upon the fullness of God’s splendor. But if we love one another, God makes his permanent home in us, and we make our permanent home in him, and his love is brought to its full expression in us. And he has given us his Spirit within us so that we can have the assurance that he lives in us and that we live in him.”

The Passion Translation

Reflect:

My husband and I had a debate about who said “I love you” first. I won’t tell you who won (Hint: not him). The truth is, declaring your love to someone for the first time requires bravery because the truth is we don’t know if they feel the same. The possibility of rejection looms over your heart and anxiety about what happens after this moment arrests your heart. 

Fortunately, when it comes to our relationship with Christ, we have no reason to fear. The scripture says it plainly. He loved us first and gave the ultimate sacrifice to prove it. Jesus came to earth to fix the thing that separates us from Him. He fixed our sin problem by offering Himself as a sin offering permanently and perpetually for our sin. Now, once we accept his gift, we are free from sin’s dominion over our lives. 

Oh what love! We can be free of the anxiety and fear that God doesn’t love us back. There is no debate on the matter. You are loved! I am loved.

Today as you go through the mundane or unexpected, thrills or pain of the day, rest in the knowledge that you are loved by God who is Love. You are loved by Love Himself.

Affirmation:

I am loved. FULL STOP. There is no debate. According to 1 John 4, I am loved by Love Himself!

Journal Prompt:

How does knowing you are loved by the author, incarnation and essence of love change your perspective?

Song of the week:

Pray:

Jesus I thank you for your love. I thank you that I am loved beyond measure. Help me Lord to live in that truth today and always. Let this truth transform how I interact with you and all those You love too. Amen.

Have a great week!

See you next week for another Mocha Monday – a weekly Monday Devotional by Lady Kavan.

To read more from Lady Kavan, check out her blog or her books