1 John 1:4-7

We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy. This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.

I think these are some of the most powerful verses in the Bible.  They certainly need to be heard over and over and over again...especially in the church today.  We've fallen prey to a clever trick...getting caught on the tiny things and forgetting what is the most important message of God...He loves us, He wants a relationship with us, He wants us who know Him and to share Him with those who don't know His love so they can have a relationship with Him.  But we've focused on what separates us from others...usually putting ourselves above those different then us....and then totally forgetting that we are to show -- not our love (which is so weak) but God's love...which is bigger than we can begin to know.

A new favorite song from Mandisa starts with these lyrics...."This is not another song about all that we've done wrong, we already know.  It's time for us to celebrate the freedom of letting go.  Let's take some time to think about our blessing...Joy Unspeakable"   There are other lyrics...and I'm going from memory so I might be a little bit off...but you get it. 

I know I fail God on a daily basis....but His love never fails...Joy Unspeakable. Amen.