You can have it, too!

I've been struggling to memorize 1 John 1 this past week.

Yes, struggling. Not because it's 10 verses, but because the first three verses are repetitive.

John is writing about life that is eternal, seen, looked upon, handled, manifested, declared and with the Father.

He's talking about Jesus and his personal experience with the Savior.

John says, "We saw Him. We watched Him. We touched Him. We heard Him. He is eternal. He had been with God the Father. And we had fellowship with Him."

He repeats himself to make it clear. It really did happen!

And then he starts the purpose of his letter, "And these things we write to you that your joy may be full" (v 4).

The joy that he and the other disciples had could be had by the recipients.

The following verses explain how to have that joy found in fellowship with Jesus Christ.

Walk in the light, not in the darkness of sin.

Confess sin, and be cleansed by His blood.

Think of that!

The same fellowship that John and the other disciples had with Jesus while He was on earth can be yours, too. You can have joy like they did when they heard Him preach. You can have joy like they did when they picked up the 12 baskets of leftovers. You can have joy in fellowship with the Creator of the universe.

It wasn't me!

Acts 3 records the healing of a lame beggar by Peter and John in the temple courtyard. An astonished crowd gathers as they see this man instantly walking. No surgery. No physical therapy. What happened?

Peter took advantage of the situation to explain the gospel to this crowd. His introductory statement is revealing:

"Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk?" (v 12).

He could have said, "Well, of course, we were able to do this. We were with Jesus for three years. He taught us how to do these miracles. Hang around us and you'll see more!"

But he didn't. He immediately deflected the praise to God.

So often we think that God works through us because we have done something. We've been going to church, praying, reading the Bible, or any number of good things. So it's just obvious that God would use us to accomplish something.

We deserve to be used by God because we've earned it.

That's unbiblical, selfish thinking.

That thinking leads to frustration. When we are doing the right things, but God doesn't use us in the way that we think He should, we get frustrated.

That thinking leads to envy. We're doing the same things that others are doing, but look at how big their church is, look at the people they've led to the Lord, look at the good things they're doing!

We dare not forget that just as salvation is nothing that we have done, so is our sanctification and our ministry. It's all because of God's mercy. He didn't need Peter and John to heal that lame man. He doesn't need you or me to accomplish anything.

If God chooses to do something through me, it's because of His mercy and grace.

It wasn't me.