1 00:00:02,650 --> 00:00:14,060 Speaker 1: Life Audio Welcome to the Crosswalk Devotional. We are so 2 00:00:14,140 --> 00:00:17,340 Speaker 1: glad to have you listening with us here today. Today's 3 00:00:17,390 --> 00:00:20,670 Speaker 1: topic is walking in the light rather than in darkness. 4 00:00:21,590 --> 00:00:24,270 Speaker 1: We will return after a brief message from our sponsor. 5 00:00:38,050 --> 00:00:42,590 Speaker 1: Walk in the Light, written by Vivian Bricker, read by 6 00:00:42,610 --> 00:00:48,590 Speaker 1: Rochelle Alberti. Bible Reading If we claim to have fellowship 7 00:00:48,610 --> 00:00:52,320 Speaker 1: with Him and yet walk in darkness, we lie and 8 00:00:52,380 --> 00:00:54,860 Speaker 1: do not live out the truth. But if we walk 9 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:57,460 Speaker 1: in the light, as He is in the light, we 10 00:00:57,500 --> 00:01:00,680 Speaker 1: have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, 11 00:01:00,860 --> 00:01:03,520 Speaker 1: His Son, purifies us from all sin. 1 John 1, 12 00:01:03,500 --> 00:01:11,060 Speaker 1: 6-7 As Christ followers, we have the choice every day 13 00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:14,400 Speaker 1: of whether or not to follow the Lord. We must 14 00:01:14,580 --> 00:01:17,540 Speaker 1: ask ourselves, are we going to walk in accordance with 15 00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:21,620 Speaker 1: darkness or light? Even though many Christians believe they are 16 00:01:21,660 --> 00:01:26,360 Speaker 1: consistently walking in the light, upon closer reflection and examination, 17 00:01:26,860 --> 00:01:29,760 Speaker 1: they may see that they are far from it. Because 18 00:01:29,800 --> 00:01:35,420 Speaker 1: we live in a fallen world, much sin has been normalized. Profanity, lying, 19 00:01:35,580 --> 00:01:38,910 Speaker 1: and taking part in immoral behavior have all been accepted 20 00:01:38,970 --> 00:01:43,610 Speaker 1: by society. Sadly, many Christians also engage in these behaviors, 21 00:01:44,130 --> 00:01:47,330 Speaker 1: and in doing so, walk in conformity with the darkness. 22 00:01:48,290 --> 00:01:51,380 Speaker 1: As Christians, we don't need to use curse words, lie, 23 00:01:51,780 --> 00:01:57,680 Speaker 1: or take part in immoral behavior. Ephesians 4.29, Colossians 3.9-10, 24 00:01:57,820 --> 00:02:02,480 Speaker 1: and Ephesians 5.3. Within the world, we are told that 25 00:02:02,500 --> 00:02:06,110 Speaker 1: it is cruel to use curse words, understandable to lie, 26 00:02:06,590 --> 00:02:11,410 Speaker 1: and acceptable to engage in sexual immorality. If we walk 27 00:02:11,490 --> 00:02:14,810 Speaker 1: in accordance with these teachings, we will be far from God. 28 00:02:15,590 --> 00:02:18,480 Speaker 1: Living in alignment with sin will only bring trouble into 29 00:02:18,560 --> 00:02:21,859 Speaker 1: our lives. Choosing to walk in the light can prevent 30 00:02:21,940 --> 00:02:25,079 Speaker 1: us from falling into these problems. Even if we have 31 00:02:25,100 --> 00:02:28,000 Speaker 1: been walking in darkness for a long time, we can 32 00:02:28,060 --> 00:02:31,030 Speaker 1: still turn back to God and embrace His beautiful light. 33 00:02:32,370 --> 00:02:34,470 Speaker 1: If you are on the edge of shifting deeper into 34 00:02:34,510 --> 00:02:37,690 Speaker 1: the darkness, Remember that your sin is not too severe. 35 00:02:38,530 --> 00:02:41,549 Speaker 1: You can turn back to God today, confess your sins, 36 00:02:41,750 --> 00:02:46,120 Speaker 1: and repent. The Bible tells us, If we confess our sins, 37 00:02:46,630 --> 00:02:49,260 Speaker 1: He is faithful and just and will forgive us our 38 00:02:49,300 --> 00:02:54,400 Speaker 1: sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1.9 39 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:58,600 Speaker 1: Never doubt the power of God's forgiveness in your life 40 00:02:59,120 --> 00:03:01,870 Speaker 1: or the lasting healing He can provide in your heart. 41 00:03:03,150 --> 00:03:08,220 Speaker 1: Intersecting Faith and Life The Apostle John tells us, If 42 00:03:08,260 --> 00:03:11,000 Speaker 1: we claim to have fellowship with Him, yet walk in 43 00:03:11,030 --> 00:03:14,209 Speaker 1: the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 44 00:03:14,990 --> 00:03:17,210 Speaker 1: But if we walk in the light, as He is 45 00:03:17,270 --> 00:03:20,590 Speaker 1: in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and 46 00:03:20,630 --> 00:03:24,429 Speaker 1: the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin. 47 00:03:24,430 --> 00:03:30,450 Speaker 1: 1 John 1, 6-7 Upon reflecting on this passage, we 48 00:03:30,510 --> 00:03:33,990 Speaker 1: see the divide between darkness and light. We either walk 49 00:03:34,050 --> 00:03:38,640 Speaker 1: in darkness... or in the light. Choosing light means choosing God, 50 00:03:39,060 --> 00:03:43,440 Speaker 1: while choosing darkness means choosing sin. Each of us must 51 00:03:43,580 --> 00:03:47,150 Speaker 1: decide whether we are going to walk in darkness or 52 00:03:47,220 --> 00:03:50,750 Speaker 1: in the light. As Christ followers, we need to choose 53 00:03:50,810 --> 00:03:54,550 Speaker 1: the light because this is where God is found. The 54 00:03:54,590 --> 00:03:58,070 Speaker 1: Apostle Paul gives us further instruction on the matter. So 55 00:03:58,210 --> 00:04:00,830 Speaker 1: I say, walk by the Spirit and you will not 56 00:04:00,890 --> 00:04:04,580 Speaker 1: gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires 57 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:07,640 Speaker 1: what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what 58 00:04:07,700 --> 00:04:10,880 Speaker 1: is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with 59 00:04:10,920 --> 00:04:13,240 Speaker 1: each other, so that you are not to do whatever 60 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:16,029 Speaker 1: you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, 61 00:04:16,430 --> 00:04:22,450 Speaker 1: you are not under the law. Galatians 5, 16-18 Walking 62 00:04:22,490 --> 00:04:24,710 Speaker 1: in the light and in the Spirit means doing the 63 00:04:24,770 --> 00:04:29,900 Speaker 1: right thing, obeying God, and faithfully following Him. If you 64 00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:32,920 Speaker 1: are continuing to walk in darkness... Is it because you 65 00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:36,580 Speaker 1: feel ashamed? If so, how can you bring these feelings 66 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:40,800 Speaker 1: to God and experience peace? God will forgive everyone who 67 00:04:40,839 --> 00:04:44,950 Speaker 1: turns to Him and asks for forgiveness. What is holding 68 00:04:44,990 --> 00:04:49,650 Speaker 1: you back? Pray with me. Dear God, I have been 69 00:04:49,710 --> 00:04:53,070 Speaker 1: walking in the darkness for too long. I am turning 70 00:04:53,130 --> 00:04:56,150 Speaker 1: back to You today. The light is where I belong, 71 00:04:56,480 --> 00:05:00,000 Speaker 1: not the darkness. Please forgive me for my sins and 72 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:03,640 Speaker 1: restore my soul. Help me to always choose the light 73 00:05:04,140 --> 00:05:07,599 Speaker 1: and to walk in obedience to your commands. Guide my 74 00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:10,900 Speaker 1: soul and my heart, God. In your Son's name I pray. 75 00:05:11,680 --> 00:05:12,040 Speaker 2: Amen. 76 00:05:13,460 --> 00:05:24,150 Speaker 1: Further reading John 8.12 Ephesians 5.8-20 2 Corinthians. 77 00:05:21,990 --> 00:05:29,150 Speaker 2: 6.14 Thanks for listening to today's devotional. 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