DIG for Friday the 24th of April…..read what is actually there, don’t add in your own stuff…..1 John 1 v 9

I have often been rebuked for my teaching on communion; I teach that it is not a time for confessing our sin.

Each time this happens the person rebuking me will point out 1 John 1 v 9, as if I’ve never read that verse before!

My reply is to ask them where it says anything about communion in that verse or indeed that whole passage?

“But this is obviously talking about communion”, they say.

What they really mean is that they think it is about communion, or have been taught that it is about communion, so have come to that conclusion.

What they are actually doing is adding their interpretation to Scripture and stating this as fact.

That is a very dangerous thing to do with Scripture.

We are to rightly divide the Word, but not add to it.

Take the account of Ananias and Sapphira; this is another example.

Many people say that God killed them both, and that it states thus in Scripture.

If you carefully read the start of Acts 5 you will have to admit that Scripture does not say that God killed them.

You can make an interpretation and say this, but it is not stated explicitly.

Scripture is to be rightly divided and not added to.

Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord for your written Word, and thank you for the Holy Spirit who is here to help us understand the truth within”.

1 John 1 v 9…..If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness

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DIG for Thursday the 23rd of April…..crushed, destroyed, broken to pieces; just for you…..Isaiah 53 v 10

Isaiah 53 is a wonderful passage of Scripture describing (or prophesying) what Jesus would do.

We mainly focus on verses 4 and 5, however I have to say that my favourite verse to focus on is verse 10, as this verse tells me how much God loves me.

In order to deal with sin and to “comply” with verse 4 and 5 God had to “bruise” Jesus (Isaiah 53 v 10).

This word bruise just does not fully describe the Hebrew word used here.

It is the Hebrew word “daka” and can be translated as these other words; break in pieces, crush, destroy, smite and beat to pieces.

It literally means to crumble, to collapse physically or mentally.

When Jesus went to the cross for you He was crushed, beaten, destroyed and broken to pieces; He was literally destroyed.

The even more amazing thing about this is that it pleased God to do it (Isaiah 53 v 10).

God was pleased to crush and destroy the body of Jesus in order to see you reconciled and forgiven, and therefore given the chance of salvation.

Can you see that this was because God loves you?

Why else would He destroy His only begotten Son in such a manner if it were not out of love?

Jesus was the payment for the sin of the whole world (1 John 2 v 2), and you are part of this world.

So God did it for you as He loves you.

Focus on that truth today!

Speak this out today….”Thank you God that you loved me enough that it pleased you to “bruise” Jesus”.

Isaiah 53 v 10…..Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand

DIG for Wednesday the 22nd of April….stop making communion a thing about you…..Luke 22 v 19

I have been meditating upon Acts 2 v 42 for the message on Sunday and have been thinking about communion, because of the reference to breaking bread.

Communion is a wonderful act of remembrance in honour of Jesus and what He has done; or it should be.

Jesus let His body be broken for our wholeness and let His blood be shed for our reconciliation, forgiveness and therefore the opportunity for salvation.

This is what we should be celebrating during communion.

Instead many of us have been taught and urged to look for sin and ask for forgiveness for that sin.

This is wrong in so many ways.

For a start there is nothing (yes nothing) in Scripture asking you to examine yourself for sin during communion.

1 Corinthians 11 v 23 to 28 does not do this (if you disagree with me go back to those verses and read them very carefully) and 1 John 1 v 9 certainly does not (it does not even mention communion).

It is traditions of men and lies of religion that insists we examine ourselves for sin during communion.

Communion is a time to examine Jesus, a time to focus on what He has done for us.

Communion is about the Son and not about sin.

It is about Him and not about you.

Do this is remembrance of me is what Jesus said when He instigated communion (Luke 22 v 19).

Communion is a time for joy and celebration, not guilt and condemnation (and this is what you will get when you focus on your sin instead of Him).

Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord for the finished work of Jesus Christ and thank you that I can celebrate this during communion”.

Luke 22 v 19…..And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them saying , This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me