Introduction: Listen to the biblical role of our Heavenly Father. Breaking down the text reveals the multifaceted blessing of having a relationship with our Father. 

1. First notice the word “advocate.” (1John 2:1)

“1My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

The word “advocate” is παράκλητος, paraklétos, (par-ak’-lay-tos), which means called to one’s aid, intercessor, a consoler, comforter, helper, Paraclete.

Jesus Christ lived without sin; therefore, He could pay for our sins. And in so doing, He would become a “go between” for us and our Father. We now have access to our Father. 

2. Notice “My little children”! (1John 2:1)

“1My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

The words “little children” are τεκνίον, (tek-nee’-on), which means a little child. Once we are born into God’s family, we become His children. Jesus Christ (the Son of God) makes it possible to have a relationship with our Father (John 14:6; 3:36; 5:24).

3. This was written to CHRISTIANS! (1John 2:1)

God has made provisions for His children when we sin. Jesus pleads our case before our Father. 

Conclusion: Isn’t it good to know that we can be right with our Heavenly Father because of Jesus Christ?

Praise God!

Introduction: While leaning over the bedside of a dying 87-year-old Christian man, this writer urged him to “Finish Strong.” 

He had fought bravely for over thirteen months for our country in Vietnam, accumulating a total of 24 yrs of service in the military. His family shared that he had practically lived in a fox hole. Therefore, when he retired from the army, he wanted his hands and finger nails to be clean. Fireworks, gunshots, and loud noises seem to put him on alert. He was a soldier. CHRISTians are compared to soldiers.

1. We are to ENDURE HARDNESS! (2Tim 2:1-3)

“Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. 3Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.”

Are you enduring?

2. We are to FIGHT the Good Fight of Faith! (1Tim 6:12)

“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called.”

Keep fighting soldier!

3. We are to WAR against principalities! (Eph 6:10-18)

“2For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

We must know our enemy. Do you?

4. We will return with Jesus Christ who will SMITE the nations! (Rev 19:15,16)

“And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

Jesus wins!

5. We will FINISH our course! (2Tim 4:7,8)

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”

One day we will see Jesus!

Conclusion: Do you want to FINISH STRONG? Continue to fight the good fight.

1. Have you ever said something you wish you could take back? (Col 4:6)

“Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”

2. Speech seasoned with Salt can preserve a family! (Col 4:6)

“Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”

Look back at chapter three:
(Col 3:8)

“8But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.”

(Col 3:13,14)

“13Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 14And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.”

(Col 3:16-17)

“6Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”

(Col 3:18-21)

“18Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. 19Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. 20Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. 21Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.”

The bottom line: What comes out of our mouth comes from our heart.

(Matt 15:17-20)

Introduction: Turn on the light! Let the light shine!! Is your light shining?

Years ago there was a railroad worker whose job was to shine his light from a burning lantern. This was to be done in order to warn those approaching the railroad track that a train was coming. One night as the railroad worker was waving his lantern to warn the approaching traffic a vehicle ran on the tracks while a train crossed the intersection killing the driver of the vehicle. Later, during the court hearing, the judge asked the railroad worker if he was waving his lantern. He responded by saying yes. 

The lawsuit was dismissed. While he was walking out of the courtroom the railroad worker keep repeating, “I sure am glad the judge didn’t ask if my lantern was burning.”

His light had gone out!

Has your light gone out?

Jesus said, “14Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matt 5:14)

1. Jesus is the Light! (John 8:12)

“12Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

He created light. He is the Light!

2. As Believers we reflect the Light – Jesus! (Matt 5:16)

“16Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

 Just as the moon reflects the sunlight, we reflect the Sonlight!

3. In the New Jerusalem there will not be any need for a Light! (Rev 22:23)

“23And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.”

In the end, there will not be any need for light. After all, our God spoke light into existence. 

Conclusion: Since Jesus is the light of the world, we simply reflect the Source of light! So let your light shine!!

Introduction: Three little boys were bragging about their fathers; One said, “my daddy can run faster than your daddy”! Another said, “my daddy is stronger than your daddy”!! The third boy said, “my daddy can beat up your daddy”!!! To which the other boy said, “So WHAT. My MAMA can beat up my Daddy!!!!”

A little girl was asked in Sunday School to explain what the Bible was all about she replied,
God the Father “THOUGHT it “!
God the Son “BROUGHT it”!
God the Holy Spirit “WROUGHT it”!
The devil “FOUGHT it”!
But thank God I “CAUGHT it”!

While not all were blessed to have a loving earthly father (even though this writer was), all who put their faith in the God of the Bible can experience our heavenly FATHER’S PEACE, PRESENCE and POWER.

1. Our FATHER has a CURE for a TROUBLED HEART! (John 14:1)

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.”

What causes heart trouble?
• loneliness
• selfishness
• sinfulness

2. Our FATHER has a NEW HOME for the citizens of Heaven! (John 14:2)

“In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you.”

The word “mansions” is μονή (mon-ay’), which means lodging, dwelling-place, room, or abode.

According to book of Revelation, the NEW JERUSALEM (heaven) is going to be absolutely breathtaking! Listen to the description:

“And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11Having the glory of God…..16And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. {approx 1500 miles by 1500 miles x 1500 miles- cube shape} And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. 19And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones….21And the twelve gates were twelve pearls…and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass” (Revelation 21).

3. Our FATHER knows the HOUR when He will send His Son -Jesus- to come back to earth! (John 14:3)

“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

In the Olivet discourse recorded in the twenty fourth chapter of Matthew’s gospel, Jesus foretells His disciples what
will happen before, during and after the time of Jacob’s trouble otherwise known as the seven year tribulation.
In regards to His second coming (not the rapture), He lets them know that only His Father knows the hour.

“36But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only” (Matthew 24:36).

Introduction: What sin cost one of the highest and most beautiful angels his position in heaven? Pride. Arrogance. The Big SELF! This description of his attempt to be like the most high God can be found in two biblical passages.

1. His “I Will’s! (Isa 14:12-15)

“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.”

While Isaiah’s passage refers to a proud Babylonian ruler, a transition was made by the Holy Spirit to describe a fallen angel named Lucifer not the human Babylonian ruler. 

Did you notice the progression? Lucifer wanted to ….”ascend to heaven, exalt his throne above the stars, to sit upon the mount of the congregation, and ultimately be like the most high.”

However, his desires were interrupted by a sovereign God. Instead, he was ejected out of Heaven. The God of the Bible would not allow him to usurp over His authority. 

2. His Iniquity! (Ezek 28:11-19)

“11Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 12Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. 13Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. 14Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. 15Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. 16By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. 17Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.”

Here again, this passage refers to the king of Tyre; however, the king of Tyre was never in the Garden of Eden (verse 13). The indictment was “iniquity” (v. 15). Evidently, Lucifer was beautiful. But because of his beauty, he was lifted up with pride (v. 17). Consequently, God cast him down to the 1st heaven.

What a lesson for us to learn!

Conclusion: It appears that 1/3 of the angels fell with Lucifer. They are called evil angels. But remember 2/3 did not fall. They are called elect angels. Angels are all around us.

Introduction: Truthfully, have you ever thought more highly of yourself than you ought to… your accomplishments, your family, job, money, spiritual knowledge or possessions? Probably so. Most of us have, unfortunately!

But the opposite of self-righteous pride is humility. In our devotion today, a prideful man robs God of the glory He deserves and pays a high price. 

1. Who was Herod Agrippa 1? (Acts 12:20)

Here is a quote from Wikipedia:

“Agrippa I (Hebrew: אגריפס), was the last Jewish king of Judea. He was a grandson of Herod the Great and the father of Herod Agrippa II, the last known king from the Herodian dynasty. He was acquaintance or friend of Roman emperors and even played crucial roles in internal Roman politics.”

Needless to say, he was a politician – a prideful one at that.

2. Herod makes a public speech. (Acts 12:21)

“And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.”

The word “oration” is δημηγορέω: (day-may-gor-eh’-o), which means to make a public speech, address a multitude.

3. Peer pressure and pride was his downfall! (Acts 12:22)

“And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.”

No doubt this stroked his ego. But much like when a balloon is overinflated and ultimately burst, Herod Agrippa was overinflated with self gratification. 

4. Like a balloon that bursts, Herod’s egotistical self-dependency and glorying in the flesh came to an abrupt end! (Acts 12:23)

“And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.”

God will not share His glory with another. 

Conclusion: The conclusion remains today. Either we give God the glory or we rob Him of His rightful praise. Which is it going be today for you and me?

Introduction: Do you ever wonder how smart (wise) the God of the Bible is? One look at Psalm 139 gives the believer some details concerning the attributes of God.

1. He is all knowing! (Psa 139:1-6)

“O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. 2Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. 3Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. 4For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. 5Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. 6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.”

This text reveals that God knows all about us. Since He does, then what does that mean to you? Hopefully it leads us to love Him and trust Him.

2. He is everywhere! (Psa 139:7-12)

“7Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. 9If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. 11If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. 12Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.”

There is not anywhere that God is not there. That implies that He knows where we are located. That means we cannot hide from the Lord like Adam did. Have you ever been ashamed and attempted to hide from our Heavenly Father? It is no use!

3. He made us! (Psa 139:13-18)

“For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. 14I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. 15My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. 17How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! 18If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.”

Bottom line: Since God made us, we should yield our life to Him. God has every right to rule our life. He has our best interest in mind.

1. Winning the lost takes PRAYER! (Acts 4:31)

“31And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.”

2.Winning the lost takes Power! (Acts 1:8)

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

3. Winning the lost takes PURPOSE! (Luke 19:10; 2Cor 5:14-20)

“And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.”

4. Winning the lost will entail PRIZES! (1Thess 2:19)

“For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? 20For ye are our glory and joy.”

Introduction: Have you heard of the new – most conservative – right wing government in Israel’s history? The prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu has put together a somewhat unified but opposed cabinet. A conservative Jewish man named Itamar Ben Gvir has already shaken the Islamic world by going up on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. His role as minister of police and security will be to restore the occupation settlement expansion in the West Bank, otherwise known as Judea and Samaria. However, the Biden administration is adamantly opposed to this move. Why? Because of the liberal agenda in favor of the Palestinians. But what is important to remember is that God gave Israel that land, and instructed them not to give it away!