My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if you do sin, there is someone to plead for you before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who pleases God completely. ??“ 1 John 2:1 (NLT)

            While God does not want us to sin and gives us the ability to resist and conquer sin, there is still the reality that we sometimes sin anyway. If we give into our sinful desires on a regular basis it can lead us to have less and less of a desire to be in God??™s presence, and find us quickly moving toward self-rule and away from the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

            Knowing our hearts and our proclivity toward giving into sin, we are promised an advocate to help us when we approach the Heavenly Father ??“ Jesus Christ, our Lord. The phrase translated ???plead for you??? comes from the Greek word parakletos which is also used in John??™s Gospel to describe the Holy Spirit??™s ministry as a comforter in our times of need. While Satan stands before God to accuse us, Jesus stands before God to plead on our behalf. And guess who wins? Jesus is successful in pleading our case because He can point to the sacrifice He has made for us on the cross, demonstrating that every sin we have committed or will commit has been paid for by His blood.

PRAYER THOUGHT: Father, I am so glad that Jesus stands before You as my advocate. What a wonderful gift you have given me ??“ to not only send Your Son to die for me, but to plead my case in times of need!