1 John 1:8

"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins..."

"If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to [Jesus], he is faithful and just..."

Come on, now, 'fess up to the truth — it's liberating! Russ Lawson reminds us that to err is human, that we sin, we mess up, we falter, we are wrong, we make mistakes, but God is in the cleansing and forgiving business and can take care of it if we will admit it and ask for forgiveness.

So how perfect are you? Russ Lawson reminds us that we are imperfect, that we make mistakes, and that God forgives those mistakes and makes us perfect in his sight if we will try to live for him.

"This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we..."

What is the dumbest thing you've ever done? Russ Lawson shares a humorous story about eating off his dog's plate, getting the flu, and also dealing with his own stupid actions in his spiritual life and in his relationships.

Why go public with this? Rubel Shelly uses Josh Hamilton's public confession about a slip in alcohol use to remind us of our need to be truthful about the addictions that enslave us.

Who do you blame for your sin? Rather than blame others for our sin or finding excuses to rationalize away our guilt, let's be honest with ourselves and with God!

How important is fellowship to you? Fellowship is so crucial and even more so in places that are hostile to faith: we must take advantage of our freedom to have fellowship.

Irritated with that little mistake you made? Trying to be a perfectionist is not only hard, but it is wrong for you.

Parenting teens is one of the best, hardest, most growing things I've ever done. Melissa Troyer is back living in her crazy world with grace and reminding us that raising teenagers can be embraced as a grace from God despite being hard if it calls us to look at our brokenness and weak place.

"Dear Beloved, I came to your world to be God among you and die as the atoning sacrifice for your sins. However, My ministry for you did not end with...."

Because he knew the true and living God, the heart behind the Scriptures, he could recognize the forger, the fraud — Satan — who tried to distort and misuse truth and Scripture. James Nored and Phil Ware discuss the temptations and trials of Jesus and why they are important to us and what they have to say to us as people who are part of God's story.

Which color would you be? Alan Smith tries to remind us that our goodness comes from Jesus and not from ourselves.

What's true about the NCAA Basketball Tourney and life? Phi Ware reminds us that while the one and done principle is true in much of life, Jesus changed it for us in regard to sin.

"Dear Disciple, John was a masterful writer. He used a simple vocabulary to share nuances of truth and depths of theological insight. His use of such...."

"Dear Child of the Glorious and Gracious Father, As John neared the end of his physical life, he wrote three short letters to help churches facing all..."

"Dear Beloved, As God's child, you need to know that some truth is very basic and very simple. You also need to realize that the evil one, whom John....."

We must never forget God's most consistent message to each of us! Brian McCutchen reminds us that God's love is redeeming -- it forgives, cleanses, makes whole, and buys us back from our messes and lifts us from our burdens.

Where do you unload the baggage and guilt of our mistakes? Russ Lawson talks about unloading the blame and guilt of our sin by admitting it and trusting God to handle it, completely.

He was nitroglycerin; if you bumped him the wrong way, he blew up. Max Lucado reminds of what is necessary when we have failed publicly and why it is necessary.