The Joy of Fellowship with God

The Holy Spirit used the Apostle John to write 4 of the books in the New Testament.  The 2 that most people are familiar with are the Gospel of John and 1 John.  The subject matter of the Gospel of John is everlasting life.  John 20:31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

The subject matter of 1 John is living in fellowship with God, being a disciple and making the most of our everlasting life now.   Something Jesus Christ spoke about often.  Fellowship is born out of getting to know someone, building a close relationship with them.    

John 8:30-32 As He spoke these words, many believed in Him. 31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” 
John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. Jesus spoke this in His prayer to the Father on the night He was betrayed and arrested.  If you want to know God you have to know His word.  Knowing His word is key to fellowship and freedom.

Knowing God is a repeated theme in 1 John because knowing Him is necessary to experience fellowship with Him.  And fellowship was the main theme of John’s letter as he explained in his opening paragraph.  
1 John 1:3-4 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.

There is just one catch, God is perfectly holy and pure in every respect.  1 John 1:5 & 6 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.  If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. In other words, if we walk (live) in darkness we cannot experience the fellowship and fullness of joy that John wants us to have.  That is why the very first instruction John gives us is to confess our sin. 

1 John 1:9 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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He knows we really don’t understand how sinful we really are.  That is why He graciously says to confess the sins you know about and He will cleanse you of the rest.  Confessing your sins is necessary for fellowship with God. 
Is it part of your daily prayers?