Tag: Believe on Jesus
Day 4–Believing in God’s Son
Scripture reading for February 5: John 3:16-18“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world should be saved through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the Name of the only Son of God.”
To become a person of faith, we must believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. We respond to God the Father’s great love for all mankind demonstrated by sending His only Son to provide escape from eternal damnation as the penalty for our sins. Our sin is recorded in heaven and would be used to determine our eternal punishment if not paid for. Jesus’ stated mission was to seek out and save the lost. (Luke 19:10) Scripture plainly teaches that all have sinned, there is no one who is without sin and we are under guilt and condemnation that we cannot remove ourselves. We have no sacrifice or good works we can do to pay the penalty of sin which is death and eternal separation from God.
Believing is more than just acknowledging Who Jesus is. We must admit our sins, confessing them and then turning away from them to Jesus as our only hope of payment. Faith works by love. Love of God is a choice we make when we change our minds about who is in charge of our life. We move the central focus of our thinking from ourselves, me and I, to Jesus Christ, Son of God Who loved me and gave His life for me and the whole world. Faith rests in Who Jesus is and what He said; “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes on Him should not perish but have eternal life.” All we can do is say ‘amen.’ If we chose not to believe in Jesus Christ and His Word, we are under condemnation still. Truly believing in Jesus is the only way to become a Faith responder.
Prayer: Father God, thank You for sending Your only Beloved Son to seek and save lost people, of which I was one. I confessed my sins to You and asked for Your mercy and cleansing from guilt and shame. I now have Your assurance that I will not perish but have eternal life! Praise Jesus! Amen!
Work that profits for eternity
Scripture reading for October 23rd: John 6, Psalm 61, Proverbs 25
John 6: 25-29 “When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on Him God the Father has set His seal.” Then they said to Him, What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe on Him Whom He has sent.””
Jesus had just fed the multitude of five thousand and the crowd was talking of making Him king by force. Jesus withdrew to the mountain to pray. He later walked on water to meet His disciples on the Sea of Galilee during a storm. When the people realized that Jesus had left, they went in search of Him. Jesus knew what was in their hearts. Jesus told them that they were seeking Him for the food He had provided. The food that perishes was not to be the focus of their efforts, but Jesus encouraged them to seek the food that endures to eternal life. He was the true ‘Bread of Life’, coming from heaven to reveal the Father. He encouraged them that the work that God required of them was faith–believing in Him, the Son of God. God’s glory was being revealed to all who would receive by faith.
Psalm 61:1-2 “Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint. Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I, for You have been my Refuge, a strong Tower against the enemy.”
Prayer: Father God, thank You for doing the ‘work’ of salvation for us through Your Son. You have heard our cry for help and lead us to the Rock, Jesus Christ. Forgive me when I have sought You for earthly needs alone, not recognizing my true hunger for eternal things. Use me in my every-day life and relationships to live by faith and share Your eternal Truth of Jesus, the Bread of Life.
Proverbs 25:2 “It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.”