February 17, 2023 | Be On Mission
Believe In Jesus & Receive Eternal Life
Scripture: 1 John 5 (NIV)
1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
6 This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 9 We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.
16 If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.
18 We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them. 19 We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. 20 We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
21 Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.
Devotional
It’s all about Jesus.
In John’s gospel he quoted Jesus as saying, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Here in his epistle he confirms this truth, finally saying, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13).
Life can be hard at times. Temptation, evil, doubt, sickness and brokenness permeate our relationships, character and faith. Our faithfulness as well as our sins might be hidden from others, but they are in plain sight to God. This sentiment is echoed in verse 19 which says, “We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.” At the same time I am a child of a perfect God and a citizen of a broken world.
The answer is Jesus. He gives us hope. He forgives our sins. He commissions us to change the very world that is trying to change us. He calls us to be on mission with Him.
What about you? Are you done trying to either survive or thrive in this world on your own power? Are you ready to surrender your life to Jesus alone? If so, offer this prayer to God with all your heart so that you may know that you have eternal life!
Dear Father in Heaven,
I admit that I have sinned. I have tried to do things my own way. I am not worthy of Your grace. But I believe that You sent Your Son Jesus to die for me. I believe that He came to take away my sins. So, today I repent of my sins. I turn away from my sins and turn toward You. Please forgive me and help me to live for You. Send me Your Holy Spirit to live in me and guide me into all truth. Thank You God for loving me so much!
Amen
Poem
War
1 John 5:4
You can build bombs and missiles and store them in silos
You can fashion your iron to spears
You can train up your soldiers and teach them the coldness
They will need to demolish their peers
You can spread propaganda, seek enemies random
You can build fancy chariots and tanks
You can promise them glory, never mention the gory
Of witnessing death in their ranks
You can claim to be winners and your enemies, sinners
You can break and mold scarred hardened hearts
And the wars will continue while young ravage sinew
As the world tears each other apart
But you never will conquer as earth’s resources squander
Until you discover what’s true
That no wars will be won ‘til we all know the Son
Who will come to make everything new
Then all those born of God who walk on this earth’s sod
Will know victory never imagined
For they’ll conquer with faith, Christ new life will create
And death, war and sin will then end
