Monday, April 23, 2012

1 John 5

At the conclusion of John’s Gospel he states the purpose of the book: “that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.”

As he concludes his first letter he includes a similar statement: “I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life.”

Eternal life is life uninterrupted by death. Those who are in Christ are living eternally now. How can that be? At the end of the letter John answers that question: “And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life”

God wants us to spiritually sense, or experience, that we are living eternally. That experience comes through fellowship with Jesus. We can know God and have fellowship with God because of what Jesus accomplished to give us new life. This fellowship with God the Father and His Son, Jesus, comes through our meditation on the Word of God.

The 23rd Psalm is a good place to begin experiencing fellowship with God because it is written in the first person. As you read the Psalm, take your time. Read one verse at a time and allow the words to sink deep within you. Don’t think of David writing those words; imagine you are writing them. When you speak them out loud, you are not just reading scripture; these are your words of affirmation, devotion and trust. Make David’s psalm your psalm.

God wants you to know you have eternal life. Jesus is eternal life. Jesus wants you to have fellowship with Him. Enjoy!

What word or phrase in these verses
Attracts your attention?
Reflect on that word or phrase.
What insights come to you?
How does this passage touch your life today?

Reading for 24-Apr-12       2 & 3 John & Jude

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