Stan and I were again enjoying breakfast together at the Twelve Baskets Cafe when he mentioned that in his journaling time earlier that morning he’d been reminded of what a neighbor told him about how what motivated the apostle John impacted his life and eternal destination. “The apostle John’s motivation to do what?” I asked.
“Write his gospel,” Stan replied with a smile.
“How’d that impact your neighbor?”
“As happens with a lot of people,” Stan replied, “my neighbor told me he’d been real slow in coming to a deeper faith. He had been raised in the church, but going to church was just that; it didn’t mean a whole lot to him. Even though he had a Bible, he rarely read it.”
“But,” he continued, “he was led to be involved in a study of John’s gospel. It was a year-long study that ended with John’s motivation for writing the gospel being realized in him.”
“What was John’s motivation?”
“That people would believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that as a result of believing they would have the life Jesus came to give.”
“So,” I replied, “from reading and studying John’s gospel, your neighbor came to believe in Jesus and gain a new life he didn’t have before. Is that it?”
“Exactly,” Stan said. “He gained a life he didn’t have when John’s motivation to write was realized in his life.”
“Maybe,” I replied, “that’s a good reason for all of us to read and study what John was motivated to write.”
“Maybe?” Stan asked with raised eyebrows.
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Bible verses to consider:
. . . but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name. John 20:31.
I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly. John 10:10.
For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through Him. John 3:17.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for giving Jesus and His finished work on the cross as the way to life with you, the life that begins here and will continue forever. Thank you, too, that you led the apostle John to write his gospel so that all who read it may believe and have the life you gave Jesus to provide. Even though I know I will spend eternity in your presence, I confess that too often while I remain on the side of eternity, I don’t encourage others to read what John and others wrote so they may believe and have the life you intend for them. Please forgive that foolishness and help me follow every step of your lead in so encouraging others. Thank you that I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Have you come to believe in Jesus so you have the life He came to give, the life that begins here and will continue forever? If no, why do you choose to remain separated from God both now and forever? If you are a Christian with the assurance of salvation and redemption, how are you doing with encouraging others to believe so they will have the life Jesus came to give? If you sense the desire for change with any of this, how is that change going to happen? Is that what you truly want? Why or why not?
The need: Since God knows what we need before we ask Him (Matthew 6:8), what does He know you need to encourage others to believe in Jesus and gain the life He came to give? Spend time studying God’s word, praying, reflecting, and journaling to see what God knows you need. He will show you!
Forward: Do you know other who would or could benefit from this devotional? If so, why not forward it and open them to be part of the conversation between Stan and S. Tory Teller?