Through the Bible - 2 Chronicles 10-12, John 14:1-31
Good morning,
If you were to ask 100 people on the street "what is eternal life" you'd probably get 100 different answers. Many would answer something regarding heaven or an afterlife. But when does eternal life truly begin?
In yesterday's verse and devotional we looked at David's words of instruction given to his son Solomon to "get to know the God of his ancestors."
For today's verse we'll go to John 17, a chapter which contains Jesus prayer for His disciples just before His arrest. The prayer was for His disciples and for us. He explains early on in this prayer just what eternal life is. It may surprise you.
John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. NKJV
Or from the Message
John 17:3 And this is the real and eternal life:
That they know you,
The one and only true God,
And Jesus Christ, whom you sent.
That they know you,
The one and only true God,
And Jesus Christ, whom you sent.
In the video link below, R.C. Sproul mentions a book by Martin Buber, "The Eclipse of God". An eclipse does not remove or destroy the sun, it only hides it or covers it up. He explains how it relates to our society that we have used many things to take the place of God in our lives, often in a concerted effort to hide ourselves from Him (at least in our minds).
But God is not gone, He is always there. May it be our passion to get to know Him and to remove and get beyond the shadow that covers His face, that we may see Him, and pass this on not only to our sons and daughters but others around us, even our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Read the passage in John 17. Several times John mentions "the world". He's not speaking of the planet itself but the "mindset" of the world, or the worldview. Do you hold to Christ's worldview or are you under the "eclipse"?
Think about it today.
How much time do you spend, do you devote to "getting to know" God? My encouragement and challenge to you is to know Him better.
In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
More tools available at: http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace NIV
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
More tools available at: http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace NIV
John 17:1-20
17 Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: "Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, 2 as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. 4 I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. 5 And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.
6 "I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. 7 Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. 8 For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me.
9 "I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. 10 And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. 12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. 18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. NKJV
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