Thursday, April 3, 2014

April 3: That you may believe…


Now Jesus performed many other miraculous signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.  (John 20:30,31  NET)

This book was written by John—one of the twelve—through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It was the last of the four gospels to be written, around 20 years after the destruction of Jerusalem, and instead of being a retelling of Jesus’ life, it picks and chooses what to retell in an effort to prove that Jesus was indeed the Son of God.

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John record only a small part of the works and words of the Lord Jesus on earth. But the things that were chosen to be recorded have a special purpose, they were written so that people would have a foundation for their faith in Jesus; so that they could believe that He is the Christ, the Son of God. Once we have faith in Jesus and who He is, life will begin to flow in us. 

Unlike the other gospels, John does not refer to miracles, he calls them signs, and he only records seven. He chose seven special signs that would represent the power of Jesus and His desire for people in this world. Here is the list of the seven signs; please meditate on them because this is what God is ready to do in your life and mine: (1) Changing water into wine; (2) Healing a man’s son; (3) Healing a lame man; (4) Multiplying bread and fish; (5) Walking on water; (6) Healing a blind man; (7) Raising Lazarus. All seven show that the Lord Jesus is God, that He has power over nature, power over disease, and can do the impossible. John’s message is that Jesus has the power to change the problems around you, but more importantly, to save your soul.

Most of the people that read this blog have already been convinced that Jesus is the Son of God. But if you aren't, the best thing to do is read the book of John in its entirety. It will take only a little more than one hour. Sit down and read it all at once, or read it a chapter or two a day until you’re finished. Before you read, ask God to reveal to you whether or not what you are reading is the truth.

The miracles of Jesus are still going on. You’ve probably experienced some of them in your own life, and if you have, be an eye-witness of what He has done in you. If you haven't experienced any of His miracles, open your heart and seek Him. Ask for what you need and tell Him you want to testify to others about how great He is!

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