Nashville, Tennessee, United States - The Upper Room Daily Devotiional "God's Open Day" for Tuesday, 15 July 2014 - Read 1 John 5:1-12

Nashville, Tennessee, United States - The Upper Room Daily Devotiional "God's Open Day" for Tuesday, 15 July 2014 - Read 1 John 5: 1-3 Every person who believes that Jesus is, in fact, the Messiah, is God-begotten. If we love the One who conceives the child, we’ll surely love the child who was conceived. The reality test on whether or not we love God’s children is this: Do we love God? Do we keep his commands? The proof that we love God comes when we keep his commandments and they are not at all troublesome.
The Power That Brings the World to Its Knees
4-5 Every God-begotten person conquers the world’s ways. The conquering power that brings the world to its knees is our faith. The person who wins out over the world’s ways is simply the one who believes Jesus is the Son of God.
6-8 Jesus—the Divine Christ! He experienced a life-giving birth and a death-killing death. Not only birth from the womb, but baptismal birth of his ministry and sacrificial death. And all the while the Spirit is confirming the truth, the reality of God’s presence at Jesus’ baptism and crucifixion, bringing those occasions alive for us. A triple testimony: the Spirit, the Baptism, the Crucifixion. And the three in perfect agreement.
9-10 If we take human testimony at face value, how much more should we be reassured when God gives testimony as he does here, testifying concerning his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God inwardly confirms God’s testimony. Whoever refuses to believe in effect calls God a liar, refusing to believe God’s own testimony regarding his Son.
11-12 This is the testimony in essence: God gave us eternal life; the life is in his Son. So, whoever has the Son, has life; whoever rejects the Son, rejects life.
This is the testimony: God gave eternal life to us, and this life is in his Son. The one who has the Son has life. The one who doesn’t have God’s Son does not have life.(1 John 5:11-12 (CEB))
Recently, I attended our local high school’s open day, hoping to get my son admitted for the next year. Everything was new, exciting, and different, and I longed to see my son in the school. However, while 600 parents were present, the school had only 150 vacancies. I wondered if my son would get in. Then, I found among the application forms a paper that stated, “If you live in the vicinity of the school and are a rightful resident in the area, you will not be refused entry.” What a relief! I am a relatively new Christian and often have doubts about being accepted into heaven. This experience helped me to see Easter as God’s open day for entry into God’s heavenly kingdom. The news of the kingdom is good news for everyone. Anyone can apply. If Jesus is our Lord and Savior and we live faithfully, our admission is guaranteed. We may fail a grade or two or get bad marks; but if Jesus lives in our hearts, we will get in.
The Author: Sue Peters (Eastern Cape, South Africa)
Thought for the Day: Because God is faithful we can be certain of eternal life.
Prayer: God of all, increase our faith in your word and give us courage to seek to live near the cross always. Amen.

Prayer focus: Those who struggle with doubt
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