Do You Know Him?

Before you start todays devotional, ask the Lord to use it to grow you up in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

If it’s online or in print, then it must be true. Too bad many who believe that don’t believe what God says about their own hearts.

What is God’s message? It’s good news! Jesus Christ died on the cross so you can have life in Him through the forgiveness of your sins.

Do you have Jesus? Is He your Savior? Are you trusting Him so that no one can shake your confidence in Him? This is where your life begins. If you haven’t come to this point, you haven’t come anywhere at all.

This is why John has emphasized Jesus as the Son of God. He is God made known in the flesh, the only one who can save us. If you don’t have Him, the only thing keeping you from Him is the sin in your life you don’t want to give up. That decision will keep you from going to God.

John had two reasons for writing this letter (see John 20:30-31). (1) He says if you believe in the name of the Son of God—that’s salvation, and (2) to continue to be sure you believe in the name of Jesus—that’s assurance.

Having this assurance of eternal life will give you confidence and boldness when you talk to God (1 John 5:14). If you are in fellowship with God, walking with Him, wanting His will to be done in your life, then you can ask Him anything. You’re not trying to get God to do something He is reluctant to do. Prayer is not a battle with God; it’s lifting our will to Him, not trying to convince Him to bring His will down to us. This gives us outrageous confidence He hears us and will answer us. He may not give us exactly what we want, but we can be sure He is with us.

We have a heavenly Father who loves us. He wants to help us. However, if there’s sin in our lives or if we’re praying selfishly, He’s not going to answer as we want. Doubting Him or begging Him will hinder your conversation. But when we trust Him, we can be confident He hears what we ask and answers our prayers according to His will. Trusting Jesus Christ is as basic to living the Christian life as it is to receiving eternal life from Him.

Christianity is not a religion. It’s a person—the Lord Jesus Christ. If you have Him, you have salvation. Be alert to anything that stands between you and Jesus. Keep yourself from the things of the world that distract your mind and steal your attention.

God has revealed Himself to us. He wants to drive out the darkness so we can know Him and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. He gives us His Spirit to guide us by the Word of God. His Word becomes our headlights into our dark world.

In an equal and right relationship, God is light, God is love, and God is life.

1. Why would people be more inclined to believe what they hear online or on TV rather than what God says about His Son?

2. Has there been a time in your life when you lacked assurance or confidence in your salvation? How can John’s letter bring assurance?

3. Again and again, John has warned in this letter against sin. What reasons do you think he had for constantly repeating himself?

Additional Resources

Listen to Dr. J. Vernon McGee's complete teachings of 1 John 5:6-12 and 1 John 5:13-21.

For a deeper study of 1 John, download the 1 John Bible Companion for free!