Finding Life

Hey there, and welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Our reading, titled Finding Life, was written by Dave Brannon. It was a natural step for Brett to attend a Christian college and study the Bible. After all, he'd been around people who knew Jesus his whole life—at home, at school, at church. He was even gearing his college studies toward a career in Christian work. But at age 21, as he sat with a small congregation in an old country church and listened to a pastor preach from 1 John, he made a startling discovery. He realized that he was depending on knowledge and the trappings of religion and that he'd never truly received salvation in Jesus. He felt that Christ was tugging at his heart that day with a sobering message, "'You don't know me.'" The Apostle John's message is clear.

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. We can overcome the world, as John puts it, only by belief in Jesus—not knowledge about him, but deep, sincere faith, demonstrated by our belief in what he did for us on the cross. That day, Brett placed his faith in Christ alone. Today, Brett's deep passion for Jesus and his salvation are no secret.

It comes through loud and clear every time he steps behind the pulpit and preaches as a pastor, my pastor. 1 John 5, 11, and 12 says, God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life. For all who have found life in Jesus, what a comforting reminder this is. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from 1 John 5, verses 1-5. Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God—by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is the love for God—to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world?

Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. Let's pray. Lord, thank you so much for your gift of salvation, for loving us, for rescuing us, and saving us. And thank you for the people that guide us and point us to faith in you. We love you, Lord. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening today. I'm Stephen Tabor and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.