Jesus has a message for you and I that leaps off this page in our passage today. “Don’t be unbelieving. Believe.” Real believing is real life. So, we must ask ourselves what life are we living? Is it real life? Do we really believe what we believe about God and His Son, Jesus, really real?
Jesus has a second message for us. Being Son of God, Jesus had you and I on His mind when He told “must-see-to-believe” Thomas; “Even better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing.” That’s us who believe now! Jesus is talking about us! Do we really believe?
Do we believe for a fleeting moment only and then it’s gone when troubles come? Do we base our whole lives on believing in Jesus and what He did for us? Do we turn every situation over to Him? Do we rely on feelings or believing? Do we ask for His will to be done all day long? What is the depth of our belief? Or is the real question, do we believe or not? Faith grows only when we believe. Believing, as child believes with nothing held back, is the first step to maturing our faith and trust in the One and Only who saved our souls for eternity.
John wrote his eye-witness account of seeing Jesus so that we might believe in Jesus. “These are written down so you will believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and in the act of believing, have real and eternal life in the way he personally revealed it.”
We have a personal God who desires a personal relationship with His created—you and I. God delights in the details of our lives. God is near to all who come near to Him. To those who sincerely seek Him, He will be found. This is a promise that is unfailing. Pause to praise, give thanks while thinking through what Jesus has done, is doing and will do in our lives. Take all the time you need. I am. I believe in Jesus. I believe in an eternity with Him. Do you believe, dear friends? I’m praying you do, too.
Believe and be saved. Live believing.
John—God’s Love
John 20:19-31, The Message
To Believe
19-20 Later on that day, the disciples had gathered together, but, fearful of the Jews, had locked all the doors in the house. Jesus entered, stood among them, and said, “Peace to you.” Then he showed them his hands and side.
20-21 The disciples, seeing the Master with their own eyes, were awestruck. Jesus repeated his greeting: “Peace to you. Just as the Father sent me, I send you.”
22-23 Then he took a deep breath and breathed into them. “Receive the Holy Spirit,” he said. “If you forgive someone’s sins, they’re gone for good. If you don’t forgive sins, what are you going to do with them?”
24-25 But Thomas, sometimes called the Twin, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples told him, “We saw the Master.”
But he said, “Unless I see the nail holes in his hands, put my finger in the nail holes, and stick my hand in his side, I won’t believe it.”
26 Eight days later, his disciples were again in the room. This time Thomas was with them. Jesus came through the locked doors, stood among them, and said, “Peace to you.”
27 Then he focused his attention on Thomas. “Take your finger and examine my hands. Take your hand and stick it in my side. Don’t be unbelieving. Believe.”
28 Thomas said, “My Master! My God!”
29 Jesus said, “So, you believe because you’ve seen with your own eyes. Even better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing.”
30-31 Jesus provided far more God-revealing signs than are written down in this book. These are written down so you will believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and in the act of believing, have real and eternal life in the way he personally revealed it.
Lord and Savior,
I believe. Help me to live a life that begins each day with the act of believing. Help me to love others like you love me. Help me to see your glory at work today and be eternally grateful. Thank you for saving my soul, mending my broken heart and filling my mind with peace as only you can give.
In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen. I believe.
Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus) 