Read John 5:31-47. Circle the words that stand out to you. What is the Lord saying to you?
31 “If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. 32 There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is true.
33 “You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth. 34 Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved. 35 John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light.
36 “I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to finish—the very works that I am doing—testify that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, 38 nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. 39 You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
41 “I do not accept glory from human beings, 42 but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44 How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?
45 “But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. 46 If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. 47 But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?”
Digging Deeper
Do you know this children’s song: “Read your Bible, pray every day pray every day, pray every day;
Read your Bible, pray every day, And you will grow, grow, grow. You will grow, grow, grow. You will grow, grow, grow. Read your Bible, pray every day, And you will grow, grow, grow.”
As a young Christian, I read my Bible every day and prayed every day. Did I grow, grow, grow? Did you grow, grow, grow? I grew in knowing Bible facts, but I didn’t grow in my relationship with God. Growing in biblical facts or praying every day is not the same as growing spiritually with God. Lots of people read the Bible and pray, but God is still foreign to them. Is that your experience?
Jesus gives us the key in having a living relationship with God and growing as a child of God. He says, “39You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.”
Reading and praying doesn’t make a person a child of God. The Scriptures point to Jesus as the Giver of life. We have to come to Jesus to receive forgiveness of sin and be born again. Without the new life in Christ, the Bible is like reading an encyclopedia or a textbook. It’s just more facts.
BELIEVE in Jesus, then read and pray every day. The Holy Spirit will open your eyes and your heart to wonderful things. You will love the Savior even more because now you understand what He did for you and for me. Start with Jesus, not with the Bible.
-Kingston