OUR DAILY BREAD DEVOTONAL FOR FEBRUARY 12, 2023 (INFORMATION AND EVIDENCE)
TOPIC: INFORMATION AND EVIDENCE
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Leviticus 13; Matthew 26:26–50
KEY VERSE: But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 20:31
SCRIPTURE: John 20:26–31
Our Daily Bread Devotional INSIGHT
Life is a central theme in the book of John. The book begins introducing Jesus as God’s Word and the source of life: “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind” (John 1:4). Life is identified as being found in the Father and Son (5:25–26) and the Spirit (6:63). Jesus describes Himself as the “bread of life” (v. 35), coming to earth so that “they may have life, and have it to the full” (10:10). After the death of Lazarus, Jesus revealed Himself to Martha as “the resurrection and the life” (11:25) before raising Lazarus from the dead (v. 43). Nearing the close of the book, John emphasized once more that the purpose of all that’s recorded in his gospel is “that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (20:31).
MESSAGE
When Doris Kearns Goodwin decided to write a book about Abraham Lincoln, the fact that some fourteen thousand books had already been written about America’s sixteenth president intimidated her. What could be left to say about this beloved leader? Undeterred, Goodwin’s work resulted in A Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln. Her fresh insights on Lincoln’s leadership style became a top-rated and top-reviewed book.
The apostle John faced a different challenge as he wrote his account of the ministry and passion of Jesus. The final verse of John’s gospel says, “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written” (John 21:25). John had more material than he could possibly use!
So John’s strategy was to focus on only a few selected miracles (signs) that supported Jesus’ “I am” claims throughout his account. Yet behind this strategy was this eternal purpose: “These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (v. 31). Out of the mountains of evidence, John provided plenty of reasons to believe in Jesus. Who can you tell about Him today?
REFLECT AND PRAY
How do you view the biblical evidence for Jesus and His claims? What does it mean for you to believe in Him?
Heavenly Father, please strengthen my faith with solid evidence so that I may truly live for Jesus.
Our Daily Bread Devotional 12 February 2023 || ODB for Sunday Message . Our Daily Bread Ministries (ODB) is a Christian organization founded by Dr. Martin De Haan in 1938. It is based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with over 600 employees. It produces several devotional publications, including Our Daily Bread. our daily bread devotional for today audio our daily bread booklet.
