Reading your Bible for today January 18

January 18: John 20:26-31

KJV Key Verse: John 20:31
31 But these are written , that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

Devotion:
If you wanted someone to believe something that you had done, would you tell them every single little detail about it, or would you tell them just enough to get them to believe? It is part of the human brain to seek out more detail for things that we are told about, but if we are told everything there is to know about it, then we are unlikely to go out and find out more.

Whether the disciples knew it at the time or not, God was guiding them to do exactly that. They have written, each in their own words, a summary of the things which Christ did whilst He was here on earth. They have put these all into words which have been gathered together in the Bible for us. What they have written between them is an amazing record of what did happen, and we know it to be true by the fact that they all agree.

If you were to go into any criminal justice department or court, you would find the same thing. Each witness gives an account as they remember it, the whole being put together such that we have a string of events good enough to allow us see the truth. The jury then has the choice as to whether they want to believe what has been placed before them. Just like that, we have the choice as to whether we want to believe the Bible, a string of facts that is whole enough to convince anyone that reads it.

Thomas wanted to see Jesus before he would believe, saying he wanted to be able to touch Him. But when he was confronted by Jesus, his response was simple “My Lord and my God.” He had facts to believe in. We need faith to believe. We have been given the whole truth and nothing but the truth and now we have to deliberate on the verdict. The more people who are able to read the whole truth, the more will believe in it...

Points to Ponder:
How many court decisions do you believe without being there?

How will you share Christ’s court hearing?