Reading your Bible for today April 18

April 18: John 17:1-5

KJV Key Verse: John 17:3
3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Devotion:
This is one of the amazing places recorded where Jesus showed Himself to be truly man and God. He prayed here as a man and yet He spoke with the authority of God, one being equal with God. If ever there was something which should stand out as being a prayer that should turn people’s hearts, then this would be it. But to non-Christians, this may well seem like the ramblings of a man who thought too much of himself. But when we get to know God in our personal relationship with Him, we know just what He was saying here!

The more we get to know the bible, the more we are able to be more confident in it as being the whole truth and nothing but the truth. The more we are willing to live our lives aiming towards that truth, the more we will see just how precious our relationship should be with Him. We are not a religion but a group of people each of whom have a very personal relationship with God. Each one of us has the right to air our sins before God so we can gain forgiveness as He has promised He will do. Each one of us has the promise the way to heaven is through Jesus Christ because of what He has done for us.

Jesus knew what lay ahead. He knew what was to be done. He knew the only way to give us salvation was to demonstrate His amazing love for us by giving His own perfect life in payment for our sin debt. This was a debt He did not owe, but one He willingly paid for us. If that is not the basis of a perfect relationship, then what is? Even throughout this, Jesus made sure that everything was working towards the glory of God. Nothing would detract Him from making sure that God came first. Nothing would break His relationship with God until it came time to take on our sins. That was the wedge that temporarily separated Jesus from God. Sin. I praise Him for doing that for me!

Points to Ponder:
How much have your parents done for you over the years?

How much more has God to do for you?