November 17th, 2021
Last week, we looked at the verse in 1 John 4:16, in which the apostle John talks about knowing and believing the love that God has for us, but God’s love is not the only thing he says we can know. In fact, John uses the phrase we know, or you know over and over again in this particular book of the Bible. He actually gives his purpose for the letter in 1 John 5:13:
“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.”
When I became a Christian, everything I thought I knew about the world was changed by the truths of God’s word. I didn’t have all the answers, but when I gave Him my life, I surrendered to the truth that He had them. A couple of years later, though, I was really struggling. I’d started college and what I believed was challenged on several fronts.
I remember feeling absolutely lost, confused, and upset. I cried out to God to show me what was right. I couldn’t figure things out in my head, but I’d met Him, and nothing could talk me out of my encounter with him. I didn’t go argue with my professors (although I wanted to), post on Facebook or debate with my friends. I went to God and asked Him to show me what was right. I can still remember the sound of His voice breaking through the turmoil. He said, “What does my Word say about those things?” I remember where I was sitting when He said it. It was such a simple phrase, but His voice was like water in a desert. I sat down and wrote all the things I was uncertain about (It was around 20 things if I remember correctly) and I found scriptures regarding every single one of them. I can’t remember if it took weeks or months, but I consumed the truth of His word concerning those things, until I was free. See, it doesn’t matter what we know in our heads if we don’t know it in our hearts. Even more than that, though, it doesn’t matter if we can quote scriptures, if we don’t know the One who breathed them into existence. It’s only the Holy Spirit breathing His word into our hearts that fills us with the truth, in the knowledge of Him. So, I ask you today: do you know?
Do you know him who is from the beginning? (1 John 2:13)
Do you know the Father? (1 John 2:13)
Do you know that it is the last hour? (1 John 2:18)
Do you know the truth and that no lie is of the truth? (1 John 2:21)
Do you know that Jesus is righteous? (1 John 2:29)
Do you know that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of Him? (1 John 2:29)
Do you know that when He appears we shall be like Him? (1 John 3:2)
Do you know that He appeared in order to take away sins? (1 John 3:5)
Do you know that in him there is no sin? (1 John 3:5)
Do you know that we have passed out of death into life? (1 John 3:14)
Do you know and believe the love that God has for us? (1 John 4:16)
Do you know that we have eternal life? (1 John 5:13)
Do you know that if we ask anything according to His will, he hears us? (1 John 5:14-15)
Do you know we have every request that we ask of him, according to his will? (1 John 5:14-15)
Do you know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning? (1 John 5:18)
Do you know that if we have been born of God, the evil one cannot touch us? (1 John 5:18)
Do you know that we are from God? (1 John 5:19)
Do you know that the Son of God has come and given us understanding? (1 John 5:20)
Do you know Him who is true? (1 John 5:20)
Do you know that we are in Him who is true, in His son Jesus Christ? (1 John 5:20)
Do you know He is the true God and eternal life? (1 John 5:20)
If you don’t know, I want to encourage you that you can! You don’t have to doubt or wonder or hope. You can know that you know the One who knows the end from the beginning, so I ask you, again: Do you know?
“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.”
When I became a Christian, everything I thought I knew about the world was changed by the truths of God’s word. I didn’t have all the answers, but when I gave Him my life, I surrendered to the truth that He had them. A couple of years later, though, I was really struggling. I’d started college and what I believed was challenged on several fronts.
I remember feeling absolutely lost, confused, and upset. I cried out to God to show me what was right. I couldn’t figure things out in my head, but I’d met Him, and nothing could talk me out of my encounter with him. I didn’t go argue with my professors (although I wanted to), post on Facebook or debate with my friends. I went to God and asked Him to show me what was right. I can still remember the sound of His voice breaking through the turmoil. He said, “What does my Word say about those things?” I remember where I was sitting when He said it. It was such a simple phrase, but His voice was like water in a desert. I sat down and wrote all the things I was uncertain about (It was around 20 things if I remember correctly) and I found scriptures regarding every single one of them. I can’t remember if it took weeks or months, but I consumed the truth of His word concerning those things, until I was free. See, it doesn’t matter what we know in our heads if we don’t know it in our hearts. Even more than that, though, it doesn’t matter if we can quote scriptures, if we don’t know the One who breathed them into existence. It’s only the Holy Spirit breathing His word into our hearts that fills us with the truth, in the knowledge of Him. So, I ask you today: do you know?
Do you know him who is from the beginning? (1 John 2:13)
Do you know the Father? (1 John 2:13)
Do you know that it is the last hour? (1 John 2:18)
Do you know the truth and that no lie is of the truth? (1 John 2:21)
Do you know that Jesus is righteous? (1 John 2:29)
Do you know that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of Him? (1 John 2:29)
Do you know that when He appears we shall be like Him? (1 John 3:2)
Do you know that He appeared in order to take away sins? (1 John 3:5)
Do you know that in him there is no sin? (1 John 3:5)
Do you know that we have passed out of death into life? (1 John 3:14)
Do you know and believe the love that God has for us? (1 John 4:16)
Do you know that we have eternal life? (1 John 5:13)
Do you know that if we ask anything according to His will, he hears us? (1 John 5:14-15)
Do you know we have every request that we ask of him, according to his will? (1 John 5:14-15)
Do you know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning? (1 John 5:18)
Do you know that if we have been born of God, the evil one cannot touch us? (1 John 5:18)
Do you know that we are from God? (1 John 5:19)
Do you know that the Son of God has come and given us understanding? (1 John 5:20)
Do you know Him who is true? (1 John 5:20)
Do you know that we are in Him who is true, in His son Jesus Christ? (1 John 5:20)
Do you know He is the true God and eternal life? (1 John 5:20)
If you don’t know, I want to encourage you that you can! You don’t have to doubt or wonder or hope. You can know that you know the One who knows the end from the beginning, so I ask you, again: Do you know?
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