Pamphlet 1007

presents

from the book of John

  Before anything else existed, there was Christ with God.
He has always been alive and is himself God.
He created everything there is---nothing exists that he didn't make.
Eternal life is in him, and this life gives light to all mankind.
His life is the light that shines through the darkness---and the darkness can never extinguish it.

  But although he made the world, the world didn't recognize him when he came.

  All they needed to do was to trust him to save them.
All those who believe this are reborn!
---not a physical rebirth resulting from human passion or plan---
but from the will of God.

    And Christ became a human being and lived here on earth among us
and was full of loving forgiveness and truth.
And some of us have seen his glory---the glory of the only Son of the heavenly Father.

    John the Baptist said, "Look! There is the Lamb of God who takes away the world's sin!
He is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.
I saw it happen to this man, and I therefore testify that he is the Son of God."

"As Moses in the Wilderness
lifted up the bronze image of a serpent on a pole,
even so I must be lifted up upon a pole,
so that anyone who believes in me will have eternal life".
Note: Read Numbers 21:8-9

"There is no eternal doom awaiting those who trust him to save them.
But those who don't trust him have already been tried and condemned
for not believing in the only Son of God.

Their sentence is based on this fact:
that the Light from heaven came into the world,
but they loved the darkness more than the Light, for their deeds were evil.
They hated the heavenly Light because they wanted to sin in the darkness.
They stayed away from that Light for fear their sins would be exposed and they would be punished.
But those doing right come gladly to the Light to let everyone see that they are doing what God wants them to."

John wrote, And all who trust him---God's Son---to save them have eternal life.

Jesus said, "It's not where we worship that counts, but how we worship

---is our worship spiritual and real?
Do we have the Holy Spirit's help?

For God is Spirit, and we must have his help to worship as we should.

Jesus said, "I am the Messiah!"

I say emphatically that anyone who listens to my message and believes in God who sent me has eternal life,
and will never be damned for his sins,
but has already passed out of death into life.

You search the Scriptures,
for you believe they give you eternal life.

And the Scriptures point to me!
Yet you won't come to me so that I can give you this life eternal!

You shouldn't be so concerned about perishable things like food.
No,
spend your energy seeking the eternal life that I,
the Messiah,
can give you.

For God the Father has sent me for this very purpose.

The true Bread is a Person---
the one sent by God from heaven,
and he gives life to the world.
I am the Bread of Life

For I have come here from heaven to do the will of God who sent me,
not to have my own way.
And this is the will of God,
that I should not lose even one of all those he has given to me,
but should raise them to eternal life at the Last Day.
For it is my Father's will that everyone who sees his Son and believes on him
should have eternal life---
that I should raise him at the Last Day.

How earnestly I tell you this---anyone who believes in me already has eternal life!
Yes, I am the Bread of Life!
With all the earnestness I possess I tell you this:
Unless you eat the flesh of the Messiah and drink his blood,
you cannot have eternal life within you.

Only the Holy Spirit gives eternal life.
Those born only once, with physical birth, will never receive this gift.
But now I have told you how to get this true spiritual life.

But some of you don't believe me.

Jesus said,
If anyone is thirsty,
let him come to me and drink.
For the Scriptures declare that rivers of living water shall flow from the inmost being of anyone who believes in me."

( John says, "He was speaking of the Holy Spirit,
who would be given to everyone believing in him;
but the Spirit had not yet been given,
because Jesus had not yet returned to his glory in heaven.)"

Jesus said,
"I am the Light of the world,
So if you follow me,
you won't be stumbling through the darkness,
for living light will flood your path.

You are from below;
I am from above.
You are of this world;
I am not.
That is why I said that you will die in your sins;
unless you believe that I an the Messiah,
the Son of God,
you will die in your sins.

You are truly my disciples if you live as I tell you to,
and you will know the truth,
and the truth will set you free.
If the Son sets you free,
you will indeed be free.

The absolute truth is that I was in existence before Abraham was ever born!

In your own Law it says that men are gods!
So if the Scripture, which cannot be untrue,
speaks of those as gods to whom the message of God came,
do you call it blasphemy when the one sanctified and sent into the world by the Father says,
I am the Son of God?

I am the one who raises the dead and gives them life again.
Anyone who believes in me,
even though he dies like anyone else,
shall live again.
He is given eternal life for believing in me and shall never perish.
Do you believe this?

If you love your life down here---you will lose it.
If you despise your life down here---you will exchange it for eternal glory.

And so I am giving a new commandment to you now---love each other just as much as I love you.
Your strong love for each other will prove to the world that you are my disciples.

Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father!
Just believe!

In solemn truth I tell you,
anyone believing in me shall do the same miracles I have done,
and even greater ones,
because I am going to be with the Father.
You can ask him for anything, using my name,
and I will do it, for this will bring praise to the Father because of what I, the Son,
will do for you.
Yes, ask anything, using my name,
and I will do it!

If you love me,
obey me;
and I will ask the Father and he will give you another Comforter,
and he will never leave you.
He is the Holy Spirit,
the Spirit who leads into all truth.

The world at large cannot receive him,
for it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him.
But you do, for he lives with you now and some day shall be in you.
No, I will never abandon you or leave you.

But when the Father sends the Comforter instead of me
---and by the Comforter I mean the Holy Spirit---
he will teach you much,
as well as remind you of everything I myself have told you.

If you stay in me and obey my commands,
you may ask any request you like,
and it will be granted!

The world's sin is unbelief in me;

there is rightness available because I go to the Father and you shall see me no more;
there is deliverance from judgement because the prince of this world has already been judged.

When the Holy Spirit, who is truth,
comes,
he shall guide you into all truth,
for he will not be presenting his own ideas,
but will be passing on to you what he has heard.
He will tell you about the future.
He shall praise me and bring me great honor by showing you my glory.
All the Father's glory is mine;
this is what I mean when I say that he will show you my glory."

Referring to the time after his death and resurrection
Jesus said,
"At that time you won't need to ask me for anything,
for you can go directly to the Father and ask him,
and he will give you what you ask for because you use my name,
You haven't tried this before,
(but begin now).
Ask using my name, and you will receive,
and your cup of joy will overflow.

Father,
the time has come.
Reveal the glory of your Son.
This is the way to eternal life---by knowing you,
the only true God,
and Jesus Christ,
the one you sent to earth!

Father,
reveal my glory as I stand in your presence,
the glory we shared before the world began.

Father
now that I am coming to you.
I'm not asking you to take my disciples out of the world,
but to keep them safe from Satan's power.
They are not part of this world any more than I am.
Make them pure and holy through teaching them your words of truth.
I am not praying for these alone
but also future believers who will come to me because of the testimony of these.

Published by:
Rhine Publishing Co
E-mail address - americanwisdomseries@verizon.net

If you would like to have your essay published
as part of the American Wisdom Series
submit your manuscript to Rhine Publishing Co
at the address above for consideration, or e-mail us
at the address shown on our home page.
 

Click Here to Return to "The American Wisdom Series" Home Page