Day 261 Bible Readings - John 7:38-39 (NLT)

John 7-8, Psalm 106

John 7:38-39 (NLT)

“‘Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’’ (When he said ‘living water,’ he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)”

In John 7:38–39, Jesus spoke to the crowd on the last day of the Festival of Shelters, also called the Feast of Tabernacles, and invited anyone who was thirsty to come to Him and drink. The festival commemorated how Father-God cared for Israel during their journey through the wilderness to the Promised Land, and by the time of Jesus, water had become an important part of the festival ceremonies. Christ was identifying Himself as the One who could fully satisfy the spiritual thirst of the people. Then Christ said that for those who believed in Him, rivers of living water would flow from within them. John identified this “living water” as the Holy Spirit, who would be given after Jesus was glorified.

These verses remind believers that Jesus promised those who have faith in Him that they would receive the Holy Spirit, the source of the living water flowing from within them. The Holy Spirit would satisfy the spiritual thirst of believers. These verses also remind me of what Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at the well when Christ told her, “those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life” (John 4:14).

When I read these verses, I realize how important it is for a believer to know and listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Christ promised that those who believed in Him would receive the Holy Spirit. Through the Holy Spirit's presence and guidance, my faith in the Lord is continually renewed. As I listen to His guidance, I trust that He will lead me in ways that please Father-God and satisfy my desire and hunger to know the Lord more deeply.

If these verses resonate with you—if you feel drawn to place your faith in Jesus Christ, the One who gives us the Holy Spirit to satisfy our deepest spiritual thirst—this may be your moment. Open your heart to Him. Speak to Him in prayer. Tell Him you trust Him and desire to walk with Him. He is faithful, and He will meet you exactly where you are.

Heavenly Father, I give You my life. Please forgive me for all my sins and wash me clean through the blood of Jesus. I believe in my heart that You raised Jesus from the dead, and I confess with my mouth that Jesus is my Lord and Savior. I receive Your forgiveness and the gift of salvation. Thank You, Lord—I am saved, I am forgiven, I am clean, and I am made new in Jesus’ name. Amen.

If you prayed this prayer, welcome to the family of Father-God! I encourage you to find and join a Holy Spirit–filled, full-Gospel, Bible-based church where you can grow in your faith and experience the Lord’s love, signs, wonders, and miracles in your life.

 

Day 260 Bible Readings for September 19 - John 6:67-69 (NLT)

John 5-6, Psalm 105

John 6:67-69 (NLT)

“Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, ‘Are you also going to leave?’ Simon Peter replied, ‘Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.’”

In John 6:67–69, Jesus turned to His twelve disciples and asked them if they were going to leave Him as well. Jesus had finished explaining to His followers that He was the Bread of Life. Earlier, He had challenged those who followed Him because they had eaten the bread He miraculously provided, rather than because they understood the significance of the miracle. As His teaching became more difficult, many of His disciples turned away and stopped following Him. Peter answered that they had no one else to follow because Jesus had the words of eternal life. Peter said they believed and knew that Christ was the “Holy One of God.”

These verses remind believers that they may experience confusion or doubt in their faith when the Lord's words or teachings are difficult to understand or accept. But if they love, trust, and believe in Jesus Christ, they need to remain committed to Him, just as His disciples did. There is no substitute for Christ or for His words, which give eternal life. A Bible commentary I read stated that following Christ cannot be based simply on curiosity. Following Jesus means making a personal, informed decision and commitment to remain with Father-God, who holds the key to eternal life.

When I read these verses, I began to wonder about my own commitment to the Lord. Was I following Jesus Christ for material or earthly motivations? Did I make an informed decision and commitment to follow Father-God? Since joining my new church over the past year and a half, I've witnessed things I cannot explain naturally, including what I believe were supernatural healings where people presented before-and-after evidence of changes in their bodies. I've seen people who were addicted to drugs or smoking give them up without having to wean themselves off and without the side effects they expected. I also experience feelings of peace and gratitude for my life that don't go away and still leave me in awe daily. Like Peter, I know why I remain: I have come to believe and trust in the Lord and in His words of eternal life.

If these verses resonate with you—if you feel drawn to place your faith in Jesus Christ, the One whose words offer eternal life—this may be your moment. Open your heart to Him. Speak to Him in prayer. Tell Him you trust Him and desire to walk with Him. He is faithful, and He will meet you exactly where you are.

Heavenly Father, I give You my life. Please forgive me for all my sins and wash me clean through the blood of Jesus. I believe in my heart that You raised Jesus from the dead, and I confess with my mouth that Jesus is my Lord and Savior. I receive Your forgiveness and the gift of salvation. Thank You, Lord—I am saved, I am forgiven, I am clean, and I am made new in Jesus’ name. Amen.

If you prayed this prayer, welcome to the family of Father-God! I encourage you to find and join a Holy Spirit–filled, full-Gospel, Bible-based church where you can grow in your faith and experience the Lord’s love, signs, wonders, and miracles in your life.

Day 259 Bible Readings - John 4:39-41 (NLT)

John 3-4, Psalm 104

John 4:39-41 (NLT)

“Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, ‘He told me everything I ever did!’ When they came out to see him, they begged him to stay in their village. So he stayed for two days, long enough for many more to hear his message and believe.”

In John 4:39–41, we read about what happened after Jesus met the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well. Jesus' knowledge of the woman's life revealed more than human insight, yet He still treated her with respect and told her that He was the Messiah. The Samaritan woman was so amazed that she went back to her town and told the people about her encounter with Christ. Many Samaritans believed in Jesus because of the woman's testimony, and they went to see Him for themselves. They asked Jesus to stay with them, and He remained there for two days so they could hear His message. During this time in history, Jews and Samaritans generally avoided each other, so it was significant that the Samaritans welcomed Christ and asked Him to stay.

These verses show believers that sharing personal experiences with the Lord can be a powerful way to evangelize. The Samaritan woman told people who knew her, and they knew her history and her personality, so her story made them want to see Jesus for themselves. Her story also shows that one person sharing their testimony can make others interested in knowing Father-God. When the people went to see Jesus for themselves, we see the power of Jesus and His teachings as many more came to believe in Him because of His words.

These verses inspire me to share my story about the Lord more often with people I know and then leave it up to them whether they want to hear more about Father-God. I need to have faith that the power of Jesus' words can transform people and lead them to believe in Him. The story of the Samaritan woman at the well shows what can happen when people hear someone's testimony and then encounter the living Word, Jesus Christ, for themselves.

If these verses resonate with you—if you feel drawn to place your faith in Jesus Christ, the One whose words have the power to transform people's lives—this may be your moment. Open your heart to Him. Speak to Him in prayer. Tell Him you trust Him and desire to walk with Him. He is faithful, and He will meet you exactly where you are.

Heavenly Father, I give You my life. Please forgive me for all my sins and wash me clean through the blood of Jesus. I believe in my heart that You raised Jesus from the dead, and I confess with my mouth that Jesus is my Lord and Savior. I receive Your forgiveness and the gift of salvation. Thank You, Lord—I am saved, I am forgiven, I am clean, and I am made new in Jesus’ name. Amen.

If you prayed this prayer, welcome to the family of Father-God! I encourage you to find and join a Holy Spirit–filled, full-Gospel, Bible-based church where you can grow in your faith and experience the Lord’s love, signs, wonders, and miracles in your life.

Day 258 Bible Readings - John 1:47-49 (NLT)

John 1-2, Psalm 103

John 1:47-49 (NLT)

“Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, ‘Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!’ ‘How do you know about me?’ Nathanael asked. Jesus replied, ‘I could see you under the fig tree before Philip found you.’ Then Nathanael exclaimed, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God—the King of Israel!’”

In John 1:48–49, Nathanael, a friend of Philip, meets Jesus for the first time. Jesus tells Nathanael that there is no deceit in him. Nathanael, who had never met Jesus before, asks how Jesus knows him. Christ then says that He saw Nathanael under the fig tree before Philip called him. Nathanael then exclaims that Jesus is the Son of God and the King of Israel.

These verses reminded me of what the Lord said to the prophet Jeremiah: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart…” (Jeremiah 1:5). Jesus knew things supernaturally about Nathanael before they were introduced. Christ knew that there was no deceit in Nathanael, and He knew that Nathanael had been under a fig tree before Philip called him. Jesus also demonstrated supernatural knowledge of people in Matthew 9 and Mark 2, where Christ knew what the teachers of the law were thinking in their hearts.

When I feel or hear the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the guidance is sometimes so personal to me that it reminds me that the Lord knows me inside and out, and sometimes better than I even know myself. It makes me chuckle with delight that the Lord knows me so well. Whenever those moments happen, I am reminded that I am in covenant with a God who truly knows me and who still works through signs, wonders, and miracles. My trust in Father-God deepens, and that increasing trust helps me surrender more of my life to Him each day.

If these verses resonate with you—if you feel drawn to place your faith in Jesus Christ, the One who knows you completely and continues to love you—this may be your moment. Open your heart to Him. Speak to Him in prayer. Tell Him you trust Him and desire to walk with Him. He is faithful, and He will meet you exactly where you are.

Heavenly Father, I give You my life. Please forgive me for all my sins and wash me clean through the blood of Jesus. I believe in my heart that You raised Jesus from the dead, and I confess with my mouth that Jesus is my Lord and Savior. I receive Your forgiveness and the gift of salvation. Thank You, Lord—I am saved, I am forgiven, I am clean, and I am made new in Jesus’ name. Amen.



If you prayed this prayer, welcome to the family of Father-God! I encourage you to find and join a Holy Spirit–filled, full-Gospel, Bible-based church where you can grow in your faith and experience the Lord’s love, signs, wonders, and miracles in your life.