Believe In Jesus!

Study Devotional - Week of December 25, 2016

Scripture Reading: John 10:9; 14:6; Acts 4:12; I Timothy 2:5

Question: Why do you and I need to believe in Jesus?

[First] we should believe in him because he believes in us. Remember that Jesus was God in flesh. He believed enough in us to temporarily lay aside his rights of divinity, so that He might appear in our midst as human being who was alike us in every way.

He believes in us, and we can feel it. We read in Romans 1:20: "Ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see His invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature."
Every human is aware of their limitations. Jesus believes in us, so is it really difficult to believe in him?

[Second] we should believe in him because he invites us to a life that makes sense. Jesus, through his teachings showed us the only workable strategy for living a happy and fulfilling life in this world. He spoke of living by love and unselfishness. Since the first coming of Christ, billions of people have lived according to his plan and have found joy and peace.

We are molded by the culture we live in most of the time are opposed to the way of Christ. Yet every element of the story of Jesus Christ, from his birth to his ascension into heaven, shows us that life need not be empty, that we need not live in perpetual conflict with others. Remember that the simplest things in life can be joyful.

[Third] We should believe in Jesus because he's alive today and he awaits to live within us. The shepherds and the wise men enjoyed seeing Jesus face-to-face. The disciples were blessed by hearing the teaching of Jesus in person. Have you ever thought about the fact that Jesus is alive as much today as he was in the first century? We can have a much closer relationship with him than those who knew him when he walked this planet earth.

Jesus told the disciples that it would be an advantage for him to leave. What he meant by that was that the Holy Spirit would come to live within us if we placed our faith in Him. That Spirit represents the presence of Jesus. In John 14:26, Jesus said, "When the Father sends the Advocate as my representative - that is, the Holy Spirit - he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you." The Holy Spirit makes a permanent home within us if Christ becomes our Lord.

Conclusion: We should believe in Jesus because through him we can find forgiveness for every sin - past, present and future and live with the everlasting hope of eternity. Jesus Christ is the only human who ever lived a perfect and sinless life. Jesus was willing to take the punishment we all deserve by submitting to the will of the Heavenly Father and dying on the Cross.

Every possible facet of trusting Jesus is an exciting one. The question I have this Christmas is: Do you believe in Jesus? And if not are you willing to take a step of faith forward and make that commitment now? This is a free gift and all that is required from anybody is a sincere acknowledgement and acceptance of it before a Holy and righteous God.

If you want to know and have a relationship with Jesus this Christmas then you need to speak with him from your heart (see below):

What do you think it takes for someone to get to heaven? Is it luck? Good deeds? Nothing at all? Or is there something more? The Bible has the real answer to this question. It's a matter of FAITH.

F stands for FORGIVENESS. We cannot have eternal life without God's forgiveness. Ephesians 1:7a says, "In Him (Jesus Christ) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins."

A is for AVAILABLE. Forgiveness is available for all. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." But forgiveness is not automatic. "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven," says Matthew 7:21a.

I is for IMPOSSIBLE. It is impossible for God to allow sin into heaven because of who He is and because of who we are. God is loving and just, but His judgment is against sin. James 2:13a says, "Because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful." We are sinful people. Romans 3:23 tells us, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

T is for TURN. To turn means to repent. We can repent -- or turn -- from our sin and from ourselves. "But unless you repent, you too will all perish," Luke 13:3b says. We can also turn to Someone. Trust Christ alone. Romans 10:9 tells us how: "That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."

H is for HEAVEN. Heaven is eternal life. Here, that means life "to the full:" "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10b)." In the hereafter, it means the promise of heaven: "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am (John 14:3)."

So how can a person have God's forgiveness, heaven and eternal life, and Jesus as personal Savior and Lord? By trusting in Christ and asking Him for forgiveness. Take the step of faith described by another meaning of FAITH: Forsaking All I Trust Him.

You do this through a simple prayer reflecting your desire for Christ to change your life. You don't need fancy words--only an honest heart. You can pray something like this:

Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner and have displeased You in many ways. I believe You died for my sin, and only through faith in Your death and resurrection can I be forgiven. I want to turn from my sin and ask You to come into my life as my Savior and Lord. From this day on, I will follow You by living a life that pleases You. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for saving me. Amen.

Accepting Christ is just the beginning of a wonderful adventure with God! Get to know Him better in a number of ways:


--Follow Christ's example in baptism.
--Join a church where you can worship God and grow in your faith.
--In your church, get involved in Sunday School and Bible study.
--Begin a daily personal worship experience with God where you study the Bible and pray. You can check back on this site and download our weekly devotional which is posted each Sunday.


If you have prayed from your heart asking Christ to come into your life, with certainty and only you will know that (we cannot tell anyone they are saved). The moment you do, the Holy Spirit will come in to live within you, and you will begin to hear his voice over time.

As a new believer in Christ, you will want to let someone know about your commitment. The best of life is ahead and each day will be richer and more joyful as you get more acquainted with the lordship of Christ, which all began 2,000 years ago in a manger.

We’d love to hear from you -- Please feel free to ask us any questions you have about becoming a Christian, or tell us about your decision to follow Jesus Christ.

Devotion Questions:
--Have you ever prayed a prayer like the one at the end of this devotional? When? What details can you recall about it?
--Whom do you know that needs to know this truth? What will you do to tell them?
--Read John 10:9; 14:6; Acts 4:12; 1 Timothy 2:5 on why we need to believe on Jesus.