1 John 1 (The Message)
1-2From the very first day, we were there, taking it all in—we heard it with our own ears, saw it with our own eyes, verified it with our own hands. The Word of Life appeared right before our eyes; we saw it happen! And now we're telling you in most sober prose that what we witnessed was, incredibly, this: The infinite Life of God himself took shape before us.3-4We saw it, we heard it, and now we're telling you so you can experience it along with us, this experience of communion with the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. Our motive for writing is simply this: We want you to enjoy this, too. Your joy will double our joy!
Can you imagine actually being there? Can you imagine walking on the earth at the same time and place as our Lord? There is no way for us to go back in time to relive this. We won't get the chance to sit with Jesus to hear him spin a tale. We won't get to hear one of his lessons through parable. We won't get to eat supper with him. We won't get to witness his healing touch. We won't get to see him grow up from a simple carpenter's son to our wonderful savior..............Or can we?
The writers of the New Testament, with the guiding hand of God, did a fantastic job writing what they heard, saw, and touched. You can read the bible as just a set of verses or you can take these eyewitness accounts and absorb the vibrant picture they create. If you really cherish the words in your heart, you can experience the same thing they did. These people experienced first hand the life of God as one of us. Obviously they were changed forever. They captured that feeling in words. They had this marvelous compulsion to share it with you and me.
Don't just sit down and read the bible like a list of rules and regulations. Don't try to spend all your time reading between the lines. Don't just try to dig the depths of the words. You also need to read it as the true life experience of those who were literally touched by the hand of God. They want you to experience the same joy they did! We can experience the life of Christ through the Bible. We can also experience Christ first hand through our own lives. He is not just the Lord of the New Testament. He is the Lord of here and now. We can speak to him. He can touch us with his healing hand. We can hear his voice. Really nothing has changed. He is the same now and he will always be the same. We can feel the same joy. We can feel the same excitement. When God fills your life, he is just as real and present as if he were walking on this earth right now. When you can wrap yourself around that idea, your life will be filled with real joy. This is a joy you just have to share with others. We might even have to write it down so others can experience the same joy! Read the Bible. Spend time with Jesus in your life. Take him everywhere you go Share him with your family, friends, and neighbors. Experience him as he was, as he is, and who is always going to be!
Dear Lord, Thank you for being involved in our lives. Thank You for filling us with your thoughts, words, and deeds. We long for our Heavenly home, but we know you are right here with us now and forever. You are amazing and we worship your greatness. Praise God! Praise God! Praise God! Amen!
The writers of the New Testament, with the guiding hand of God, did a fantastic job writing what they heard, saw, and touched. You can read the bible as just a set of verses or you can take these eyewitness accounts and absorb the vibrant picture they create. If you really cherish the words in your heart, you can experience the same thing they did. These people experienced first hand the life of God as one of us. Obviously they were changed forever. They captured that feeling in words. They had this marvelous compulsion to share it with you and me.
Don't just sit down and read the bible like a list of rules and regulations. Don't try to spend all your time reading between the lines. Don't just try to dig the depths of the words. You also need to read it as the true life experience of those who were literally touched by the hand of God. They want you to experience the same joy they did! We can experience the life of Christ through the Bible. We can also experience Christ first hand through our own lives. He is not just the Lord of the New Testament. He is the Lord of here and now. We can speak to him. He can touch us with his healing hand. We can hear his voice. Really nothing has changed. He is the same now and he will always be the same. We can feel the same joy. We can feel the same excitement. When God fills your life, he is just as real and present as if he were walking on this earth right now. When you can wrap yourself around that idea, your life will be filled with real joy. This is a joy you just have to share with others. We might even have to write it down so others can experience the same joy! Read the Bible. Spend time with Jesus in your life. Take him everywhere you go Share him with your family, friends, and neighbors. Experience him as he was, as he is, and who is always going to be!
Dear Lord, Thank you for being involved in our lives. Thank You for filling us with your thoughts, words, and deeds. We long for our Heavenly home, but we know you are right here with us now and forever. You are amazing and we worship your greatness. Praise God! Praise God! Praise God! Amen!
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