"No Doubt" December 10 Readings: Amos 8-9, 1 John 5, Psalm 139:13–19, Proverbs 30:10

  

Reading the Bible in 2025

Each day this year, we will read a selection from the Old Testament, the New Testament, a portion of the Psalms, and a part of Proverbs. By the end of the year, you will have read the entire Bible. We read this way to give you a bit of variety. 

NOTE: If you get behind, do not give up. Read today's readings and try to catch up when you have a chance. The goal is not to "accomplish a task" but to meet God in his word. Read the word. Also, if you are short on time, READ GOD'S WORD and skip my devotional!

Bible Readings: Amos 8-9, 1 John 5, Psalm 139:13–19, Proverbs 30:10

    Scriptures linked to Bible Gateway in ESV version 

Daily Devotional: No Doubt

We live in a world of moral uncertainty in which it is considered normal and honorable to be unsure of truth, where it is a sign of intelligence to admit your uncertainty and doubt. No one knows what is right and wrong, no absolute standard. The only wrong is to assert that one is right, the only evil is to identify someone else's beliefs or actions as evil.

John said much in this letter about love - the love of God and the love we are to have for one another in the Body of Christ. It is easy for us to confuse love with a tolerance for sin and false doctrine that is actually destructive to the Body Christ died to redeem and sanctify. And in his concluding words, he made it very clear that we need not live in doubt. We need not waver between opinions or wonder if we've chosen the right way.

We can live with spiritual confidence that will offend our world!

Years ago, I wrote an article in the Cedar Rapids Gazette defending our denomination's announcement that we would be making a special effort in Chicago to witness to Jewish people about the saving grace of Christ. I pointed out that the church began by telling Jewish people that their Messiah had come, and our commitment had not changed. Jesus Christ is the Savior of the Gentile, the Jew, the Muslim - every person on earth. A man (a Baptist from another, more liberal group) wrote a letter to the editor excoriating me for my hubris and arrogance. How dare I say that Jesus is the only way! How could I be so certain that my way was the only right way?

According to John, we can know! We are not meant to live in doubt and uncertainty. Look at verse 13, written to those who believe, who have faith in Jesus Christ.

I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.

We are supposed to KNOW that we have eternal life. Know! How many times have you talked to someone about whether they would go to heaven, and they answered, "I hope so." NO! We are meant to KNOW SO, not hope so. If you "hope so," you are trusting in yourself, hoping you do enough and don't mess up. But when we trust in Christ and his finished work, we can know that we have eternal life. 

Verses 11 and 12 made it absolutely clear what the basis for our confidence is. 

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. The one who has the Son has life. The one who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Are we arrogant? No! We are confident, not in ourselves but in Christ. We placed our faith in Christ, and there is life in him. He who has the Son has life - it's as simple as that. If you don't have the Son, you don't have life, but you live under the wrath of God. 

Do not live in doubt and uncertainty about your eternal destiny, but in confidence - not because of who you are but because of Christ! He is life, and we are his! If you have him (by faith) you have life. It's as simple as that. 

This kind of confidence will drive the world crazy, but it gives a peace that passes understanding!

Thank you, Lord for the peace that comes from knowing Christ and knowing that in HIM we have life - life eternal and life abundant!

Consider God's Word:

Which of these four passages spoke most clearly to you today? 

Is there sin in your life that needs to be confessed and dealt with that was revealed in one of these passages? 

Is there something in your life that needs to change?

Is there a struggle in your life that one of these passages spoke to?