"Bigging Beepei" is an oppoitunity foi you to continue

youi stuuy of uou's Woiu thioughout the week.

"#$%&'
"It's a Suie Thing"

1 }ohn S:1S
!"#$%$ '#()*% + #,-$ ./(''$) '0 102 .#0 3$4($-$ () '#$ ),5$ 06 '#$ 70) 06
809: '#,' 102 5,1 ;)0. '#,' 102 #,-$ $'$/),4 4(6$: ,)9 '#,' 102 5,1
<0)'()2$ '0 3$4($-$ () '#$ ),5$ 06 '#$ 70) 06 809=>

Sometimes it can be haiu to know what you can count on in life.
Bisappointments come anu cause us to question if we can tiuly uepenu
on the people anu things closest to us. }ohn's heaitbeat in this veise is
foi his ieaueis to KN0W theie is at least one thing that they can count
on no mattei what happens.

When }ohn says "these things", he is not iefeiiing to the entiie lettei of 1
}ohn. In veises 6-1u of this final chaptei, }ohn uesciibeu to his auuience
that the watei, bloou, anu Spiiit all testify in agieement with the witness
of uou about Chiist. Be is now concluuing with a poweiful statement of
assuiance. The woius of Chiist founu in }ohn's gospel also biing foiwaiu
the secuiity we have in Chiist.

!?1 %#$$@ #$,/ ?1 -0(<$: ,)9 + ;)0. '#$5: ,)9 '#$1 60440. ?$=
A)9 + *(-$ '#$5 $'$/),4 4(6$: ,)9 '#$1 %#,44 )$-$/ @$/(%#B
)$('#$/ %#,44 ,)10)$ %),'<# '#$5 02' 06 ?1 #,)9=
?1 C,'#$/: .#0 #,% *(-$) '#$5 '0 ?$: (% */$,'$/ '#,) ,44B
,)9 )0 0)$ (% ,34$ '0 %),'<# '#$5 02' 06 ?1 C,'#$/D% #,)9=>
}ohn 1u:27-29

()&**+$,+: Believe in }esus Chiist foi eteinal life. it's a suie thing!

DIGGING
DEEPER

Weekly Bevotional
WEEK 0F }0NE 2S - }0NE 27, 2u14

-.+/%&'
"Can You Beai Ne Now."

1 }ohn S:14-1S
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,<<0/9()* '0 F(% .(44: F$ #$,/% 2%= A)9 (6 .$ ;)0. '#,' F$ #$,/% 2%:
.#,'$-$/ .$ ,%;: .$ ;)0. '#,' .$ #,-$ '#$ @$'('(0)% '#,' .$ #,-$ ,%;$9
06 F(5=>

The things in oui homes woik because of electiicity. Electiicity is an
invisible powei that gives you visible piivileges. It tuins the lights on,
tuins the Tv on, tuins the toastei on, anu tuins the oven on; all that stuff
is woiking in youi house because you've got one invisible powei
shooting thiough theie calleu electiicity.

But none of those things woik even though they have access to
electiicity until you flip on a switch. You've got to make a connection
befoie the stuff that's theie woiks. Eveiy believei in }esus Chiist has
stuff that woiks anu piayei is the powei neeueu to tuin those things on
in oui lives.

In oiuei to enjoy the powei of piayei, we must unueistanu the puipose
of piayei. uou is not a genie in a bottle. Be is an all-knowing, all-
poweiful, all-goou Being who uesiies to poui out BIS BLESSINuS on Bis
people. Piayei is not oui way of getting oui will uone in Beaven. It is
uou's way of getting Bis will uone on Eaith.

When we piay, the question is not "uou, can you heai me now." The
question is actually FR0N u0B. "Can you heai Ne now." BEARINu
fiom uou anu being obeuient to what Be says is the powei of piayei in
oui lives. When we ask foi the things that line up with the will of uou, Be
heais us.

()&**+$,+: Listen moie when you piay.

0+%$+/%&'
"Sin That Leaus to Beath"

1 }ohn S:16-17
!+6 ,)10)$ %$$% #(% 3/0'#$/ %())()* , %() .#(<# 90$% )0' 4$,9 '0 9$,'#: #$
.(44 ,%;: ,)9 F$ .(44 *(-$ #(5 4(6$ 60/ '#0%$ .#0 <055(' %() )0' 4$,9()* '0
9$,'#= "#$/$ (% %() 4$,9()* '0 9$,'#= + 90 )0' %,1 '#,' #$ %#0249 @/,1 ,302'
'#,'= A44 2)/(*#'$02%)$%% (% %(): ,)9 '#$/$ (% %() )0' 4$,9()* '0 9$,'#=>

These veises have been the souice of much uiscussion anu uebate
among stuuents of the Bible. Peihaps the cleaiest example of a sin that
leaus to ueath is Ananias anu Sapphiia (Acts S:1-11). In this case, uou
punisheu sin with a swift physical ueath.

Theie aie at least thiee uiffeient types of ueath. Fiist, physical ueath is
sepaiation fiom the bouy. Seconu, spiiitual ueath is sepaiation fiom
uou. Thiiu, eteinal ueath is the iesult of physically uying while
spiiitually ueau anu is expeiienceu as sepaiation fiom uou foi eteinity.

Although all sin ultimately leaus to ueath, the expiession "that uoes not
leau to ueath" in these veises can be unueistoou in the sense, "not
punisheu immeuiately by physical ueath." Theie aie sins foi which ueath
is an immeuiate consequence anu sins foi which it is not. }ohn hau in
minu any sin that uoes not immeuiately anu swiftly leau to physical
ueath.

As a conciete uemonstiation of love, we shoulu piay foi otheis
when they sin.


()&**+$,+: Piay foi someone you know who is stiuggling with sin.

-).1/%&'
"The Wickeu 0ne"

1 }ohn S:18-19
!G$ ;)0. '#,' .#0$-$/ (% 30/) 06 809 90$% )0' %()B 32' #$ .#0 #,% 3$$)
30/) 06 809 ;$$@% #(5%$46: ,)9 '#$ .(<;$9 0)$ 90$% )0' '02<# #(5= G$
;)0. '#,' .$ ,/$ 06 809: ,)9 '#$ .#04$ .0/49 4($% 2)9$/ '#$ %.,1 06 '#$
.(<;$9 0)$=>

When we place oui faith in Chiist, theie is a new natuie that is cieateu
insiue us. Although we still stiuggle with oui olu sinful natuie, the new
natuie is inheiently sinless. Pait of giowing in Chiist (sanctification) is
iealizing the fieeuom that we have fiom both oui olu natuie anu the
powei of sin in oui lives.

The "wickeu one" in these veises is Satan who is uesciibeu as having the
whole woilu unuei his influence. Bowevei, this is only a tempoiaiy
conuition as Chiist is coming back to iule. In the meantime, we can stanu
secuiely in the tiuth that oui new natuie in Chiist is not subject to the
contiolling influence of Satan in human society.

When a Chiistian walks in close fellowship with uou, he uoes not sin
because sin can nevei be a pait of the expeiience of abiuing in Chiist.
Foi the believei, sin is abnoimal anu unnatuial; his whole way of life
shoulu be bent away fiom sin. Theie shoulu be no compiomise in oui
lives when it comes to sin uespite the "wickeu ones" uesiie to tempt us.

-)#.,)-: We aie not sinless. but we shoulu sin less.

213%&'
"Bon't Settle Foi Less"

1 }ohn S:2u-21
!A)9 .$ ;)0. '#,' '#$ 70) 06 809 #,% <05$ ,)9 #,% *(-$) 2% ,)
2)9$/%',)9()*: '#,' .$ 5,1 ;)0. F(5 .#0 (% '/2$B ,)9 .$ ,/$ () F(5
.#0 (% '/2$: () F(% 70) H$%2% I#/(%'= "#(% (% '#$ '/2$ 809 ,)9 $'$/),4 4(6$=
J(''4$ <#(49/$): ;$$@ 102/%$4-$% 6/05 (904%= A5$)=>

Theie is nothing moie impoitant in oui lives than oui ielationship to the
one tiue uou. }ohn closes this lettei with one final emphasis on the
uniqueness of Chiist anu the gift of eteinal life that we ieceive thiough
faith. Be also wains us to WATCB 00T foi counteifeit faith options.

}ohn NacAithui wiites:

!G$ <,) #,-$ '#$ #,@@()$%% 809 *(-$%B
.#1 %#0249 .$ %$''4$ 60/ '#$ <#$,@ %23%'('2'$ 7,',) 066$/%K
G$ <,) #,-$ '#$ %2<<$%% 06 4(-()* /(*#'$02%41 ,)9 @4$,%()* 02/ #$,-$)41
C,'#$/B .#1 %#0249 .$ %$''4$ 60/ '#$ 3/($6 ,)9 9(%,@@0()'()* %2<<$%%$% %()
@/092<$%K L1 809D% */,<$ .$ <,) #,-$ '#$ @$,<$ '#,' @,%%$%
2)9$/%',)9()*B .#1 %#0249 .$ %$''4$ 60/ '#$ <#$,@ %,'(%6,<'(0)% '#,'
$-$/10)$ 2)9$/%',)9% 32' '#,' .(44 %00) @,%%K>

-)#.,)-: Bon't settle foi less!

Content foi this publication was collecteu fiom vaiious iesouices.
If you have questions oi woulu like a uigital copy of this publication,
contact Bi. Stephen Cutchins at cutchinsSfbchnc.oig