Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name. 

                                                                                                                     John 20:30-31 

Today: Read John 20

It all boils down to what we believe and in whom we trust in this life and in the next. John sums up the purpose for his writing this gospel by saying, “that we will believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.” And along with that belief comes real, true, abundant, and eternal life! Let’s let scripture testify to the importance and irreplaceable value of placing our trust (believing) in Jesus:

Believing brings spiritual life!

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.”

                                                                                                                        John 6:35 

Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’”

                                                                                                                   John 7:37-38 

Believing brings eternal life! 

“For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”

                                                                                                                       John 6:40 

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”

                                                                                                                   John 11:25-26 

Believing makes all things possible!

“But if You (Jesus) can do anything, take pity on us and help us!” And Jesus said to him, “‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.”

                                                                                                            Mark 9:22b-23 

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

                                                                                                       Ephesians 3:20-21 

Believing brings abundance in prayer!

And Jesus answered saying to them, “Have faith in God. Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.”

                                                                                                                 Mark 11:22-24 

But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.                                                           

                                                                                                                     James 1:6-8 

Believing was the offer that Jesus made to Thomas in his doubt!

Then He said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.” 

                                                                                                                     John 20:27 

All of the scriptures point us to the Person of Jesus Christ and the finished work that He has provided on the cross for everyone who will repent (change their mind), admit their need, and ask God for salvation according to His promises! And as born again believers in Jesus, we move from spiritual death to spiritual life! (John 5:24) We should not compare our lives to others as a means of making ourselves feel better (that can also carry with it the opposite effect). Rather, we are to realize that we are all equally in need of salvation, redemption, and forgiveness. And all of those glorious realities can only be experienced and enjoyed as we call on the name of the Lord and become spiritually born again (Romans 10:13, John 3:3). Just remember these three truths:

1. God loves you!
2. Christ died for you!
3. Salvation and eternal life are available to you by faith in Christ!

When this life comes to an end, the only thing that will matter is in whom we have placed our trust. Believing in Jesus…it is what separates the saved from those apart from Christ.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

                                                                                                                     John 3:16-18