2022 ECWA Food for the Day Daily Devotional

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2022

TEXT: John 5:30-47

30. I can do nothing on my own. I judge as God tells me. Therefore, my judgment is just, because I carry out the will of the one who sent me, not my own will.

31. “If I were to testify on my own behalf, my testimony would not be valid.

32. But someone else is also testifying about me, and I assure you that everything he says about me is true.

33. In fact, you sent investigators to listen to John the Baptist, and his testimony about me was true.

34. Of course, I have no need of human witnesses, but I say these things so you might be saved.

35. John was like a burning and shining lamp, and you were excited for a while about his message.

36. But I have a greater witness than John-my teachings and my miracles. The Father gave me these works to accomplish, and they prove that he sent me.

37. And the Father who sent me has testified about me himself. You have never heard his voice or seen him face to face,

38. and you do not have his message in your hearts, because you do not believe me-the one he sent to you.

39. “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!

40. Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life.

41. “Your approval means nothing to me,

42. because I know you don’t have God’s love within you.

43. For I have come to you in my Father’s name, and you have rejected me. Yet if others come in their own name, you gladly welcome them.

44. No wonder you can’t believe! For you gladly honor each other, but you don’t care about the honor that comes from the one who alone is God.

45. “Yet it isn’t I who will accuse you before the Father. Moses will accuse you! Yes, Moses, in whom you put your hopes.

46. If you really believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me.

47. But since you don’t believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?”

(New Living Translation Version Holy Bible)

TOPIC: WITNESSES TO THE AUTHORITY AND POWER OF JESUS

We shall better understand the authority and power of Jesus as we examine the truth from various witnesses. He said “One’s own testimony is unacceptable…” (v. 31). But there are other witnesses that affirm Jesus’ authority (v. 32).

There are also the internal witness of the miraculous works He did (vs. 32-36). The ultimate witness to Jesus’ authority and power is from God our Father (vs. 37, 38).

Finally, there is the witness of Scripture: “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scripture that testify about me.” These were the words of Jesus to the Jews who knew the Scripture.

The Bible testifies thus: “In the mouth of two or three witnesses every truth shall be established” (2 Corinthians 13:1; cf. Deuteronomy 19:15). “For in Christ all the fullness of Deity (God) dwells bodily” (Colossians 2:9). Jesus is the only answer to all of our needs. If you have Him in you, you have God’s presence in you.

QUESTION: Is your faith firmly rooted in Jesus or do you still consider Him as just one of the gods?

PRAYER: Precious Lord, hold me closely to Your side and let me never wander away from You to other gods, in Jesus name, Amen.