But these are written that
you may believe
that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God,
and that by believing you may have life in his name.
John 20:31
The reason John wrote his gospel is the same reason many of us talk to our children and grandchildren about Jesus: we want them to have eternal life!
On Easter Sunday morning this year, we watched as a little girl in our church was baptized. The children’s pastor commented that when he asked her about coming to know Jesus she responded, “My family talks to me about Jesus all the time!”
Let’s pray our children (and our grands and greats!) grow up saying the same thing about us!
We teach and train our children. We go to their soccer and baseball games (or at least we used to – and we will again!). We chase their bent by investing in music lessons, sports camps, and science kits. We love them. We take them on vacation, teach them to cook, and caution them about stranger danger. We teach them about money, relationships, forgiveness, generosity, and how to change a flat tire.
But as followers of Christ, what we want most is for them to come to know our Jesus!
God has no grandchildren. Our faith is not inherited by our children, but it is seen and heard by them.
Other than our living testimony, they also get to know Jesus through His Word.
With August fast approaching, the next installment of Write the Word is now available. The selected verses for the month highlight the word believe.
If you are a mom or grammy, you may be anticipating and planning the new school year, sports, vacations, lessons, and other learning opportunities for your children. But whatever your plans, be sure you also talk to them about Jesus. I hope the verses on this bookmark will fuel some great conversations with your children, as well as with our Lord as you pray for your children.
My prayer is that as you write each verse, you renew your belief in Jesus and your faith is strengthened by His Word.
Do you believe in my Jesus? Have you placed your faith in Him? It’s simple, but changes everything:
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9
If you are ready to commit your life to Jesus, here’s a simple prayer prompt:
God, I’ve made a mess and I am a mess. I am a sinner. I cannot fix or change myself. I need You. This day I give my life to You, Jesus. Thank you for taking the punishment on the Cross that I deserved. Come into my life. Take over. Take charge. From this day forward, I will follow You. You are my Savior and my Lord. Amen.
Whether you prayed that prayer or something like it (and whether you prayed it today or many years ago), your life in Christ will be transformed by His Word. Why not commit to writing the Word daily – and then pray it, speak it, and live it. The free monthly Write The Word bookmark is a tool to encourage you to abide in His Word. The August bookmark (highlighting the word, believe) can be found here, on the Downloads page.
If you are blessed by the monthly Write The Word download, I’d love for you to subscribe to my newsletter, so you’ll know each time something new is published on the website.
I also invite you to subscribe to the Cross My Heart Ministry YouTube channel. Each Friday, I’ll be sharing a short video devotional that unpacks one of the verses from this month’s Believe bookmark. You’ll also find Bible studies, previous video devotionals, and a variety of Martha Monday videos featuring recipes, household tips, and more.
