John 3:11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony.
It’s not clear who the “we” is to whom Jesus referred. It could be the prophets or the disciples. But it sounds very similar to what John wrote in the intro to his first epistle. “What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life—and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us.”
I want to encourage you today that if you are living to love with Jesus, you are included in the “we” of our generation. You know and have seen that Jesus lives and loves through you. By experience, you know Jesus and the truth of the new birth. You can also testify that Jesus lives in you and can live in them.
Let’s be sure that our walk matches our talk. We don’t just say we believe Jesus died on the cross and our old powerless and sinful lives died with Him, we also don’t live under the slavery to those lives of unbelief, self-consciousness, and pride. The feelings of our old self must not govern our responses to circumstances and people. To live to love with Jesus is to know Jesus, to know His feelings, faith, obedience, and love, of which we speak. Our lives are a testimony to the life of Jesus that we have seen in our lives. So, our confidence is in Jesus living in us, and when we practice the “truly, truly” of that confidence, our walk will match our talk.
I hope we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen in Christ. Even so, there will be some who do not accept our testimony. At the time of Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus, Nick didn’t understand or accept Jesus’ testimony. However, we discover later on that he did come to believe and follow Christ. So, let’s not be discouraged if people don’t “get” us or accept our testimony. Let’s continue to love them and share what we know and have seen of Christ.
I invite you to become a partner in our ministry. Would you pray about becoming a regular supporter of Elijah Ministries and the Live to Love with Jesus ministry? I hope you will receive the joy and benefit of “giving it forward,” so others may receive encouragement to turn their hearts to God and to live to love with Jesus. You may give online or send a check to the address listed at www.spiritofelijah.com/donate.
