WALK WITH CONFIDENCE (12 OF 12)
by Keith Krell
Scripture: 1 John 5:14-21
This content is part of a series.
Walk with Confidence (12 of 12)
Series: Living in the light
Keith Krell
1 John 5:14-21
One of the greatest joys for a new parent is to see their child take his or her first step. That vision will be remembered for years to come. From the time our son Joshua was two months old, he would not sit on our lap. He insisted on standing while we supported his arms. Because of this we assumed he would be an early walker. While he was earlier than his siblings, he didn't set any early bird walking records. It took him 13 months to take that first step. Justin, not one to miss the opportunity to show his skills, even so was 15 months old before venturing forth, in front of about 35 people. Then there was Jena-our compliant, mellow baby, who was perfectly content to wait until she was 18 months old. Why walk when someone would carry you? It took sheer, late-night delirium to give her the courage to toddle forth. If you have ever been a parent or witnessed another child's walking moment, you know this is a momentous occasion. Walking is the first big step in life towards growth and maturity.
Likewise, the Bible often refers to the Christian experience as a walk. This is an important observation. God's Word never talks about a mad dash or sprint. While Paul occasionally speaks of running, far more frequently the Bible speaks of walking. Throughout the book of 1 John, the primary goal of the apostle John is to teach Christians how to walk with confidence. The term that John uses throughout his book is ''abide.'' Again, ''abiding'' refers to remaining, continuing, and persevering in our fellowship with Christ. In 1 John 5:14-21 John concludes his book with a primer on walking with confidence. In these eight verses, he provides two final and climatic exhortations.
1. Pray with confidence (5:14-17). John now applies the truth of our assurance to our individual and corporate lives. In 5:14-15 he writes: ''This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ...
Series: Living in the light
Keith Krell
1 John 5:14-21
One of the greatest joys for a new parent is to see their child take his or her first step. That vision will be remembered for years to come. From the time our son Joshua was two months old, he would not sit on our lap. He insisted on standing while we supported his arms. Because of this we assumed he would be an early walker. While he was earlier than his siblings, he didn't set any early bird walking records. It took him 13 months to take that first step. Justin, not one to miss the opportunity to show his skills, even so was 15 months old before venturing forth, in front of about 35 people. Then there was Jena-our compliant, mellow baby, who was perfectly content to wait until she was 18 months old. Why walk when someone would carry you? It took sheer, late-night delirium to give her the courage to toddle forth. If you have ever been a parent or witnessed another child's walking moment, you know this is a momentous occasion. Walking is the first big step in life towards growth and maturity.
Likewise, the Bible often refers to the Christian experience as a walk. This is an important observation. God's Word never talks about a mad dash or sprint. While Paul occasionally speaks of running, far more frequently the Bible speaks of walking. Throughout the book of 1 John, the primary goal of the apostle John is to teach Christians how to walk with confidence. The term that John uses throughout his book is ''abide.'' Again, ''abiding'' refers to remaining, continuing, and persevering in our fellowship with Christ. In 1 John 5:14-21 John concludes his book with a primer on walking with confidence. In these eight verses, he provides two final and climatic exhortations.
1. Pray with confidence (5:14-17). John now applies the truth of our assurance to our individual and corporate lives. In 5:14-15 he writes: ''This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ...
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