“He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.“
~ John 8:47
Hi James and Ellen,
You have a dad. Jesus had dad. Everyone has a dad. You know your dad. You can tell other kids your dad’s name. Your dad lives in the same house that you live. All guys, gals and kids have two dads. Every guy, gal and kid has an earthly dad – like you have with your dad. Some guys, gals and kids have a Dad Who lives in heaven. Do you know Who your Dad is Who lives in heaven? God lives in heaven. If a guy, gal or kid makes a decision of faith to believe in God, God becomes his or her Heavenly Dad. Do you know who else is alive who can be a dad? Every guy, gal and kid who is born on planet Earth is born with Satan as his or her spirit dad. If guy, gal or kid has not made a decision of faith to believe in God, Satan is his or her spirit dad. Every guy, gal and kid who is born on planet Earth will ultimately end up in a place called hell unless . . . hell is an unbearable, fiery place filled with brimstone. If a guy, gal or kid makes a decision of faith to believe in God, the guy, gal and kid will ultimately be taken to heaven. Heaven is an unbelievable, magnificent place that is filled with God’s glory. To believe in God, a guy, gal or kid must believe in Jesus and what Jesus did for him or her when Jesus was cruelly crucified on a crude cross. Do you know what happens when a guy, gal or kid believes in what Jesus has said? John wrote in John 8 that what Jesus has said will be the difference in a guy, gal or kid living a life with Satan as his or her dad or living a life with God as his or her Heavenly Dad. What can you see in your room at night when the light in your room is turned off? If the light in your room is turned off, you cannot see anything in your room. What can you see in your room at night when the light in your room is turned on? If your dad turns the light on in your room, you will be able to see everything that is in your room. Satan wants to keep all the guys, gals and kids living in a room – the room being planet Earth, in the dark. Satan – as your dad, wants guys, gals and kids to be always doing bad, evil, wrong things. Do you know what will happen when a guy, gal or kid makes a decision of faith to believe in God? When a guy, gal or kid is led by God the Spirit to believe in God as his or her Heavenly Dad, the guy, gal or kid has believed in what Jesus has said. When a guy, gal or kid is led by God the Spirit to believe in God as his or her Heavenly Dad, it is like the guy, gal or kid suddenly has a light go on in his or her life. God – as your Heavenly Dad, through God the Spirit will help you to always do good, helpful, right things.
When John wrote his letter – which became known as the John Book, John wrote about the discussions that Jesus had with Jews called Pharisees and with Mosaic Law teachers. Do you know who this John is who wrote the John Book? John is one of the first of the twelve guys who Jesus arbitrarily picked at different times from different life vocations to follow Him to learn about Him. Do you know what Jesus taught? Do you think that Jesus taught about the Mosaic Law? Jesus taught about Himself. Do you think that the guys and gals who heard what Jesus taught understood and believed in what Jesus was saying? Some guys and gals did but . . . John wrote in verse 47 what Jesus said “He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.’” Jesus made it clear to the guys and gals who He was talking to and teaching that He was on planet Earth to do His Father’s will. The Pharisees and the Mosaic Law teachers did not want any guys or gals to believe in what Jesus was saying and/or to follow Jesus. The Pharisees and the Mosaic Law teachers wanted the guys and gals to believe in what they were saying and they wanted the guys and gals to follow them even though what they were saying and teaching did not offer hope. The Pharisees and the Mosaic Law teachers taught what God gave to Moses when Moses met with God centuries earlier on Mt. Sinai. God – through His Son Jesus, initiated a new belief paradigm. God – through His Son Jesus, taught guys and gals that He replaced the Mosaic Law with His Son’s life.
Have you ever tried to tell or convince another kid that he or she is wrong about something when the other kid thinks that he or she is right? How do you feel when another kid tries to tell or convince you that you are wrong about something? Has another kid ever gotten mad at you when you have tried to tell or convince the kid that what he or she was saying or doing or believing was wrong? Have you ever gotten mad when another kid – or your ma and/or dad, tried to tell or convince you that what you are saying or doing or believing is wrong? Your grandpaa does not like to be told by another guy that what he is saying or doing or believing is wrong. No guy, gal or kid likes to be told that he or she is wrong about whatever. How do you think that Jesus responded to the Pharisees and the Mosaic Law teachers when they asked Him what to do with a gal who had been caught doing something that the Mosaic Law says that she was not to do? Jesus using his finger wrote something down in the dust. Jesus then told the Pharisees and the Mosaic Law teachers that He was before Abraham was. The Pharisees and the Mosaic Law teachers responded to what Jesus said by saying that Jesus has a demon. The Pharisees and the Mosaic Law teachers became really, really angry with Jesus because Jesus kept saying things that they could not accept as being true. The Pharisees and the Mosaic Law teachers got the Jews who were with them to begin throwing rocks at Jesus. Jesus had come to planet Earth to answer the Mosaic Law by suffering and dying on a cross so that through His suffering and death, Jesus’ blood would be the sacrifice needed to atone for the sins of every guy, gal and kid who would be led by God – Jesus’s Dad, to believe in Him. Have you asked your dad yet to help you to turn on the light in your lives?
John 8 (157)