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Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Eternal Life: You Can Be Sure

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Charles Stanley

1 John 5:13

Writing to the early church, the apostle John wanted to make something perfectly clear: God offers His children everlasting life. Men and women in Christ should have no fear of physical death, because their true lives—their eternal lives—are secure in Jesus. Today’s passage is unique because in it, John plainly states his purpose for writing. The point of his ministry was to empower believers with the unshakable faith of eternal life in Christ.

The basis for this truth lies in . . .

1. The unchanging promises of God. Over and over in his gospel and letters, the apostle declares God’s assurance of never-ending life. For example, he quotes Jesus’ promise of eternity in John 3:16, 6:40, and 10:27-30.

2. The unconditional love of God. Our Father loves us so much that He wants an everlasting, intimate relationship with each one of us. To achieve this, He demonstrated His love in a remarkable way: by providing our salvation at a great price (Rom. 5:6-11; 8:33-39).

3. The finished work of Christ on the cross. By offering His life as a substitutionary sacrifice on our behalf, Jesus provided the means of salvation once and for all. Our part is to accept the gift He so freely gives (Heb. 10:23-28).

4. The witness of God’s Spirit to our heart. Our Father places His Holy Spirit within every believer to testify to the truth of our salvation (Rom. 8:15-17).

Scripture tells us that we can have complete assurance of our salvation in Jesus Christ. Does your day-to-day life reflect this confidence?

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — The Gift Of Remembering

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Our Daily Bread

Genesis 40:1-14,23

Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him. —Genesis 40:23

During seminary, I worked in a nursing home. As I spent time talking to these men and women, at some point nearly every patient would describe the loneliness of their present lives and the realization that they were outliving their peers. Most wondered if anyone would remember them when they passed from this life.

It isn’t just the elderly who can feel lonely and forgotten. In fact, many of us feel trapped and alone, set aside by circumstances fair and unfair. Sometimes we even experience what the Old Testament character Joseph did: people failing to remember us when there’s every reason they should.

Genesis 40 describes Joseph’s experiences as he’s trapped in prison. The cupbearer had been freed and returned to the king’s service, just as Joseph told him would happen (vv.9-13). Joseph had asked to be mentioned to Pharaoh, but the cupbearer forgot him (vv.14,23).

We may feel forgotten. Yet, like Joseph, we are not (42:9-13). Jesus sits at the right hand of God, and our prayers reach the throne of the King without fail because our Savior is our Mediator. When we feel alone, let’s remember to rest in the confidence of Jesus’ promise to be with us forever (Matt. 28:20). —Randy Kilgore

Lord, let me be found serving others, as Joseph

did, in those hours when I feel most forgotten.

May I never be the “cupbearer” who fails to bring

the lonely and hurting to Your attention in prayer.

Jesus never abandons or forgets His own.

Bible in a year: Psalms 103-104; 1 Corinthians 2