Knowing and Believing

On By francesrogersIn GOD'S WORD

In An Excavation of John 17, I am still finding the buried truths of the ATONEMENT.

“Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. 
For I have given to them the words which You have given Me;
and they have received them,
 and have known surely that I came forth from You;
and they have believed that You sent Me.”
John 17:7-8

“Now they have known” 

The men Jesus called to follow Him spent three years hearing the things God, the Father gave Him. These things were given to them in the form and sound of “words.” “Jesus spoke these words’ (vs. 1) then lifted up His eyes to heaven and began His prayer to the “Father.” 

He spoke “these things” for three years until this moment when He unveiled to His disciples in this prayer what His Father in heaven had planned “before the world was.” These “things” ~ these “words” ~ were the secrets Moses spoke of in Deut. 29:29. “The secrets belong to God but are revealed to us and our children.”

“And He said, “To you it has been given to know
the mysteries of the kingdom of God, 

“But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear;
for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men 
desired to see what you see, and did not see it, 
and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.” 
Matt. 13:16-17

These few men were given to Jesus to know the secrets of His kingdom ~ to know the Father, “the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He sent.” Jn. 17:2-3

Herein was the revelation and reality of eternal life promised by the Father through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, His Son. 

His disciples were witnesses to these words of eternal life and the things Jesus gave them from the Father. These words were passed down to generations and are now ours who believe,

“I do not pray for these alone,
but also for those who will believe in Me
through their word;”
Jn. 17:20

We, too, must hear His words if we are to know the things of His Father’s Kingdom. Just as the disciples received Jesus’ words, everyone must receive them as true. We must not doubt, but know for sure that God, the Father sent His Son to give us the words of eternal life and Life, itself, now and for eternity.

We would do well to take heed to the following words quoted by Jesus. These should be comforting and encouraging words to those who receive them and  believe them and warning to those who have not heard them before.

 “All that the Father gives Me
will come to Me,”
Jn. 6:37

 “Most assuredly, I say to you,
 he who believes in Me has
everlasting life.”
Jn. 6:47

“The words that I speak to you are spirit,
and they are life.”
Jn. 6:63

“He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words,
has that which judges him—
the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. 
For I have not spoken on My own authority; 
but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, 
what I should say and what I should speak. 
And I know that His command is everlasting life.
Therefore, whatever I speak,
just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.”
Jn. 12:48-50

No other religion, no other man has ever promised the life that He gives. Please send me a message on my CONTACT page if you want to know more of these words and the LIFE that comes through them.

Dear Father in heaven, your Words matter more than other words spoken on this earth. Open hearts to hear these simple words spoken by Jesus your Son ~ words of life that produce life ~ the life of Christ and His Spirit ~ in those who receive and believe them.

Suggested Reading:  Why Words Matter
The Garden of GOD’S WORD ~ the Purpose and Delight of BIBLE Study

14 thoughts on “Knowing and Believing”

  1. Hi Fran, beautiful post and a reality that one would think is almost impossible not to see if one truly takes to heart everything that Jesus said. So much so that Jesus could say, “He who has seen me has seen the Father.” It is the reality of this truth from the Father that Jesus speaks, that puts all the tumblers in a row, throughout the Holy Scriptures. And then there are all those “truly, truly” or “verily, verily” statements that Jesus says, which underscores this reality even more. There are a lot of things that I do not understand but this truth is not one of them, and I am so thankful that I see it and believe it with all of my heart. The will and intent of the Father, spoken, demonstrated and obeyed through the words and actions of the Son. Perfectly. And it is so very beautiful. Have you ever noticed the first word that Jesus spoke to the collective disciples in His appearances to them after His resurrection? “Peace”. Peace between God and man and peace between man and God. Proceeded by “It is finished” on the cross. And that peace is ours because of our Father and His Son, if we but believe. One glorious day you and I will meet in His presence. In the interim, thank you Fran for sharing His precious light in you. Love in Christ – Bruce

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    1. Thank you, Bruce for sharing your light that is not given to everyone but only those who are born of the Spirit, enabled to understand what is hidden from the natural man. We are truly blessed to be called children of the Heavenly Father, joint-heirs with Christ, growing in grace and knowledge of Him, and like Him, about the Father’s business and His kingdom here on earth. We watch and pray and wait for His glorious return ~ or our passing into His presence. Blessings. Fran

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  2. Excellent!!
    It’s so clear Fran for those ready to receive the words of Jesus. They carry with them “substance”. The same “substance” of faith “The substance of things hoped for” That substance produces fruit which is “evidence” of that substance. In the spiritual realm of God’s economy, God’s word is the heaviest element on the chart as well as the most precious. Much more than gold which is mere pavement in the end.

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    1. In The Garden of God’s Word we speak of The Source, The Substance, The Structure, The Stability, and The Sufficiency of His Word that informs, reforms, transforms, conforms, and performs in us all God requires of His children. Blessings

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  5. Valerie Caraotta

    I reflect on your words that these few men were given to Jesus to know the secrets of the kingdom. How delighted He is to share the treasured meanings of His word with those intimately close to Him. I think today how He is not a respector of persons and how we can tap into rich kingdom truths with always new revelation as we search the Scriptures and desire Him above all else. Such beautiful Scriptures to help us desire Him and His truths more.😀❤️🙌🙌🙏🙏

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  7. Mary Sweeney

    This is really good, Fran. So thankful for His Words that give us life.
    “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.”
    Hope you are doing well.

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