“Do I know you?”

Dec. 6

Read: John 1:6-18

“Do I know you?”

“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (v.12,13)

We do not recognize what would actually give us life. I know that we think we know what we want and what we need… but in the end, we overlook the very one who is LIFE and the “light of men”. Jesus came into the world - “the light” - and the world did not receive him:

“The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.” (v.9,10)

The very source of life and all creation came to us - and we did not know him. This is true of us today. I am convinced that the Lord “comes to us” - through the Holy Spirit, the Bible, prayer, dreams, visions, the counsel of brothers and sisters in Christ, general revelation in creation, etc. - and we don’t recognize him. The very one who gives us “life and light” and we overlook his presence and his direction. Notice that there is a “true light” mentioned. This tells us that there is also a “false light”. What can we infer? Without outside help, we will overlook the “true light” and neglect the life he brings in exchange for the “false light”.

It is God who causes us to “become children of God”. It is through the will of God that we are born again into his family. We are born into our new identity in Christ. In short, our eyes are opened to the “true light” and source of all life… JESUS! We cannot and will not do this on our own. We will not recognize the “true light” that is Jesus nor the life that he brings by ourselves. It simply does not work this way. Look at what verse 13 says; how were we “born” as “children of God” ? :

“who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”

To be a child of God is not a genetic thing… it is not a DNA or chromosome sort of thing… it is “not of blood”. It does not hinge on skin color, height, hair, or your brain or any other physical trait. It is not a byproduct of who your earthly parents are.

To be a child of God is not something that our flesh chooses or desires. It is not something we pick for ourselves. It is not the “will of the flesh”. Our flesh will never recognize the light on its own. Our flesh will never “will itself” to choose Christ. It may seem like we “pick” or “choose”… but the scriptures tell us that is not from us!

To be a child of God is not the will of any other man. We do not pick for ourselves and no other human can force it upon us either. Not our pastors, parents, or spouses even have that power… no other human chooses for us.

To be able to recognize the source of life and light in this world - that is Jesus Christ - it is only by the will of God. It is by God’s will alone that we are born as His children. God leads us into the light and into LIFE. God opens our eyes and allows us to recognize Jesus as we move through this world. God enables us to recognize Jesus when he arrives… the same as those characters in the Christmas story.

This Christmas, we need eyes to see Jesus wherever he is. The world does not know him. It never will. It can’t. Stop waiting for the world to start recognizing the “true light”. Start asking God to will the rebirth of those who are his! If you can recognize Jesus - the true light - then God has willed you to be born as a child of God. He is leading you into the light which is the same as leading you into LIFE. The enemy wants to make what is dark appear as “light” and is desperately trying to deceive us into thinking the true light is “dark”. We will fall for the enemy’s schemes no doubt. This season, may we fix our eyes on the true light. May we ask the Father to lead us… to guide us… to awaken us so that we do not overlook his Son. If we are not careful, we will miss Jesus as he is among us; after all “The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.” Love you guys! - JDP