“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world,” writes John, and then he adds, “And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith” [1 John 5 v.4]. What is faith? That’s is a fundamental question – and the answer is simple! Or is it? Consider what happened in the First Century – beginning with 12 ordinary men, most of them fishermen. Yes, miracles happened at times, but though these were a spur to faith, think of how many times Jesus said to them, “O you of little faith” (e.g. Matt.8 v.26; 14 v.31;16 v.8)

Only later did they develop the faith that spurred them and so many others to be faithful in the face of all sorts of persecution. This arose because the pagan Greek and Roman world was challenged as to what it really believed, who really was the God that should be worshipped! The ‘god’ of atheism is starting to be ‘worshipped’ today and its dedicated adherents are starting to create more and more problems for genuine Bible believers.

Paul in his letters to those converted from paganism reminds them “how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come” [1 Thess. 1 v.9,10] These former pagans had reached a conviction as to the real nature of the Creator who sent his Son into the world. A conviction that included the realization that we are nothing, we are like a cloud floating through the sky, dissipating into nothingness unless …!! Unless we seek a relationship with God!

There is a well known verse which tells us, “without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” [Hebrews 11 v.6]

Today the challenge to our efforts to develop such a faith – is the fiction of evolution – the impossible idea that everything by some means “created” itself! So we turn from human fiction to the wonder of what happened 2,000 years ago and has challenged human minds ever since. It is “our faith” in that event which enables us to “overcome the world” writes John. It is “our faith” that inspires us on to “victory.”

John stresses a key point as he ends his first Epistle. “We know the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ” [v.20] Real faith inevitably leads us know God, it results in us having a ‘living’ prayerful relationship with him, in the same sense, but far greater, than the way men and women should aim to ‘know’ each other in marriage. Feeding on God’s word every day is an essential part in maintaining and developing that relationship.

Our chapter in the First Epistle of John (Ch. 3) starts with the above words! Love comes in different “kinds” and fully genuine love is proved by the actions that follow. When we get to v.18 we read, “let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” That kind of love should create a reaction in those who benefit from it. Look at and see how meaningful is the rest of that quotation, we read, “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” This is an extra dimension to the familiar statement that “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” [John 3 v.16] God sees those who really believe as being “children of God”.

Those who are children of the world have little or no time for those who are living with the conviction they are “children of God”. But how wonderful when there are exceptions when people are genuinely influenced and attracted by the godly lives they see in others. Look at the point John made in v.2, “The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” Oh, but those who put him to death knew him! Yes, but they only knew him in a physical sense, they saw him as a rival, their minds were fixed on themselves, their motives were totally self-centred, their minds were blinded because of their own sense of self importance.

Those who really think, in all humility, of the wonder of being known by God and becoming his children, develop a totally different mind-set in the way they think. Just 4 days ago we read these words in Peter, “Humble yourselves therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, “YET IT WAS THE WILL OF THE LORD”” [1 Peter 5 v.6,7]. Those who develop the ability to see the kind of love that God has for those who serve him will, in all humility, develop a wonderful relationship with their Creator.

Our first reading today (Judges 19) reveals a totally contrasting situation! It is an ugly story of human depravity. Why does the Bible contain such chapters? Because it is an honest record of the depravity of human life – and how God deals with it – as well as the wonder of spiritual life and of our potential to have a total relationship with God as his children. We love God, but let us be sure it is the right “kind of love”!

Today we read the fascinating 40th chapter of Isaiah which was largely taken and put to music in the Oratorio ‘The Messiah’ about 250 years ago. It begins “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem … that her warfare is ended and her iniquity is pardoned.” Jerusalem has been the centre of warfare for much of the time since God gave these words to Isaiah. This city, with its magnificent Temple to God has been twice destroyed.

But then in 1967 its ancient walls were again under the control of the people of Israel. How long will it be before verse 5 is fulfilled? “And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” But the passing centuries have seen that “the grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand for ever.” [v.8] Those who know their Bibles will also “stand for ever” and, for this reason they are reading v.9-11 with anticipation – “… O Jerusalem, herald of good news … say to the cities of Judah ‘Behold your God. Behold the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will tend his flock like a shepherd …”

Then verse 17 tells us, “All nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness.” This is more true than ever of the godless world of the 21st Century! But then the final verses ask and answer the most important question in life! “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator … they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” [v.28,21]

This reminds us of the words of Jesus, “those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection of the dead … they cannot die anymore because they are equal unto the angels …” [Luke 20 v.35,36]

Each year we more eagerly and earnestly “wait for the LORD” – or should be – are you? Our regular reading and meditation on God’s word is our source of strength until it is renewed in ways beyond our comprehension when as Paul puts it, “we await a Saviour; the Lord Jesus Christ who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body …” [Philp’ns 3 v.20,21]