Some people have the idea that becoming a Christian is difficult.
What does it mean to be a Christian?
It means following Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God. It means that you have made a decision to live your life with God’s will in mind. You accept in your heart that Jesus died a terrible death for you out of love. And that He arose from death after three days as a conqueror over our sins, and over all evil! To be a Christian, you must confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord of your life and accept His love for you and His path for your life.
It is a life changing experience! All of the worldy things that weigh you down, addictions, hatred, bitterness, etc. Such sins that are heartbreaking to the heart of God are washed away. With Jesus, all things are become new. You will be a new creation in God’s kingdom!
Jesus said it: to enter into the kingdom of heaven you must have faith like a little child. Trust only Him. (Matthew 18).
The apostle Paul wrote that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and declare that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved, (Romans 10:9).
Why Jesus? Most everyone on the earth can see that we live in a broken world. God was moved with compassion and sent His only Son Jesus, the ultimate sacrifice to pay the cost for our sins.
Jesus‘ time spent here on earth, being fully human and fully Divine, was a historical and ground breaking event. The world has not been the same since! He not only died a terrible death: the worst form of capitol punishment ever inflicted on an innocent person. He regained territory in Hell by taking back the keys to death, Hell and the grave away from Satan. And on the third day, after His seeming defeat He arose from the grave victorious so that he might sit at the right hand of God the Father.
Now we may boldly approach the Throne of God the Father with Jesus as our mediator! Such grace and mercy poured out onto a broken world!
Over 500 people witnessed Jesus walking about the earth after he was supposed to be dead! It is written down in history. No one can say that Jesus never existed!
He is historical, He is a prophet, He is a teacher, He is mission-minded, He inspired the writer’s of the four gospels (Matthew, Mark Luke and John), He fulfilled prophecy (Isaiah 53), He is the Messiah! But most importantly He is the Son of the Living God and He did it all in love for you, for me, for all of us.
It’s not all that difficult to understand that a God who loves so deeply the people that He has created wants so terribly to have a relationship even to the extreme of sacrificing His only Son, Jesus.
The problem with the world today is that people do not understand such pure unconditional love from a living God through His only Son. Most feel inadequate for receiving such love. The love and forgiveness of Jesus is free. In child-like faith will you accept the love of Jesus today?
Thought
Accepting Jesus is only difficult if you have already chosen to reject Him.
Prayer
Dear Lord, Jesus I declare you as Lord of my life! Please forgive me of all my sins today. I believe that you are the Son of God and that He raised you from the dead. Thank you for saving me, please make me whole in you and show me the way of truth, life, righteousness, peace and joy! In Jesus’ name, Amen!
Read
The Gospel of St. John
Song in my Head
‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. And all these things shall be added unto you, Allelu-Alleluia!’ -children’s Bible song
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Friday, October 1, 2010
Lord, I Want to Say "Thank You!"
In Pixar’s hit movie The Incredible’s there is a scene with Elastigirl jumping from a plane with two of her children. They had been under attack from the enemy and had no choice but to jump. Elastigirl's first instinct is to protect her children. She has a gift for being extremely flexible so she spreads herself like a sheet and becomes a human parachute. She and her children safely land in the water below and swim to shore.
This is an odd movie scene to remember, but it speaks volumes about a Mother’s love and instincts. How much more does God love us and instictively know how to protect us? He is all-knowing, all-powerful! Think about it. How many quick prayers do you breathe every day? Imagine all the prayers going up to God right now:
Lord, please help me to get to work on time… Dear God, please don’t let there be traffic today. Please let me get an “A” on my test… Oh my God! Help me through this meeting! Dear God, please let my daughter be standing in front of the school when I pick her up today… God? I know I don’t talk to you much, but could you please let the team win tonight? …And God if you’re not too busy, let us win that trophy? Please let it be sunny today, God! Dear God please let it be windy enough today so that I can go out in my boat…. Dear God, I hate the heat! Please let it be cold tomorrow! Dear God, we come before you today asking that you would bless the food that we are about to partake…. God please let me have green lights all the way home! Please let there be hot water for me to wash with… Please take care of my dog while I am gone today… Dear Lord Jesus, please help me when I speak at the convention tonight. Give me the words to say… God please help the gas in my car to last longer this time! …Oh God, help me to find my keys!…Please let me be the first in line for the movie tonight, God...Please let there be money in my account today...
It may seem that many of these are silly prayers. However, God cares enough to answer them all. He is very interested and attentive to us. (Matthew 6).How many prayers have you whispered to God today? The Bible tells us to pray without ceasing. (I Thessalonians 5).
But when He answers, do you remember to go back and say “thank you for answering my prayers, Lord!”? We’ve all done it. I sure have forgotten to go back and say thank you, but then I get my feathers all in a bunch when someone doesn’t thank me! LOL! Like when you’re driving and you give someone a break in traffic and they just take it without giving you the thank you wave or mouthing the words “thanks!”
How much more important is it for us to remember to go back and thank God for saving us, protecting us, healing us, watching over us as we sleep, waking us up in good health, and so much more? How you pray reflects how much you know about God. But one cannot know God without spending time and praying to Him and worshiping Him!
Questions
When was the last time you took time to just thank and praise God for all that He has done and is doing in your life? Are you grateful to Him?
Prayer
Dear God, help us to be more aware of all the things that you are doing for us and through us in our lives! But most of all help us to never take You for granted. Thank you so much, Lord God for Your love and for lavishing love on us when we least deserve it! In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Read
Psalm 9:1-2, Psalm 51:15, Psalm 103:1-2, Ephesians 5:19, Colossians 3:16, I Thessalonians 5
Song in my Head
‘Thank you for the cross, Lord! Thank you for the price you paid! Bearing all my sin and shame in love you came and gave amazing grace! Thank you for this life, Lord, that you for the nail pierced hands! Wash me in your cleansing flow. Now, all I know is your forgiveness and embrace! Worthy is the Lamb seated on the throne!’ -Darlene Zschech
This is an odd movie scene to remember, but it speaks volumes about a Mother’s love and instincts. How much more does God love us and instictively know how to protect us? He is all-knowing, all-powerful! Think about it. How many quick prayers do you breathe every day? Imagine all the prayers going up to God right now:
Lord, please help me to get to work on time… Dear God, please don’t let there be traffic today. Please let me get an “A” on my test… Oh my God! Help me through this meeting! Dear God, please let my daughter be standing in front of the school when I pick her up today… God? I know I don’t talk to you much, but could you please let the team win tonight? …And God if you’re not too busy, let us win that trophy? Please let it be sunny today, God! Dear God please let it be windy enough today so that I can go out in my boat…. Dear God, I hate the heat! Please let it be cold tomorrow! Dear God, we come before you today asking that you would bless the food that we are about to partake…. God please let me have green lights all the way home! Please let there be hot water for me to wash with… Please take care of my dog while I am gone today… Dear Lord Jesus, please help me when I speak at the convention tonight. Give me the words to say… God please help the gas in my car to last longer this time! …Oh God, help me to find my keys!…Please let me be the first in line for the movie tonight, God...Please let there be money in my account today...
It may seem that many of these are silly prayers. However, God cares enough to answer them all. He is very interested and attentive to us. (Matthew 6).How many prayers have you whispered to God today? The Bible tells us to pray without ceasing. (I Thessalonians 5).
But when He answers, do you remember to go back and say “thank you for answering my prayers, Lord!”? We’ve all done it. I sure have forgotten to go back and say thank you, but then I get my feathers all in a bunch when someone doesn’t thank me! LOL! Like when you’re driving and you give someone a break in traffic and they just take it without giving you the thank you wave or mouthing the words “thanks!”
How much more important is it for us to remember to go back and thank God for saving us, protecting us, healing us, watching over us as we sleep, waking us up in good health, and so much more? How you pray reflects how much you know about God. But one cannot know God without spending time and praying to Him and worshiping Him!
Questions
When was the last time you took time to just thank and praise God for all that He has done and is doing in your life? Are you grateful to Him?
Prayer
Dear God, help us to be more aware of all the things that you are doing for us and through us in our lives! But most of all help us to never take You for granted. Thank you so much, Lord God for Your love and for lavishing love on us when we least deserve it! In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Read
Psalm 9:1-2, Psalm 51:15, Psalm 103:1-2, Ephesians 5:19, Colossians 3:16, I Thessalonians 5
Song in my Head
‘Thank you for the cross, Lord! Thank you for the price you paid! Bearing all my sin and shame in love you came and gave amazing grace! Thank you for this life, Lord, that you for the nail pierced hands! Wash me in your cleansing flow. Now, all I know is your forgiveness and embrace! Worthy is the Lamb seated on the throne!’ -Darlene Zschech
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