June 2011
It's wonderful to have
you as a visitor to this site. If you could
visit me in person, you'd see that my desire
is to have you feel loved by knowing and
believing that God loves you. "He showed
how much He loved you by sending His only
Son into the world so that you might have
eternal life through Him."1
Spiritual Restoration
Many people try to gain
God's approval through good works. My parents
strove for perfection through religious
performance and legalism. Religion can't
change the heart. It is man's attempt to
know and please God apart from the finished
work of Jesus
But with my conviction,
they found their religious works were not
enough to sustain their lives due to all
the pain I had caused. As a result, they
turned their wills and lives over to the
care of God by trusting in the work of Jesus:
His death, burial, and resurrection. At
last, they experienced a glorious relationship
with God their Father.
Spiritual restoration took
place in their hearts through the power
of the Holy Spirit. They became right with
God through faith in Jesus' righteous redemption.
I recall how they began to "sing psalms
and hymns and spiritual songs to God with
thankful hearts."2
Separation From God
I was driven to commit
all sorts of sin in my pursuit of happiness
only to end up in prison with a life sentence.
I was powerless to overcome the effects
of my separation from God, until I received
the power that God promised, the power that
Jesus died and rose again to give.
"And now you also
have heard the truth, the Good News that
God saves you. And when you believe in
Christ, He identifies you as His own by
giving you the Holy Spirit, whom He promised
long ago. The Spirit is God's guarantee
that He will give us everything He promised
and that He has purchased us to be His
own people. This is just one more reason
for us to praise our glorious God."3
If you aren't praising
God for having experienced the presence
of the Holy Spirit in your heart; maybe
your religion has kept you from being identified
by God as His own? If you aren't sure, please
don't leave this site before confessing
with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believing
in your heart that God raised Him from the
dead. "For anyone who calls on the
name of the Lord will be saved."4
Complete Restoration
Before Christ came into
my heart, I wanted to help children who
had lost their way, like myself, but I needed
solutions first. I sought help from psychiatry,
but I felt I also needed help spiritually.
I tried a few religions, what seemed right
to me, or what others thought, but thank
God, several people felt I should try Jesus.
Later, I read in the Bible:
"Don't let anyone
lead you astray with empty philosophy
and high-sounding nonsense that comes
from human thinking and from the basic
principles of this world, and not from
Christ. For in Christ, the fullness of
God lives in a human body, and you are
complete through your union with Christ.
He is the Lord over every ruler and authority
in the universe."5
I heard God say in the
Spirit, "You are complete in Christ."
When you ask Jesus into your heart, you
come into union with Christ -- the fullness
of God. Your spirit comes alive, establishing
in yourself an entirely new sense of identity
in Jesus. You become a living miracle --
nothing lacking, nothing missing!
Divine Restoration
My parents loved me unconditionally
through it all until the day they went home
to be with the Lord. It has been thirty-six
years since I made the decision to ask Jesus
into my heart.
"What this means
is that those who become Christians become
new persons. They are not the same anymore,
for the old is gone. A new life has begun!"6
Immediately, I was given
a Bible. If you don't have one, get one,
so you can renew your mind with the truth
of God's word. Find a local congregation
where they teach you verse by verse through
the Bible, and who will accept you just
the way you are. Let them know that you
have asked Jesus into your heart.
"As you come to
know Jesus better, His divine power gives
you everything you need for living a godly
life. He has called you to receive His
own glory and goodness! And by that same
mighty power, He has given you all of
His rich and wonderful promises. He has
promised that you will escape the decadence
all around you caused by evil desires
and that you will share in His divine
nature."7
Now, hold on for the ride
of your life! The journey out of fear and
unbelief will be the best decision you have
ever made!
A Prayer For You!
Heavenly Father, in the
Name of Jesus, I surrender to you, repenting
of my sins and for trusting in my good works
for righteousness. I believe that You sent
Your Son Jesus to take my sin, guilt, and
pain upon Himself, so that I could be made
right with You. I believe my sins are completely
forgiven because of the precious blood of
Jesus. I believe that You raised Jesus from
the dead, and I confess Jesus as Lord with
my mouth. Forgive me for trying to save
myself by my own works. I turn to You with
all my heart and trust in the finished work
of Calvary. Thank You for this awesome gift
of eternal life. Thank You for taking up
residence in my heart and for inviting me
into Your glorious kingdom. I commit my
life to serving before Your throne forever.
Amen.
Scripture
References:
1 1 John
4:9
2 Col. 3:16c
3 Eph. 1:13, 14
4 Rom. 10:8-13
5 Col. 2:8-10
6 2 Cor. 5:17
7 2 Pet. 1:3, 4
Acknowledgement: A special thanks
to Sherry for transcribing this months view!
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