THE Reason we are Here
I feel very humbled, having read I Corinthians 1:18-31. At age 17, I did not go to Church, was doing drugs and alcohol, and had no hope, no future whatsoever. Then I met a new friend, who boldly and without shame told me about Christ, that he was real, that He died on the cross for my sins. Slowly, I began to realize that God was not mad at me, and was not standing idly by while I made a fast track to hell. The Bible, in four accounts, by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, tells us Jesus, who never sinned, never lied, went to the cross to die, as payment for our sins. God made perfect salvation, but He requires just one thing. He wants us to put our faith in His son (Ephesians 2:8-9).
If I had the ability to be good enough then why did Jesus have to die on that cross? I cannot reach God my way, and neither can you. When I understood my problem before God, and realized it could be fixed by putting my faith in Christ, I wanted that!! When I was 17, I prayed a simple prayer. I acknowledged I am a sinner (agreeing with Romans 3:23) and I asked Jesus to forgive all my sins, and to come into my heart, and be my Lord and personal savior. I gave Jesus my whole heart...I didn't just pray a prayer to avoid hell.
Jesus has a promise for all who believe. It is in John 3:16, the verse you see at football games. It says, "For God so loved the world (us), that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life". That night when I was 17, I felt such a peace, such a relief, because I could feel the burden of my sins removed from me. They were gone.
Have you asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior? There is no greater adventure, no greater mystery in this world worth pursuing. Jesus is why we are here, adoptng...he directed us to do so.
Walking and living by faith is sometimes hard, but Jesus has been faithful. I have been well cared for ever since I trusted Him as my savior. It doesn't matter what you've done, and it doesn't matter how unworthy you may feel. Jesus will accept all who ask Him to save them.
You may be frustrated by religion. I was raised a Roman Catholic, and heard about Jesus for 16 years until my eyes were glassed over with boredom. You may have heard you have to do a bunch of stuff, or good things, to earn heaven. None of that is true. All you need is to acknowledge you are a sinner, that you cannot save yourself, and humbly ask Jesus into your heart (Revelation 3:20), and ask him to save you. Become a follower of Christ.
My dad resisted doing this for 20 plus years after I became a believer. We prayed for him...so many people prayed for him. Two months before he died, at age 78, he told Nellie and all of us he prayed to receive Christ, and after he did, he acknowledged that he cannot understand why he didn't pray sooner. He was a changed man the last two months of his life. My dad, at age 78, realized he couldn't be good enough.
That's the message of I Corinthians 1:18-31. What I am today is because of Christ, and Christ alone. By His power and love, we are adopting, and not by any of our own goodness.
If I had the ability to be good enough then why did Jesus have to die on that cross? I cannot reach God my way, and neither can you. When I understood my problem before God, and realized it could be fixed by putting my faith in Christ, I wanted that!! When I was 17, I prayed a simple prayer. I acknowledged I am a sinner (agreeing with Romans 3:23) and I asked Jesus to forgive all my sins, and to come into my heart, and be my Lord and personal savior. I gave Jesus my whole heart...I didn't just pray a prayer to avoid hell.
Jesus has a promise for all who believe. It is in John 3:16, the verse you see at football games. It says, "For God so loved the world (us), that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life". That night when I was 17, I felt such a peace, such a relief, because I could feel the burden of my sins removed from me. They were gone.
Have you asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior? There is no greater adventure, no greater mystery in this world worth pursuing. Jesus is why we are here, adoptng...he directed us to do so.
Walking and living by faith is sometimes hard, but Jesus has been faithful. I have been well cared for ever since I trusted Him as my savior. It doesn't matter what you've done, and it doesn't matter how unworthy you may feel. Jesus will accept all who ask Him to save them.
You may be frustrated by religion. I was raised a Roman Catholic, and heard about Jesus for 16 years until my eyes were glassed over with boredom. You may have heard you have to do a bunch of stuff, or good things, to earn heaven. None of that is true. All you need is to acknowledge you are a sinner, that you cannot save yourself, and humbly ask Jesus into your heart (Revelation 3:20), and ask him to save you. Become a follower of Christ.
My dad resisted doing this for 20 plus years after I became a believer. We prayed for him...so many people prayed for him. Two months before he died, at age 78, he told Nellie and all of us he prayed to receive Christ, and after he did, he acknowledged that he cannot understand why he didn't pray sooner. He was a changed man the last two months of his life. My dad, at age 78, realized he couldn't be good enough.
That's the message of I Corinthians 1:18-31. What I am today is because of Christ, and Christ alone. By His power and love, we are adopting, and not by any of our own goodness.
Amen brother! Thanks for sharing your testimony and witness, Dave.
ReplyDeleteWe saw the Boehr Blog for today. Looked like a beautiful day at the orphanage and lots of outside play. Pleas give Sasha big hugs and kisses from us and tell him we miss him.
We overnighted in Amsterdam. Flew out this morning for 9 hrs and arrived at MSP around 12:30P. Lots of famil and friends stopped by with meals.
It going on 5 am in Ukraine. We're toast and ready for bed. God bless you!!!