Are you a believer in Christ -
The One whom you professed saved you from an eternal hell
The One you said you wanted to know
The One you said you would follow
What happened -
Was the path too difficult - was the one you had been on easier for you to travel?
Did you decide Jesus was not worth knowing?
Do you believe that if you can't see results of His work, then He's not doing anything?
When have you given Him a chance? When have you reached out and cried for His mercy?
You feel helpless. You don't know where to turn, yet you turn inward. But there are no answers there. Only more questions and more pain.
You make decisions based on what you want, what you desire, what you believe is your right. Why do you leave God out of the equation?
Are you a believer in Christ or only in yourself?
It is not true nor accurate to say to another, "This is how you are" or to say to yourself, "This is how I am."
It is only true and accurate to say, "This is how I see you" or "This is how I see me."
My sins are no less than your sins. Christ died for me as much as He died for you.
My journey in following Christ has not been easy. You may think your journey is tougher, but we each think our own personal journey is harder than that of another. The Lord through the Holy Spirit, who resides in the heart of every truly born-again believer, teaches us through our sorrows, our pain.
You say you believe in Jesus. You say you accepted Him as your Lord, your Savior, your Redeemer.
If you truly believe in Jesus - TRUST Him,
not yourself.
If you truly accept Jesus - LOVE Him,
not yourself.
If you truly desire to know and follow Jesus - GATHER with Him and fellow believers in a Bible study, in worship, in friendship,
not your own selfish desires.
Being baptized acknowledges that you accepted Christ as your personal Lord and Savior and have become a member of a body of believers - the church. It acknowledges that you are a child of God.
The lifelong relationship others have that you think "are just that way" is a result of tears, struggles and pain over one's lifetime and reaching out to the Lord for His help, His guidance, His promises, His love, His mercy, over and over again. It is ongoing, not just once and its gone. The Lord Jesus is with us always.
When you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, you became a new creature, a new you. You must throw off the old every time and seek the new, "for if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (II Corinthians 5:17 NKJV)
"For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if one died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again." (II Corinthians 5:14-15 NKJV)
Live for Christ, in Christ, of Christ, and see / know all that you are:
Accepted, Secure and Significant.
The darkness surrounds us. We each have circumstances in our lives that wreak havoc upon us. But when we truly believe, we will know God is behind the scenes, working in our behalf.
Just because we cannot see Him, does not mean His is not present. He is always with us. Believe in Him, Trust Him, Love Him. He will open your eyes, your ears and most importantly, your heart to all of Him around you.
The One whom you professed saved you from an eternal hell
The One you said you wanted to know
The One you said you would follow
What happened -
Was the path too difficult - was the one you had been on easier for you to travel?
Did you decide Jesus was not worth knowing?
Do you believe that if you can't see results of His work, then He's not doing anything?
When have you given Him a chance? When have you reached out and cried for His mercy?
You feel helpless. You don't know where to turn, yet you turn inward. But there are no answers there. Only more questions and more pain.
You make decisions based on what you want, what you desire, what you believe is your right. Why do you leave God out of the equation?
Are you a believer in Christ or only in yourself?
It is not true nor accurate to say to another, "This is how you are" or to say to yourself, "This is how I am."
It is only true and accurate to say, "This is how I see you" or "This is how I see me."
My sins are no less than your sins. Christ died for me as much as He died for you.
My journey in following Christ has not been easy. You may think your journey is tougher, but we each think our own personal journey is harder than that of another. The Lord through the Holy Spirit, who resides in the heart of every truly born-again believer, teaches us through our sorrows, our pain.
You say you believe in Jesus. You say you accepted Him as your Lord, your Savior, your Redeemer.
If you truly believe in Jesus - TRUST Him,
not yourself.
If you truly accept Jesus - LOVE Him,
not yourself.
If you truly desire to know and follow Jesus - GATHER with Him and fellow believers in a Bible study, in worship, in friendship,
not your own selfish desires.
Being baptized acknowledges that you accepted Christ as your personal Lord and Savior and have become a member of a body of believers - the church. It acknowledges that you are a child of God.
The lifelong relationship others have that you think "are just that way" is a result of tears, struggles and pain over one's lifetime and reaching out to the Lord for His help, His guidance, His promises, His love, His mercy, over and over again. It is ongoing, not just once and its gone. The Lord Jesus is with us always.
When you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, you became a new creature, a new you. You must throw off the old every time and seek the new, "for if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (II Corinthians 5:17 NKJV)
"For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if one died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again." (II Corinthians 5:14-15 NKJV)
Live for Christ, in Christ, of Christ, and see / know all that you are:
Accepted, Secure and Significant.
The darkness surrounds us. We each have circumstances in our lives that wreak havoc upon us. But when we truly believe, we will know God is behind the scenes, working in our behalf.
Just because we cannot see Him, does not mean His is not present. He is always with us. Believe in Him, Trust Him, Love Him. He will open your eyes, your ears and most importantly, your heart to all of Him around you.
(c) Cathy Orrick Luders
