God loves you so much that He gave His one and only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, so you can be set free from the tormentor of your soul—Satan, whose whole mission is to kill, steal, and destroy. God’s Word (the Bible) says in John 10:10 (NKJV) “The thief (Satan) does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I (Jesus) have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob--Yahweh, the God of Israel, gave us His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, who was born of the Virgin Mary to redeem us from our sins, so that we could have life, and have it more abundantly now, including eternal life when we die. God’s Word (the Bible) says in John 14:6 “I (Jesus) am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me (Jesus).”
Therefore, if you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, please do so at this time. According to God’s word (the Bible) this is a free gift of His grace that we receive by faith. This is according to Ephesians 2:8 (NKJV) which states. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
Therefore, as far as your eternal salvation is concerned it does not matter if you are a good, kind person who constantly helps others if you do not believe in Jesus Christ because you cannot be saved by your good works. Our good works are a by-product of us loving God with all our heart, soul, and strength.
John 3:36 proclaims, "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."
God's Wrath is final judgment and rejection of the sinner. To put off the choice is to choose not to follow Christ. Indecision is a fatal decision. Choose to have eternal life now. You may not get another opportunity for we are not promised tomorrow.
Therefore, please make the most important decision of your life now by saying out loud from a sincere and contrite heart the prayer below.
Heavenly Father, I come to you, the God, of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I recognize and acknowledge that I have not lived my life for You up to the present moment. I have been living for myself, and that is wrong. I need You in my life; and I
want You in my life.
I acknowledge the completed work of Your Son, Jesus Christ, in giving up His life and shedding His precious blood for me on the cross at Calvary. I sincerely acknowledge in my heart and profess out loud with my mouth, that Jesus is your one and only begotten Son, who willing died so that our sins could be forgiven.
Therefore, I profess with my mouth and believe in my heart, that you raised Jesus Christ from the dead, and He is sitting at your right hand in your heavenly throne room interceding for all who believe in their heart and profess with their mouth that He, Jesus, is our Lord and Savior. For your Word says in Romans 8:34 (NKJV) “Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.”
Heavenly Father, I long to receive Your forgiveness for my sins that You have made freely available to me through Your
grace by faith in believing that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior. This is your free gift of salvation, for the saving of the whole man—body, soul, and Spirit.
Therefore, this day I accept Your only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, as my Lord and Savior whom You raised from the dead on the third day where He is now seated at Your right hand in Heaven. Moreover, by doing so I acknowledge and accept that Jesus Christ is my great High Priest who forgives my sins so that my relationship to You, my Heavenly Father, is restored
and I can now boldly approach Your throne of grace and receive your mercy so I may inherit all of Your promises found in Your Word while I am still living on the earth, including eternal life when I die.
Moreover, I openly repent and renounce all the sin in my life. With the help of the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit, I will turn away from those areas in my life which I have not lived according to Your Word. With a sincere heart and contrite spirit, I ask for You to forgive and cleanse me of all my sins made possible only by the blood of Your Son, Jesus Christ—our Jewish Messiah.And, by faith I receive Your forgiveness for my sins with praise and thanksgiving in my heart.
Come into my life now, Lord, Jesus, and take up residence in my heart and be my King, my Lord, and my Savior. From this
day forward, I will no longer be controlled by my sinful nature, or my fleshly, carnal desire to live according to what I deem right in my own eyes. Rather, I choose this day, to follow You, and live according to your Word, all the days of my life. And, today I commit my heart, soul, and mind to you the Lord of my life. From this day forward I commit my life into your hands.
I ask this in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob--Yahweh, the God of Israel, gave us His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, who was born of the Virgin Mary to redeem us from our sins, so that we could have life, and have it more abundantly now, including eternal life when we die. God’s Word (the Bible) says in John 14:6 “I (Jesus) am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me (Jesus).”
Therefore, if you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, please do so at this time. According to God’s word (the Bible) this is a free gift of His grace that we receive by faith. This is according to Ephesians 2:8 (NKJV) which states. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
Therefore, as far as your eternal salvation is concerned it does not matter if you are a good, kind person who constantly helps others if you do not believe in Jesus Christ because you cannot be saved by your good works. Our good works are a by-product of us loving God with all our heart, soul, and strength.
John 3:36 proclaims, "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."
God's Wrath is final judgment and rejection of the sinner. To put off the choice is to choose not to follow Christ. Indecision is a fatal decision. Choose to have eternal life now. You may not get another opportunity for we are not promised tomorrow.
Therefore, please make the most important decision of your life now by saying out loud from a sincere and contrite heart the prayer below.
Heavenly Father, I come to you, the God, of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I recognize and acknowledge that I have not lived my life for You up to the present moment. I have been living for myself, and that is wrong. I need You in my life; and I
want You in my life.
I acknowledge the completed work of Your Son, Jesus Christ, in giving up His life and shedding His precious blood for me on the cross at Calvary. I sincerely acknowledge in my heart and profess out loud with my mouth, that Jesus is your one and only begotten Son, who willing died so that our sins could be forgiven.
Therefore, I profess with my mouth and believe in my heart, that you raised Jesus Christ from the dead, and He is sitting at your right hand in your heavenly throne room interceding for all who believe in their heart and profess with their mouth that He, Jesus, is our Lord and Savior. For your Word says in Romans 8:34 (NKJV) “Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.”
Heavenly Father, I long to receive Your forgiveness for my sins that You have made freely available to me through Your
grace by faith in believing that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior. This is your free gift of salvation, for the saving of the whole man—body, soul, and Spirit.
Therefore, this day I accept Your only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, as my Lord and Savior whom You raised from the dead on the third day where He is now seated at Your right hand in Heaven. Moreover, by doing so I acknowledge and accept that Jesus Christ is my great High Priest who forgives my sins so that my relationship to You, my Heavenly Father, is restored
and I can now boldly approach Your throne of grace and receive your mercy so I may inherit all of Your promises found in Your Word while I am still living on the earth, including eternal life when I die.
Moreover, I openly repent and renounce all the sin in my life. With the help of the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit, I will turn away from those areas in my life which I have not lived according to Your Word. With a sincere heart and contrite spirit, I ask for You to forgive and cleanse me of all my sins made possible only by the blood of Your Son, Jesus Christ—our Jewish Messiah.And, by faith I receive Your forgiveness for my sins with praise and thanksgiving in my heart.
Come into my life now, Lord, Jesus, and take up residence in my heart and be my King, my Lord, and my Savior. From this
day forward, I will no longer be controlled by my sinful nature, or my fleshly, carnal desire to live according to what I deem right in my own eyes. Rather, I choose this day, to follow You, and live according to your Word, all the days of my life. And, today I commit my heart, soul, and mind to you the Lord of my life. From this day forward I commit my life into your hands.
I ask this in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
You have taken the first crucial step in becoming a Christian (it is important to write the date that you accepted Jesus somewhere where you will not lose it). The most important thing you can do to grow in your new found faith is read the Bible everyday and rely on the Holy Spirit by establishing a personal intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. It is imperative you read the writing at the end of this section to help you do this.
Get in a good Bible-based church. If the church doesn’t use a Bible for all their teachings, find a new church. Realize that no church is perfect because people are not perfect.
Also it is important to get baptized. Baptism identifies us with Christ and with the community of believers. Like the wedding ring symbolizes marriage, baptism symbolizes an outward commitment to our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. Furthermore, baptism with water is preparatory, because it is for repentance and symbolizes the washing away of our sins. John the Baptist baptized with water, but our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ baptizes with the Holy Spirit which will be evidenced with the ability to speak in tongues. This outpouring of the Holy Spirit came after Jesus had risen from the dead and ascended into heaven. See the book of Acts Chapter 2. Pray until you receive this baptismal of the Holy Spirit. You will need the Holy Spirit to empower you to live and to teach the message of salvation.
New believers in Christ need to be in groups where they can learn God’s Word, pray and mature in their faith. The book of Acts will help you understand things such as the Holy Spirit, how the church is supposed to function, etc.
I would like to hear from you if you accepted Jesus Christ into your heart. I am here to help you in any way I can.
Blessings and welcome to the family of God!
Get in a good Bible-based church. If the church doesn’t use a Bible for all their teachings, find a new church. Realize that no church is perfect because people are not perfect.
Also it is important to get baptized. Baptism identifies us with Christ and with the community of believers. Like the wedding ring symbolizes marriage, baptism symbolizes an outward commitment to our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. Furthermore, baptism with water is preparatory, because it is for repentance and symbolizes the washing away of our sins. John the Baptist baptized with water, but our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ baptizes with the Holy Spirit which will be evidenced with the ability to speak in tongues. This outpouring of the Holy Spirit came after Jesus had risen from the dead and ascended into heaven. See the book of Acts Chapter 2. Pray until you receive this baptismal of the Holy Spirit. You will need the Holy Spirit to empower you to live and to teach the message of salvation.
New believers in Christ need to be in groups where they can learn God’s Word, pray and mature in their faith. The book of Acts will help you understand things such as the Holy Spirit, how the church is supposed to function, etc.
I would like to hear from you if you accepted Jesus Christ into your heart. I am here to help you in any way I can.
Blessings and welcome to the family of God!
IT IS NOT ABOUT RELIGION! IT IS ALL ABOUT AN INTIMATE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST
We need to learn how to have a personal intimate relationship with the Creator of the Universe. He longs to be in fellowship with His children and many are not taught the simplicity of how to establish this relationship with our Heavenly Father.
Anyone can be as close and intimate with God as they desire to be and Hebrews 11:6 (NIV) substantiates that He rewards those who “earnestly” seek Him. Earnestly means to show deep sincerity with determine seriousness and purposeful intent. “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
We make it more complicated than it needs to be. In Matthew 18:2-3, “He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he (Jesus) said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” He is beseeching us to come to Him like little inquisitive children do—with faith, trust, hope, and a teachable spirit.
Also, many Christians struggle with how to pray. Prayer is nothing more than communicating with our Heavenly Father. A relationship always involves two way communication and is never one sided. This is true of all earthly relationships and is the basis of establishing an intimate personal relationship with our Heavenly Father. Talk to Him like you would your best friend and expect Him to answer you.
His Word says in John 10:27 (NIV), “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” The reason why most believers do not hear Him speak is because we just give Him our list of things we want answered and do not spend adequate time in solitude listening for His answer. Nothing is as important as abiding in His presence and listening for His response and oftentimes His answer is not immediate. It requires the one thing most are not willing to give—our time, effort and devotion.
Anything worthwhile in life takes effort and persistence and cultivating a personal relationship with Jesus Christ should be our first priority. We must clear our calendars and set appointed times everyday to ensure we get alone and silence all the other demands in our lives. We all have the same twenty-four hours in a day and control our schedules. There is no excuse for not spending time cultivating the most important relationship we will ever have. This precious time could be accomplished by most of us by simply turning off the radio, stereo, cell phone and television.
It is one thing to know the Bible or attend church; it is another thing to intimately know the God of the Bible. It is not about religion, it is about having a personal intimate relationship with God Almighty. He loves us that much and is waiting for us with open arms. He is our Heavenly Father and His greatest desire is for His children to be in fellowship with Him and depend on Him for every area of our lives—not just when we are in trouble.
How would you feel if your children, spouse or other significant people in your life only came to you when they were in trouble and needed something yet never spent time with you and reciprocated your love and devotion for them? Any loving intimate relationship involves two way communication, interaction, sacrifice and devotion. Our relationship with our Heavenly Father is no different and God’s heart breaks when His Children forsake Him.
Remember that cute little saying that came out many years ago, “What would Jesus do?” Read the four synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John to understand not only what Jesus DID in His earthly ministry but more importantly, what He ACTED like. As you read the gospels notice His characteristics. You will witness His trust in God; His humility; His patience; His courage; His meekness, which is strength under control; His compassion; His sincerity; His strength; His convictions; His generosity; His holiness; His discipline; His honesty; His indignation; His grace and mercy; and His love. The only people He had righteous indignation for or judged were the religious leaders who thought they had all the answers.
Ponder and answer these questions:
First and foremost, how do you know Jesus loves you?
How can you accept the love of Jesus if you don’t first love yourself? You cannot give away something you do not possess in the first place. You must not only believe that God loves you but you must receive His love.
How can you have faith, hope and totally depend on Jesus when you don’t have a personal relationship with Him?
How can you trust Jesus when you don’t have a personal relationship with Him? You cannot fully trust someone unless you know without a shadow of a doubt they love you and want what is best for you.
How can you obey Jesus when you don’t have a personal relationship with Him? You cannot because rules without a relationship always end in rebellion.
Hearing God loves us is not enough—we must experience it for ourselves and we truly grasp this revelation only by knowing Him intimately. We only trust and obey God when we know and experience His great love for us. Then everything we "do" to please Him is a by-product of our great love for Him and we are able to emulate the fruit of the Spirit as we deepen our walk. Notice the first fruit of the Spirit is love, because God is love. Without knowing and receiving God's love it is very difficult to posses and experience joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and gentleness on an ongoing basis. Furthermore, these qualities are manifested in our lives by practicing the last fruit of the Spirit of self-control. The more we crucify our flesh to worldly desires the more we become like Christ.
It will take us crucifying our flesh to live a holy life and it begins with self-control which can only be obtained through discipline and sacrifice. It is God's will for us to spend more time with family and friends, get physically fit, get out of debt, get rid of bad habits, help others, etc. However, NOT at the cost of sacrificing our souls for all eternity because we did not cultivate a personal intimate relationship with His son Jesus Christ. Allow the words from Jesus to resonate in your spirit and examine if you need to change the course you are on. "Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly andremove your lamp stand from its place—unless you repent. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”
How to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ
One of the most important question you will ever ask yourself is, "How do I begin to have a personal intimate relationship with Jesus?"
It is just like establishing a close intimate relationship with anyone else. You spend time with Him, you seek Him in His Word, you worship Him with music, and you listen to sermons at church from various Pastors and teachers. You must seek Him with all your heart and soul and put Him first in everything you do! Our priorities need to become God, ourselves, our families, our friends, and then our jobs.
Accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior is only the beginning of our salvation! We cannot blame our pastors or anyone else for our walk with Him being less desirable than it should be and for not knowing the guidelines of the covenant Jesus Christ established with us by shedding His precious blood.
God will hold each and every one of us accountable for knowing His truth and being in fellowship with Him and it requires action on our part. Philippians 2:12-16 (NIV) states, “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose.”
The Holy Spirit is our engagement ring for our marriage to Jesus Christ. The church is the bride of Christ and it is imperative you understand the role the Holy Spirit plays in our walk with the Lord which guarantees our salvation IF we cultivate and abide in a personal intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.
I do not believe in reinventing the wheel and God uses many different people in His body to convey His truth. Every Christian must read a book written by Robert Heidler titled, “Developing a Living Relationship with the Holy Spirit-Experiencing the Spirit.” He is a pastor who was taught in seminary that the empowering of the Holy Spirit was not for today’s church and he even spoke against this belief from the pulpit until one day the Lord baptized him with the Holy Spirit. The book is substantiated with tons of scripture and superbly explains the difference between the indwelling versus the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. It also goes into detail explaining the gifts of the spirit as well.
Furthermore, it is only by spending time with Him and reading His Word will we come to know His characteristics we are called to emulate in our walk. How can we effectively be His personal representatives if we do not take the time to understand the awesome God we serve and learn His characteristics? Today commit to reading His Word for yourself. Start in the book of Matthew and then read the rest of the synoptic gospels. Look for His characteristics and pay close attention to what Jesus did and how He acted. It is only by applying what you have learned by living it will you be able to effectively influence the world for His kingdom and bring glory to God. What good is it to read the Bible and then not do what it says?
Before the Lord called me into full-time ministry He had me meditate on the book of Matthew for over six months. The reason for this was to know His characteristics, what He did and understand the importance of abiding in His Father's presence. Also two reoccuring themes I gleaned from this endeavor was 1) It is according to your belief He will bring things to pass in your life. In other words, if you don't believe, you WILL not receive. It is that simple. 2) Our intent and motives are critical in everything we do. You may be able to fool the people around you with what you say or do, but God sees and knows our heart and will judge us accordingly. If you do something with the wrong motive the only reward you will receive is the approval of people which is a great destiny killer. The only one we need to seek approval from is God Almighty and the only way to achieve this is by learning what pleases Him and doing it. As with any intimate relationship it only by spending time with Him will this become a reality and enable us finish the race and claim our eternal prize.
What a personal intimate relationship with Jesus Christ looks like
Many people have asked me how to cultivate a personal relationship with the Lord. We erroneously assume people know how to do this. Therefore, I will share with you what I “did” and “do” to cultivate a personal intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. We are all different and what works for one may not work for another. However, if you are serious about deepening your walk with Jesus Christ here are some suggestions to help you.
Church for me is not just on Sundays and Wednesdays—it is a 24/7 endeavor. “We” are the church and His presence is with us always no matter what we are doing or where we are. He delights and longs to spend time with us no matter what we look like or what we are doing.
I spend most of my “free” time in His presence worshipping Him and being in His Word. I do not watch much television and this affords me the opportunity to go deeper with Him while not neglecting my other responsibilities.
I get into His presence every day no matter what else I am doing. My quiet time alone with God is when I go on my morning walks and again in the evening after my family is asleep. I even get fed His Word while I am working out at the gym by listening to different sermons on my IPOD. This attests to the fact you can get physically fit while getting spiritually fed too. It is simply a matter of incorporating Him into our daily routine.
Just like a compass automatically points to true north, my thoughts automatically turn to God for He is always on my mind and heart. He is first in my thoughts when I wake up and greet Him and the last person I talk with at the end of the day as I lay down to go to sleep. He is my best friend; I talk to Him all the time throughout the day.
Following is an example of what I ask Him for on a regular basis because His Word states, “You have not, because you ask not.” He lets me know if I need to ask for other things as well. For those of you who believe you will automatically receive without asking this is not always true. Yes, He knows what you already want before you even ask, but He wants you to ask because you are acknowledging He is your source.
1. His Truth and only His Truth to be revealed to me.
2. The wisdom of Solomon but the heart of David and to help me guard my heart, mind and my MOUTH. What we speak is so critical and this shipwrecks us more than anything. I could and will do an entire writing just on this one thing.
3. As I lay down each night I review my day and ask Him for forgiveness if my walk was not desirable in any way and I did something to offend and not please Him. We all fall short and keeping a short account is critical for we are not promised tomorrow.
4. For Him to reveal anything in my life I need to get rid off—sin I don’t know about, activities I should not participate in, etc.
5. To order my steps and close all doors of opportunity that are not from Him and to open the door He wants me to walk through. I want to make sure I don’t get so busy doing “good” things I am not available to do what He has called me to do. Above all else I want NO ONE OR ANYTHING to come between the times spent alone in solitude abiding in His presence.
6. I give Him free reign to influence and control every area of my life. Most of the time we only give Him Lordship of those areas we feel we cannot handle. He wants it all!
7. For His grace which enables me do everything He calls me to do.
8. For Him to reveal His heart to me and what I can do for His glory.
9. I ask Him for His protection of everyone I love as we go about our day and again in the evening I ask for His divine protection for everyone I love as we sleep.
I got rid of all secular music and started replacing it with Christian music. All the music I listen to is Christian. I did this because I want to constantly be reminded to keep my focus on Him. I worship Him all the time with praise and thanksgiving. I even worship Him with music when I clean my house or do yard work. When I ride in the car I worship Him with music or I listen to sermons. As you can clearly see it doesn't take more time to grown deeper with Him at all.
I thank Him and am grateful for everything in my life on a regular basis. Do you know just thanking the Lord is a form of worshiping Him? As stated in Psalm 50:23 (NLT) “But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me. IF you keep my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God.” When I pay my bills I thank Him He has provided me with the money to pay them. When I clean my house I thank Him for the fact I have a house to clean. When I do mounds of laundry for my family I thank Him I have a family to provide clean clothes for. When I climb into bed each night I thank Him for the fact I have a roof over my head and a warm comfortable bed to go to sleep in at night. When I fill my car with gas I thank Him I have a car to drive. You get the point. When we thank Him for everything we have we are acknowledging He is our provider and we appreciate His provision.
I get into His Word on a daily basis and ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate His Word for me and show me His truth. As stated in Luke 11:9 (NIV), “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” We need to ask Him to give us His revelations found in His Word. Also it helps to use a version of the Bible you can clearly understand and for this reason I use a NIV New Life Application Bible for it is written in a format which is easy to comprehend and it elaborates on what the scriptures are addressing. If you feel overwhelmed and do not know where to start get the Bible you can read in one year's time by devoting 20 to 30 minutes a day. Each day it is broken down with one Old Testament scripture, One New Testament Scripture, a scripture out of Psalms and one out of proverbs. The important thing is you get started reading His word for yourself so you are not led astray by false teachings and your mind and spirit can be renewed.
You may be thinking this is easy for me to devote myself fully to Him because I am in full-time ministry and have the time. But this was not always the case. Just three years ago I worked full-time for AT&T Global Network Services as an International Critical Issues Manager and was working at least 50 plus hours per week. This position was extremely stressful plus I had to be available at a moment notice due the different time zones around the world. However, I was still determined to seek first His Kingdom above all else. The Lord would wake me up at 3:00 in the morning and I would get in His presence and it was during this time I wrote my first book. Then I would go about the normal day of being a wife and mother. In addition, I cleaned my own house and did most of my yard work. Many nights I did not go to bed until 11:00 at night because I used the quiet time after my children were in bed to read His word and abide in His presence. Looking back it was only by the grace of God I was able to accomplish everything required of me and succeed.
I am not a religious fanatic; I am someone who loves the Lord God with all my heart and soul and I am driven by eternity and not the temporal things of this world. Jesus said in Matthew 10:38 (NIV), “Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” Also, in Matthew 10:37 (NIV), “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” He is worthy of our “first fruits” and total devotion because without God you would not exist in the first place. So you see it is not about us, it is all about Him and His purposes and glory.
What “fruit” will result from having a personal intimate relationship with Jesus Christ?
When we first come to accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior oftentimes the changes in our lifestyle are not immediately apparent. The moment we accept Jesus Christ we are justified because of what Jesus did on the cross. However, our lifelong journey is just beginning as we are transformed from glory to glory into a new creature by the power of the Holy Spirit indwelling is us. This process of becoming more like Christ is called sanctification.
Typically it takes seven years to come to full maturity in Christ and we are in partnership with the Holy Spirit to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Our commitment and our obedience to God and His Word will determine the “fruit” we produce.
As we draw closer in our walk with the Lord and seek His face and heart, the desires of our hearts and the way we live our lives will be transformed by the power of His love. Metamorphosis is used to describe the amazing change a caterpillar goes through in becoming a butterfly. This analogy is exactly what takes place in us when we allow God to change our hearts. We need a heart transplant and God is the only donor who meets the requirements to take a hardened corrupted heart and transform it to its intended purpose—to sustain life. We must submit to the “Great Physician” and allow Him to perform this needed surgery.
True restoration begins with the transforming power of the Holy Spirit within our hearts and is the only way we will accurately portray His true characteristics to a lost and dying world. Only then will we be adequately prepared to be His voice, feet and hands! Other than receiving salvation, this is the ultimate call for all of us while we are in these fleshy bodies—to accomplish His will on earth as it is in heaven by our walk and service to others.
The ability to produce “good” fruit is accomplished by:
1. Abiding in His presence
2. Working with and submitting and obeying the Holy Spirit
3. Reading His Word to renew our minds
4. Applying His Word to produce fruit in our lives.
Only then will do the same works Jesus did, even to the point of Jesus saying we will do even greater things then he did! We can only receive this extraordinary empowerment of the Holy Spirit by having an intimate personal relationship with Jesus Christ! Jesus never did anything which was NOT the Father’s will. Why? Because He fully relied on God and abided in His presence at all times, and as a result, He DID exactly what the Father instructed Him to do!
Jesus repeatedly said if you SEE him and DO what he did you will SEE the Father and will DO the Father’s will. One example of this truth is found in John 14:6-14.
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time?”
“Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing this work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me WILL DO what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”
If Jesus’ disciples learned firsthand from the master himself during His earthly ministry and still didn’t get it—how much more do we need to understand this basic truth? When Jesus states “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it,” it is important to realize what you ask must be in agreement with the Holy Spirit and His Word. You cannot expect Him to answer what you ask if it is NOT according to His will or contradicts the truth of His Word.
As a result of having a personal intimate relationship with Him I have learned and experienced the more I seek Him the more God shows me His heart AND blesses me. The more I trust Him the more obedient I become. As a result, He uses me more to accomplish His will because He knows He can trust me.
As I have come to know His characteristics and obey His requirements He expects us to live by, the better I am able to emulate the fruit of the Spirit more accurately to others. This is the only way the world will see Jesus Christ—in us.
Furthermore, every place I go I view as the “mission field” and use it as an opportunity to witness to people about the wonderful God we serve. I don’t beat people over the head with preaching—unless I am instructed to do so. I emulate His characteristics and people are drawn to me because they SEE something about me is different. I have had more conversations begin because I was kind, friendly and helpful to someone in the marketplace, in airports, at ball fields, etc. People are watching us and what we “do” is more critical then what we “say.” It is very disheartening to keep hearing people say it is unusual for someone to want to help them, be kind to them and smile at them.
OUR LOVE WALK AND THE WAY WE LIVE IS EVERTHING! If people do not notice a significant change in your life or you have spent the majority of your Christian walk not making a difference and influencing others for His kingdom have you really fully committed yourself to Christ? Or, are you like I was in a lukewarm state and just “playing church?”
It took me a long time to mature in my walk because I was not ready to fully commit and submit to His Lordship in many areas of my life. I gave Him only those things I knew I couldn’t handle and was straddling the fence. I had one leg over the fence clinging to the things of this world and the other testing the things of God. As a result of being double-minded it took me going around the same mountain again and again! Then one day I received the revelation the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. I finally decided my way wasn’t achieving the results I desired on a consistent basis so I would fully commit. Up until this time I was reading the Bible but was NOT applying and getting into agreement with His word. I was “playing” church and I was a lukewarm Christian. Jesus said in Revelation 3:14-16, “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God. I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.
It was only when I began to get serious in my walk with the Lord did I see huge changes and miracles begin to manifest in my life. It is only then will we yield abundant “fruit” for the kingdom of God too.
Jesus said in Matthew 7:18, “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.” If you are still living a “worldly” lifestyle and not exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit on a regular basis and NOT bearing abundant fruit by your works and deeds something is very wrong. Have you ever heard the expression, “Bad roots, Bad fruit?” A heart issue is the “root” of the problem. Ask for forgiveness, renounce any activity you know is contrary to the word of God, Repent (turn from all sin-completely eradicated it) and rededicate your life to Jesus Christ.
In closing, I challenge you to give the “first fruits” of your heart, love, time, money and devotion to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Seek His kingdom….above all else. Time is short and the line of demarcation is getting clearer all the time. We must draw a line in the sand and become serious about the Father’s business and choose sides now. So set your face like flint and be determined to earnestly cultivate a personal intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. Don’t wait to find out He is all you need, until He is all you have left. Unfortunately for most of us, the more hopeless our circumstances the more likely our salvation will be. It is only those who know they need a Savior that will cling to Him as though their life depends on it--and indeed it does. Furthermore, without the love and devotion which is the by-product of having an intimate personal relationship with Jesus Christ we cannot begin to fulfill the greatest commandment Jesus ever gave us to follow in Matthew 22:37-39 which states, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
We need to learn how to have a personal intimate relationship with the Creator of the Universe. He longs to be in fellowship with His children and many are not taught the simplicity of how to establish this relationship with our Heavenly Father.
Anyone can be as close and intimate with God as they desire to be and Hebrews 11:6 (NIV) substantiates that He rewards those who “earnestly” seek Him. Earnestly means to show deep sincerity with determine seriousness and purposeful intent. “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
We make it more complicated than it needs to be. In Matthew 18:2-3, “He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he (Jesus) said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” He is beseeching us to come to Him like little inquisitive children do—with faith, trust, hope, and a teachable spirit.
Also, many Christians struggle with how to pray. Prayer is nothing more than communicating with our Heavenly Father. A relationship always involves two way communication and is never one sided. This is true of all earthly relationships and is the basis of establishing an intimate personal relationship with our Heavenly Father. Talk to Him like you would your best friend and expect Him to answer you.
His Word says in John 10:27 (NIV), “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” The reason why most believers do not hear Him speak is because we just give Him our list of things we want answered and do not spend adequate time in solitude listening for His answer. Nothing is as important as abiding in His presence and listening for His response and oftentimes His answer is not immediate. It requires the one thing most are not willing to give—our time, effort and devotion.
Anything worthwhile in life takes effort and persistence and cultivating a personal relationship with Jesus Christ should be our first priority. We must clear our calendars and set appointed times everyday to ensure we get alone and silence all the other demands in our lives. We all have the same twenty-four hours in a day and control our schedules. There is no excuse for not spending time cultivating the most important relationship we will ever have. This precious time could be accomplished by most of us by simply turning off the radio, stereo, cell phone and television.
It is one thing to know the Bible or attend church; it is another thing to intimately know the God of the Bible. It is not about religion, it is about having a personal intimate relationship with God Almighty. He loves us that much and is waiting for us with open arms. He is our Heavenly Father and His greatest desire is for His children to be in fellowship with Him and depend on Him for every area of our lives—not just when we are in trouble.
How would you feel if your children, spouse or other significant people in your life only came to you when they were in trouble and needed something yet never spent time with you and reciprocated your love and devotion for them? Any loving intimate relationship involves two way communication, interaction, sacrifice and devotion. Our relationship with our Heavenly Father is no different and God’s heart breaks when His Children forsake Him.
Remember that cute little saying that came out many years ago, “What would Jesus do?” Read the four synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John to understand not only what Jesus DID in His earthly ministry but more importantly, what He ACTED like. As you read the gospels notice His characteristics. You will witness His trust in God; His humility; His patience; His courage; His meekness, which is strength under control; His compassion; His sincerity; His strength; His convictions; His generosity; His holiness; His discipline; His honesty; His indignation; His grace and mercy; and His love. The only people He had righteous indignation for or judged were the religious leaders who thought they had all the answers.
Ponder and answer these questions:
First and foremost, how do you know Jesus loves you?
How can you accept the love of Jesus if you don’t first love yourself? You cannot give away something you do not possess in the first place. You must not only believe that God loves you but you must receive His love.
How can you have faith, hope and totally depend on Jesus when you don’t have a personal relationship with Him?
How can you trust Jesus when you don’t have a personal relationship with Him? You cannot fully trust someone unless you know without a shadow of a doubt they love you and want what is best for you.
How can you obey Jesus when you don’t have a personal relationship with Him? You cannot because rules without a relationship always end in rebellion.
Hearing God loves us is not enough—we must experience it for ourselves and we truly grasp this revelation only by knowing Him intimately. We only trust and obey God when we know and experience His great love for us. Then everything we "do" to please Him is a by-product of our great love for Him and we are able to emulate the fruit of the Spirit as we deepen our walk. Notice the first fruit of the Spirit is love, because God is love. Without knowing and receiving God's love it is very difficult to posses and experience joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and gentleness on an ongoing basis. Furthermore, these qualities are manifested in our lives by practicing the last fruit of the Spirit of self-control. The more we crucify our flesh to worldly desires the more we become like Christ.
It will take us crucifying our flesh to live a holy life and it begins with self-control which can only be obtained through discipline and sacrifice. It is God's will for us to spend more time with family and friends, get physically fit, get out of debt, get rid of bad habits, help others, etc. However, NOT at the cost of sacrificing our souls for all eternity because we did not cultivate a personal intimate relationship with His son Jesus Christ. Allow the words from Jesus to resonate in your spirit and examine if you need to change the course you are on. "Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly andremove your lamp stand from its place—unless you repent. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”
How to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ
One of the most important question you will ever ask yourself is, "How do I begin to have a personal intimate relationship with Jesus?"
It is just like establishing a close intimate relationship with anyone else. You spend time with Him, you seek Him in His Word, you worship Him with music, and you listen to sermons at church from various Pastors and teachers. You must seek Him with all your heart and soul and put Him first in everything you do! Our priorities need to become God, ourselves, our families, our friends, and then our jobs.
Accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior is only the beginning of our salvation! We cannot blame our pastors or anyone else for our walk with Him being less desirable than it should be and for not knowing the guidelines of the covenant Jesus Christ established with us by shedding His precious blood.
God will hold each and every one of us accountable for knowing His truth and being in fellowship with Him and it requires action on our part. Philippians 2:12-16 (NIV) states, “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose.”
The Holy Spirit is our engagement ring for our marriage to Jesus Christ. The church is the bride of Christ and it is imperative you understand the role the Holy Spirit plays in our walk with the Lord which guarantees our salvation IF we cultivate and abide in a personal intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.
I do not believe in reinventing the wheel and God uses many different people in His body to convey His truth. Every Christian must read a book written by Robert Heidler titled, “Developing a Living Relationship with the Holy Spirit-Experiencing the Spirit.” He is a pastor who was taught in seminary that the empowering of the Holy Spirit was not for today’s church and he even spoke against this belief from the pulpit until one day the Lord baptized him with the Holy Spirit. The book is substantiated with tons of scripture and superbly explains the difference between the indwelling versus the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. It also goes into detail explaining the gifts of the spirit as well.
Furthermore, it is only by spending time with Him and reading His Word will we come to know His characteristics we are called to emulate in our walk. How can we effectively be His personal representatives if we do not take the time to understand the awesome God we serve and learn His characteristics? Today commit to reading His Word for yourself. Start in the book of Matthew and then read the rest of the synoptic gospels. Look for His characteristics and pay close attention to what Jesus did and how He acted. It is only by applying what you have learned by living it will you be able to effectively influence the world for His kingdom and bring glory to God. What good is it to read the Bible and then not do what it says?
Before the Lord called me into full-time ministry He had me meditate on the book of Matthew for over six months. The reason for this was to know His characteristics, what He did and understand the importance of abiding in His Father's presence. Also two reoccuring themes I gleaned from this endeavor was 1) It is according to your belief He will bring things to pass in your life. In other words, if you don't believe, you WILL not receive. It is that simple. 2) Our intent and motives are critical in everything we do. You may be able to fool the people around you with what you say or do, but God sees and knows our heart and will judge us accordingly. If you do something with the wrong motive the only reward you will receive is the approval of people which is a great destiny killer. The only one we need to seek approval from is God Almighty and the only way to achieve this is by learning what pleases Him and doing it. As with any intimate relationship it only by spending time with Him will this become a reality and enable us finish the race and claim our eternal prize.
What a personal intimate relationship with Jesus Christ looks like
Many people have asked me how to cultivate a personal relationship with the Lord. We erroneously assume people know how to do this. Therefore, I will share with you what I “did” and “do” to cultivate a personal intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. We are all different and what works for one may not work for another. However, if you are serious about deepening your walk with Jesus Christ here are some suggestions to help you.
Church for me is not just on Sundays and Wednesdays—it is a 24/7 endeavor. “We” are the church and His presence is with us always no matter what we are doing or where we are. He delights and longs to spend time with us no matter what we look like or what we are doing.
I spend most of my “free” time in His presence worshipping Him and being in His Word. I do not watch much television and this affords me the opportunity to go deeper with Him while not neglecting my other responsibilities.
I get into His presence every day no matter what else I am doing. My quiet time alone with God is when I go on my morning walks and again in the evening after my family is asleep. I even get fed His Word while I am working out at the gym by listening to different sermons on my IPOD. This attests to the fact you can get physically fit while getting spiritually fed too. It is simply a matter of incorporating Him into our daily routine.
Just like a compass automatically points to true north, my thoughts automatically turn to God for He is always on my mind and heart. He is first in my thoughts when I wake up and greet Him and the last person I talk with at the end of the day as I lay down to go to sleep. He is my best friend; I talk to Him all the time throughout the day.
Following is an example of what I ask Him for on a regular basis because His Word states, “You have not, because you ask not.” He lets me know if I need to ask for other things as well. For those of you who believe you will automatically receive without asking this is not always true. Yes, He knows what you already want before you even ask, but He wants you to ask because you are acknowledging He is your source.
1. His Truth and only His Truth to be revealed to me.
2. The wisdom of Solomon but the heart of David and to help me guard my heart, mind and my MOUTH. What we speak is so critical and this shipwrecks us more than anything. I could and will do an entire writing just on this one thing.
3. As I lay down each night I review my day and ask Him for forgiveness if my walk was not desirable in any way and I did something to offend and not please Him. We all fall short and keeping a short account is critical for we are not promised tomorrow.
4. For Him to reveal anything in my life I need to get rid off—sin I don’t know about, activities I should not participate in, etc.
5. To order my steps and close all doors of opportunity that are not from Him and to open the door He wants me to walk through. I want to make sure I don’t get so busy doing “good” things I am not available to do what He has called me to do. Above all else I want NO ONE OR ANYTHING to come between the times spent alone in solitude abiding in His presence.
6. I give Him free reign to influence and control every area of my life. Most of the time we only give Him Lordship of those areas we feel we cannot handle. He wants it all!
7. For His grace which enables me do everything He calls me to do.
8. For Him to reveal His heart to me and what I can do for His glory.
9. I ask Him for His protection of everyone I love as we go about our day and again in the evening I ask for His divine protection for everyone I love as we sleep.
I got rid of all secular music and started replacing it with Christian music. All the music I listen to is Christian. I did this because I want to constantly be reminded to keep my focus on Him. I worship Him all the time with praise and thanksgiving. I even worship Him with music when I clean my house or do yard work. When I ride in the car I worship Him with music or I listen to sermons. As you can clearly see it doesn't take more time to grown deeper with Him at all.
I thank Him and am grateful for everything in my life on a regular basis. Do you know just thanking the Lord is a form of worshiping Him? As stated in Psalm 50:23 (NLT) “But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me. IF you keep my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God.” When I pay my bills I thank Him He has provided me with the money to pay them. When I clean my house I thank Him for the fact I have a house to clean. When I do mounds of laundry for my family I thank Him I have a family to provide clean clothes for. When I climb into bed each night I thank Him for the fact I have a roof over my head and a warm comfortable bed to go to sleep in at night. When I fill my car with gas I thank Him I have a car to drive. You get the point. When we thank Him for everything we have we are acknowledging He is our provider and we appreciate His provision.
I get into His Word on a daily basis and ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate His Word for me and show me His truth. As stated in Luke 11:9 (NIV), “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” We need to ask Him to give us His revelations found in His Word. Also it helps to use a version of the Bible you can clearly understand and for this reason I use a NIV New Life Application Bible for it is written in a format which is easy to comprehend and it elaborates on what the scriptures are addressing. If you feel overwhelmed and do not know where to start get the Bible you can read in one year's time by devoting 20 to 30 minutes a day. Each day it is broken down with one Old Testament scripture, One New Testament Scripture, a scripture out of Psalms and one out of proverbs. The important thing is you get started reading His word for yourself so you are not led astray by false teachings and your mind and spirit can be renewed.
You may be thinking this is easy for me to devote myself fully to Him because I am in full-time ministry and have the time. But this was not always the case. Just three years ago I worked full-time for AT&T Global Network Services as an International Critical Issues Manager and was working at least 50 plus hours per week. This position was extremely stressful plus I had to be available at a moment notice due the different time zones around the world. However, I was still determined to seek first His Kingdom above all else. The Lord would wake me up at 3:00 in the morning and I would get in His presence and it was during this time I wrote my first book. Then I would go about the normal day of being a wife and mother. In addition, I cleaned my own house and did most of my yard work. Many nights I did not go to bed until 11:00 at night because I used the quiet time after my children were in bed to read His word and abide in His presence. Looking back it was only by the grace of God I was able to accomplish everything required of me and succeed.
I am not a religious fanatic; I am someone who loves the Lord God with all my heart and soul and I am driven by eternity and not the temporal things of this world. Jesus said in Matthew 10:38 (NIV), “Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” Also, in Matthew 10:37 (NIV), “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” He is worthy of our “first fruits” and total devotion because without God you would not exist in the first place. So you see it is not about us, it is all about Him and His purposes and glory.
What “fruit” will result from having a personal intimate relationship with Jesus Christ?
When we first come to accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior oftentimes the changes in our lifestyle are not immediately apparent. The moment we accept Jesus Christ we are justified because of what Jesus did on the cross. However, our lifelong journey is just beginning as we are transformed from glory to glory into a new creature by the power of the Holy Spirit indwelling is us. This process of becoming more like Christ is called sanctification.
Typically it takes seven years to come to full maturity in Christ and we are in partnership with the Holy Spirit to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Our commitment and our obedience to God and His Word will determine the “fruit” we produce.
As we draw closer in our walk with the Lord and seek His face and heart, the desires of our hearts and the way we live our lives will be transformed by the power of His love. Metamorphosis is used to describe the amazing change a caterpillar goes through in becoming a butterfly. This analogy is exactly what takes place in us when we allow God to change our hearts. We need a heart transplant and God is the only donor who meets the requirements to take a hardened corrupted heart and transform it to its intended purpose—to sustain life. We must submit to the “Great Physician” and allow Him to perform this needed surgery.
True restoration begins with the transforming power of the Holy Spirit within our hearts and is the only way we will accurately portray His true characteristics to a lost and dying world. Only then will we be adequately prepared to be His voice, feet and hands! Other than receiving salvation, this is the ultimate call for all of us while we are in these fleshy bodies—to accomplish His will on earth as it is in heaven by our walk and service to others.
The ability to produce “good” fruit is accomplished by:
1. Abiding in His presence
2. Working with and submitting and obeying the Holy Spirit
3. Reading His Word to renew our minds
4. Applying His Word to produce fruit in our lives.
Only then will do the same works Jesus did, even to the point of Jesus saying we will do even greater things then he did! We can only receive this extraordinary empowerment of the Holy Spirit by having an intimate personal relationship with Jesus Christ! Jesus never did anything which was NOT the Father’s will. Why? Because He fully relied on God and abided in His presence at all times, and as a result, He DID exactly what the Father instructed Him to do!
Jesus repeatedly said if you SEE him and DO what he did you will SEE the Father and will DO the Father’s will. One example of this truth is found in John 14:6-14.
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time?”
“Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing this work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me WILL DO what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”
If Jesus’ disciples learned firsthand from the master himself during His earthly ministry and still didn’t get it—how much more do we need to understand this basic truth? When Jesus states “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it,” it is important to realize what you ask must be in agreement with the Holy Spirit and His Word. You cannot expect Him to answer what you ask if it is NOT according to His will or contradicts the truth of His Word.
As a result of having a personal intimate relationship with Him I have learned and experienced the more I seek Him the more God shows me His heart AND blesses me. The more I trust Him the more obedient I become. As a result, He uses me more to accomplish His will because He knows He can trust me.
As I have come to know His characteristics and obey His requirements He expects us to live by, the better I am able to emulate the fruit of the Spirit more accurately to others. This is the only way the world will see Jesus Christ—in us.
Furthermore, every place I go I view as the “mission field” and use it as an opportunity to witness to people about the wonderful God we serve. I don’t beat people over the head with preaching—unless I am instructed to do so. I emulate His characteristics and people are drawn to me because they SEE something about me is different. I have had more conversations begin because I was kind, friendly and helpful to someone in the marketplace, in airports, at ball fields, etc. People are watching us and what we “do” is more critical then what we “say.” It is very disheartening to keep hearing people say it is unusual for someone to want to help them, be kind to them and smile at them.
OUR LOVE WALK AND THE WAY WE LIVE IS EVERTHING! If people do not notice a significant change in your life or you have spent the majority of your Christian walk not making a difference and influencing others for His kingdom have you really fully committed yourself to Christ? Or, are you like I was in a lukewarm state and just “playing church?”
It took me a long time to mature in my walk because I was not ready to fully commit and submit to His Lordship in many areas of my life. I gave Him only those things I knew I couldn’t handle and was straddling the fence. I had one leg over the fence clinging to the things of this world and the other testing the things of God. As a result of being double-minded it took me going around the same mountain again and again! Then one day I received the revelation the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. I finally decided my way wasn’t achieving the results I desired on a consistent basis so I would fully commit. Up until this time I was reading the Bible but was NOT applying and getting into agreement with His word. I was “playing” church and I was a lukewarm Christian. Jesus said in Revelation 3:14-16, “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God. I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.
It was only when I began to get serious in my walk with the Lord did I see huge changes and miracles begin to manifest in my life. It is only then will we yield abundant “fruit” for the kingdom of God too.
Jesus said in Matthew 7:18, “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.” If you are still living a “worldly” lifestyle and not exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit on a regular basis and NOT bearing abundant fruit by your works and deeds something is very wrong. Have you ever heard the expression, “Bad roots, Bad fruit?” A heart issue is the “root” of the problem. Ask for forgiveness, renounce any activity you know is contrary to the word of God, Repent (turn from all sin-completely eradicated it) and rededicate your life to Jesus Christ.
In closing, I challenge you to give the “first fruits” of your heart, love, time, money and devotion to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Seek His kingdom….above all else. Time is short and the line of demarcation is getting clearer all the time. We must draw a line in the sand and become serious about the Father’s business and choose sides now. So set your face like flint and be determined to earnestly cultivate a personal intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. Don’t wait to find out He is all you need, until He is all you have left. Unfortunately for most of us, the more hopeless our circumstances the more likely our salvation will be. It is only those who know they need a Savior that will cling to Him as though their life depends on it--and indeed it does. Furthermore, without the love and devotion which is the by-product of having an intimate personal relationship with Jesus Christ we cannot begin to fulfill the greatest commandment Jesus ever gave us to follow in Matthew 22:37-39 which states, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
