Know Jesus

The faith that I proclaim with the words on these pages is alive and real—it is authentic.

While mine is far from perfect, it is rooted and grounded in the one true God. We can come to Him needy and broken, at the end of our rope, or just hanging on by our fingertips, and He will receive us, just as we are.

We all fall short on this journey of faith. We have made and continue to make choices that would separate us from God if it were not for the finished work of Christ, His son, on the cross. God the Father saw fit to send His only son to pay the price for our every wrongdoing—past, present, and future.

I’ve mulled over that offering for years and still stand in awe of the enormity of the priceless gift that was given on my behalf, and yours.

If you think on every standard you’ve failed to meet, every promise you’ve failed to keep (intentionally or not), and every selfish desire you’ve allowed to have way, you will come face to face with how very deeply you need God. And how very deeply He loves you.

It is that great love that drove Jesus to the cross, for you, for me.

That love is also a motive to live a life that honors the incredible price that Jesus paid. There is nothing we can do to make ourselves right apart from Christ. He has fully given all so that we have everything we need—His word, His presence, His grace—to live in freedom and truth.

My rescue, and yours should you choose it, comes by faith, through grace—not because we’ve earned it, or deserve it, but because it is in fact a gift given by God.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,  not a result of works.
Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV

The only way to receive that gift is to invite Christ, God’s son, into our life. In His strength, we can walk away from the past and toward the good plans He wants to write over us—plans that promise us hope and a future beside him forever. These aren’t plans to free us from struggle or trial, because those will come, but we face them with God at our side.

A God who can use our deepest struggles for our greatest good.

A God who can do exceedingly more than we can imagine or ask.

A God who keeps his promises.

Receive. It’s that beautifully simple and that utterly complex. To give much more detail in this space would over complicate the next step for you…and that is for you to believe.

Nothing else is required from you at this point, which is what makes God so incredibly wonderful. This is relationship, not religion.

No matter who you are, what you’ve done, or where you come from, you are welcome into His family, and so into mine. If you’re ready to believe, to respond in faith, to know Jesus as your personal Savior, then I invite you to pray this simple prayer:

Jesus, with my mouth I confess I’m a sinner, and in my heart I believe that You can forgive me. I want to set aside my past and walk in the freedom that comes from knowing Your forgiveness and grace. I want to choose Your path over all others, because I believe that You have chosen me. I ask You to be my Lord. From today on, no matter how often I falter or fail, help me to remember that I am Yours and You love me. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Sweet friend, if you prayed that prayer, will you comment below and tell me. I’d love to pray over you and celebrate with you.

I invite you into this place, my space, and welcome you to join me as we draw near to the God of endless grace. I promise it will be the greatest adventure of your life—and the one with the most eternal prize.

Your sister in Christ,

 

PS. You’ll notice several text links throughout this post. I hope this bible-based truth and evidence will serve to strengthen your decision of faith.