eternity | 1 Way 1 Truth 1 Life

In Whom

Posted on June 10, 2014 by wearemorethanconquerors837

When I say I believe in Jesus Christ it is not a belief like when you’re a kid and you believe in Santa, the Easter Bunny, or the Tooth Fairy. When I say I believe it is like when someone says they believe in themselves to accomplish a goal. Or like when you tell someone you believe in them accomplishing their goals. Better yet, when you believe in someone to provide for your well-being. My belief in Jesus Christ isn’t about His existence. I already know Jesus is real from Holy Scripture and personal experience. My belief is in what He has done and the promise of what it means.

I believe in Jesus Christ in His life. He lived a perfect life that I can never live. In this perfect life He was tempted in every way that I am.

For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15

He lived as a human and did not fall as I do. He was the perfect lamb.

I believe in Jesus Christ in His death and work on the cross. He was beaten and humiliated. He was nailed to a cross through His wrists and feet. He was piecered through His side and was a bloody mess. This is the death that I deserve.

But He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,
And by His scourging we are healed. Isaiah 53:5

I believe in Jesus Christ in His resurrection. He was dead for three days then came back. Not just spirit, but His entire being, body and all was raised. In this I have eternal life. In this I have the promise of resurrection.

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing; and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living One among the dead? He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.” Luke 24:1-7

Jesus Christ is not a fictional character in whose existence I believe. I already know He exists. I believe in His life, death, and resurrection for my salvation. C.S. Lewis said, “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” This is how I also believe. I see everything by Jesus Christ. He has given me faith. This faith is also not a blind faith. It is faith in what is real. It is faith in Who is real. It is faith in what Holy Scripture says.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

I put all my trust in Jesus Christ. He changed my heart. He opened my eyes. No more walking in darkness. His promise is true. Believe in Him and walk in the light of salvation. Jesus Christ is all. He is enough.

And Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me. He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me. I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. John 12:44-46

I encourage you to get a Bible. Read these passages I have shared. If you don’t have one I will send one to you.

My prayer is for Jesus Christ to work in your heart. I pray for Him to open your eyes.

I am nobody special. I am just a sinner who has been saved by the grace of God through the perfect life, bloody death, and amazing resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; Ephesians 2:8

I pray He saves you.

True Miracle

Posted on June 21, 2013 by wearemorethanconquerors837

This past week a friend of mine lost his sister to cancer. I did not know her but he told me she fought hard. She never gave up.

My friend is a fellow believer in Christ Jesus. He gives his life to Christ. As a believer he prayed without ceasing for his sister to win her battle. He talked to his sister about the healing power of Jesus and what faith in Him can do. He even found a church where the pastor had a personal physical healing by Jesus and took her there. He said she began to gain greater strength to fight for her life. In the end though her life on this earth has gone.

After losing a loved one after praying and believing in miracles many would lose faith. Many would turn from God. But my friend is an inspiration. He knows the truth. He demonstrates true faith in Christ Jesus. Instead of turning from God he boldly turns to Him.

At the viewing he said a few words about his sister. He spoke of how he and many other family and friends had been praying for a miracle. He said that many prayed for her life. Then he spoke more truth of how in her battle with cancer he saw her grow closer and closer to the Lord. He saw her faith grow. You see, he knows the truth. He knows the true miracle. He knows the true promise of Christ Jesus. He knows that when we believe in Him we never die but we have eternal life. Life without pain. Life without suffering. Life without cancer.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26

While we all prayed for a miracle of her life continuing on earth, another one happened. She came to truly believe in Jesus. We prayed for her to live and now she lives forever. If we believe, we will live forever as well. My friend believes. He will see his sister again.

Some may not see it as a miracle. Some only see miracles as the blind seeing, the lame walking, the dead rising back on earth. Once they see they will believe. But believing is seeing. Jesus didn’t work miracles in his life to draw attention to himself. He worked them for the people who already believed. All throughout scripture there are examples.

They came to the house of the synagogue official; and He saw a commotion, and people loudly weeping and wailing. And entering in, He said to them, “Why make a commotion and weep? The child has not died, but is asleep.” They began laughing at Him. But putting them all out, He took along the child’s father and mother and His own companions, and entered the room where the child was. Taking the child by the hand, He said to her, “Talitha kum!” (which translated means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). Immediately the girl got up and began to walk, for she was twelve years old. And immediately they were completely astounded. And He gave them strict orders that no one should know about this, and He said that something should be given her to eat. Mark 5:38-43

I recently listened to a sermon by Alistair Begg about this passage. He had a lot of eye-opening points. The one that spoke to my heart about this loss is that after Jesus heals the little girl He tells those in the room not to tell anyone. This is after He puts out all those who were laughing. Alistair Begg points out that those who were laughing at Jesus, unbelievers, did not get to see the miracle. He said something like, “those who laugh at the words of Jesus don’t get to experience the works of Jesus.”

Again I see that a true miracle did take place in my friend’s sister’s life. She believed and now in her death she finally gets to live.

I pray that his family gets time to grieve. I pray that when they are done grieving, whenever that may be, that joy comes in the morning. I pray that they all see the miracle and they all find their way to give themselves to the Lord Christ Jesus.

To my friend, you are a godly man. Your love and boldness for Jesus is inspiring. Thank you for setting a great example for so many.

I saw how many people your sister touched with her life. I am sure there are many more. She is home now.

Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. John 5:25

The Warm Up Is Almost Over

Posted on February 14, 2013 by wearemorethanconquerors837

For those of you who do not know I am a fitness trainer/ strength coach. I am part owner of a facility where we specialize in group training. Before each session we do a very important warm up. Most people will go to the gym on their own or their trainer may put them on the treadmill to warm them up. Just doing this, or a set or two of jumping jacks is not enough to get you ready for the workout. In fact, if you do not warm up properly your entire session is pointless.

There are some scientific reasons that I will not get into as to why warming up properly is important. I will tell you that it will decrease your risk for injury and get your body ready to work. Basically, if your warm up isn’t a quality warm up you might as well not train. The same holds true for competitive athletes before a game or contest. They must do a detailed warm up before playing the game. If a pitcher comes out of the bull pen cold and faces the first batter he is just asking for any number of possible injuries.

So our warm ups can be pretty intense. Some people might even use part of it as their workout. Then our work starts and near the end I like to tease the people training by saying “the warm up is almost over!” Of course the new people in the session look at me like “seriously?” and the veterans just roll their eyes at my attempt at humor. But seriously this is all the warm up.

Look how short life is. In James 4:13-15 he says “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”

We are but a vapor. Our personal existence does not last very long. We are here today by the will of God. Some believe we are only here and then that is it. But I can not believe that. I do believe that this is the warm up. It’s the time to get ready for the actual workout. It is time to get ready for the game. It is time to get ready by making the warm up a priority and not just a walk on the treadmill.

I know James wasn’t speaking of what I am talking about in his writing, but his reference to us as a vapor, or as some translations say a mist, drives home how short our life is. He is also saying, if you read a few verses later, that if we know good and do not do it that it is sin.

Knowing that life is short, and it is not the ultimate goal, means that this is the warm up. One must do good to keep from sin because one day we will get called to play the game. We will get called to do the real work. We will get called to eternity. So we must love each other.

The warm up is almost over.